by Leah Shay
"Nate and I had a talk. He expressed his feelings about not having his dad around, and wishes he had a dad like his friends. He needs a father figure in his life, Kyra. You have done an exceptional job raising him and I'll be proud to call him my son. I would love for us to be a family. Can you please give me that chance?"
I knew my son's feelings. He had never had a male figure in his life, and I was surprised that he had expressed his feelings to Jared. Tears rolled down my cheeks.
"Jared, I can't ask you to do this."
"You aren't asking me. I want to do this more than anything."
"Why?"
"Because I'm not going anywhere, Kyra. You are my life and I can't begin to imagine you not being in it. I want us to be a family...and when you are ready, we can let our little family grow."
When I'm ready. You've solely made that decision.
"Jared, this relationship has been like a whirlwind. It's been six months and moving way too fast. Now you are talking about adopting my son. It's too soon and I don't want you to do this out of pity."
"Pity, Kyra? You sure know how to infuriate me. I'm not doing this out of pity. I love you. I love Nate. Would you prefer we get married first?"
"Do not say that," I warned him. This man was a walking conundrum. There were too many unexplained questions, too much information that had been concealed, but could one really know a person? Didn't we all have something to hide, no matter how inconsequential it might be? The problem was when the truth revealed itself: could the relationship withstand the test? Would true love prevail?
"You say this is too fast. Did you know that my mom and dad got married three months after they met at a real estate conference? They are the two happiest people I know. They say it was love at first sight and they had the rest of their lives to get to know each other." He took my hand in his, and the solemnity in his voice tugged at my heart strings. "You have redeemed me and made changes in me that I never thought were possible. You have brought me back from a place..." His voice cracked. "Kyra, I have not been this happy in years. I understand if you are apprehensive about me adopting Nate, but as I have said before, I am not going anywhere. Are you?"
A huge lump formed in my throat as I held back the tears. I shook my head, unable to get the words out. I'm not going anywhere right now. How can I? I'm pregnant with your child. That's a bond we will forever share.
His sweet lips were on mine, kissing me ever so gently. "Thank you," he said between kisses. "And the answer to my first question?" His hand traveled up my side to my breast and gently squeezed.
I closed my eyes as a flutter stirred in my pelvis. "You don't play fair, Jared Stern."
"Am I going to get an answer to my first question?" he said against my lips. Our eyes met; his vibrant, hazel eyes were a dull shade, begging for a positive answer.
"Yes, you can adopt Nate."
"Thank you," he said with relief.
He brushed his fingertips against my cheek as we gazed into each other's eyes. His lips moved slowly toward mine, our eyes never leaving each other's until our lips met. He took my lip between his, tasting it briefly, and then he pulled back. He repeated the gesture, tasting my lips over and over. Each taste added fuel to the longing I had for him, until I burned inside. My lips were moistened with his saliva and I yearned for a deeper, more salacious kiss.
Jared removed my top in a quick sweep, and I shimmied out of my jeans. I was left in the lacy underwear that I could only pray would not be destroyed by his ravenous passion. And then I heard the rip...there they went. He was on top of me, planting gentle little kisses down my neck. The pleasure inside me built. I anticipated my nipples in his mouth and him sucking and gently nibbling on them, and when he did, my groin was set on fire. He used his tongue and circled my nipples around with little bites. I twitched with each unexpected bite and moaned as his hand found my sweet spot. He smiled when he felt how wet I was, and I had no doubt that he could feel my sweet spot pulsating. It was too intense for him not to feel it.
Oh, my God, if he puts his fingers in me I'm going to come all over his hand. Instead, he pulled me down to the end of the chair and raised my legs up in the air. I was spread wide open in front of him. The cool sea breeze tickled my exposed v-jay. I closed my eyes and surrendered to him. I was all his to do with as he wished. The cool sea breeze was replaced by his warm, wet mouth on me. His tongue found its way, stroking and probing inside me. I tightened my v-jay, trying to hold the emotions in; he moaned and his tongue sank deeper. I was about to spill all I had in me.
"I can't hold it, baby." My body stiffened.
"Not yet, babes," he said gently. He loved to torture me.
I moaned and writhed under his tongue as it teased my clit, taking me further into the stratosphere. He was relentless.
"Please, Jared, please."
"Hold it, babes."
He knew he was driving me insane. I opened my eyes and saw the impish look on his face. He placed his right pointer finger in his mouth and sucked on it. He lowered his head and licked my clit and at the same time I felt his finger around my butt. He gently slid his finger into my butt. The pain from his finger being inserted into my butt and the ache in my groin collided. I felt like I was being possessed. The carnal sounds coming out of me were in no way natural. My body was taken over by this pleasurable force that soared from my head to the soles of my feet. It met my sweet spot and exploded out of me like an erupting volcano. I was spent, weak. I could not move. I had no life left in me. He was holding my legs up, still licking me gently.
Then he was on top of me. I smelled my scent all over hi
He smiled. "You almost drowned me."
"Not a bad way to die," I answered. We both laughed. Then he kissed me and I tasted myself on his lips. He entered me slowly. I held him tight, wishing he could melt in me. I loved him so much. I had never known that I could love another man like this again. My heart was filled with so much love it hurt, and I held him tighter, wanting him deeper in me. And the silent tears flowed: tears of joy, tears of conflicted emotion over the fetus in me, tears of possibility that Nate might finally have a dad, tears of foreboding that I had fallen so hard and fast for a man I wish I knew better, and tears of trepidation that this might all end badly. All that was happening to me was too good to be true. At any time I was expecting something to go horribly wrong.
"You are so intoxicating," he whispered in my ear. "Forgive me if I can never get enough of you." Then he came inside me and I wrapped my leg tightly around him, holding him in me.
He smiled and kissed me. I fell asleep in his arms.
The cool breeze on my face kissed me awake. When I woke up, Jared was still holding me closely and I was covered with a blanket. Before me was the most beautiful sunset. The reddish orange sun was nestling on the horizon and cast an orange hue all over the ocean that got lighter in color as it approached the shore.
"You woke up just in time," he said. "I didn't want you to miss this."
"This is so beautiful. This is my favorite place right now," I said.
"Do you like it here?"
"I like the relaxed, carefree atmosphere. It's an escape."
"Do you like the house?"
"Way too much house for me, but I love this hideaway."
We watched the sun disappear over the horizon.
"Time to go." Jared got up and pulled me to my feet. He helped me into my blouse. I stood on tip toe and brushed my lips against his.
"Thank you," I said.
"For what?" he asked.
"For everything, but especially for being you."
A sadness seemed to come over him. He handed me my pants. He tucked my ripped panties into his shorts pocket. He took my hand and walked toward the house. It was more spectacular at nighttime, with the lights illuminating the landscape and the house in the distance.
.
Back at the hotel, we showered together. As I got dressed in the bathroom, Jared came in and handed me his phone.
"It's Nate."
"Hi, baby, how are you?" I asked Nate.
"I'm fine, Mom. Your phone is off so I couldn't get you."
"Are you coming home tonight? I'll be home at about midnight."
"That's what I'm calling to tell you, Mom. I'm spending the night at Grandma's house."
"That's fine."
"Are you working the next two nights?"
"Yes, son, and we will be celebrating your birthday this weekend."
"But Wednesday is my birthday," he whined.
"Nate, I'm sorry. It's not the first time I've worked on your birthday and celebrated afterwards."
"I was hoping you'd be off."
"I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"
"You want me to come home tonight?"
"No, stay with your Grandma. Say hi for me. I love you until the end of time."
"I love you till the end of time and a day."
I felt so bad that I had to work. But I had already called to take today off, so I couldn't do it again.
"What going on?" Jared asked from the doorway. He looked very comfortable in sweat pants, a t-shirt, and sneakers.
"Nothing," I answered.
"Are you sure?"
"Nate doesn't want me to work on his birthday, that's all."
"So, don't. It's his birthday," Jared said as he approached me, put his arms around my waist, and pulled me against his hard body. "Now tell me, what is really bothering you?"
I looked away, but he turned my head so I could look into his pleading eyes. "Please, talk to me," he begged.
"Do you have any idea what's going to happen now that there are speculations that your nurse might be your girlfriend?"
"Kyra, you're worried about your career."
"I'm very worried and scared that I, along with anyone else who might have known and did not report it, may be in trouble. I'm worried about Jenn."
"Kyra, I promise you I'll take care of it."
"You are going to take care of it?" I asked doubtfully. For a moment I forgot that I was talking to Jared Stern.
"That's what I said."
He kissed me gently and all my fears and worries vanished from my mind.
"Do you need anything from the clothes racks?"
"Only the Zanotti shoes," I answered. A girl can never have enough shoes.
He left me standing in the room. I removed the envelope I had hidden under the sofa and placed it in my handbag. There was a noticeable change of the amount of clothes on the racks. By the door were two packed bags. The flight back home on Jared's jet was uneventful. As soon as we were at cruising altitude, I went to the bedroom, crawled between the luxurious sheets, and fell asleep.
Jared wanted me to spend the night with him, but I wanted to go home. I called Jenn from the car, and she was at work. Her first question was if I had told Jared I was pregnant. I ran by her the idea of Jared wanting to adopt Nate. Jenn thought it was way too soon and that we should wait until we got married. I agreed with her on that, but I was pregnant with his child; we were going to be a family. Marriage was out of the question. This pregnancy was not going to be used as leverage for us to get married. He would win again, and I had no doubt that could have been part of his plan. Who said marriage was the only nurturing way to raise children? If I were to have this baby, it was going to be on my terms. I would not enter into a marriage contract where I believed I would be the only one upholding the vows. "Forsaking all others." That's the part I didn't believe men could commit to wholeheartedly. My dad cheated on my mom; he died in an accident alongside his mistress. Rob cheated on me and had another child. How could I trust men? There was always the chance they would cheat, no matter how good a wife you were to them.
Being the girlfriend who had been cheated on was very painful, but when it came to being the wife they had exchanged vows with, before God and man, that took the pain to a whole different level. The humiliation, hurt, deceit, jealousy, shock, and anger were amplified. What made the betrayal even worse was thinking about all the other people who knew about the affair. Then there was the feeling that you were not good enough anymore. I decided I would settle for a committed relationship.
I did not need a marriage certificate because it would not guarantee fidelity. I did not need a white dress; I was not pure or virginal, even though it signified first marriage and would do wonders for my complexion. I did not need a ring to symbolize our endless love and fidelity. We proved our love for each other every day, but the fidelity part was a harder pill to swallow.
I remembered the envelope in my bag, and the picture that I took a glance at. I had never gotten the courage to look at that email that Ella sent me. I was too terrified before. Now that I had the evidence, I didn't have the nerve.
Ella's statement, that one woman was not enough for him, resounded in my head. What did she mean? I would not share him with anyone else. All I had to do was open the envelope and look at the contents and all my questions would be answered. The answers were right there, but I could not. Maybe he was a sex addict or a womanizer. Maybe I'd be added to his list of conquests. This relationship had spun completely out of control. Everything I believed in had flown out the window. Nothing mattered: my beliefs, morals, or ethics disappeared. I was helpless, I was bewitched. I was pregnant with his baby, trapped by his devious plan. More often it was the woman who trapped the man. I did not expect I would be the rare exception.
My phone chimed; it was a text from Jared.
Jared's text: Please call me when you have settled in. - Jay
I called Jared when I was in bed. One ring and he picked up.
"I miss you," he said.
"I miss you, too."
"Kyra, we need to seriously discuss this bodyguard issue."
"Are we talking about this again?"
"Yes, Kyra, you'll like her."
"Jared, if I'm not with you, I really don't go anywhere - work, home, school, that's it - and I promise you, I will not go anywhere."
"That's not good enough, Kyra."
"Why? Jared, that has been my routine for a long time. Most of the time, Jenn has to drag me out of the house for some fun."
"I know you."
"Jared, I promise...I don't even have to go to school. My class is online and I'm almost through with that. All this craziness that's going on scares me. I'm not used to this. I won't do anything or go anywhere..."
"Kyra, listen and please don't fight me please." He was serious and trying to suppress his frustration. "I hate having this conversation with you over the phone. I'll be there."
"Jay...no. It's twelve forty-five in the morning. You don't have to."
"Kyra, television crews have been camping out at the hospital."
My heart stopped. I knew how persistent they could be. "It does not have to be for me. They are out there very often."
"You are the news, Kyra. You are to go to work and back. That's it. Tomorrow when you get to work, park in the doctors' parking lot next to the security office."
"I don't have access to that lot."
"You will, and security will escort you up."
"Jay..."
"Hospital security or your private bodyguard. Pick one."
"None," I insisted. I knew that he was worried and I should be taking him seriously, but I got a thrill from irritating him, especially over the phone. If this had been a face-to-face discussion, I'm sure it would have gone differently.
My doorbell rang.
"Kyra, it's me. Open the door," Jared said over the phone.
Fuck! He's here.
"What are you doing here, Jay?"
"Open the door, Kyra."
"Don't they call me from the gate anymore to let me know you're here?"
"I'm waiting, Kyra."
I hung up and jumped out of bed. I was scantily dressed in some boy shorts and a matching tank top. I'd pissed him off and now he was here. It was different when I thought he was miles away. I ran down the stairs, s
wearing under my breath. I stood on tip toe to look through the peep hole. He had the same clothes on. He had not made it home. He was facing the door, leaning on one of the concrete columns on the porch. I disarmed the alarm, unlocked and opened the door, and stood aside.
He walked past me. "Put a robe on," he snapped.
I locked the door behind me, flipped the switch that turned the lamp on in the living room, and went upstairs. Instead of putting on a robe, I pulled some shorts on. I looked at myself in the mirror and saw that my breasts were very perky. I could see my nipples pointing through my tank top. I pulled off the shorts and opted for the robe instead. He watched me as I came down the stairs and sat on the sofa across from him. I needed this space between us. I folded my legs under me and waited. I felt like a child who had done something wrong and was about to get punished. Jared leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, eyes cast down. I didn't want to see those eyes. They were either really mad or bewitching.
"Kyra, why do you do this to me?" Jared asked, still not looking at me.
I did not have an answer that he would like to hear.
"Do you get pleasure out of infuriating me, Kyra?"
Only when you are miles away. It's no fun now, I thought.
He looked at me; his eyes were dark, devoid of my favorite colors. "Akyra, I have never had a more compelling urge to put you across my lap and spank the hell out of you."
"Is that a usual practice of yours?"
"Not as punishment, but you are seriously driving me to that point, Kyra."
I folded my hands and leaned back in the sofa and stared at him. Maybe all your other women were weak and obedient without a mind of their own, and did whatever you commanded, but not this one, I thought. Our eyes locked. I wondered what he was thinking. Maybe, why me? Why her? Why did I have to fall for such an irritating, defiant woman?
"Okay, Kyra, have you made your choice?" he asked.
"What were my options again?" I asked, faking confusion.
He sighed and leaned forward. "Please, I'm asking you...no, I'm begging you to do this for me, since your safety is more important to me than it is to you."
"Fine." I gave up. This could go on all night. I needed my rest and he had meetings in the morning. "It's work and home - nowhere else. I go to work, park in the doctors' parking lot next to the security office. Security will escort me into the building, not up to the floor. I'll work for twelve and a half hours, then go home. Anything else you would like to add, Mr. Stern?"