Book 4: The Billionaire's Caregiver

Baby For The Billionaire

April didn't consider herself rich growing up, but she was wealthy. Her family had enough money so that she never worried about anything. She never even questioned why her mother left her father five years ago, though she suspected now that her mother got wise to his scheme and decided to leave.

April felt badly now for insisting she stay with him. She had alienated her mother, and right now, she could have used a sympathetic shoulder to cry on.

Everyone had abandoned her. Her boyfriend of two years broke up with her. Her friends turned their backs on her. April was alone and miserable. As the spring semester wrapped up, April somehow managed to make it through her finals and wondered what would happen next.

Would she be able to come back to school? Would she even have a place to live? The home she had known her whole life was locked up and taped. It, and everything inside was to be auctioned off this summer.

April sat on the bed of her dorm room and looked out the window. Her roommate Sylvia had already left. Sylvia had hardly said a word to her since the news about her father came out. Of all of her friends, April thought Sylvia had the best reason. Her father had been one of the investors in the Edwards Fund, and he very likely lost a great deal of money.

The day outside was bright, far brighter than April felt. She let out a long sigh. She had held off on calling her mother. She knew that her mother would not turn her away, but she was also not sure how she was going to get to her. She was across the country now, in California.

While she had managed to pick up her life, April doubted that she would be able to spring for a plane ticket at the last minute.

“ You’re still here,” a light voice said from April’s doorway.

April turned to see her sorority sister Chloe standing there. She was holding a suitcase in one hand and a box under her other arm.

“ Yeah, I’m not in any hurry to get anywhere,” April said. Chloe set her things down at the doorway and walked over to Sylvia’s old bed. She sat down and looked at April, measuring her carefully.

April was not sure what to make of it. She and Chloe were never close. Chloe was a year her senior and a sweet girl, but the two of them had almost nothing in

common.

“ It’s been hard on you the last few weeks,” Chloe said at last. “Do you know where you’re going?”

April shrugged her shoulders. “I’ll probably call my mom out in California and see if I can join her out there.” Chloe frowned. “That’s a long way to go for an ‘if you can.’”

April appreciated Chloe’s ability to quickly understand a situation; even she did not understand all of the details behind it. It did not help her though, and April let out another deep sigh before looking out the window again.

“ You know,” Chloe said, “I might have a solution for you.”

April turned back to face Chloe. A solution was just what she needed. “What’s that?”

“ My dad owns a resort upstate. He always needs extra help for the summer, and it pays really well. You also get to stay at the resort free, though you’re staying in the servants quarters. It’s not too bad, as long as you don’t mind spending your summer in a room about the size of this dorm room.”

April never had to work a summer job. She was aware of the concept, but the practice itself was alien to her. Still, the idea of getting a job had a certain appeal. It meant that she did not have to depend on her mother, and if her mother saw her trying to make an effort to get past everything and be better for it, it might help the two of them repair their relationship.

If her mother could help, she might even be willing to do it on more even terms than April having to move somewhere strange.

“ Will it be a problem, to get me a job I mean?” April asked.

Chloe shook her head. “My dad’s opinion is that anyone who can’t ask a few simple questions about an investment probably deserves to lose their money.” Chloe paused and gave April an apologetic look. “It’s a harsh opinion. But it means that he’s not going to have anything against helping you. Besides, nothing that happened had anything to do with you. It was all your father.”

April gave Chloe the first real smile that she felt in weeks. “Thank you so much. Whatever he needs me to do, I don’t care. I’ll even wash toilets.”

Chloe laughed. “It won’t be that bad. It’ll be hard work, but the resort is beautiful, and staff always get two days off during the week, so you’ll even get to enjoy some of it.”

April did not care about getting to enjoy the resort. For the first time since the investigation into her father started, April was starting to see the light at the end of a very dark tunnel.

She even thought it might not be a train.

********

April had never had the opportunity to visit Stuart Estates before. It was far more upscale than anything her family would have afforded, though she knew many of her father’s clients probably frequented this resort. She wished she had gotten to see and enjoy it without having to be an employee.

Set in a mountain valley, it featured a large manor house that hosted any number of events, from conferences to weddings and family reunions. Some of the upstairs rooms were still held as private rooms for guests, though a majority of guest accommodations were in “cabins,” buildings that had once served as guest houses or were built later when the original property was converted.

Still, April thought that she would enjoy working here. The air was crisp and clear. She was surrounded by beauty. It was tranquil, even if her supervisor Henry Graven did promise that she would be far too busy to take notice of what was around them.

Mr. Graven was a cold man, tall with pale skin and dark hair. April recognized the name right away, and did her best not to cringe. He was one of the people who lost their retirement money to her father’s scheme. She could tell by the way that he looked at her; he knew who she was. He would not be able to do anything overt, but if she gave him any reason to fire her, he would not hesitate to take it.

Her first day was mostly a learning curve, of going from being the person waited on to doing the waiting. Mr. Graven was grudgingly patient as she learned, and she found the rest of the staff to be kind and understanding. She did not think any of them knew about her circumstances, and she was thankful for that. It was still a stressful day, and she was happy to retire in the evening to her room.

Her “room” was one-half of a small cabin that April thought had probably been a campground cabin at some point. Now it was fitted with lighting and a small window unit to control heat and air. A bathroom had also been built onto it, to be shared between the two units. It was small, smaller than her dorm room had been, but it was comfortable, brightly decorated, and most of all private.

April lay on her bed and thought about her day. It has been busy. Mr. Graven was right. She had barely had time to notice the beautiful scenery around her. She decided she would change that. She would give herself a few days to get used to the job, and after that, she would take brief moments in her day to just appreciate where she was.

********

April knelt down to wipe up the spilled coffee and gather up the shards of china cups that were now scattered about the floor. She was still getting used to carrying trays and keeping them balanced. Something had brushed her thigh over her skirt – it was not a something, it was a man’s hand, she was certain of that – and caused her to lose her balance. Now, she was mortified as guests watched her fumbling with the glass shards and spilt coffee, trying hard not to cut herself.

When the last piece was gathered and the last of the coffee sopped up, April stood, careful not to tip her tray and spill any of the shards. As she walked past a table, she felt a hand brush the top of her knee. She glanced back to see an older man with short, thick grey hair give her a wink. She quickly turned, trying to control her blush and pushed through the swinging doors back into the kitchen galley.

“ Are you okay?” Leah, one of the other girls on staff asked her as she set down her tray of broken cups.

“ A guest is getting grabby,” April said. She let out a sigh as she began to move the shards into the collection bin set up for broken wares. “It just caught me off guard, that’s all.”

“ You should be more careful with your tray Miss Edwards.” Mr. Graven paused as he walked past her. “You are lucky that you did not burn anyone.”

“ I’m sorry. I’ll be more careful next time,” April said.

She did not look up to see Mr. Graven’s look, but she was sure it was one of contempt. He walked on and she finished depositing the shards and took her tray to be washed. Another tray of coffee was set up, which Leah picked up to take out. April was relieved. She did not want to have to go back out into the dining room right now, not right on the heels of something so embarrassing.

The rest of the noonday brunch went by smoothly, and when April did have to go back out, she was glad to see that guests paid her no more attention than they did to any other member of staff.

Slowly the guests filed out of the dining hall and out to the veranda. It was still raining lightly outside, but it would clear soon. The guests would enjoy any number of outdoor festivities while the staff prepared the indoor rooms for evening festivities.

April moved to her area of the dining room and began cleaning the tables. Someone else would come behind to vacuum, but she wanted to make sure that the floor was cleared of any large debris. As with everything else, she was still getting accustomed to cleaning, and the rest of the staff were done and cleared away as she still worked, her mind turning over bits of half-remembered lyrics to keep her moving at a steady pace.

A hand moved over the small of April’s back and along her buttock. She jumped up, pushing into the bulk of someone behind her. April had not even heard anyone come up on her. When she turned, she saw the same man with the grabby hands from brunch.

“ You’re like a little rabbit.” His voice was smooth as he spoke. His eyes were even and demanding. April gripped the table and tried to put space between them, only to have him close it again. “I do like hunting rabbits.”

“ I need to finish my work.” April could not think of anything else to say. The man’s hands moved to her waist and slowly up her sides to cup her breasts.

Everything happened at once then. The swinging door from the kitchen galley opened. Mr. Graven walked out, followed by two other staff members. The door from the veranda opened and an older woman walked in, followed by two young men. April’s hand collided with the face of the man accosting her with a loud slap propelled by the swing of her arm. It resounded through the dining hall before the woman began to scream shrilly.

April tried to wrestle control of her situation, but she could not. Mr. Graven was upon the scene immediately, asking the man – Henry Worthington as it turned out to April’s surprise and horror – if he were okay. The woman screamed about a trollop hitting her husband. Mr. Worthington began his explanation of how she had come onto him. April tried to speak up, to give her side of the story, only to be hushed by Mr. Graven or Mrs. Worthington screaming about lies. The noise brought more guests from the veranda into the dining room.

Mr. Graven finally took hold of April’s arm, squeezing tightly and leading her away. She tried to protest over his assurances to Mr. Worthington that he would take care of the situation. He led her out into the hall and spun her around hard, slamming her back against the wall and knocking the air from her. Further down, guests poured out of the dining room and into the hall, not wanting to miss the end of the drama.

“ I have been very patient with you, but I will not have you accosting our guests,” Mr. Graven kept his voice stern and even.

“ I didn’t do anything wrong,” April said.

“ You slapped one of the resorts most honored guests. You will go up to him and you will apologize.”

“ I will not. The man is a pig!” April said louder than she meant to.

Mr. Graven pulled back his hand and aware of the crowd stopped himself. He lowered his voice and leaned in closer to April. “You are fired, do you understand? You will go to your cabin and pack your belongings. I expect to see you gone from here within the hour.”

April could not say anything else. She turned and ran down the hall as tears began to stream from her eyes, burning her cheeks in her shame and embarrassment.

********

Nigel Conroy knew two things very well. Henry Worthington was a misogynist and a womanizer and the staff of Stuart would happily kiss the ground that he walked on. He was certain that Worthington could have murdered the poor girl and the staff supervisor would still have found a way to claim she had fallen upon his knife or gun herself.

He also had a very good idea of who the girl was. He face was familiar, one he knew he had seen recently on the news. If he was right, she had been through enough. Being fired in front of all of the guests here was the last thing she needed. As the crowd began to slowly disperse, he took hold of the arm of another staff, a cute young woman with short blonde hair.

“ I’m sorry, but I wanted to ask you something before you had a chance to go away,” Nigel said, releasing her.

“ It’s alright sir,” the young woman said. “How can I help you?”

“ The girl that just ran down the hall, what was her name?”

The young woman narrowed her eyes, and Nigel did not blame her. He sensed protectiveness and found himself very much liking this young woman.

“ I don’t mean any harm, but she didn’t deserve what happened, and I think you know it. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen you here for a few seasons, so I think you know what really happened. I just want to make sure she’ll be okay.”

The young woman continued to eye him warily. Nigel did his best to project his sincerity and she finally relaxed. “April Edwards. I can take you to see her. We share the same cabin.”

Nigel nodded his head. “Thank you. If anyone says anything, just tell them I pulled you aside to help me with an errand. I’ll vouch for you, I promise.”

The young woman did not say anything else. She simply turned and Nigel understood he was expected to follow her. She led him through a side door of the main estate house. The morning rain was now stopped, and the humidity of the afternoon was quickly setting in. She kept a brisk pace as she led him to the servant’s cabins and to what he presumed to be her own.

Nigel stepped in to a small living area with a couch, chair, and television and three doors that along the two adjacent and one opposite walls.

The young woman turned to the left door and knocked gently. “April sweetie, it’s Leah.”

“ Please go away, Leah. I don’t want to talk to anyone,” April’s muffled voice came through the door, thick with her tears.

Leah looked back at Nigel but he nodded, waving his hand to urge her to continue.

“ April, there’s a man here to see you,” Leah said.

The door swung open and April appeared, her face streaked with tears and fire in her eyes. Nigel felt a great deal of respect for her suddenly, and felt very badly for anyone that earned that ire. He thought she could have a fiery temper, one she might not even be aware of.

“ I’ll gouge out that bastard’s eyes if it’s him,” April said before her eyes had a chance to survey the room. When they fell on Nigel, some of the fire pulled back, though he noticed it did not withdraw completely. “Who is that?”

“ He’s one of the guests,” Leah said. “He wanted to make sure you were okay.”

April stood there and studied Nigel before turning back to her friend. “Tell him I’ll be fine.”

“ Can I speak to you for a few minutes?” Nigel took a step forward.

Leah looked from Nigel to April, and he could see the helplessness in her eyes. She had duties to attend to and could not be playing referee between them.

April sighed and placed a hand on Leah’s shoulder. “It’s fine. You get back up before you get into trouble too.”

Leah hesitated, looked between the two of them again. She finally nodded. “You find me before you go, okay?”

“ I will. Thank you.” April gave Leah a hug. She released her and Leah walked past Nigel, giving him a careful look that he read very well. April had a bad enough day, and he did not need to make it worse.

As Leah walked out of the cabin, Nigel turned his attention to the young woman before him as she stepped out of her room. She wore only the simple black dress common to all of the staff. The white apron had been discarded somewhere, either in her room or thrown aside as she fled the shameful scene.

“ You have a good friend. Have the two of you known each other a long time?” Nigel was curious about this young woman. The media had painted her as the aloof princess of a sinister financial king, carefully keeping herself out of the direct light of the media. He was not seeing that here. He was seeing something vastly different.

“ Just a few days. Leah is a real gem, though.” April tilted her head to one side. “What are you doing here?”

Nigel gave a small laugh. “You’re not going to ask who I am?”

April shook her head. “I know who you are. Your face shows up in almost every magazine, usually some story about a broken-hearted girl or a large playboy party.”

Nigel brought his hand up to his chest and feigned injury. “You wound me. But that’s fair enough. I won’t lie. I know who you are too.”

April frowned deeply. “Here to gloat then?”

A sharp pain stabbed through Nigel’s chest and he was surprised to feel it. He was not sure why he felt so much sympathy for this young woman. She was attractive. Her dark hair and bright, blue eyes would be enough to captivate any man. Something else had drawn him in, however. He just wished that he could put his finger on what it was.

“ No,” Nigel said simply. “I really did want to make sure you were okay. Do you know what you’re going to do?”

April shook her head. “I can’t go back down to New York. My face is still all over the television. I guess I get to hope that the few days of pay I have here is enough to fly me out to Los Angeles.”

“ You don’t have anyone that can help you out?” Nigel felt very badly for her now.

He knew from the news reports that her father’s assets had all been seized. He never imagined that it would leave her destitute. He wondered if anyone had bothered to care about that.

“ I talked to my mother. She’s working as a waitress and trying to get into acting. She barely has enough money to pay her bills.” April paused. “Why am I tell you this?”

Why am I about to do what I’m about to do? Nigel was glad to see that at least both of them were behaving in ways they did not understand. She had an excuse. She was under duress. He had no idea what his excuse was, but he knew he would not be able to stop himself now.

“ Would you like to spend the rest of the week here with me, as my guest?” Nigel asked.

April’s look of shock made him smile. “What?”

Nigel took in a deep breath and let it out. “I’m not sure why your supervisor was so hard on you, but I’m sure that you did not have it coming. A few broken cups is not worth risking a sexual harassment lawsuit. You don’t have anywhere else to go right now. So, take a few days to figure it out.

Maybe you and your mother will be able to work out something. In the meantime, enjoy the resort as a guest where your old boss can’t touch you. As for Mr. Worthington, have the best revenge you can have on him.”

April crossed her arms. “What’s that?”

“ Show him that it had no ill effect on you. Show him that you’re over it and moved on. People who do things like that; they thrive on knowing the chaos they’ve caused.”

Nigel watched April carefully as she considered his proposal. She was wary, and he did not blame her. He knew how quickly people in his own circles could turn if the sensed weakness or unattractive controversy. He did not expect that people in hers would be any different.

She finally uncrossed her arms and gave him a square look, setting her shoulders even. “What’s the catch?”

Nigel shook his head. “No catch. You’ll have to stay with me, but I have one of the luxury cabins, so you’ll have your own room. No expectations, except that you’ll accompany me and keep me company. That’s all.”

April continued to study him carefully. Finally, her stance relaxed. “Okay. I’ll accept your invitation.”

Nigel nodded. “Good. Do you have street clothes?”

April laughed. “Nothing worthy of a place like this.”

“ Then I’ll add one more caveat to this deal. Allow me to take you into town for a shopping trip.”

April nodded. Nigel sat down to wait for her to gather her things. This was a quaint and small cabin. He wondered if she had a chance to see the luxury guest cabins yet, and what she would make of them.

********

April held her shopping bags in her hand as she followed Nigel up the walkway to the large cabin. Large picture windows dominated the façade, glowing through their translucent white shades. He carried her suitcase and occasionally made as though to be bearing too heavy of a weight. She could only laugh at that.

Nigel Conroy the man was nothing like the man in so many magazine articles that she and her sorority sisters read. She thought he could have his arrogant side, and occasionally as he took her through the shops in town, she saw it, typically, when he put down a dress or outfit because he felt the price tag was too low. Mostly, he was normal, if somewhat impulsive in taking her on as his guest.

He opened the door to the cabin and held it for her to walk in.

It opened immediately to the main room, open with a vaulted ceiling. A large fireplace dominated it with a couch and two oversized chairs set in front of it. A wide high definition television hung above the fireplace and a full entertainment system sat to the left side. Along the left wall stood a bar and to her right the room opened to a dining room and a kitchen. April wondered if it saw use at all and wondered at its inclusion.

A stairway led up in front of her, dividing the mysterious kitchen from the rest of the downstairs. Nigel closed the door behind them and led her up the stairs. To her right another large living area was set up with balcony rails do that it looked down below them. Beyond it was a hall with three doors. Nigel guided her to one and invited her to set down her things. A double bed sat in this room and a elegant dresser. She set her bags down beside the door as Nigel set her suitcase down by the dresser.

“ There’s a bathroom right across the hall from you. If you don’t like this bed, you can try the one in the room next to you. My room is at the end of the hall. I don’t know if you do your own laundry. If you do, the French doors in the hall have a small washer and dryer behind them. You can also set your laundry in the bins outside for staff to pick up. It’s your choice, but I do my own laundry.”

April blinked her eyes. “You do your own laundry?” She tried to imagine this man measuring out detergent and could not imagine it.

“ My housekeeper at home taught me after I ruined my own clothes at another resort. I’ve had bad luck with staff losing my things.”

April wondered if his items were lost or taken. Most of the staff here were honest and hardworking, but she supposed that anyone could be tempted to take something that belonged to someone famous. “I suppose you cook too.”

Nigel shook his head. “No, that’s never a pretty sight. I hoped you did, actually.”

April laughed and shook her head. “My cooking is part of our sorority’s hazing ritual.” She watched as he gave her a dubious look, tilting his head to one side. “I’m serious. I once boiled the coating out of a pan.”

Nigel leaned against the doorframe, his look becoming quickly serious and contemplative. “It’s not fair, you know.”

“ I know. I have to be more careful with pots.” April wanted the levity. The look in his eyes unsettled her.

“ I’m serious. It’s fine that the Feds want to make sure your father pays back the money that he’s taken. That’s good. They can’t take away his ability to care for the people he’s responsible for. That punishes you for something you didn’t do.”

April swallowed hard. She did not like the look in Nigel’s eyes right now. It made her want to probe and want to understand the depth of empathy that he had in this moment. She did not want to do that. He was being nice to do this for her, but she did not want to complicate things any more than they were already complicated for her.

“ Right,” Nigel pushed himself from the doorframe. “You’ve had a busy day, so I’ll let you rest. I’ll wake you up in the morning and we can go and enjoy brunch and some horseback riding if you like.”

“ Horseback riding would be nice,” April said. “Thank you again.”

Nigel smiled as he turned to the hall. “Thank you for accepting my invitation.”

********

The young boy stood in front of the blazing fire, his eyes picking up the orange flames, reflecting them back to the world. Tears streamed down his soot-covered face and when he coughed, he sounded congested and full of smoke. Inside, in the flames, was everything he ever knew and understood to be love, compassion, and order. He could not understand what was happening, or why Nana uttered apologies as she tried to clean the soot from his face.

April sat up in bed and took in a deep breath. Vivid dreams did not come on often, but when they did, they always left her feeling strange, as though she were coming back into her own body. It was, she thought, the effect of her mind moving from its dream reality back into the real world.

The dream bothered her, and as her day played back in her mind and she remembered where she was, she understood why.

She had found the story by chance. Her ex-boyfriend had a playboy magazine sitting on his bed, and she flipped through to the life story of Nigel Conroy, as promised on the cover, while he played on his game console. When Nigel was five years old, his mother had set fire to their home. She had drugged her husband and her son’s nanny. She spread kerosene through the house, then over herself and her husband, lighting the both of them on fire.

As the fire spread, Nigel’s cries somehow managed to wake the groggy nanny, who stumbled out of the inferno, holding the crying child.

The image in her dream was an image from the magazine article, a picture that had been taken of the boy as he stood watching the inferno that had been his home. He said in the interview for the article that he did not really remember the day, but it still influenced his life.

His mother suffered from mental illness, untreated because both her family and his father had considered the idea of mental illness to be shameful, something that others faced, not them. Nigel had inherited his father’s fortune, and when he was old enough to decide a direction for it, created a foundation to encourage the treatment and de-stigmatization of mental illness.

How could she have forgotten such a terrible, tragic story? April put her head in her hands and began crying.

********

April followed Nigel up to the main estate house, where brunch waited for them. She wondered what Mr. Graven would make of her being there, or Leah for that matter. She thought about Chloe, who had gotten her the job to begin with. She hoped that Chloe was not told about what had happened. She hated to think that she would be made to regret helping her.

Brunch was a pleasant affair, full of conversation. They sat at a large table with other resort guests and engaged in polite conversation.

A few of the people at her table knew who April was, but none of them seemed to think her situation warranted more than a passing acknowledgement. She was happy for that. She noticed a glare from Mr. Graven. When he attempted to come to the table, Nigel rose and pulled him aside quickly. April did not know what was said exactly, only that it began with, “before you embarrass yourself.”

After brunch, they followed the other guests out to the veranda. There was no rain today, and the early afternoon was quickly growing warm. April followed Nigel through the crowd of people as he walked the direction of the stables.

Mr. Worthington backed up, separating her from Nigel and almost causing April to run into him. He turned, startled, and gave her a kindly smile. “My apologies miss. My son was just clowning around as boys are want to do.”

“ That’s okay, Mr. Worthington,” April said carefully.

Mr. Worthington blinked his eyes and gave April a broader smile. “Well, I’m afraid you have me at a loss. You know me, but I don’t know you.”

April smiled, feeling strange and light. After the huge scene the day before, he did not even recognize her face. She supposed that in the world Mr. Worthington inhabited, it was impossible that a woman who was a servant the day before could be a guest today.

She supposed he had never seen Cinderella.

“ I’m afraid I’ll have to leave it that way,” April said. She glided past Mr. Worthington before he could stay anything else. Nigel had stopped and turned. He was now waiting on her, his look quickly becoming confused as she walked up to him.

“ What happened?” he asked.

“ I just bumped into Mr. Worthington,” April said and decided to laugh. “He didn’t even recognize me.”

Nigel blinked his eyes and tilted his head. April continued on to the steps that led down from the veranda.

The stables were ahead, and she wanted to smell the fresh hay and the horses. Mr. Worthington did not think enough of the day to even realize she and the servant he tried to molest were the same person.

If he could not be bothered, she supposed she did not need to either. The thought of putting the incident behind her lightened her step. After weeks of being remembered, a single moment of being forgotten was bliss.

********

Nigel’s horse bucked and he pulled up on the reigns to gain control again, watching the young woman who laughed, carefree on the back of her own. She pulled up on the reigns and turned her horse so that she could twist in her saddle to look at him. This time yesterday, she was in tears. Now, she could have been a completely different person. Nigel supposed in a way, she was. All she needed was a glass slipper and they could have been a prince and princess in a fairy tale.

“ You shouldn’t look so serious,” April said. “Horseback riding is supposed to be fun.”

“ There’s fun, and then there’s slapping my horse’s rump and startling him,” Nigel said, but he found her smile to be infectious.

April shrugged her shoulders. “You were riding like an old man. I just wanted to see if you really knew how to ride.” Nigel took in a breath and nodded his head, recognizing the challenge. “I know how to ride, my dear. I took my first lesson at ten years old.”

“ Seven,” April gave him a smug look.

“ I still have you on years riding,” Nigel said. He was only about six years older than April was, but his pride was wounded now.

They continued their ride along the forest trail and up the mountain. It was beautiful here, and being out here among the natural beauty seemed to have a good effect on April. Nigel was not sure that he understood why her encounter with Mr. Worthington had left her in such a good mood, but it was nice to see that the forest around them was keeping it in place.

They reached the water trough for the horses and dismounted, tying their reigns off on the poles there so the horses could drink and relax. This stop in the ride was along the ridge of the mountain that the horse trail wound. It offered a nice view of the valley and the estate below, and Nigel was happy to see that few others were taking advantage of the stables today. Most were heading out to the cricket grounds or down to the lake.

Nigel turned to look at April, and saw that she was watching him. The look in her eyes was deep and sympathetic. He wondered at it, but was not sure what to ask her. Perhaps she was feeling badly about spooking his horse.

“ This is really nice,” April said. She turned and looked back over the valley below them. “I really do appreciate you doing this for me.”

Nigel stepped up to her and took her hand in his. She did not pull away, and he held it tighter. As they looked over the valley, she talked about horseback riding in the boroughs outside of New York City and spending her entire weekend learning how to care for the horses.

It was, she admitted to him, the only chore she ever learned to do, and one that she always loved.

With her face in profile to him, Nigel could see that she was deeper in her thoughts than her words expressed. Was she remembering the good times with her father and mother, or was it just her father? He realized he had no idea how long her mother had been in Los Angeles. It could have been weeks or years. He had the feeling from how she had talked about her prospects of getting there that they two of them were not very close.

April turned to face him, and Nigel found himself caught by her eyes. They were deep and contemplative while bright, catching the sky above them. Nigel brought his hand up to her face, cupping her cheek. He did not think about what he was doing. He simply leaned forward to kiss her.

********

Nigel’s kiss was soft and careful, and it moved through April’s body quickly, drawing her free hand up to his shoulders. Between her legs, she felt warm and alive. Nigel released her hand and moved his arm around her body, pressing her body closer to him. She could feel him hard against her and her own desire flared, surprising, and delighting her.

He broke away and looked down into her eyes. April wanted his kiss again, and with a flush realized that she wanted more. She imagined their bodies entwined together here along the mountain ridge, where other riders could come upon them at any moment. The idea tingling and warmth between her legs grow and she reached up to kiss him again, finding him responsive and welcoming.

Nigel brought his hand down from her face to her breast and cupped it gently. April wrapped her arms around his neck, running her fingers through Nigel’s brown hair and lacing it through her fingers. He squeezed her breast and held her firm against him. April wanted him. She wanted to feel his hands caress her body, to feel him deep inside her. Her body ached and screamed its want, and as the pounding of hooves came up the mountain trail, she could not pull away from him.

They broke their kiss as another pair of riders came up to the trough. April flushed again and looked from Nigel to the newcomers.

“ That must be some view,” the woman said as she dismounted her horse. She tied it off next to Nigel’s own and looked at her partner. “Do you think we can take a look over the ridge too?”

April stifled her laugh and took Nigel’s hand, guiding him back to the horses. As they untied theirs from the trough, the new couple moved over to the ridge, sitting on the stone bench.

April mounted her horse and waited for Nigel to join her. She considered heading back, but she wanted to push up the mountain. Yes, she wanted Nigel, and she thought if she told him she wanted to go back to his cabin now that he would. She also understood that part of that want came from moments like this, riding together and enjoying each other’s company.

She could let it build. They continued up the mountain trail, passing the new couple as the man put his arm around his companion. April supposed that the view really was romantic. She hoped there would be other such views on their way up.

They rode for another hour, and April could feel the heat of the day working into her body. A stream snaked along the slope of the mountain, coming close to the trail and skirting away from time to time. She thought about the hour, and how nice it would be to have a shower before they went up to the estate house for dinner. When she made the suggestion to Nigel that they head back, he was reluctant at first, until she mentioned showers. The look in his eye brought a new tingle between April’s thighs.

As they made their way back down the mountain, they passed the couple that had come up to the water trough. They exchanged waves and continued on, stopping only briefly at the trough to allow the horses to get water. April’s mind kept turning to the shower waiting for them, and she did not want to stop any longer than necessary. She thought of water on her skin and Nigel caressing her body and grew impatient to be back.

When they made it back down to the stables, the hands there took the horses from them, removing their tack and rubbing them down gently. They made their way across the estate grounds to the guest cabins, and April looked at Nigel. She could tell that he had something on his mind, and she wanted to be through it before they reached the cabin.

“ Is something the matter?” April asked.

She could not think of any other way to get conversation starting.

Nigel looked at her and gave her a gentle smile. “It was a beautiful ride, but I’m afraid I was a bit,” he paused and looked up to find the words he needed, “presumptuous.”

April took in a deep breath and nodded her head. Oh, to get him to see how much she wanted that kiss. She did not want to come across as someone easy, or who was trying to get something from him, but she knew exactly what she wanted from the rest of her evening.

“ I told you I wasn’t going to make any demands, and here I am crossing that line.” Nigel placed his hands in his pockets. “It’s not fair to you.”

April twisted up her lips in thought and nodded again. “It’s not.” When he snapped his head to her, she gave him a smile. “Well, it wouldn’t be if I weren’t receptive to it.”

Nigel narrowed his eyes and gave her a smile. He took her hand and picked up his pace. When they reached his cabin, he opened the door and she walked inside. When he closed the door behind them, his arms were around her body, pulling her back against him. April sighed and eased her stance so that she could feel his hardness pressing against her.

“ I want you so badly I can taste it,” Nigel whispered into her ear. He nibbled the lobe gently.

April turned around in his arms and brought her hands up to his shoulders. He pulled her tighter against him and April rose up to kiss him again. His tongue moved between her lips and danced with hers. She could taste his desire in his breath and wanted to drown in it. She brought her hands around to the collar of his shirt and slowly worked her way down his buttons.

When he broke the kiss, Nigel lifted April’s shirt above her head, discarding it to the side and shedding his own. He moved his hands down to her waist and unbuttoned her shorts, pushing them down her body. He started to kneel, and a panic filled April.

“ I’m sweaty from the ride,” April said. She wanted what his kneeling offered, but she wanted it to be perfect.

Nigel stood. “Then let’s have that shower.”

He pushed down her shorts and underwear in one motion. April slipped out of her shoes and her clothing, releasing the catch of her bra behind her back and dropping that as well. She was naked before Nigel, and as his eyes took in her body, she shuddered, nervous. Would he find her pleasing?

“ You are beautiful.” Nigel placed his hands at her waist and pulled her to him again. He kissed her deeply and then released her, gesturing her to walk up the stairs. He guided her back to his bedroom with its oversized king bed dominating the room, and then to the bathroom beyond.

A large garden tub stood at one end of the bathroom. Next to it was a double size shower with stone tiling. April stepped up to it, and twisted the knobs on either side to start the water. Nigel stepped up behind her and she could feel him, naked now, pressing against her. She stepped into the shower and he followed.

Nigel took a large sponge and poured soap on it, lathering it in the stream of water that sprinkled over them. He brought it to April’s body and caressed, leaving the soapy lather behind to be quickly washed away by the water. He moved along her chest, her arms, and her torso before moving down between and down her legs. When he finished, his lips were there, at her sex taking it in.

April gasped and pressed her hands to the wall to support herself. His mouth was magic there, drawing her desire out of her and building it into a wave to crash over her body. She shivered as her body counted every bead of water that struck her.

When he stood, April took the sponge from him, lathering it again, and running it across his shoulders, down his torso, and up his back. She brought it down to clean his manhood carefully and knelt, kissing what was now clean and hard softly before washing his legs, stroking down and then up along them gently.

When she was through, she wanted to take him into her mouth, but he took hold of her arms and pulled her up. He kissed her and brought her leg up, pressing himself between her thighs.

She welcomed the feel of him hard and firm as he penetrated her. April wanted to feel him deeper, and when he brought her other leg up, she wrapped them around his body. He held her thighs and thrust deeper into her and she felt alive and desirous. She kissed him passionately as he pressed her against the wall, seeking the depth of her, joining with her in their shared passion. When he pulsed into her, April took hold of his hair, gripping it between her fingers, as he pushed still deeper into her.

When he was spent, he lowered her legs gently. April found them wobbly and weak, and stood under the warmth of the water, letting it pour energy back into them. Nigel kissed her again and pulled away, smiling as he dipped his head under the stream of water to wash his hair.

“ I like showers,” April said. She brought her own head under the showerhead and hoped that the water would mask her embarrassment over saying something so silly. Nigel looked at her. “They can be very nice, when the company is.”

A playfulness moved through April and she tilted her head to one side as she reached for shampoo. “I tried to be very nice and you stopped me.”

Nigel laughed. “I didn’t think that good girls were supposed to do that.” April’s mind turned and spun at his teasing. “I’m in a shower with a man I just met yesterday. How good of a girl can I be?”

April’s breath caught at the look in Nigel’s eyes. It was both dark and desirous, and empathetic and sincere. She had no way to respond to it, and no word for the feeling it drew up inside her. She wanted to throw her arms around him and run away screaming at the same time. Overcome by her fear and desire, she could only stand there, her hands at her head, ready to massage shampoo into her scalp.

“ You can be as good as you want to be,” Nigel said.

He brought shampoo up to his own head and closed his eyes as he worked it through his hair. April swallowed hard and washed her own as well. When he opened his eyes again, the depth of emotion had passed. April suppressed a shiver and wondered once again at this man.

He was a playboy. This week and this affair was one of many he had, one of many that he would have.

Some small part of her mind tried to challenge that, and April quashed it quickly as she rinsed her hair and turned off her side of the shower.

This was just an affair, just like any other Nigel Conroy had. He was taking a young woman he saw in distress and helping her through it the only way he knew how to. She bore him no ill will for that. In fact, April thought the world could use a few more Nigels.

********

The dining hall was lit brightly tonight, and a string quartet played Vivaldi as guests entered. Nigel led April to a table for two and they sat down, waiting patiently for a server to come by. Evening meals were meant to be more intimate, but the menu was still a general fare for all guests, a choice of steak, chicken, or fish, with either rice or potatoes and summer vegetables.

April decided that she would have the fish and rice while Nigel ordered a steak and requested a bottle of wine to be brought out to them.

April spotted Leah among the servers and gave her a small wave. She did not want to embarrass Nigel, and while she thought he would understand her wanting to say hello to her friend, she knew that the other guests would consider the gesture to be gauche at best.

Leah gave her a small and excited wave, looking from April to Nigel and back. She mouthed, “wow” as she poured water for another table, and moved to another. April gave an innocent shrug and smiled.

Nigel looked over his shoulder and back to April, smiling. “I think you’ve inspired new dreams in the female staff.”

April laughed. “If only it were that easy for romance.” She paused and thought about her last two days. “I’m not even sure how this happened.”

Nigel reached under the table and brushed April’s knee lightly. She could see he wanted to say something, but before he could, a man walked up to the table. Nigel withdrew his hand casually and looked up at the newcomer.

It took April a moment to register who the man was, and panic filled her. This was Chloe’s father, and she could imagine the story told to him, and the reprimand her friend received. April had never met Michael Stuart, when she was hired on, she only worked with Mr. Graven, but she understood him to be a shrewd and clever businessman.

“ Mr. Conroy, it is always a pleasure to have you here at the Estate.” Mr. Stuart turned his attention to April and gave her a broad smile. “Ms. Edwards, it is good to see that you’re enjoying your stay with Mr. Conroy. My daughter sends her regards.”

April relaxed at the tone in Mr. Stuart’s voice. Whatever story had gotten to his ears, it was either not believed, or countered, perhaps by Chloe herself. April made a note to herself. If she could not find her friend this summer, she would do so during the school year – assuming she was able to get back down to New York City to attend the university. “Thank you. Please tell Chloe I said hello.”

Mr. Stuart nodded his head. “I will. She’s enjoying a nice trip in Europe right now. She’s spending the summer studying there as part of a fellowship. I will be sure to let her know when I talk to her. The both of you enjoy your evening.”

He walked away from the table and over to another. April looked to Nigel to see him smiling wisely.

“ What?” she asked.

“ You looked like a deer caught in headlights for a moment there,” Nigel said.

“ The whole reason that I had a job here is because Chloe convinced her father to hire me. I was afraid that the worst of what happened reached him.”

Nigel shook his head. The server brought their wine and poured a glass for each of them.

When she left, leaving the bottle on the table between them, Nigel spoke. “I doubt anyone would have dared saying anything to him. The whole situation would have had him asking too many questions and probably getting other people not you fired. He probably wouldn’t do anything to Worthington, though he should, but there are limits to what even Mr. Stuart can do.”

April sipped her wine. She had not thought about just how precarious of a position that Mr. Graven really was in with how he had fired her and why. It occurred to her that she could file a complaint, but she realized she did not want to. Mr. Graven seemed to really care about his staff. His attitude toward her did not mask that.

She doubted the scene would have played out quite the same way if it had been anyone else. The situation may have been hushed. The girl may even have been reassigned to other duties while Mr. Worthington was here. She thought that other things aggravated the situation, and while it was not right for Mr. Graven to hold her accountable for her father’s actions; it was not worth him losing his job over.

“ You’re a good person,” Nigel said.

April blushed, wondering if he read her mind, or if he just understood the situation itself. “Thank you.”

“ I mean it, you are.” Nigel sipped his wine. “Anyway, I’m glad that you accepted my invitation.”

“ I am too.”

They enjoyed their dinner together, using time to chat and get to know each other a little better. That tiny voice April’s head tried to ask her if that was the kind of conversation that playboys engaged in, and she refused to answer. Her life was complicated, very complicated. She did not need to complicate someone else’s as well.

After dinner, they wandered the estate house, seeing what festivities were taking place tonight. A company was holding an important shareholder meeting in one of the conference rooms. Both of them thought that was too boring to enjoy.

Staff cleared the dining hall and the string quartet continued playing music. Guests who were not taking part in the shareholder meeting or any of the other smaller events filled up the dining hall, dancing to baroque music and enjoying the evening on the veranda.

April and Nigel joined in this. Nigel showed April a few simple steps for ballroom dancing, and they moved together to the music. With his arm around her waist, leading her in steps, April felt her desire swell up through her body again. She wanted to kiss him and knew that would not be proper here.

They spotted the couple from the trail and exchanged smiles. As they danced past, April caught a snippet of their conversation and realized they were enjoying their anniversary here together.

“ This is a magical place,” April said as Nigel guided her off the dancefloor and over to a table where drinks were set out for guests.

“ Oh?” Nigel handed her a glass of punch and looked at her curiously.

“ The couple on the trail today, they’re enjoying their anniversary here.”

Nigel glanced out to the floor. “Is that so?”

“ Apparently. I wonder how many other people are here for special occasions.”

Nigel paused as he brought his glass to his lips and considered the people out on the dance floor. “I’ve never thought about it. I always just come up here and enjoy the mountains and the lake. I don’t really think about what is going on with the rest of the guests unless I know them personally.”

“ I wonder about people sometimes,” April said. “When I was a child, I would watch people on the street and wonder where they were going to and coming from. When we would be in a restaurant, I would imagine what conversations people were having at other tables. I always found my life to be easy and boring, so it was a fun way to make things interesting.”

“ Oh for things to be easy and boring.”

April looked and saw Nigel’s eyes turn dark with thought again. She supposed that for him, a boring life would have been ideal. She could not imagine what it would have been like for him. Did he have grandparents battle for custody of him, or did servants and lawyers raise him. He did not talk about that in the Playboy interview. April found herself curious again, and wondered if she would have the chance to explore that deep into him.

They danced for a few more songs before walking out onto the veranda and back up to Nigel’s cabin. They held hands as they walked, taking in the view of the stars above them. April concentrated on trying to remember the names of any of the stars and constellations she saw and was ashamed that she could not. She should know them. She had learned about them in high school.

She never applied herself, and that knowledge drove home her precarious situation. She always assumed that her father’s money would be there to take care of her. She would just move from that security to the security of a man. Now, that option was not open to her. She was not marriageable material. She was fine for a fling, but she did not want to live her life being the naughty fling of rich men.

She was going to have to decide on a direction for herself. She realized that depending on her mother was not the answer either. She was an adult. It was time that she acted it, and took on the responsibilities that brought.

Nigel let her into the cabin and followed her inside. He walked to the fireplace and turned on the gas starter. The logs, April realized, were only for show, to create a simulated fireplace. It was still beautiful, however, and she found herself pushing aside her thoughts and worries for another day.

She walked over to the couch and sat down. Nigel joined her and when he leaned close to her, April welcomed his kiss and his arms around her waist. She thought of making love to him in front of the fireplace and her excitement grew.

He broke the kiss and brought his hand up to April’s cheek. She looked into Nigel’s eyes and wondered at what thoughts were behind them. His eyes still looked contemplative and serious.

“ I want you to stay with me,” Nigel said.

April smiled. “I can sleep in your room if you’d like.” She knew that was not what he meant, even as she said the words. She did not want to have the conversation that was coming. She realized that she had been running from it since their shower today and she thought she understood why now.

“ That will be nice, but that’s not what I mean,” Nigel said.

April put her finger on his lips. He took her hand and kissed the back of it, bringing it back down to her lap.

“ It is not fair,” he said. “You’re going through something you should not have to go through. Nothing that happened is your fault, but you’re suffering for it.”

“ Lots of people suffer for things that aren’t their fault.” April suspected that Nigel suffered a lot. What was it actually like, growing up the son of a woman who killed herself and her husband?

How many years did he spend wondering if that would happen to him? How many people treated him as if it would? Nigel let out a sigh. “They do. I would help every single one of them if I could. We can’t. We can only help those we can.” He paused and sat back. “Do you know about what happened when I was a child?”

April nodded her head. “I read an interview where you talked some about it.”

“ The woman who took me out of the fire, she was my nanny. She was a kind woman. She was stern, and I grew up thinking she was mean sometimes. She took care of me. She did not have to stay with me. She could have let my family’s lawyers find someone else. She was burned very badly in the fire. I lied when I told the interviewer I didn’t remember the night very well.

I did, but I didn’t want to talk about it. She refused to let the paramedics treat her or take her to the hospital until she knew I was okay. She ended up being scarred very badly because of that, but it was the kind of woman she was. She stayed because I was the person she could help.” April took in a deep breath and squeezed Nigel’s hand tightly.

“ I want to help you. You were not working here because you wanted to. You were here because you had to be. No one should have to work like that. I don’t want you to have to work like that.”

April felt her heart filling and breaking at the same time. She cared about Nigel, more deeply and more quickly than she thought she would ever care about anyone. She could see herself easily falling in love with him, if she were not there already. She appreciated what he wanted to do, and she thought she understood what it meant to him.

That did not mean she could just accept it.

“ Did you know I couldn’t name a single constellation in the sky tonight?” April asked.

Nigel gave a small laugh. “I think I know the Big Dipper and Little Dipper. Not everyone knows the constellations.”

“ No, but people can point to the things they do know,” April said. “I can’t. My whole life I have depending on other people. I depended on my father to put me through school.

I knew I just had to wait to get married and have another man to depend on for my livelihood. If it didn’t work out, I would be able to get a nice alimony settlement and probably more money from Daddy again.

“ I can’t do that anymore. It doesn’t matter that it’s not fair. It matters that it life now. If I go back to school, I can get a real degree. I can figure out what I want to do with my life and do it, and not have to depend on anyone else.”

Nigel brought his hand up to her cheek again. “It’s a hard place, I know. The most important person in your life let you down, and depending on another person after that is scary. What happens if I let you down?”

April felt her heart break. She did not want to look at Nigel that way, but he was right. That was exactly what she was scared of.

It was more than that, though. She could not expect him to pick up where others left off in taking care of her. It was not just a matter of what he might do anymore. It was what she had to do.

“ You’re such a wonderful person,” April said. She leaned against the back cushion of the couch and let herself gaze into Nigel’s eyes. “From most of the stories I’ve read about you, you’re this carefree playboy who does philanthropy and just enjoys his money.

You really are so much more than that. It’s not that I think you would hurt me. I’m scared of it, but I know better. It’s also what I have to do for me.”

Nigel leaned his head against the back cushion and looked at her, silent in whatever contemplation he was in.

“ I have no idea how I’m going to do this. A lot of people work their way through college. Some of them take student loans. I can do that too if I have to. If I talk to the financial counselors, they’ll help me find a job and work out a schedule that I can pay for. I can always change schools if I need to. People do it every day. I’m no one special; I just thought I was for a long time.” Nigel let out a deep breath. She could see understanding and acceptance in his eyes.

“ I could see you with a career. I think if you find something that you’re passionate about, you could really put yourself into it and do something amazing,” he said. “I would like to see that.”

April smiled. “Thank you.”

“ Can I pay for school?” Nigel sat up again.

April was stunned and unsure how to answer his question. He had turned this around somehow and she felt as though she had been flipped on her head. “Pay for school?”

Nigel nodded. “I see the people who work their way through college. Sometimes they can pursue what they want. Sometimes they have to compromise. I want you to find and pursue whatever you want. I can pay for your school. You can stay on campus or with me, which ever you want. I won’t pressure you there, though I would like to keep seeing you after this week.”

April’s mind was still trying to catch up to this strange change in their conversation. She tried to find words, and could not get anything to make sense from her mind to her mouth.

“ You can say yes,” Nigel said. “I would really like that.”

April let out a laugh and sat up. She shook her head and looked down, trying to let her mind finish playing catch up. Nigel was serious about helping her. She did not think it was just some passing fancy of his. His understanding and his persistence told her how intent he was on this. She looked up and smiled at him.

“ Okay. But I get to pay you back for my school, even if I’m just donating it to your foundation. I appreciate it, but I want to be able to give something back to you.”

Nigel returned her smile and broadened it. “I can accept that. You will have to apply yourself, though. I fully expect you to find a career that you can follow through on.”

April moved closer to him on the couch. “I promise. I’ll think about it this summer and decide.” She paused before kissing him and pulled back. “What do I do during the summers?”

Nigel put his arms around her waist and pulled her down to him. “I’m sure we can negotiate something.” He kissed her. April welcomed his tongue through her lips.

She thought again of making love to him in front of the fireplace and moved her hands up to unbutton his shirt. She didn’t know if this would be the night that she would make her decision to give her billionaire lover a baby, but it was a good place to start.

******

Baby For The Billionaire

Best Friend Lovers, Tiffany And Scott

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”

Scott glances at Tiffany and then turns back to Michael. “Ewwww…” he says, shaking his head. “I don’t want to.”

Michael rolls his eyes. “That’s the way it’s done. When a man marries a woman, they seal the deal with a kiss. You have to do it, or it’s not legal.”

Scott’s eyes get big, as Tiffany continues to stare at him. He closes his eyes, imagining how he would do it. Then quickly opens them back up. “I can’t do it.” He says, feeling defeated.

“ Oh for goodness sake,” Tiffany says, moving in closer to him. Scott covers his mouth, but she kisses him on the cheek. “Was it that hard? It’s legal. We’re married.”

Scott couldn’t remember how he had gotten in that position, but he definitely didn’t plan on it when recess began. “Married?” He says, turning to Michael.

Michael smiles, “In time, you will probably grow to like the idea.” He pats Scott on the back. “Don’t discount it too quickly.”

He walks away, leaving Scott there to think about it. “I am never going to want to be married,” Scott says to himself. He groans, looking up at the sky, “Why do these things always happen to me?” He asks to no one in particular. He turns to see that Tiffany and her friend Rachel are acting like nothing has happened. He frowns, shaking his head and walking away from them. He didn’t know what being married entailed, but he didn’t want to just sit around and do nothing.

Unassuming, modest billionaire Scott Mitchell heard his alarm clock ringing. He rolled onto his side and shut it off. He sat up in his bed and rubbed his eyes; thoughts of the dream he was woken from came rushing back in. When Tiffany Reynolds and Scott got married it was all for fun or, as he saw it, it was something she wanted to do.

To this day he didn’t remember why they became husband and wife on that playground fourteen years ago, but he not only gained a pretend wife, he gained a best friend. They became inseparable, doing everything together.

He got out of bed and walked over to the mirror. He was disheartened when she chose to move three thousand miles away to New York City to pursue a career in advertising. While wealthy Scott had everything money could buy, there was a huge void in his life. When Tiffany graduated two years earlier, he hoped she would have moved back home. However, that didn’t happen.

So, he felt stuck in the small California town they both grew up in, seeing her over holidays, and even that time was limited. He just assumed it was because they were best friends and he hated being so far away from the one person he could tell anything to. Yet, as the years drug on, he slowly began realizing that it wasn’t their best friend status that left him wanting her closer, it was the fact that he had true feelings for her and he never felt at ease to tell her.

That was all going to change and soon. He flipped open his cellphone and replayed her message:

“ Hey, Scott. It’s your BFF. I just wanted to let you know that I am heading back in town and I have some news for you…actually two pieces of news for you. I’m sorry that I missed you, but I will call you as soon as the plane touches down. Love you, Scott. Talk to you soon!”

He disconnected the call. He didn’t know why he saved it, but he just felt compelled to. That call came in twelve hours, four minutes, and thirty-three seconds ago. He couldn’t wait to have her call back. “I am such a loser,” he moaned to himself. “Here I am pining away for a girl that I wanted nothing to do with when we were ten years old. If I would have known then, what I know now.” He said, shaking his head. He grabbed a change of clothes and went into the bathroom. He started the shower and got undressed.

As the water washed over him, he could hear the sound of his cell phone. He quickly stepped out of the shower, not caring that the water was still running. He wrapped a towel around his body and headed back into his bedroom, reaching the phone before it hung up. “Hello?”

“ Scott?”

His heart skipped a beat, hearing her voice. “Tiff? I wasn’t expecting your call so soon.”

“ Did I wake you?” She asked.

“ No,” he replied, sinking down on the bed. “I was just taking a shower.” He cursed himself for being so vocal, when he heard the hesitation. “It’s good to hear your voice, Tiff.”

She chuckled. He loved the sound of her laughing. “You hear my voice all the time. I call you more than I call my mother.”

“ You know what I mean. It’s great to hear your voice, knowing that you’re back in California.” He replied, crossing his fingers. “You are in California, right?”

“ Yes, I am. The plane touched down about ten minutes ago. I told you that I would call you right away.”

Scott smiled to himself. It made him feel good that he was the first call she made. “Do you need a ride somewhere? I could come get you and be there in less than twenty minutes.” He looked down at his wet body and shrugged. He would take the fastest shower anyone has ever taken if he had to.

“ That’s sweet, Scott, but I’m going to get a rental. Thanks for the offer though.”

“ Sure, no problem,” he states, a little disappointed.

The awkward silence builds and he fights the urge to talk too much, but he can sense something is on her mind. “So, what’s new?” He asks, hoping it didn’t come across as a strange question.

“ A lot,” she confesses. “In fact, I was hoping that maybe we could talk this evening for supper. If you’re not busy.”

He thought about his busy work schedule, but he could move some things around. “Tonight would be perfect.”

“ Great! I will plan on meeting at our place about 6:30.”

He smiled, knowing that she meant Uncle Tony’s Pizzeria. “I will see you then.” He replied, disconnecting. He went back to his shower, feeling excited about the evening. He was ready to tell her the truth and hope for the best, or at least hope that she wouldn’t choose to discontinue their friendship.

***

Tiffany wrung her hands together. She could feel her heart thumping in her chest and she didn’t know why she was so nervous. She glanced around the restaurant and saw that he was still not there. He was her best friend and the fact that she felt like she was getting ready to see a stranger was weird. They didn’t see each other often, but when they did it was like they had never been apart.

She looked up and saw him rushing into the restaurant. She took a deep breath and stood up. He hurried to her. “I am so sorry for being late.” He kissed her cheek, “It was a busy day at work.”

“ No problem. I wasn’t worried. I knew you would show.” She smiled at him. He looked at her and grinned. For a moment she was reminded how she grew up having the biggest crush on him and he never seemed to notice.

She cleared her throat, “I figured we didn’t need to look in the menu.”

He smiled, “You would be correct.” He looked at her, “You’re looking good, Tiff.”

She blushed, “Thanks. You don’t look half bad yourself.” Their easy banter would pick up. It always did. The waitress walked over and they ordered their usual Pineapple and Pepperoni pizza, something only the two of them would enjoy. She then turned back to him. “So, how have you been? Any new girlfriends I should know about?” She took a drink of her soda and he laughed.

“ Not quite. You know me…I’m involved with the business, mergers, and acquisitions. Isn’t that enough?”

She thought about that. It was true that he did seem to be a workaholic, but he always found time to make for her. “I have a feeling when you find that someone special then that will all change.”

He smiled, “Think so, huh?”

She nodded, confidently. “I actually have some things that I want to discuss with you.”

“ Hm…” he replied. “I thought this impromptu supper was because you missed me.”

She shrugged, “Well, that’s true too.”

“

Okay, I feel a little bit better,” he spoke with a laugh. “I actually have some things that I want to discuss with you too.”

“ You do?” She asked, surprised.

“ I do, but I thought maybe we could wait a little bit before I delve into that. So, feel free to begin.”

She waited for a moment, trying to figure out how she wanted to proceed. She had been rehearsing the way she was going to tell him for several weeks now, but it all seemed to go out of her mind. “It can wait. How’s your family been?”

He raised his eyebrows. “That’s changing the subject, but they have been doing really well. Sid just started at the University and Bryce is a senior this year.”

“ Wow. That’s hard to believe. I remember when they were just—“

“ Pests…bothering us relentlessly?”

She laughed, “I was going to say that I remember when they weren’t even in school yet. I feel old.”

“ Tell me about it,” he replied, chuckling.

The waitress came with their food and they fell into an easy silence as they started to eat. "I really am excited that you’re here.”

She smiled, “Me too.” She took another bite and figured she would wait until they were done eating, before bringing up the reason she was in town. “Has work been going okay?” She asked, stopping to take a drink.

“ Busy as ever, but loving every minute of it. I should ask you how your job is going? After all, working at a big time ad agency must have some perks.”

She nodded, but barely made eye contact. “It’s been great, but I actually quit there two weeks ago.”

His jaw dropped, “Must not be that great. Why did you do that?” She shrugged, “Had my reasons.”

He put down his slice of pizza. “We have known each other for almost twenty years and have been best friends for fourteen of those years. You aren’t going to get away with that. What happened?”

She groaned, taking her last bite of pizza. “I’m moving back to California.”

“ What? Are you serious? When were you going to tell me that?”

“ Tonight,” she replied nonchalantly. “I was waiting for the perfect moment. Are you surprised?”

“ Um…yeah, I’m surprised.” A smile is on his face, but then he starts to frown. “May I ask why? I mean you seemed so happy when you made the decision to stay there. What changed?”

She knew that it was the moment she had been practicing for. “Well…my fiancé is getting transferred.” That wasn’t exactly how she envisioned telling him, but it got the point across.

He stared at her and then shook his head, “I’m sorry, I thought you just said that your fiancé is getting transferred.”

“ That’s exactly what I said. Surprise…I’m getting married.”

She couldn’t read his mind to see how he felt about the news. She knew that she wasn’t expecting it, when she had only been dating Erick for a month. She hadn’t even told her family or Scott that she was seeing someone. “When did this happen?” He asked.

“ He proposed a couple days ago, but he asked me to move to California with him two weeks ago.”

“ I’m sorry that I am finding this a little hard to believe. I mean, up until about five seconds ago I didn’t even know you were dating anyone. Now, to hear that you are moving to California with your fiancé? It’s a lot to take in.”

“ I know,” she replied quietly. “I didn’t plan it. One day I was meeting him, the next day he was telling me that he loved me, then he was saying that he was getting transferred to California, and asking me to go with him. It just all happened so quickly, but I do love him.”

“ You do?” He replied softly.

She didn’t need time to consider it. She knew that in her heart she felt love for him. “He gets me in ways that not too many people do.” She looked down at her empty plate, “Similar to ways that you get me.”

He nodded, taking another bite of his pizza. “Wow…I am just in shock.” She knew he would be, because outside of the occasional dating she never really was too involved with boys. She never seemed to have time for them, when she was too preoccupied with other things going on in her life. “Are you happy for me?” She asked, carefully considering the question.

He slowly nodded, but then added a smile. “Of course I’m happy for you. It’s just going to take some time to get used to.” He hesitated, looking down at the table, “When am I going to meet him?”

“ He’ll be in town in a few days.” She said. “I wanted to prepare my family…and you, before you met him.” She replied, but part of her still wondered why she was worried about what they would think…especially Scott. She couldn’t explain it, but she was most worried how Scott would react to him.

***

Scott had to process the news. The minute Tiffany told him she was getting married, he found himself sick. They went on with their meal, like nothing was happening inside of him, but he was finding it difficult to concentrate. He wanted to be happy for her, but the thought of losing her to another guy was too much to bear.

“ I am so relieved that you took the news this way.” She was saying. “Oh…why’s that?” He asked, taking a drink.

She shrugs, “I don’t know. I guess you’re opinion matters to me.” It was a simple response, but he questioned if that was all. “It was actually more difficult telling you, than it will be to tell my parents.”

Scott slowly nodded and then glanced down at her finger. He didn’t even want to bother asking why she wasn’t wearing the ring. He figured she did that so that she could tell people, without having them see the ring first. “Maybe it’s because I was your first husband.”

He frowned, “Come to think of it…did we ever officially get divorced? You might want to check into that, before you say you’ll marry this guy.”

Her eyes got big, but then she smiled and started to laugh. “The playground marriage, who could forget that?” She shrugged, “I’m pretty sure the marriage was dissolved the day that you carried Sissy Baker’s books to her class in ninth grade.” She shook her head and acted like she was crying, “It broke my heart.”

He smiled, “She was a tough girl. She threatened to beat me up if I didn’t carry her books.”

He winked at her and she laughed. “I was only trying to save my life.” He thought on what he wanted to say next and his mind drifted back to his dream that he woke up to. “I have actually been thinking about that marriage.” He admitted.

She smirked, “You have?”

He nodded, “Yep and it occurred to me that I don’t even remember how it came about.” He shrugged, “I guess it really doesn’t matter, but it’s something that I have wondered.”

“ You mean…you don’t remember the undying love you had for me?” She took a piece of her pizza and shook her head, “I am hurt.” She took a bite and he could see her smiling.

“ I have to admit, I did have a thing for girls in pigtails.” He replied, laughing.

She snickered and nodded, “I figured.” She looked down at her plate and he could see that she was thinking about that day. “Don’t you remember? You wanted to play on the monkey bars and I told you that I would only let you do that if we got married.” She smiled, “I was pretty tough back then.”

He thought about that and then the realization snuck in. He laughed, “That’s right. The monkey bars get me all the time.” He turned quiet and then looked at her, “You know, that was really the start of our friendship.”

She raised her eyebrows and then nodded. “We’ve been close ever since.”

He could see that there was something on her mind and he decided to try to find out what was going on. “I can tell something’s bothering you.”

“ This won’t change anything, Scott. We’ll still be friends.” The way she said that, caused a knot in his chest. “I know we will. Just not best friends, because that will be reserved for your husband. I get that.” He told her everything that he needed to tell her, but in his mind he was fumbling with the words. He was going to have a hard time getting over this.

***

Tiffany laid in bed, her eyes were focused on a picture of Scott and her that they had taken in a mall photo booth. She wanted to believe that everything was going to be alright when it came to their friendship, but her head was telling her that nothing was going to ever be the same. Things at her parent’s house went fine. They were happy for them and no doubts were left behind. She heard her cellphone ringing and she reached it from the bed. She glanced at the caller ID and saw that it was Erick. She answered the call.

“ Hello?”

“ Hey, babe.” He said. “How was your first day back?”

She looked at the picture and then placed it on the hotel nightstand. “It went well.” She smiled to herself, “When does your plane arrive?”

“ Well, that’s one of the reasons I was calling.” He said. His voice sounded apologetic.

“ Yes?” She asked.

“ I just found out that the transfer isn’t going to be finalized for two more weeks.”

The phone nearly fell from her hands. “Are you serious?”

“ I’m sorry Babe, but I have to stay here until that becomes definite.”

She couldn’t believe this was happening. “I came here now, because I thought that you would be following shortly behind.” She looked around her hotel room, “What should I do here while I wait for you to arrive?”

“ Well…maybe you could start looking for a house for us to live in. Plus, you still have to find a job.”

She nodded slowly, “Fine,” she said, knowing that the disappointment was there.

“ Babe, don’t be like that.” He says. His voice held concern, but she wasn’t at the point of worrying about that. “We will be together soon and it will be like we were never apart.”

“ I know,” she sadly replied. “I will see what I can do without you here.”

“ I love you,” he replied.

She let out a breath, “I love you, too. Goodbye.” She

hung up the phone and turned to the picture of Scott. She dialed up his number, hoping it wasn’t too late. He answered quickly, showing that it wasn’t a problem.

“ Hey, Scott.”

“ Hello…miss me already?”

She smiled to herself, “Not quite.”

“ Ouch, I’m hurt,” he teased.

She rolled her eyes, “I was just calling to see what you were doing this weekend.”

There was a hesitation on his end and she wondered if maybe she was too quick to jump to the conclusion that he wouldn’t be busy. “Well, I…” he started, but she quickly broke in.

“ I am sure you are busy. I didn’t mean to be insensitive. You have a life. We can get together later.”

“ Tiffany, are you through?” He asked. She closed her mouth and didn’t say anything else. “I have a lunch meeting with a client, but after that I have no plans. Did you want me to meet your fiancé? I hope,” he replied, laughing.

“ Well, not exactly. It turns out that he won’t be coming back for a couple more weeks.” She paused, “long story. I just thought that maybe we could go to some of the old places we used to go.”

“ Well, I think that that would be a fabulous idea.” He replied. “I could pick you up at the hotel about two o’clock. If that works for you?”

“ That would be great,” she agreed. “See you in a few days. Goodnight.”

“ Goodnight,” he said, as they disconnected the call. She put the phone back on the nightstand. She knew that beginning the following week she would need to start looking for that perfect job. She laid back in bed and closed her eyes. She would have plenty of things to do to keep herself busy, until Erick was arriving in California.

***

Scott picked her up at two o’clock sharp. He didn’t want to question why her fiancé wasn’t going to be there until later. He didn’t really care. He was happy to step in and show her a good time. He walked up to her hotel room door and knocked. She opened up the door instantly. Her smile always caught him off guard. She left the hotel room and glanced up at me. “Thank you for wanting to get together.”

“ Of course.” They fell into an easy stride with one another.

“ How did your meeting go today?” She asked.

He was always surprised with how much she seemed interested in what he was doing. “It went well. I signed him on with a contract.” They left the hotel and walked to his car. He stood at the passenger side, opening the door for her.

“ Thank you!” She replied, getting into his car. He hurried around to the other side. “Where are we going first?” She asked.

“ I have my preferences, but I suppose it can be your choice.” He said, hoping she would choose their favorite ice cream shop.

“ You want dessert?” She asked.

He laughed, “You read my mind.” He put the vehicle into motion and they headed toward their destination.

“ So, you were rather vague on the phone. Why isn’t your fiancé coming to California yet?”

She looked out the window, like she didn’t want to make eye contact. “His work put a delay on his transfer.” She shrugged, turning to face him. “I guess that it gives me time to sort out of my life here. I have to find a job and I can start looking for houses.”

“ Alone?” He asked, trying not to butt in.

She nodded, “It might not be the best scenario, but I can always send him pics of what I find and get his opinion. Right?”

He could tell that she was trying to be stronger about it than she was letting on, but he couldn’t make her feel worse. “Of course.”

She smiled, turning back and glancing out the window. He felt for her and couldn’t believe how her fiancé would be willing to wait this long to meet up with her. He had a hard time being that far away from her and they weren’t even dating. He pulled into the ice cream shop and her demeanor instantly changed. She seemed happy. “This is exactly what I need. Marla’s famous double scoop fudge—“

“ Peanut butter ice cream sundae,” he finished for her.

She nodded, “I can taste it already.” They got out of the car and headed into the small building. The minute they were seated, the teenaged girl approached them.

“ Hello, my name is Noelle. Would you like a menu?”

They both shook their heads, “That won’t be necessary,” Tiffany responded, ordering the two desserts. “Thank you!” She said, watching the girl walk away. “Remember when I worked here?” She asked, turning back to Scott. “The outfits haven’t changed.”

He laughed, “This place was hopping on Friday nights after football games, but you seemed to love it.”

She nodded, “I did.” As her words came out, he spotted Marla heading their way. Tiffany looked up and jumped to her feet. “Marla…” she pulled her into a hug. “I have missed you.” When she parted, it looked like she had tears in her eyes.

“ We have missed you too, When I saw the order, I just knew that it would be my two favorite customers.” Marla spoke with a smile. She turned to Scott and nodded. “Scott, good to see you too.”

“ Thank you Marla…likewise.”

“ So, what brings you back to California?” Marla asked, focusing back on Tiffany.

“ Well, I am moving back to town.”

“ Her fiancé will be joining her shortly,” Scott said. When Tiffany looked at him, he wasn’t sure if it was anger or shock that he said anything. He was leaning more toward anger.

“ Fiancé?” Marla asked, looking down and noticing the ring on her left hand. Her jaw dropped. “Holy cow…what does he do for a living?”

“ He’s a lawyer and he is transferring the branch in town.” She held out her hand and Scott caught himself looking at it again. Each time he thought about the fact that she was getting married, he cringed. He looked up, forcing himself not to look at her engagement ring. There was a smile on her face, but there was also sadness in her eyes. He could feel it.

“ Well, congratulations.” Marla turned back to me and smiled, “I must admit, I always thought maybe the two of you would end up together.” She laughed,

“ Apparently, I am not destined to be a psychic.” She grinned, “Glad to have you home.”

She walked away and Tiffany took her seat. Her face was red and I watched her for a second, before clearing my throat and trying to lighten the mood. “It must be that darn wedding when we were ten. It has people all confused.”

She looked up and laughed, “Is that it?”

He shrugged, “Makes perfect sense.” He looked up and saw the ice cream heading to their table. “Perfect timing.” The girl put the ice creams down. “Thank you,” he said, handing Tiffany a spoon. “Dig in.”

They each took a bite as Tiffany sighed. “Heavenly.”

He took a bite and nodded in agreement. This was something that would take away all worries and doubts and nothing was going to change that.

***

Tiffany waited by the car, as Scott disappeared. He gave no explanation, but said he had a surprise for her. They had just finished at the ice cream shop and it definitely took her mind off of the fact that Scott wasn’t going to be there.

She saw Scott heading back to the car. He was on the phone as he approached her. “We’ll be there. Thank you Veronica.” He disconnected the call, “Get in.”

“ Who was on the phone?” She asked, inquisitively.

“ We are going to pick you out the perfect home.” He replied with a smile. “I’ll explain on the way.”

Tiffany wasn’t sure about that, but got in anyway. He began to explain immediately. “Veronica Baylor is one of my clients and one of the top notch realtors in the area. I called her and asked her to put together a list of houses and we’re going to meet her at one of them.”

Her jaw dropped, “We’re what?”

He glanced at her, “You heard me.”

“ Yeah, I heard you, but I don’t feel like this is such a great idea. I mean…this is something that I am supposed to be doing with my future husband.” She shrugged, “Seems strange.”

He shook his head, “It’s not strange. He isn’t here and I am. It’s better than going out alone. Besides, maybe I can help you get the perfect price.” He turned back to the road. She was still apprehensive, but decided to go with it. He continued driving, until he turned onto a secluded street. He pulled up in front of a house that had a sale sign in front of it.

She looked at the house and imagined living there. It was huge, but she would have to check the inside out. She got out of the car and they headed up to the door. From the car in the driveway, she knew that the realtor was already there.

He opened the door and called out, “Veronica?”

A tall woman came out of a room, wearing a smile. “Hello,” she held out her hand and Tiffany shook it.

“ Hello,” Tiffany spoke. She was looking around the entrance of the house.

“ Thank you for meeting us on such short notice,” Scott was saying.

“ Not a problem. Let me give you both the guided tour.”

They followed her, through another room where she introduced the living room. It was a nice size room and Tiffany could picture the type of furniture they would get and where it would go. “This is a nice room,” Scott was saying and she nodded.

“ I’ll show you the kitchen.” As she led the way, she looked back at them. “When are you both getting married?” She asked.

“ Um…” she glanced at Scott, looking for some help to explain it to her, but he was just smiling. “We’re not.” She finally spoke. The realtor looked away and she playfully hit him. He laughed.

“ Tiffany is getting married. We’re just friends.”

“ Oh…” Veronica said, seeming unfazed. “This is a nice kitchen. Do you like to cook?”

She opened her mouth to speak, but Scott was speaking instead. “She makes great peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.” He replied. She glared at him and she could see that he was having a wonderful time on her behalf.

Veronica glanced back at her and Tiffany snickered, “I do alright in the kitchen.” She turned and stared in his direction. “You are dead,” she whispered.

He raised his eyebrows, but brushed past her as they entered the kitchen. “The best part of the house is the majority of appliances are staying.”

“ Why is the seller selling?” She asked, glancing at the nicely decorated room.

“ She is getting older and her daughter lives out of town, so she decided to move closer to her daughter. She doesn’t want a lot of her stuff.”

“ This is a nice kitchen,” Tiffany mumbled, looking at the appliances. They each seemed fairly new. The tiled floor was also something that she liked.

“ We can go upstairs where you will see the two bedrooms and a bathroom.” They followed her out of the kitchen. When they reached the staircase, she pointed to another door. “There is a half bath right there.” She led the way up the stairs and they reached the floor. She opened the door and they entered the room. “This is the master bedroom. It has a bathroom attached.” She looked all over the bedroom. It was bigger than her New York bedroom, at least by three times.

“ This is nice,” she replied, opening up closets and stepping inside. In the bathroom, she could see the sink was completely made of ceramic and also looked brand new.

“ Wow…” Scott mumbled, stepping in behind her.

She looked at him and nodded, “Nice, huh?” She whispered.

He nodded, “Definitely nicer than my apartment.”

She smiled, as they stepped out of the bathroom. They exited the bedroom and looked at the other two.

They were about the same, just smaller. “This is nice. Really it is,” she started. They headed down the stairs and Veronica turned to her when they reached the foyer. “I am almost too afraid to ask the asking price.”

Veronica held up her finger and disappeared back into the kitchen. “This is nice, but it’s going to be way too expensive,” she whispered to Scott.

Veronica came back into the foyer and looked over the paper. “You are looking at 2 million dollars?”

Tiffany gasped, figuring that it would be something like that. She opened her mouth, but again Scott was interrupting. “I’m sure that is just the asking price.”

Veronica nodded, “I am sure that the owner would negotiate.”

Tiffany tried to smile, “I appreciate the offer, but in order for us to be able to afford it…we would have to agree to way less than that. I am sure that she won’t agree to negotiate that much. Thank you, but we’ll have to keep looking.” She headed out of the house, not wanting to think about it for another minute.

Scott joined her and they got into the car. “Don’t you want to at least try?” She thought about that, but then shook her head. “We have only looked at one house. I am sure there will be much more to look at. Thank you!” He turned from her and they waited until Veronica’s car pulled out of the driveway and they followed her. She had no doubt that there would be plenty of houses that they could look into.

***

Scott dropped Tiffany back off at her hotel. He had one of the best times he could have even imagined just looking at houses with her. It felt like they were a couple that were getting ready to get married. He still didn’t know how Erick could stand being away from her.

He got back home and threw his wallet and keys on the coffee table and crashed on the couch. He didn’t know how he would pull it off, but he knew that he wouldn’t feel right if he didn’t try to win her heart. He couldn’t give up without a fight.

He got off the couch and thought about ways to a woman’s heart. He grabbed a notebook from the kitchen drawer and took a seat at the table. He began writing her a letter:

Dearest Tiffany:

I have tried numerous times to tell you what’s in my heart, yet the words always fail me or you are with someone else. While this might not be the most opportune time, I feel that I have to be honest with you and myself. Since the first day I laid eyes on you, I knew that you were something special. It was after our fake marriage at the age of 10, that I began to realize that there was more to you.

You are beautiful inside and out and I have been blessed to call you my best friend, but over the years I have struggled with what’s right and wrong. I have wanted to be happy for you and I am, to an extent. I have watched you pursue your dreams and I couldn’t be more proud of that. I stood back and didn’t say a word, when you chose to stay in New York City, even though my heart was being ripped from my chest. I hear news that you are getting married and I am left wondering how I could be so stupid.

I am asking you not to walk down that aisle, because what you need is and has always been right before your eyes. I love you, Tiffany and nothing is going to stop me from saying that. I have been too scared to admit it, but I am running out of time and this is my last hope. Please, give us a chance. You are everything I could ever want and I have to tell you that. I will remain by your side no matter what happens, but I am hoping that you can find it in your heart to say that you love me too.

Love,

Scott

He looks at the letter and almost crumples it up, but he can’t. He spoke from the heart and that’s all he could do. He did know that he couldn’t give her the letter so soon. He would focus on other ways to get through to her and use the letter has a final piece. He closed the notebook up and left the kitchen. He needed to take a cold shower and try to put her out of his mind. It wouldn’t be easy, but it was what needed to be done.

***

Tiffany yawned as she filled out her third application online. She hoped that one of the employers called her. She was just about to hit submit, when she heard a knock on her hotel room door. She quickly hit submit and then went to the door. She peered outside to find a man holding a bouquet of flowers at her door. She opened the door and smiled. “Hello.”

“ Hello. Are you Tiffany Reynolds?”

“ Yes,” she replied, staring at the bouquet of pink roses.

They were her favorite color of roses.

He handed the flowers to her. “Enjoy!” He smiled, turning and walking away from her.

She looked down at the flowers and carried them back into the room. She placed them on the table and leafed through the bouquet, until she found the car. She removed it and read what it said:

Tiffany –

You are more beautiful now than the first day I saw you.

I hope these brighten your day.

She flipped the card over. It wasn’t signed. “They have to be from Erick,” she assured herself. She smelled the bouquet and smiled. “They sure are gorgeous,” she mumbled, placing them on the table to brighten up the room. She heard her cellphone ringing and looked down to see that Scott was calling her. “Hey, Scott.”

“ Hey…what are you doing?”

She looked back at her computer and groaned, then looked at the flowers. “Staring at the most beautiful bouquet of roses. Erick knew the pick me up I needed.” There was silence on the other end that she thought she had gotten disconnected. “Are you there?”

“ Uh yeah…I’m here.”

“ So…what’s up?” She asked, getting back to the reason he called.

“ I thought maybe we could go out for lunch. I have some extra time, before having a meeting this afternoon.”

“ Sure, that would be great.”

“ Okay, meet you at my work at noon?”

“ I’ll be there,” she replied. “See ya then,” she hung up the call and looked back at the roses. She dialed up Erick’s number. It went straight to his voicemail. She waited for the beep and then spoke, “Hey, babe…I just wanted to call you and tell you how much I love you and I miss you. I’m sure you’re busy getting things finished up for work, but I can’t wait to talk to you. Goodbye.” She hung up the call. She wanted to hear his voice and thank him for the beautiful flowers, but it could wait. She walked back to the computer and closed it up. She would give it some time before applying for any more positions. She needed to get ready for lunch.

***

Scott couldn’t concentrate. He should have known that she would assume the roses were from Erick. He groaned in frustration, tossing his pen. “What did this pen do to you?” He looked up to see Heather, his receptionist, standing in the door.

“ Oh…thanks.” He said, taking the pen from her. He hesitated, before looking up at her. “You’re a woman.”

“ Thanks for the brilliant deduction,” she replied with a laugh.

He smiled, “I just meant, out of curiosity what do women like to receive as gifts?”

“ Flowers,” she stated, with conviction.

“ Been there…done that,” he replied. “What else?”

She seemed to ponder on that. “Well, you can’t go wrong with candy…chocolate especially.” He had thought about that, but he was trying to get away from the usual gifts. He chose flowers, because he knew how much she loved pink roses. “Jewelry is always a plus.” She replied, smiling. “I guess that most women really just go for something that comes from the heart.” She shrugged, “Doesn’t have to take a lot of thought, but it needs to be real.”

He nodded, trying to think about that. Some ideas entered his mind and he thought that he would have to try them out. “Thank you. Now, did you need something?”

“ I was going to let you know that I was going out for lunch. Do you need anything?”

“ Nope, I will be heading out soon. Enjoy.”

She smiled. She turned around, nearly running into Tiffany.

“ Hey, Heather.” They hugged one another, but when they parted Heather turned back to me. A look of recognition in her eyes. I tried to ignore her, turning to Tiffany.

“ Tiffany, I hear that congratulations is in order.” She stuck her hand out, showing Heather. I had to roll my eyes, because I was getting tired of dwelling on it. “That is a beauty.” She glanced back at Scott, “It’s a beauty, isn’t it Scott?”

Scott nodded, “It sure is.” He stood up and walked to the door. “Are you ready to go?”

“ I better get going,” Heather said.

“ Goodbye, Heather.” He called, as she left the office. “Where do you want to go?”

She shook her head, “I don’t care.”

They headed to the door and left the building. As they walked down the street to the corner restaurant, she began talking about the flowers. He wanted to ask if she was trying to make him jealous, but decided against it. He opened the door for her and she entered. “How did he sign it?” He asked.

She turned to him, “That’s kind of private, don’t you think?”

“ Oh excuse me,” he replied, sarcastically. He walked up to the podium and the hostess had them follow her. When they sat down, he looked at the menu. “If you have some cute name for each other and you don’t want to tell me how he signed it, then more power to you.” He looked through the menu, hoping she would see that he wasn’t bothered by her words; even though he was.

“ It’s not that. In fact he didn’t even sign his name. It was the words that meant the most. That’s all.”

He looked up at her, “If he didn’t sign his name, how do you know that he sent them?”

She laughed, “Who else would send them?”

He shrugged, “I don’t know. I was just curious.” He looked back at the menu, knowing that he needed the conversation to be dropped. “I’m starving,” he said, changing the subject.

She looked in the menu and he casually glanced at her from the corner of his eye. He hoped that the next attempt went more smoothly, because he was bombing out.

***

Tiffany received a call, right after she got out of the shower. She didn’t recognize the number, but since she had submitted so many applications she knew she needed to answer it. “Hello?”

“ Hello, is this Tiffany Reynolds?”

“ Yes, this is she.” She said, crossing her fingers.

“ Hello, Ms. Reynolds. This is Matthew Riley from Riley advertising. How are you doing?”

She could barely find the words. She couldn’t believe the owner was actually calling her. “I…I’m doing great.” She replied, trying not to sound too eager.

“ Good to hear. I was hoping you could come in today so we could talk. I have received your application and I am very impressed.” She could have squealed with pleasure, but she held back.

“ That would be great. What time works best for you?”

“ How about coming by at eleven o’clock. Do you know where we’re located?”

She nodded, realizing that he wouldn’t be able to see the gesture. “I do. I will be there. Thank you!”

“ You’re welcome. See you soon!” The call was disconnected and she stared at the phone. She twirled around her hotel room.

She was hoping that this was the break she was looking for. She glanced at the clock, she had two hours to get ready and be there. She knew that it was about thirty minutes away, so she would have plenty of time. She grabbed her classiest outfit she had packed and got dressed. She spent more time on her hair and makeup. She wanted it to be perfect.

She was putting her earrings in, when she heard a knock.

She rushed to the door and peeked outside. A guy was standing at her door. She frowned, but then flung the door open. “Hello?”

“ Ms. Reynolds?” He asked. She nodded, “Please sign here.” He handed her a clipboard. She signed her name and then he handed her a small box. “Have a nice day.”

“ You too,” she replied, absentmindedly. She looked at the package and saw that there was no return address. Her name and the hotel address was handwritten on the front. She recognized the writing, but couldn’t immediately place it. She opened up the box and found another box inside. This time it was a velvet box.

She opened it up and stared at the necklace. Her eyes got big, finding the gold cross inside. Wrapped around the cross were huge rubies that alternated with topazes and diamonds. She pulled it from the box. “It’s gorgeous,” she spoke, putting it around her neck and going to the mirror. “Perfect to complete the ensemble.” She couldn’t believe how thoughtful Erick was. His birthday was in November, representing the topaz birthstone and her birthday was in April, representing the ruby. She ran her hand over the cross.

She had yet to hear back from him when she received the flowers a few days earlier. She picked up the phone and dialed his number again. Again it went straight to his voicemail. “Hey, Erick. I am starting to worry a bit. I haven’t heard back from you in a few days. Thank you so much for the necklace. It’s gorgeous. Also, the flowers were perfect. I love you.” She hung up and glanced one more time in the mirror. She was ready to go land the job.

She called a cab and fifteen minutes she was out the door and heading to Riley Advertising. She was relieved to see that she wasn’t nervous. She was anxious though. She paid the cab driver and hurried up the front steps. She was glad that she had brought her portfolio along. She felt professional and ready to make her move.

She approached the desk with confidence. “My name is Tiffany Reynolds. I am here to meet with Matthew Riley.”

“ Of course, Ms. Reynolds. He will be out in a few minutes. You may have a seat.”

She sat down and waited for him to arrive. Like clockwork, it was only a couple of minutes. He walked out with swag, offering his hand to her. “Ms. Reynolds, it is very nice to meet you.”

“ Likewise,” she spoke, standing up. She followed him, past the reception desk.

“ Please hold my calls,” he stated to the receptionist.

They entered a room and he held back for her to go before him. “Please, have a seat.”

She took a seat and placed her portfolio down. “I want to thank you for taking the time out to meet with me.”

He smiled, “I have made some calls and you have come highly recommended.” He stated. “Your previous employer was sorry to see you go.”

She blushed, “I had to make a tough decision. I enjoyed working there.”

“ May I ask why you chose to leave?”

She thought about that, letting out a slow breath. “My fiancé is getting transferred here. So, I had no choice.”

He nodded, “It’s a good reason.” He looked down at her application. “I am very impressed with your resume. I am assuming you have samples of your work.”

“ Of course,” she said, reaching down and opening her briefcase. She took out her campaigns and handed them to him. It was the first step of letting herself out there and she hoped that he liked it.

***

Scott looked up to find Tiffany entering his office. A smile was present on her lips. He stood up. “This is a pleasant surprise.” His eyes instantly went to her necklace. He could definitely see that she wore it well.

“ I got a job,” she said, throwing her arms around him.

He held her close, feeling how much he wanted that to be an everyday occurrence. “That is wonderful news, Tiff.” She pulled away and there was so much happiness in her eyes. “I bet Erick is ecstatic.”

Her eyes fell to the ground, “He probably would be if I could get ahold of him.” She shrugged, “I knew that I would be able to see you.”

He tried not to show how much those words meant to him. He pointed to her necklace, “Nice necklace. Is it new?” He wanted to fish to see what she would say. “I see it has rubies and topazes in it.”

She smiled, holding the necklace. “Yes, I just got it today. As you know my birthday is in April and Erick’s is in November.” His face fell. He couldn’t believe his luck.

Her eyes lit up and she laughed, “I didn’t think about that, but so is yours.”

He nodded, “The eighteenth. How about him?”

“ The twelfth.” She replied. She seemed to think about that, “What a coincidence.”

“ I’ll say,” He mumbled. “Well, I think that’s amazing news about the job. We should celebrate tonight. I can pick you up when I get off work today. It will be about six o’clock. Does that work?”

“ That would be great,” she smiled. “I’ll see you later.”

“ See you,” He called, as she left his office.

He sunk down in his chair and opened up his desk drawer.

He pulled the letter out from the corner of his desk. He read through it. It was time to make the next move. He was sure of it. He folded the letter and put it into his jacket pocket. He got up and left his office for another meeting. By the end of the evening she would know exactly how he felt and he could hope that she felt the same.

***

Tiffany tried one more time to call Erick. She groaned in frustration, disconnecting the call. She didn’t know why she couldn’t get ahold of him. She heard a knock and she went to answer it. “I will be with you in a minute.” She called, heading back to get her purse.

“ I thought we could have a picnic today. If that’s alright with you?”

She frowned, “It’s been pretty cold. Are you sure about that?” He snickered, “Where we’re going it won’t be cold. I promise.”

She thought that was strange, but shrugged. “Whatever. I’m game if you are.” She shut her hotel room door and headed with him down the elevator and out the hotel. They got to his car and she saw the picnic basket in the backseat. “It’s been awhile since I’ve been on a picnic,” I admitted.

“ I think you’ll be surprised by the location,” he replied.

Their eyes connected and he was smiling. She got into the car and he went around to the other side. The drive was quiet, but in a good way. When they turned the corner, she remembered how they had come down this same road a few days ago. She glanced at him and he was just smiling. She didn’t bother mentioning it.

When they pulled into the driveway, she knew that something was going on.

“ What are we doing here?” She asked, staring up at the first house they had visited. A Sold sign was in front of it. “What’s going on?”

He laughed, “You’ll see.”

They got out of the car and he grabbed the picnic basket. They then headed up to the front door. She watched as he unlocked the door with a set of keys.

“ What in the world?” She asked, entering the house.

He turned around, “I bought it.”

Her jaw dropped, “Are you serious?”

He laughed, “I knew you would say that. I just fell in love with this house and decided that it was time to make the move. What do you think?”

“ I think you are out of your mind.” She replied, smacking him on the arm. “This is pretty cool, but sad.

You got a house before me and I was the one looking.”

He laughed, “I’m sorry, but I didn’t want to pass it up.”

She had to admit she was a little jealous, but she was also thrilled for him. “Congrats, Scott,” she leaned up to kiss his cheek, but he turned his head so that her lips were touching his. The kiss lingered for a moment, until she realized what was happening. “Scott…” she said, touching her lips.

“ Tiffany, listen to me.” He said. He took his hand to her waist and she slowly pulled away.

“ I’m getting married,” she quickly said, moving backwards.

“ He hasn’t even called you.” He argued.

She glared at him. “He’s sent me flowers and a necklace to show me that he is thinking about me. That’s all I need.”

He moved to her, “Tiffany, I bought you those things.” He said.

She opened her mouth, but no words came out. She shook her head, “You’re lying. His birthstone…”

“ Is my birthstone. You said it yourself. I know your favorite flower. Go with your heart. Do you honestly think I’m making this up?”

She didn’t know what to believe. She was going to be Erick’s wife and this wasn’t supposed to happen like this. “I am getting married,” she spoke again.

“ To the wrong man,” he replied.

“ Stop it!” She yelled. “You are my best friend and nothing will ever happen between us.”

“ Why not? Are you that scared?” He asked, intently staring at her.

“ Why are you doing this? I know those gifts came from Erick.” She looked away from him, feeling tears stinging the back of her eyes. “Take me home.”

“ Tiffany, don’t….talk to me.”

She shook her head, “Take me home.” She spoke again. She turned from him and ran from the house. She couldn’t let him get to her. She knew the truth and that’s what mattered.

***

“ Tiffany, won’t you please hear me out.” Scott said for the hundredth time. “I wouldn’t lie to you.”

She couldn’t stay in that car and listen to him. Nothing seemed real. She reached for her door handle. “Don’t call me,” she said, with anger in her voice.

Pain was etched on his face. He pulled something from his jacket pocket and placed it in her hand. “Just read it. Please.”

She closed her hand on the letter. She anticipated, she would just throw it away, but she didn’t say that. “Goodnight,” she replied, jumping out of the car and heading into the hotel. The moment she got inside, she felt the tears fall. She got into the elevator, feeling her body shaking from the tears. When she got out of the elevator, she walked to her room. She opened the door and fell to the bed.

She looked at the folded piece of paper and thought about just throwing it away. Instead, she opened it up and started to read. The more she read the worse she felt. She covered her mouth. The fact that he felt that was shocking to her, but it didn’t change the fact that she wasn’t available. As she got up, she threw the note into the wastebasket. She heard her cellphone ringing and she grabbed it from her pocket. She sighed with relief, seeing Erick’s name across the screen.

“ Hello.”

“ Hey, babe. It’s been awhile.”

She wanted to argue that that was his fault, but she didn’t have the energy. “You have no idea how much I needed to hear your voice.” She said, falling back down on the bed.

“ I’m sorry I have been out of touch. It’s been crazy, but I did get your messages.”

She held onto his words. It would be a relief to hear him talk about the gifts that he got her. “I must admit, I’m a little confused. What flowers and necklace are you referring to?”

A gasp escaped her lips. This couldn’t be. “Um…never mind, I was mistaken.” She said, dumbfounded.

“ Oh…” he snickered.

She felt a weight in her chest, but tried to get over it. “I got a job today.”

There was a long pause, before he spoke again. “You did? There’s actually something that I need to tell you.”

“ I’m listening.”

“ There has been a change of plans. I was offered a better position if I stay here. It equals more money and more responsibilities. In the long run I can’t pass it up.”

“ You didn’t call me. This would be news that you should have told me before I went and got another job.”

“ I know, baby, but I just found out and I couldn’t let you know earlier. It wasn’t finalized. Just tell the place that hired you that you’re fiancé is staying in New York. They’ll understand.”

She couldn’t find the words to express how upset she was. “I don’t understand. This job is giving me opportunities that I don’t want to pass up. I love you, but…” her words dropped off.

“ What are you trying to say?”

“ We barely know each other. You are obviously more wrapped up in your job than I could ever compete with.”

“ That’s not true,” he argued.

“ Yes…it is.” She continued, “It would never work out.”

“ But…”

“ I will mail you the ring back. Good luck and I wish you every bit of happiness.”

“ Tiffany, don’t…” he started, saying the same words that Scott had spoken. She hung up the phone, feeling relief.

She looked at her ring and pulled it off her finger. She placed it on the dresser and went back to the wastebasket. She picked up the letter and reread it. She knew that Scott was someone that could handle a mixture of being with her and working. She grabbed her purse and headed to the door.

She needed to talk to him and she hoped there was a cab around. When she opened the door, she nearly ran right into him. “I, couldn’t just leave…” he began, before he could go on she wrapped her hand around his neck and pulled him close to her. Their lips connected and she melted into him. His tongue ran along hers and she pulled from him.

“ I’m sorry,” she spoke, grabbing his hand and pulling him into the hotel room. “I love you,” she spoke, pulling him back to her and wrapping her arms around him. They could talk later. The only thing that mattered to her was giving him the baby he’s always wanted and showing him how much she cared for him. She would show him that for the rest of her life.

******

Baby For The Billionaire

Assistant Marisa And Billionaire Lawyer Jeffrey

Marisa stared down at the eviction notice, reading it a second time as her eyes skimmed over the letter. “You are hereby ordered to leave the premises in one week,” she read out loud. She could feel the tears stinging the back of her eyes. She knew that it was only a matter of time, being two months behind rent and no sign of when she could catch up, she was just thankful that they waited this long.

She put the letter in her purse and got out of the car. She could only hope that hours at her waitress job would begin to pick up. She entered the restaurant, passing through the dining area to get to the time clock.

She nodded to the occasional regular customer, giving them her best smile. She didn’t want to show the outside world just how much she was struggling. When she got in the break room, she headed to the table that always held the new schedule. She looked around and saw that her friend, Chad, was there. “Hey, Marisa, the schedule isn’t out yet.”

“ Oh…” her face fell, then went to the hallway where her boss’ door was wide open. “Is Frank in a good mood?” she asked, with a lighthearted laugh.

Chad shrugged, “Haven’t really had to talk to him.” He stood up from the table and smiled her way. “See ya around.” She nodded, “Bye, Chad.”

She headed down the hallway and peeked inside to find that he was looking down at some papers and she wondered if it was the schedule. She knocked and he looked up briefly, then his head went back down. “Hello,” he mumbled.

“ Hello,” she nervously looked around the office. “May I talk to you for just a minute?”

He seemed to groan, as he looked back up. “Sure.”

“ Well…I don’t exactly know how to approach the subject.”

He rolled his eyes, “Just say it.” She sat down in the chair that was facing him. His expectant stare was nerve wracking. “See, I was hoping that maybe next week I could have some extra hours, anything that you can give me.” She was pleading, but she was desperate. She didn’t want to tell him about the eviction notice, so she hoped that it wouldn’t come to that.”

He looked away from her. She saw a pained expression in his eyes. “Marisa, we need to talk.” She didn’t like the sound of that, but she just nodded. “I was going to tell everyone this in a couple of days, but there really is no reason dragging it on. You have been a valuable employee for the last five years and I owe you that much.”

Her jaw dropped, it didn’t sound like happy news that he was about to share. “What are you trying to say, Frank?” His eyes fell to the stack of papers on his desk. He leaned forward, ruffling through the stack. When his hand landed on a paper, he removed it and handed it to her. She looked down at the pink slip. She skimmed through the notice stating that she was being fired. She looked up at him, but couldn’t find the words. “I’m sorry, Marisa. If I had any other way…I would take it.”

“ You’re firing me?”

“ I’m closing the restaurant,” he slowly spoke. “It hasn’t been good for us. You know the lack of hours and I don’t foresee it getting better.”

“ When?” she asked, hoping that the tears wouldn’t start falling.

“ The buyer wants us out in two weeks.”

She covered her face. She was at a loss for words. “So, you have already sold it?”

He nodded, “I didn’t want to spring it on you guys.”

She stood up from the chair, angry that her world was spinning out of control. She couldn’t fight back the tears much longer. “Spring it on us? Frank, we all have to look for jobs. Did you think of that?”

“ I know, but…” She brushed away a tear that had fallen down her cheek. “I’m sorry, but you don’t know.” She looked away, “I have to clock in.” She turned from him.

“ Marisa, wait…” he began.

She just shook her head and glanced back toward him. “I need time to think.”

“ Please don’t tell anyone.”

She turned around and sighed heavily. “Really? You want the rest of the staff to be shocked by the news more than they already will be?”

“ I need to tell them and I will tell them.”

She nodded, “Fine. I’ll give you twenty four hours,” she headed out of the office and slid her badge through the time clock. She let out a slow breath, to calm down her nerves, before pushing through the break room door. She needed to figure out what she was going to do and she had no time to waste.

***

Marisa walked in her apartment and headed for the kitchen. She reached for the bottle of wine to pour herself a glass. She needed something to unwind with. When she poured the glass and lifted it to her lips, she found herself thinking about what she was going to do. She put the glass down and left the kitchen. She went to her room and grabbed her laptop and then took it back to the kitchen. She took a drink and then turned the computer on.

She punched in a website to search for a job. As she narrowed it down to places that were based on location, she gradually looked down the list. She sipped her wine, taking in the positions. Many of the places she wasn’t qualified for, but then her eyes fell on a few positions that were in search of secretaries, assistants, or receptionists. She jotted down their information, then closed her laptop.

She figured it was too late to do anything about the eviction, but she needed to find a job. She downed the rest of the wine and put the dish in the sink. She headed upstairs and turned on the water in the bath, pouring in his some bubbles. She pulled her clothes off and got into the bath, sinking down so that the bubbles were covering her completely. She could feel the tears falling down her face and she sniffled.

She hated feeling this way. She was alone and losing everything that was important to her. As she wiped a tear from her eye, she heard her cellphone ringing. She grabbed a towel, wiping her arms off and then reached across to her pants, where she removed the phone. She saw on the caller ID that it was her mother. She groaned, but quickly answered the call.

“ Hey, Mom.”

“ How’s it going?” She asked. Her voice was cheerful, causing Marisa to try to push away her worries.

“ Oh…same ol’ same ol’,” she lied. “How have you guys been?”

“ We have been good. We were hoping you would come home for the Independence Day Barbeque this year.”

When she was living at home, she loved the barbeque. However, she was now twenty-five and had moved away nearly seven years ago. She only went home for the occasional Christmas when she didn’t have to work. “I think I’ll have to work that day and won’t be able to come back.” Again, she stated a lie.

There was a long pause on the other end, before her mother spoke up. “Please try. Your sister has some news and we would love to see you.”

News? Marisa thought. “I’ll see what I can do. I have two weeks to see if I can work it out.”

“ So, you are going to try?” Her mother sounded hopeful.

“ I said I would, but I can’t make any promises,” she snapped, then felt bad that it came across that way. “I’m sorry, Mom. It’s just things have been busy.”

“ I understand,” her mother replied and Marisa knew that she really had no idea. “We just really miss you.”

“ Yes, I know. I miss you guys, too.” When she lived at home, her best friend was her sister, who just happened to be only five years younger than her. It was tough on all of them when she decided to take off right out of high school. “Hey, I better go. I hear the doorbell.” She spoke, just wanting to get off the phone. “Goodbye, Mom.”

“ Goodbye, Honey. I’ll talk to you soon.”

“ Okay,” she quickly hung up the call and pushed her phone away from her. She didn’t have time to worry about her parents, too. She sighed, closing her eyes.

She prayed that she would find a job quickly and all of this could be put behind her. She unplugged the bath and stepped out of the tub. She would get some much needed rest and then spend all day job searching, if necessary, until she had the perfect one.

***

She crossed off the second job on her list and glanced over the openings. She wasn’t having the best luck, but she still had several positions open that she could apply for. She drove a few blocks and turned a corner, where a large law office stood in front of her. She parked the car and crossed her fingers, heading up to the door. When she entered, she looked around until she saw a wall that had several names on it.

She walked over and glanced down at the listing. “Martz, Tucker, and Bradley Law Firm,” she whispered and then glanced up at the wall and noticed the name in gold letters. She headed in the direction the arrow pointed, to where she was brought to a narrow hallway.

She saw the glass door with the name of the law firm and she went inside. She looked around to find a lot of bustling going on and people on the phone, talking over copy machines. She noticed a blonde woman, staring at her computer, but she didn’t seem too distracted by other things going on. So, she approached her. When she didn’t look up, she cleared her throat. Finally the woman looked up, clearly annoyed. “May I help you?” She snapped.

“ Uh…” Marisa looked down at her chicken scratch on the notepad. “I am interested in applying for the job.”

The woman rolled her eyes, “You and every other teeny bopper.”

“ I’m not teeny bopper. I’m twenty-five and…” she began, but that made the woman appear even more annoyed.

“ Yeah, did I ask?” She replied, rolling her eyes.

Marisa felt awkward in that moment, nearly stepping back, apologizing for wasting her time, and leaving. “Um, I—“

“ Go through that door,” she interrupted, “until you will find a large desk and you can ask about the position there. This is a mail room only and we don’t handle such things. If you would have come through the other door, you would have clearly noticed that.” She laughed with sarcasm and then went back to her work.

Marisa wanted to say, did I ask? However, she refrained from being sarcastic and headed toward the door. She opened the door to find a much more reserved area. She walked up to the desk and a middle-aged redhead looked up and smiled. “Hello, may I help you?”

“ Yes, I would like to apply for the position that I saw online.” The girl nodded, “Of course. The way interviews are being handled is by being interviewed on the spot. It usually lasts about a half an hour. Are you free to stay?” Marisa’s eyes got big and she nodded, “Of course.”

“ Great. I will see if the boss is available. Please, have a seat over there,” she pointed to the chairs and Marisa went and took a seat. She found herself extremely nervous, as she scrunched the paper in her hands and waited for a response. It was about five minutes later, when she was walking back to her. “You may follow me.”

Marisa attempted several short breaths, to gain her composure. When they reached a door, she noted that she was still as nervous as ever. The woman opened the door, allowing her to walk into an office. The moment she got inside, she saw a tall, dark, and gorgeous guy sitting at his computer. Her voice escaped her, as he looked up.

He had the most magnetizing blue eyes, with brown wavy hair. His smile was charismatic and she was completely gone. “Hello. Please have a seat.” He motioned to the chair in front of his desk. She sat down, unable to function while looking at him. He smiled, cocking an eyebrow and giving her a peculiar look. “Why don’t you start off with something about yourself.”

She searched for the words, realizing that she had to say something. “Um…my…my name is Marisa Jamison.”

“ Ms. Jamison, it is a pleasure meeting you.” Again he smiled and she was caught off guard. “My name is Jeffrey Bradley, one of the lawyers here.” She smiled, still unable to speak. “Why don’t you tell me about your experience.”

She looked down at her hands, then slowly her eyes went back to him. “Well, I don’t really have much experience. I currently work at a restaurant.”

“ For how long?” He asked, taking down notes.

“ Five years,” she replied, hoping to soon start breathing regularly again.

“ It is true that this is different from a restaurant, but you have to have customer service skills.”

“ I definitely have that,” she spoke, suddenly feeling a bit better.

He smiled, “Tell me why you would want to work in a place like this?”

“ Well, the restaurant I work in is getting ready to close and a lot of positions that I was looking at require more experience. I think this would be an interesting job.” She shrugged, “I am a quick learner.”

He took down some more notes and then looked up. “Well, there have been several applicants. Some more qualified than others. The pay is competitive and we offer a strong benefits package. You would start at $55,000 a year.”

She nearly fell off her chair. “Are…are you serious?”

He nodded, “Did I stutter?” His face was blank, like he had flipped a switch and joined the dark side, but then quietly laughed and she shook off the strange feeling she had.

“ No, but just a bit taken aback.”

He nodded, regaining his smile. He then stood up and she figured that the interview was over. She was bummed to realize that it was only about fifteen minutes and she figured that that was not a good sign. She stood up and shook his outstretched hand. “When can you start?”

Her jaw dropped, “I’m sorry?” He shot another glare in her direction. “When….can…you…start? My assistant quit last minute and I need a replacement.” He stated, slowly easing out the words.

“ As soon as you need me.” She conceded, knowing that she would have to work around her work schedule. She just was elated by the turn of events.

“ Okay, then I will see you tomorrow.” He sat down and went back to his computer.

She processed the words in her mind, but before leaving she glanced back in his direction. “Tomorrow is Saturday.”

He nodded, “I’m aware, Ms. Jamison.” She paused at his door, but he looked up. “Is working a Saturday not a possibility for you?”

She was worried that he would snatch the job away, so she quickly shook her head. “No, Saturday is great. Thank you!” She left his office and silently celebrated that things were looking up. Tomorrow was a new day and she wouldn’t focus on everything she lost, but everything she was gaining.

***

It wasn’t until she was home and in bed that she even thought about how she didn’t know what time she should be there. She decided to just go in at eight o’clock and hope that that was fine with him. She dressed in her dressier clothes and headed to the office. When she got there, there was another car in the parking lot.

She parked and went up to the door. As she walked through the offices, she noticed that the once bustling of a mailroom, was deafly quiet. She glanced around the room and then went to the other part of the office.

She opened the door to find that it was also quiet. She casually walked down the hallway, the only sound was the clicking of her black high heels. She went to his door and saw him through the glass door, busy at his computer.

She knocked softly. “Come in!” He called. She entered, but he didn’t bother looking up. “You’re late,” he mumbled, continuing to type away.

“ I…I’m really sorry. We didn’t really…“

He put up his hand and looked at her, “Don’t let it happen again.”

“ Yes, sir,” she mumbled.

He stood up and walked around the desk, glancing over her outfit and causing her to feel awkward. “You also don’t have to be so dressed up, unless we have a meeting.” She glanced down at her outfit and frowned, but didn’t say anything. “Follow me,” he ordered. They left the office and headed back down the hallway. He pushed a door open and they entered, bringing her into another office. “This is your office. You can decorate as you please, but don’t get too caught up in it. You will do a lot of work in my office and be expected to do whatever I ask of you.” He hesitated, a heated stare appeared. “Whatever I ask you. Understand?”

She took a step back from him. She felt a strange sensation as he spoke to her. It was like he was cutting to her core and she couldn’t understand what was happening. “Yes, I understand,” she spoke, but she wasn’t sure if she really did.

“ Perfect.” He leaned over the phone and pressed a button. “When you need to talk to me, press this button. It will buzz and inform me that you are calling me. When I call you, you will hear a buzz and you answer by pressing this button.” He looked at her, shifting to stare into her eyes. “Do you need to take notes?”

She nearly laughed, then shook her head. “I think I have it, but thanks.”

She couldn’t help but notice how his demeanor was different from the interview. He was belittling and acting like he was better than her. She felt like a child he was training to ride a bike or use the restroom. It was a different phase that she wasn’t expecting. “Suit yourself.” He shrugged, heading out the door. “Get comfortable with the office and I will get with you soon.”

“ Thank you,” she mumbled, walking around the desk and sinking down in the chair. She felt out of her element and hoped that it was just nerves, because she was already hooked into the job. The money would be more than enough to keep herself in the apartment. She started messing with the computer, getting a feel of the drawers in her desk, and swiveling in her chair, when she heard the phone buzzing at her.

She stopped what she was doing and stared at the phone.

She pressed the button that he showed her. “Y…yes?”

“ Jamison, come to my office,” he ordered. His voice was almost gruff.

“ Yes…” she started to say, but she heard a tone that signified he was no longer on the intercom.

She rolled her eyes and headed back to his office. She went into his office and put on a smile. He stood up, with a pile of papers in his hand.

He walked around and handed her the papers. She looked them over. “Follow me,” he ordered.

She willingly did so, as he led her to another room. “Am I going to remember where everything is?” she asked, laughing lightly.

He turned around and his gaze was cold and distant.

“ Do I need to draw you a map?” He asked, with no sign of teasing. She shook her head and he turned back to the filing cabinets. “You are to file these forms by date that they were completed.” He pointed to the date and then looked up at her, “Understand?”

She nodded. “Good!” He mumbled, heading out of the room and leaving her alone. She frowned, turning back to the filing cabinet. She didn’t know why he had to be such a jerk, but she wasn’t going to jeopardize it by questioning his actions. He was the boss and that was what she would keep telling herself, because it was going to pay the bills and that was what mattered most.

***

Marisa woke up to the knock on her apartment door. She glanced at the clock and frowned, “Six o’clock?” She mumbled, putting on her robe and stumbling to the door. The knock happened again. “Coming!” she called, hoping it didn’t across as gruff. She opened the door to see that Jeffrey Bradley was at her door.

She quickly pulled the strap tighter around her robe. She was not used to awkwardly standing in front of her boss, wearing just a nightie and a robe. “What are you doing here?” She asked, realizing how rude it came across. She didn’t care; she figured that it still wasn’t as rude as he had been the past three days.

“ I told you we had meetings today.” He brushed into the apartment. When she turned around, she saw that his eyes were casually washing over her body. “Are you going to be dressed like that for every meeting we have?”

She looked down at her outfit and then glared at him. “Smart…” she finally said. “If I would have known that you were going to be here at the early light of dawn, I would have been sure to put on a formal gown.”

For the first time, since he hired her, she noticed a smile on his face. She had to take a step back, because she didn’t expect for a simple smile to melt her heart. “I apologize. You are most correct. I didn’t tell you about the fact that I like to prepare for the meetings. Since the first one is at eight o’clock, I was just trying to get a head start. I can come back.”

As he was passing her, she reached out and grabbed his arm. He turned to look at her and she shrugged, “You’re here now…you might as well make the best of the time. Have a seat at the kitchen table and I will hurry and take a shower, get dressed, and be back before you know it.”

“ If you insist.”

She rolled her eyes. She didn’t really feel like she had much choice. “I do.” She left him standing there and hurried into her bedroom, where she grabbed a change of clothes and then went into the bathroom. She would make it a quick shower and then be out there and ready to start the day. She barely had time to think, before she was turning the shower off and getting dressed. She threw her hair back in a ponytail and went out to the kitchen.

He looked up, “That didn’t take long,” he muttered.

“ Told you I would be fast,” She replied, sitting down across from him.

“ Indeed you did,” he replied, pushing the paperwork in front of her. “We are meeting with Troy Houser. He is suing his ex for full custody of his two children.”

“ That seems harsh,” she mumbled.

“ Excuse me?” He asked, looking intently at her.

“ I just mean that she’s their mother. Why would he do that?” She shook her head, leafing through the papers.

He opened another folder and pushed it toward her. She looked down to see a picture of a little girl, a bruise on her arm. She looked up at him, “Is there proof that the mother did this?”

He shook his head, “No, but that’s why I’m here…to find proof.”

Marisa snickered, “Whatever makes you sleep at night.” She put the folder down and closed it up.

“ What do you mean by that?” He asked, clearly angered by her attitude.

“ You may be looking for proof to prove something that isn’t there. Maybe you are defending the wrong person. Ever think of that?”

“ Why are you so convinced that he’s in the wrong? You know nothing about this case.”

“ Maybe not, but I’m just saying that you shouldn’t just believe him because he’s your client.” She spoke, crossing her arms and staring at him.

“ Duly noted, Jamison, but I don’t recall hiring you to be a lawyer. This is my case and my job is to prove that he is the better option for those two kids.”

“ Even if he’s not?” She asked, calmly.

“ It’s the price a lawyer pays. You don’t always get the innocent one.” He pulled the papers back toward him and continued to leaf through the files. She watched him, but she felt a feeling of dread inside of her. She heard a knock at her door. Their eyes met, as she got up and went to the door.

She opened the door to find her landlord on her step. She glanced back to her boss and then pushed her way out the door. “What do you want, Harry?” She asked.

“ Have you thought about that letter I gave you? You only have three days to make your move…either pay up or get out. What will it be?”

She could feel the tears at the back of her eyes, but she begged for them not to fall. “I know. I’m working on it.”

“ Friday…that’s your last day. I don’t want to lose you as a tenant, but I have a business to run.”

He turned away and headed to the stairs, “Goodbye!” she mumbled.

She went back into her apartment and saw that he was watching the door. She didn’t respond about the visitor, but he did speak. “Friend?” He asked, casually.

“ More like enemy,” she replied with a laugh. She shrugged, “Back to this case. I will step back and let you do your job.”

“ Thank you!” He removed a couple of pictures from the file and held them up. “We do have proof that she had been having an affair with this guy, while she was still married.”

She nodded, still doesn’t make her an abuser, she thought. She pushed the thought from her mind and reached out for the picture. She looked down and saw this woman dancing with this man. They looked like they were in love. She gave the picture back to him and shrugged. “Nice picture,” she mumbled.

“ For a cheater,” he replied, shaking his head. “I guess that’s it. I am sorry that I interrupted your morning.”

“ No worries.”

“ I’ll see you in the office in about an hour.”

She nodded, watching him leave her apartment. She sunk down at the kitchen table and covered her face with her hands. She didn’t want him to know what was bothering her, so she had to hold it in. Yet, she had no idea what she was going to do.

***

Jeffrey buzzed in on her phone at eight o’clock sharp. “Yes?” She asked.

“ The client is here. Come to my office first.”

“ Yes, Mr. Bradley,” she spoke, picking up a pad of paper and pen and heading out of her office. She walked down the hallway and entered his office.

He looked up and then stood to his feet. “I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page about today’s meeting.”

“ Meaning?” she asked.

“ I don’t want you speaking your mind. I get that you aren’t convinced, but it’s not my job to convince you. It’s my job to convince the judge and I don’t want you getting in that way.” He moved to the door and held it open for her. “Understand?”

“ Loudly,” she spoke, brushing past him. She turned around and put up her finger. “For the record…I would never get in the way of YOU doing your job.” She turned on her heels and walked down the hallway to the boardroom. She stopped and turned around to see that he was lagging behind.

He held out his hand to show that he was welcoming her in first. She nodded and entered the room. She smiled as she took a seat. “Hello, Mr. Houser,” she shook his hand.

She saw that Jeffrey was doing the same, as he took his seat. He put the paperwork in front of him and then looked up. “Tell me your story, Mr. Houser.”

She watched, as he seemed hesitant. However, then he finally spoke. “I am suing for full custody, because my wife isn’t suitable.”

“ You mean your ex?” He asked.

He nodded, “Yeah…yeah, my ex. She isn’t suitable. She drinks and has abusive tendencies.”

Marisa jotted down the information, as he stated them. “Tell me about her abusive tendencies.”

“ Well…when Valarie was two she ended up with a broken arm.”

Marisa looked up at him and saw that he was sweating profusely. “Your ex beat her so bad that she broke her arm?” He asked, making notes of his own.

He nodded, but then paused. “They said that she fell off the Merry Go Round, but I never bought that. I know my ex.”

“ When did you get divorced? How old were the children?” Jeffrey asked.

“ Hm…” he looked up to the ceiling. “I think that Valarie was four years old and Trey was two.”

“ So, you divorced her two years after the suspected abuse started?”

“ Yes, so?” He asked, defensively. “I loved her and I didn’t want to believe that she could be a maniac, but the truth had to come out.”

“ How old are the children now?” He asked, barely making eye contact.

“ That was two years ago.” He spoke, carefully looking between the two people sitting opposite him.

“ So, it was about four years ago that Valarie broke her arm?” Marisa glanced at Jeffrey. She could tell where he was going with it, but she wondered if he was questioning him because of her or because of him.

“ What does that matter?” Troy asked, again defensively.

“ Nothing. I just want to see how you handle the questions that you are going to be fired. What I am asking is only the breaking point. If you don’t answer them with ease, you’ll be perceived as hiding something. Are you hiding something?”

Again I turned my focus on my boss. He was good and not batting an eye. For a moment it made sense why he was arrogant. It was the only way he knew how to be. “Nothing. She deserves to suffer, because those kids belong with me.”

“ Okay,” Jeffrey replied, taking some more notes. “Do you have anything else to add?”

He shook his head, “Nope. I have said my peace.” He replied.

For the first time since entering the room, Jeffrey turned to Marisa. She couldn’t read what was in his mind, but she wondered if it was doubt. He stood up and turned back to Troy. “Thank you for stopping by and I will let you know when you go before the judge.”

They all shook hands again and Troy left the room.

Jeffrey followed after him, not saying a word to Marisa as he headed back to his office. Marisa looked down at her notes and noticed what she had written. Most of it was about his attributes. He was shaking, nervous, sweating, and defensive. He didn’t act like something that believed what he was saying and somehow she wanted to prove that.

***

Marisa sat at her desk, tapping her pencil loudly against her computer. Her thoughts roamed to the landlord and the meeting with their client. She finally took a deep breath and headed out of her office. She made her way down to see him. She noticed the door was open, but she knocked anyway. He looked up, “Come in, Jamison.”

There was something about the way that he called her by her last name. She loved it. His eyes remained on hers. “Well, are you going to stand all day gawking, or do you have a question?”

She felt her face flush, as she looked away. She didn’t know how he could do that. When she finally regained control, she looked back in his direction. “What did you think of the meeting?” She asked. It wasn’t exactly why she came in there, but she figured it would buy her some time.

He shrugged, “Okay, I guess. Why? I suppose you have an opinion.” He snarled.

She shrugged, “Maybe, but I won’t say a word. I’m a woman of my word.”

He laughed, glancing down at the papers. “Well, if you do decide to voice your opinion…I’ll listen.” She was surprised to hear him say that. He looked up and she thought she even noticed a smile. “Doesn’t mean I’ll take your side. It just means I’ll listen.”

“ Right,” she shook her head. She glanced down at the picture on his desk. For the first time, really noticing it. “Is that your family?” She asked, staring at a picture of a brunette woman, holding a toddler in her hands. His hand was on her shoulder. She glanced at his hand and noticed that he wasn’t wearing a wedding ring. She had figured she would have seen it before, if he had been.

He nodded, “Yes,” he replied, but the word came out quiet.

“ Good looking family,” she replied, then turned to leave, but when she reached the door she decided to just say what was on her mind. “I guess I do have something to ask you.”

He looked up, “About the case?”

“ Well…not exactly.”

He put down his papers and nodded, “Go on.”

She felt panic welling up inside of her. She then tried to breathe and think of how she could possibly approach the subject with someone that she barely knew. “You see…I was kind of hoping that possibly you could give me an advance on my first paycheck?”

If there was once a smile playing on his face, it was now gone. “I don’t do charity.” He replied, looking down at the papers.

Her jaw dropped, “Charity?”

“ Yes. I believe in working your way from the bottom and knowing that it will all work out in the end. I don’t give handouts.”

She couldn’t believe her ears. She believed that you should fight to get ahead, but she also believed in doing something for the good of the cause. Yet, this had nothing to do with charity. “It would ultimately be my money. I’m not understanding the problem.” She replied, feeling a sense of urgency.

He rolled his eyes, “Yes, but if I do it for you this one time then you are going to expect every time. That’s the way things work.”

“ You’re wrong. I just need some extra money this week. I didn’t make a lot at the waitressing job and things got behind. I really could just use a jump start.”

He shook his head, glancing down at his desk. “I can’t do that. You may see yourself out.”

She felt her face turning red, but this time in anger. “You know what you are?” She fired out.

He looked up, eyes wide, “No…what am I?”

She stared him down, bracing herself and trying to hold it all in, but it was impossible. “You are an arrogant jerk that doesn’t care about anyone or anything. All you want to do…is be right. Well, newsflash…you aren’t right. You are conceited and if it wasn’t for the fact that I need this job, I would…I would…”

He stood up from his desk, “You would what?”

“ I would quit, because I didn’t apply to be a doormat or a slave and in the few days I have worked with you…that is exactly what I am.”

“ Are you finished?” He asked, when she took time to breathe. She nodded. “For the way you just talked to me, I could have you fired and you wouldn’t have to worry about quitting.”

She looked away. At that point she didn’t think her life could get worse anyway. “I will willingly go,” she mumbled. She reached the door, but he cleared his throat. “Don’t go…I’m not through talking.” She casually looked up at him, waiting for him to continue. “I could easily let you go and not turn back, but I’m not going to.”

Her jaw dropped, “You’re not?”

He shook his head, “No. In fact, I appreciate when someone can speak their mind and not back down. Not everyone does that and it’s a trait that I admire.”

She was not the least bit surprised to learn that. She felt a twinge of hope. “So, you’ll give me the advance?”

Their eyes met, but he finally shook his head. “I can’t. I know that you think that I’m a hard-nose and maybe you’re right, but the fact is that companies have rules for a reason and one of the rules that I stand by is you need to work for everything you receive. It may seem tough, but it seems to always work.”

She groaned, nodding her understanding. “Then, I guess it is what it is. Thank you for your time.”

“ Unless you would like to tell me what you want the money for and perhaps we could work out a loan agreement.”

She paused at the door. Every thought she was hearing was telling her to swallow her pride and just tell him, but she sadly felt she couldn’t. She felt like a failure and she didn’t want him judging her. “Not that important,” she said and then walked out of his office. She headed back to her office and sat down at her desk. She was thankful she still had a job, but the realization that she was about to lose her home…was a tough pill to swallow.

***

Jeffrey sunk back in his oversized desk chair. His eyes fell to the picture of his family. He picked it up and looked at it, running his fingers over the picture of his daughter. “He closed his eyes,” I love you, Jasmine.” He replaced the picture and went back to his work. His mind drifted away to the feisty blonde. He saw the pain in her eyes and part of him considered just giving her the advance, but he was a stubborn man and not too proud to admit that.

He looked at his notes that he had taken on Troy Houser and began reading them out loud, “Nervous, edgy, argumentative, anxious…” each thing he wrote down was a trait that he saw coming from his client. He didn’t know why, but he suddenly had a strange feeling about the whole situation. He thought back to Marisa’s doubts at the very beginning, but then shook off the nagging feeling that he was getting. “I have to trust him,” he whispered, putting the notes away.

He stood up and moved to his sports jacket. He headed out of his office. On the way out of the building, he passed her office. He looked inside to see that she was still at her desk, tapping her pencil on the computer and staring aimlessly at the screen. He wondered what was so interesting. “Are you leaving?” He asked.

She looked up, shrugging. “Why? Do you have a time that I have to be out of the office if you’re not here?” She asked, sarcastically.

The way she was aggressive toward him, he noticed how it affected him. He had never seen anything like it. Jordan had left the job because she wasn’t able to keep up with his sarcastic antics, but he could see that he was meeting his match. “No…no curfew.” He tapped the wall and nodded, “Have a good evening.”

He heard her snickering, as he left the office. He knew that there was something she was hiding and he hoped to be the one to crack her code. He smiled, walking out of the building. It would be fun trying.

***

She grabbed her last box and headed out of her apartment. “Thanks for helping me move, Chad. I didn’t know who else to call.”

He shrugged, “What about your new boss?”

She thought about that and rolled her eyes. “I doubt Mr. Bradley would be the moving kind of man. Besides…” her face fell, “I don’t want him to know where I’m staying.”

“ I wish you would change your mind, Marisa.” He spoke, while putting the boxes in the back of his truck. “I have plenty of room.”

She knew that it was a generous offer, but she couldn’t take him up on that. “I appreciate it, Chad, but I’ll be fine. This is only until I start getting regular checks.” They got into his truck and as he pulled away, she turned to him, “Have you decided what you’re going to do when the restaurant is closed?”

“ Probably collect unemployment until I find something else.” He shrugged, “Not really worried about it.”

“ I miss everyone,” she replied, quietly.

He turned and looked at her, when they stopped at a red light. “Everyone misses you, too.”

She knew part of her reasons of missing them, was the fact that Jeffrey Bradley just wasn’t them. He turned into the hotel that was next to the office. They got out and grabbed her few boxes. They walked into the lobby and she went up to the reception desk. She hoped that they could strike up a deal and not charge her the whole fee up front.

She explained the situation and was relieved when they agreed to bill her at the end of each week. “Thank you!” she replied, gratefully.

She turned to Chad and they walked to the elevator. “You have one more chance to change your mind. A hotel is not a place for someone to live.”

She laughed, “I will be fine. At least I’m close to the office.” They reached the floor and she got off, walking to the door. She opened the door and entered the room.

It wasn’t big, but she could make it work. They put the boxes down and she walked to the window. She peered outside and she laughed, “I even have a view of the office…what more could I ask for?”

He laughed, walking over to look outside. “Not bad,” he spoke, but sounding a tad sarcastic. “I’ll call you later and we’ll go out. You could use a night out.”

“ You’ll have to use my number here. I got rid of my cellphone.”

“ Okay,” she walked over and wrote down the number on a piece of paper. She handed it to him and he put it in his pocket. “Take care, Marisa.”

“ You, too.” She pulled him into a hug. “Thank you for helping pack.”

“ When you move out of here, I’ll be back.”

She smiled, nodding. “I will keep that in mind.”

He headed to the door and they said their goodbyes. When he was gone, she looked out the window. She noticed that the office building was opening and Jeffrey was leaving. She glanced down at the clock to find that it was seven o’clock on a Friday night and he was just now leaving. She shook her head. She wondered if his wife ever questioned his later nights. She closed the blinds and fell back against her bed, plopping down on the comforter. Her eyes closed and she drifted off to sleep, not wasting any time.

***

The next morning, she arrived to work on another Saturday. She didn’t anticipate having to work the extra weekends at a job that clearly stood for Monday to Friday. However, she kept thinking about the salary and it suddenly became alright. She hurried into the office, this time beating him. She put her stuff away and logged into her computer. She was busy looking up the information about various prospective clients that he asked her to research, when she saw him looking in her office. “Good Morning!”

He cocked his head, “You’re here early.”

“ I wanted to get working on the research. Is that a crime?” She asked. She quickly discovered the best way to get to him, was to start acting like him. While she didn’t like to perceive herself as rude and arrogant, she would do anything stand up to him.

“ Not at all, I’m impressed,” he admitted.

She looked up, as he was walking out of her office. She was confused by some of his attitude shifts. She went back to looking up the research. She jotted down notes of things that he might find beneficial. When she was done with his list, she got up and went to his office. She put the packet down on his desk and turned away. “Wait a minute, Marisa.”

She turned around, “You need me to do something else?” She asked.

He looked through her notes and placed them on his desk. Their eyes met and he shifted in his seat. “Is everything alright? Something seems different.”

“ Everything’s fine,” she spoke. “Anything else?”

He shook his head, “I don’t mean to be abrasive…at least not all the times,” he laughed, but she didn’t crack a smile. “You just seem to be a little upset about something.” He paused, “If this is about the advance, maybe I was a little stern. You don’t get paid for another week and I suppose I could get you part of your first paycheck.”

He pulled out his checkbook and she stared at him. He appeared to be using his own personal checks. “Would five hundred cover it?”

“ Mr. Bradley, forget about it.” She looked away, but he remained with his pen poised.

“ No, I’m prepared to do this.” He argued.

She didn’t understand the sudden change. “That’s nice, but you might as well give it up. The reason I requested the advance is no longer prevalent. Thank you, though.”

She turned away and headed out of the office. She didn’t want him to see her flustered, but she felt dizzy. She went back in her office and sat down. She nervously began drumming her fingers on her desk. She tried to get focused on the next tasks on her list, but she was still struggling at his immense change of heart. It didn’t add up.

She began typing on her computer and getting her mind on other projects, that she didn’t realize how late it had become. She heard the buzzing of her phone. She looked down at the phone, like it had grown a head.

She pushed the button, “H…hello?”

“ Jamison, will you please come into my office?”

Please? She thought. “Yes, sir.” She replied, getting up and heading back to the office. She glanced at her watch and saw that it was past lunchtime.

She knocked on his closed door. “Come in!” His voice wasn’t gruff, but instead inviting.

She opened the door and hesitated, before pushing through the door. When he looked up, it was definitely a smile on his face. “Yes?”

He stood up and moved closer to her, “I just wanted to invite you out for lunch. You have been working so hard and I thought we could both use a break.”

She fought the urge to check his forehead to see if he was running a fever. “Well, I was planning on just going home.”

“ Home? That’s several blocks away. This way you can get something to eat right away and it’s my treat. What do you say?” She hesitated, but finally nodded. “Good,” he spoke and it came out enthusiastically. He grabbed his sports jacket and followed her out the door. She stopped at her office and grabbed her purse and then they were off. She was confused, but she was hungry and figured that it wouldn’t hurt to just go out for a bite to eat. At least she hoped not.

***

He waited for her to place her order and then he placed his. The waiter left and he turned to her. He didn’t know why he was suddenly nervous. He didn’t remember ever feeling this way about a woman or anyone else. “So, tell me about you Marisa.” He replied, taking a drink of his coffee.

“ Marisa?” She asked. Her face turned red. “I don’t think you have ever called me that.”

“ That’s your name, isn’t it?”

She laughed. “Yes, but I didn’t think you knew that. You usually call me Jamison.”

He hadn’t really thought about that, but he knew that his way of keeping distance between him and someone was to call them by their last name. “Which do you prefer?” He asked, feeling his throat getting dry.

She seemed to contemplate that, “Either.”

He smiled, “So, whatever I’m in the mood for?”

“ Something like that,” she replied with a chuckle. He hadn’t noticed her laugh before, but it filled a room and he was drawn to it. There was a long pause, before she spoke.

“ There’s something that I have been wanting to ask you. It’s just something that I was interested in.”

He took another drink, preparing himself. “Okay. What’s that?”

“ Well, at the interview I was told that there were several applicants. Yet, you hired me right away. Why?”

He hadn’t expected her to be so bold to ask the question. Yet, he really didn’t expect her to be so bold about anything. He was wrong about that. “I suppose there was something about you that I felt would be the perfect match to the job.”

“ That seems vague,” she replied laughing.

“ Yeah, I suppose it is. It’s like when you go out looking for a pair of shoes and you know the exact style you’re looking for. You just know and there’s no point in waiting for another pair of shoes to come along, when you have the perfect pair right in front of you. Make sense?” He asked.

“ Yes, you’re comparing me to shoes.” He laughed, this time feeling a blush brushing across his face. “It’s just an analogy. When you walked through the door…I just knew.”

He hoped it didn’t come across as corny, but he knew that it was the truth. By the look on her face, it definitely appeared that she was not thinking it was corny. “Okay, then if that’s how you feel…why have things been tense between us?”

The food came and he paused, giving him time to think. When the waiter was gone, he looked back in her direction.

“ They say opposites attract, so it’s obvious you and I would repel. We’re a lot alike.” She opened her mouth, but he placed his hand up, halting her. “I know you think that I’m arrogant and rude and any other name in the book. You have been very vocal about that, but I speak my mind and so do you. We are bound to butt heads, but that doesn’t mean that at the end of the day I’m not thankful you walked through my door.”

He realized the way that came out, but he wasn’t about to apologize for it. “I think that we could in essence make a great team, because even though you don’t see it…I do value your opinion.”

“ That makes me feel good. Thank you!”

He smiled, “Now, let’s enjoy the food.” He took a bite of his salad and saw that she was finally getting comfortable and he breathed a sigh of relief. Everything he had said to her was the truth. None of it was lines that he was just feeding her and he hoped that she understood that.

***

Marisa stared down at the picture of Troy’s ex dancing with the other man. Her mind kept going back to lunch with Jeffrey. He definitely surprised her by the easy tone. She had expected everything to be awkward and then when he told her why he chose her for the job, she found herself distracted. There was a heat in his eyes when he spoke the words and she didn’t know if it was because she was attracted to him or lonely, but she suddenly felt like doing more than going to lunch with him.

She shook her head, removing the vision from her mind. She looked back down at the picture, tracing the outline of the couple. As she was doing that, she picked up the picture and stared at an image that she hadn’t seen before. She got up and moved to the window light. In the corner there was a faint image of a man staring in the direction of the couple. It was definitely Troy. She was sure of it.

She got up and hurried to his office. She stopped when she heard his voice echoing through the door that was a crack. “You can’t do this to me, Janelle. Haven’t I lost enough?” She paused, leaning in toward his door. “Please, don’t…Damn it…” she heard the sound of a slamming phone and she cautiously proceeded. She considered leaving, but she had come this far. She knocked and heard the faint sound of his voice, “Come in!”

She opened the door and saw that he was sitting at his desk, looking drugged. “I…I can leave,” she stammered. He shook his head, “Don’t bother.” He sat up in his chair. “Find something?” She proceeded to his desk, awkwardly. She held the picture, but before putting it in front of him. “Tell me about you.” He looked up and confusion was evident. “Pardon me?”

She took the seat in front of me. “Well, it seems that I did most of the talking at lunch. I think you have a story to tell. What is it?”

He shook his head, “Not worth telling.”

“ Come on, Mr. Bradley. I’m sure there’s something. You have a beautiful family. Start there.”

When he looked up, she sat back. There was agony on his face and she regretted saying anything. He reached for the picture and stared at it. “Do you know why this picture is on my desk?”

She shook her head, “Probably because it’s your family and you want to show them off.”

“ Well, at one time that was true. However, now it just holds bad memories.” She watched as he traced the picture of his daughter. “Her name was Jasmine.”

“ Was?”

He nodded slowly, looking up. “She drowned last year. She was just five years old.” He smiled, “Believe it or not, I used to be a very charismatic gentleman and a family man. However, one weekend we had decided to go camping and I was going to have to work late on Friday night. So, I told them to go up without me and I would come up Saturday. My wife and daughter were in a boat when a storm came through. She tried everything she could, but the boat capsized and Jasmine went under.

She was wearing a lifejacket, but the boat pinned her under. My wife couldn’t find her until it was too late.” She could tell that the memories were painful and tears were forming on his eyes. “I never blamed her, but she didn’t know how to swim and she blamed me for not being there.”

“ I’m so sorry, Mr. Bradley.” He nodded, “Please, call me Jeffrey.” She nodded, as he continued. “She called me and I rushed to the hospital, but it was too late. Right after the funeral she said she wanted a divorce. It was an amicable one. We didn’t have a prenuptial, but I didn’t worry about her taking me to the cleaners. It finalized and I thought things were done. My dad died last month.” She covered her mouth, realizing the hurt he was feeling. “I was left a hefty sum of money. My ex is suing me for damages from the loss of her daughter.”

“ Can she do that?” She asked in disbelief.

He nodded, “Unfortunately, people sue for all types of reasons.”

“ It’s your daughter, too.” She argued.

“ I know, but her heart is still healing.” He frowned, “My heart is still healing.”

“ My feelings exactly.” Marisa stated. She was irritated by the news, but she wanted him to know that she appreciated him telling her the story. “Thank you for opening up to me, but I just think that you’re getting the raw end of the deal.”

He smiled, “Yeah, you and me both.” He shrugged, “It is what it is and I will just have to fight through. Justice will win out, right?”

“ I suppose,” she mumbled, staring down at the picture.

“ You did want to show me something. What is it?” she got up and walked around his desk. She put the picture down in front of him and pointed out the image. She was so close to him, that she was sure her breath was tickling his skin.

Their eyes met and she saw a fury in his eyes. She looked down at the picture. “I think it’s Troy.”

He looked back to the picture and slowly nodded. “I’ll be damned.”

“ If he was there and saw the affair happening before his eyes, he could have gotten jealous. There is just something about him that…”

“ Doesn’t feel right,” he finished her sentence.

“ You feel it, too?”

He nodded, “I just don’t want to jump to conclusions, but this is a very good start.” She stepped back from him, needing a breather. He stood up and turned to her, “Thank you for listening today and Monday we’ll try to dig deeper into figuring out the truth.” He moved closer to her and she thought she saw that his eyes moved to her lips briefly.

“ I think I’m going to head for the day. You alright with that?” He started to nod, but then his lips went down to hers and he kissed her. She pulled away, not knowing what she wanted. His eyes remained connected to hers. “I’m messed up, no good…” he started. “I know…me too,” she whispered.

However, that didn’t stop the notion that she wanted to feel his body against hers. “Sexual encounters at work are never a good idea.” She nodded, “I know…” before she could get anything else out, she felt his hand snake around her neck and he was pulling her back into another kiss. “Hm…” she moaned. “Wait…” she breathlessly spoke, breaking from the passionate embrace. “Are we even thinking this over?”

He shook his head moving closer to her and putting his hands on her blouse. “We’re being irrational. Just go for it. He ripped the shirt from her body and it fell to the floor. His lips went to her neck, while her hands went to his shirt, removing it from the confinement of his dress pants.

She started off tediously undoing button after button, but then knew that she needed to move the show on the road. She busted open his shirt, the way that he had busted open hers. Her hands trailed down his chest, while he continued to kiss her neck. She arched her back, sighing against his kisses. His hands went behind her back, as he slowly removed her bra. Her breasts pressed hard against his bare chest.

Her hands went to his pants and she quickly removed them from him. They fell to the floor and he kicked them off. Then his hands went to his boxers and she drug them down his legs, while his hands tweaked her nipples. She eyed his erection, salivating at the sight. His hands slowly slid down her stomach and then wrapped around her back. He undid the zipper to her skirt and it fell to the floor.

His hands went to her panties and he looped his fingers through them, tugging them off of her body. Before she had time to comprehend the next move, she felt him lifting her into his arms and laying her down on the floor. Their lips met, his tongue dipping inside her mouth. As their tongues clashed together, his hands continued to massage her breasts, gently feeling each part of her sensitive skin.

As his cock was about to enter her, he pulled back. “Shit, I don’t have a condom,” he groaned. He was hoping that she wasn’t on birth control so that he could finally have that baby that he’s wanted for all these years.

She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him closer to her. “I’m on the pill,” she whispered, as their lips met and he penetrated her. “Ugh…” she groaned, arching her back, but not breaking from the kiss. He pounded in her, with each deliberate move. As each thrust turned hard, she was forced to part from the kiss. “Ugh…Oh God…yes…” she whimpered, barely able to get the words out, it felt so good. As one arm continued being wrapped around him, her other arm fell down to her side and she tried desperately to grab anything to hold onto, finally choosing for a leg to his chair. Her hips bucked against his.

He crashed against her, with a hunger that she never endured. “Oh God…yes…yes…” he cried, pressing harder to her core. “Ugh…ugh…” he groaned, digging deeper. She could feel his pulsating cock within her and then a steady stream of cum as it rushed into her.

“ Fuck…” he cried out.

“ Ugh…ugh…yes…God yes…” she moaned, as her body seized and released her juices over him. She sighed, unable to move, as his gyrations slowly began to come to an end. “Wow…” she sighed, closing her eyes and just lying there. As she was focusing on her next move, she felt hands on her legs, parting her ever so softly. She didn’t know what he was doing, because of her inability to see straight, but she felt the entrance his finger, as it dipped inside of her. She moaned, taking in his sensual moves.

Then it was over and she was fighting disappointment, until she felt something else. She tried to control her breathing, as she felt his tongue circling around her clit. “Oh God…” she whispered, but bit back a guttural groan. His tongue eased inside of her, and her eyes opened, staring at the ceiling of his office. She reached down and grabbed his head, holding him closer to her. “Yes…” she groaned, as he tenderly caressed her clitoris and then eased in deeper. She felt the smoothness of his moves and she sighed against his deep and masculine movements. “Hm…hmmm…hm…” she signed, her body gliding against the intensity.

As his tongue was seeking out each crevice that she could provide, she felt her body begin to shake with desire. “Oh God!” she cried, as her juices flowed out of her and into the mouth of Jeffrey. He licked her pussy with satisfaction and not leaving anything behind.

As his tongue slowly weaved its way out of her, she dropped her hands from his head. She closed her eyes and took in deep and slow breaths. She felt him easing his way back up her. Her eyes opened and she stared at him. She only saw desire and nothing else. He wrapped his hand around her neck and pulled her into a breathless kiss.

His tongue circling around hers, as she tasted her cum on his lips. He pulled from the kiss, bringing his mouth down to her flesh of her neck. She could barely keep up, as she was fighting exhaustion. She closed her eyes and tried to focus on his intimate paths around her skin. Between kisses, she heard his words. “God, you’re sexy!” She could relish in that forever. When she felt him retracting, she heaved a sigh. He fell off of her and she could hear the restlessness that he felt. “Wow…” he mumbled, as they both just laid there and tried to catch their breath. She closed her eyes and knew that this was going to complicate everything, but it was exactly what she needed to take her mind of everything that was going on.

***

Monday morning, Jeffrey walked into the office and as he passed Marisa’s office, he couldn’t even look up. When he had time to think, he realized that it wasn’t right. He took advantage of the situation and pushed it off to her. He sat down at his desk, looking around the office. There were no signs of sex, but he held onto the visual memories and he couldn’t get rid of them.

He looked down at his desk, where the picture that started everything was still lying in a heap of papers. He smelled her sweet perfume and instinctively kissed her, but it should have stopped at that.

He picked up the picture, clearly seeing Troy Houser as he watched his wife dance with the other man. There was a glare in his eyes and it wasn’t able to be refuted. He had the strange feeling he did, similar to the one that he felt when Troy left their meeting.

As he was looking at the picture, he heard a knock on his door. He glanced up to see Marisa in his doorway. “I’m sorry to bother you, but can we talk?” She didn’t give him a chance to answer her, as she entered his office and closed his door behind her. When she turned around, he tried to read her mind, yet he saw that it wouldn’t be an easy task.

“ What’s on your mind?” He asked, putting the picture down and looking back up at her.

She was hesitant, glancing around his office and he wondered if she saw the visuals, too. “I want to talk about Saturday,” she walked over and sat down in his chair.

He wanted to avoid it at all costs, but he could see that she was not having that in mind. “Okay.”

“ It wasn’t planned…” she began.

“ No…it wasn’t,” he concurred.

“ I guess that I was wondering how you felt about it?”

He thought about that.

He would be lying if he said that it wasn’t what occupied every moment of his mind. He would be denying everything if he said that he didn’t want to rip her clothes off and enjoy another day of sex with her. He bit back the thought and just looked at her. “You are a very passionate woman, Jamison.” He groaned, knowing what words he would speak next. “I’m not looking for a relationship.”

“ I’m not neither,” she whispered.

“ What we did on the floor of this office, needs to stay between us.” She nodded, proving that she was aware of that. His eyes wandered to her lips, the same lips that he could have remained kissing all night, but he looked away. “We let impulses take over and I’m too much of a stickler to make sure that never happens again.”

Her face fell and she looked down at his desk. He knew that he saw hurt in her eyes, but she stood up and nodded. “I am glad that we’re on the same page. It was something that we both needed in the moment, we claimed it, seized it, and that was it. Thank you for your time.” She turned from him and left his office. He hadn’t expected her to be so casual about it, but he supposed he should have been glad. Instead, he was trying to figure out how he could forget it.

***

Marisa sank down in her chair, after leaving his office. She didn’t know what she had expected him to say, but she didn’t think he would resort to his abrupt attitude. As she was contemplating how to forget about him, her phone rang. She picked it up, “Hello?”

“ Hey honey, I was just seeing how things were going?”

She groaned, hearing her mom’s voice. She had given the phone number, because she didn’t have her cell anymore. Now she regretted it. “Things are going great. I absolutely love my job.” She wanted to be as enthusiastic as she possibly could. She hadn’t told her about the apartment, because she knew she would worry and that wasn’t good for anyone involved.

“ Good…good…” her mother was saying. “I was wondering if you had time to think about this weekend.”

“ I don’t know mom. He has me working weekends and I might not be able to get away.” She looked up and saw that he was entering her office, “I have to go. I’ll try,” she quickly hung up the phone and stood up. “I’m sorry, I…”

“ Please, you don’t have to apologize. Everything alright?” He asked, a look of concern etched on his face.

She smiled so show that everything was fine. “Yes, it’s fine, but I did want to ask you something.”

“ Sure,” he replied, taking a seat.

“ Well, every Fourth of July my family has a big barbeque. The whole town comes and it’s something pretty cool, but I haven’t been back for it since I left home. I was wondering if maybe you didn’t need me this weekend and I could go back to Pennsylvania.”

“ Well…” he replied slowly, “you’ll be in Ohio this weekend, for business.”

Her eyes got big, “What?”

He pushed the folder toward her. “I forgot to mention that every year there’s a two day lawyer’s conference in Columbus Ohio. Your ticket and itinerary is inside.”

She nodded, knowing that she couldn’t change that. “Okay.”

“ I am sorry, Marisa,” he spoke as he stood up. She saw that he appeared to be genuine.

“ I understand,” she replied, looking through the paperwork. She didn’t see him as he left her office, but she pushed the folder away. She picked up the phone and called her mom back to give her the news. It couldn’t be helped and she would just make her see that.

***

Jeffrey sat in another boring meeting. He didn’t like coming to this conference, but it was necessary to keep face. As he was drowning out the topic at hand, about the quality of lawyer care, he glanced to Marisa, who was sitting next to him. He wished things could have been different, but there was no way to go back. Every minute he spent with her, he grew more enamored with her beauty.

Yet, it wasn’t enough to make him throw out all worries and just let what happened…happen. He shifted in his seat, to the growing erection in his pants. His leg slid along hers and she shot a look in his direction. “Sorry!” he whispered, turning his attention back to the speaker.

The speech lasted for another thirty minutes and when it was done and they were walking out of the room, he turned to her. “That…was interesting,” she replied.

He laughed, “Well, you really don’t have to lie.”

She looked at him and they laughed together. She looked away and shrugged, “Yeah, it was pretty boring.”

They headed out of the building and the warm air blew past him. “At least it was the last meeting for the day.” He glanced at his watch and saw that it was five o’clock. “Want to grab a bite to eat before going back to the hotel?”

She paused. He saw her bite her lower lip. It was a trait he found endearing. “I don’t know.”

“ Please, at least let me do that. It’s the least I could do from dragging you to these boring meetings.”

She slowly nodded, “Okay.” She followed him to his car and he opened the door for her. She looked up at him and cocked her head. She shook her head and snickered, then got into the car.

He came around, but before starting the car he gave her an inquisitive look. “What’s so funny?”

“ I suppose that I am just thinking back to the first few days of working with you. You were anything but gentlemanly.”

He nodded, thinking back to all the arrogance he portrayed. “I suppose I have changed…a little.” He also knew that a big part of that was due to her.

“ You have changed, but more than a little.” She spoke, sitting back in her seat.

He started the rental and pulled from the parking lot. He saw her staring out the window, as if she was thinking. “Any preference of where to go?” He asked, breaking into the silence.

She shook her head, “Whatever!”

He continued to drive, until he was pulling into a Pizzeria. She opened the door, not giving him a chance to. He held back while she walked ahead of him. His eyes sauntered down her frame and then he cursed himself. This wasn’t helping the fact that he didn’t want to mix business with pleasure. As he rushed to the door to open it up for her, their eyes met. Her smile was pure and sweet. She entered the restaurant and he knew that what he was doing to get her out of his mind wasn’t working and it would require an adjustment…a big one.

***

Marisa tossed and turned in the bed. She didn’t know what her problem was. It wasn’t like she wasn’t used to sleeping on a hard bed. She sat up in her bed and turned on the television. She flipped through the channels and landed on an old movie. As she watched she began to imagine herself and Jeffrey portraying the characters. She groaned, when the leading male and leading female began kissing.

It was like Jeffrey’s hands were all over her body and his tongue was dipping into her mouth. She quickly changed the channel. She didn’t have time to have thoughts like that running through her mind.

She started watching a classic sitcom episode of I Love Lucy. She was laughing along with the television audience, when she heard the phone in her room ringing. She glanced at the clock to read eleven o’clock. She reached across the bed and answered the phone. “Hello?”

“ Hello, Marisa…I’m sorry to call so late.” There was a hesitation on his end. “Is that the television I hear?”

“ Yeah, I couldn’t sleep.”

“ Me neither,” he admitted to her. “A lot on my mind.”

“ Right. There’s been a lot of information thrown at you…I mean us, today. So, it makes sense that our minds are reeling.”

There was a brief pause, before she heard him chuckling. “Yeah, that isn’t exactly why I can’t sleep.” For a moment she wondered if it was because of her, but she didn’t want to think foolish thoughts. “I actually am calling to tell you that the meetings for tomorrow have been cancelled. I just received an email, something about a water main break at the building they were using.”

“ Oh…that’s too bad,” she spoke, but she was really thrilled to know that they didn’t have to sit through another boring meeting.

“ Yeah, that’s what I thought, too.” He laughed, clearly seeing her sarcasm. “So, I was wondering…if you would want, that is…would you like to go visit your family tomorrow?”

Her jaw dropped. She processed his words, but wasn’t sure if he truly meant them. “That’s a three hour trip.”

“ I realize that. I actually know the Pittsburgh area well. Our plane doesn’t leave until eight o’clock. We could get up early, you could visit them, and still be back in plenty of time to catch the plane to New York.”

“ You’re going, too?” She asked, trying to catch her thoughts.

His light breathing was echoing through the phone. “I suppose that I could stay here and you could take the rental. I guess that I never really thought about that.” She heard disappointment on his end. “Is that what you want?”

She shook her head, despite the fact that he couldn’t see her. She knew that she wanted him to go, but she just was surprised to learn that he hand that in his mind. “You are more than welcome to meet me family.”

“ Well then…it’s settled. Tomorrow we can get up at seven o’clock, get dressed, and head out. I’m sorry that you missed the barbeque.”

“ That’s fine,” she quickly spoke. She was still going to see her loved ones. “Thank you, Jeffrey.”

“ You are welcome.” They disconnected the call and she hung up the phone. She began to reach for the phone again, but decided to leave it as a surprise and she knew that they would definitely be surprised.

***

They were about fifteen minutes from her house and Jeffrey began to question her about her family. He figured that he should have some idea of where she came from. “So, give me the lowdown about your family. How you grew up and what kind of upbringing did you have?”

She seemed to think about it and he noticed a slight hesitation before she replied. “Well, my mom used to be a nurse. Then she had me and decided that she needed to take some time off to raise me. She was going to go back when I was starting Kindergarten. However, she had my sister before getting that chance. She never went back.” She looked out the window and he saw a smile on her lips. “She is a great Mom and I have truly been blessed.”

“ So, your sister…were you close?” He asked, generally interested. She nodded, “She is my best friend.” She then turned back to him and spoke, “How about you? Do you have any siblings?”

He shook his head; he wanted to have someone to grow up, with but he wasn’t blessed like that. “Nope, only child.”

She scrunched her nose, “You must have been spoiled.” He laughed, “You would be absolutely…wrong. I was given money when I needed it, but there was a lot I was lacking.”

She showed signs of concern and empathy. “I know exactly what you mean.” He could see that she meant that and it felt good to find someone he could talk to. “Well, I know about your mom and your sister…tell me about your dad.”

Her face turned grim and she faced the window. “We don’t really talk about him.” He could see that he struck an emotional chord. Yet, even though he saw pain in her eyes, she looked back at him and shrugged, “I suppose you might as well know. My dad is at the state prison. He was a drunk most of my life and would take it out on all of us. He left bruises on my sister and me for a good portion of our childhood.”

He couldn’t believe the truth that was coming out. He reached across the car and grabbed her hand. Their eyes met and he shook his head, “I am so sorry, Marisa. Any guy that does that to his kids and wife, deserves to be locked up.”

He saw tears in her eyes as she nodded, “That’s why I left right after graduation. I couldn’t stand being in the same town with all the bad memories.” He squeezed her hand and her eyes wandered down to the hold. They remained holding hands while going the rest of the way. She pointed to several different streets to turn down, before they made their way to a cul-de-sac. She pointed to a white house on the end and he pulled in front of the house. He reluctantly pulled his hand away as they got out of the car.

“ Thank you!” she said, before they headed up the driveway. “This is exactly what I needed.”

“ It’s my pleasure,” he smiled, trying to ignore the fact that he would have given her the moon.

They headed up the steps and she knocked on the door. After a couple of minutes, an older woman opened the door. Her eyes got big and she covered her mouth. “Marisa?”

“ Mom…” Marisa spoke. Her voice was shaky. Her mom opened the screen door and threw her arms around her.

They held each other in an emotional embrace, while he stayed back. When they pulled away, she turned to Jeffrey. “Mom, this is Jeffrey Bradley…my boss.”

Her mother turned to him, “Hello, sir.”

“ Please, call me Jeffrey.” He replied, shaking her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

She smiled, then turned back to her daughter. “I don’t understand. I thought you said that you couldn’t come this weekend.” She held the door open, as they entered.

“ I couldn’t, but we had our meetings yesterday and they were cancelled for today. So, Jeffrey said that we could come here today.” She was beaming and he was thankful that he had made the suggestion.

“ Jeffrey, thank you so much.”

He shrugged, “I am glad that I could make it work.”

“ Hillary is going to be so excited to see you.” Her mother was saying. “Hillary…come down here.”

“ What is…” a voice from upstairs yelled. He looked up to see that Hillary was standing at the top of the stairs. “Marisa?”

She ran down the stairs and jumped into her arms, they hugged for what felt like an eternity. “I…I don’t understand.” She pulled away and he saw that she was just as emotional. She glanced toward him and then back at Marisa. “Who is the guy?”

“ This is my boss, Jeffrey Bradley.”

He shook her hand, “Hello, Hillary. Nice to meet you.”

“ Likewise,” she smiled.

“ Tell me everything that you have been up to,” Hillary said, grabbing onto Marisa’s arm and carrying her away into another room. He didn’t know if he should follow or give them space.

“ Would you like some coffee, Jeffrey?” Her mother asked him.

He smiled, “No thank you.”

She nodded, “Make yourself at home,” she then walked away. He awkwardly hung out in the foyer, leaning against the banister. He knew that Hillary and Marisa would want their space and he didn’t want to be an intruder.

***

“ Girl, you didn’t tell me what a fine piece of specimen you were working for,” Hillary spoke, as they took a seat on the couch.

Marisa rolled her eyes, “He’s not bad.”

“ Not bad?” Hillary shook her head, “You are either blind or in denial.”

Marisa knew that she definitely wasn’t blind. She shrugged, trying to forget about it. “Tell me about you. Did I see something on your left hand?”

Hillary laughed, “If I would have known you were going to be here then I would have hidden it from you.” She produced her hand and Marisa stared down at the shiny ring. “I’m engaged.”

“ Mom said you had news, but I had no idea.”

“ It just kind of happened. I met him two months ago when I was getting my car worked on. We instantly had a connection and then he asked me to marry him. We haven’t even had sex…he wants to wait. Can you believe that?”

Marisa slowly shook her head, knowing that she was already one step ahead of that with Jeffrey. “I am happy for you.”

“ Thank you,” she replied, staring down at her ring. Her eyes got big, “Maybe you could get one of these things if you make nice with the lawyer.” She winked at her and Marisa playfully hit her on the arm. “Ouch,” she laughed.

Marisa looked around the living room, “Speaking of…I wonder where he is.”

“ You know Mom. She’s probably talking his ear off.”

“ I hope not,” Marisa replied, feeling scared. She laughed, thinking of the things her mother could tell him about her.

She started to get up, but Hillary reached out for her hand, pulling her back down. She looked at her and she smiled. “He’ll be fine. I want to hear everything that has been going on with you.”

Marisa told her the things that she felt she could, conveniently leaving out the fact that she was technically homeless. About an hour later, her mother was calling them in the kitchen for lunch. They headed out of the living room, where she saw Jeffrey standing at the banister. She caught his eyes and started to laugh. “What are you doing? You could have come in.”

He smiled, “I figured you wanted some alone time. I thought about sitting out in the car.”

She rolled her eyes, “Not necessary.”

“ I didn’t know what deep secrets you were going to share and I thought if you wanted to talk about me…it would be easier while I wasn’t around.” He was smiling to show that he was teasing, but she blushed. She hoped that he didn’t hear anything. “Did you?”

“ Did I what?” she asked.

“ Did you talk about me?” He asked with a wink.

She looked away from him, searching for what she could say to him, then decided that she would play along. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” She winked, brushing past him and heading toward the kitchen. She was suddenly feeling pretty good about their relationship and wanted the easiness to continue.

***

Marisa didn’t want the day to end. Her time with the family was going so well. She looked at Jeffrey as they were saying their goodbyes. He seemed to fit into the family and it was like they were a true couple. “Goodbye, Hillary.” I hugged her tightly. “I’ll be back soon.”

She nodded, then turned to Jeffrey and shook his hand. “It was nice meeting you, Hillary.” He then turned to her mother and shook her hand. “Thank you for being so hospitable.”

“ You are welcome back anytime.”

He nodded, “I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you.” Marisa wondered if they would ever have another reason to bring him back to Pennsylvania.

“ Goodbye, Mom,” she hugged her mom. “I love you!”

“ I love you, too.” When she parted, she saw that there were tears in her eyes. She brushed away her own and then turned to Jeffrey.

They headed to the front door.

He held the door open for her as she exited the house. She waved as they got to the car. Once inside, she felt the tears take over. She looked at him and he reached out and grabbed her hand. “Are you alright?” He asked.

She nodded, but she still felt the heaviness in her heart. “This meant a lot to me. You have no idea how much.”

“ I meant it, Marisa. I am glad I was able to do this.” She turned back to the window and waved to them, as he pulled away. As the house faded from her view, she let out a sigh. “I better stop and get gas, before we get too far down the road. She silently nodded, as she leaned back in the seat and just let him drive. A few minutes later he was turning into a gas station. When he stopped the car, he turned to her. “Marissa…” he started.

“ Yes?” she asked, giving him her attention.

“ There’s something I have been wanting to do.” He leaned in and landed a kiss on her lips. His tongue swooped in, gently massaging her tongue. When he pulled away, she just stared at him. “Now, I’m going to get gas,” he said, getting out of the car and leaving her there to think about his lips.

What the hell? She thought. She didn’t know what it meant, only that her lips were on fire and her heart was racing.

She watched him getting gas and he was looking away from the car. She shook her head, trying to regain her senses. When he got back in the car, she didn’t know if she should look at him or look away. She saw the smile on his lips, causing her to look at him. “What was that?” she asked, still stunned.

“ What? I just wanted to do it. Is it a crime?”

She covered her eyes and slowly tried to forget the moment, but she couldn’t. She didn’t want a casual fling…a simple kiss here to just confuse her even more. She wanted the real thing and something that was lasting. “Don’t do that again.” She spoke, feeling a

sense of nausea in her stomach.

“ Marisa…I…” he began, but she didn’t want to hear excuses.

“ Jeffrey, don’t do that again. Understand?”

He slowly nodded, “Loud and clear.” He pulled out of the gas station and headed back to Columbus. She didn’t care what he thought, but she was not going to be the person that screwed someone to get ahead in life. She deserved better than that.

***

Jeffrey had hoped things would lighten up between them on the airplane. However, he was left to kick himself for kissing her like that. He didn’t mean for it to upset her the way that it did. When she walked to her car in the airport parking lot, she didn’t even allow him to walk with her. It was like nothing they had been through meant anything.

As he worked on Monday, he had hoped that she would need to talk to him about work stuff, but she never came to him. He had thought about calling her into his office and lying about needing her help with something, but he knew that would come across as wrong. He left the office and found himself heading in the opposite direction of his car. He went into the bar to where he ordered a beer.

He didn’t drink much, but he knew that he needed something to take off the edge. He slowly drank the beer and thought about the way the previous day ended. As he thought about it, he found his mind drifting to her scent, the way her body felt against his, the way her breath felt against his skin, and the way that he felt when he was with her.

He took a drink of his beer and reached for his phone. He searched for her cellphone number and then called it. It was a recording that came on. “We’re sorry, the number you are trying to reach has been disconnected or changed.” He disconnected the call and frowned, dialing it again and receiving the same message.

He put his phone away and took another drink, before throwing a tip of the tip jar and leaving the bar.

He knew that he needed to tell her the truth, but he wouldn’t be able to reach her if her number had changed. As he was walking back to his car, his eyes looked up and he saw Marisa and a man entering a hotel. Her arm was linked through his and they were laughing. He paused, staring up at the hotel. It all made sense…Marisa was seeing someone else.

***

Marisa was getting good at avoiding him. She knew that the key was to not make eye contact and so far it was working. However, when she came back from lunch and found a note that there was a meeting with Troy Houser, she knew that that was coming to an end. At two o’clock, she headed to the boardroom. He looked up, as she entered. Then he looked back down at the notes.

“ Am I just taking notes?” She asked, sitting down in a chair.

“ That would be fine,” he mumbled. It appeared that they were both avoiding each other. She flipped her notebook open to the page after her previous notes. “If you have anything to add, you can throw it in.”

She gawked at him, unsure what to say. “Well, the last time we even really talked about this case was that night I showed you the picture. That was about a week ago. Any new developments?”

He shrugged, “Just wing it.” The way he was being casual, surprised her. She couldn’t believe she upset him that much.

She nodded, looking down at her notebook. When Troy walked into the room, she felt nervous. She tried to smile as he took a seat. “Mr. Houser, thank you for coming back in. We have a couple of questions. For starters, can you explain this?” He pushed the picture in front of Troy.

He looked at it and then looked up. “Yeah, that’s my ex and her boyfriend. That was taken while we were still married. Marisa watched Jeffrey as he grabbed a marker and walked over to the picture, circling the spot where he was standing. “What about this?”

Troy looked down at the picture and his face turned red. “Uh…”

“ You were spying on her yourself, you found her with this guy, and you became jealous. Is this all correct?”

“ No…” he argued.

Jeffrey chuckled, then looked back his way. “You weren’t jealous?”

“ I was jealous, but this has nothing to do with why I’m here.”

“ Is that so?” Jeffrey asked, “The way I see it is you hired a PI. Then you realized that you didn’t trust the PI’s work, so you went on a hunt. You came across her and her lover at the same time that the PI did. You grew jealous, instantly filed for divorce and would have completely been satisfied with letting it go. However, you discovered that she was going to marry the guy she cheated on you with. So, that angered you and you vowed to do anything you could to make sure that she paid. How close am I?”

He looked between Marisa and Jeffrey. Marisa couldn’t believe how much information he was throwing out there about Troy. “I am not on trial,” he argued.

Marisa glanced at him, “Did she abuse the children?” She asked, softly. “Or, did you?”

She saw Jeffrey looking at her, but she didn’t turn away from Troy’s glare. “What?” He asked, but Marisa saw that he was not denying it.

Jeffrey turned to him, “Did you?”

Troy’s mouth dropped open, but he did not deny the accusations. “I’m apparently going to need a lawyer.” He spoke, looking at Jeffrey.

“ You are and you won’t find one here.” He nodded, standing up and walking out of the office. Jeffrey reached for his phone and dialed a number. “Hey, Troy Houser is about to walk out of the building. Detain him and call the cops. I’ll be out in a minute.” He disconnected the call. Jeffrey turned to Marisa, as she was standing up. She started to move past him, “How did you know?” He asked.

“ I lived it, remember?” She shrugged, “It’s all the same.” She left the boardroom and headed back to her office. She closed her door and watched through the window as Jeffrey walked to the security station. She started to cry, feeling the pain from the years of abuse and knowing exactly what his kids had gone through.

***

Jeffrey waited until he knew that Marisa was leaving. He followed her out of the building and watched as she entered the hotel. He knew that it wasn’t any of his business. If she was having sex with ten different men, he wouldn’t be able to say anything. Although, that didn’t stop him from heading to the hotel. He entered cautiously and saw her get into the elevator. He watched as the numbers went up, stopping on floor three.

He got in the other elevator and pushed the button to floor three. He prayed that when the door opened, he wasn’t greeted by her. When the door opened, he peeked outside and saw her putting a key into the lock.

He held back, waiting for her to go in. He didn’t know what he would say to her, but he knew that he was interested to confront her. He walked up to the door and knocked lightly. It wasn’t long, before she was opening the door. She stared at him, “How did you know I would be here?”

“ I saw you yesterday come into the hotel and today I

followed you.”

“ Followed me?” She asked, anger taking over.

“ I’m not proud of it, Marisa, but I was a little surprised. I know that I have no right to be jealous, but—“

“ Jealous?” She asked, frowning.

“ Yes…jealous. I know that I don’t have any right to be jealous that you are having sex with someone else. I don’t own any right to you.

We aren’t dating, but I do have strong feelings for you and I was going to tell you that yesterday if I could have gotten ahold of you. Your phone has been disconnected and then I saw you with the guy yesterday….” He heard the sound of laughter, so he stopped talking. She was laughing so hard that she had to go back into the room and sink down on the bed. “What’s so fun?”

“ You’re jealous…”

He rolled his eyes. He should have known that would be the only thing she would focus on. “Move past that and listen to the rest.”

“ You have it all wrong, Jeffrey. You have no idea just how much.”

“ Really, then explain it to me.” The words came out brash and he regretted that.

Her face turned red and she stood up from the bed. “I don’t owe you an explanation. Like you said…I can sleep with anyone I want.” She crossed her arms, as if to wager him.

“ I know you can.” He glanced around the room, noticing the boxes lying around the room. He looked at her. “I shouldn’t have come.” He stepped back, as her eyes wandered down to the boxes and then looked back at him.

“ Aren’t you going to question the boxes?”

“ You don’t have to tell me anything,” he said, reaching for the door.

“ Jeffrey, you didn’t get ahold of my cellphone, because I cancelled it. The guy you saw is my best friend, Chad. He’s been the only friend that I have had and that has supported me.” He felt a pang of guilt hit him. “Those boxes are here because I have been living here. I was evicted from my apartment exactly a week after I got this job.”

“ Marisa, I had no idea.” He spoke, thinking back to when she asked for an advance and he shot her down. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“ Pride, stupidity, because I didn’t want to play the sympathy card.”

“ You should have told me,” he spoke, softly.

She nodded, “In hindsight…maybe I should have, but it’s over and done with and hopefully in a couple of weeks I will be back on my feet…thanks to you and your job.”

His hand fell from the door handle and he moved closer to her. “I’m sorry that you have had to go through this.”

She moved in closer to him, “It hasn’t all been bad.”

He brushed her hair behind her shoulder and moved in closer to her, bringing his lips to hers. He would move slowly, if she would just give him the chance. He parted from the kiss and rested his head against hers, “I’m sorry Marisa that I just wasn’t honest with you,” he whispered, feeling her breath against his skin.

“ I have strong feelings for you, too,” she admitted. She closed her eyes, as they stood with their heads together and his hands caressing her neck. “Make love to me,” she spoke, opening her eyes.

He hadn’t thought she would speak the words, but he slowly began to remove her clothes. Her hands went to his outfit and she was removing them from his body. He flicked her bra off with his wrist and then lowered her panties, while she grabbed onto his boxers and pulled them to the ground.

His hand wrapped around her neck and passionately held onto a kiss. She parted from the kiss, to push him down to the bed. Once he was lying on the bed, she straddled his cock. He slowly entered her, as her lips went down to his.

Her body bounced up and down his manhood as her tongue dove inside his mouth. His hands massaged her large breasts, while their tantalizing kiss took over. She gyrated her hips against his, moving him in and out of her. He pulled from the kiss, because of the intensity of his gyrations. “Ugh…ugh…oh God…ugh…” he moaned, moving his arm around her body and pulling her down to his thrusts. “Ahhhhh…” he cried, as his cum gushed out of his cock.

“ Ugh…ugh…” she moaned, moving on top of him with comfort. Her gentle whimpering was breathlessly encompassing him. She crashed down on top of him, as he slowly retracted from her pussy. They kissed, while she wrapped her arm around him.

He was relieved that everything was working out and that all the confusion was gone, because he had no doubt in his mind that they would spend many days and nights exploring the possibilities. Most of all, he looked forward to having babies with Marisa and being the best father in the world.

******

Baby For The Billionaire

Caregiver Shelby And Billionaire Michael

Often people think a new beginning is something that happens when there is a tragedy. Shelby Watson, on the other hand, disagrees entirely. Sometimes, a new beginning can simply happen to someone and not be some epiphany out of the ashes of what was once a mess.

Simply put, life happens, but starting over is never easy. Shelby sighed and stretched out her legs on the sofa. Tomorrow she would start again. Never one to be defeated, she knew she could pull herself out of the “new mess” she was in.

There was something about the way her big toe poked through the worn socks that made her rethink that idea entirely.

“ You and me Puppy Dobbs...she scooped up her little dog, who had buried its head under the thin blanket. “All we really need is each other anyways.” Dobbs was a Chihuahua something mix. She found him by the door of her apartment one day and when she opened her apartment door he ran in, in front of her.

He had been there since. It may have been the forlorn look he had about him that Shelby related to or just the fact that he was standing there soaked to the bone.

Whatever it was, Shelby knew she couldn’t leave him out there, especially in this neighborhood so she had given up and let him stay.

The sound of banging caused Shelby to wince slightly. The pipes in this old building were always making some awful noise whenever someone wanted a shower. Shelby looked around at her efficiency apartment. Clean and tidy, it was her home. She lived in the 3rd block of town.

The lower the number usually represents the worst sections of town. This was no exception. Her neighbors all consisted of drug dealers and prostitutes, though none unfriendly. Shelby would work early mornings and try to be home before dark. As long as she kept to herself, nothing bad would happen to her…well less likely to anyways.

All of the details of her life had changed now. The part-time morning job she found, she lost. Nothing of her doing, simply a cut in positions at the senior home where she worked. They pulled her aside that morning and gave her the bad news.

“ Shelby your work here has always been wonderful, I hope you realize this is not a choice. We simply needed to downsize.” Dr. Brenner sighed and looked over at her as he delivered the news.

“ Many of the seniors are moving into better equipped facilities and they…well they already have staff there. He ran his thin bony fingers through is even thinner hair.

It was obvious to Shelby this wasn’t something he enjoyed doing and decided to help take the pressure off.

“ I understand Dr. Brenner, I do. I just don’t know how I’m going to make it now.” Shelby sighed, life had always been a series of ups and downs and this was just one more set back. She stood to stand and extended her hand to Dr. Brenner.

“ Thank you for helping me get things going here, Dr. Brenner the last three years have been wonderful. I hope if there is a need nearby you will let me use you for a reference?” He stood and methodically pumped her hand covering the hands with his other one. “I really am sorry Shelby.”

There was a sense of helplessness Shelby felt when she headed home. Now she and her pup gracefully sat on the old worn sofa she had gotten from the thrift store down the street. Shelby decided it was time to start sorting out the factors of her life. She jumped up and grabbed her notebook from the counter. Determined now, she created her spreadsheet, lists of bills, things to do, and what not to do.

Balancing her checkbook, Shelby calculated she was okay for the next three weeks, but when the rent was due, she was in trouble.

She walked into her kitchen and pulled a can of spaghetti from the cupboard, methodically putting it into a bowl and then the microwave. This is not where she envisioned herself a few years ago. She had big plans, all of which had her going to college. Now, she was just scraping by, but she also knew resilience was powerful and she would make it through. The one things she was sure of, was that she would not cry about it, she would just keep moving on.

The next day things seemed bleak in the beginning. Shelby walked to the corner store and bought a newspaper to begin sifting through the want ads. She wasn’t above doing anything, she would do whatever necessary to keep things going. Sitting on her foot, she took notice of anything related to her field first. Under the dark header, she saw an ad for a home health nurse. Activities and meals etc. Perfect. She picked up the phone and called, and was greeted by a nasty voice.

“ Kayla, I told you I can’t do this with you right now. You will just have to trust me. It’s better this way.” Shelby winced at the explosion.

“ I’m sorry sir, I think I may have the wrong number. I was calling about an ad.” As she began to cradle the phone back into the receiver, she heard him yell.

“ Wait yes! Oh God, I’m an idiot, hello…hello?” He was obviously flustered.

“ I’m here.”

“ Good! I’m sorry for the outburst, but your number was just like someone else’s and well…okay, so yes, can you come out today? I need to wrap this up before I leave this weekend, and I’ve only gotten a few responses and...Well, no one quite fits what I am looking for.”

Encouraged, Shelby shot up out of her chair. “Yes I can, what time?”

“ Let me think.” She heard shuffling on the other end “How about …now?”

“ Now?” Shelby looked around mentally figuring out what to wear. “Sure, now is good. I just need an address.”

After getting all the necessary information, Shelby changed into a light grey dress and black boots. Shelby pulled her hair back and gathered up all of her references. As she started to walk out, she grabbed her purse and said a silent prayer.

“ Wish me luck Puppy Dobbs, this is for dinner tonight.”

Maneuvering her car down the highway was easy. Shelby loved road trips had been into the town of Fauquier many times. Often considered the “rich” area, she never had much opportunity or reason to come this far out before.

Today was different. She had an interview and she hoped it would fix this mess she was in. Pulling down the long winding road into the countryside, Shelby admired the houses as she passed them. Most of them old and laced with gingerbread latticework, they were warm and cozy. At the end of one street in particular, Shelby found the house she was looking for. All she could do was stop the car and look up in awe. There is no way, she thought to herself.

The house was on top of a ridge high above the roadway, there was a winding back entrance that was gated, and the front lawn was landscaped perfectly. Shelby glanced over at her car, with its rusted out fenders and wondered if she really knew what she was doing. With a sigh, she pushed her glasses back up and drove up the driveway.

She pulled off to one side, straightening her dress as she stood and shut the door. She mentally prepared herself for whatever was on the other side of the door, took a deep breath and knocked.

Michael was never more frustrated in his life. He was handling the merger of two companies, trying to line up a meeting with his partner, and simultaneously trying to find someone who could come sit with his grandmother.

At 40, Michael was all business, with dark hair and eyes, and didn’t have time for anything frivolous. His grandmother was his only soft spot. She raised him, and her encouragement is what created the man he was now. Suddenly ill, the doctors believed she had a stroke, and now she was in bed and unable to do anything. He glanced over at the clock. Where was this girl anyway, he thought. She seemed so interested but was probably another no show. He started gathering up some paperwork just as there was a knock on the door.

Shelby waited patiently for someone to answer the door. She assumed there was a butler or something in a big house like this, and she giggled at the idea. When the door finally did open, she found herself stunned for a moment as she looked at the most handsome man she ever met. Tall and dark, he was almost like a sculpture. Trying not to stare, she attempted to recover quickly.

“ Hello, I’m Shelby. We spoke on the phone.” She held out her hand to him.

Michael took her hand, shaking it lightly. He was not without his own reaction to her. Small and petite, she had hair piled on top of her head. It was a pale yellow color and was a wonderful accent to her blue eyes that peaked out from black framed glasses. She wore no makeup that he could tell, and was a natural beauty.

“ Yes, I’m so glad you’re here, though I thought you would have been here sooner.” Shelby frowned at the gruffness in his voice. He wasn’t as pleasant as she had hoped.

“ I’m sorry, I was coming from Manassas.” She tried to not take offense, as he was obviously very busy.

“ I see. Well, here is the situation. I’m looking for someone to care for my grandmother on a full-time basis, and an occasional Saturday. I try to be here on weekends as often as I can, and she has a nurse as well. I need someone who can try to get her to do more, or at least want to. She had a stroke a month ago, and the doctors think she should be fine to get out again, but she is simply lying there.” He paused to look her over.

“ You’re very small. Are you sure this is something you’d be interested in?”

Shelby felt the anger rise within her. “Sir, I can assure you, I am very capable, despite your opinion of my small stature. Would it be possible for me to meet your grandmother? I think it’s always important to see how well I click with someone.”

“ Sure, that’s fine. She knows you’re coming, so we can head upstairs in just a few moments. I’d like to ask a few more questions first, if that’s ok?”

“ Certainly.” Shelby relaxed slightly. The fact that this guy was an jerk, made the fact that he was gorgeous much easier to look past.

“ Okay, so I see you’re working with Everest HC? Do you plan to continue to do that as well?”

“ If so , this may be a bad idea. I really need 100% attention for this. My grandmother is very important to me, and multitasking is something most people think they’re good at, but sadly…” he looked her over once again, are not.”

Fuming, Shelby responded in clipped tones. “No, I am no longer there. I was let go recently.” Before she could elaborate, Michael interjected quickly.

“ Why? Was there some sort of horseplay or something? I won’t tolerate any of that at all, Miss Watson. I simply won’t. You do seem rather young, I can understand if this is not something you can handle.”

He stood up as if he was dismissing her entirely.

Panic set in, and even that wasn’t enough to calm her anger. “Mr. Jameson, I have been working at this for a long time. I am not young, as you so nicely put it, and as a matter of fact I’m 33 years old. I love this type of work, and the reason I was let go was for budget cuts, not horseplay. Perhaps if you allowed people to answer your questions without simply writing them off, you would have more candidates for this position.” Shelby stood to leave.

Fire and ice. That is all he could think of. She was absolutely adorable when she was mad. He could see how her nose turned red while giving him a piece of her mind, and although not used to being talked to like that, he gained a new kind of respect for her.

“ Point well-taken, Miss Watson. Now, shall we go meet my grandmother?” He held the door to the hallway for her and allowed her to pass as he made his way up the stairs. Shelby was surprised that she had even gotten this far. He was a real piece of work this guy.

Money did that to people, she thought, and she could only assume that was it. The hallway walls were lined with beautiful pieces of artwork. Some bright, and some dull and muted. It was a lot to take in. As she rounded the top of the stairs, Shelby looked down and couldn’t help but think that her meager apartment would fit in the foyer below.

Nancy Jameson was in good spirits. She wanted to do more, but her body just wouldn’t allow her to. Besides, when she’s here like this, Michael comes around more. He was her only grandson and her favorite grandchild. She had three granddaughters, but they all had their own families and were too busy to ever visit. Michael was always special to her. He was very good-looking just like his grandfather, and was just as stubborn. She smiled warmly as Michael entered the room with a petite blond in tow.

“ Grandmother this is …I’m sorry what is your name again?” He did look guilty, so Shelby took pity on him and extended her hand to Nancy.

“ Hello, my name is Shelby, how are you?”

“ Well, I’m in this bed honey, so not very good, I suppose.” She winked at Shelby and smiled wide.

“ My grandson feels like he needs to find someone to watch over me and make me do things that I am not ready to do. I suppose that’s why you’re here, my dear. Let me get a look at you.”

Having taken an immediate liking to Grandmother Nancy, Shelby complied and walked over towards the bed. Nancy noticed how her grandson followed Shelby’s every move. This was interesting indeed and was exactly the distraction she needed!

After a while of discussion and rules, Shelby stood to leave. “It was very nice to meet you Miss Jameson.”

“ Now dear, if you’re going to be here with me all the time, I insist you call me Nancy or Grandmother, whatever suits you.”

“ Grandmother, no one has offered Miss Watson a job yet, so I hardly think she needs to start calling you grandmother.” Michael chuckled.

“ Michael dear, it is my money, is it not?” Grandmother smiled up at him lovingly and patted his hand on the bed. “So, I say she is hired.”

“ Shelby ,that is if you will take the job, of course.”

Never a person to have nothing to say, it took everything Shelby had not to laugh at the interplay. It would seem that Grandmother Nancy was the only one to bring Michael down a peg or two. If for that reason alone, Shelby would take the job.

“ I would love to, Nancy.” Shelby smiled at Nancy and then at Michael.

There was some mix of being irritated by his grandmother’s words and being floored by the smile that Shelby gave him. He didn’t know what to say. After clearing his throat, he kissed his grandmother on the head and turned to leave.

“ Miss Watson, if you will kindly follow me back downstairs, we can go over the pay and and the hours.”

Shelby said her goodbyes again and followed Michael down the stairs. He even smelled good, like leather and soap. What was most adorable was the way his hair curled in the back of his neck just slightly. What in the world was wrong with her? Never suckered in by the connection between men and women, she usually had a fairly good grasp on self-control. Sure, she met a few nice guys and dated fairly often, but that was a long time ago. There has been no one special in her life for least three years. Maybe that was it, she needed to get out more.

Offering her a chair, Michael discussed the terms of the job. More money than she could imagine, Shelby sat stunned while he rambled on.

“ Miss Watson. is that acceptable?” She glanced at him sharply. Oh no, what had she missed.

“ Yes of course, that’s more than fair.”

“ When can you start?” He watched her closely. He could almost watch the play of emotions she was thinking and feeling.

“ Anytime is fine. I don’t live far, even if I was late today. So I am free anytime.”

“ I’m not sure if you realize that this job is more than just being here from one time to another. Obviously you will have to move in here. That is part of the deal.” He moved to gather up his things and glanced at his watch. He was already late. This should have been handled over an hour ago.

“ Oh no, I can’t do that Mr. Jameson. I have my own place. I’ll stay there.” He was surprised. He noticed her tattered shoes and the racket her poor car made as it climbed the hill to the house. He just assumed she’d be more than happy to move in.

“ Suit yourself, but I may need you to sleep over on occasion. Is that fair?” He caught her eye again and reached out to shake her hand.

He was all business. She reached out and felt the warmth as he took her hand in his. She felt like he lingered perhaps just a second longer than normal, but it was probably just her imagination.

There was something powerful about the way he carried himself. Like right now just staring at her. Closing her eyes for a moment, she managed to get out “Of course.”

After saying their goodbyes, Shelby made her way to the car and headed home. What was it about Michael Jameson that made her crazy? He was arrogant, stubborn and bossy. He was also handsome, loving to his grandmother, and made her feel safe. All of that from one visit. Thankfully, he didn’t live in the house year round or she would be in trouble for sure.

The next few months were a flurry of activity. Shelby commuted everyday to the job she loved, and had enough money to pay her rent. Michael and she spoke on the phone almost every day.

He sometimes had a joke to tell, but on some days, he was distant and moody. Either way, they came a long way, and she considered him a friend. Gone was the canned spaghetti, and Shelby was actually able to cook good food for herself. Even Puppy Dobbs was happier.

She had just settled down to watch television for a bit when the phone rang. It was a frantic Michael.

“ Watson, my grandmother seems to have had a heart situation of some kind. I am in town and headed to the hospital, and she has asked to see you.” He was obviously in pain as he choked it out. Despite their differences, Michael had been nothing but nice with her, and she didn’t want to see him hurt. Worry was a motivator for Shelby, and she immediately started to change clothes as he talked.

“ Has she been acting differently lately or anything?”

“ No, she’s been find. We’ve actually been walking a few times, and…”

He cut her off immediately. “You had her walking, what in the world were you thinking? She wasn’t ready for that. Just come to the hospital as soon as you can.” He hung up leaving Shelby stunned.

She was frustrated herself, wondering if he was right. She gathered up her purse and headed downstairs.

Trying to avoid the people in the hall, she made it to her car safely, and let out a deep sigh. Unfortunately, it was not meant to be. As she turned the key, nothing happened. Slowly, she laid her head on the steering wheel. What now? She jumped out to look under the hood. Apparently, sometime during the night, someone stole her battery… now she was stuck. Knowing she could never forgive herself if she didn’t see Nancy, Shelby made her way back to her apartment and called him.

“ Yes, What!” He yelled into the phone.

“ Michael, please don’t yell at me.”

“ Oh, it’s you. I’m sorry, Watson. The number thing again. Yes, what’s up?”

After much explaining, it was settled that Michael would come by and pick her up on his way. She wasn’t too far from the hospital herself, but at night ,it was better to ride with someone. A few minutes later, Shelby heard the knock on her door and opened it to a disheveled Michael. He was a mess, worry etched on his face, but handsome as ever.

Michael took in the apartment, if that’s what you call it.

Small but tidy, he imagined she could do just about everything. His issue was with her neighbors.

“ This..is where you live, Shelby?” He gestured to the occupants sitting in the halls and the loud music.

“ Yes, why?” Shelby had her pride. This was her place, and it didn’t sit well with her that he was insulting.

“ I’m terrified for my safety out there, I can’t imagine how you’ve made it all this time. You’re so small and there are at least 20 people just hanging around outside.”

“ I am not so small, and I am just fine. Now let’s go.” She crammed her gloves into her purse and yanked open the door, leaving it open so he could follow.

In the car Michael looked over at her. She had her signature bun in place and there was a pained look on her face. Obviously, he hurt her feelings.

“ Look Watson, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it. I just worry. I mean Grandmother worries.” She noticed the slip he made and smiled inwardly. He cared.

They arrived at the hospital and Nancy looked tired but was noticeably happy to see her two favorite people.

These two sure move slowly, and I’m not getting any younger, she throught. She smiled at them both. What a striking couple they made too. This little heart “issue” was just what was needed to bring them together for a while.

“ Oh my dears, I’m so happy to see you both. They say I’m okay, but are keeping me for a few days for observation, Can you imagine two whole days? I’ll be bored out of my mind.” Truthfully, she was glad. She was feeling uncomfortable today, but really, she knew Michael was coming to town and wanted these two to

spend some time together.

“ I’m just glad you’re okay.” Shelby was concerned at how pale she was. “This is my fault. We shouldn’t have been walking this week.”

“ Oh pish posh! It’s probably just gas or something.” Michael rolled his eyes at his grandmother.

It was at that time the nurse came in.

“ I’m sorry, but you’ll both have to get going. Mrs. Jameson need to rest...”

They said their goodbyes and headed out front. Michael was awfully quiet, brooding again over some business merger gone wrong or something. She glanced over at him and he was caught up in thought so she let the ride continue on in silence.

They pulled into her apartment complex and Shelby began to open the door.

“ Wait, Watson I’m going up with you. I need to make sure you get in there in one piece.”

“ You don’t have to do that Michael, I’m fine.” She started walking and he followed anyway.

As they reached the top stairs of the building, a man reached over and touch Shelby on her leg, making her jump. Michael immediately jumped.

“ Don’t touch her!” he moved between Shelby and the man.

“ Michael, it’s fine. He’s harmless.” Secretly she was touched that he came to her rescue.

Opening the door, they went inside. Michael was again impressed by the simple charm of her place. He sat down on the sofa and was greeted by a flying ball of fur. “Oh my, what is this?” He pet the dog on the back of the head and it bounced off.

“ You told me you had a dog, but I hardly think that this little thing qualifies, Watson.” He smiled at her.

Shelby moved to the other end of the couch. “He is something, that’s for sure.” She giggled as they watched him get into a fight with a dog toy.

“ You should just move into the house with us, Shelby.” Hearing those words made Shelby’s heart skip a beat. She even noticed that he used her first name.

“ Why would I do that when I’m perfectly fine here?” What she didn’t say was that she couldn’t handle watching him with the various women he dated and how she cared too much about Grandmother Nancy to ruin her relationship by being too close to him.”

At that moment ,there was an obvious gunshot. Michael jumped up, and in his demanding voice she had grown to love, he simply stated, “get some things Watson. You’re going with me.”

The ride to the house was uneventful. Shelby knew he was mad, but to be honest, she wasn’t sure why. He parked his car in the front of the house and they went inside together. You can have the room down here. I’ll sleep upstairs, and you know your way around.” I’m

getting a drink, I certainly need it.”

She could use one herself, she thought as she went into the spare room downstairs. Changing into pajamas, letting her hair down, and tucking Puppy Dobbs into the bed, Shelby decided to go into the den where he was and get that drink. If for any other reason but to still her nerves. Knowing they were here alone was setting her on edge.

He was sitting in the leather-bound chair by the fireplace. He already had a drink or was it two? Nothing could prepare him for her entrance. It felt like someone punched him in the stomach. She was in all pink and her hair was flowing down her back. This casual image of her was one he played out in his mind on one of their conversations on the phone. He thought about it …and now here it was.

He watched her walk over to the bar, pour a drink for herself, and tip it back. Impressive he thought. He stood and moved closer to her. He could see all the shades of blond in her hair when he was up close like this. She smelled like honeysuckle. It was all too much. He decided to focus on his anger.

“ You’re moving in here Watson.” He said it with a finality that only made her angry.

“ You can’t tell me what to do, Michael. I work for you, but you don’t own me.” She was flushed with anger as he turned towards her.

“ You could be killed Watson. That place is dangerous, men groping you in the halls and gunshot…real actual gunshot, Watson.”

“ My grandmother would kill me if anything happened to you and I didn’t try and stop it.” She couldn’t help but feel some disappointment at the words. She hoped he would say something about how he cared.

“ I’m not moving in Michael, let it go.” She put her glass down and turned to leave. He grabbed her left arm and spun her around. It could have been the alcohol or the stress of the day, but something made him lose himself in that moment. He gripped her wrist tighter than he meant to, and put his right hand into the waves of her hair, pulling her towards him.

The kiss was meant to be angry. He needed her to listen, but what started out hard, became softer, deeper, and more meaningful. Slowly, he dropped her other wrist and cupped her face in his hands, nipping at her lips and taking in the smell of her skin. When the kiss broke, he looked up at her.

“ Watson, you’re driving me crazy.” He dropped his hands back down and watched the emotions play out on her face. Rocked to her core, she didn’t know what to say, and she turned and walked stiffly back into her room. He followed her.

“ Talk to me Watson. Why are you running from me? I know you feel this craziness just like I do.”

“ Yes I do Michael, and that’s why I won’t live here.” She turned to look at him. “I am a mess inside and I need you to go and leave me be so I can think straight.” She saw the pained look on his face but heard him leave the room.

Shelby laid in bed thinking about that kiss. The kiss only intensified the connection they had. It wasn’t all her. That was comforting, but what wasn’t was that she couldn’t stop the fluttering she felt deep down. The way he moved towards her and the way he kissed deeply and without thought.

Laying here was not going to help her figure it all out. She decided to go get a drink of water. They came from such different worlds. He always had someone worldly on his arm, some debutant. She had even met a few of them when he was there and she was working. The one thing they all had in common was that they were beautiful. Always regal and gorgeous, she always found something to do to keep away from them. After they would leave, Grandmother Nancy always had some snide comment about each one that made Shelby giggle.

“ He will never find the right one unless he shops from a different field.” She would say. Smiling now, Shelby opened the refrigerator door and started sifting through things until she found exactly what she wanted. Cake, it was the best cake around and had been left over from a party Grandmother Nancy had earlier that week. She stood there eating quietly not hearing him until he spoke.

“ You have quite the “strictly business” thing going on here, Watson.”

She slammed the door shut on impulse, having been caught red handed.

“ Yeah, I try.” She smiled slightly. He walked over to her, and with one finger, wiped the chocolate off her bottom lip.

Feeling the heat begin to creep up again, Shelby took a step back.

“ We need to talk, Watson, and now.” He walked until she backed up to the bar. He moved his face closer to hers.

“ I think it’s obvious that I want you, Watson. I don’t know how else to put it.” The bluntness of the statement made Shelby gasp.

“ The only way I’m going to stop trying is if you tell me you don’t feel the same way.” She was pinned between him and the bar, and he was watching her face.

“ Michael, let me go.” she tried to squirm but it was no use. She was stuck.

“ Just tell me you don’t want me to touch you and I’ll leave you alone, Watson. Just say it.”

Knowing full well she felt the same way he did, Shelby did the only thing she thought was right. She looked up at him and ran her finger down the right side of his face.

“ I can’t tell you any of that Michael because I want the same thing.” Before she could finish the words, he crushed his mouth to hers. He put his hands in her hair, tilting her head back more. She kissed him back more fervently, having let go now. He lifted her up off the floor and put her on the bar top. Running his hands along her legs, all the while teasing and nipping her bottom lip. “We should stop Michael.” It was more of a pant than a statement.

“ You're right, Watson we should, but I can’t. Not anymore.” Pulling her to him he lifted and carried her into the bedroom and kicked the door shut behind him. Sitting her down, she stood motionless, watching him take his shirt off and move towards her. She was frozen to the spot she stood on, not knowing what to do next.

He walked to her and started slowly unbuttoning the front of her pajamas. Each button exposed new skin that he had to kiss. He loved the way she smelled of sunshine and honeysuckle. He looked at her.

Needing no words, she walked backwards towards the bed, pulling him with her as they went. Sliding back onto the comforter, he followed, pressing the length of him against her body.

He looked down and knew in that moment he was lost. Her hair spilled like straw across the pillow, her lips were parted slightly from being thoroughly kissed, and her eyes were shining up at him. He could tell she was scared and excited. He ran his finger along her bottom lip.

“ I need to hear you say it Shelby. I need us to be real in this moment and together.” He gazed at her. “I can stop if you want, but you need to tell me now before I can’t anymore.” His honesty made her want him even more. She slowly pulled her shirt off the rest of the way and tossed it to the floor.

“ I want you Michael, I always have.” Needing no further encouragement, Michael stood and took off the rest of his clothes looking down. Nothing underneath, Michael stood back for a moment letting himself take in her naked form. She was perfect.

Once he thought she was tiny, but looking at her now, he could see every curve she had been given. Almost scared to touch her, she made the move first.

“ I’m getting a little self-conscious Michael. What’s wrong with me?” She started to cover up again.

“ No don’t “...he stilled her hand “You’re beautiful, Watson, absolutely beautiful.” He laid down on the bed again ,taking a moment to catch his breath. He was acting like a teenage schoolboy. Why in the world was he so nervous?

This was different. He knew it and probably always had, but he needed her to feel loved and wanted.

The night progressed, and the two made love into the early hours of dawn. Before falling asleep, the last thing she heard was him saying her name and draping one arm across her body.

Never a late sleeper Michael woke to greet the day with a smile on his face. Shelby was amazing, and not just beautiful, he thought. She was the type of woman men dreamed of. She gave as much as she received, and never held back, something he couldn’t help but admire. He looked at her lying among the sheets as he headed upstairs to shower and get ready for the day. He just didn’t have the heart to wake her up.

Shelby woke up to the smell of coffee and the clink of pans. She rolled over to snuggle in more and her eyes flew open as she remembered…everything. Oh wow, she had never been so careless in her life. She scrambled to jump in the shower before he found her. Before she was soaped up, she heard him come into the bathroom.

“ Watson, I see you’re joining me today, finally.” He chuckled.

“ Michael really, I am in the shower, I’ll be right out.” She could only smile as she heard him hum a tune as he left.

What would she do now? It happened, and there was no going back. Now that they had gotten it out of their systems, she could put Michael Jameson out of her mind altogether.

She entered the kitchen dressed for the day and was ready to go to the hospital to see Grandmother Nancy. Michael was cheery and leaned towards her as if to get a kiss. She managed to avoid it.

Frowning, Michael went back to cooking. Something was wrong. Breakfast passed with no mishaps and they set off for the hospital.

Grandmother was overjoyed to see them. They each took a side and listened to her tell them about how awful the night had been and the bed situation. She moved on to complain about the food and how happy she would be at home.

She could tell something was amiss between these two, but it would sort itself out. Michael was having a hard time understanding what Shelby was thinking. The night had been something people only dream about and yet, when he got close to her she ran. Something wasn’t right, but he would find out what. The doctors came in and discussed the situation. They equated it to a chemical reaction to something she ate, at which grandmother smiled.

They passed the morning laughing with her planning the next event. At lunch, the doctors ordered them out saying she needed her rest and they decided to go to a restaurant nearby for lunch. In good spirits, Shelby agreed.

It was a beautiful café, overlooking a pond and situated in the hub. They dined on wine and oysters, which were new to Shelby. Michael was about to broach the subject plaguing him, when a woman came up to the table.

“ Michael darling, where have you been?” The woman was like something off the cover of a magazine. She had on long flowing pants and a silk shirt, complete with a huge brimmed hat.

“ Baby, I missed you so much. How nice of you to bring the maid to lunch.” She smiled over at Shelby who immediately excused herself and went outside.

Angry Michael pushed the woman back away from him.

“ I told you to leave me alone. Why are you here? Stop calling me and stop following me.”

Without waiting for an answer, he stormed out onto the street and to his car. Shelby was standing by the passenger side and he opened the door then went to his side and got in.

“ I’m sorry, Watson. That was ...the number...” at her confused look, he added “remember when you would call and I thought it was her?”

“ Aha, that is her.” Shelby still felt awful about the exchange and self-conscious as well…the maid really?

When they arrived at the house, Shelby went to her room. Thinking she would have some time to think, she was surprised when Michael stormed in behind her.

“ What the hell Shelby, after last night well I thought,”

“ What...you thought we would just act like nothing happened? You think I would go away? Well I’m not. I love Grandmother Nancy and I’m not going anywhere.”

“ What are you talking about, Shelby? I don’t want you to go anywhere. I want you here with me.” He said it with such finality, Shelby could do no more than look at him.

“ What?”

“ I love you Shelby, I have since the day we met and you came here. But when I was at your place and heard that gunshot, it was all I could do to not kidnap you myself and tie you up here so I could keep you safe.”

“ But I’m not like you Michael, she called me the maid for goodness sake.” She looked down for a moment.

“ Shelby, do you really think I care about what people think?” I want you and I choose you.”

Tears were flowing freely now as Shelby looked at him.

“ Well?” He asked impatiently.

“ Well what? “ She was confused.

“ Damn it, Shelby. You’re killing me. Do you or do you not feel anything for me?”

Laughing she ran into his arms and kissed him. “Michael. I’ve loved you from the moment you opened that door.”

He let out an audible sigh. Happy and content, he pulled her close to him and kissed her deeply.

Hand in hand they headed back to the hospital. Grandmother took a nap and was refreshed as she looked out the windows to the parking lot. Seeing Michael, she smiled.

He really was a good boy. But what made her happiest was seeing him hand in hand with Shelby. Perhaps her plan worked after all. If she played it just right, she could somehow start planning a Fall wedding at the house.

She may be getting old, but this was enough to keep her busy for at least a good many years to come. Afterall, she has to stick around long enough to see her grandchildren. Grandchildren who will be heirs to the family fortune and carry on their father's legacy. His dream come true.

******

BONUS SECTION

BABY FOR THE BILLIONAIRE

Tallulah and Alexander

Chapter 1: Alexander Sweeps Into My Life

"Tallulah! Less dreaming, more working!" my beloved Grammie Marigold cries out from the kitchen.

It was time to help with lunch.

"Coming Grammie!" I call back, reluctantly closing my Vogue magazine.

"There you are child, bless your heart, you look a mess," Grammie chuckles, looking me up and down.

Okay, so I look a little messy right now. Faded old skinny jeans, tank top, and my hair up in a casual bun. No make-up. Grammie likes to think a Southern Lady should always be well turned out.

I grin at Grammie, "Oh Grammie, I am just at home! It is only the two of us here. Why would I need to dress up?"

Grammie frowns at me, "Child, you should always look your best, you never know when someone special might pop by. And a lady is always well groomed."

I groan with faux desperation, "Grammie, no one ever comes to visit us. We haven't had a visitor since I left college to care for you. Unless you count the nurse and the one time Doctor Peters came by. And Doctor Peters is about forty years too old to be a potential beau."

Grammie smiles at me sadly and draws me in for a hug, depositing a special Grammie kiss on my forehead,

"Tallulah, I know it has been hard for you, I feel a heart load of guilt over you having to put your dreams aside to care for me. I don't want to see you let go of yourself or your dreams, things are just on hold, not over. Taking care of your outside shows you haven't given up on the inside," Grammie says sadly.

I lean into the hug, enjoying that special Grammie scent that reminds me of knitting and cookies.

"Thank you Grammie. I haven't given up. I still have my dreams and I know I will return to college. One day I will run my own non-profit and save the world." I smile to show I understand this career goal is a little naïve…although secretly I do believe I can make a difference, someday, some how.

Grammie grabs me by the shoulders and looks at my firmly, "Now young lady, believe in yourself. I KNOW you will make a difference. Your Daddy felt the same way, he would be so proud of you."

I fall silent at the mention of Daddy. My father died when I was eight. He was a Delta Force soldier killed in action. The military had been his way of making a difference. With my mom passing away from an illness not long after I was born, it had just been Grammie Marigold and me for a long time.

I shake my head to clear old thoughts of Daddy.

"Grammie, one day I will change the world and I will make Hunter, South Carolina famous for having produced me!" I laugh and give Grammie a little twirl around the kitchen.

"I don't doubt it." I think I hear Grammie murmur as I set out making our soup and sandwiches.

---------------------------------

"And then your Grandfather said, 'Marigold, I need a wife and you'll do!'" Grammie chuckles, as we eat our lunch.

I laugh in return. I love hearing stories of my grandparents romance. I pretend to be fine waiting for the right beau, but secretly I long to meet the man of my dreams.

At my age, Grammie was married with two babies. Many of my friends from high school are married, and those who are not are at college.

The doorbell interrupts these depressing thoughts.

"Now there you go Tully," exclaims Grammie, "visitors!"

I get up from my chair and head to the front door, "probably just Mormon's, Grammie, they are very dedicated and just won't give up on this die hard Baptist neighborhood!"

Yanking open the door with a distinct lack of grace, I discover two men standing on the doorstep in suits. One youngish, maybe thirty, and an older man in his fifties.

Sigh. Mormons. Well, I am a good southern lady, and even though I am Southern Christian to the core, I am polite.

"Hello, and thank you for visiting however, we are happy in our religion and not looking to convert," I politely state with a firm 'thank-you-but-go-away' smile.

The two men look at each other puzzled. The younger one grins at me. I notice he has adorable ears that stick out. He also looks vaguely familiar.

"Ah well, Miss Tallulah, I too am a God fearing man, or try to be, however, my business here today is not conversion," the young man looks at me amused.

I feel rather foolish. Who else wears a suit in Hunter? Even the Mayor wears tan slacks, not a suit.

"Well then Gentlemen, what can I do for you today?" I say, recovering my poise slightly.

I suddenly wish I had followed Grammie's advice and dressed properly. Grammie is always right!

"I am here on delicate business. We have mutual friends, through your father's military service. I too, was in the army. A friend quietly mentioned you might be in need of some income. I have a business proposal for you." The young man watches closely for my reaction.

Income…? How did this man know our business? Grammie's illness had drained our resources, and our insurance has rejected our claim. Things have been a little difficult. If this man knew of my father though, perhaps this was legitimate?

"Well…perhaps Gentleman, you would like to formally introduce yourself and come in for some tea," I respond, realizing I didn't even know their names.

The young man smiles broadly. "My apologies, Miss Tallulah, where are my manners, please do forgive me. This is my colleague, attorney Thompson Thompson. My name is Alexander Carlyle, a pleasure to meet you."

I stare back at him. Alexander Carlyle? Suddenly the vague familiarity becomes very clear. The Alexander Carlyle. He is the reluctant heir to America's first family, the dynastic Carlyle's. The “family behind the families.” Tabloid heartthrob.

Alexander is the grandson of Alexander Senior, legendary businessman. Alexander's father was the heir in the family but was sadly killed in a tragic bombing when working overseas. It is well known that no one else in the family but Alexander the younger is up to the task of succeeding Alexander Senior.

Which leaves America's future most powerful man standing on my doorstep.

---------------------

Gathered around the dining table in the 'formal' room, Grammie, Alexander, Thompson, and I sit in awkward silence as Thompson ever so slowly unpacks documents from his briefcase.

"Now then," announces Thompson, "I represent Mr. Carlyle and his business proposition for you."

I tilted my head to the side anxiously. Grammie folds and refolds her hands in her lap.

"Now then…" Thompson starts again.

Alexander interrupts, "I should handle this Thompson, thank you," he states firmly.

I see the steely glint in his eye that hints at why he is the new heir apparent to the mantle of head of the Carlyle family.

"Tallulah, may I call you that?" Alexander asks me, looking directly into my eyes. His eyes are slate blue and highly intelligent.

I manage to gasp out a response, "my friends call me Tully."

Alexander smiles with the charm that reputedly draws supermodels. "Tully. Lovely. Tully, I have a unique proposal for you. I hope it doesn't offend you, or your grandmother. I think it could be a good solution for both of us. Your problem is financing your Grandmother's treatment. My problem is, well…" Alexander looks embarrassed and not in control for the first time since we met. "Well I need a fiancé," he finally finishes.

A pause. Grammie Marigold speaks first, "a fiancé! Explain yourself young man"

Alexander shifts his attention to Grammie. "Well Mrs. Marigold, you see I am the heir to running our family business. My grandfather will be eighty soon, and as he gets on in his life he would like to be assured the family line is secured. He has set a deadline for me to produce a fiancé by his eightieth birthday, in three month's time. If I don't, there will be consequences for me. My plan is to buy myself some time with a stand-in fiancé while I work on an alternative plan."

My jaw drops. This is crazy, and not exactly the romantic moment I had in mind when I imagined meeting my first beau.

I am about to speak and ask the two gentlemen to leave when Grammie beats me to it.

"Well now, that is indeed an interesting proposal. Tully, you should accept," Grammie orders.

Furious, I turn to Grammie, "Grammie! This is a crazy idea! I am not going to go off with some man I don't know, even if he is famous and rich. We are not that hard up."

Grammie looked at me sagely. "Sweetheart, back in my day, men and women courted a little differently to today. In times of war and hardship marriages were often practical decisions. Like Grandfather and I. And look how that turned out, a great love affair."

"We are not courting, it's business." Alexander and I announce at the same time. I looked at Alex witheringly as he attempts a conspiratorial smile at me.

Grammie smiles innocently. "Of course. Forgive an old lady, I get confused as to what is going on."

Grammie appears lost in thought then speaks firmly, "Tully, I want you to do this. If not for my health then for yourself, you can top up your college fund."

"But who will look after you!" I cry out.

"Grammie will be taken care of during the engagement by the best nurses and doctors," adds in Thompson.

What could I say to that? And indeed Alexander and Thompson did have it all worked out.

In what seemed liked no time at all, I found myself boarding a private jet for New York. I had barely even flown before.

I look over my seat on the jet to where Alexander and Thompson appear to be going over some very serious and heavy work. I debate whether to say something. Alexander and I have barely spoken since we left my house for the private airstrip. I feel awkward surrounded by such luxury on the jet.

I take a deep breath. Grammie would want me to be polite. "Alexander?" I say tentatively.

Alexander looks up, "Please, call me Alex. Alexander is my Grandfather"

I find my voice again, "I just wanted to thank you for this opportunity, and it is very kind."

Alexander, Alex, looks at me emotionless. "This is not kindness Tallulah. It is a business deal. I don't consider kindness when I am doing business. But you are welcome."

We continue the rest of the flight in silence.

CHAPTER 2. New York, New York

Alex and I are travelling into the New York in a sleek black limousine with a chauffeur. This is a whole level above a Town Car, I think to myself, recalling reading of glamorous magazine editors travelling around New York in such cars.

Alex laughs next to me. God, does that man have to have a perfect laugh too!

I take my nose off the glass window and turn to him questioningly.

"Are you enjoying the view of the city?" Alex says with a chuckle.

I blush furiously, feeling the sting of being a hick from out of town. I draw myself up haughtily, in my best Grammie Marigold Southern Lady way.

"Actually, Mr. Carlyle, I am, thank you." I turn back to my window, making a point of pressing my nose right up against the tinted glass. Is that the Empire State Building in the distance…?

Alex shifts from his seat to the middle one, next to me. I turn back to him, startled.

Alex takes my hand in his. It's like a shot of electricity through my body. His touch does something to me I cannot explain. I feel heat in private places. His hand is large and manly. I feel small and girlish, my hand in his.

"Tallulah," Alex says gently. I have noticed he has taken to calling me Tallulah when he something serious to say.

"I am sorry if I upset you. I find your enthusiasm for the city very beautiful. Having grown up here I forget how amazing New York can appear. I will never make you feel unsophisticated."

I look down at our hands. My nails are slightly chipped. The nail color is from Walmart. I was pleased with it when I put it on. Now it just looks cheap.

I look up at Alex, "But you did," I say softly.

Alex gazes at me thoughtfully. The silence and my hurt hang in the air.

"I apologize, it won't happen again," Alex replies stiffly, dropping my hand and moving back over to the other window seat. He looks out his window.

I watch him for a moment, puzzled. I cannot get a read on this man. Sometimes he shows kindness and understanding, other times I am firmly a business proposition.

I sigh and try to spot more landmarks out my window. If this is how it is going to be it may be a long three months.

Despite my hurt I can't help but think that Alex did not mean to hurt my feelings. Perhaps Alex is finding business is a little trickier when you apply it to your personal life.

------------------------------------------------

The limousine pulls up in front of stunning Art Deco apartment building. Two uniformed doormen dressed in smart red, spring forward and begin opening doors and trunks. Luggage is stacked efficiently on trolleys.

I am barely out of the car and a little overwhelmed already. This whole scene feels like everyone in it knows his or her role except for me.

Alex seems re-energized at arriving home, after we finished our car trip in another awkward silence.

He takes my arm and walks me into the large airy lobby. I gaze up in awe at a stunning chandelier that appears to take up the entire roof space.

"Welcome to The Deco Tully, "Alex says cheerfully.

This is the The Deco. The famous 1920's Art Deco building, the last one designed by celebrated Art Deco architect Pierre Guiliand.

In the 1930's depression the famous actress Dolores Lovelake drowned in the bath in her apartment.

She had become addicted to pills after her lover, legendary newspaper magnate Cabot Archer, took his own life after losing his fortune in the 1929 stock market crash. Legend held that Dolores still haunted the halls

I stare around the lobby, gawking unashamedly as details come into focus. Overstuffed sofas take up on corner of the room, with an assortment of newspapers and magazines laid out neatly. I note the newspapers are arranged in alphabetical order.

Bronze sculptures are dotted around the room. Looking closer, I see they are animals. One particularly engaging piece is of an owl whose expression manages to appear genuinely wise.

Alex notes my interest and draws me over to the owl. "I call him Owlie. I consider him a friend. That's foolish isn't it?"

I smile with warmth at Alex. This is the first human moment I've seen from him. He looks a little embarrassed, like he shared something he hadn't meant to.

"When I was child, my friend was a teddy bear. I called him Mr. Bear. Very original!" I laugh.

Alex and I share a laugh. As laughter dies away we find our eyes locked. After a moment just too long we break away awkwardly.

"Well then," says Alex, "let's get you settled in. Given you are meant to be my fiancé we will be living together, although as explained you will have your own room."

Alex and I head up to his apartment. I am not surprised it is the penthouse. I would expect nothing less of a Carlyle.

"How long have you lived here," I ask, as we travel up in the gorgeous heritage elevator, trying to make conversation to cover how nervous I feel.

Alex shifts from foot to foot. "Well actually, this apartment was a gift for my fifth birthday. Have you heard of Cabot Archer?" I nod.

"Cabot Archer owned the penthouse as well as a few other apartments in the building where he housed his mistresses. When he went bankrupt, the debt was ultimately to my family's bank. The apartment passed into our hands and we have had ever since. My Aunt Prinny lived here with one of her husband's for a while and eventually it became mine." Alex's finishes.

I try to think of what to say. Inheriting famous apartments at five years old is a little outside of my experience.

"That's nice," I say lamely.

The doors pinged open and we enter into another lobby, even more amazing than the ground floor one. Three perfect chandeliers line the roof. Art lines the walls. Some of it looks familiar, perhaps from high school art studies.

Heavy doors swing open to reveal an enormous apartment and a sweeping view of Central Park. I gasp. Alex appears perfectly comfortable and strides into the room, casually throwing his suit jacket over an elegant couch.

I tiptoe into the room. I am worried my shoes might have something on them that will damage the dazzling rug that covers the polished wood floors.

Alex is pulling his tie off and heading over to a drinks shelf. "Relax Tully," he calls out to me. "This is home, it is a private place here."

I follow his lead and take my shoes off and wonder what’s next. Normally one would take in belongings and get settled, but that is being done for me. I carefully put my handbag down and head to check out the view that is drawing me.

Central Park is spread out in front of me like a green carpet beneath the sky. Wow, I whisper quietly to myself.

Alex coughs for my attention. "So Tully, before you go rest perhaps we should get the kiss practice out of the way?"

-------------------------------------

Oh yes. The Kiss. Well, in love couples engaged to marry do kiss. It was in the contract that on occasion Alex and I would be required to kiss. The problem was that I had actually never kissed anyone.

It wasn't that I was some do-gooder virgin. It’s just that Grammie had raised me not to do that sort of thing until I was in love, and I haven't found love yet.

A contract kiss is not exactly the grand moment of my dreams, but Grammie was supportive and it is getting to the point I just want kissing to be over. I'm twenty-one after all.

"Right then," says Alex, suddenly all business and putting down his scotch. "Let's get this out of the way."

"Oh great, kissing is a chore! How romantic," I say sarcastically.

Alex has me in his arms before I even knew it. He grasps me firmly in his arms and presses his mouth on me insistently. Even with his lips closed I can feel the warmth of the scotch he just drank.

Despite myself I relax in his arms and my mouthparts open a little. Private parts stir.

Alex's breaks away and my eyes open, questioningly. "This is a business deal, Tallulah," he says softly and intently. "There is no romance."

I regain my poise. Holding my head high I lock eyes with him. "Well then, let us do that again so we get the business right."

Alex smiles a half smile and holds out his hand, inviting me to pull myself into him. With a confidence I don't really have I initiate a kiss with America's most sought after bachelor.

"Not bad, Miss South," Alex grins as we break apart.

"I've been practicing on Mr. Bear," I respond, deadpan.

Alex laughs. I enjoy making him laugh, given he often seems so serious.

"When two people in love kiss, Tully, they kiss in a variety of ways," Alex's pulls me gently into his arms.

"This is the 'hi honey' kiss" Alex kisses me gently on the cheek and whispers in my ear "Hi honey". I flush at the light touch of his lips on my cheek.

"And this is the brush kiss," Alex gently brushed his lips across mine.

My head is spinning.

"And this," he continues, "Is a passionate kiss," Alex kisses me full on the mouth, easing my mouth open with his. His tongue moves smoothly into mine. My tongue naturally begins to move with his. The kiss seems to go forever.

Finally breaking the kiss, we look into each other's eyes. I am speechless. So this was what everyone keeps going on about when they talk about kissing.

I think I see something in Alex's eyes before he becomes all business.

"I have to go out Tallulah," Alex says briskly. "Don't wait up for me because I have a lot to attend to, having been out of town."

I nodded dumbly. Of course. He is Alex Carlyle, Very Important Man.

"I have arranged for my assistant Bee to come by and take you shopping," I perk up at that news.

"Now Tully," Alex says seriously, holding my attention, "I don't have any problem with how you dress, but you do need to dress the part of my fiancé."

Alex's sensitivity in that comment shows he hasn't forgotten the limousine incident.

"Of course Alex," I reply, professional myself. "This is a business deal after all."

Alex and I looked at each other in silence for a moment.

"Good," is all he says as he turns on his heel and leaves.

--------

Bee turns out to be a lovely and efficient woman. In her fifties, she has extensive knowledge of New York and where to shop.

Shopping with Bee is nothing like being Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. There are no snooty knockbacks when we enter Dior, Chanel, Elie Saab and Bloomingdales. Indeed, we seem to be expected.

"A society lady needs to have a number of little black dresses," opines Bee as sales people fuss around me at Chanel.

"Chanel is perfect for classic black dresses for charity lunches and low level functions," Bee continues.

"If a Chanel dress is what I wear to lunch, what on earth do I wear to a ball?" I ask in confusion.

Bee simply sighs at my fashion ignorance and doesn't respond.

"And we also need some Chanel suits," Bee addresses to the sales ladies.

Bee looks me up and down; "The suits will look good on you with a lovely hat."

"I don't think I've ever worn a hat," I reply, unsure.

"Well dear, you will need to start as you simply cannot attend the Hartford Hamptons Polo Classic without a darling hat," Bee says with firmness.

"Yes Ma’am," I respond. Ma’am seems appropriate for Bee.

Shopping as a Carlyle is a very new experience. We don't carry our bags to the next store; our driver appears and discreetly whisks them away.

Arriving at Elie Saab, I discovered what I am to wear to balls. Glittering sequined dresses hung on the racks like works of art. Ribbons decorate some pieces. After seeing so much black in other stores Elie Saab is a revelation of a rainbow of colors, from the softest lavender to buttercup yellow.

An army of salespeople put dress after dress on me. I leave the store in a sequin daze with a number of stunning gowns.

"Now that red gown is a show stopper for the Winter Ball, a very good winter color," comments Bee.

Everyone knows what the Winter Ball is. Every winter the Carlyle family holds their annual ball at their main estate, Carrington, in Connecticut. Legend holds that the ball is held in the winter as a power move, as most guests have left the city for the winter.

Guests are forced to fly back to the states from places like St. Barts for just a few days to attend the ball. Not to go is unheard of. The Carlyle's demonstrate their power by the lengths people will go to to attend.

"Oh look, it's Duckie," whispers Bee as we stepped out onto the sidewalk. "Look sharp."

"Alexander's great aunt?" I whisper back.

I have been provided with a chart of Alex's family tree. It is populated with women with nicknames like 'Duckie', 'Muffy' and 'Bunny.'

"Beatrice, Alex's little secretary, nice to see you," announces the well-dressed older woman grandly.

Duckie is a legend in New York society. She heads her own family dynasty from her marriage to Calvert Caldwell, head of a pesticides business. An unglamorous business, but the money in the billions certainly is not. Her grandson Duke is Alex's best friend.

Duckie turns her attention to me and looks me up and down. I wilt under her laser light beam and generations of society breeding.

"You must be the fiancé," Duckie drawls.

I square my shoulders and dig deep. "Yes, I am. How do you do Mrs. Caldwell," I say politely.

Duckie doesn't respond.

Duckie then turns around and simply walks off down the street, presumably towards her favorite lunch spot Le Sandwich. A place that of course doesn't 'do' bread.

"Don’t mind her, some of the Carlyle's can be a bit…difficult," says Bee sympathetically.

What kind of family have I gotten tangled up in? Thankfully, it is only for three months.

CHAPTER 3: All Happy Families Are Alike

The big family dinner introduction is tonight. Standing in front of the elegant mirror in my spacious room I try to calm my nerves.

"Looking good brings confidence," I say to myself. Tonight I am relying on Grammie's mantra.

I head out to the living room where Alex is waiting. I catch my breath as I walk in. He looks so handsome in a blue and white striped open necked shirt and pressed slacks. The blue in the shirt picks out his eyes.

Alex stares at me. I feel worried. Do I look bad?

"Tallulah, you look incredible," Alex says breaking into a grin.

Relieved, I smile back. "Thank you. Bee said a classic Chanel little black dress never fails."

I am wearing a simple chic dress from our shopping trip. I have accessorized simply with shining pearl earrings, necklace and bracelet. I readily admit I take my New York style inspiration from Audrey Hepburn.

My feet are getting used to their first pair of Christian Louboutin heels.

"Well then, Sir," I say in my best Southern Belle voice, "shall we?"

We drive out to Connecticut to the family's main estate, the legendary 'Carrington.' It is nice to drive with Alex behind the wheel of his own Mercedes, not a chauffeur. We chat easily and I entertain Alex with the story of my encounter with Duckie.

"Duckie isn't so bad," says Alex with a laugh. "She plays the Imperial Queen but she can be warm if she decides she likes you. If she approves of you, you can be her acolyte."

"Lucky me!" I cry, "Does being Duckie's follower involve breadless lunches at Le Sandwich and doing the heavy lifting for charity events?"

Alex slaps his thigh in laughter. "Oh Tully, you sure catch on fast!"

I grow quiet as we pull into the drive of Carrington. Huge shady trees line the drive along with discreet lighting. The drive seems endless.

The estate appears to stretch to endless ends. I wonder if Carrington is bigger than all of downtown Hunter. The car purrs to a stop in front of the house.

Alex throws me a glance. "Are you ready for this?"

I meet his eyes. "I am ready. This is business, right?"

Alex says nothing for a moment. "Perhaps we should practice that kiss again?"

But before I can respond he is out of the car and striding to the door where a butler has appeared.

What is he playing at, I think furiously as I follow.

----------------------

Entering into the cocktails room I ignore the butterflies in my stomach and remained determined to hold my own.

A small group of adults are milling around. I quickly glance at the women and feel relieved I am dressed well. Thank you Bee, I say in a silent prayer.

"Alexander!" A smiling woman dressed in pink Herve Leger notices our arrival.

"Hello, Aunt Daisy," Alex says with genuine enthusiasm.

"And this must be your lovely bride!" Daisy cries.

Kisses are planted on my cheeks, my hands grasped and a beaming smile bestowed upon me. Automatically, I feel I like this woman.

"Tallulah, this is my Aunt Daisy, my Uncle's Jock's wife." I nod and smile and try to keep my family tree straight.

Daisy is the wife of Jock, the charming yet defensive 'family relationships' manager. Whatever that job is.

"Alexander, how very naughty you are hiding your girlfriend away until engagement," chastises a very, very thin and very uptight seeming woman.

"Miranda, how lovely to see you this evening," Alex says with a distinctly cooler tone than Daisy receives.

Ah, Miranda 'Miri' Carlyle. Wife of Senator Hartford Carlyle, Presidential contender and tetchy family member whose family wishes he had stayed behind the scenes, but whose ego wouldn't let him. Hartford is the third son of Alex's Grandfather and Alex's uncle.

"Miranda, this is my fiancé Tallulah," Alex introduces me.

Miranda compresses her lips together into something resembling a smile. "Well Tallulah, Carrington must be quite a change from the trailer park!"

I choke my champagne. "Excuse me," I splutter ungracefully. Alex looks stunned.

"Well Alex found you in a trailer park didn't he?" Miranda looks innocently at us. Butter wouldn't melt in her mouth.

"No, Miri," Alex says grimly, "We met when I was visiting South Carolina on business and Tully was my waitress." Ah yes, our rather dull how-we-met story.

"Oh yes, silly me. You've dated so many women Alex I can't keep up," trills Miri as she moves away to greet another family member.

Thinking of Duckie I wonder if they teach Carlyle women the insult drop and heel turn.

Alex leans in and kisses me softly on the cheek. My spine tingles. "Don't mind her," he murmurs, "she's just jealous you look so beautiful tonight."

I grab his hand and squeeze it gratefully. I've only met three family members so far, if you can count Duckie as an introduction, and I am beginning to see why the price tag for this job was sky high.

Male family members descend on en masse. The familiar faces of billionaires take me aback. Hearty greetings are exchanged between Jock, Hartford and Alex. Looking at Hartford I can see what is meant by 'Presidential'.

Pembrey, Alex's cousin and Hartford and Miri's son, thrusts forward a hand,

"Pembrey Carlyle, a pleasure to meet the woman who has captured my cousin's heart," he says with a seemingly forced grin.

Pembrey. The failed businessman and failed heir. Given Alex's reluctance to take up the mantle Pembrey had a shot at running the family business. That experiment ended badly when Pembrey sent an important subsidiary of the family bank into bankruptcy, costing thousands of jobs, a big drop in the share price and acres of bad press.

Pembrey is now relegated to 'special projects', which seems to involve investing in vague tech start-ups.

"Thank you, it is a pleasure to be here," I respond.

Pembrey keeps holding my hand, "Well don't overstay your welcome, we do have hounds!" Pembrey laughs as if his joke is tremendously funny.

I withdraw my hand, confused.

"Oh Pembrey," fake laughs another very thin woman. "Alinda, wife darling, please my sense of humor is legendary in this family," protests Pembrey.

The smile on my face is beginning to hurt.

"Tallulah, we are so happy to have you join the family," says Alinda with all the sincerity of a used car salesman.

"Hopefully the pitter patter of tiny feet soon?" Alinda asks. "The more heirs the better," jokes Pembrey, taking a big slug of his drink.

I suddenly click. They are considering that the trust structure of the Carlyle family changes when a child is born into the family. It is a case of the fewer children in each generation the bigger the pool for each child.

My having heirs to Alex, which is not going to happen of course, would reduce the pool for their own children, three children Alex described simply as 'truly awful kids.'

"Ah not yet," I respond distractedly as a stylish woman in Victoria Beckham swoops in to kiss me on the cheek.

"Darling! SO lovely to meet you, I've heard all about you," beams the woman.

"No you haven't," I hear Pembrey mutter.

Alex, who has remained quiet during the exchange with Pembrey and Alinda, brightens. "Hello Prinny," he says dropping a kiss on her cheek.

"Tully, this is my darling Aunt Prinny, Princess of the Carlyle's and endless husband haver," Alex says with a naughty grin.

"Oh you," laughs Prinny, "so bad."

This must be Victoria Carlyle, only daughter of Alexander Senior. Four husbands to date, multiple rehabs, and one amazing wardrobe and sense of style that sees her regularly photographed for Vogue. Only while doing her charity work, of course.

We chat about our outfits and I begin to relax a little. Prinny tells me she is called Prinny as short for "Princess, because that is what I am." I nod understandingly.

And then Alexander Senior walks into the room and I suddenly realize where Alex inherits his sense of presence. It is like the room suddenly stands still and looks a little sharper and at the ready.

"Well now, enough chat, let’s have dinner. Tallulah you will sit next to me." With that, Alexander Senior is gone; perhaps that is where the women inherited their ability to drop a comment and walk away without waiting for a response.

I try not to down my drink from nerves, take a deep breath and prepare for the worst. Cocktails with these people have been enough to convince me this is not where I belong.

-------------------------------------

"So tell us about your family, Tully," asks Daisy encouragingly.

So far, I have been sitting quietly next to Alexander Senior who holds, of course, the head of the table. Alex is across from me on Alexander's other side.

"Well," I begin, "My father was in the military. He was killed in conflict. My mother passed away when I was born. Grandmother, who was a dressmaker, raised me. My grandfather worked on the railroads and was a justice of the peace." I am proud of my loving, hard working family.

Miri speaks up, "Oh railroads, how interesting. The Carlyle family funded the Vanderbilt's foray into railroads. We do have quite an interest in it."

This is why the Carlyle's are called the 'family behind the families,' through their investment bank the Carlyle family backed Carnegie's investments in steel; Rockefeller and Standard Oil and the Astor's and their fur trade. The Carlyle's even owned at one time a large shareholding in JP Morgan through their own investment bank.

Alinda chimed in, "Wouldn't it be amazing if Tully's family had worked on a Vanderbilt railroad, back in the day? That's like working for us. From working for us to sitting with us, how amazing."

I look over at Alex trying not to roll my eyes. Alex seems so down to earth how could he have this family? Maybe his time in the army helped keep him on the level.

Alex grimaces and shakes his head slightly.

"That is an interesting idea, Alinda," comments Alexander Senior drily. Everyone sits a little straighter at the patriarch speaking.

"That would be much like how the Carlyle's owned most of the mid-west at one point. From your ancestors living on our land to you sitting here, how amazing," Alexander finishes dryly.

Alinda looks furious but keeps her mouth shut. I smile my best smile at her. I think I like Alexander Senior; he seems to have a handle on the people at this table.

"Alex you must be excited to be getting married. This has come as quite a surprise to us, but we are all looking forward to the wedding," Jock, the good-natured man of the family, steers the conversation to safer ground.

I try to look in love as Alex chats with easy confidence about our upcoming marriage. I manage a contribution on planning to go to Paris for a couture dress. Like I just naturally go to Paris for couture.

The conversation moves easily back to business.

Pembrey is discussing some improbably vague tech venture he is investing in. "And then the app will tell you what you want to eat," Pembrey drones on.

"Barclay will be furious when he sees what I've made in tech this year," Pembrey boasts.

Barclay? My ears pick up at the name Barclay Carlyle. While Alexander Senior is a famous name the rest of the Carlyle's are a little less high profile - except for Barclay. Barclay is not much older Alex however he is Alexander Senior's nephew and cousin to Hartford and Jock.

There is famous bad blood between Barclay and the rest of the Carlyle's. Barclay's father was Alexander Senior's twin. The two ran the business together as would be heirs, until their father, the legendarily brutal businessman William, declared them too soft.

He declared only one of them could be head of the family - and they must fight it out.

The story goes that Alexander Senior promised his twin they would walk away from the family together rather than accept the deal, but then double crossed him and grabbed the mantle.

Barclay's father was furious and spent the rest of his life as a dissolute playboy. Barclay got his revenge on Alexander Senior's branch of the family by becoming a renegade and eccentric billionaire in his own right, creating cyber security software. He is always in and out of the news.

"You need to focus more on your own successes and less on what Barclay is doing. That man is out to get us," Hartford reprimanded his son.

I see the presidential mask slip a little in Hartford's frustrated expression. Interesting.

I glance over at Alexander and Alex. They are just watching, cool as anything. I give up on trying to work out the family under currents at this table.

Pembrey catches my eye and delivers a beaming smile, "Now Tallulah, do you think you will be in shape in time for the wedding?"

The comment cuts all the deeper for it's normal easy delivery.

I push my chair back. "That's it!" I announce to the room. "I have had enough of this family's insults. I apologize for not being good enough for you all."

With that I take off my massive sparkling engagement ring and stalk out of the room, to go and find a corner of the garden to cry in.

--------------

Chapter 4: The Garden of Eden

"Tully! Tully! Where are you?" I hear Alex calling as I sit in a small private rose garden trying to recover my dignity.

"There you are!" Alex cries as he comes across me.

Alex sits down on the garden seat and wraps his arms around me. Despite my anger at his lack of support at diner I can't help but lean into his reassuring embrace.

"Oh Tully, I'm so sorry. They can be dreadful people when they feel their positions are threatened," he hushes my crying.

I pull away from him angrily. "They're dreadful? You are dreadful! Why didn't you stand up for me? I am supposed to be your fiancé! Is this how you would treat your real fiancé?' I demand.

Alex sighs and runs his hand through his thick hair. "No, Tallulah, it's not. It seems I am always seeking your forgiveness," he says ruefully.

I cross my arms and glare at him.

Alex explains, "I had always wondered how my family would treat a fiancé of mine. So I let them run on with it and didn't cut them off by standing up for you. I'm sorry."

I consider this information. "Well Alex, this is a business deal after all. I'm glad you are getting out of this what you need. For myself however no amount of money is worth this level of humiliation. I'm done."

I stand to leave. Alex jumps up and pulls me into a fierce embrace. "No, Tallulah, you are not done."

And then he begins to kiss me, deeply, passionately and almost aggressively. I try to push him away but he holds me tight to him. His mouth hungrily seeks mine. I weaken under his desire and begin to kiss him back.

My stiff body relaxes into his and we become one. Our mouths are seeking each other over and over. Our tongues say a thousand silent things to each other.

Finally, exhausted we break apart. We stare into each other eyes as the twinkly fairy lights of the rose garden cast a glow over us.

"What are we doing, Tallulah," Alex whispers softly.

"I wish I knew, Alex," I whisper back.

-------------------------

Back at The Deco apartment things have shifted between Alex and I since the garden kiss. Alex has convinced me to keep on with our arrangement.

There is a veneer of politeness in our interactions that is appropriate for our business relationship, but also an underlying sexual tension that confuses and excites me.

Living together is torture. I catch Alex in the kitchen in a towel. His muscular body and hairy chest and wet hair do things to me I have pushed away.

He walks in on me changing for one of the endless events we are attending as a 'couple'. I shriek as he catches me in my La Perla lacy white underwear, about to slip into a chic little Celine outfit.

"Oh gosh Tully I'm so sorry, I thought you heard me knock," Alex apologizes.

Yet his gaze lingers on my body a little longer than necessary.

And then there is the kissing…

Without even discussing what has happened to our relationship Alex and I have taken to kissing silently and suddenly. He will grab me in the kitchen and suddenly brush his lips across mine, before walking away without a word.

I sneak up on Alex at his downtown office at Carlyle Center while he is on a business call and begin kissing him lightly all over his face.

"I have to go, urgent call on the other line from Tokyo," Alex snaps into the receiver.

He takes my chin in his hand and holds my face and returns the kisses in all the same places I had kissed him. His memory amazes me.

He picks me up and parks me on his wide oak desk. Either he is incredibly fit or Pembrey was wrong to criticize my weight, because Alex makes me feel as light as a ballerina.

I wrap my arms around his neck and we kiss hungrily. Alex begins to undo the gold buttons of my white and navy Chanel suit.

"Alex, stop," I say, tearing my mouth away from his.

"I…I'm not ready for this," I manage.

Kissing is one thing, but other things? I don't know if this man is my boyfriend or my boss.

Alex looks at me with restrained desire. He straightens up and brushed imaginary lint off his suit pants.

"Of course. This is business not pleasure," Alex says coolly.

I tilt my head and look at him.

"Yes," I reply slowly, hopping off the desk with surprising grace. "All business. It's why I am in my suit."

With that remark I saunter off towards the door.

As I close the door I hear Alex laughing. I grin to myself. I still am taking a childish pride in making the very serious and very important Heir to the Carlyle Throne laugh.

And focusing on jokes helps me avoid the big question - do I want Alex to be my boss…or my boyfriend?

The trouble is I don't know.

Everything I see of Alex's world convinces me that boyfriend is a bad, bad idea. I keep having a fantasy where Alex comes back to Hunter and gets a job on the railroad, but the problem is Alex wouldn't be who he is outside of living his Carlyle life.

And I love who is.

Oh God. Did I just say I love him?

-------------

"Now ladies, let's all put our best caring faces on and welcome the chair of the committee, New York's most charitable woman, Mrs. Duckie Carlyle Caldwell!

Rapturous applause rings out around the Plaza ballroom from a group of women who all aspire to rule New York instead of Duckie.

"Thank you, thank you," Duckie quiets the crowd with her dulcet tones and the wave of a bejeweled hand.

Duckie wears a simple neat navy Dior day dress. Her only accessories are her enormous wedding rings and a sparkling Tiffany Schlumberger brooch of the iconic Bird on a Rock. In simplicity Duckie outshines the overdressed women in the room.

I tune out as Duckie launches into a speech that you could be forgiven came from a committed street work for the poor, not one of America's richest heiresses.

The speech over, I start working the room.

"Tully! So great to see you!" Choruses a gaggle of blonde and gorgeous young women, friends of mine.

"Hi girls," I say with happiness at the sight of the famous Carlyle Quads.

The quadruplet daughters of Jock and Daisy, the four girls have been the only friends I've made in this cutthroat social world. Genuinely nice, albeit very spoiled.

Prinny's nose is rather out of joint at the rise and rise of the girls, who are forever in Page Six. Unfortunately Prinny's social Princess star is a little tarnished these days given all the husbands and rehab trips.

"We must get a selfies with you for Instagram!" shrieks Camille.

Celine chimes in, "Oh yes! Everyone is so keen for pictures of the mysterious future Mrs. Alex."

Claudia and Candy nod in unison.

I grimace at the reminder of my role of fiancé. I feel guilty about lying to the quads, which have been so kind.

Celine hands her phone to one of the two assistants who trail after them, who snap away as we strike a variety of poses. The second assistant takes notes on our outfits to add to the copy.

"They are calling you America's Duchess Kate Middleton, but with shorter hems," giggles Camille.

I give a startled laugh. A Duchess I am not.

"It is very fitting given we are descended from an English Duke," says Candy.

Our conversation is cut off as Duckie swans in. "Girls, really that social media is so tacky," she reprimands the quads, but I can see her affection for them.

"And how are you holding up dear?" Duckie says, turning to me.

"How very clever of you to keep the wedding details secret to build interest, we all await the details with unseemly eagerness," Duckie looks at me as if she knows all my secrets.

Here's the thing about our 'secret' wedding details. There are none. That is because this is a business deal that ends very soon.

I exchange pleasantries with Duckie and I think I manage quite well. In these situations I've taken to pretending I am Brooke Astor reincarnated. It helps.

Duckie floats away to greet more of her subjects and I find myself face to face with the over Botox faced of one CeCe Bartrand. CeCe is one of the aspiring queens to Duckie's social throne.

CeCe attempts to smile but her face won't move.

"Well Tallulah how nice to see you. I was just saying to Alex the other night when he was over that we really should be introduced," CeCe looks at me triumphantly.

The other women around us shift awkwardly.

"Oh…Alex…. the other night?" I say bewildered.

"Oh yes, didn’t you know Alex stops by? We are very close. We went out for some time. It is hard to let go of a connection that strong, even if his family commitments pull him in another more…. conventional direction," CeCe finishes with a knowing look to the women around us.

CeCe clearly means to humiliate me in front of all New York society. But I've learnt a thing or two in my months moving through this pool of sharks. Unlike that disastrous first Carlyle dinner I am not about to run off crying.

"Well CeCe," I begin, summoning my best Duchess Kate meets Brooke Astor attitude, "Alex must have been comforting you over your latest plastic surgery procedure gone wrong."

The bug eyed social x-rays cannot contain their gleeful laughter. While they may profess to be friends with CeCe one ladies fall is another ladies gain in this world.

With that excellent snarky comment I make like a Carlyle and turn on my heel and stalked away.

I make myself stay the whole event and up the ante. My socializing would have put Jackie O to shame. I think even Duckie is impressed.

And I then I head home to confront my man. Because that is what I had decided he is. As Grammie had said when I called for advice, if a man kisses a lady then she is his lady.

-------

"How dare you!" I yell at Alex, throwing a crystal tumbler from his drinks tray at the wall above his head.

I have stormed into his office and am causing something of a scene. This is sure to end up on Page Six, reported by his employees who saw me at it.

"Hey, what's all this Tull-Tull," Alex said, throwing his hands up in the air.

"Don't you Tull-Tull me," I yell furiously, even angrier now at Alex using a nickname he has given me.

Some 'boss', having a pet name for the employee he is kissing.

"I know you have been seeing that CeCe while coming home and kissing me everywhere from the butler's pantry to the maid's room," I glare at him.

Alex throws back his head and laughs, "Oh CeCe up to her old tricks is she!"

I grab another tumbler and get ready to throw it. If there is one thing I hate it is not being taken seriously when mad.

"Come here," Alex commands. Reluctantly I go and sit on his lap.

"CeCe is an old girlfriend, and a troubled one. I know she can seem awful but she's actually sweet and vulnerable. I stopped by her place to see her because her dog had died and she was pretty down. Nothing happened and it was just the once," Alex explains.

"Oh Alex, now I feel awful! I didn't say nice things," I bury my head in his shoulder.

"Don't worry about it, she probably did deserve it," Alex playfully tousles my hair and draws me in for a kiss.

"Tonight when I get home from work let's have a good talk about us. I'm falling in love you," Alex says simply.

I beam at him. He loves me!

"Me too," I say shyly.

We gaze at each other and I want this moment to go forever and ever.

Chapter 5: Precious things, easily lost

Leaving Alex's office I skip out to the car. Even the paparazzi don't bother me today. I feel less like the hounded Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and more Kim Kardashian, happy to have my picture taken.

I am a woman in love.

Sliding into the back of the limousine I park my Hermes Kelly on the seat beside me and notice the driver has changed since I pulled up.

The man, who introduces himself as Peter, says the other driver has gone on a break. We chat easily. I don't even notice we don't appear to be going home.

Suddenly we pull into a nondescript underground parking lot and it occurs to me things are very, very wrong.

----------------------

"Please, please," I say tearfully into the camera. "Please help me." I begin crying.

It has been three days since I was kidnapped. Three days of a concrete room, mattress on the floor and a shameful lack of privacy.

The kidnappers haven't hurt me badly, but I am a little battered and bruised from resisting them in the parking garage. My right arm really hurts.

Why hasn't Alex come for me, I think desperately. He loves me. He said so. He wouldn't leave me like. I try to stay positive.

As the days wear on with no sign of rescue I can't stop thinking of who would do this to me. Was it Barclay? The renegade billionaire is well known for his hated of Alex's branch of the family, and his questionable morals. Maybe I haven't been rescued because this isn't about money, but revenge.

I give up thinking about why and who and curl into a ball and cry myself to sleep, imagining Alex's strong arms around me making everything better.

-----------------------------------------

"Nobody move or we'll shoot!" I wake up suddenly to the sound of shouting and gunfire. Rescue! Alex!

The door to my prison room flung open and Alex, dressed in dark combat gear like the soldier he once was, storms in. I throw myself into his arms and start sobbing.

"Oh Alex!" I cry.

"Baby we have to get out of here," Alex put his arm around me and helps me move to the door and the nightmare is over.

When the endless interviews with the police are over Alex takes me to the family's country estate, Mardelina, in rural Virginia.

A visit was made to South Carolina to visit Grammie and reassure her. I pretended Alex and I were still all business but I think she knew otherwise.

At the Virginia estate under Alex's tender care I begin to recover my strength and my bruises are healing.

"How are you feeling tonight," Alex says to me as we rest in front of the fire.

"Good," I respond, "My arm doesn't hurt anymore."

"And emotionally," Alex enquires, scrutinizing me. "Still a little shaky," I reply.

The police and the Carlyle family have determined a distant English Carlyle cousin, Lord Richard, had orchestrated my kidnapping.

"It makes me so angry," Alex says, gripping his glass tighter.

"A title and estate is not worth kidnapping someone over. The English laws may be unfair that when someone dies without an heir the title goes to a distant male cousin, but just because grandfather was ahead of Lord Richard in the distant line that doesn't justify what Richard did," Alex looks furious.

I nod and stare off into space. In the space of nearly three months I had gone from living a quiet life in Hunter and planning to go back to college to being kidnapped by an insane English Lord.

Romances with billionaires are far from dull.

"I'll never let anyone hurt you again," Alex says softly, kissing me.

We begin to kiss gently, then urgently. After all this time we haven't even made love. Right when we were about to sort out our relationship I had been kidnapped. This was our first chance with me well and time alone.

"I love you," he whispers into my ear as he drops kisses all over my face in the way I love.

"I love you too," I respond.

Alex scoops me up and carries me to our bedroom. The four-poster bed looks inviting with deep pillows and soft white linen. Glowing lamps cast a gentle light and keep the shadows away.

Alex sets me down on the bed carefully, like I am a China Doll that will break. Since the kidnapping I am less funny tough girlfriend and more of a precious jewel.

He sits down beside me and we kiss, we kiss for a long, long time. Unlike the playful kisses in the apartment these kisses feel less like a flirtation and more like the kisses between a loving couple.

Alex moves to tug off my The Row sweater. Unlike when we were in his office, I don't stop him. This feels right, I feel ready.

We make love all night. It is everything I had hoped it would be. Alex makes me feel safe and loved. We talk quietly as the sunlight filters in through the window as dawn approaches.

"When did you know you were falling in love with me?" I ask Alex, as I prop myself up on an elbow to study his face.

"Before I even met you," Alex grins.

"Really?" I say, sitting up.

"Yes. I thought the whole idea was harebrained but Thompson insisted it would buy me time to develop an alternative plan to Grandfather's ruling. When he showed me your picture and I read your college admissions essay on wanting to make a difference I knew I had to meet you," Alex confesses.

"I told myself it was strictly business, but maybe it never was," he continues.

I am startled by this revelation. And embarrassed Alex had read my very earnest college admissions essay.

"I fell in love with you told me Owlie was your friend, when we were in the lobby," I confess back.

It was Alex's turn to look surprised. "Owlie? Why did that capture your heart?"

I smile and blush. "Well it was so sweet, and it made me wonder if maybe you needed a friend if you friend was a sculpture in the lobby. I sensed that despite your wealth you might be a little lonely."

Alex looks moody. "It can be difficult to be in such a serious position, and to be so wealthy. People treat me differently. Even my own family as I am the heir of the family."

Alex pulls me down under the covers for a cuddle. "But now I have you."

I snuggle in close, "And I have you."

Chapter 6: A Family Brought To Order

We arrive back in New York as the first chill hit that air, signaling the approaching winter. I was quite glad to leave the upheaval of autumn behind.

Grammie moves to New York to live with us.

"I thought only Satan could prize you from the South, Grammie," I tease as she settled into her suite.

Grammie is all better now after first rate treatment funded by Alex as part of our deal.

"Oh child you should know by now the lord has many plans for us," Grammie replies.

"Why did you encourage me to be with Alex anyway," I ask her curiously.

It has always struck me as a little un-Grammie like to sell me off to a strange billionaire.

"God spoke to me," Grammie says mysteriously.

---------------------

"You will be hosting the Winter Ball next year," comments Alex as we snuggle in bed together.

"The Aunts have this year's one firmly in their grasp but next year it will be your time to shine, you will be able to raise huge funds for veterans," Alex continues.

One of the upsides of marrying a billionaire was not spending their money on shoes and designer outfits but on causes I really care about. The Carlyle Foundation is a behemoth on par with the Gates Foundation.

Duchess Kate eat your heart out I was determined to bring a great deal to my charity work. Charity to me is not about having an excuse to get dressed up, but to really make a difference.

"Coming to grips with the Carlyle Foundation is going to take some time," I say to Alex. "I'm just going to focus on my work with veterans for now."

Alex pulled me in for a kiss. "I'm sure your Daddy would be so proud of you."

I lay my hand on his. "I hope so," I reply.

Alex pulls away and sighs. "But before we can consider balls and weddings I need to sort out my family."

I sigh with him. Alex's family had been a source of tension between us.

"I love how loyal you are Alex, but if I am to have to spend time around those people then the more difficult members need to drop it and the rest, while nice, need to show me more respect. I may not be American royalty but I matter," I state with conviction.

Alex's supportive smile melts my firm stance.

"Of course Tull-Tull," Alex agrees. "That is what I love about you. You won't compromise or apologize for being an everyday girl. You have self respect and confidence in spades."

"Maybe I will give Duckie a challenge to the Queen of New York role," I laugh.

"Oh I have no doubt you will, no doubt at all," mused Alex.

--------------

Alex's Grandfather has remained a remote figure throughout our courtship. Aside from that awful dinner I have not seen him.

"He's moved into his Howard Hughes reclusive phase," Alex explains to me when I ask.

Alex however is in constant contact with his Grandfather as they prepared for his succession to head of the family bank and investment portfolio.

Finally, after what seems like endless meetings, Alexander is officially anointed head of Carlyle Holdings, including the bank and all diversified investments.

"It won't take much," Alex comments as he straightens his tie ahead of a family meeting of aunt's, uncles and cousins. "I'm in charge now and they will play ball."

Striding into the oak paneled boardroom of Carlyle Holdings at the family headquarters, Carlyle Center, one could almost be forgiven for thinking the meeting was about to be chaired by a young Alexander Senior.

There was that presence I had fallen for. That is what separate outs dating a billionaire from a regular guy. Having control and responsibility for a wealth portfolio that can change the economy of an entire country gives a man a devastating presence.

"Thank you everyone for coming," Alex says briskly. "This quarterly family meeting is to discuss a range of financial account issues, trusts and personal family business."

"Forgive me Alex," starts Jock with easy charm, "I do like your fiancé but family meetings are for family. You are not yet married to Tallulah. It says so in the family charter, family meetings are for family only as declared by marriage"

Hartford nods furiously and Pembrey is about to open his mouth when Alex silences everyone.

"Enough," Alex declares.

"I am in charge now and if I want to change the charter I will. Tully is to be my wife very soon and I want her by my side," Alex cast a glare around the room, daring anyone to challenge.

Miri looks like she wants to say something but thinks better of it. Prinny strokes her little dog and doesn't dare request fiancé number five be invited to the meeting.

"We are going to pull together as a team, drop the catty comments and fighting and work towards some common goals. Namely streamlining the business which has become a little unwieldy, and building on our contributions to the community. In this time of inequality as a prime topic we need to be seen to be doing our bit," Alex finishes.

The room breaks out in applause. Seated to Alex's side I put my hand over his. We had gone over and over preparing for this meeting and I know how important it was to him his family come on board with his direction.

"We are with you Alex," declares Jock firmly. The charming Jock always knows where his best interests lie.

Hartford nods. He may be thinking only of funding for his Presidential campaign but whatever his motives his support for Alex is welcome.

"Thank you," said Alex, showing no signs of the relief he must be feeling. He appears unruffled and in control.

"I am glad you are all on board with me. Sometimes families need new blood. Tallulah is not the only person joining the family," Alex says.

Looks of surprise cross everyone's faces. Alinda looks calculating. Probably wondering if the new person has children who will reduce her children's inheritance pool.

"Barclay Carlyle is a man of extraordinary vision, talent and commitment. I am pleased to welcome him back into the fold of his family. I'm excited for his contributions. Barclay is not the villain of our family. All he ever wanted was recognition for the role his father played in building our fortune," as Alex speaks Barclay quietly enters the room.

The handsome renegade tech billionaire slips into a seat and listens to Alex continue.

"I also owe Barclay a debt of gratitude. It was Barclay's cyber software that helped us track Lord Richard. When we were blackmailed by the kidnapping into sending paperwork refusing the Dukedom, Barclay installed a tracker that helped us discover where Tully was," Alex looks at Barclay with gratitude as he speaks with heart.

"You owe me nothing," said Barclay. "Tully is family."

A pause settles over the room. This is a new Carlyle era, one where Barclay and I are now part of the family.

----------------------

"Three days until the wedding!" I cry joyfully jumping onto of Alex as we settle into bed for the night.

Alex kisses me deeply. I never tire of his kisses.

"I cannot wait to see your dress," Alex says, sprinkling me with kisses on my nose.

I scrunch my face up. "That tickles!" I giggle like an Elmo doll.

We make love tenderly and drift off to sleep in each other's arms. Around two am the phone rudely awakens.

"Alexander speaking," Alex growls into the phone. I sit up in my lacy negligee and watch him worriedly.

Alex listens for what seems like an eternity.

"I see," Alex says finally. "This can be fixed. I'll be in the office in twenty minutes. Assemble the team."

"What is going on Alex," I ask.

Alex gives a deep groan like I have never heard.

"Pembrey has crashed the Euro. We have extensive currency holdings. While we make a profit on these we also have a community inspired motive and we use our holdings to keep the main currencies, like the Euro, the US dollar and pound, stable. Solid economies benefit us in the long run," Alex explains.

I listen intently as Alex continues; "Pembrey has sold off our holdings in the Euro to the Chinese. Such massive currency moves are rare. This move of Pembrey makes George Soros's shorting of the pound in 1992 look like a kid’s game. This could ruin an already fragile European economy."

"What will you do?" I ask, trying to find some kind of term of reference for helping your fiancé deal with an international financial crisis.

"You and I are going into the office and we are going to fix this," Alex speaks with grim determination as he begins to dress.

"We?" I reply meekly. "Yes, we," says Alex.

We head to the office and I spend very long days fetching endless rounds of coffee and pastries for the hard working men and women who work tirelessly to undo Pembry's work.

I quietly drop coffee on people's desk as they hurry to buy up available Euro's and raise the value again.

"We cannot let this crisis spread to America, we won't survive another GFC, it would push us into depression," Alex's says accepting a coffee from me.

"And that rat Pembrey is nowhere to be found," adds Alex with anger.

In the late evening on the day before our wedding the crisis draws to a close as the currency markets and finance ministers respond to Alex's moves.

The financial press hails Alex's white knuckled grip and steely hold on the situation.

The crisis though does claim a victim. Devastated by the shame brought on the family by Pembrey, Alexander Senior suffers a fatal heart attack.

Despite being rather reclusive for nearly the past decade, the media hails him and extensive coverage is devoted to his passing.

"What do we now honey?" I question Alex when the news comes through about Alexander Senior, in the middle of the currency crisis.

Alex pulls me into a hug. "We are going ahead with the wedding, but smaller. I've already emailed our planner to scale things back. Grandfather always wanted us to get married, so we will. We had already decided to go ahead when we started dating for real, instead of giving it time. Why stop now."

I nod and snuggle in close. "It can be a celebration for Alexander Senior. Tasteful."

Alex nods and hugs me back. "I couldn't have got through this crisis without you. The press are hailing me as a leader but we all know behind every great man is a great woman."

I smile into his chest. I don't think I will ever get sick of being Alexander's great woman.

-------------------------------------

"Are you ready dear," Grammie smiles at me.

"As ready as I will ever be," I reply shakily. Even though we had quickly toned down the wedding I was still about to walk into a room of people who were famous, infamous or very important.

"Grammie, the Carlyle version of toning down a wedding involves politely asking the President not to come so there is less fuss," I try to joke to cover my raging nerves.

Grammie takes my arm and leads me towards the door to the main part of the Church. "You belong here," she says simply and her loving confidence carries me down in the aisle and into the arms of the man I love.

"Speeches, speeches!" cries Duke Caldwell, Alex's best man, as the reception is in full swing.

Everyone eventually settles into his or her seats and Thompson Thompson, Alex's lawyer, steps up to the microphone. I notice Grammie standing beside him and wonder when they became friends.

"During my time as a military lawyer I learned what was important in life. So too did my client Alexander Senior, who towards the end of his life came to see love mattered more than business," Thompson says.

What is going on, I mouth to Alex. He shrugs and looks as puzzled as I am.

Grammie takes the microphone. "When my son's military colleague Thompson told me of Alexander Senior's despair that his grandson refused to consider love, and I shared my worry over my singleton granddaughter, we realized we might be able to help each other out.

Thompson took to the microphone again. "We both knew neither stubborn party would go on a blind date. Tully would need a lot to persuade her to leave Grammie and only for Grammie's benefit, and Alex was so set on being a bachelor that we had to come up with something quite creative."

The penny drops. We've been set up. Alex jaw drops as he turns to look to me. The man the press are calling The Economic Depression Savior completely missed his own life being set up for him.

"We won't go into the little trick we played on Tully and Alex," said Grammie, "but let me just say to this audience you have no idea what it took to get these two down the aisle to happily ever after."

Filled with bubbles of laughter I start giggling until I am almost crying. Alex gives in to my infectious giggles and we both laugh and look at each other.

"Well Duchess, it looks like we've been had,' grins Alex.

"Duchess?" I ask.

Alex pulls me in for a kiss. "Ah, this is why I love you Tully. It never occurred to you that the line for the Dukedom that has fallen into the family's lap now passed to me, making you a Duchess."

I laugh and kiss my husband back, "never a dull moment as a billionaire's wife!"

"Now, what was that you said about having a baby?"

******

Baby For The Billionaire

Sierra and A.J.

Sierra isn't sure why she agreed to impersonate her best friend Katie on a blind date, but she figured it would be a free dinner, and besides, she might like the guy.

She stared at her reflection and sighed heavily. Her hair, always tightly drawn into a ponytail, gave the impression that she had a very angular face. She turned her head from side to side looking at all of the planes that made up who she was. Her hair was a copper brown and her eyes blue. She had a smattering of freckles across her nose and cheeks that gave her a playful look. She had full lips that were always tinted as though she had been drinking Kool-Aid, never forcing her to wear lipstick to give herself some more color.

Not that she ever wore makeup really. As a waitress, she rarely had the time to care about things like makeup, or much else for that matter. She sat there contemplating what she could do to make herself pretty, or what she could do to improve her looks or, at the very least made her more exotic or something. She should have never agreed to help Katie in the first place. It was just as much her own fault for saying yes, as it was Katie’s for asking. She had always been there for her, and this minor thing was no big deal, until now.

She used her forefinger to push around the skin on her face, testing to see what she would look like if she had a face lift or something. That is until Katie herself came around the corner and gave her a short laugh.

“ What the hell are you doing to your face Sierra?” She said it with what remained of her scratchy voice.

“ I’m looking at it, I wish I was more… I don’t know exotic or something.” She continued to poke and prod.

“ Why would you want to be exotic, your beautiful the way you are?” Katie made her way across the room.

“ I really appreciate this Sierra, it’s a one-time thing, I told my mother I would go on this blindate… and you know how she is.” She rolled her eyes as she said it. Katie had asked Sierra to impersonate her on a blind date that was set up by Katie’s mother. Since Katie had an important meeting to go to on the same night as the date, she wouldn’t be able to go.

“ I know, I don’t mind at all. I never get to go out, especially to a nice place like Giovanni’s. Are you worried you will get found out somehow?” She stopped long enough to glance at Katie who was rifling through the makeup pile.

“ No, Mom doesn’t even know what he looks like or anything. She set this up for a friend of a friend or something. I owe her for missing my cousin Owen’s wedding, so she called my card. I just wish I could have found a way out of it without dragging you through it.”

Sierra glanced at Katie. “It’s okay Katie. This business meeting is really important to you and it just might be the big break you were waiting for. I understand and like I said… free food. Who goes out on a Thursday night, though?” She gave her a smile.

Katie giggled. “So what are you wearing? Oh, and I’ll do your makeup, maybe make you exotic.” They laughed together as they set to making Sierra ready for her date.

An hour later Sierra turned to take a long look at herself in the mirror. She was transfixed on her appearance. The Sierra she looked at everyday was gone and in its place was a beautiful woman. Her hair, normally full of curls when left, down, had been straightened and now felt like silk on her shoulders. Her freckles were hidden and her eyes were the focal point of her face. Katie had used her skills to give her eyes a dark and dusky look and she added some pink to her cheeks. Her dark lips only needed a hint of color, and she was definitely a different woman.

“ You gonna stand there and look at yourself all night or go get this silly date over with?” Katie was equally made up for her interview. The two of them stood side by side, staring at the mirror.

“ I don’t even look like… well me.” Sierra giggled.

“ Well, tonight you’re not you, you’re me.” Katie said simply as she picked up her bag to go. “Don’t forget meet him at the entrance at 7pm. He said he would have a red handkerchief in his jacket.” Katie walked over to reassure Sierra once more. “I really do appreciate it girl.” She gave her one last smile and she headed out. After Katie had gone Sierra slipped on the tall black pumps Katie had pushed on her to go with her outfit. She took a deep breath and with a sigh, she left for the restaurant.

A.J. was frustrated. His latest business merger was in trouble, he was in desperate need of a woman and lastly, he had this blasted date tonight that he didn’t want to go on.

The day was dragging and he wanted to go. He flicked open the black book on the top of his desk and sighed. He had an unusual appetite and he needed something new, something exciting to help him calm down. This company… his company was everything to him. He had built it from the ground up and with it he had become an important figurehead in the community.

The truth was they didn’t really know him. He had a dark side, one he kept hidden and he needed more. His appointments were short today. One merger meeting.

Tomorrow morning he had one charity appearance for a donation he had made locally. He was always glad when the corporation could donate funds in the city where it was needed. It was almost a penance for the side of him that he couldn’t control.

He owed his mother, his life and so, from time to time when she would request this of him, he would do it, to soothe her worried soul about the playboy reputation he had developed. He checked his reflection in the mirror and smiled to himself. He was a playboy, and that suited him just fine.

There were far too many women out there for him to have to ever settle for just one. He loved them all, and enjoyed his life exactly as it was. The unfortunate thing was that he was an only child and his mother was constantly on him about settling down and finding a nice girl to marry, to carry on the family name. He gave his hair one last smoothing down before he put on his glasses and made his way to the waiting car.

One of the perks of running a multi-million dollar company was the luxury of enjoying someone else driving you to and from. He would be lying if he said he didn’t get any thrill of impressing the ladies by having a driver when he pulled up to a new club in town.

He liked to be impressive and his looks helped with that.

He took care of himself, working out 5 days a week until he was toned. He had jet black hair, almost shaved on the sides and longer on top. His eyes were described as black by most and he always had a shadowed goatee. He was the epitome of tall, dark and handsome and his evasive nature with women gave him an air of mystery.

He settled into the cool leather of the seats and leaned back to rest for a second. Hopefully this night would go smoothly. The last time he went out with one of his mother’s “girls” she had bored him to tears until they had made it back to his penthouse. There, she had become a tigress and the sex had been phenomenal. It was typical of this situation.

More often than not, these girls would come in hoping to find a husband and he would charm them right out of their clothes before they knew what happened.

This date would be the same, of that he was sure. He felt the car come to a stop and he made his way to the restaurant with ease. He gave the hot little number seating people a smile and she started shuffling the papers in front of her as she blushed.

It was almost too easy any more. What he wanted most was a challenge, something to work for, at least a little. He was led to a table in the corner, as requested and he waited. As usual, he arrived early so that he could watch and decipher the woman his mother sent for him this time. It was almost like an animal stalking its prey. He leaned back some and waited with hooded lids.

Sierra took a last breath before entering the restaurant. She knew she wasn’t a mess since she had been receiving appreciative looks from random men in the main entrance. She was led to a table and she thanked the young lady and turned to meet this month’s “guy.” She felt the blood in her veins warm up and her mouth go dry at the same time. He stood and extended a hand to her, helping her into her seat. She felt the faint presence of his fingers trace her back as he helped push her seat in. Before she choked on the water, she was sipping she decided to speak first.

“ So you must be A.J.?” She took another sip.

Surprised by her forwardness, he raised an eyebrow. “I assume that makes you Katie, yes I am A.J. It’s nice to meet you.”

He had a voice that spilled out of his mouth like honey. She knew exactly why he was getting appreciative glances from the waitress. He was almost too attractive. He had classic good looks with a mix of ruggedness which made it clear that he was no innocent poster boy, but rather a force to be reckoned with.

“ It’s, very nice to meet you too. ... This is a nice restaurant do you come here often?” She was making small talk, but deep down he knew she nervous. He could tell by the way she sipped her water uncontrollably.

“ No, I’ve only been a handful of times, but it’s very good trust me.” He gave her a dashing smile and Sierra knew in his simple offhanded comment that he was going to irritate her.

It wasn’t his looks, the truth of the matter was that he was the most intensely gorgeous man she had ever seen. That alone gave him some kind of arrogance that reached out of him.

He was put together like a package. Every piece of him from head to toe was perfect. Part of her wanted to ruffle his hair and put him in sweats. He seemed too well put together, it almost made him in genuine. He was gorgeous, but his cookie cutter life made him unattractive to her, not to mention he was far too sure of himself. She sipped at her water as he watched her. It was almost unnerving.

“ Do I have something on my face? You seem to either be lost in thought or overly concerned with what I am doing.” She said it simply and with a smile and enjoyed the puzzled look that crossed his face.

“ No, on the contrary, I was just looking at you Katie.” He delivered his words like honey and she had to stop her heart from racing. He gave her a smile and she felt her stomach lurch. She was as bad as the hostess. She rolled her eyes and glanced at the menu. With any luck this would be over soon anyway.

He leaned back into the booth watching her intently. She was so beautiful it was painful. He enjoyed the banter they were having, she wasn’t like most women. She had no idea how beautiful she was and that intrigued him even more.

Usually the women he went out with were all superficial and very much aware of their beauty. They ordered and managed to make some small talk about nothing. He knew she was nervous and even that gave him some sort of excitement. She moved without thought and enjoyed her food without counting calories and the entire scene was refreshing for him. She made an idle joke about the waiter which he found amusing and they laughed about it.

“ The decorating in here reminds me of a painting. I think art is beautiful.” She gave him a half smile, less concerned about his good looks now that she was three glasses of wine into the date.

“ Really? Maybe we should go the art show that’s traveling into town next week. I can get tickets fairly easy actually.” He gave her a smile and she felt the warm heat travel up from the pit of her stomach. He certainly had a way with words, and with women. She saw more than one lady go by to use the restroom and his eager attempts to greet each and every one of them. Playboy all the way.

He wasn’t really sure why he even asked. She was definitely not his type, and not an easy conquest either. Perhaps it was the challenge that made him want more. He had given her every look and effort possible and she was brushing him off at every turn. Maybe he wasn’t her type, whatever it was made him want her even more.

Even now, as she hummed along to the radio he wanted to kiss her full pouting mouth. He felt his pants tighten and he knew she would be his before they were through. Soon dinner was over and they made their way outside. He walked her to her car and waited for her to look up at him.

“ Well, I guess I’m gonna go.” She gave a hiccup and a giggle and he knew she wasn’t going anywhere. He walked her over to the area where his driver was and after a moment of tapping on the roof he safely tucked her into the car.

“ Sorry, sweetheart, but you’re not driving anywhere.” He let his hand linger for a moment on her waist.

She was full of fire. “You can’t kidnap me A.J. No way, Jose.” She fell into a fit of giggles, then and he couldn’t help but smile at her.

He felt the tension rise even more than before. As he clicked her in the seatbelt, he was able to follow the line of her clinging dress up her hips and ending with a set of full breasts straining against the soft fabric, begging to be released. She looked up at him and he smiled at her. He wanted her. He knew it the second she had looked up at him. There was something different, refreshing about her. Her hand trembled just slightly and he felt the heat rush through him. He let her go, watching as she straightened her clothes and looked at him.

Her heart was beating faster than usual and she wasn’t sure why. He had held her hand for just a second longer than necessary when he had helped her in the car. He made his way around and slid into the seat beside her.

He looked up at her and leaned over closer. “I’m taking you home, you obviously cannot drive.”

She felt a tremor go through her body as she felt his hot breath on her ear. He owned a really flashy car with a driver, it was one good sign, and even still she was leery of getting into a car with someone she just met. The reality was, she didn’t have much choice in the matter. She couldn’t walk, let alone drive.

She gave him directions and soon enough they were at her apartment. He guided her up the stairs and soon she was inside. She felt her body come to life as he walked her inside. She watched him slide his eyes over the bed and then back to her.

“ I hope you will be more careful Katie, perhaps not drink as much?” He reached out and took her hand in his.

His touch was sending little balls of fire through her veins and she knew this was dangerous ground. She felt his fingers moving along her wrist and he leaned towards her closer and closer still until she heard the front door open. Reality came crashing back in and she turned red as she glanced up at him. He stood slowly and moved towards her.

“ Hey Sierra, I can’t even begin to tell you how much stuff costs at the store now, I mean it’s ridiculous.” She stopped short at Sierra’s door noticing the man inside. Sierra struggled to sit up some.

The blonde was much closer to his typical tastes. She had come bounding in full of sassiness.

Sierra gave her a look and Katie smiled. “So who is this?”

She extended her perfectly manicured hand towards A.J. and he eagerly held it to his lips.

Sierra felt her face flaming as she explained the story, and how they came to end up here, now.

“ Wait a second who is Sierra?” He gave them both a confused look.

“ Me, I am… it’s actually my middle name.” Sierra gave Katie a sour look but he seemed to buy it.

“ My name is Alayna, it is nice to meet you.” She stifled a smile at Sierra. Alayna was actually Sierra’s middle name. This was getting more complicated by the moment.

There was a moment of silence that passed between them before he took a step towards Sierra. He watched her for a moment as she struggled to stand, somehow trying to put herself together. She gave Katie an apologetic look.

“ Well, I have to go back out, Katie, I’m glad you’re home safe, and A.J., thank you for taking such good care of her. You two have a good evening.” She winked at an angry Sierra before leaving the apartment.

He gave Alayna a wave and once she was gone, he turned to look at her. She wasn’t sure what to do or feel. The alcohol in her system was more than she should have taken in and it had impaired her judgement.

It didn’t matter what she wanted really as he made his way over to her and leaned in close before his mouth made its descent on hers.

He pulled her towards him and explored her mouth at length. He was radiating heat and she met his kiss with equal intensity. They moved together with him pushing her back into the couch and holding her arms above her head with one arm.

He ran his hands under the hem of her dress and up along her thigh, she wanted him to touch her, but yet she didn’t. He found the laced edge of her panties and she froze, finally coming to her senses. She was anticipating his touch when her phone rang, shattering the moment. What the hell, she inwardly cursed herself?

He stood now, facing her and looking down at her. He wasn’t upset, but merely amused. He wanted her, eventually, but never like this. He stood once more and made his way to the door. Leaving her with an aching need she felt deep down and nothing to cure it. She glanced down at her clothes and straightened them quickly. What was wrong with her anyway? She always had control over her actions, but today she most definitely was not in control. What he must think of her, meeting him on a blind date and then within an hour letting him touch her like that.

“ I’ll pick you up next Friday at 8pm Katie, be ready, I can be impatient.” He re-buttoned his jacket and smoothed his hair before dropping a quick peck on her forehead and leaving her stunned.

“ What was he even talking about anyway?” she whispered to herself once he had left.

She hung her head in her hands and sighed. She had very strict rules about sex, and dating and right now she was breaking every one of them. She allowed herself a moment to try and recover, but she had been changed for good. Whatever she did, she would need to stay away from A.J.

The next week passed by and she did her best to stay calm and not think about him. Katie was making it nearly impossible with her line of questioning that seemed endless.

“ Oh wow so you kissed him, that’s it? Honey he is gorgeous, I should have totally went on that date.” She laughed at her own joke but seemingly aware of Sierras unhappiness.

“ Yes, and it was stupid because he is an ass, totally shallow and he thinks he is some gift put here for women to look at.” She rolled her eyes. “Not to mention, he kissed that night's version of me, not the real me.” She threw her bag into the window of the car.

“ Maybe he is a playboy, and shallow and whatever, but the truth of the matter is he liked you Sierra, and when was the last time you went out and had any fun anyway? It’s good for you, go enjoy it.” She made her way to her car. “Byeee.” She gave a wave.

“ Whatever, be quiet Katie.” She said it with a laugh as she settled into her car. It was then she noticed the note that was under the wiper. She moved to retrieve it.

That was only the beginning, I want you...

She felt her body come to life with the excitement of the words. He certainly had no problem sharing what he wanted, but she had decided to not let it go any further than it already had. She had very strict guidelines about how she lived her life. She had been reckless and let the fantasy take over yesterday. It had been the make-up, the dress and the stupid wine. Nothing more. She wouldn’t let it happen a second time.

She needed to focus on the important things in life like her family, and taking care of herself. She made her way towards the town where she had grown up. She was off this morning and was going to see her little brother off to his first day of school. She loved the small town charm that made up the community where she used to live.

It was hard to imagine that just two towns over the city was overfilled with people and congestion. It was good to sometimes come home and put things into perspective. She only hoped to not run into A.J., ever. He had wanted that woman from dinner, not the one getting ready to visit her family in a sundress and flip flops. The fantasy was something she couldn’t give him, or anyone for that matter. All she had to do was get refocused.

She saw her little brother in the front yard with their father and she got out of the car just in time to hop into the SUV that would take the four of them to the school. He was excited, and scared, she could tell by the way he was fidgety but not talking much.

Having a child after so many years since Sierra had been a struggle for her parents, but they loved Jacob more than anything in the world. He had been a miracle child for them really, and completely unexpected. She had been 16 when he was born and the shock had just subsided about having a new toddler running around when he was getting ready to go to school.

Even harder was the fact that her brother needed medication for his condition. When he was five he had been diagnosed with myeloid leukemia. The medication alone had cost her father their savings. She knew she needed to do something to help, but she wasn’t sure what. She looked down at her brother and put her hand on his knee and he moved his to hers smiling, then after a second she tapped his nose and he would tap hers back. Finally, she stuck out her tongue and he followed suit. He relaxed as she tickled him in the back seat.

The brick building was spread out ranch style and had two wings. It was a beautiful undertaking and after years it was finally ready. She walked hand in hand with Jacob, her father ahead of them. He really was a good boy. They watched as the announcer made a speech about the importance of family. It was then that she froze. She heard his voice before she even looked down towards the podium.

He was dressed impeccably as he had been yesterday. He was far away enough that he did see her but she watched him as he shared the importance of meeting educational goals. That was where she had recognized his name. Trager Enterprises was the largest business in the area and often would give money to local causes. It was his money that made this building possible.

The old school had been falling apart and now, apparently with his help, they had a new one, one that had a special wing for children with illness like Jacob. She felt her heart soften a little towards him. This knowledge would only make it that much harder to stay away from him.

She walked with Jacob and her father to his class. She felt the sense of loss once he was inside for them both. She only wished her mother could have been there to see him go inside. Just two years ago, she had been killed in a tragic car accident that had left her and her father with Jacob. They had done the best they could and now he was getting older. Her father headed back to the car and she waited a few seconds longer wanting to remember this moment for her mother. She turned to leave and there he was, leaning against the wall watching her again.

“ Hello Katie.” He enunciated her name strangely and gave her a stormy look.

“ Mr. Trager hello… again. My brother is a student here now. This is a great thing you did.” She knew she was rambling and gave him one final look. “It was nice to see you again.” As she walked by him, he grabbed her arm pulling her towards him.

He kissed her lightly and let her go, it was almost a tease, but enough to remind her that he was in control.

She started walking as soon as she was free and she tried to calm her racing heart as she did it. She saw his dark smile as he turned to leave. He was the most arrogant person she had ever met that she knew. She touched her fingertips to her lips still tingling from his latest onslaught. How was it he managed to show up places when she was there?

She headed to lunch with her father before heading back into town. They had just sat down when suddenly he was there. She almost choked on her water.

“ Sierra, Mr. Trager is having lunch with us. It seems we he knows you and in mentioning lunch I asked him to join us.” She smiled weakly and looked up to catch his eye. It was as if he were looking right through her.

“ How nice.” It was all she could manage to squeak out.

“ Sierra, are you ok, you looked pale.” Her father seemed genuinely concerned.

“ Yes, you look as though something shocked you or something of that nature.” He interjected with the same smile that drove her crazy.

“ I’m fine, just some pesky bugs in the hall before that’s all.” She saw his smile again but he said nothing.

Lunch was an interesting time. He spoke and laughed with her father as if there was nothing underlying between them. He asked her to show him the gardens at the café and at her father’s insistence she did.

“ You look beautiful today Miss Ford.” He glanced over at her as they walked.

“ Thank you Mr. Trager.” She refused to look at him.

“ So, when were you going to tell me that you are not Katie?” He never broke stride.

“ How did you find out?” She crossed her arms over the front of her dress as they walked.

“ Does that really matter? The reality is you lied, I don’t do well with liars.” He said it stiffly. She felt the anger start to rise deep down.

“ Oh really, well, it’s a good thing it was only one date.” She flashed her eyes at him and saw him do his best to hide a smile.

“ Have I mentioned how badly I want you?” she tripped lightly and he caught her arm.

“ Really? Why would you say something like that to me?” She stopped to look at him.

“ It’s simply the truth, if I want something I find it much easier to get if I simply make it clear.” He took a step towards her and she started walking again as he chuckled.

“ You’re safe for now, Miss Ford. One day soon I won’t keep that promise.” She glanced at him, but he continued to look at the pond beside them.

“ You’re almost a different person today Sierra, more free and happy perhaps.”

“ I am in my own clothes, and I’m at home. I supposed I am free that way.” He stopped her and looked down into her face.

“ I like you better this way.” There was a long moment between them and she broke free and made her way up the path. He chuckled.

“ Tell me about your brother.”

There was something in the way he said it that made her feel close to him. He seemed genuinely interested and she shared her story with him. Her brother had been diagnosed with a form of leukemia. He listened and interjected when necessary. He was almost a different person in this environment.

She found him easy to talk to and strangely, she felt safe with him. He spoke about some of the new directions the company was going in and she listened, interested in the way business is managed. She gave him some input and he arched an eyebrow at her point of view.

She was happy she had at least shown more to her character than the way she behaved around him before. Right before they made their way back to the café he stopped and pushed her into the overhang kissing her again, quickly but deep and hard. He stopped and pulled away slightly before he backed away completely.

They made their way back to the table where her father sat and Trager jumped right back into the conversation as if it were nothing. They parted ways and she rode back with her father to get her car.

“ That Mr. Trager is a nice guy Sierra.” She looked over and he gave her a wink.

“ He is an ass dad, plain and simple.” She crossed her arms in the car and he smiled at her but didn’t say another word.

She missed home when she wasn’t there, but she loved the city more. She said her goodbyes to her father and headed back to the apartment. She pulled her car into the lot adjacent to her apartment building and her phone started ringing. She assumed it was A.J. and ignored it since her hands were full. The second time it went off after she had been inside for a few minutes she checked it. It was work, with a sigh, she called Harry back at the diner.

“ Sure Harry I’ll be there just as soon as I can ok?” With a sigh she pulled her hair back into a bun and threw on her uniform. Hopefully since it was a Friday she would make decent tips.

The night seemed to drag on as she made her usual rounds. Despite her effort to not think about him, he was there and present in her mind. Maybe Katie was right, maybe she needed to get out more, and have fun. Things had been a mess since Jake and she couldn’t seem to move past it. There was some level of trust she couldn’t seem to give too freely to anyone. She was tired and she was unhappy. Sure, she had great friends, but she was living paycheck to paycheck and she needed to get things together.

Her classes here and there were certainly not helping to propel her career in any way. She had big plans once upon a time and now she was just surviving. She felt someone touch her apron and glanced back to see another staggering drunk trying to touch her rear. She pulled the apron away and made her way to the counter.

She let her head hang in her hands for a second refusing to give in to the stress, she was only 26 she still had time to get it together. Finally, the night came to a close and she headed home lost in deep thought about her future.

The next morning was there too quickly and she rolled over with a sigh. Today would be busy. The only day the she could actually clean the apartment and get it together. They both worked and went to school all week and rarely got anything done. She knew that Katie was still sleeping.

She shuffled her way to the kitchen lost in thought once more about her brother. His prognosis, if medicated was good, but she worried about him. She looked around and jumped in full force. She would be lying if she said she didn’t think about him. It was strange, someone making her feel things now. She had assumed that was all behind her. She wanted desperately to be like Katie. To find love and happiness, but none of it was for her. She needed to focus on what was important.

A.J. was having a similar morning. He was killing himself waiting to find a woman. Usually he could go out and find any number of them to bring home, but now he was stuck. He told himself it had nothing to do with her, but he wasn’t so sure. Ever since their kiss at the school opening he couldn’t get her out of his head. This was the first day in a long time he woke up unsatisfied from the night before. He always had someone, but she had robbed him of it.

He was completely focused on winning her over. He wanted her even now, in his bed. He gritted his teeth and made his way to the shower. Sometimes it helped, sometimes not. Soon, however, she would be his even if only for one night.

The rest of the morning flew by and Sierra looked around enjoying her clean apartment. There was a sense of pride in that and she liked order. She never would be considered spontaneous on any level. She slumped down in the chair and threw the rag in she had in the waiting basket.

Soon Katie would be gone, moving for her new job, and she would either have to find a way to make the payments on this place herself, or move home. She like the simplicity of the apartment, but she was doubtful there was any way she could make it on her own. For now she would enjoy it.

He knew she would be mad. Furious more likely. She wanted him as much as he wanted her, but she was determined to fight him. She was always leery of him, part of him liked it that way, and he enjoyed the banter they seemed to find themselves in every time they spoke. She was smart and quick, he knew that by talking to her, but something kept her from giving in to him and he wanted to know what it was.

He wanted her and he rarely was ever turned down. She was fighting him and the chase had begun. When she was here, which he was sure would be within the hour, he had every intention of claiming her body once and for all. The morning seemed to go on forever as he anticipated the way she would feel beneath him. He wanted to control her every move and the thought flooded him with fire. Soon, he thought to himself, soon.

He heard the first stirrings of activity in the lobby. He smiled and leaned back in his chair waiting and anticipating how she would look when she was angry. He spun around as his assistant opened his door.

Mr. Trager someone, a young lady is here to see you. “She glanced behind her quickly. “She said you were expecting her.”

“ I am, please let her in.” He sat up and made every effort to look busy as she stormed into the room.

As soon as he heard the click of the door, he looked up at her and it hit him like a punch to the gut. She was more beautiful at this very moment than she had been yet. Her hair was a swirling mass of reds and browns and flowed down her back freely. He could almost feel his fingers itch to run through it. Her arms were crossed and her body was fitted into a dress that hugged her every curve and angle.

“ What the hell were you thinking towing my car?” She continued to tap her foot as she waved a sheet of paper at him. “I had to take a cab to get here and even that took forever. I can’t afford to take a cab all the way across town Trager.” She huffed and exhaled slowly and he noticed the pink hue of her cheeks,

“ I’m sorry Sierra, I wanted you to come see me, and I knew this was one way to make it happen.” He leaned back and smiled.

“ You are so smug sometimes A.J., you just assume the world is here to give you whatever you want aren’t you?” She was practically yelling and he wanted to somehow bottle up all the fire she carried and make love to her for hours.

“ Sometimes, yes. I like getting what I want and right now I want you.” He said it simply enough, but there was much more to the statement.

“ You don’t even know me Trager.” She sighed.

It was the truth and it had never been clearer to her than right now. He had no idea of what was on her plate, or in her world for that matter. She was already stretched too thin and it wouldn’t take much to push her over the edge.

Her Monday had started out badly, her car had been towed, and she’d spent hours on the phone looking for various agencies to help fund Jacobs’s medication. Money was running out and she needed a solution fast. Her father had called her to discuss the house and he had decided to take out a loan against it.

It was the only thing of value he had left that he’d shared with her mother. With the growing figures for Jacobs’s medication, it was clear he had no choice. Then after going outside and seeing that her car was missing, she had stomped off in a search for it, only to find it had been a ruse to get her here.

“ I don’t have to know you, not everything about you to know I want you in my arms Sierra. I have wanted to touch you since that night when I watched you walk into the restaurant.”

“ I don’t know how you do it Trager, but for me, I am not interested in becoming some notch on your headboard.”

“ I don’t have a headboard Sierra, but you will see soon enough.” His arrogance was stifling, but she couldn’t stop the warmth that spread through her body. “I know you want the very same thing from me but you won’t let yourself go. I am not asking for marriage or family,

I just want you, plain and simple.”

He was almost too much to look at. He was impeccably dressed as always. He delivered his point clearly and effectively and she knew what he said was true. She wasn’t too old yet to want to be touched by someone, and held by someone. The obvious problem was that she wasn’t that type of girl.

“ Shut the door Sierra.” She did as he told her and as she started to walk towards him he added “lock it.”

With a gulp she did as she was told. There was an underlying current in the air and she could tell he was playing with her, like a cat and mouse game. She wouldn’t be bossed around by his arrogance and she wanted him to know it.

The entire situation was out of hand and she had let it go too far that day in her apartment. She took responsibility for, for drinking the wine that had gotten her into this mess.

“ Mr. Trager, I think I need to apologize. I think I may have given you the wrong impression about me. I am not the kind of girl who just lets strange men touch her... well you know what I mean. I can’t let this… attraction between us continue.” She fumbled the words out. “To say that my life is complicated right now would be a very sincere understatement.”

They sounded less harsh than she intended, but she had finally gotten them out. He turned slowly towards her and he had a sinister look about him. He wasn’t frowning, or smiling it was as if he was stuck between both. He moved towards her like a cat chasing its prey and she backed up against his desk as he moved over her. He was slow at first he simply ran his finger across her neck relishing at her quick intake of breath.

He looked at her as he traced his finger across her chest and across the tops of her breasts. She couldn’t breathe, it was if she had never said a word. He kissed the tops of each mound softly before he undid her hair, letting it cascade around her like a fiery blanket.

He put his hands in it and pulled her hard against him, crushing his mouth to hers. She was lost. The feel of his mouth, grinding into hers was a welcome one. She had tried to put up a defense against him and failed. He turned her around and she felt him lean into her as he whispered into her ear.

“ Sierra, I have been very clear about the fact that I want you. I want you to know that before anything else happens. I want you to know without any doubt that it’s going to happen.” She gasped as he pushed against her and she could feel the length of him against her.

“ You have to let go, let yourself feel all of the things I want to show you.” He kissed her mouth lightly. “If you want to say no I will, but understand if you do, I may not try again.”

She nodded yes to him as the rest of her defense slipped away. He was very matter-of-fact about things and she loved it. She felt him unzip her dress and trail his fingers down her spine as the dress slipped to the floor. She was aware of every nerve ending in her body as his hands reached around and touched her.

“ Don’t move.” It was all he told her before he began his descent. Even in slow motion Sierra couldn’t stop the kiss, she welcomed it more than she should have and she shivered as she felt his other hand under the other side of her head.

He raised back only once searching her face and seeing no resistance, he kissed her once more. This time deeper, longer and more demanding. She felt him cup the back of her head to tilt her towards him as the kiss intensified.

She didn’t want to fight anymore, couldn’t fight anymore. She stood and with one zip she let her dress drop to the floor leaving him speechless. She made her way over to him and he felt her tentatively put her mouth on his. This kind of forwardness was completely out of her comfort zone and he knew it.

“ How long has it been Sierra?” Her eyes flew open to look at him.

“ Four years.” She whispered it to him and it almost pushed him over the edge.

She let him love her in a way she had never known. Most of it was undoubtedly because of his experience as a lover. There was a sense of panic she’d felt when he told her there may not be another chance. She wanted to feel good, feel better.

Her life was a mix of stress and planning and all she wanted was to feel something else. His skin on hers was like fire and ice and she let go, of her fears, of her stress of everything and he loved her completely. She met his every move and every action and she knew she was giving him as much as he gave her.

A.J. was moved by what had happened between them. He had certainly been with many women, but nothing had ever been as moving as what they had shared. She had always been distant and scared and yet something had switched and she gave instead herself to him with everything in her power. She wasn’t shy or meek, she was eager and demanding and he enjoyed pushing her to her limits.

Yet, as good as it was she was holding back something he couldn’t quite put his finger on. She lay cupped in front of him, he could sense she was exhausted and simply didn’t want to move. It wasn’t usually his style, cuddling, but for her he would make an exception.

There was a sense of sadness about her he wanted to fix, despite the warning bells in his head. He traced his finger up and down the length of her arm as she dozed slightly.

No, this wasn’t his usual situation on any level at all. It happened almost simultaneously, the two of them remembering where they were. Sierra jumped up to start gathering her clothes. To be honest the fact that they were in his office was mortifying and she was blushing the entire time. Along the way that fact had slipped her mind, until now.

“ Sierra… Sierra calm down it’s fine.” He smiled at her as she continued to slip back into her clothes and he was able to be a bystander and admire the curve of her hip and the softness of her skin as the light hit it.

“ No A.J. it’s not alright. This is not me, I mean not really me.” She was frantic in her actions and after he redressed, he stilled her arms and helped her to breath. He sensed a panic in her, something deep down.

“ Do you want to talk about it, Sierra?” he brushed her hair back from her face as he cupped her chin lovingly.

“ No, no I’m fine, I’m sorry. I have to go.” She gave him one last look and headed out of the office in a hurry. Something was wrong and he wanted to know what it was.

She took the few strides to reach her building and once inside her room, she collapsed against the door. What had she been thinking? No matter what she did, she somehow managed to make the situation worse. She shook her head to clear her thoughts of him, and what had happened and called home.

Her father answered and they took some time to discuss the home loan further. He sounded tired and she worried about him. She also spoke with Jacob about school. He was excited about the teacher and his class. She missed his little face all the time. She listened to her father and told him about work and Katie, she failed to mention Trager. They chatted for a while discussing the options she had once Katie was gone.

Her last day at work was yesterday and she would be another week packing and getting things ready before leaving. Finally, they hung up and she carefully stood to walk into the kitchen. She blushed, remembering. Even now she was sore from what he had put her through. She had to remind herself that it could never happen again.

She took a drink of water and settled into the armchair in the living room. Katie had been gone for hours, having met a friend in town. For the next few hours she had the place to herself and she planned to use them wisely. She started running a bath touching the hot water with her fingertips and adding some soaking water.

She had been soaking for ten minutes before she heard a loud thump on the front door. She sat up quickly and wrapped herself in a robe. She felt her heart beating fast as she made her way to the front door. She checked the eye hole and saw no one. She sighed and relaxed, it had probably been a cat. She froze when she saw the shadow of someone in the hall. She opened the door to look. He stood back looking at her.

“ Sierra, hey look don’t shut the door.” He rushed towards her block it with his arm.

She folded her arms. “What do you want Brandon, why are you here and furthermore, how did you know I was here?” He pushed the door slightly and came inside.

She took a step back, this was part of the problem between them. He scared her. With A.J. she knew he wouldn’t hurt her. With Brandon it made her worry, about her safety.

He reached out to her. “Sierra I miss you so much, if you would just let me show you.” He took a step towards her and she moved out of his reach, grabbing the vase on the table and moving away.

“ Brandon, please. You know it’s done with us you can’t do this. I need you to go.” She moved towards the door and he grabbed her arm. She knew there would be bruises tomorrow. It was then that the front door opened and Katie came through it, followed by someone she had never met.

It was obvious they had walked into something dicey and the man with Katie spoke up first. “Is there a problem here?”

Katie made her way over to Sierra hugging her as she walked her towards the kitchen.

“ No man, not a thing, I was just going. Sierra I’ll be back.” Brandon said as he left and he shut the door.

Sierra was visibly shaken, she had never expected him to follow her here. She had thought to leave him behind and start over.

“ Thanks, I appreciate the help.” She glanced over at Katie.

“ Sierra this is Marcus, a good friend of mine.” She gave Marcus a huge smile and Sierra shook his hand.

“ No wonder you sent me on that crazy date.” She gave them both a half smile, still reeling from Brandon’s visit. “Really though, thanks for your help. She excused herself to go think.

She made her way to her room. She had no choice, she would have to go home now, and at least with her father around, she felt safe. She supposed she could call the police, but she wasn’t sure much would come of it. Instead, she focused on her assignment for the class she was taking online. Monday she would give a notice at the diner.

Brandon didn’t bother her anymore the rest of the week. Two of her tires were slashed on Friday morning and she was beginning to wonder if it was Brandon all along. She had Katie drop her off at the diner. She would normally be happy and carefree, but now she was depressed and wasn’t sure how to get out of the way she felt.

More than that, she was scared and worried about where she was headed. The day went by quickly and she made her way home on the bus, hoping to just get there safely. She jumped when her phone rang and she checked the number and relaxed. It wasn’t Brandon.

“ Hello A.J., how are you?”

“ I’m doing well, I was hoping maybe we could talk, before our date tonight.”

She frowned, thinking, she had not only forgotten about the date, some part of her assumed he had been joking anyway. Given the last time they had seen each other she almost figured she wouldn’t hear from him again.

“ About that A.J., I’m not sure if I can. Some things have come up I need to take care of. Besides, I don’t have a car.”

“ Even better I’ll send you one, are you at home?”

“ Yes, but...”

“ Give me thirty minutes.” He cut her off mid-sentence and then hung up abruptly.

The truth of the matter was that she wasn’t sure if she could handle seeing him right now. With the possibility of Brandon lurking about she was consumed with worry.

A.J. probably never had these kinds of issues. On top of her own problems she was concerned about her father and Jacob. Based on her calculations even with taking out a loan on the house he would need more money down the road.

What would they do then? She considered A.J., and not for the first time either. If she could somehow get him to fall for her then she would have the financial freedom to help Jacob, but it was completely out of character for her to do something like that. Even still, the idea burned in the back of her mind.

She couldn’t admit to herself, even now that she may want to get him to fall for her because she just wanted to be with him, it was ridiculous to even think it. He was a known playboy and he would never settle for her no matter what she wanted, on the surface or deep down.

True to his word a car arrived to pick her up. She had made the attempt to put on something nice. She had on a black dress and heels and her hair was spun up on top of her head. She had applied her make –up much as

Katie had done before, but just not as much. She sat back to see how she looked and once again the person staring back was a stranger. She would at least try to test the waters, to see if he felt anything for her. They had only known each other a short time, but there was something there and they both knew it.

She watched the buildings fly by, lost in her own thoughts. Nothing made sense anymore. A.J. Trager had her head spinning and it wouldn’t allow for her to focus on what was important. She would test the waters, so to speak, to see what he said and felt about her. She had zero powers of seduction up her sleeve, but she would try, for Jacob. The car pulled up to his building and she made her way inside and up to his floor.

Since he had towed her car she knew exactly where to find him now, he had been nice enough to send her money back to her for the car and the tow with a courier, but it was still about the principle. She smiled at his assistant, a blonde who was gorgeous, and couldn’t help but wonder if he had slept with her too?

She heard his voice welcome her in and she took a deep breath and went inside. He looked up from the papers on his desk and sat back in his chair. He was all business like, collected and the air that surrounded him seemed to come to life. She glanced at the desk and gulped. Just a few days ago, she had been laid out in that very spot. She felt the redness rush to her cheeks.

A.J. looked her over. He usually had a firm handle on his behavior, but he struggled with not finding her since she had last been here. Not even 30 minutes after she had left during her last visit, he felt himself wanting her again. She was under his skin and he was trying to figure out how to handle it.

Something was very different today, she was as pale as a ghost and almost lifeless despite her efforts to seem calm and carefree. He tried to push down the need to fix whatever was bothering her. Instead he stood and walked towards her.

She saw him coming and despite her fears she felt the fire almost immediately. He made her come to life and feel safe all at the same time. He stopped and leaned back on the desk.

“ Come here Sierra.” She obeyed him. He lifted his hand up to her pale face and traced the line of her jaw with his forefinger. “Did you think about me about what we did?” She nodded her head yes and her eyes met his. He frowned she was not completely here with him, not now.

“ What’s wrong Sierra?”

“ Nothing, why do you ask.” She gave him a warm smile and reached up to run her fingers over his sports coat.

He frowned, she was doing her best to appear seductive, but her actions didn’t match her appearance. There was something going on but she was hiding it from him, toying with him. There was a loud bang from the outer office and she practically jumped into his arms.

She buried her head in his chest and instinctively he wrapped his arms around her.

His door opened to reveal his assistant. “Sorry about the commotion Mr. Trager the Adams kids were here and they decided to play a prank on dad. They have since left and Mr. Adams apologized for their behavior.” She gave him a quick glance and took in the scene of him holding that nice girl whose car he had towed. Good for him, he was her cousin and a rake and he needed to stop and settle down before his mother had a heart attack.

“ Thank you for letting us know.” He gave her a smile and once the door was shut, he addressed the woman who was wrapped around him.

“ Ok Sierra, what’s going on, what’s wrong?” She pulled away from him.

“ Nothing is wrong A.J... I just had a rough night and I apologize for my behavior. I didn’t mean to embarrass you like that.” She sniffed and he frowned at her.

“ No, I’m not letting this go Sierra, I want to know why you are trembling like that and now!” He was demanding and loud and she worried someone would

hear them outside of the doors.

“ I may as well tell you, there has been a situation that has come up and I will be moving in a week or so. I guess I’m just nervous or stressed, that’s all.” She trembled slightly as he took her hand in his and turned it over, lightly tracing the palm with his thumb.

He pulled her to him and she welcomed the arms that wrapped around her, holding her. She knew then she could never seduce him, hell she wasn’t even able to have a conversation with him without falling apart.

She felt his hands rubbing her back and she closed her eyes, enjoying the way his hands felt. He moved them now, running them down the length of her and she trembled now, not from fear, but of what she knew his hands would do to her if she didn’t stop them now. She tried to pull away from him, but he held her there and she looked up at him.

“ Didn’t you like what I did the other day to you Sierra, for you?” He pulled her arm up and nibbled his way up the underside of her forearm. “Answer me Sierra.”

“ Yes.” She whispered the words as her body reacted to him. She had all the strength in the world when he wasn’t in front of her. When he was she was lost to him.

“ Is your family in trouble?” He continued up her arm having moved around to the top of her shoulder now.

“ No, well yes, but no.” She frowned, unsure how to answer him.

“ Then you can’t leave me, I’m not done with you yet.” He pulled her face to his and kissed her roughly, needing to feel the softness of her full red lips beneath his.

She knew she had no choice, she had to go, but right now she was here, with him… safe. He pulled back and without thought she pulled his head back down to hers. Without warning, he stopped and backed away from her. She trembled watching his face and took a step back.

“ I have to touch you Sierra, do you understand? I have thought of nothing else.” He moved back towards her and pulled her towards him by the arm. She whimpered and he let her go. He may be passionate, but he would never hurt her. He gently pulled the arm out of the sleeve she was wearing, despite her protests and looked at the black and purple bruise forming on her arm. He felt the rage well up inside him and knew he wanted someone to hurt for this.

“ Who did this to you Sierra?” She looked at the floor and shoved her arm back in her sleeve to go. He grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him. “Who?”

She knew he wouldn’t give in until she answered him. “He is an ex, I moved because of him and he found me.” She watched the play of emotions on his face as he stood. “Don’t move Sierra, I mean it.” He walked over to the window and she stood rooted to the spot. He was on the phone talking to someone and when he was through he made his way back over to her.

“ My driver is on his way here, you are to let him take you to my place where I know you will be safe and wait for me until later.”

“ Mr. Trager that’s not necessary, this is not your problem, it's mine.” She stood to go, but felt him move between her and the door.

“ Sierra, I am not arguing with you about this? Where is your car I’ll have it brought to your house?”

“ You sent a car for me remember? Someone had slashed my tires.” She said it dryly and he swore under his breath. There was a knock on the door and he

simply said “Open.”

He spoke to his driver for a moment before he walked over to her. He was almost gentle in the way he led her to the door. “I will see you there later.” He stopped and turned her around to face him. “Tell me you will be there Sierra, I don’t have time to worry about you all afternoon.”

She knew he was serious and she would do as she asked. “Yes, I’ll be there A.J...” As the driver left the room, he pulled her into a kiss. “I’ll be there soon.”

“ Where am I going A.J.?” she asked it simply but he knew she needed to feel safe.

“ To my place, you will be safe there.” At her hesitation he added. “Just do this… for me.” She looked up at him and knew he was sincere, she nodded her head yes. He kissed the top of her head as she left.

She made her way down the elevator and to the waiting car. She had planned to seduce him, to help her family.

Somewhere along the way she had simply planned to tell him she was leaving. As usual, he took over the conversation and made the decisions for her. She visibly relaxed in the seat. She needed to feel safe for a little while anyway. She knew she would be gone in a few hours, but for right now she would be at his house, where A.J. can’t find her.

Nothing prepared her for the penthouse where he lived. It was obvious to her that he had refined and elegant tastes in everything. From the marbled counters, to the floor to ceiling windows.

She felt out of place here, like a dirty stray puppy or something. The driver, James she had found out on her way here, had been working for Trager for two years and was close to him. He led her to the main room where she could relax. Twenty minutes later he returned with a box in hand.

“ What’s this?” She took the box and lifted the lid slightly. Once she saw the lace the closed it immediately.

“ Mr. Trager said to make sure you were fed, and had something to wear. He also ordered food for dinner and it will be here before he arrives.

“ You have full use of the house Miss Ford.” He tipped his hat and left her. She spun around the room and set about exploring. She found a huge bedroom with a canopied bed and adjacent to it was a marbled bathroom.

To say it was elegant was an understatement. She filled the large oval bathtub and decided to slip in and try to enjoy it. She redressed in her work clothes. The “outfit” he had given her was a sexy lacy thing barely there. It was a dark blue color and he had tucked a note inside that read.

I will be there at 6, wear this… and your hair down.

She had to smile, he was so demanding and yet it suited him. She thought about the next steps for her and where she would go from here. It all came back to the same conclusion she had no choice but to go home.

She lifted her arms to brush out her hair with her fingers and winced in pain, once again reminded of A.J. and his declaration that he would be back. She heard the door and felt the same fear creep in and then she remembered the food. She checked and opened the door to a lovely young woman and an armload of boxes she put them all in the warming oven and looked at the clock. It was 5:45.

She decided she would wear it, for him. He had been sweet enough to let her come here to feel safe it was the least she could do. She tried to deny it had anything to do with the fact that they would be alone, in his house. She also had thrown the idea of seducing him out the window. For now she just wanted to erase the past couple of days and feel something good. She changed her clothes and waited.

He came home quietly, barely a sound. Something that didn’t shock her. He moved into the room and dropped his things as he took long strides to get to the bedroom. He froze when he saw her there. Slowly he undid his tie and started undressing.

“ Come here Sierra, help me.” She did as he asked, watching his face as she stripped him of his clothes. His skin was tight and smooth and she ran her hands over his chest lightly before he grabbed her hands in his. He pulled her behind him and made the short trip to his bedroom. As she had imagined the room with the marbled bathroom was his. He stopped in front of the bed and let her go.

“ Get on the bed… and then lay on your back.” He said it and moved to the other side of the room to finish removing his clothes.

When she was done, she felt her heart beating out of her chest. She was laying here like a sacrifice to him. She had a need to be that for him. Whatever had made him this way, whatever drove him she didn’t know.

She only wanted to make him feel better, and in turn make herself feel better. He moved towards her and she lay still. She expected to see a sinister smile play across his face, but the one he had was a concerned one instead.

He moved easily onto the bed, above her. Instead of ravishing her as she expected, he pulled her closer to him and held her. The action was a simple one, but necessary. She closed her eyes and felt her body relax in the warm strength of his arms. She needed this, the security of it. It wouldn’t be long before even this moment was a memory, and she wanted to enjoy it for as long as she could. They lay that way for a while, his hands slowly moving along her arms and hips. His movements were non-sexual but more loving than anything.

He raised above her slightly to look at her. She was beautiful and she was laying in his bed, something that never happened. He always made a point of being with women someplace else, never here. She was special, he had known it from the beginning, but what he was feeling now was new for him.

“ Do you want to talk about it Sierra?” He played with an auburn curl as he looked down at her. She reached up and put her hand on his cheek.

“ No, I don’t want to talk A.J., I just want to feel safe, and wanted.” Their eyes made contact and the mood shifted dramatically.

“ Are you sure?” He took the time to make the extra effort before he touched her like that. He was fighting his baser instincts already, trying to be there and trying to make her feel safe. If she opened that door on her own, welcoming him in, it would take very little before he gave her everything once more.

“ Yes, I’m sure… love me, A.J.”

He needed no further invitation and his mouth found her full and red lips eagerly. His actions were focused and specific, even he felt the trembling need building within. Her hair was spread across the pillow like a flame, and the lingerie he had sent fit her like a glove.

He held his focus on her mouth, kissing her feeding off of her lips until they were bruised.

She touched him back, running her fingers down his back and in his hair as he kissed on her. He moved his hands down her shoulders and chest casually licking and nipping through the lace of her clothing.

He nipped the skin on her belly, all the while his hands were freeing her upper body from the confinement of the outfit. He used his hands to cup and love on her until he made his way back up. It was almost painful when he would move the heat of his mouth off of her skin and move to another area.

She reveled in the feel of him on her and the patterns his mouth made on her flesh... Her body was on fire. Her hands pulling his head up and back to her waiting mouth. He did as she asked and gave her a passionate kiss, drinking from her mouth. She wanted this, wanted him more now than ever. Only he could make her forget their pain and the worry of what life had in store for her. Only he could take her someplace else.

He made a leisurely trail down the rest of her body, leaving no area untouched by him. Suddenly stood back to look at her naked form splayed across the bed. She felt no shame in it, in this moment she belonged to him.

“ You are mine, Sierra, do you understand that… only mine.” She nodded to him and he smiled at her before making a trail up her thighs with his mouth. Soon it was too much, the way he touched her, the way he loved her. She wanted to be in this moment for as long as possible

He moved above her and she felt the joining of their body’s like a tidal wave. He felt the heat of her envelop him and he stopped, waiting and feeling her. She was more than any women he had ever known and he knew he was forever changed. There was an urgency to hold her, to love her. He moved slowly, savoring every second of it, she was lost in it, just as he, he had thrown back and her eyes were glazed over from his lover.

She looked at him now as he moved and he never broke stride once as he laid his chest against hers and kissed her deeply. She moaned loudly, driving him more and he his pace became quicker, more demanding.

Both unwilling to let go of what they felt they had moved frantically exploring and enjoying the other. She was lost in a swirling of color and heat. She felt the familiar stirrings deep down and her eyes fluttered open and she looked at him.

Her reaction was stronger than any she’d ever had before. It ripped through her and she felt it shoot through even her fingers and toes. She yelled out his name as it happened and something about that pushed him over the edge as well. He grabbed her face and leaned down over her as he found release inside her.

They lay that way for a long time, both feeling and thinking. Neither of them wanting to move. She drifted off to sleep at some point and knew she was safe.

He woke before she did and stood looking at her. She was curled on her side, oblivious to the fact she was being watched. He was lost and confused at himself. Last night he had broken more than one of his own rules. He had never been so careless with anyone.

She could be pregnant from what they had done. Thinking it brought up images of what their child would look like and the warm feeling spread through him and he swore inwardly to himself. What the hell was wrong with him? He knew before he even admitted it to himself, he wanted her, wanted to be with her. She was moving, but there was no way he would allow it now.

She was in his bed, and in his heart. He was all over the place with her. One minute he wanted to protect her, the next he wanted to wring her neck she was so stubborn. He wasn’t sure what he would do now. He padded his way back into the living room and decided to start plating food. She would be up soon and they had to talk. This time not lying in a bed, or nothing would ever get discussed. He picked up her bag from the floor and when he did, he found a notepad with something scratched on it.

When finally she woke up, she knew he was gone. She moved to the shower and washed the lovemaking off of her from before. She felt him come in before he said a word. He waited, a hooded look to his eyes

“ Why didn’t you tell me you someone was trying to hurt you Sierra?” He picked up the soap from the dish and lathered up the sponge she was holding. He started with her shoulders, making lazy circles as he washed her.

“ Why would I tell you A.J.?” she managed to get the words out despite the sensations he was creating with the sponge. He moved the sponge lower lathering her as he went.

“ I told you that you belong to me Sierra that means everything. If anyone try’s to hurt you that is my business too.”

She bit her lip to keep from giving him the satisfaction of knowing what he was doing to her again. When he was around, she lost all control of her body. He turned off the water and dried her off helping her get dressed in a shirt of his. She had to admit to herself she was left wanting more.

They walked into the kitchen where the food was still warm and he played it for them all the while watching her. She looked at him, she had never seen him this way. He was wearing sweats and a t-shirt. Gone was the tailored suit and tie, even his hair was a ruffled mess, and she was lost.

“ Sierra, hello.” He was waving his hand in front of her and she snapped back to the present.

Finally, he asked.

“ This guy, is his name Brandon? Don’t lie to me.”

“ Yes, but how did you know that A.J.?” she stopped eating and looked at him.

“ I had someone look into the situation this afternoon after you left. They are coming by tonight with an update. I’d rather you know now, than to be upset later.” He took a long drink. “Then there is this.” He slapped the notepad from her bag on the table and she went pale.

“ A.J. it’s not what you think.” She took a step backwards as he turned to look at her, anger apparent on his face.

“ Really, it’s not?” he read from the list. “Get him to fall for me pros, Jacobs meds, great sex… thanks for that one by the way, not being scared.” He looked at her with her head down now. “Cons of getting him to fall for me. He is a playboy, great sex and the best one… incapable of love.” He threw the pad on the table in her direction.

“ I write a lot about what’s in my head, A.J. and that’s all. I knew better and I wouldn’t even try….”

He cut her off “Really, you wouldn’t try? When you first came in the office tonight you were handsy then, were you not trying?” He was bitter and upset.

“ Well, yes, but I knew it was wrong and I couldn’t… I’m not stupid A.J., I knew better than to even consider it.” She grabbed the pad up from the table and walked over to face him. “Exactly what part are you mad about A.J.? The fact that I said the sex was great or the fact that someone else considered turning your own games against you, which is it?” She spun around but he was there in an instant. He was inches away from her face and his eyes softened.

“ You're right, everything on that list if right, so I guess you win. I brought you here to protect you, I’m not as horrible as you think.”

She was angry. “You have no right to get involved A.J., he is misguided and yes, he scares me but this is not your problem to look into.” She stood quickly and made her way back to the bedroom they had shared only hours before. She looked around gathering her clothes, but her bag was gone. She was on her way back into the kitchen where he still sat eating and she stopped. He didn’t move only continued to eat.

When she headed towards the door he finally spoke to her. “Sierra, don’t.”

He said it with such deep intent, it made her freeze in her tracks. He was there in an instant. He stood in front of her, between her and the door.

He reached up and gently brushed her hair away from her face. She saw something different in his eyes then, something she couldn’t place.

He reached up and cupped her face in his hand and kissed her gently. Suddenly there was a knock on the door. He stood back and opened it, letting in a man in a dark coat. He grabbed her hand in his and brought her with him to the bar where the man could share his findings.

“ This man Brandon Baker, he isn’t who he says he is. We checked your car and spoke with some people in the neighborhood and we are pretty sure he is the one who did it. That isn’t the real problem.”

Sierra felt the dread welling up inside her as he continued to speak. Whatever it was, it couldn’t be good.

“ His description fits a suspect that is wanted in the disappearance of a woman in Montana. Apparently he was too overwhelming and suddenly she went missing. The guy they are looking for is Richard Carson, but I was able to track his entrance into town around the same time Mr. Randolph disappeared from Montana. I think it’s worth looking into.”

A.J. spoke first. “Thank you Darius. I'll be in touch, but I definitely want this handled, and quickly.”

Sierra was in shock the tears streaming down her face. She had dated Brandon for two years before he started to act this way, at any moment she could have been hurt. She had to get home where she was safe, where everyone was safe. She turned around and suddenly he was there. He pulled her into his arms and she let it all go, the tears and her heartache, for the time spent with someone who could hurt her. She pulled away and wiped her face.

“ I have to go home, to my father’s.” She headed back to the door.

“ No, it’s not safe Sierra, stay here, with me.” He stood there and she glanced between the door and him. She wasn’t sure what to do.

“ Then what A.J., stay here until morning and then be scared to even go home to get my things?” She slumped down to the couch. She started to put on her shoes and he watched her helplessly.

S

he suddenly leaned forward and he knew she was crying. Instinctively he moved towards her, gathering her up in his arms. He knew she wouldn’t put up a fight and he carried her to his room and his bed. She silently let the tears go unchecked down her face. She didn’t want to fight the emotions anymore, she just needed to let it all go. She didn’t say a word as he undressed her and tucked her into the bed.

He followed suit and spooned in behind her, pulling her into his arms. She rolled over and let him wrap her up, laying her head on his chest and cried until she was asleep. He looked down at her, gently stroking her hair and enjoying the heat of her body against this. There was a simple pleasure in this, something with no sexual bearing, he was in uncharted territory.

He was losing himself with her, his focus had shifted to loving her, and protecting her. She was determined to run, but he wouldn’t let her, she just needed to realize what she felt back to him too. It would take some patience, but he would show her, he had too, or lose herself in the process.

Sierra was aware of everything around her. She had been lying there, thinking about what was to come for a long time. He was there, beside her.

It felt like the most natural thing in the world to be here with him like this. She was in love with him, but he would never know it.

He was a playboy and that would never change. She slid away from him slightly and in his sleep, he pulled her back to him. With a sigh, she let herself feel for a while longer.

The next time she woke he was gone. She had planned to try and leave quietly, not disturbing him. It was no longer an option since he was in the kitchen. She threw on his shirt and walked quietly into the room and watched him. He was humming to himself and stirring something on the stove. He finally noticed her there and he froze.

Standing there in his shirt, and her hair a tangled mess, she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. She was watching him with a half-smile and he could almost feel his heart beating out of his chest. He looked like an idiot standing there staring and he shook his head slightly to get it together.

“ I see you’re up, sleepyhead. Coffee is ready, and breakfast will be in a moment.” He turned back to what he was doing and she watched the muscles in his back flex as he worked. There was something sexy about a man cooking and she smiled despite the knowing fear in her stomach about the day to come.

“ Thank you, I have to go soon, but I’ll stay and eat. It looks heavenly!” He delivered her eggs and bacon with pancakes and she sat back, overwhelmed by the food on her plate.

“ Sorry, I have a rather big appetite for breakfast food.” He shrugged and joined her at the bar.

They ate in silence, neither wanting to broach the topic at hand. They would smile from time to time, but it was a quiet affair. Once everything had been cleared, she couldn’t avoid it any longer.

“ A.J., I can’t thank you enough, for everything you did for me last night.” She gave him a smile as she wound her mass of hair up into a bun.

He watched the woman he loved become the woman he was afraid of, all business and stern.

“ Sierra we need to talk. I don’t want you to move, especially with that guy still running loose. I don’t trust the situation.” He couldn’t say the words he was really feeling, not yet it was still too new.

“ It’s not just about that A.J., there is much more to it. My father needs me.”

He stood. “I asked you if your family needed you, if they were in trouble.” He frowned at her.

“ I know you did, and I just didn’t want to add to the situation, I’m sorry.” She slipped out of his shirt and changed back into her clothes. He took a steadying breath as he watched her naked form move and sway with her movements, this was damn near killing him.

He moved towards her and upped her chin in his hand. “Tell me Sierra, please talk to me.”

She looked at his expression and knew he was being sincere. With a sigh she settled back into the barstool.

“ My father is taking out a loan on the house today and I have to go sign paperwork with him.

It’s a legal issue more than anything. When my mother dies I was given executor over the estate because my father didn’t want to have any part of it, he was devastated when she died.”

“ Why does he need to take out a loan on the house?” He frowned.

“ It doesn’t matter why A.J., you asked what I had to do, and I told you.” Her eyes were flashing at him and he knew she was angry. As she went into the bathroom to fix her face, he took matters into his own hands, that’s how she found him when she came back out.

“ Oh yes, I completely understand, yes Mr. Ford. I’m happy to help, really, that won’t be necessary, will give him a hug from us. Ok, now bye.”

She was standing there with her hands on her hips, fuming. When he hung up he knew there would be hell before she even began.

“ Was that my father? My father, A.J., really you went to him? Since when do you have his number anyway!” she was pacing and he watched her, amused.

“ Since lunch, we exchanged numbers. To be fair Sierra I asked you first, but you wouldn’t tell me anything so I asked him.” He moved towards her and she backed away and he frowned.

“ You have no right always butting into everything I do A.J., you shouldn’t have called him, now he is going to worry, I dumped all of our problems at his feet, he is going to be worried I won’t be there today to handle the business side of the situation. What exactly did he tell you?” She stopped pacing and peered at him.

“ You don’t need to go sign the paperwork, he decided not to take a loan out on the house. We talked about Jacob, of course.” He waited for the next round of anger to start.

“ What did you do A.J., what did you do.” She whispered it and he was even more concerned. He could handle her fire, but this was new.

“ I took care of it, I offered to pay for Jacobs’s medicine. You could have talked to me about it Sierra, I would have helped.” She flashed him a look and he felt it like a slap.

“ Is that how it is now A.J., I stay here, we are… together and now you swoop in and fix my problems?” She waited.

He was angry now. “Hours ago Sierra, I confronted you about planning the same thing.

You contemplated it and now you’re throwing it at me when the fact of the matter is I’m not doing it for any other reason than the fact that I love you.” He was yelling now and he watched her face shift and turn red. He ran a hand through his hair and walked to the bedroom to cool off.

He knew she couldn’t go anywhere and he needed to breathe, she made him crazy and he had just said he loved her. He felt her enter the room before he even saw her. He turned around to see her crying and he immediately sobered.

“ Don’t do that Sierra, I can’t handle you crying. I am sorry, for whatever I did wrong. It doesn’t change the way I feel.”

“ I love you too, A.J., I think I always have.” She wiped her face. I want to give you the babies that you've always wanted.

He felt his heart soar as he took the few short strides to her and he gathered her up in his arms.

“ Arnold.” He kissed her and held her close.

“ What.” She looked back up at him puzzled.

“ That’s what the A stands for in A.J. - Arnold. I thought since we love each other, you should know.” He gave her a smile. How do you feel about an Arnold, Jr., by the way?"

“ What about the J? What does the J in A.J. stand for?” She waited.

“ Oh no, one name at a time, you have to earn the other one.” She giggled and he kissed her again. "Come to think of it, what about a baby J, too?"

******

Baby For The Billionaire

Byron and Rachel

There had to be something she could do, but what? Rachel Greene looked at her surroundings and sighed. She jumped at the chance to live on her own and now, well she was in over her head. She had always been the one who wanted out. Out of the family, out of the drama, out of everything and now she was stuck in tiny apartments in the worst neighborhood in D.C., with no hope of changing it.

She put her head in her hands and sighed. On the computer screen in front of her was her budget for the next six months. No matter which way she plotted and planned, she only had about two months before it all fell apart. She leaned back in her seat, glancing at her reflection in the mirror on her desk.

She wasn’t gorgeous by any means, at least not in her opinion. She was studious and book-wormy, if anything. At least that’s what her brother used to call her. She had long chestnut hair and blue eyes, fringed with long lashes, something her grandmother said was a wonderful asset.

She wore glasses most of the time, unless she had some special occasion and she popped in her contacts. She was thin but still curvy, something else nana said was a good thing. Not that it mattered, at 24 she had been to school most of her life and still, there was nothing to show for it. Sure, she could go home, if things got too bad. The problem was, she would rather live in her car first.

She loved her family, there was no denying that. She was the oldest with a younger brother who was 20. He decided to start his adult life much earlier and was married with a three year old daughter, and a baby on the way. He, also, lived at home with their parents, nana and his wife. When Tim started his new life, Rachel started hers. At first her mother was sad she was moving out, but it was only a week before they moved the kids into her old room.

There was something codependent about her family that made her want out. Everything they did, they did as one cohesive unit, no opinions required. Everything was about survival and scraping along, something Rachel was fine doing, but she would just as soon do it alone, without the heavy responsibility of six other people.

She looked back down at the screen. It wasn’t doing much good right now, living her own life. She graduated from the local community college with a degree in Office Management. Somehow, her family talked her into getting student loans along the way so that she could “help out” with the extra money. Now she was in debt, with payments that were ridiculous and despite her efforts, she couldn’t seem to find a job anywhere.

If she’d only been able to keep her job at the hospital none of this would be happening! Even thinking about it made her skin crawl. She was good at her job there, always on time, and working harder than most. She wasn’t tooting her own horn so to speak, it simply was the fact of the matter.

One would think her dedication to the job would be something to applaud, but in truth it did nothing more but put her in a vulnerable situation where dirty old men could hit on her. Not just any dirty old man either. Dr. Peter Evans was her superior, she would even say that initially she liked him. It wasn’t until he cornered her in a supply room groping at her that she felt disgust more than anything.

He was old enough to be her father yet he claimed that she was giving him mixed signals, which she strongly denied. He begged her not to say anything, and she didn’t. If for any other reason than the fact that his career would be over if she did, and part of her believed he truly thought she was into him.

Every point he made was true. She came early and stayed late.

She always turned in things to him personally. In her mind this was the action of a good employee, not someone looking for a good time from her boss. Either way, she now was very careful about what she did and how. The problem was after she let the hospital, she couldn’t find work anywhere.

At first she told herself it would just take a little longer. But now, three weeks later, she was concerned. She leaned back in the chair and bit her thumbnail lost in thought. She didn’t want to wreak havoc on her family, she certainly didn’t want to sleep on a couch while paying for storage. She leaned forward again and jumped into a new job search, hopeful something would happen.

Byron Blakemore was tired and aching. He spent the early morning hours at the gym, hoping to relieve some of the stress he was carrying around, but looking across his desk he felt the familiar tension rise up. Some days he wondered what the hell he way paying these people for at all. He buzzed in Linda, who scurried in, pen and pad in hand.

“ Yes Mr. Blakemore?” She was a small lady. Probably no more than 4’9 and pushing 60. He knew she was struggling more and more to do her job, but he didn’t have the heart to let her go.

“ Linda, can you set up a meeting with Carlisle please? Also, I need something purchased for my mother’s birthday, I thought you might like the task.” He saw her light up and he smiled to himself, Shopping seemed to be a skill most women mastered a, and retained an entire lifetime.

“ Yes, Mr. Blakemore.” She scurried towards his door.

“ Oh Linda, one more thing can you send Alice in HR up for me. We need to discuss something.”

At her nod, he dove back into his paperwork. There was always something that needed his attention, but this was too much. He leaned back once more rethinking the board of directors. There was no fired from any of them to make this business grow. He would be lying if he said he didn’t enjoy the money, he did.

He’d grown accustomed to a certain kind of lifestyle and he wasn’t about to give it up. He knew he had a reputation of being a stone faced ass, but he preferred it that way, less drama. The only person who really knew him was his mother. She was a sweet woman and anyone who thought otherwise was a fool. He was worried about her, she was frail now and needed more than just he could provide. He heard the knock at his door.

“ Yes, come in.” It was Alice.

She walked into the room and pushed the door shut quietly locking it, before she walked over to his desk. She gave him a smile and he stood up, buttoning his jacket as he went. He walked towards her and tucked an arm around her waist, pulling her to him in a crushing kiss. She was the kind of tension relief he needed. He nibbled at her neck.

“ I’m glad you’re here today Alice, I’d hate to have to write you up for being absent again.” He growled into her neck as she tilted back her head, enjoying his every move.

“ You know very well why I was late on Monday Mr. Blakemore.” cAlice, after all, had a husband she didn’t love, who consistently cheated on her with numerous women in the building.

He was actually working in accounting upstairs, clueless to the fact that his wife had not only found out his secrets, but was taking some pleasure out of life herself. It was how they started up, he told her about her husband. Not intentionally, but in passing, not knowing she was his wife at first. When she demanded to know more he showed her the footage caught on surveillance. Normally not talked to with any sort of demanding tone she amused him, and so the affair began.

Neither of them had any thoughts about it leading to anything. She was far too uncaring about the world, or the business. She amused him and met his needs sexually, but nothing more. Never having one serious conversation together before it was clear this was a temporary thing for them both. She was something to play with and he made sure she enjoyed it. He watched her button and fix her blouse in an effort to appear normal once more. Even that made him smile, he knew she would be reliving it for hours.

She turned to look at him. “Linda said you need me.” All business now, she sat across from him waiting to hear what he needed her to do.

“ Yes, I need you to look into finding someone for me, for my mother actually. She is independent enough, but I worry for her. Someone not necessarily a nurse who wants to do everything for her, more of a companion.”

“ I can look into a few places, sure.” She stood to leave. “When do you want them?”

“ Let’ shoot for next week, set up some interviews, I want to have a direct hand in finding the right person.” He gave her a smile as he went back to work. “Have a good day Alice.” He watched a smile cross her face and her exit.

A week later, Rachel found herself in the lobby of the Blakemore. She was surprised, she actually had been one of the people called in to interview for a position she wasn’t even remotely qualified for. Blakemore was a large corporation and one she was always reading about or hearing on the news. She looked down at her hands nervously, she could only hope she wouldn’t get thrown out right away.

Why would someone looking for a companion be interviewing at Blakemore? Whatever the reason she was happy to be there. She looked around her at the other people waiting. Some in scrubs some in designer jackets. She pulled on her skirt, self-conscious about herself more now than before.

It was obvious she didn’t fit in, but this was her only chance to stay put, in her own place. Somehow she was going to march into the office and explain why they needed her here at Blakemore. It was a long shot, she knew it, but it was the only hand she had.

After a grueling hour she was finally next. The cute little blond who was directing everyone seemed to enjoy working here. She made her way over to look down at Rachel and she felt herself being judged, not something she ever enjoyed.

“ You must be Miss. Greene?” At her nod she told her to come along and follow her.

She made her way down a long corridor and finally to an office separated from the rest of the building. It was in a half moon shaped and separated by double doors which went from the secretarial area to what must be his office. She was escorted to the door where the blond pushed them open and allowed her to walk inside.

“ Mr. Blakemore will be right back, just have a seat, please.” The blond left, closing one of the doors behind her, leaving Rachel to look around the room.

At first she made an effort to sit down, but as she looked at the city below she couldn’t help but walk over to the windows. There were only two walls in the entire office, both of those attached to the double doors facing inward.

The rest of the office was in a half circle facing the city and the walls were floor to ceiling windows looking out. From where she stood it almost felt like flying. It was beautiful, she always loved the city, and although living as close as a child in Virginia she rarely made it to D.C. to see the sights.

Once she went to a field trip with school and she was overwhelmed by the history, as well as the things you could see in the museums. Even now she smiled as she got as close to the edge of the window as possible and looked down.

“ Be careful, if you do that too long it can make you sick.” She jumped back the voice scaring her.

She spun around and saw him there. He was dressed impeccably, as if the suit was molded to him. He was tall, and his face was defined by a strong jawline and the sharp planes of his face. His hair was jet black and slightly longer on top, but brushed back off of his forehead. Despite all of this it was his eyes that held her the longest. They were a deep blue, and piercing. It felt as though he was looking into her soul.

“ I’m so sorry, it’s just such a beautiful view.” She smiled at him and gave her a one over. He moved to sit behind his desk and she scrambled to sit back in her chair. She watched how he moved with grace and she felt nervous now about being here under false pretenses. She took a deep breath and swallowed.

“ I see you have a degree in Office Management? Is that right Miss Greene?” He looked at her, there was something slightly amusing in his tone and she cleared her throat.

“ Ye... yes I do. To be honest, I was thinking the ad may have been a misprint or something?” She shrugged slightly. “When I saw the company name I thought it would be a good idea to come in, and see if perhaps it… ah well to see if it was… a misprint.” She looked away and blushed. She was rambling like an

idiot.

“ So, you came in to interview for a position you’re not qualified for, because you think someone was inept at posting the ad in the first place? I’m not sure if insulting the business is such a good start Miss Greene.”

“ Oh no, that’s not it at all, I simply wanted to come in and… will see.” His voice was rising now and she felt the heat rushing to her face. This guy was obviously an ass, and rude to boot. She felt his eyes on her again looking her over.

“ Tell me, Miss Greene what are you good at?” He leaned back in his chair slightly, obviously enjoying the game they were playing.

She gulped. “As you mentioned, I have a degree in Office Management. I am also good at being organized, being on time and I am a stickler for having a very determined personality.”

“ Very determined? Well then, that’s something we have in common.” He smiled as he leaned forward. “Unfortunately, the ad was correct, I am looking for a caregiver for my mother. That being said, I appreciate the time you took to come in, and I have enjoyed our discussion.” He stood, buttoning his jacket.

“ Well, thank you Mr.….?” She shook the hand he held out to her.

“ Blakemore.” He held her hand just a second longer than normal and she moved to make her way to the door. “Miss Greene…” he called out to her. “Yes.”

“ If anything opens up I’ll call you myself.” He gave her a flash of a smiled before he sat down dismissing her.

She shut the door behind her with a slight slam. She could still feel the heat in her cheeks and she was frustrated. What an ass, it was the only thing she could come up with off the top of her head. More importantly, what the hell was wrong with her, she usually could handle herself with some self-control and he had gotten under the skin.

He would call her directly? As if somehow she should feel special. As much as she wanted to scream her frustration about Blakemore, she really just wanted to cry. It took a lot to bring her spirits down, and she was nearing her breaking point. She climbed into her car and sighed. At least she had tried. Now, she would make the trip into Virginia for lunch with her mother, who would drill her for information about her life, or lack thereof.

Byron sighed. Finding someone who would suit his mother was proving to be a difficult challenge. Three days later and still he looked down at the stack of resumes on his desk and started sorting them one by one. Near the end he found Rachel Greene and he smiled. She was fire and ice that one.

She was beautiful too, but he had a sneaking suspicion she didn’t know it.

She walked into his office and with a simplistic beauty looked out over the city and even then he wanted her. There was a part of him that was attracted to her innocence, the simple joy that crossed her face in those moments. Then, as the conversation began he knew the precise moment when he had frustrated her, and made her angry.

The crystal clear blue eyes shot dagger at him across the desk. She amused him, and excited him. He put her into the “no” pile and went on. Soon he narrowed it down to three people, all capable and seemingly nice. His mother could choose who she liked best. He buzzed Linda.

She came in with a smile and he noticed she was walking a little slower than she had that morning. He really should find her an assistant of some kind. He may very well be an ass to most, but he had a soft spot for Linda and knew her paycheck was important to her.

“ Linda, I know you’re busy. I wanted to ask you something, your opinion really.” He walked over and sat on the corner of his desk. Linda smiled at him and sat down in the chair across from him.

“ Yes Mr. Blakemore what is it, I’m happy to help however I can.” She gave him a big smile and reminded him so much of his own mother he patted her arm.

“ I am thinking of promoting you, to something more detailed. The problem is you will have to spend less time working with me and more time doing paperwork and such.”

“ Oh Mr. Blakemore, I know you let me stay because you’re so sweet. I couldn’t possibly get a promotion.” She waved a hand at him.

“ On the contrary Linda, you would be doing me a great service being in charge of some important clients. Helping me with meetings and the like. Plus, it comes with an assistant.” He glanced down and removed an imaginary something from his pant leg.

“ An assistant does it, I’ve never had one of those before?” She gave him a wide smile. “Whatever you think is best Mr. Blakemore.” She made her way back out to her desk.

After she was gone, he glanced down at the files on his desk. He knew exactly the right candidate for the new open position. He smiled to himself. He did tell her he would call her directly. She more than likely found another position by now, but the banter would be fun in and of itself. He dialed and she answered on the third ring,

“ Hello!” She was noticeably out of breath, making him wonder what she had been doing… or better yet, who she was doing it with.

“ Miss Greene, how are you?”

“ I’m fine, who is this please?” She was obviously moving something around.

“ This is Mr. Blakemore… we met last week.” There was a pause before she responded.

“ Yes, Mr. Blakemore, how could I forget?” She said it sweetly, but he could detect a hint of sarcasm there. He smiled, he really did enjoy this.

“ I was calling you about a position we have open, but if you’re busy…”

“ No! No, I’m not busy at all Mr. Blakemore, please, please go on.” He felt it then, the tightness of his slacks. There was something about the way she pleaded with him that made him want her.

“ I have an opening, it’s a secretarial position… decent starting pay, benefits, etc. I know you mentioned you were looking.”

“ Yes, I am looking. I’d like to come in and discuss it, if that’s ok?” She did her very best to sound nonchalant about the situation.

“ Great, let’s shoot for tomorrow 9 am?”

“ That sounds fine with me, I don’t think I have anything going on tomorrow at all.” She did her very best to sound as though she may need to check.

She didn’t want to appear desperate. She hung up the phone and sat down in the chair, maybe this was it but then who knew? He seemed to be genuine.

She looked around the room at the boxes she was currently packing. As much as she tried to deny it, there was no way she would miss that meeting. She had very little time before she was out on the street. She sorted through her things to find a dress she only wore on special occasions. It was tight and black. Perhaps if she tried really hard it would show, and he would be inclined to ask her to stay. She held it up in front of her and frowned.

He had such an effect on her it would be hard to ignore him, but she would do her best. She fired up her computer again rearranging her numbers with her new projected income… yes, it would certainly be a blessing in disguise. She snapped it shut and went back to packing, there was a good chance she would say the wrong thing, he got under skin and she was quick to snap at him. Something she rarely ever did. He had this uncanny way of bringing out the worst in her. She worked late, managing to eat a heated can of ravioli for dinner along the way.

The next morning came bright and sunny. She smiled as she remembered that today could change her life. She jumped out of bed and ran into the shower. It took her longer than usual to dress and apply some slight makeup before heading downtown.

There was a hustle and bustle in the air as she rode along, mindful of the people in the crosswalks and those begging for loose change. This was home and she loved it. She pulled into the parking garage and crossed her fingers that he would validate her parking ticket. She didn’t even have enough money to get out of here if he didn’t.

She took a deep breath as the elevator took her to the top floor. When the doors opened, she made her way to the front desk and waited. Soon a short smiling lady who resembled her grandmother came to get her.

“ You must be Rachel, come on dear, let me show you around.” She was slightly hunched over and moving at a slow pace and Rachel loved her instantly. “Mr. Blakemore wants to meet with you for lunch, but until then I’m going to show you around a bit.

He says he is “promoting” me.” She gave the bunny ears as she explained. “The truth is I am old and need to retire but I would be lost all alone at home, and he knows it. So he is hiring my replacement, with the title of being my assistant.” She gave a chuckle and they moved towards her office.

Although she had been through these rooms before, and back to his private office, she wasn’t prepared for the size of the actual space she would be working in. Directly in front of his double doors was a lounge area, for meetings and to one side a fully stocked guest kitchen, the other entire wall was made for his assistant.

She hadn’t expected it to be quite so beautiful, really. She refused to get her hopes up, but she knew it would be difficult. Linda, she learned, was showing her where her desk was, as well as her private office behind it. At her confused look Linda explained.

“ Sometimes, Mr. Blakemore has guests come over and they will sit out there in the lounge drinking and talking. Sometimes about the most ridiculous of things, you know how men are. This office in the back is yours for your personal use really, When you can do extra paperwork, etc., away from the hubbub.”

Linda pushed open the door to the office space and Rachel was stunned. It was bigger than her entire apartment and was complete with a small kitchen of its own, a bathroom and a small sitting area. It was decorated in hues of pink and white and had a window of its own also, floor to ceiling but not nearly as wide. The idea of not getting her hopes tossed out the window by now and she spun around to see Linda’s smiling face.

“ Wow, it certainly is something Miss Linda isn’t it?” She gave her a smile.

“ Yes, it is and you will enjoy it, I can assure you. Come sit down with me.” Linda walked over to the intercom system and buzzed.

“ Yes, this is Linda, can you have a switchboard redirect Mr. Blakemore’s calls for the interim. I’ll let you know when I am back. “After a pause, she added.’ Thank you Mary.” She hung up and made her way back to the small sofa in the room. She settled in and Rachel was amused at the say she kicked off her shoes and leaned back to relax.

“ I am most certainly getting old, my dear. Now let’s talk turkey. Off of that main kitchen across the way there is another office much like this one but a little smaller. It’s not connected to Mr. Blakemore’s office like this one.” She pointed to a seam in the door that she hadn’t seen before. “I plan on setting up myself over there.

I don’t need as much space since I’ll be passing off the bigger things to you. As a matter of fact, I’ve already moved over there and have yet to tell Byron.” She gave her a smile.

“ Byron?” Rachel was doing her best to follow along, but it was proving difficult.

“ Mr. Blakemore, I used to call him Byron, but… well people thought since we were close he was showing favoritism, which he was, but then I’m old.” She giggled.

Suddenly the seam in the door moved open and he was there. He gave her a once over and then smiled widely at Linda.

“ I trust you have shown Rachel around some?” He offered her a hand as she tried to get up from the seat.

“ I did, and she and I had an opportunity to chat some. By the way I’ve decided to move into the spare office behind the kitchen.” She held up her hand at him. “Before you even start I did it because it suits me more, and its sound proof to all the man stuff going on in the lobby with your friends. Besides, I am thinking of cutting it down to three days a week and I don’t need this much space.” She said it with such finality he accepted her words without a fight.

Rachel was smiling at Linda and the match up with Byron…err...Mr. Blakemore. The two of them were like family in their banter and reminded her of her own. She watched as he delicately helped her make her way out of the room and she reevaluated her opinion of him. Maybe he wasn’t a total ass after all. She waited for him to come back in and smoothed down her dress subconsciously.

When she saw his shadow she stood up. He walked into the room with a smiled. He was in black today, all black and he was dashing as always. She moved her eyes back up and caught him watching her. She felt the blush rush to her face.

“ Please, Miss Greene have a seat.” He gestured and she did so waiting. “I hope you like what you see… of the office of course.” He gave her a half smile and she felt her face turning red.

“ It’s lovely, very nice actually.” She clasped her hands together in her lap. There was something about him that made her nervous, anxious even. Whatever it was would ultimately create a problem.

“ SO you will take it, then?” He leaned forward towards her. “The job I mean.” He watched her face intently.

“ Don’t I have to be interviewed or anything?” She frowned slightly.

“ Miss Greene I think it’s safe to say we have been through the interview already.” He smiled at her and stood quickly, he walked over to her window.

She looked him over, him standing this way gave her a new view of him. His upper body was muscular and tight against the fabric of his suit, his body was sculpted and she knew he would be hard and muscular all over. She shook her head, trying to refocus on the task at hand.

“ Then yes, I will.” She stood to go, she hesitated just a moment to see what he would say next.

“ We need to talk first, come in my office and shut the door behind you.” He took the long strides to get there and she calmly walked behind him.

She shut the doors behind her and turned to face him. He was less than 6 inches from her. She could feel the warmth of his breath on her cheek and his eyes were an even deeper shade of blue. Her pulse was racing and she was both thrilled and terrified of what he would do next.

She felt his hand touch her waist and the contact made her gasp slightly. He was watching her, waiting for her to move almost animalistic.

“ I expect total honesty and realness between us at all times, do you understand? I also will not allow anything that goes on in this office, on any floor to be discussed outside of the office.” He took a step towards her and she backed up.

“ What do you mean exactly Mr. Blakemore?” She whispered the words waiting for his response.

“ For example, if I have a woman here, it doesn’t leave this office, if I have clients over here… nothing we talk about can be repeated. We often discuss business mergers that could make or break us.”

“ I understand.” She swallowed hard. He was so close she could smell his aftershave and she was terrified to look into his face. She knew she would likely fall to the ground if she did the way her knees were shaking.

“ Do you? What if I were to tell you that I want to kiss you. Would you feel like that is something you need to share?” He moved so that his lips were hovering just slightly above hers.

“ No, not at all.” She smiled at him, a new sense of confidence racing through her. He wanted to sleep with her. He didn’t give one care about anything else. Just knowing it made her relax, she had dealt with co-worker issues like this before.

He watched the light flicker in her eyes and then dim. Something he said killed the kindling he was trying to ignite. He would have to figure that out, one day. “Good.” He let her go and she walked towards the front door.

“ Oh, and Miss Greene… I’ll see you in the morning.” He went back to the task at hand and she sprinted from his office.

All men were dogs, she thought. It was as simple as that, everyone she had ever met anyway. So her new boss wanted to have his way with her, big deal. Nine out of ten times it was too much time on their hands and not enough sense to put it all away, and keep it to themselves. Blakemore was a jerk just like the good doctor at the hospital. This time, however, she would call his bluff.

She refused to lose her job over it this time and decided that if he did make a move, she would let it go long enough to give him enough rope to hang himself. He more than likely loved the chase the most so she wouldn’t even give him one. She would be ready and willing to entertain his ideas and thoughts, but that’s as far as she would let it go before putting a stop to the whole thing.

Byron sipped at the drink in his hand. What had he been thinking, talking to her like that anyway? She looked like she was going to faint, and all he could think about was pushing her back on the desk and tasting her mouth. He always had some self-control and yet when she left, he’d been panting like a teenage school boy watching her leave. What was it that had her under his skin? She was beautiful, but in a nontraditional kind of way. She hadn’t been prancing around the office in anything revealing like Alice typically did.

It was her shyness, the way she turned away from him and refused to give in. Just thinking about her leaving and not giving in to him made her so much more challenging. His time with her would come, there was no doubt. She was like a little lamb though, he would have to be gentle with her… if he could only get himself under control.

The rest of the evening went by quickly for her as she prepared for her first day. She left her things packed, just in case. She would play this game with him, but she didn’t want to lose, and she wanted to keep her job. Once she had him under her thumb she would be set, at least for a while. She could maybe get a nicer place. Plus, he did something crazy to her and she wanted to know why. Whatever happened, she would be as prepared as she could be.

She moved her things around and put together a few nicer outfits. One day she would be out of this mess. She sighed as she heard the knob on her apartment door turning. Someone was always thinking this was A4. She was getting to a point where she didn’t feel safe anymore. She simply had to get in good with Blakemore, then she could let him go.

The morning came and she was set to leave. She found the keys to her car and easily went out to go. In the mornings in her complex no one was awake until noon, so she was fairly safe. The evenings were something altogether different. One of her friends often told her to buy a gun, but she was absolutely against the idea. She made her way downtown and found HR, and the leggy blonde who had directed her to Blakemore’s office a couple of weeks ago.

“ SO Miss Greene, you must have left quite the impression on Blakemore.” She looked her over and then shrugged. “Fill out all of this stuff, then you can go upstairs.”

There was obviously something about this situation that pushed blondie in a bad direction. Whatever it was had nothing to do with her, but still she felt like she had disliked her immediately. She made her way through the mountain of paperwork and was finally finished around lunchtime. She made her way to her new office and only managed to get lost once, which was something of a personal accomplishment. She unloaded her things in the back office and made her way up front. Linda was nowhere to be found so she waited. Finally, he came in.

“ Linda is out sick, come sit with me today. I can have you take some notes.” He moved towards his office and she followed closely behind.

He turned and shed his jacket off and she watched his movements from hooded lashes. This was going to be harder than she thought. He rolled up his sleeves and finally sat down. He gathered up some paperwork and handed it to her, not really looking at her at all and she realized she may have been completely off in her assumption of what he wanted.

She frowned, her plan would never work if she didn’t at least attract him at all. She went over the paperwork in hand as he started going through the merger of two small companies that was on the horizon and she listened closely, learning the lingo about how he did things. Finally an hour later he seemed to relax some.

“ Sorry, I tend to get overzealous when I’m talking shop.” He gave her a lazy smile, which she returned and batted her eyelashes at him.

He felt something deep down, jump at her actions. She was openly flirting with him, a leap from yesterday’s declaration. Perhaps she’s had a change of heart, or she was playing with him. He smiled as he thought about it. Surely she knew better than to even try, he would have her naked and on all fours in an hour if he wanted too, but she didn’t know him like that yet. He decided to test the water.

“ Do you have a boyfriend Rachel?” She watched his eyes moving over her as he talked. She took a deep breath in.

“ No, do you?” She gave him a half smile and he chuckled.

“ No, nor do I have a wife or a girlfriend. DO you have someone… close, someone who meets your needs?” He heard her gulp and inwardly he knew he had scored the first point.

“ No, there is nothing I can’t do better and more efficiently myself.” She stared at him hard and saw his easy smile slip slightly. “What about you Mr. Blakemore?”

“ Yes.” He gritted the words out. She had planted the image of herself naked and alone and it was burned into his brain. She blushed at his response, some part of her expected him to lie.

“ I see, she licked her lips slightly, suddenly feeling out of control of the conversation.

“ Yes, I have someone, and yes, I think I could do it more efficiently.” He watched her waiting for a reaction.

“ I suppose that remains to be seen doesn’t it.” She stood ready to make her way back out to her office. She knew he was there before she felt his hand on her arm spinning her around. He pressed her up against the wall of the office and leaned into her.

She felt his mouth crush into hers in one fell swoop. It was a demanding kiss, pressing and pushing. His hands moved against her back, pulling her closer and moving upwards until his hands were in her hair cupping her head. He moved her mouth against his, nibbling and kissing until he was recklessly kissing her deeper again. Finally, they stopped and were both panting.

“ I know this game Rachel, trust me, you won’t win sweetheart.” He whispered it in her earlobe nipping at the earlobe. She pushed him off and straightened her clothes.

“ Perhaps, I guess that too remains to be seen. You certainly have a lot to live up to Blakemore.”

She moved into her office, shutting the door firmly and locking it from her side. She made her way to the desk with shaky legs and practically fell into the seat.

This was not at all going the way she had planned. She was going to be firm and alluring and yet here she was a shaky mess, having five minutes ago been ready to throw herself at him.

She leaned forward, her head in her hands. She had certainly put herself in a unique situation this time. The rest of the day went quickly. She spent the remainder of the afternoon navigating the computer software system. She finally left as it was nearing 6. He’s made no effort to bother her the rest of the day and she eventually relaxed. She pulled up to her apartment and sighed.

This was the peak time for bad things around here. She saw a group of people, mostly men gathered around the step of her building. With careful and calculated steps she maneuvered around them, despite the calls and innuendos thrown at her. She slammed the door shut behind her and she cried. Life had to get better. She would be up the rest of the night, listening for someone to come to her door as they promised to do.

The first week went by smoothly, they would run into each other on occasion and there would always be something looming between them. He didn’t try to kiss her again, but he was clear in telling her he wanted to. More than once he would have her come to his office and work with him on something and she knew he was watching her, testing her. With every remark he made to prove a point she would counter with one of her own setting him off into another flurry of tension. It was becoming an overwhelmingly charged game of cat and mouse with them.

The next morning was Friday, and she was happy to get out of her place. She was dragging and she did her very best to make herself look alive once she arrived. Linda fussed over her and immediately showed her how to use the email server and set up the new voicemail. They enjoyed much of the morning together and she took notes on everything.

She didn’t want to give him any excuse to let her go. He finally found them at lunch and offered to take them both out which Linda happily agreed to. She could find no excuse to say no and she felt a shot of heat course through her as he put his hand on the small of her back helping her into the car. Lunch was a fun affair.

The place they went was so overpriced, she found it almost difficult to order anything at all. Once the food arrived, she fell in love with it and understood why he came there as often as he mentioned in the car. After Linda decided to go home since she was still not 100%. She watched as he helped her to her car and they watched her leave the garage.

“ Get back in the car, I want to show you something.” He slid back into the seat and she followed suit.

She frowned as they took off, she never even considered telling him no… or asking where they were going. She simply did as he asked. She made a mental note to be leery of that next time.

She knew there would be a next time, they both enjoyed the game too much, and she wanted the security of being with someone who could protect her. She was in a financial mess and afraid to go home at night.

He needed to learn that you cannot simply take what you want without giving back. The car pulled up to a golden building, it looked like a restaurant or a hotel but she wasn’t sure. He gave his key to the valet and took her hand as he moved gracefully through the building.

“ Blakemore, where are we going?” She asked him quietly.

“ Just be patient… you will like it.” He smiled at her and she felt that same sense of excitement he always brought out in her.

They took the elevator and kept going until they reached the top. He moved out of the elevator and pulled her behind him until they stopped in front of a door. He slid the key in it and it opened, he held it, allowing her to go inside.

The walls were silk and in shades of gold. The farthest wall away was glass looking down and out over the city, even higher than his building did. In front of the wall was a bed, huge and waiting. She spun around to look at him. She saw him smirk and shut and lock the door behind him. She crossed her arms and waited.

“ Exactly what are we doing here Blakemore?” She took a step back as he moved towards her.

“ I don’t play this game with you Rachel, you want me as much as I want you, and you’ve told me in more ways than one. Today I’m going to make love to you, thoroughly on that bed.” He spoke every word softly and dangerously as he walked towards her. She felt her hands shaking as he moved in closer.

He moved her hair back off of her shoulders and kissed the side of her exposed neck.

“ I know part of you wants to make up some excuse of why we can’t do this, or why it’s wrong. I also know there is a part of you who wants it and needs it.” He moved his hand in her hair winding it in his fist as he moved his lips over hers.

There was something frantic about their actions as they undressed each other. She couldn’t form the words to tell him to stop, she was far too gone now. She felt the air rush over her exposed skin as she crawled slowly into the bed and on her back waiting for him. He waited, watching her.

Naked, she was even more beautiful, her skin had a healthy glow and she was curvy right down to her thighs. She was perfectly shaped for him and he wanted her more than he ever remembered wanting anyone. He made his way over to the bed. She was taking shallow breaths as he kissed her from head to toe, stopping to drink his fill of her flesh along the way. He left no inch of skin untouched by his hands and mouth.

Finally, he moved to push into her and he lost all sense of control. She fit him like a glove and it was almost painful for her. He moved slowly, gradually moving more and more until with one final push he was buried deep.

He looked at her then and started moving slowly, she arched up to meet his every thrust her fingers gripping his back, her legs wrapped around his hips pulling him forwards, and deeper still. She was lost in a haze of color, feeling his moving, his touch and his mouth. She had lost control of everything and dug her nails into him as she felt the explosion insider begin to climb higher and higher until it exploded into fragmented pieces in her mind.

She opened her eyes as she did it and called his name which in turn pushed him forward as well and he followed close behind. He lay there still pressed into her for a few moments until finally they moved to untangle and he found his place behind her.

No one spoke for fear of shattering the fantasy world they were both in together. She couldn’t feel any sense of victory in what happened, she had no control over any of it. She was simply there, and chose to do it. Her plans to make him want her or need her somehow until he had real feelings, ones that would make him want to protect her and help her.

Now, he didn’t even have to buy the cow before he took what he wanted. She had never experienced anything like this before, but she knew the game was over. Her plan had failed because she was weak. Now she would never get him to notice her for anything other than this.

It occurred to her that she obviously felt something more for him for it to affect her this way. She turned to move away from him, but he simply said “no” and pulled her back in close to him. She knew she would not likely find herself in this situation again and she nestled in to enjoy it for now.

Byron was lost in thought. There was something special about her, something that meant more to him than just sex. Perhaps it was the game, or the way little things made her light up. She was different, and he liked it. He knew he had won the game they were playing, but he felt no happiness in that. She tried to move away and he had stopped her. He wasn’t ready yet, to face whatever happened between them. She felt good like this, in his arms.

He couldn’t remember ever being with a woman that he wanted to hold after sex, someone who wasn’t simply there to use or be used for a natural bodily function. There was never an emotional tie to the physical act and he didn’t want to start now. She needed it more than he, and he would give her that. They both napped, sleeping deeply, having been equally satisfied and content. She was the first to stir and when she noticed the clock she started to panic. She jumped up and started throwing on clothes, and he watched her.

“ Was it all really that bad, that you have to run?” He gave her a half smile which she failed to respond to. He knew something wasn’t right. “Rachel… are you ok.”

“ What... oh yes, I’m fine, I just have to get home quickly… very quickly.” She was still in her panties and bra and he was enjoying the show she gave him. It wasn’t long before she finally dressed the rest of the way. He stood and slid into his boxers. He watched her looking for her keys.

“ Rachel... stop… your cars not even here calm down.” He put a hand on each shoulder to calm her. He moved the hair out of her face and she looked up at him. He was standing there his bare chest, smooth under her touch and she relaxed. “Stay here with me tonight. It's already 8:30, we can have dinner and… eventually sleep.” He gave her a wide smile and she smiled back.

“ I don’t want to be that girl… who stays too long.” She screwed up her face, and he laughed.

“ You’re not that girl, we are just having an extended Friday afternoon that’s all, nothing more.”

He watched her visible slump back onto the bed. “Why do you have to get home so fast anyway?”

She swallowed, thinking of the best response. “I just like to be in before it gets too dark that’s all.” She smiled at him.

He frowned, he knew there was something more there, but it wasn’t any of his business so he decided to let it go. He picked up the phone and ordered room service and she smiled as she looked out over the city. No matter what happened, this would be a night she would never forget.

The next day he took her to her car. She finally climbed into her bed at home at 1 in the afternoon. Part of her wanted to be happy and content with what she had been through. Another part of her wanted to cry.

If she were being honest with herself, she had just been part of the most elegant and elaborate booty call ever. She should feel bad about that, but amidst all of the lovemaking they talked about life, and family. He shared his vision and hopes for the future and she, given him some version of hers. Monday she would go back to work and pretend none of it had ever happened. For now she could pretend. She fell into a deep sleep, recovering from the sleep she missed the night before.

Byron was having a similar discussion with himself, he followed her home trying to see what had made her want to get back there so badly the night before. He looked up at the apartment building she entered and swore to himself. She lived here? Something was wrong with him. He frowned as he looked over the streets and the neighborhood. He felt something about her situation, he wanted to get her out of here and away from the people who loitered the area.

This entire block was notorious for crime and violence. He knew it was too soon to storm in there and drag her back out and into his car. He made the trek home lost in thought. He finally made his way into his penthouse, still concerned about her. What was wrong with him? He had always enjoyed his bachelor life, the solitude had been a strength for him. He hated people around all of the time, except for his mother. Now, she was in his head and offering her opinions about everything.

On top of that he was worried about her, he didn’t like that feeling, that connection it could only be dangerous. This whole thing was supposed to be about sex, even that went beyond what could be labeled as normal.

She was both giver and taker and it had been the best experience of his life to date. He had a lot to think about and she made up most of it. He decided to do a little digging and find out more about her. It was probably crossing a line, but it would give him some peace of mind.

Monday came and the two of them went to work with very different missions in mind. She was determined to put the whole thing behind her and work hard. She was able to pay rent this month and could continue on that way, but if she moved to her parents house for a few months she could find something nicer, better and less scary. She needed this to work, she had no other choices.

She spent Sunday moving boxes into storage near her parents’ house and all that was left were a few things she would need to survive for the next couple of weeks. She made her way to her desk and started logging into various sites. It was Linda’s idea to start the day off that way. She glanced at his door, but made no move to bother him.

Byron was angry, and insulted. She used him. He could argue that he had used her too, but somewhere deep down, he felt like he really connected to her. He made his way into the office passing her desk without saying a word. It would be hard to exist like this, her working for him. But if he fired her, she could stir up one hell of a lawsuit.

He ran his hands through his hair, she was more than broke. She was in debt up to her ears and he even found where she tried to take out a number of loans but been denied. The final straw was finding an email where she detailed finding a solution to her problem, it was a note to herself really, but she had been looking for a solution. He would be damned if it would be him.

He rubbed his eyes. He could feel a headache coming on, he would have to face her sooner or later. He buzzed her in. She came in professionally and sat across from him waiting for him to say something. He didn’t even look up at her for the longest time. Finally, he did. She looked different somehow, she wore contacts today and let her silky hair flow down her shoulders just aching him to touch it. He shook his head.

“ Miss Greene, there are some new events on the horizon for the company and there is a good chance you will be moving to a different department. I wanted to be the first to tell you, so that there was no confusion.” He watched her eyes shooting at him like daggers as she crossed her arms over her chest.

“ Really now, how convenient.” She was angry and hurt, but mostly hurt. He used her and was now casting her off to a different department.

“ It’s completely out of my hands.” He gave her a hard look.

“ I bet it is. I can’t believe I trusted you.” She stood up and stomped her way back into her office.

She slammed the door shut behind her. It was just as well. Then she wouldn’t have to deal with him all day, which would suit her just fine. Still, it hurt. Her plan to seduce him and make her life easier had been more like something she told herself to make being with him easier.

She never stood a chance of telling him no. She was really to blame for the whole situation. She went in that room, she stayed the night… she opened up to him. She looked around the desk. This would never work, not really. She put her head in her hands just as she heard him storm in.

“ I can’t believe you would say anything to me about trust Miss Greene.” His eyes were staring down at her hard.

“ What are you talking about Blakemore, I was there… you led me to that room.” She felt the tears welling up but she refused to let them fall.

“ Oh no sweetheart, I take responsibility for that one. I’m talking about your plan, to “snare a good man” to help you with all of your problems. You’re in debt up to your eyeballs.” He was seething and she stood to defend herself.

“ So what? Who cares if I'm in debt, and why is that your problem or any of your business? Oh wait… you can’t believe you had sex with someone who’s not rich like you. Is that it?” She felt as though someone kicked her in the stomach, she was humiliated.

He grabbed her arm and pulled her to him. “I don’t care if I found you penniless on the street in rags, I would have still seen you, still made love to you” he let her go “still wanted you.” He sighed running a hand through his hair. “My issue is not that your poor Rachel, it’s that you set a goal in mind one to catch me, and make me fix all your problems.”

She stared at him a moment before the realization of what he’d done became apparent.

“ What did you do Blakemore?” her eyes were on fire as she looked him over. “Did you do research on me or something? What was it a background check…. Credit check? I’m sure the list goes on and on doesn’t it.” She waited. “Not going to admit to it, I guess, what makes you think I wanted or needed you to rescue me Blakemore?” She stood with her arms crossed over her chest.

He had the decency to look guilty before he told her. “I read your emails, I needed to know more about you.”

She blushed, humiliated.

“ You tell me the truth now Rachel, was that your plan all along? Suck me in and use me to feel safe, to be secure?”

She took a deep breath before she answered. “I wrote that as a note to myself, yes at first when you said those things to me the first day I was here, I did. I thought I’d beat you at your own game.” She faced the window as she spoke, letting the tears fall now. “I thought, somehow I would show you I can be just like you. But I didn’t, the minute I was in that room with you I lost the game.

We both knew it and I accepted it. I cared about you Blakemore, you can’t just use someone you care about, it doesn’t work that way.” She wiped at her face and spun back around to face him. “But it is clear that you play dirty too, researching me like I’m one of your corporate mergers or something.

Like I’m not real, and here, you don’t trust anyone or anything and one day it will leave you cold and alone.” She grabbed her purse and jacket. “Obviously this won’t work, I’m sorry if you felt used… but then that’s exactly how I feel too.” She left quickly making her way to the elevator and then to her car.

She sat in the garage for a moment, letting it all sink in. Just a few short hours ago, she had been on cloud nine, developed something real. She was going to take back her life, she had new feelings for someone and job security. Now, it was all gone, all at once. At least it was early, she could go home and be depressed alone.

She made her way to the apartment amazed at the transformation. The days were so peaceful, the nights were right out of a horror novel. She fell into her bed and finally let go. Her body wracked with sobs as she cried out her pain, her loss and for Blakemore.

Byron tried to work, he focused his thoughts solely on the project at hand, yet he realized he reread started the same page about 6 times. He pushed the papers away from him and sighed.

The entire situation with Rachel was a mess. He knew she was sincere, she had started out with a plan, but once they were in that room, she let it go and chose him in that moment. He regretted it now, demanding an explanation and hurting her. She had been crying by the window, he wanted to pull her close, but he couldn’t move.

Nothing in his life had been like this and he wasn’t sure how to act. On top of all that he was out an assistant, again. He called down to HR and asked Alice to come up. He was still lost in thought when she opened the door. She sashayed into the room and made her way over to him, running her hands down his chest. He suddenly realized what she was doing and stopped her hands.

“ Not today Alice, I need a new assistant. Can you start making some calls please?” He looked up at her and they knew it was done. Looking at her now he felt nothing, no excitement.

“ So the little bookworm fled the scene did she? Fine, I'll hire you a new assistant.” She started to leave.

“ Alice.” She stopped but didn’t turn around. “This between us… it's done.” She turned and gave him a smile.

“ I knew that the minute you hired her yourself Byron, I just had to try.” She left the room.

He frowned. It seemed as though everyone knew him better that he knew himself. He had work to do, but he couldn’t think straight. Fortunately, he had a few meetings at least that would take his mind off of her. She was right, it was better this way. They couldn’t work together, not when every time he saw her he wanted to touch her. He glanced up at the clock and made his way to the conference hall.

The day went by slowly, Rachel felt every minute of it. She was hungry and yet she didn’t want to move. She was always the strong one, always rolled with the punches, but something about Byron Blakemore left her shattered. She knew she was going to move, she’d lost her job and by the weekend she would be on her mother’s couch amid the hugs and “I’m sorry’s” she would likely receive from them all.

Just that alone was enough, but admitting she was in love with Blakemore was the culprit of her current state. He was an ass, he was also kind and sweet, and terribly romantic. She knew there was a connection from day one and instead of walking away from it… she dove in with both feet… right into a golden love nest practically on top of the world. She knew that at the very least, she would have that night, with him. She must have fallen asleep finally, because the next thing she knew there was a huge noise coming from down the hall.

She jumped out of bed and hearing the yelling she made her way to the door. She heard men fighting, loudly and she immediately braced the door with a chair and hid in her closet. She dialed 911 and waited.

Byron was exhausted, he made his way into his house and found his mother sitting in the living room watching television. If there was anyone who knew him, really knew him it was her. She glanced up at him and he gave her a smile. His entire life she had been a constant for him. Always there no matter what. When he was little she always managed to scrape it together so that they had food and a place to sleep. Sometimes nicer places than others. He would always take care of her no matter what.

“ Momma, how was your day? Did the new lady come?” He slumped down beside her.

“ Oh yes, she was delightful she brought some cards and I beat her every time.” She glanced at him and chuckled loudly.

“ Good Mom, I’m glad, I feel better knowing someone is around while I’m not.” He sighed and she turned the volume down on the television.

“ Ok son spill it, what’s wrong?” He looked over at her and shook his head. “You can try and tell me nothing but it will just put off this conversation longer. Talk to me boy.” She gave him a nudge with her elbow and he smiled at her.

“ It’s about a woman.” He saw her sit up quickly.

“ A woman, well, I’d say it’s about time then.” She gave him a pat. “Go on what’s wrong.”

“ I met her and then hired her, things got… involved.” He gave her a look and she rolled her eyes.

“ It always does. Keep going.”

“ Well, she had a plan, initially, to somehow make me fall for her or something and then get her out of her problems. So I called her out on it after I found out.”

“ How did you find this out son?” She looked at him thoughtfully.

He blushed. “I did a bunch of background checks and emails and stuff.” He looked away.

“ I see. Go on.”

“ Well, I confronted her and she got upset and quit and told me she was trying to get me back to playing games with her.” He looked over at her, she was smiling.

“ I like this girl already.” She laughed lightly. “I’m sorry son, you can hardly be mad at someone for getting you back. Were you playing a game?”

“ I don’t think so, I mean I just like things a certain way. I don’t want to get too involved, I’ve seen how relationships can be.”

She took a deep breath before she answered. “Byron your daddy was a silly man who didn’t care about anyone. He took what he wanted and left the world behind, including you and me.” He nudged him again to get his attention. “Love wasn’t the problem, or relationships honey, it was being afraid of them that drove him away and made him run like the devil. What you’re trying to avoid, feeling something, loving someone… that was what made him the way he was.” She took his face in her hands.” I am getting old Byron baby, I need me some grandkids before I’m gone, don’t stop your heart from feeling or you will be just like the man you detest.” She let him go.

He sat thinking, then he noticed the flashes on the television. He only watched for a second before he felt his heart stop and his body go cold. That was Rachel’s apartment building.

“ Mom turn it up.” She saw him freeze and she did so quickly.

They watched together, the news was covering a shooting that had happened in the building leaving some of the tenants either dead or injured. The entire building was considered a crime scene upon discovering a meth lab in the basement as the police raided and finally caught the shooter.

“ Son what is it?” She touched his arm concerned.

“ That’s her building, that’s where Rachel lives. I have to go mom, I’ll be back, I love you.” He grabbed his coat and ran from the penthouse.

He knew he was speeding as he made his way to her building. The police were still there and people were everywhere. He combed the area looking for her hoping to see her. He needed to tell her, needed to protect her. He should have never let go in there in the first place. The day after their overnight at the hotel he should have stormed in there and pulled her back out with him. He was frantic as he raked his hand through his hair. If anything happened to her…

“ Blakemore, what the hell are you doing here?” He spun around at the voice and she stood there draped in a blanket.

He didn’t say a word he simply grabbed her and pulled her to him. He looked her over checking for signs that she was hurt. He kissed her then not giving her a chance to speak or move. It was a quick and hard kiss, something to prove that she was real, and she was ok.

“ You’re not hurt.” It was more of a statement than anything.

“ No, I’m fine, what are you doing here?” She stood there waiting for an answer he heart beating erratically from the kiss.

“ I saw the news, I was worried about you. I came as soon as I found out. You’re sure you’re ok?” He held her head in his hands.

“ I said I’m fine, Byron, why did you come? You think I’m awful, yet you’re here, and kissing me?”

“ I love you.” He said it simply.

“ You what? Don’t be ridiculous Byron, just this morning you were ready to kill me.” She turned to go but he grabbed her arm.

“ I am an idiot Rachel, I was so angry, because, I am in love with you. When I thought you didn’t feel anything for me and I was just a means to an end it hurt, and I equated that to anger.”

She was crying, he said he loved her but did he mean it?

She looked at him in his designer suit, ruined with dirt and she’d never seen him look so disheveled. She looked at his eyes as he gazed down on her full of love.

“ I love you too Byron.” She gave him a half smile. He scooped her up and spun her around.

“ First things first, you are not living here anymore.” He said it very matter-of-factly.

She felt her temper rise, he was already bossing her around. They started walking towards his car.

“ Wait, how did you even know I live here?” He kept walking.

“ I followed you the day after the hotel.” She stopped.

“ You what!” He pulled her along to the car.

“ I know I’m horrible, let’s just go home and make a baby.” Before she could protest about his snooping, she felt the warmth of his lips on hers and she knew that home was exactly where she was.

******

Baby For The Billionaire

Braden And Chloe

Billionaire Braden Davenport was on cloud nine. Even now as he pulled off his helmet, he felt great. He was on a streak, and this was going to be his best season yet. He brushed his hand through his jet black hair and smiled at the people around him. It was nice having fans. They were the only constant in his life, always there to cheer him on. The problem was, they didn’t really know him. While he loved his career, wealthy, and devoted fans, there was something missing from his life. A baby.

That’s not to say that it isn’t great doing what you love for a living. He had been able to buy his first house at 23, and at 29 he owned 2 mansions and a ranch.

He liked to have a nice place to stay whenever he was in his favorite places. Racing was a dangerous sport, but it was in his blood, a part of him. Being here in Austin for the MotoGP race had been a fluke, but a happy one.

He was a last minute add in and he was happy he had said yes. He would always rather be racing, than home alone or out with some nameless girl that didn’t know him very well. For now he was home in TX, at least for the next two months. It was the place where this all began and he was happy to be there.

He loved the dry air and the open grounds in the hill country and the city life in Austin. His next race was in Vegas and he was happy for the break. The win today would put enough money in the bank that he could live off of for years, but it was never enough. Having lived such a hard life growing up, he liked the better, secure, lifestyle he had now.

He had basically lived his life in a boy’s home. He had never known his father, he had gotten out as quickly as he had been pushed into this world. His mother was heartbroken and soon became an addict.

He still remembered what it had been like finding her there at 7. She had made the wrong person mad, and they had given her some bad stuff. He had found her unresponsive, lying on the living room floor.

They didn’t have a phone so fortunately he was able to run to a neighbor and they called the police for him. He still carried around guilt because he couldn’t save her somehow, even at 7. He had eventually left the boys home, and over time he had made very few friends. He had a difficult time trusting people, getting close to anyone.

He got his first job at the thrift store in town and he learned, sometimes the hard way that life was about making the right choices or you end up with nothing. Over time he managed to secure a room and that’s when he met Gerald and Abbie Smith. Older, they were frequent shoppers where he worked, and they always amused him.

At 80, Gerald was a big bear of a man. Abbie was a tiny little thing and 77. Abbie would tell him he looked too thin and Gerald would pull him aside and talk cars with him, something he had always loved. After a year or so they had invited him to dinner. At 19 he still seemed like a kid to Abbie, she was always fussing over him and making sure he actually ate when he came over. To Gerald he was much more. He had been the first to teach him to race. He owned some bikes, he was a collector of sorts, and the moment Braden rode one his life changed. He maneuvered the bike like a second skin.

After some help from Gerald’s contacts, he quickly became successful and was able to secure himself a future in racing. When Braden was 21 Gerald had passed away and Abbie followed a year later. He had moved in to help her after Gerald’s passing and he had held her hand when she passed.

That was seven years ago now and he could still remember it like it was yesterday. He shook his head, remembering, and smiled. He made sure his bike was loaded and heading back to Mike, his mechanic's place. He had a garage there and it needed some tweaking. It felt a little loose on the right turns. Mike threw him his keys and gave him a wave. Mike was the best mechanic around, and more importantly, his best friend.

They met in his early years of racing, and been friends since. Braden knew he had a team, one of them would have been happy to take the bike to Mikes. The most important thing that Gerald had taught him was that the bike is your money and the only way you can ride it safely is if you have a hand in what goes on with it.

The bike was his family, and he protected it as such. He finally set off for the hour drive to Marble Falls.

Mike had always been a party guy. One girl to the next and one disaster away from an addiction. What he did have was a nice house, and a serious garage behind it. It was the one thing he always took care of. His mother would come over once a month and clean up some for him. As he pulled into the parking lot of the townhouses Braden noticed the changes.

The place next door had been vacant the last time he was here, he wondered if Mike even knew someone had moved in. He was taking the next few weeks to run off with his newest girlfriend and had given Braden the key so that he could drop some things off, and pick up some things for the bike. He noticed her the moment he pulled up. He watched amused as a woman was desperately trying to get her key to work in her door knob.

“ Damn it.”

She was angry and she was beautiful. She finally kicked the door and turned to go to her car. She stopped when she saw him watching her. She gave him a half smile before pushing her hair back and squaring

her shoulder.

“ I’m not usually so easily flustered. My key broke off in the door… now I am rambling sorry… so yeah, I should go.” She turned to go again and he finally said something.

“ I can probably get that out of there if you want me to try.” He crossed his arms as she gave him a half smile.

“ That would be… well… yes, please.” She smiled at him again and he went to the truck.

Chloe closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She was standing here rambling like an idiot. It always happened when she met a guy, especially an attractive one. Attractive didn’t even begin to describe this one. He was, by far, the most attractive guy she had seen in a long time.

He had black hair and dark eyes and just enough stubble on his face to give him that mysterious look. She had never even kissed a guy like that and she never would. It certainly didn’t hurt to watch him though. He was all muscle, and it was obvious he worked out.

She blushed as he came back towards her, hopefully he hadn’t seen her looking him over like that. He smiled as he worked on the door. She had been looking him over and it made him smile. The fact that she blushed when he looked at her made him like her even more. He finally broke the broken key out and he turned to look at her again. It was her eyes that struck him first.

Deep blue and full of life, they contrasted the abundance of red flowing hair. She was a big girl, he liked that about her. She had curves in all of the right placed and he wanted to touch every single one of them. He glanced at her hand, no ring that was a good first step. He handed her the broken pieces of the key and when his eyes met hers he saw her blush again.

“ It should be fine now, I had to put some lube in it.” He gave her a half smile.

“ What… oh thanks.” She gathered the pieces up and headed towards the door. “Thanks again…”

“ Braden… my name is Braden.” He held his hand out to her and she shook it.

“ I’m Chloe, nice to meet you.”

“ Perhaps I can get you to have dinner with me sometime Chloe?” He watched the myriad of emotions cross her face.

“ Sure, that sounds like fun.” She turned to head back in again and he smiled.

“ Chloe, can I get your number?”

“ Oh, sorry.” She wrote it down and turned to go again.

She was a flighty one, but that was part of the excitement for him. He watched her go inside and he left, heading for his place in the hills. She was timid, something he would remedy. Even now he thought about her curves and how they would feel under his fingers. He rarely ever lost at this and he didn’t intend to start now.

Chloe shut the door with a thud. That was very sweet of him, offering to have dinner with him. It was typical of some guys, nicer ones anyway, to offer to take the big girl out. She didn’t need to get paraded around and everyone’s opinion of him go up because he did her a favor. Still, he seemed genuine.

She made her way into the house and took a good long look at herself in the mirror. She had been working hard to lose weight, to be in better shape. She was down 20 pounds but she still hated the way she looked. Aside from her friends and her little brother, she was alone. In some ways it suited her. She’d had one serious relationship and that left her ready to just put the idea of love and romance behind her for good.

After, she made her way into her room to throw on pajamas and spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning until Charlie got out of school. At 12 he was more than a handful of energy. In a week he would be gone with friends on vacation, and she would really be alone all summer. He had been living with her a year and a half now, but some days it seemed like only yesterday that he had moved in.

She was 22 and ready to tackle the world when she got the call. Her parents and her little brother were in an accident. Like most people she didn’t think anything could happen to her. She had rushed to the hospital, but her parents were both gone, leaving Charlie, with her. It had been a rough start, but they were good now.

She’d be lying if she said she didn’t get lonely sometimes though. He kept her busy one activity to another. Motherhood at her age was not part of her plan, but she was lucky they had each other. That thought brought her back to Braden, she wondered if he had a family? He seemed like a nice guy. She had never had an opportunity to meet her neighbor.

As far as she knew the little lady that came in and out on occasion was the only one who visited that house at all. She sighed, she had rambled on and on about nothing, he must have thought her a complete idiot. Finally, she sat down to calculate how to pull off everything this month.

She was a local teacher, well she was a substitute. She was still in school part-time but she was determined to finish. Most of the time she worked enough days to just barely pay the bills, but having a 12 year old with numerous after school activities put a dent in things. Not to mention the rent on this place was out outrageous. Since her parents were renting as well their place had been too much for her to take on. They were always like the traveling circus, always moving and changing. Chloe didn’t want that for Braden, she had lived that life and he needed stability. She would simply have to cut out some things, but first she would have to find what those things were.

Braden walked into his spacious house, well Gerald’s and Abbie’s house. They left it for him in the will. No children of their own, they took him in when he was young, and loved him as if he had been theirs.

He didn’t live here, it didn’t feel like he should, and to be honest, he didn’t want to take over. He liked being able to walk in and see their things as they left it. It gave him a sense of peace. Deep down, he knew it wasn’t healthy, he should sell it but for now he couldn’t let go. He checked on things here and then headed to the place he lived in the hills.

He called ahead the week before so that it could be opened up and aired out. He hadn’t been here in months and knowing it would be ready was one of the many luxuries he enjoyed. He had a house manager and a housekeeper, both trustworthy friends and he compensated them well for the work they did for him.

Once he was there he made his way inside and he poured himself a drink, leisurely making his way to the large windows overlooking the city. He wanted her. The thought crossed his mind and he smiled. Chloe, there was something about her that had struck a nerve, and he wanted to figure it out. He thought, at first it had been her coy and shy personality, but he had played that game before and knew that wasn’t it.

There was a depth to her, and he wanted to know more. Women were always around, throwing themselves at him and offering him their charms. It came with the business… and the money. It was rare he felt connected to someone who didn’t know about either of those things. She had felt the connection too, she had simply dismissed it, and he wanted to know why. He suddenly smiled as an idea came to mind. She had no clue who he was or the money he made. He pulled out his phone and called Mike.

Braden pulled up to Mike’s townhouse once more with a renewed spirit. Mike had given him the green light at least for the next few weeks. That would be plenty of time to figure Chloe out. He glanced over at her place before heading inside. Much like his penthouse the place hadn’t been lived in in months. Everything shone and gleamed. “Thank you Mrs. Anderson.” He said under his breath.

She was a sweet woman often quiet and reserved, but she could clean the hell out of this bachelor pad. He decided there was no time like the present to start pursuing his curvy neighbor. He made his way over to her door, it wasn’t late yet probably 9 or so, he gave it a knock. She opened the door in a flurry, and a shocked look on her face.

“ Braden hello.” She smiled at him and he felt the heat rising in him. Her hair was pulled up on top of her head and she was wearing a t-shirt and sweats, Casual and damn near the sexiest thing he had ever seen.

“ Hello Chloe, thought I’d see if you were up for a chat? It’s just I’ve been out of town and it’s hard to get resettled.” He gave her a smile and gauged her reaction.

She was just a little intimidated. She had assumed he would move on and let her be but here he was, in his tight jeans and arms that looked ready to rip out of his shirt. She gulped slightly, what was wrong with her? She usually had more control over herself than this. She gave him a half smile.

“ I wish I could it’s just that my little brother is here and is sleeping.” There that should put him off.

“ Oh, I see. Maybe we could sit on the deck?” He shoved his hands in his pockets and she mechanically nodded a yes. He smiled at her again and she moved to let him in.

She must be completely out of her mind. What was she doing? She didn’t even know him that well and she just let him walk right into her house. He could be a crazy person or something. She sighed.

“ I’m not a killer or anything if that’s what you’re worried about.” They had made it to the sliding door and he leaned in behind her whispering it in her ear.

She felt the heat of his breath on her ear and shivered. It had been a long time, very long and she was just sensitive that’s all. They moved out to the deck and as she shut the door and turned towards him, he was directly in front of her.

“ Are you married Chloe?” He leaned towards her as he said it, propping his arm against the sliding door beside her head.

“ You're very forward aren’t you?” “No, I’m not Braden, are you?” She ducked through his arm and made her way over to the wrought iron chairs on the deck. It was dark out there, having forgotten the deck lights were blown she silently cursed. She turned around again and this time he walked over to the rail. She joined him there, waiting and suddenly he turned towards her.

“ No, I’m not.” He put an arm on either side of her and rested against the railing. As he did so he leaned into her breathing in the scent of jasmine.

She was lost in that moment, He was inches away from her and her only thought was that he must be really desperate to be here with her. More than anything else, she didn’t want to look like a fool, it's happened before and she didn’t want to go through that again. She dipped below his arm and faced the trees again. She could hear his chuckle, and she frowned.

“ You are something else Chloe, you know I want to kiss you, but you keep running, why?”

She looked at him, surprised by his admission. “Why do you want to kiss me? I’m sure you have plenty of other women to kiss, besides, I don’t even know you Braden.”

“ What better way to get to know me Chloe.” He stood and gave her a smile.

There was something about the way he said it that left her wondering if he was serious or simply out of his mind. She shook her head and turned back around.

“ Don’t be ridiculous, Braden.”

She said it simply and he realized she meant it. He frowned as he thought about it. Maybe she wasn’t attracted to him. There was only one way to find out. He slid over to the right and grasped her hand in his and pulled her towards him. He saw the look of surprise on her face as he put his hand against the back of her head, pulling her into his arms as his mouth crushed hers.

She was on fire and he did nothing but add fuel to it. She felt his mouth nip at her lips and then dive deeper, she opened her mouth to him, unconsciously meeting his kiss eagerly.

As their tongues danced, she felt the fire inside begin to build and grow, it had been so long and he was very good. She felt his hands then start to move. First slowly he ran them down her back and over the curve of her hip, pulling her even closer to him. She felt his mouth slowly leave her lips and trail down her neck and he nipped her collarbone.

He moved his hands up her hips and his mouth found her again. The kiss was passionate and full of promise. She felt his hand slip under her shirt and she panicked, pushing him away.

Braden stood frozen, what the hell was wrong with him. He had planned on sweet talking… maybe steal a kiss, but this… He ran his hand through his hair and walked to the deck to calm himself. One thing was for sure she wanted him just as badly as he wanted her, she couldn’t deny that now. He looked over at her, she was stone-faced and looked almost sad. He frowned, that was not what he had expected to happen, but why would it make her sad?

“ Chloe, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to get so carried away.” She looked down and then back up at him, a smiled now sitting on her face.

“ I understand, like you said you haven’t been home in months, I’m sure you're just tired.” She moved to walk back to the door leading to the house. She whispered to herself “Plus it’s dark out here, I’m sure that helps.”

“ Helps with what?” He was beside her, he was like a cat the way he moved.

“ Nothing sorry, just rambling as always. I should get to bed, I have to be at work early.” She smiled at him, but he knew something was wrong here.

“ Sure, I understand.” He turned to go and then spun back to look at her. “I like kissing you Chloe, I won’t lie about it, in fact, I want much more than that. I wanted you to know I plan on trying to make sure you know that regularly.” He walked down the front steps whistling. She stayed there until she heard his door shut. She leaned her back against the door to try and calm her racing heart.

The days went by quickly, they would often pass each other in the front yards or as they came home. Both of them caught up in work. He consistently asked her to come over for dinner, but she always had reason to say no. He never made any other move to kiss her or otherwise and she relaxed more around him.

They spent two different afternoons sitting out front talking about life, where each time she was sure they had an audience at all times. One afternoon she opened up more than she planned.

“ So, Charlie?” Braden asked as Charlie was throwing a ball with a friend in the parking lot.

“ My parents were killed in an accident, he was with them but survived. That was almost two years ago now.” She watched Charlie playing. “He is a good boy though.”

“ That has to be hard on you, suddenly having a 12 year old.” Braden watched the expressions changing on her face.

“ It took some adjusting, for all of us.” She took a sip of water from her glass.

“ Why aren’t you married?” He asked it very matter of factly, but with a deeper timber to his voice. She turned to look at him.

“ I almost was once actually.”

He sat up at her admission. So she had loved someone, being close to them. “You know you have to tell me now Chloe?”

“ No, I don’t Braden.” She stood up, brushing off her skirt as she did and headed into her house. He stood and followed.

She noticed him standing in the doorway. “Really Braden, following me into my own home? Even for you that’s a bit much.” She started folding the towels on the table in the kitchen. He didn’t say anything but methodically started helping. She paused to look at him and he simply grinned at her. She rolled her eyes.

When they were done, he finally spoke. “Why don’t you want to talk about it?”

She put her right hand on her hip. “Because it doesn’t matter Braden, that’s why.” As she turned to go he grabbed her forearm and pulled her to him.

“ It does matter Chloe, it certainly is part of why you are the way you are.”

“ What the hell does that mean “the way I am”?” She felt the sting then. She was different. Why did people always feel the need to point it out to her?

“ Wait a minute Chloe what do you think I am talking about here?” He took another step closer, never letting go of her arm.

“ Let me go Braden.” Her eyes glittered dangerously.

“ Not until you tell me.”

“ Fine.” She yanked her arm free. “I was engaged, he seemed to accept me.” She gave him a glance. “He was always sweet and kind and then when my parents died, he never made it to the funeral. He apologized, and I was stupid enough to believe him. When Charlie moved in he tried to force me to send him away to a boarding school of some kind. He said this was not the future he had planned and that Charlie was not his problem. So I refused and he slept with my friend. I caught them in my friend’s house. The worst part was it had been going on for a long time. She was one of those model thin blondes. I should have known better.” She looked over at him finally and he was in shock. He moved towards her again and she stepped back.

“ I’m sorry that happened to you Chloe, he was a bastard.”

“ Thanks.”

Her voice was clipped and short now. He knew she was reliving it and it was his fault. He looked at her, she was sad and hurting and it had left something scarred in her. He had felt that same feeling when he had been put in that home. Like no one understood him or cared to. He didn’t want that for her, for her to feel that way. He reached out and grabbed her again and pulled her to him.

They stayed that way for a long time, just standing close him pressed against her until Charlie came running in breaking the spell.

“ Chloe look what I found a frog” He happily made his way over to her and she shrieked backing up.

Charlie glanced at Braden, rolling his eyes. “Girls.” Braden couldn’t help but laugh at the scene before him.

“ Well, I have to get going, Chloe I expect to finish this conversation later.” He ruffled his hand in Charlie’s hair. “You be nice to your sister.” He gave him a smile and he headed out. He had a tremendous amount of paperwork to sort through at his place.

The next week was uneventful. She would glance at his place when she went to work, subconsciously hoping to see him. He was a good friend of Charlie, and that was all. School would be out in two days. Finally, it was Saturday, and Charlie was leaving. She knew the Bakers were picking him up at 11 and she started helping him to move his things outside as they waited. He was smiling at her and she finally asked him why.

“ You are gonna have a whole lot of time to spend with your new boyfriend next door when I am gone sis.” He started laughing. She swatted at him.

“ Charlie, that’s not funny keep your voice down. He is not my boyfriend, he is our neighbor.”

“ Ok, so why is he always asking you out?” He looked up at her and started to laugh again.

“ I don’t know, he feels sorry for me, I guess because my little brother has such a big mouth maybe.” She pushed him as she made her way down the stairs.

“ No, he likes you Chloe, I like girls at school… that’s how he looks at you.” He shrugged at her glare and went back to moving things.

“ No, he doesn’t, guys like him don’t like girls like me. That’s just the way the world is. It’s up to younger guys like you to make the world better.” She threw a pillow at him and he scrambled to catch it before it hit the ground. Finally they noticed the Bakers coming up the side street and after some time he was loaded and leaving. She waved at him, feeling a little sad at the prospect of spending so much time alone. Once it had been easy to fill her time and now, she was like a mom, and without him she wasn’t sure what to do. She turned around and he was there watching her. She gave him a wave and headed back to her house.

He watched her go, it had been the longest week of his life and all he wanted to do was touch her. Between issues with the races, some complaints from other drivers about a leak and his manager trying to set him up on random surprise guests at dinner time he just wanted something normal. He wanted her. He had heard what she said and it made sense to him now.

“ Guys like him and girls like her.” She had no idea what he wanted, but he was going to tell her. He took long strides to her door and rang the bell. He felt the anticipation curling up. When she opened the door, he practically fell through it.

“ Braden, hello...” He cut her off pulling her to him and covering her mouth with his. He bruised her lips with his attack and she felt her defenses slip away. She had thought of nothing but him for a week.

They moved together in the living room and she leaned back on the couch as he pushed her down. She felt the length of him against her and it was perfect. His hands were everywhere and as he unbuttoned her shirt he felt her freeze.

“ Look at me Chloe.” She did, “I want you, all of you just as you are. Stop fighting me.” She was still frozen and he knew he had to convince her. c

He felt her release and the way her legs were trembling made him ache for her more. He moved above her and watched her face as he moved to push inside her. She was tight and it took more than one pushed to fully envelope himself within her. With a final push he was exactly where he needed to be. He pushed her knees up and over his shoulders as his movements became more frantic, more demanding.

Soon he stood back from her one hand holding each knee as he pounded into her relentlessly. He heard her moans and knew she was sharing in the intensity. Her hips moved with his and the explosion was powerful as he pushed into her one last time and release came.

They both lay there, trying to breathe and trying to make sense of what had happened. For Chloe it had been unlike anything she had ever experienced. She looked up at him and he was smiling down at her. He leaned in and kissed her lightly before he stood up. She once again marveled at his chiseled body.

He saw her glance and smiled at her. Hopefully she knew that he found her sexy and he enjoyed touching her. He made his way to the kitchen and Chloe quickly redressed. What had she done? She felt the blush rising up her face. He had seen her, all of her. No one ever had. She made her way into the bathroom and then followed him in the kitchen.

His phone rang and she turned to look at him and he frowned as he listened.

“ Chloe I have to go, I’m sorry, something has come up.”

“ Sure it’s fine. Go ahead.” She felt the same fear from before, he would leave now.

“ Chloe look at me.” She did. “I will be back, I promise. “ He kissed her quickly on the head and left.

To say he was worried was an understatement. The twenty minute drive took him 12. He pulled into his lot and stared up at the flaming mess. His penthouse was on fire and all he could do was watch. He found the house staff and was happy they were ok. The three of them watched as the fire department did their best.

The next few days Braden spent sifting through what had once been his home. His home hadn’t been saved and very little else had either. He had to meet with the investigator today and then the adjuster. The place assumed this was an accident, but he wasn’t as sure. He had been staying at a nearby hotel, trying to hold it all together but barely.

He made sure the staff had rooms and that they were well taken care of. Most of his time was spent on the phone or on conference to various media networks and the racing team. He thought about Chloe, her smile and her sweetness. He missed her. Everything he had put into proving he liked her the way she was had vanished the night he left, and hadn’t come back. He had promised and now she would never trust him again.

Chloe knew she was a fool. She had spent that entire night waiting for him, as if she believed in his story, or that he would come back. She had waited and the joke was on her. Life has inevitably gone back to normal. As a teacher, she threw herself back into the work of planning for the next school year. She found that by journaling a lot she was able to keep her heart from hurting too much. The reality was she cared, about Braden and what he thought of her.

The times they spent talking was a big part of that, he was a kind and sweet guy. It wasn’t that he never came back that night. The fact was he had never come back at all, until yesterday. She hadn’t actually seen him, just that his lights were on and music was playing inside. How he could just ignore her now was the brunt of the pain.

She wished for a moment that she had the strength to march over there and demand an answer, but it was better off left alone. She glanced at the clock and headed out to go grocery shopping. As she did, she heard the door open next door and she cringed.

The last thing she wanted was a run in. She turned around and it was a woman, a very thin, very hot blonde woman. The blonde in question gave her a wave and she straightened her shoulders and left.

Braden had cancelled the rest of the afternoon and made the decision to try. He had to explain, and most importantly, he had to tell her the truth. He drove to her place and waited. He saw her car, he knew she was there, but for the first time since he was a child, he was scared. He was a nationally known bike racer and had been with more than a few women all over the world and this one woman had him questioning everything about himself. He felt the guilt like a punch in the stomach. Not just for leaving her like that, but for not telling her the truth about who he was. He finally got out of the car and went to the door.

She heard the knock and frantically made her way to the door. She had found a solution to her financial woes and was moving in a roommate. To say the mess from what had once been storage was everywhere, would be putting it mildly. She climbed over the final boxes and pulled the door open. There he stood.

“ What do you want Braden, I am really busy?” She hoped the nonchalant way she talked to him would fool him.

“ We need to talk Chloe, really talk.” He sounded serious and she finally made eye contact. Still gorgeous he looked rough. He looked tired and she knew something was wrong. She moved out of the way and he came inside.

He felt a sense of panic at the mess. “Are you moving?” He glanced around.

“ No, I found a roommate. Nice guy, good job.” She crossed her arms in front of her and waited. She would let him speak, but she wouldn’t make it easy for him.

Braden felt a rush of anger. He would be damned if some “guy” was moving in here. “There are some things I need to tell you and explain. I need to know you will let me explain it all and then we will talk about this “guy” you think is moving in here.”

He made his way to the living room and she followed. Her arms were crossed again and her eyes were flashing fire. Even now he wanted her.

He turned the channel to ESPN and turned to look at her. “This is the best way I know how to explain.”

She sat there stunned watching sports news, which she didn’t even know existed. Some bike racer had a house that burned down and, wow he was local. She suddenly felt sick. He was everywhere, pictures and stories and she knew. He turned it off.

“ Oh my God, Braden are you ok?” She looked at him and touched his hand.

“ I’m fine, my house is gone though. That’s where I have been. That’s why I didn’t call.”

“ Why didn’t you tell me you were famous? It would have made out fling that much more memorable for me?” she gave him a half smile.

“ Stop it, Chloe. I don’t look at you like that and I know you don’t either. It's more than that and you damn well know it.” She moved off the couch and towards the door. He caught her hand as she went by, standing up in the process. He kissed her forcefully only letting go when they needed air. It was then he noticed her tears. He kissed her eyelids and wiped them away.

“ Don’t cry Chloe, please, I’m so sorry for everything.” He pulled her into his arms and buried his head in her hair.

He kissed her face and then her mouth again. It started so simply, wanting to comfort each other and soon they were lost in the moment. She pulled away from him and went up the stairs, and he followed.

Once there he took the lead, grabbing her hand and pulling her with him into the room. Their actions frantic now they undressed each other. He turned her around to face away from him. She felt him unzip her dress and trail his fingers down her spine as the dress slipped to the floor. He reached around to cup her breasts, which overflowed in his hands. He pulled her back against him and she felt the hardness there.

“ Don’t ever question what you do to me Chloe, feel what you do.”

She did just that, taking him into her hand and feeling the length of him. He pushed her over towards the bed and she climbed into it and he stopped her. She was half on and half off the bed when he moved behind her. He filled her suddenly and quickly, and she gasped at his entry. He moved his hand up to her hair winding his fist in it and bracing himself as he plunged into her faster, and deeper.

They moved together both seeking and searching for something. She was the first to reach her peak and she moaned out his name as she did so pushing him over the edge as well. He pulled her to him spooning behind her. She was his, and she always will be. Suddenly she stood.

“ You should go, Braden.” She pulled her dress over her head and stood. He stood as well and she was once again reminded of how perfect he was.

“ Chloe please.”

“ Braden this…. this was a mistake. You know it as well as I do.”

“ No, it’s not a mistake, how can you even say that after what just happened?”

“ We come from different worlds Braden, you’re... famous for God’s sake and I am just some…”She trailed off. “You lied to me Braden.”

“ I know, at first I just wanted you. I was driven by a need to be inside you, loving you. Then things changed.”

“ No, they didn’t Braden… …you should go… now.”

He saw the firm set of her jaw and knew she was serious. He took one last look at her before he left. Chloe waited until she heard the front door shut and she locked it before crumbling to the floor and gave over to the tears.

Braden was not himself. His driving was awful and he couldn’t connect with the course. He normally would love the flowing hills of Virginia, but he was officially not on a streak anymore. He angrily threw his helmet into the seat of the car and made his way to the crew.

They all knew to avoid him when he was like this. Braden angry was a rare thing, but it usually had a quick turnaround. This time he was like this all day. He was angry, and worried. Chloe had refused to respond to any messages he sent her and he missed her. She was so damn stubborn and it hurt that she didn’t feel the same way.

Braden made his way into the hotel and caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. He was dirty from the race, but he was changed now. He had spent his entire adult life alone until this one woman came into it and now he was worried about someone else. He knew she had been struggling, in more way than one. She had shared her situation with him, told him her secrets and he had lied to her. He knew she was hurting, but couldn’t she see how he felt? He frowned. How did he feel exactly? He got into the shower to wash away everything from the long day. He had to do something and soon.

He met up with Mike for dinner that evening who puts it all in perspective for him.

“ You’re in love with that chubby girl back home aren’t you?” Braden stood and towered over him.

“ Don’t ever say that about her again, do you understand me?”

“ Whoa, whoa buddy calm down. I didn’t mean anything negative about it. I am just telling you man, you got it bad. The whole damn crew is afraid of you the way you’re tearing things up all the time. Not to mention you lost your streak, you need to see her and make it right. Either let her go or marry the girl.”

Braden sat back in his chair and thought about what he said. Marry her? The thought gave him a start of panic, but the idea of coming home to her, all the time was once he could love.

She and Charlie The boy needed someone who would curl up at the sight of a frog. He ran his hand through his hair. He hoped they were ok, if only she would answer his damn calls. He suddenly had an idea, one that may make her call him after all. He pitched his idea to Mike, who chuckled and started to make the call.

Chloe was frustrated. The roommate was an ass and he left his things all over her house. More importantly, he was indifferent to Charlie. Treating him like a bug in his way all of the time. Last night had been the final straw. He had come home drunk and had groped her and she was finished with it. She took a deep breath before knocking on his door. She had to do it repeatedly before he finally yelled something and stumbled to open it.

“ What Chloe?” He moaned as she pushed the door open wider.

“ You have to move James, I can’t have this kind of environment for Charlie.”

“ You can’t just kick me out Chloe, I have rights. Besides, you like it when I touch you, don’t even try to lie.” He took a step towards her and grabbed her again. This time she pushed at him and scratched his face. He gave her one blow to the face and she staggered backwards. She rushed to the living room calling for Charlie and the two of them made their way out to her car.

Mrs. Anderson watched the little car pull away with a shake of her head. That was a bad man in there, she had seen her holding her face when they left. She pulled out her phone to call Mikey and tell him the plan couldn’t work now. After Mike hung up the phone it took him a minute to turn around. He knew once he told Braden he would lose it. There was nothing he could do but to tell him.

“ Well, what did she say?” Braden was eager to hear is Chloe was ok.

“ Seems like she is gone man, I mean she had a couple bags and she and Charlie left.”

“ What the hell do you mean they left?”

“ Sit down man I’ll tell you everything.”

Braden did, only because he knew he wouldn’t get any information otherwise.

Twenty minutes later, Braden had called the airline and booked a flight to Texas. The sonofabitch was going to pay and he would be the one to do it. Mike had tagged along, mainly because he didn’t want Braden to end up in jail.

They took the direct flight and Braden had been full of tension and ready to fight the entire time. Finally on the ground they picked up a rental car and made their way into the city. He was practically out of the car before it even stopped. He made his way to her house and when the door opened, she let the first punch fly.

Mike glanced down at the man on the floor. The guy didn’t even have a chance. Braden had knocked him out with two hits. Braden made his way upstairs and checked to make sure she had yet to come back. He wasn’t sure where she would go, she had a few friends, but no one she spoke about enough to give him any clear direction to head in. He walked back over to Mike’s and sat in the chair by the window so he could watch and wait. He glanced up at Mike.

“ Give me your phone.”

“ What, why?”

“ Just trust me, I’ll give it right back.”

He took the phone from Mike and sent a text to her from his number. He visibly relaxed when he got a response. It was wrong, but it had to work. She would be furious, but he would at least get to look at her and make sure she was ok.

Chloe was concerned. The message had said that she needed to come home right away. She wasn’t even sure who sent her the message, but she had to find out what was going on. She dropped Charlie off at a friends and made her way home quickly.

She had so much to figure out and she was exhausted. She glanced at herself in the mirror. It had only been a number of hours, but her right eye was purple and bruised. She couldn’t go back in there, He was horrible. What had ever possessed her to let him move in in the first place?

Money, always money. She wanted to keep Charlie in one place with his friends, something she had never had and this is what happened. She pulled into his parking lot and got out of the car. She would wait out here. She couldn’t go in there alone ever again. It was then that the door next door opened and she saw him.

It had only been a couple of months, but he was perfect. He took a few long strides to get to her and before she could say a word he wrapped himself around her and picked her up. He literally picked her up. She heard him whisper her name and she closed her eyes against the emotional overflow she felt inside her. Why was he here? She pulled away and he stood back looking her over. When he looked at her face, he swore.

“ That asshole.” He started walking towards her place and she went after him.

“ Braden wait.” She went behind him and they made it to the door. She grabbed his arm. Suddenly there was another man there. He pulled Braden away.

“ Calm down man, he can’t hurt any more than he does.” Braden turned towards her as the police pulled up out front.

“ Oh no, Braden the police?” She walked towards the car again. She felt his hand on her arm.

“ Yes the police Chloe, look at your face what he did to you.” She tentatively touched her face with her fingertips. She saw the rage fill his face again and she touched him. “I’m fine Braden really.”

He watched her go speak to the police and he glanced at the front door as it slowly opened. James came staggering out and Mike once again grabbed Braden by the arm, preventing him from going to jail. The police made their way over to James and cuffed him. After they were gone Braden turned to face her.

“ We need to talk Chloe, now.” He went inside and she soon followed, but not before Chloe saw the blond from before walking hand in hand with Mike. So she was never with Braden. Somehow that helped to make her feel a little better. At a wave from the two of them, she made her way inside where Braden was waiting.

“ Braden, nothing has changed. I love that you came here to help me, I do, but we are still so different. Everything we do is…” She stopped as he kissed her. She closed her eyes, even if they couldn’t be together, she could enjoy the way it felt when he kissed her, even just for another moment. She relaxed in his arms and he felt it. He pulled her even closer to him and ran his hands over her curves. She was everything, and he wanted all of her.

The kiss intensified and he undid the back of her dress pulling it to the floor. She was lost in him, his touch and felt the coolness of the air against her skin. She trusted him unlike she had ever trusted anyone else. He pulled her into the living room never stopping the kisses he trailed down her neck. When they made it there she stopped him. She could be herself with him, for the moment. She walked around him and shed the rest of her clothes.

She walked to the couch and laid back on it, fully unclothed and waiting. He watched her, his mouth hungry to touch her, but reveling in the way she was with him now. She was no longer concerned about if he was attracted to her, or if he wanted her. She believed in him and how much he wanted to touch her. He finally moved towards her gently moving his mouth down her chest, stopping to kiss and run his tongue over each crested peak.

He buried his face in her breasts pulling on them and kissing every inch of them. She had her hands in his hair now pulling his head back up to kiss her deeply. He moved his hands along her curves and she arched up to meet them. He finally found her core and slid in one finger into the moist heat of her. She moaned at the sensation, she was aching for him with a need deep down. She moved her hips into his hand and he felt himself grow harder at her playfulness, at her carefree nature.

This is how he wanted her, how he needed her to be with him. He moved his fingers over her working to a fevered state and she watched the expression on her face as she became more demanding more demanding of release. He wanted to give her more and he slid down, burying his face in her and tasting her love juices. He felt her hands in his hair as she grinded into him and finally he felt her reach that ultimate peak and he knew it was time. He raised above her, his excitement evident and she stood to touch him.

Sliding her hands down his body over his chest and further until with a swift intake of breath she held him in her hands. She slid to the floor, wanting to give him back what he had given her and he looked down at her face as she put her lips on him kissing and taking him in caressing him with her tongue. He saw her look up at him and it was almost too much. He pulled her up to him and kissed her deeply before pushing her to the couch again. He mounted her swiftly pushing into her depths. He reached the full hilt of himself and stopped.

He wanted to just feel her surrounding him like this. He looked up at her face. She was flushed from her climax and eager for more, but he wanted to watch the expressions as he moved her.

He moved slowly now stretching her to her limits and testing himself, his ability to prolong the inevitable. He felt her hands on his chest as he looked down at her and he watched her curvy body move with his. He wanted her, always. He pulled out and slammed back into with a force that shook them both to the core. It had never been this good, this satisfying.

The need was far too great and they both were aching to reach that final release. He moved faster now, steadily grinding into her and she was almost whimpering, and calling for him. He loved her like this, with abandon.

He increased his speed and was both grinding and pounding into her at the same time. It was good, too good. She called his name as her body moved on its own. She was in longer in charge of it and she felt the orgasm start low until it shuddered through her entire body. Leaving her spent and breathless.

Her explosion rocked him to the core and he couldn’t hold back any longer. He slid his hands under her and lifted her off the bed slightly as he plunged into her again and again until he shared in her release. He buried himself inside her as far as he could. He wanted to know he had given it all to her.

They lay there holding on to each other. Both afraid to speak, afraid to break the beauty of what they had shared. He knew she would run from him now, but he wouldn’t let her. He was in love with her and he couldn’t imagine life without her in it. She was the first to move, raising her head to look at him.

“ Braden.” She whispered and he gently kissed her lips.

He held her that way the two looking at each other waiting for the other to say something else. She was what he had been missing his entire life, she was family.

She raised up, suddenly self-conscious of her nakedness. He knew the person she was in the throes of passion was not who she was every day. It was a part of her she shared with only him, and he loved her all the more for it. He pulled her dress from the floor and helped her into it. He noticed she relaxed some and glanced at him sheepishly as she did it.

“ Chloe, before you say anything I need you to know something.” He moved the strands of hair that had fallen into her face as she moved. She waited and looked up at him.

“ I am in love with you, Chloe.” I know you don’t know how this will work, but I know you have feelings for me too. I know you worry about everything, from yourself, to Charlie and money and this house.”

“ Braden” she started, but he held up a hand to her...

“ I’m not finished. The last few months have been the worst kind of hell for me. I found my mother dead on my living room floor when I was twelve and aside from a loving couple who gave me a family for three years I have been alone my whole life. I didn’t even know what I was missing until you and Charlie. I love you Chloe, I want you with me… you and Charlie. I have more money than I can ever spend and I want to share everything with you.”

“ Braden… I love you too.” He relaxed with her words and pulled her closer to him. She had been worried about life with Braden, what she never considered was how awful life would be without him. She smiled up at him and asked.

“ Will you miss all the models and think girls? Can I really satisfy you Braden?

“ Chloe, what we have is better than anything I have ever done in my whole life. You are sexy, and gorgeous and ALL I want is you to be the mother of my babies.” She smiled and a giggle escaped.

“ What’s so funny?”

“ Charlie said you liked me even before any of this. Now I have to tell him he was right.”

“ I love you Chloe.”

He kissed her again, and for the first time in her life, she believed someone truly loved her.

"When we have our baby boy, we'll name him Charlie."

******