Marcy
I peek into Vivi’s room to check on her. It’s almost ten o’clock, but I’ve made it a point to pop my head into her room a few times over the last hour or so, just in case. After all, you never know what kids are up to because they could be scaling the walls when they should be asleep.
But Vivi was tired after her bath, and when I look in, the soft yellow glow from her nightlight provides enough light for me to see the darling girl. She’s resting like a little angel, tucked into her canopy bed and squeezing a teddy bear. She’s somehow managed to push her covers all the way off the bed, so I scoop them back up and gently tuck them back around her small body. The little girl murmurs in her sleep but then goes still, letting out the cutest of small snorts.
I can’t help but envy her sweet slumber because tonight’s just been so crazy. It’s been a long evening, mostly because I’ve been on edge counting down the minutes until Jared is supposed to get home from his event. Fortunately, Vivi kept me entertained with different make-believe games, books, and ice cream. She also cooperated surprisingly well for a five year old when it was time to get ready for bed, and everything went smoothly.
Her good manners must be a testament to her dad, I think warmly. Or is it her mom who’s responsible?
Ugh. The gnawing feeling in my gut returns for the hundredth time tonight. I know it’s none of my business, but I have so many questions about his relationships and dating life in general. I mean, it wouldn’t have surprised me if Jared had said he was married. But it’s not my business to ask, nor is it my place to pass judgment. Hostesses exist for a man’s pleasure, and that’s pretty much the long and short of it.
So when Jared told me that there was no Mrs. Michaels, my relief had been immediate. It’s crazy because I know I only had sex with the guy one time, and we barely spoke ten words to each other that one time, but I felt a deep and unexpected connection to the billionaire. So even though it shouldn’t be like this, it was still as if a weight was lifted from my shoulders.
But what happened to his ex? I wonder immediately. I sigh loudly. The sound must disturb little Vivi, because she whimpers a bit in her sleep.
“Shh, shh,” I shush, stroking her black curls lightly. Vivi stirs once more and then goes still once more. With that, I tiptoe out of the room before I wake her up again, silently cursing myself for being so thoughtless. Then, I close her door with a light click, and continue tiptoeing until I’m downstairs and out of earshot.
I glance at my watch.
9:54.
Jared said that he’d be home at ten o’clock, but then again, he could be late. It’s hard to tell with all the traffic. Plus, I don’t even know what kind of event he’s at, so he might get held up.
“What should I do with myself?” I wonder aloud. My voice sounds eerily loud in the large house, and part of me wants to explore, to be honest. It’s so nosy, right? But I want to learn more about the handsome billionaire, so I head into the living room, figuring that if I am caught looking around, it won’t seem too weird in that particular room.
Stepping inside, I look around. It’s a sumptuous space with a fireplace, a stunning wooden mantelpiece, and tall floor to ceiling windows decorated with elegant ivory drapes. Tasteful furniture is scattered about and in the corner, a gorgeous decorative statue stands on a pedestal. I move in for a closer look and see that it’s a bejeweled tiger figurine, small but elegant. Wow. The eyes look to be made of amber, and I wonder idly how much it costs. This could be an antique, definitely, judging from the patina on the tiger’s body.
This feels… intrusive, I realize and suddenly feel bad for my halfhearted efforts at snooping. I turn away from the tiger guiltily and look around the room, but nothing else catches my eye, so I plop down on one of the sofas.
I can’t believe that of all the people for me to end up working for, it’s the same man from last night! Ugh, what are the chances?
I look for a pillow to groan into, or maybe even smother myself with. That would be apt. After all, I’ve always joked about what a small world it is, but now the joke’s on me. I have no idea what the rules are for navigating such an unusual situation. I mean, seriously, Sanctum and babysitting? These are two planets in different solar systems. They were never supposed to meet in a collision. Not to mention, I don’t know if there are going to be any repercussions if Sanctum management finds out. We’re allowed to spend time with clients outside of the club of course, but it’s strictly voluntary and certainly pre-planned. So what happens when the meeting is accidental and the client finds the whole thing distasteful?
God, Jared thought I was stalking him too, I think in a morose tone. How awful and embarrassing.
Okay, I have to get my mind off these morbid thoughts, so I flick on a small TV in the corner and begin scrolling mindlessly through the channels. I pause here and there when something catches my eye, but it’s all just for show because when Jared gets home, I don’t want it to look like I’ve just been obsessing over him. Instead, I want to appear carefree and easygoing, as if I haven’t wasted one brain cell on him at all, although of course, it’s the opposite.
I’ll be as cool as a cucumber, I think in a somewhat grim tone. Yeah right, he won’t be fooled at all.
Because the second I hear the key in the lock at the front door, my plan goes out the window. I bounce off the couch quickly, suddenly feeling sweaty and nervous. I swipe at my wild hair, but it’s no use because my curls are wild and woolly thanks to the humidity. Ugh, it’s probably smashed flat in the weirdest way too because I was wearing one of Vivi’s princess crowns for well over an hour.
I run-walk over to the door and meet Jared just as he comes inside.
“Hi,” I say breathlessly.
“Hi yourself,” he growls, those blue eyes assessing my form. “How were things with Vivi?” His eyes flit toward the stairs then back to me.
“Oh um, good. We had a lot of fun, and we played a lot of that princess and knights game. She’s sound asleep now, and snoozing like a baby.” I tuck my hands into my pockets, feeling horrifically awkward. Is my face red? I bet it is.
Meanwhile, Jared chuckles softly. “Let me guess, she made you be the princess, right?”
I giggle. “Yeah, she insisted I wear a crown and everything.” Then, I take a deep breath and summon my courage before looking at the huge man. God, he’s so gorgeous in a dark suit, but I have to get this over and done with. “Look, I know this was a huge surprise, me showing up here and everything. I know you were uncomfortable and I totally get why. But everything worked out, right? So let’s just call it even and forget about this, okay? I’ll leave and there’s no need to pay me or anything because this never happened,” I say with a quick smile while bending over to get my stuff.
But Jared shakes his head slowly, his big body blocking the door. “No, that’s not going to work, sweetheart.”
“No, really it’s fine,” I insist, hauling my bag over one shoulder. But one sharp look from Jared makes me go quiet.
“You worked, so you get paid. Isn’t that how this goes?” he drawls while handing me a stack of cash.
My eyes go wide as the money lands in my fist because this looks like a roll of hundred dollar bills.
“No, no, this is too much,” I stammer, trying to hand the money back to him. “Seriously, I don’t mind working for free tonight. This was just a misunderstanding and you know how these things are. It’s just between friends.”
He cocks his head.
“We’re friends? Is that how you’d describe us?”
I stammer, my cheeks flaming.
“Um, sort of?” I choke out. “We’re kind-of friends?”
With that, Jared throws his black head back and laughs, showing off a movie star smile.
“We can be friends if you want to be friends, Marcy. But first, come back to the living room so that we can chat.” Without waiting for a response, Jared strolls into the living room before turning back to shoot me an expectant look.
For a brief minute, I debate making a dash for the front door. But what good would that do? He’d probably just haul me right back in by the nape of my neck, so I take a deep breath and follow him into the living room before sitting on a sofa.
Jared shoots me a meaningful look.
“Can I get you a drink?”
“Um, no, thanks, I’m okay,” I squeak. “I had a lot of juice with Vivi earlier.”
OMG, I sound so insipid! Ugh, I wish I could kill myself right now. But Jared merely grins before taking a seat in a large leather chair and steepling his fingers. His handsome face is calm and there’s not a hair out of place. Meanwhile, I know I look like a wild mess, and beads of sweat are already beginning to form uncomfortably at my armpits. Oh god, oh god.
But Jared doesn’t seem to notice. He stares at me a bit longer, those blue eyes caressing my form.
“So,” he says.
“So,” I squeak in return.
He cocks his head.
“I’ll admit I was surprised to open my front door and find you of all people standing there,” he drawls. “Were you surprised?”
I nod quickly. “I want to be very clear. I was not stalking you. I work for the babysitting agency and I’ve been employed by Child Mine for a while now. You can check with them. I swear it’s true, and I had no idea that it’d be you tonight.”
Jared grins.
“No, I don’t think you’re a stalker,” he drawls. “But yeah, it was a surprise.”
I nod quickly. “Trust me, I feel exactly the same way. New York has so many people, but honestly, sometimes it feels like a small town. It’s weird, right? What are the chances? But honestly, it’s totally fine,” I continue beginning to babble again. “I won’t tell them, and you won’t either, right? Because now you know about my… um, secret life,” I tell him in a rush. “And I need both of my jobs, so please don’t report me or anything.”
Jared’s eyebrows shoot up. “They would fire you?”
I shrug, blushing.
“I don’t know. I think the babysitting agency would definitely fire me for working as a hostess. Sanctum? I’m not so sure, but I don’t want to risk it.”
He nods, his blue eyes going thoughtful.
“Marcy,” he begins slowly. “The last thing you need to worry about is me letting the cat out of the bag. After all, you also know about my secret life too.”
I nod. “Yes, but our circumstances are different. You’re a client. You live in a big townhouse and obviously have a lot of resources. How would they even fire you? Meanwhile, they could replace me with another girl just by snapping their fingers.”
He nods.
“I suppose that’s true, but you don’t have to worry. Your secret’s safe with me. You can relax.”
“Oh.” The small sound escapes my lips. “Thank you.”
But Jared decides to press his advantage.
“I am curious, however, about how long you’ve worked at Sanctum. Months? Years? Decades?”
I suddenly feel shy about my side hustle. “Well, decades would be a little too long, seeing that I’m in my twenties. But it’s been a few years now. Probably about two and a half.”
Jared nods slowly.
“Really. I find that interesting.”
Now it’s my turn to cock my head at him.
“But why?”
He shrugs.
You’re a gorgeous woman, sweetheart,” he muses, “so I don’t understand why you need Sanctum. I’d imagine there are tons of guys lining up to date you.”
I swallow hard, appreciating the compliment but feeling compelled to explain myself. “Well, the thing is,” I begin before taking a deep breath and meeting his eyes. “Sanctum pays me a lot of money to be a hostess. I don’t mean to sound shallow, but it’s the truth, and I need the funds.”
Jared shifts in his chair, still assessing my curvy form.
“But do you like what you do? Wouldn’t you rather just see men casually around the city? Get taken out on nice lunches and dinners? I’m sure some of them would be happy to pay you, even informally.”
I shake my head and smile gently.
“No, because dating in this city is a total nightmare. Either the guys are lame or they’re crazy. And a lot of the guys I’ve quote unquote ‘dated’ claim they want to be wild, but they’re not really. They’re very vanilla when it comes down to it.”
“Wild, huh?” Jared drawls, grinning. “Wild as in belly dancing?”
I giggle, a soft flush creeping over my skin as I relax a little.
“Yes, exactly that. Most guys think that wild is going to dinner and a show afterwards where girls shimmy and shake while waving veils around. But at Sanctum, it’s different. At Sanctum, we both know that belly dancing is showing a girl how big you are down below, and then watching as her belly bulges.”
With that, Jared is up and out of his seat so fast that I blink. In moments, he’s on me on the couch, and he’s pushed my curvy form back so that I’m cushioned in his arms, staring up into those deep blue eyes.
“Tell me, sweetheart,” he rasps. “Do you think you can belly dance for me again? I’d love to see it.”
My insides go soft and mushy and without even realizing it, my legs part beneath his, welcoming him into the warm vee of my body.
“Are you sure, Mr. Michaels?” I whisper. “We’re not on Sanctum grounds right now. It could get even nastier than what you expect.” OMG, what am I saying? I was going to make a quick escape, but instead, I’m here, teasing the billionaire while ensconced in his arms. But Jared’s blue eyes merely flash as he leans down to run his tongue up my slim throat. “I’d love to get nasty with you, sweetheart. Tell me, have you ever belly danced from the back? You know, through your bottom hole.”
I stare at him.
“Is that even possible?” I gasp.
My man merely grins and then leans forward to catch my lips with his own again.
“Let’s find out, shall we? It’ll be fun, baby girl.”
With those words, I give myself up to the pleasure again, sailing among the waves as Jared takes me over and over again. It’s so wrong because I was originally all about doing damage control. But this man ripped through my defenses with a few words and a kiss or two, and now, I’m giving it up to him in the dirtiest of ways … and loving every second of it too.