After taking the last bite, she puts her head on my shoulder and sighs. “This used to be the most favorite part of my days when I was a kid. There was a clear river near where we lived and almost daily, I’d make the short hike through the woods to it and sit by it as the sun left the sky.”
“I too love a good sunset,” I say then put the last bit of hotdog into my mouth and wrap my arm around her.
We sit in silence while the sun disappears. It’s the most comfortable silence I’ve ever been a part of. “Come on,” I say as I get up off the dock and pull her up with me. “I need to get you home so you can shower and change then I’m taking you out dancing.”
“No, really, I can’t do that. I really cannot do that, Jude,” she says as her eyes go crazy wide.
“You don’t dance or what?” I ask as I wrap my arm around her shoulders and continue taking her to my car. “We don’t have to dance. We can drink a little and gaze into each other’s eyes a little. When a slow song comes on, I can hold you and rock with you with a little swaying motion. Nothing hard.”
“I can dance,” she says as she rolls her eyes. “I just can’t go out like that. If I go home I need to stay there. I couldn’t possibly go back out after being gone all day like I have.”
Opening the car door for her, I pull her to the side and press my body against hers as I kiss her neck with soft kisses. “Why is that?”
“Because it’s like that. And I really should be getting home. I’d like to be all settled in very soon. The time has gotten away from me.”
My kisses are doing nothing to settle her down so I stop making an attempt to get her to change her mind that way and try a different tactic. I help her into the car then get in myself.
With a smile, I take her hand and kiss it then say, “I get it, Mercy. You aren’t a social butterfly. Going out to clubs isn’t your thing.”
She sighs a deep and long sigh then says, “Thank you for understanding, Jude. That’s just not my scene.”
“It’s cool, Baby. I can go to the liquor store and pick us up some wine and maybe a little popcorn and we can watch a movie at your place. We don’t have to go out. Or would you like to come out to my place? We have a home theater and a bowling alley.” I pull out of the parking lot and find her chewing nervously on her lower lip.
“How can I put this without making you think that I didn’t enjoy our time together because I did. I really did. Way more than I thought I would. I do like you. And we can talk on the phone if you want. But I have to get home. I can call you around nine and we can talk all night, if you want to,” she says then smiles at me with a devastating smile that is sure to haunt my dreams tonight.
If I manage to sleep at all as I think about what the hell this chick is hiding. A thought pops into my head so I ask, “Do you have asthma or some other condition and have to wear a funny looking breathing treatment mask? Is that why you don’t want me to come over? Are you afraid I won’t like you anymore if I see you have a special contraption you need because of a medical condition? Because I will not stop liking you over a thing like that. I swear to you it won’t affect me at all.”
“I don’t have a weird mask I have to wear, no,” she says with a laugh. “Just take me to my car. We can have a good night kiss and then we can go our separate ways. Maybe next weekend or the weekend after that we can see each other again. If you want.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” I ask as I make a sideways glance at her. “I want to see you tomorrow. I want to take you out to my place so we can ride horses. I want to introduce you to my parents. They always have Sunday bar-b-ques and it’s very laid back. You’ll love it. And I know they’re going to love you.”
“That is so nice of you, Jude,” she says with this really high voice. “But I can’t do that. Maybe we could schedule that for next Sunday. I can only do something one day out of the weekend. The other I’ll need to stay home.”
“Were you raised super strict or what, Mercy?” I ask with my own high voice. “I mean, who can only go out one day out of the weekend? And what about after work? I want to pick you up and take you out to dinner and maybe a movie or something. I want to see you every day. I want us to hang out together a lot. Not once a damn week. That shit’s for the birds!”
“Aw,” she says then runs her hand over my cheek. “How sweet you are, Jude!”
“Cool, so you get it now. I like you. I want to spend time with you. Lots and lots of time with you. I’m glad you finally understand me. It feels much better to be on the same page.”
“No, it changes nothing. I have a tight schedule. So, if you want, you can schedule me and you for next Sunday. Whatever you want to do will be fine with me. I do like you too. I would love nothing more than to spend a lot more time with you and get to know you better. Unfortunately, at this time, that’s impossible.”
I pull up in the parking lot of a Piggly Wiggly grocery store and stop the car then turn to face her as much as I can in a car. “Why?”
She gets this deer in the headlights look and her mouth drops open. All I have to say is she better have a fucking great-ass excuse or I don’t know what I’m going to do!
Part 3 Fire
A Billionaire, Bad Boy, Romance
By Michelle Love
Chapter 1
MERCY
Staring back at Jude as he glares at me, I have no idea of what to say to the man. His want to see me again, and often, is unexpected. I never in a million years saw this coming.
I thought he’d be glad I didn’t want to take up all of his time. So I make an offer instead of giving him the real answer as to why I can’t see him more than once a week, “Jude, how about this? How about we do lunch a few days out of the week?”
“Tell me why Mercy,” he says with an icy glare.
“Tell me why you’re so adamant that we see each other so damn much,” I counter.
“I’ve told you. I like you and I want to get to know you much better. You’re being so damn difficult, it’s making me wonder if you’re hiding a husband at home or something even worse than that,” he says then he reaches across the armrest and takes my hand in his as his eyes grow soft and he loses the glare. “Mercy, this is crazy to be arguing over. Yes, I’ll take the lunches with you. Be prepared for me to pick you up every single day and take you somewhere nice. Maybe then you’ll see I’m only trying to get to know you.”
I should’ve just had sex with him on the damn boat. Then he’d be rushing to get me to my car instead of doing all this. I know that, how come he doesn’t?
“Okay, then. Lunches. Not every single day, though. Once a week, on Tuesdays, I have a lunch meeting with the owners of the spa. Then on Thursdays,” I stop there because that’s the day I go to the daycare and eat lunch with the kids. So I make something up. “I go to my dentist and get my teeth cleaned and whitened.”
There, that should do it!
He laughs as he shakes his head. “Do you expect me to believe you go to the dentist for that once a week? Your teeth are brilliantly white and really gorgeous but once a week? Come on. Let me in on the real reason Thursday lunches are out.” His thumb grazes my knuckles as he continues to hold my hand.
Maybe I should tell him. Maybe he’ll give up then. Or maybe he’ll push to meet them. I can’t have that. This man is very pushy already!
He’s right, no one goes to the dentist that much. I’m so not practiced at lying!
“You’re right, that’s not what I do at lunch on Thursdays,” I say as I chew on my lip and try to come up with something quick.
“I knew it!” he says with a triumphant shout. His free hand does a fist pump into the air and I find myself laughing.
“Really, Jude?”
He nods. “Tell me the real reason.”
“The real reason is pretty embarrassing to me. Do you really have to know?” I ask, stalling for time to come up with something that sounds viable.
I suppose the word, embarrassing, hit him and I watch h
im change from the have to know man, to a man who must value his privacy some too. “No, you don’t have to tell me if it will embarrass you. I’m sorry. Sometimes I push too hard. I’m used to getting my way. Now, I realize I’m being pretty bratty. It’s a thing I hate to see in others and here I am being the same way.”
“Wow,” I mumble. Then I lean forward and touch his lips with mine for only a moment. “That was something to see, Jude. Thank you for understanding.”
With a nod, he turns back and repositions himself in the driver’s seat and takes off again. “So, can I call you tonight then? Or are you tired of me?”
“I’m not tired of you,” I say as I reach over and take his hand. “And yes, please call me around nine tonight. If you want to, that is. No pressure.”
He frowns and glances at me then back at the road. “Not like the pressure I’ve been putting on you, huh?”
I’m not sure what to say to that. The man has been putting on the pressure. So I try to ease the tension he has going on in his body with a laugh. “Jude, your pressure is something I never thought would happen today. The fact you’d argue with me just to spend more time with me is a thing I find almost endearing. No one has ever fought for more time with me.”
He squeezes my hand as he says, “I’m not like most men. I’m a hunter deep down. When I spot what I want, I always get it. And I want you, Mercy. I want to get to know you and see where that leads.”
A chill runs through me with his words. He’s a hunter. He’s looking at me like prey, I guess. I don’t know if I like that.
My silence has him glancing at me again as he asks, “Did what I say put you off?”
I shake my head but it did a little. I can’t be stalked. Things have to be safe in my little world with the kids. I can’t have some man set on making me his.
I have to do something to get him not to like me so much. I’m not sure what, though. There are so many things men hate for women to do.
Whine, by clingy, be lazy, and I don’t think I can do any of those things!
Pulling into the Denny’s parking lot, I see my car is still there, safe and sound. He parks next to it then pulls my hand to his lips. “Let me let you out.”
I nod and he lets my hand go and gets out then comes around to my side of the car. Taking my hand, he pulls me up and then he has me wrapped in his arms. His eyes search mine for the longest time.
I see so much in his dark eyes with the bright yellow Denny’s sign reflecting in them. I wish I could spend more time with him right now. I wish I didn’t have the responsibilities I have. Or the guilt for leaving the kids with someone else while I mess around.
Then I feel awful for thinking that and I sigh and lean my head on his shoulder. He doesn’t say a word. He only holds me and rocks back and forth a little. His lips touch the top of my head and I find myself wanting to tell him everything.
Only I can’t yet. It’s too soon.
He knows I have a secret. I can feel it in the way he’s holding me. He’s trying to let me know it will all be alright. But it won’t. Not anytime soon, it won’t. My life isn’t really all mine.
My life is part of two others. Two, very important people to me. Two little people who have no one else, nor do I for that matter.
He starts moving with me, dancing me backward toward my car. I put my hand on his shoulder as he hums a slow tune and takes me to my car. His lips touch my cheek then his hand takes my chin and I look up at him.
His mouth comes to mine and we kiss. Sweet, slow, with just the right amount of tongue. A good night kiss at seven in the evening, in a Denny’s parking lot, on a Saturday night.
Man, I’m lame!
Chapter 2
JUDE
Fighting the urge to follow her out of the parking lot and back to her place, I watch Mercy drive away from me. She’s got a lot on her shoulders and isn’t willing to tell me a thing about it.
I think I’m going to have to light a fire under that girl to get her to trust me. She seems set on taking things way too slow for me.
My chest feels heavy for some reason. I guess it’s because this is the first time I’ve ever really felt disappointed in my thirty years. That’s a little hard to even wrap my head around.
In thirty years I have always managed to get my way and this little lady shuts me down pretty damn easily. What’s happened to me?
I’m not the guy who takes no for an answer!
Yet, she’s made me do something I almost never do. She’s made me think about her and her feelings. She’s made me think that she’s got some things going on in her life that are pretty complex and hard to understand.
I should probably just walk away from this thing. It would most likely be the smartest thing to do. Walk away and let her have all the space she wants. I know I should do that.
Driving through the city to get out to the ranch, I notice the difference in the temperature. The streets keep the city hot and when you go down a little two lane road with thick, green grass on each side of the road and tall trees to give shade all day, it gets cooler.
The nights out at the ranch are amazing. You can see more stars than you can in the city. You can smell cleaner air that invigorates you. I wanted to bring her out here so badly.
I wanted to show her off to my family. I wanted them to see that I had brought home a real woman. Not a version of a woman made up of Botox and plastic surgeries. A real, flesh and blood, completely natural beauty.
Instead, I’m coming home empty handed. I hate coming home with no prize!
After parking my car, I go inside and find no one around. Though not unusual, it brings home the fact that I’ll most likely spend the entire evening alone, in my suite. I don’t like to be alone.
Going to the kitchen, I find it void of anyone and I guess my parents gave the cooking staff the night off. Then I go back out to the garage and see everyone has left.
So I pull out my phone and call my mother. She answers the phone with a laugh, “Jude, where are you? Did you forget?”
I slap my forehead as I recall the date. It’s Mom and Dad’s anniversary party. “I did. Damn it! I’ll get dressed and be there as soon as I can. I’m sorry, Mom.”
“Okay, sweetheart. We’ll be here all night. Bring a date if you want to,” she says then hangs up.
Bring a date! I wonder if she’ll do that for me.
Making another call, I hurry up the stairs to shower and change. My heart skips a beat when she answers, “Jude?”
“Yes, it’s me, again. Look, I know you said you were swamped and all that but I have only one more choice if you turn me down and I sure don’t want to have to take her.”
“What?” she asks. “What are you talking about?”
“It’s my parents’ anniversary party tonight. I forgot all about it because I got myself all wrapped up in thinking about you and only you. Do you miss me?” I ask as I get to my bathroom and get out of my clothes then start the shower.
“Jude, you’re silly,” she says with a laugh.
In the background, I can hear someone saying something to her and she asks me to hold on a second. I listen hard to see if I can make out any of either of their words. The only thing I figure out for sure is she’s talking to another woman.
Good, no man!
“I’m back. So, your parents are having an anniversary then. That’s nice,” she says.
“It’s a big thing downtown. I need a date. I know it’s short notice and I know you said you can’t do anything else tonight. If you can’t go with me, I’ll be forced to take Ariel. You wouldn’t subject me to that torture, would you?” I cross my fingers some type of jealousy will make her accept my invitation.
“Hold on,” she says then I hear her mumbling and the other woman’s mumbles are added to hers then she’s back. “I can’t leave until after nine and I’ll need to be back before dawn. And I’ll take a cab there and back home.”
“You sure have a lot of stipulations, Mercy. But I’ll take them
. I’ll text you the address and leave here when you tell me you're calling the cab. I’ll meet you out in front of the hotel. Thank you.”
She sighs a deep sigh. “No, thank you. I’m glad you asked me and gave me the chance to go instead of just taking that vile woman. I’ll leave here at nine, okay?”
“Okay, I can’t wait to see you again. Get all dolled up. I can’t wait to see you like that. Dress sexy,” I end the call with a growl and put the phone down then step into the hot shower.
I don’t know how I just managed that but I’m damned glad I did. Singing as I wash my hair, I’ve never felt more on top of the world. Then the bathroom door opens. Through the glass shower wall, I see Ariel. Her red hair is all up and seems to have been professionally done. Her green dress is sparkly and skin tight and she’s looking at me through narrowed eyes.
“Where in the hell have you been all damn day, Jude Hurst?”
“Do you mind, getting the fuck out of my bathroom, Ariel,” I ask her in a calm tone so as not to escalate her sour mood.
“Yes, I do mind. You’ve had your fucking phone off all fucking day. I need you to hurry up. I’m starving and bored. Everyone else left over an hour ago and I was all alone here, waiting for you.”
Oh hell!
“Why is that?” I ask as I finish the shower and grab a towel and wrap it around my lower half that seems to keep catching her attention.
“I’m going to the party with you. I didn’t want you to have to go alone,” she says as she starts fanning the room with the door to let the steam out.
I know how to get her out of here now. “The steam is making your hair fall and your makeup run.”
“No!” She hauls ass out of the bathroom, closing the door behind her.
Now to figure out how the hell I can get her not to go to the party. And with a glance at my phone as a text shows up, I have it all figured out. I hope!
Making sure my towel is secured, I walk out and find her snooping through the top drawer of my dresser. She picks up a row of condoms and wiggles them. “Think you might be wanting to take any of these with us tonight, stud?”
The Billionaire Bad Boy Plan Page 63