by S. E. Law
She shook her head and sniffled again.
“Yes, but does it matter? Evidently, she owes a favor to you, and wants to offer me as payment.”
I thought for a moment.
“I see. I was under the impression you were willing in this. If you want, I can have report her for blackmailing a student. I’m sure that wouldn’t go over well with the school district, and she’d lose her job at the very least. I know this is a your-word-against-her-word situation, but I’d be happy to take your side.”
Kim stares at me, utterly baffled.
“Why would you do that? This is what you want, isn’t it? A woman, as payment?”
My mouth twisted harshly at she talked about herself as if she were cattle to be traded. I would have to work on her confidence because she was clearly an intelligent woman and maybe I could help her see that.
“No, my deal with Adella Rogers was that I would spare her son after I caught him stealing from my till if she watched over him more closely. I also asked her for a favor to be collected at a later time, but I never expected her to try this.”
Kim looked confused.
“What does her son have to do with this?”
I shrugged.
“Adella Rogers has a grown son that was an employee of mine. I caught him red-handed embezzling from my company. The monetary amount was enough for a lifetime in jail, but Adella begged for leniency. She promised that she’d make it up to me somehow, and actually, I turned her down. But evidently, she thought that procuring a sweet, willing female would be sufficient as payment. Obviously, she forgot the willing part,” I add wryly.
Kim still looks confused.
“But why would she even think that you want a woman?”
I shrug and grin.
“What single man doesn’t? Maybe I mentioned my mom’s hankering for grandkids, and maybe I described my ideal woman to her once or twice. But I’m not sure, and to be honest, I didn’t think she was serious about delivering a woman to be doorstep.”
Kim visibly relaxed a bit, and the sight calmed me down as well.
“While I don’t agree with how Adella tricked you into coming here, you are exactly what I have been looking for. If you’d be interested in staying, I’d be more than happy to make it worth your while.”
Kim stares at me.
“You’re letting me go?”
I shrug.
“Again, forcing women is not my thing, and I understand that you feel you’ve been blackmailed into this situation, either by me or Adella Rogers. But that’s not what I want. What I want is a sweet, willing woman who wants to be mine. For a price, if that’s what it takes.”
Kim looks at me suspiciously.
“But what price?”
I shrug.
“It’s up to you, sweetheart. Is there anything you really want?”
She thinks for a moment, growing quiet and when she eventually spoke, it surprised me.
“Why do you want me, specifically? You’re Adam Jackson; you have money, you run a line of popular restaurants, and you obviously have the looks. So why me? I’m nothing special. I’m just a high school girl who’s been caught in a web.”
I admired her nuanced reply. She didn’t outright answer me, but instead sought information. I could work with that.
“Truthfully, I mentioned to Adella once that I was looking for a woman who was smart, beautiful and had a zest for life that could make raising a child with her a pleasure. As of yet, the women I’ve met have been less than stellar and definitely not who I would want raising my child. You meet all of the criteria and more. As for your age? That isn’t a downside, it just means you’ll be able to keep up with me.”
She flushed at the obvious double meaning to my words. Most women would jump on the chance to have a child with me because the money alone was enough. But Kim was different and that made her very intriguing to me.
She shot me a puzzled look.
“Why do you want a kid so bad? Wouldn’t it make more sense to wait until you love someone and then let things progress naturally?” The question made me grimace. It was only fair she asked such things but that didn’t mean I liked discussing them.
“My reason for wanting a child is part practical and part emotional. My mother wants grandchildren, as well as an heir to the company. She’s a lioness and when I say she drops “subtle hints,” I mean she’s dropping subtle hints like they’re ten ton pianos. But it’s been finding the right woman that’s been tricky.”
Kim’s face shut down, the sudden change startling me. Her words were clipped and ice cold, immediately making me steel myself.
“So your mother is the one that wants a child? Would she be the one raising it then?”
Alarm flared through me as I corrected her assumption.
“No, I would be raising them because I’m his or her father.”
If anything, Kim’s gaze grew even steelier.
“And what about the mother?”
I could sense we were on dangerous territory.
“And what about her?”
She almost spit the words at me.
“Would the mother be shunned from the baby’s life?”
I shook my head.
“No definitely not. I’d prefer a woman who wants to be a mother to her child. I’m not looking for a surrogate. That, I could easily find just by paying a lot of money. I’m looking for the real thing.”
Kim blew air out of her mouth in a small stream.
“Honestly, I’m so confused right now. You want a baby, but can’t find the right woman. Then, it turns out that it’s actually your mother that wants the baby, but you’ll be raising it. Then, you also want the mother of the child to be involved. Which is it?”
I smile at her.
“All of the above. Trust me, it’s not easy to explain because nothing having to do with children is. But Adella Rogers somehow latched onto the idea that if she provided me with a babymama, then her son would be off the hook.”
Kim shot me a measured look.
“And would her son be off the hook?”
I grinned like a huge lion.
“It depends on how things work out. Maybe, seeing how it goes.”
Kim swallowed again, measuring her options.
“And if I were to say yes, what would happen?”
A grin curled my lips because maybe I would get to keep her after all.
“It depends. Are you still in school?”
She nodded.
“Yes, I’m a senior at the high school where Adella teaches.”
I nod.
“Okay, so you’re busy during weekdays. But weekends, why don’t you come over and spend them with me? That’s not too bad is it?”
I stopped to grip her hand and leaned in before whispering into her ear, “Remember, sweetheart. I can make things very comfortable for you if you like. There’s a lot to learn from a man like me, and I think you’ll find them to be very, very pleasurable.”
A shiver went up her spine, the motion not going unnoticed as I stroked my thumb against her hand. Kim was almost ready to give in, I could see it. Just one little push more.
“You could stay here with me on the weekends. I wouldn’t just be throwing you onto the nearest flat surface and having my way with you though. We could go out for dates, have meals together, or even just relax with one another. The possibilities are endless and I’ll leave the choice of what we do outside the bedroom entirely up to you.”
None of what I said was a lie and as her eyes dilated I knew that deep down, she wanted it too. Now I just had to follow through with those promises and I would potentially have this curvy girl to do with what I wanted.
Her breathing was sharp and jerky, but her words were steady when she spoke. Her hand turned over to grip my fingers tightly.
“You sound like you want more than just a child from me.”
My mouth twitched, and I grinned.
“To be honest, this set-up has been confusing to me too.
I didn’t specifically mention that I wanted a babymama, but since you’re ripe and fertile, why not see what happens? It could be fun, sweetheart.”
Kim hesitated, glancing sideways at me before nodding.
“You realize you’re a predator, don’t you?”
I stepped back immediately, taking both hands off her.
“No, I’m not,” was my emphatic reply “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to, Kimberly. It’s up to you. I’m not sure what hold Adella Rogers has over you, but she seems to think that we’d be a fit.”
Kim hesitated again, but I already knew victory was mine. Kim was going to be my new good-time girl, and I couldn’t wait to begin plundering those lush curves.
6
Kim
That weekend, I stood in front of Adam’s mansion, marveling at its elegance. In fact, I was surprised to be here at all. I’d left his home on uncertain terms. This whole situation is crazy, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to be a part of it.
But when I got home, Kurt was waiting breathlessly.
“Did you do it? Is everything okay?” he asked tremulously.
I stared at him.
“No, I was not ravaged by some dirty old man,” I said in a sarcastic voice.
Tears filled my brother’s eyes.
“Then what happened, Kim?” he asked. “Do you want me to drive you to the police station? Oh my god, our lives are over,” he wailed, burying his face in his hands. “I don’t know what I’m gogni to do now.”
I stared at him.
“Kurt, your life doesn’t rest on one test grade. If you get reported for cheating, then you do.”
His head jerked up and he gazed balefully at me with reddened eyes.
“Yeah, but you know how Mom and Dad are. They’re going to send me to military school if they find out I was caught cheating. I can’t go there. Can you imagine me at military school? I can’t even do one push-up, much less ten.”
I looked at him wryly.
“Kurt, I think they do more than ten push-ups. Something tells me that they do more in the realm of one hundred per day.”
That just made my brother begin to cry again.
“Yeah, exactly. I won’t survive, Kim. I need to go to a fancy liberal arts college because that’s the only way I’ll be able to find myself. You know my place is among the classics, attending small-group classes and studying under caring professors. But what college will take me if I’ve already been cited for cheating? I’m done forrrrr!” he wailed again.
I took a deep breath and tried to contain my anger as my brother had another break-down. He’s been acting like a baby lately, as if none of this is his fault. Instead, I’m expected to pick up the pieces.
“Get a grip, Kurt.”
But my brother was a lost cause. As I watched, he ran off to his room and slammed the door on me, like a spoiled child. Then, I could hear him throwing things around as loud crashes and bangs made the walls vibrate.
“Kurt!” I called. “Stop that!”
But my brother was on a roll.
“I’m going to kill myself!” he screamed from inside his room. “Just you wait. You’ll regret it then, Kim!”
At that, I stormed over to his room and banged on the door.
“Fine,” I said in an uncharitable voice. “I’ll go over to this guy’s house and be his whatever, but you have to change your ways, Kurt. This is crazy. You’re practically a grown man, and you’re acting like a little baby. What’s wrong with you?”
With that, the crashing and banging stopped and my brother opened the door a crack. His face was swollen and puffy and he sniffled a bit.
“Do you promise?”
I rolled my eyes.
“Yes, I will do whatever needs to be done to get us out of this mess. Nothing even makes sense! But I’ll do it.”
With that, my twin threw his arms around me in a bearhug, slobbering a bit onto my shoulder.
“Thanks Kimmie,” murmured my brother. “I appreciate it. You’re the best.”
Now, I stand in front of Adam’s mansion again. Is this really happening? I guess my brother knows exactly how to push my buttons because I can hardly believe I’m here. I told my parents that I was staying over at a friend’s house for the weekend to study, but Kurt knows where I really am. To his credit, he looked slightly guilty as I packed my overnight bag.
“Are you going to be okay, Kimmie?”
I ignored him.
“Kimmie, did you hear me? Are you going to be okay?”
This time, I stopped packing and looked at him.
“Yes, I’m going to be fine, Kurt. Thank you for your concern, but I’m off now. Please cover for me if Mom and Dad ask.”
Shaking off my misgivings, I walked up to the front door and knocked. My heart began to race. Would Adam want to go right to bed? He had mentioned having plans, but things can always change.
Adam answered the door himself, and the breath immediately caught in my chest. Everything I was going to say disappeared and my mouth went dry because he’s absolutely gorgeous. His hair was the darkest of charcoal and combed in a classically handsome style. His features were strong with a proud, Roman nose; a high forehead; and a strong jaw befitting a movie actor. All that was missing was a suit and he would fit right in with any high-paid CEO. Although, his choice of sleek button up and slacks definitely weren’t anything to sniff at.
Realizing I was eye humping him, I snapped my attention back up to his eyes. The clear blue gaze was locked on me and amusement was dancing in them at having caught me practically drooling over him. A flush crawled up my neck that I steadfastly ignored. His smile stretched as his amusement heightened. Yup, he had noticed my stunned reaction.
Blessedly, he didn’t comment on either my increased coloring or the fact that I was like a teen girl gawking at her movie idol.
“Hey Kim,” he said with a knowing grin. “Come on in.”
“Hey,” I managed in a squeak as I scooted by his broad form. “Nice to see you again.”
My eyes jumped around the lavish furnishings, desperate to avoid eye contact with Adam. But then, callused hands cupped my face, gently bringing me to look at him. He had lost his amused smile and now wore a heart shaking intense look that made me feel as if he were staring directly into my soul.
“Don’t be afraid, Kim. I know our set-up is unconventional, but you’re beautiful and smart, and that’s a lot. I’m excited to have you here and looking forward to tonight.”
At the mention of tonight, I swallowed hard. I wasn’t sure what to think about that yet, so I did my best to put it out of my mind.
“Um, okay thanks. What do you want to do first?”
I grimaced at how loud and awkward the question had come out. I had only meant to whisper it, but my nerves shut down my volume control. Adam grinned, sensing the fact that I was about to jump out of my skin.
“Don’t you remember? That’s entirely up to you. If you want to go out on a date then I’m agreeable. Or if you want to explore the house that’s also fine. There is a garden out back you might enjoy, or if you like cooking, the kitchen is fully equipped.”
He stepped back, the sudden distance making me want to reach out to him before I caught myself. He noticed the aborted movement and he smiled humorously. Before I could think of something to say, he dropped into a deep and theatrical bow.
“In other words, I am completely at your service, my lady.”
His wording and the bow had me muffling laughter against my palm. When he straightened again, he offered his hand.
“I’m glad I made you laugh. The sound is melodious, my lady, and your courtier is here to please you.”
I giggled again.
“Thanks, kind sir. I’ll keep that in mind.”
He made another sweeping bow.
“Call me Sir Adam, my lady. And I shall call you The Fair Lady Kimberly.”
Now, this was getting out of hand.
“Okay, okay, I get it. Despite your
handsome, untouchable exterior, you’re actually a goofball at heart.”
He grinned again.
“I am thus revealed, dearest Lady Kim. Also, I’m very touchable, if you would be so inclined.”
My heart expanded, pushing painfully against my chest as I nodded. I had been nervous about touching him for more than one reason and his words helped ease that a bit.
Glancing at his hand that he still held extended, I took it with only a slight hesitation. His skin was rougher than mine, but as his fingers closed around my hand, I felt nothing but comfort. When was the last time someone had just held my hand? At least in middle school, if not further back.
A light squeeze pulled me back to the present.
“So what do you want to do today? Your wish is my command, my lady.”
Smiling, I thought for a moment. Everything he suggested sounded divine, but for now I wanted to just relax for a bit with him. The best place for that would be the kitchen, what with my love to cook. Maybe he would let me use his fancy convection oven.
“Maybe let’s cook something together? I didn’t get around to eating lunch and I’d like to throw something together to appease my growling stomach.” None of that was a lie; although I had been too nervous to eat earlier, I had also been too busy. The duffle bag that still sat in my car had been packed and repacked so many times I’d lost track. I hadn’t been sure what to bring, and my nerves were frazzled. I eventually just threw random things into the duffle before zipping it closed emphatically. I would have more chances to fine tune what to bring with me on future weekends, after all.
Adam immediately smiled, the sight dazzling me for a moment before I focused again.
“Absolutely, I have all the best equipment for you to use. Would it be presumptuous if I asked you to make enough for me too?”
I giggled, and as he wrapped his arm around my waist and led us to the kitchen, I relaxed into his side.
“That wouldn’t be too bold of you. I enjoy cooking and I was already planning on making enough for you if you wanted some. I just wasn’t sure if you were hungry.”
He flashed another smile that had me fighting to stay in the present before stopping outside of the kitchen.