Lucky Seven

by Elle M Thomas

  “We can talk about your confusion, baby, later. I would guess it might be similar to my own.”

  Tasha nodded with a genuine and sweet smile, missing one hand from her hip moving until a pop sounded behind her, warming her behind. Maybe he was more of a tiger than a pussy cat.

  “Turn around.”

  Tasha found the right place to when she felt the wonderful sensation of James’ tongue. She cried out and thought again that it was no wonder six different women had already committed to belonging to this magnificent man but refused to stray to the reoccurring detail of six different women who had also been on the wrong side of that commitment.

  They were lying entwined together on the bed when Jim broke the comfortable silence surrounding them. “Let’s go out to dinner.”

  “I thought you were going to guarantee nobody would ever know I was here,” Tasha replied. Between him and his daughter her plan for discretion was going to be completed screwed up.

  “I am. I know some very secluded places. You can dress up and I will be going crazy all night and when we get back here, we can...” he smiled as if encouraging her to finish his sentence.

  “We can make love all night.” She’d purposefully selected her words, deliberately teasing in her very tame response.

  “I was going to say fuck like bunnies, but if you’d prefer the gentle touch, baby, I can do that too.”

  She laughed loudly, but his offer seemed totally genuine. “Okay, and assuming Lizzie hasn’t taken out a full-page ad to announce that I’m Daddy’s new girlfriend and you really do know somewhere secluded I won’t be outed as a gold digger or a slutty actress sleeping her way to the top. Although, I don’t think Sandra would take much convincing of me being both of those things.” Her tone suggested she was far more bothered by that than she’d previously admitted, even to herself.

  “Have you and Sandra had a fight since you bonded over tea this morning?” Jim’s words were laced with sarcasm, but seeing her serious and slightly sad face he offered her a small smile.

  “Hmmm, just after she discovered I was an actress.”

  “Maybe she’s jealous.”

  “Of me? Why?”

  “Because her husband thinks you are the best thing since sliced bread. He can’t stop telling me how great you are. Although, I’d already figured your greatness for myself.”

  Tasha laughed but shook her head.

  “You really don’t see it do you? You are beautiful and funny and as hot as hell itself. When you stepped on the plane yesterday every man there was positively drooling, including the steward who I thought was gay until he saw your legs coming towards him; maybe he was gay until he saw you.” Jim gazed into her eyes willing her to see what he saw.

  “Hardly.” She remained unconvinced.

  He stroked her cheek, his expression and tone turning sad. “What happened to you that you don’t see it, baby?”

  She watched him looking at her with nothing but care and kindness reflected in his eyes. His compassion caused tears to prick the back of her eyes as she tried to brush off his comments. “Maybe there isn’t anything to see, Jim. Maybe this is just who and what I am.”

  “I appreciate you don’t want to talk about it, baby, but if you do...” He gently brushed her lips with his thumb, desperate to say or do something to make her smile. To remove the darkness from her eyes and replace it with the light he’d seen there just a few minutes before and yet he had no clue how.

  The sensation of his skin touching hers caused her lips to tingle. Her breathing was already beginning to hitch with anticipation and she was grateful for the distraction from conversation about her because she really didn’t want to burden him with what had happened to her, and yet she could think of nobody she wanted to tell more. She distracted herself from her thoughts when she mouthed Jim’s thumb, drawing it into the wet heat of her mouth. His response was a low groan as he lay with his eyes shut.

  “I really, really do like you, Natasha. You need to give some thought to Elvis or a JP because we will be going to Vegas.”

  She straddled him again and studied him; his torso that lay beneath her, then up his body to his broad and defined chest and shoulders before finding his handsome face and full head of hair. Finally, she settled her eyes on his, holding his gaze as she offered him a small smile before lying down with her chest pressed against his leaving nothing between them.

  “I don’t think so, but thank you, James.” She waited for the familiar sting as a consequence to her James, but there was none causing her to gaze up to eye him with suspicion.

  He laughed at her expression. “You really do like a bit of rough play, don’t you?”

  “I would rather you didn’t beat the living shit out of me, but your hands on my arse makes me very horny.” She was shocked by her own summary, but it was entirely true.

  “I would never beat the living shit out of you and my hands on your ass make me very horny too. You telling me it makes you horny also makes me horny.” He pulled her head up so she was looking at him when he kissed her gently on the nose. “Let’s go to dinner and talk some more.”

  She reluctantly dismounted, standing up and then squealed excitedly as the sting in her ass surprised her.

  “That was for breakfast, and also because I like to think of you being horny.”

  Jim was in his office when Tasha came downstairs, ready for dinner. He stared at his computer, deep in thought. She stood watching him and smiled as he looked up.

  “You really do look good enough to eat.” He grinned at her salaciously.

  “You’ve already done that.”

  “And very tasty you were too, honey.” With a single pat to his lap, he summoned her over to join him.

  She needed no further invitation.

  The black, strapless, knee length cocktail dress she wore moved with her in such a way that it emphasised every curve she had; tight and fitted under the bust then flaring out to the knees with the little silver detail under the bust catching the light with dazzling effects. It was the one going out dress she’d packed for the trip and she was glad she had now. She climbed onto his lap sideways and crossed her stocking clad legs.

  “Pantyhose?”

  She shook her head as a tiny blush began to colour her cheeks.

  His existing smile only broadened as his hands crept beneath the dress where he found the tops of her lacy hold-ups. “You will have to decide Elvis or a JP real soon at this rate, baby. I like these shoes. They go with everything; pretty dresses, bikinis and even dresses that are far too short for air travel.” He arched a brow. “Come on, we need to go before I change my mind about going out.”

  He grabbed his things, took her hand in his and led her to the black convertible Mercedes, a CL something she thought. She knew what car she drove, but had very little real knowledge of cars. She wasn’t a snob and had no real interest in competing with anyone via material objects.

  “Yours?”

  “Yes,” he answered laughing, wondering whose car it would be if not his.

  “But you have Mike.” She knew there were a variety of cars Jim had access to.

  “Yes, I do, but I also like to drive myself and he does driving on behalf of me for the studio too, and stuff around the place. He isn’t my chauffeur, and he has a life.”

  Tasha thought the explanation he’d given didn’t sound in anyway superior or as if he was showing off. “I like to drive myself, too, it gives you freedom.”

  Jim gave her a thoughtful glance as he considered her word and the way she’d said it, like it was something she never thought she’d have, freedom.

  “Lizzie said you weren’t comfortable being chauffeured,” he revealed with a half-smile causing a full smile to break across Tasha’s face.

  “Loose Lipped Lizzie says a lot, doesn’t she?” She smiled at the girl’s inherent need to report everything back to Jim and smiled more as she figured it meant she had nothing but trust in her father and his motives.

  Ji
m laughed at her name for Lizzie. “Yes, but she likes you.”

  “I know. She told me and text me to tell me, as did number one.”

  Jim drove expertly through the winding hills leaving Tasha to flick through his music and stopped at David Bowie.

  “You like?” He frowned, thinking some of the older stuff on his playlists might not be to Tasha’s taste.

  “What’s not to like?” She began singing very loudly to Ziggy Stardust making him laugh.

  “Is that a trained voice?”

  “God no! This is my, I am happy and having a great time voice.”

  “I think you should try it out professionally, it’s my personal favourite.” He reached across the space between them and squeezed her knee tightly, causing a cocktail of feelings and emotions to flood her brain at his words as well as his touch.

  “I’m glad you’re not mad with me.” She really was and wanted him, no, needed him to understand just how much his opinions and feelings mattered to her even if it was ridiculous.

  “You do drive me crazy, Tasha. You really do infuriate me and I can’t quite understand how you do that to me so soon.”

  “So you are still mad at me?” she asked, confused by his earlier playfulness and now his revelation about just how easily she managed to annoy him.

  “Yes, no, maybe, but not as mad as I was,” he admitted before quickly changing the subject. “Have you thought of your questions for over dinner?”

  “What questions?”

  “The getting to know each other questions?”

  “No.” She realised she’d been so lost in her own confusing ideas and thoughts she really had given question time no thought at all. “I often just say the first thing as it comes into my head and I also thought we already had a fairly busy agenda.”

  “True. We can catch up tomorrow. I enjoyed sexting you today.”

  “Good, I liked it too. Did you really spray coffee?” She giggled.

  “Oh yes. Straight across the conference table. Marc is most concerned for my mental health.”

  “He could have a point.” She laughed again.

  “I would put you over my knee for that if I didn’t know how much you’d enjoy it.”

  “Spoil sport.” She stuck her tongue out at him but couldn’t deny his accusation, observation. “Did your meetings really end quicker than scheduled or did you cancel them?”

  “They really did run ahead. I was in such a bad mood they agreed with me to get out of the office.” He laughed at the memory of his afternoon and his earlier mood. “In fact, it was during one of those meetings when Marc evacuated the office and asked if I had thought about seeing someone about my mood swings.”

  Tasha laughed, impressed by Marc’s bravery or stupidity, whichever it might be. “What did you say?” She was still laughing as the car stopped outside a small bistro.

  “Well, I fired him several times and swore at him, then told him you were driving me mad.”

  She stared at him in disbelief.

  “I didn’t tell him who you were, but I said you were beautiful, funny, infuriate and challenge me, but I can’t imagine you not being in my life. I didn’t tell him even thinking about you or seeing your name light up my phone has a kaleidoscope of butterflies taking up residence in my chest, nor did I tell him that the idea of not speaking to you in some way each day brings me out in a cold sweat. I also didn’t mention when I’m in the company of anyone else it’s always you who is in my thoughts. Moreover, you have somehow managed to get under my skin and into my brain so you invade my thoughts morning, noon and night without warning and the truth is, it pisses me off.”

  She stared at him and actually thought he had summed up just how she felt about him.

  “Ditto.” Tasha watched his face as he absorbed her single word response and the meaning behind it.

  He leaned back into his seat to reply in a serious and hushed tone. “Then we have a problem, baby, because Marc reckons I’m in love and if you feel the same about me.”

  “Shit!” Her second single word response caused Jim’s lips to curl in amusement.

  “So romantic,” he laughed. “But yes.”

  Chapter 13

  They sat at a secluded table at the back of the restaurant where Jim put his phone on silent and placed it in his pocket.

  “Lizzie said we’re not allowed phones when we’re eating, it’s not polite.” His tone mocked her slightly and Tasha realised he probably always kept his phone on.

  “It’s not.”

  “If Sara had suggested that she would have had a major tantrum and stormed out.”

  “But not you?” She thought it was unlikely Jim would be the sort of father to allow regular tantrums.

  “No. My kids and I have an understanding on these things; they can have anything they want so long as it’s safe and appropriate, but ultimately I call the shots.”

  “Maybe because I’m an unknown entity.” She was close in age to Lizzie and much like she did with her sister, treated her as an equal but with the knowledge that ultimately she was the adult.

  He nodded. “I’m glad you didn’t let her walk all over you. You’ll like Philip, he is a bit more of a free spirit. He wouldn’t have snitched on you today, but would have bailed when you got busted,” laughed Jim.

  “I look forward to meeting him.”

  “So, shall we work through our agenda, Miss Winters?”

  “I guess we ought to, Mr Maybury.” Tasha offered a nervous smile in case things turned a little more serious with their agenda.

  “So your choice of dress yesterday. Way too revealing baby and no panties?” He now wore a frown.

  “Possibly a poor choice and I would have worn jeans, but you were being Mr Control Freak insisting on a skirt or dress. It is a very sexy dress, and I was hoping to get lucky as soon as the plane landed.” She did now wonder why she’d thought no pants was a good choice.

  “Definitely a poor choice. I like skirts and dresses, and yes, I am Mr Control Freak so get used to it. It is very sexy, but not for a supposedly single lady travelling alone. And you got lucky before the plane landed.”

  “I can see that without underwear it may be a bad choice for a single lady traveller. I have never enjoyed a trip to the toilet so much in my life, even if it was an angry fuc—you know what I mean.” She avoided the whole of the expletive in case it genuinely annoyed him, and she didn’t want an angry James.

  “A most memorable bathroom trip. So, save the dress for an escorted journey, and underwear, please. Now, Doogie Howser. You have no idea how much that has pissed me off today. Marc does though. You flirted with him and what the hell were you doing when you kept standing up when he moved? You wrapped yourself across him? No wonder he gave you his number.”

  “I didn’t mean to flirt, not really. He seemed a nice guy and I was being friendly. I’m used to travelling on a crowded underground, not first class with so much room. I realised afterwards I must have looked very odd.”

  He seemed to consider her admission for a few seconds. “Hmmm, odd, or as though you were coming onto him. You were flirting because you thought you could toy with me. You will always lose that game, baby. So, no more overfriendliness with strange men.”

  She nodded her agreement.

  “You said I’d been right on all things Howser. Does that include the fact that he was jacking off over you?” Jim was annoyed again.

  Tasha nodded, unsure if words were necessary.

  “And you know this how?” His annoyed expression had been replaced with one of absolute fury.

  “Because he told me.” Her admission came in a near whisper.

  “What did he say? Exactly.” Jim snarled, his anger coming off him in waves. His whole body tensed as he waited for her reply.

  She looked down as she tried to recollect his exact words and then began. “He said: once I got to the men’s room it was you I was thinking about; those legs and that ass and it was real good.”

  Jim said nothing
immediately. He breathed deeply and looked contemplative, then quietly and seemingly calm, he spoke. “You made the situation, Tasha. As much as I would like to have a contract put out on the fucker, you did this as much as him.”

  She had infuriated him again, his face alone said as much.

  “And what if Lizzie had been there and heard it?” He threw her a curve ball she hadn’t expected.

  “I’m sure he wouldn’t have said it in front of her.” As a doctor of children he would be disinclined to say such things in front of a child, wouldn’t he?

  “Why? Because he is such a great guy? A great guy who thought of your legs and ass while he jacked off, or more precisely, my legs and my ass.”

  Yes, angry James was back.

  “You said you attempted to leave before Lizzie came back, what did you mean?” He seized upon another piece of information he wouldn’t like.

  “I wouldn’t have left without her. I would have gone to her, but he was holding my wrist and I don’t do scenes in public.” She had witnessed and been in far too many public scenes with her family to ever want to be involved in one again, but she would never have left the restaurant without Lizzie.

  “Did he hurt you?” His words were quiet and apparently calm again, his concern for her wellbeing his main priority.

  “No, no. It wasn’t like that, really.”

  ”Okay. An actress who doesn’t do scenes, unfortunate.”

  “Funny,” she said sarcastically, not wanting to explain or expand further. “Are we done with Howser?”

  He nodded. “If he coincidently turns up anywhere else where you are I may take the contract out on him because he wants what is mine. So next, what are we going to do about us after Friday? I think we should sleep on it. It’s too big for over dinner, but there is something I have to tell you.”

  She looked at him concerned, a hundred different possibilities of what he might say running through her mind, all of them resulting in this thing between them coming to an end.

  “Go on.”