by E. L. Todd
Dad had a sad look on his face like he was disappointed he couldn’t get through to me. But at least he gave up. “Well…you know where to find me.” He walked out and shut the door behind him.
When I was finally alone I released a deep breath. Hopefully, Dad would stay off my back and give me space. But knowing him, he would probably come back in full force in a few weeks.
Hopefully, I was wrong.
***
Georgia was sexy because she was so confident. When we were together she played with herself for my enjoyment. When I was on top she pressed her tits together and massaged them in her palms. Then she rubbed her clitoris and her mouth made a noticeable O.
It was awesome.
She was great in the sack, and she was obviously one of the hottest women I’d ever been with. Her picture was on the most recent cover of Sports Illustrated. That’s how perfect she was.
After we finished hitting my sheets, we lay together on the mattress. The lights were off and my alarm was set so I was ready to fall asleep. I closed my eyes as she rested against me, feeling her soft skin brush against mine.
Then she pulled away and started to get dressed.
“What are you doing?” I preferred it if she stayed over. I liked having a warm body beside me. It was the only way I could get any sleep. If not, I tossed and turned like something was missing.
“Getting dressed.”
“He’s home tonight?” There was nothing I could do about that.
“No, he’s in California.” Bitterness was in her voice.
I grabbed her wrist then yanked her back to the bed. “Then stay here.”
“Yeah?” She was looking for an excuse to sleep with me.
“Yeah.” I pulled her back into my side and closed my eyes.
“This bed is really comfy…it’s too hard to leave anyway.”
I pulled her against my chest and finally felt comfortable again.
“So…what did your dad say?”
“Nothing.”
“Really?” she asked. “It seemed like he wanted to say a lot when we ran into him.”
“He tried bossing me around but I told him to get lost.”
“Boss you around how?”
“He told me it was wrong to sleep with a married woman.”
“Oh…that’s a little awkward.”
“I told him to mind his own business.”
She didn’t say anything after that.
Eventually, I drifted off to sleep and so did she. She remained curled in my side, exactly where I wanted her to be. I could feel her faint pulse through the skin. It was a lullaby to me, a distant humming.
***
A knock on the door shattered my dreams.
Georgia moved slightly at the sound and released a tired sigh. Then she groaned like the sound was irritating to her.
I squinted my eyes and eyed the clock on the nightstand. It was almost one in the morning.
“Who the hell is that?” she asked irritably.
“Not sure.” I got out of bed and pulled my sweatpants on. If it were my dad or Roland I’d be irritated. After I reached the door I looked through the peephole. Amanda was on the other side, wearing a long rain jacket.
I opened the door then ran my fingers through my hair. “What’s up?”
“You doing anything right now?”
“It’s one in the morning on a Wednesday,” I said like a smartass. “I’m sleeping.”
“Well…” She leaned against the door panel. “You want to do something fun before you go back to sleep?”
I didn’t want to mention I had company, not when Georgia was so high profile. “Not tonight. Maybe tomorrow.”
She pouted her lips. “You can’t be that tired.”
Georgia’s voice came from the hallway. “Babe, come back to bed.”
Her words immediately irritated me. I knew exactly what she was doing and why she was doing it. My eyes were still on Amanda and I didn’t feel any shame. “Like I said, maybe tomorrow.”
“Didn’t realize you had company…”
Well, you didn’t ask. “Good night, Amanda.”
She walked off, clearly disappointed.
I shut the door then turned to the hallway.
Georgia stood there wearing one of my shirts that reached her knees. “Pretty late for a visitor…” She headed back to the bedroom and got under the covers.
I removed my sweatpants and lay beside her. “Let’s get something straight. Just because I asked you to stay over doesn’t mean we’re a thing. There are other women in my life. I don’t belong to you and you don’t belong to me.” I fluffed my pillow then lay down again.
“Well, it’s pretty rude she came here for a booty call while I’m here…” Jealousy was in her voice.
“It’s pretty rude to make an entrance the way you did.”
“You’re afraid I’ll scare off your girlfriend?”
I released a sarcastic laugh. “Nothing could scare her off. She’ll be here tomorrow.”
Georgia turned away from me like she was irritated.
I spooned her from behind and wrapped my arm around her waist. “Georgia?”
“Hmm?”
“You’re married, remember? I share you with someone.”
“I know…”
“So, don’t get all jealous.”
“I’m not.”
I could tell she was lying. “If you think that I’ll fall for you and you’ll leave your husband for me, that’s not gonna happen. If you’re looking for someone to replace your husband I’m not it. I’m just here for a good time. If you actually want a relationship, then I’m not your guy.”
Her breathing didn’t change and she didn’t make a move.
“I’m not trying to be a dick. I just want you to understand what I want.”
“I do understand, Conrad.”
I closed my eyes and tried to get back to sleep. Her hair was in my face but I loved smelling it. It reminded me of a time when I was happy and I slept like a baby every single night. Those days were over, and now they were non-existent because I never thought about them. But during times like this, I couldn’t help but think about them.
Chapter Two
Skye
I stopped by Slade’s apartment after work. He’d become the one person I could turn to over my break up with Cayson. Everyone understood how upset I was, but no one could help me but Slade.
He was my only hope.
Slade sat beside me on the couch, and the fact he didn’t say anything told me there was no good news to report.
“So…how is he?”
“He’s…about the same. He’s settled into his apartment and he’s been working a lot. Nothing else.”
We weren’t technically divorced yet. Dad still had the papers in his bottom drawer at work, but it was pretty clear Cayson and I were no longer together. He established that in the harshest way possible. “Has he…been seeing anyone?” If he were I wouldn’t be able to handle it. Even if it were just a meaningless fling I would die inside.
“No, nothing like that. He’s said several times he can’t picture himself with anyone else.”
“Then why doesn’t he come back to me?” I tried not to cry. It’s all I’d been doing lately and I was tired of it. I was severely dehydrated from all the moisture I lost in my tears.
“He’s…stubborn and angry.” Slade sighed like the situation irritated him. “When the anger passes, he’ll come around. He’s just so…out of his mind.”
“I don’t blame him…what I did was pretty terrible.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” he said bluntly. “The entire thing was idiotic.”
I averted my gaze. “Then why are you fighting for me?”
“Because no matter how idiotic you are, you’re the key to my best friend’s happiness. And I know you love him despite what you did. The universe needs you two to be together.”
“But it doesn’t seem like that’s gonna happen.”
“Yeah…it’s much more difficult than I thought.”
I rubbed my palms together as the nerves took over.
“I think time and a good argument—” He stopped in mid-sentence when Trinity walked through the door. “Hey, baby.” He left the couch and grabbed her heavy bag and set it on the counter for her. “Work was good?” He put his arms around her and gave her a deep kiss.
She pulled away when it lingered for too long. “How am I supposed to answer if you’re kissing me?”
“Your kiss answered the question.”
She gave him a smile then turned to me. “Hey, Skye.” Her hand moved to my shoulder. “You doing okay?”
I shrugged in response.
“Skye and I are still working on it,” Slade said as he put his arm around her waist. “Cayson is being a pain in the ass.”
“I’m sure you can figure it out, babe.” She kissed his cheek before she walked into the kitchen. “Skye, are you staying for dinner?”
“No, it’s okay.” I hogged enough of their time as it was.
“Nonsense,” she said as she put on her apron. “You’re staying.”
Slade returned to the seat beside me. “When she tells you to do something, just do it. It’s best not to argue.”
I gave a small smile.
“Anyway, I’m literally out of ideas at this point.”
That didn’t bode well for me. “I can try talking to him again.”
“No, just leave him alone.” He rubbed his chin as he continued thinking. “It’ll just fuel his anger and push him further away.”
“I haven’t slept with him…”
“I honestly don’t think you’re going to accomplish anything at this point.”
This couldn’t get any worse.
“If you had something important to do with the baby that would work. But if you lie about it and he figures it out, he’ll be even more pissed off. That’s an option we can’t take.”
“True…”
Slade fell silent as he continued thinking. He stared out the wide windows and to the city below. Night was coming and the lights started to shine brighter. He scrunched his lips and made different faces as he kept thinking.
I felt pathetic knowing I couldn’t get my husband back on my own.
“I have an idea.” He sat up straight and took a deep breath. “It’s a little weird…but I think it’ll work.”
“I’m open to anything, Slade.” I couldn’t forget how happy I was before all of this happened. When I woke up every morning the love of my life was beside me. He would kiss me everywhere then look into my eyes like I was the only thing that mattered in the entire world.
“Don’t shoot it down right away.”
“I won’t.” Again, I was beyond desperate at this point.
“So, my friend at work told me about this place called Beautiful Entourage. You basically hire men to escort you.”
He wasn’t kidding. It was a weird suggestion. “You’re saying I should hire a prostitute?”
“Hey, let me finish,” he snapped.
I shut my mouth.
“They are different kinds of escorts. They basically pose as a girl’s boyfriend to get family off their back or to make an ex jealous. They don’t do the sex thing. They’re actors more than anything else.”
“And how would that help me?”
“I think you should hire on of the guys.”
I knew Slade was just trying to help but that was a stupid idea. “If Cayson thought I really moved on and started seeing someone else this quickly, he would hate me even more. And he should hate me.”
“No, that’s not what I’m saying.”
“Then you need to be more clear.” My patience was waning.
“We’ll hire one of the guys to be smitten with you. You know, to fall for you and be really into you.”
This was getting dumber. “You really think a beautiful man would fall for a pregnant woman?”
“If we do it right. Personally, I think you’re ugly but Cayson and Ward were both into you, so I guess I’m wrong about your ugliness.”
“Thanks…”
“I’ll introduce him to the group as a friend of mine. Then when you come into the picture he’ll flirt with you and show obvious interest. You’ll push him away like you don’t care. We’ll keep playing on that until you guys start hanging out together and begin to be close friends.”
“And what would that do?”
“Cayson will realize that if he doesn’t get his shit together someone is going to sweep you off your feet. Not right now, but eventually. He’ll realize he can be replaced if he stalls any longer.”
“I don’t know…”
“I’m telling you, it will work. If Cayson thinks there’s any possibility of someone else having you, he’ll flip.”
“I don’t want him to flip.”
“But if you aren’t doing anything with this guy then there’s nothing for him to be mad about. Do you get what I’m saying?”
“Yeah, I guess.”
“I think we should do it.”
“Slade, he’d be so mad at you if he knew that you planned this.”
He looked out the window again. “Yeah, I know. He wouldn’t be too happy about it. He might not even talk to me for a while. But eventually, he would let it go. And you would pester him to see reason. I think it’s worth the risk. You guys need to get back together for my godson.”
If Slade put us back together, he definitely would have to be the godfather. “Trinity, what do you think?”
She checked the dish in the oven before she turned to us. “Not to bring up old wounds, but when I started talking to Reid again Slade couldn’t handle it. It literally drove him insane.”
Instead of being mad, Slade nodded. “It’s true. I realized Trinity would get what she always wanted…and I would lose the one thing I wanted most of all. It opened my eyes and made me face harsh reality.”
“So, you think I should do it?” I asked.
“As long as it’s crystal clear this guy is head-over-heels for you but you don’t feel the same way. Technically, you’re still married and even if you weren’t it’s way too soon to be dating someone. And to top it off, you’re pregnant.”
“Apparently, these guys are the best at what they do,” Slade said. “I think we should do it.”
“If Cayson found out he would leave me again.”
“I would throw myself under the bus and say I orchestrated everything and you didn’t have a clue,” Slade said. “Just deny any involvement. And if we keep it between the three of us, he should never find out. Your escort wouldn’t betray your secret even when you terminate his employment.”
I couldn’t believe I was really considering this. I’d never resorted to playing games to get Cayson back. But I didn’t know what else to do. He was the one thing I wanted more than anything and I was willing to do anything to get him back.
“What do you say?” Slade asked.
I chewed the inside of my lip.
“Do it, Skye,” Trinity said. “It’s going to work.”
“You both think I should do it?” I whispered.
“Yes,” Slade said. “I really think this is your best bet. Cayson isn’t the same person anymore. He’s gone somewhere that neither one of us can follow. But if we spark that old side of him, that protective and loving husband, he’ll come back. I know he will.”
***
I walked into Dad’s office without knocking. With my depression, I forgot about all the norms and mannerisms in an office building. Everything went out the window.
Dad was talking on the phone, probably to Mom. “Baby, can I call you back? Love you.” He hung up and set the phone on the table. “Hey, pumpkin.” He spoke to me and treated me like I was the most fragile thing on the planet.
“Can you do me a favor?” I skipped the preamble and went straight for the kill.”
“Anything.”
“When Cayson pushes this divorce, can you stop him?”
His eyes squinted in sadness. He stared at his hands on the desk before he made eye contact with me. “I tried talking to him, Skye. I didn’t get anywhere. Now Cortland is pissed off at me…it’s a nightmare.”
My dad could fix everything. The fact he couldn’t repair this scared me.
“I can’t stop him, Skye. I can’t stop him from doing anything. I can refuse to hand over the papers, or I can refuse to have you sign a new batch. But I can’t stop him. All he needs to do is get a lawyer and take you to court. And I really don’t think you should take that avenue…it’ll be bad for publicity.”
I didn’t care about publicity. “Dad…I’m asking for your help.”
Sadness filled his eyes. “Pumpkin, you have no idea how much I wish I could change everything…I really do.”
“Just stall…until I figure something out.”
“I can try…but I can’t stop him forever.”
“Give me whatever time you can.”
“I will.” He held my gaze but it seemed like he didn’t want to look at me, like it was too painful. “I’ll do everything I possibly can—like always.”
***
I couldn’t believe I was going through with this.
Hiring an escort was expensive.
It was weird.
And not to mention, it was pretty pathetic.
I went to Beautiful Entourage and filled out all the necessary paperwork. The rules made it clear there was no physical relationship involved. If I even made a pass in his direction my money wouldn’t be refunded and their service would be terminated.
After the paperwork was done, I met my escort for the first time at a coffee shop just a few blocks over. Slade came with me, knowing I couldn’t handle this on my own.
When we walked inside, we saw a young man sitting near the window. He had dark brown hair and crystal blue eyes. Since he was unrealistically attractive and made everyone else in the room look like trolls, I assumed he was the escort.
“Geez, he’s pretty,” Slade whispered to me. “I have to make sure he doesn’t come near Trinity.”
“Trinity only has eyes for you.”