Her soft curls are in a perfect nappy mess around her chubby, round face. Her little rosebud lips are pursed as if she’s ready for a kiss. My heart fills with the love I have for her and I kiss her cheek.
My decision is made. I’m staying home with the kids all day. We can order in some Chinese food for lunch and I’ll get some egg drop soup for us all to help build us back up.
Sure, it’s not Mom’s homemade chicken noodle but it’ll do in a pinch. I think I need to learn how to cook better. I certainly need to learn how to make that soup.
My cell phone lights up. So I sneak out of bed, careful not to wake the kids up and get my phone and head to the living room. Picking up my bottle of water, I head out and look at the phone which shows me that Jude’s awake and texting.
I settle on the sofa and take a drink of water then wrap myself in the throw that’s laying on it. It seems he’s doing better and wants to know how I’m doing so I call him.
He likes to hear my voice and I have to admit I like to hear his too.
He answers, “Hey, gorgeous.”
“Hey, you,” I say with a smile plastered on my lips.
He sounds a little sleepy and sexy as hell. I bet he looks like a hot mess and man how I’d love to be cuddled up with him right now.
“Thanks for the virus,” he says with a chuckle. “It’s the first thing you’ve given me.”
“You are so welcome. I’m glad it was a short one.” I take another drink of water. “You are getting plenty of liquids, aren’t you?”
“I have a mini fridge in here. I need a nurse, though. You think if I sent someone for you, you could come and hang out with me today? You know you’re not going into work.”
Man, how nice that would be. Laying around with him all day!
“Can’t,” I say.
“I see,” he says then gets quiet.
That kind of quiet that’s full of tension. I know he wants to ask me why but maybe he won’t since I’m still weak. I cross my fingers just to be safe.
To change the topic, I ask, “So, do you still love me, Jude?”
He chuckles again, sounding deep, manly, rugged, and sexy. “You recall that, huh?”
“I do.” I laugh to let him know I know he was out of it. “The things you say when you think you’re about to die, huh?”
“Mercy, I know I said it in a fevered fit, but I still have the same feelings. I do love you.”
I let that hang in the air for a moment then say, “Jude, we don’t even really know each other to make that kind of a statement yet.”
“Mercy, if you think I throw that little phrase around a lot I want you to know that I don’t,” he says. “And I don’t even want you to say it back until you mean it. But I want you to know that I love you. I have so many plans for us, it’s not even funny.”
It’s not funny nor possible!
“Jude, don’t make plans where I’m involved. You know when I’m available and when I’m not. Just because you said you love me doesn’t change that one bit,” I let him know.
“Maybe not to you. Maybe not yet. But it’s changed something inside of me. I don’t think I’ve ever really loved a woman before. I know I’ve never thought about any woman as much as I think about you. You tore up my dreams last night, girl. You were all up in them. And that’s how I want life to be from now on. I want you all up in my life. Every aspect of it.”
“Jude,” I say, stopping him. “That’s very nice to hear. It really is. If things were different, well, I’d love to hear you say those words. But things aren’t different. So, for now can we just take things slow?”
His silence worries the hell out of me. Can he let this thing between us go slow?
Chapter 8
JUDE
After a day of recuperation, I’m ready to get back on track and get this thing with Mercy going. She only talked to me twice yesterday because she said she was busy with sleeping and trying to get well. But she never sounded sleepy.
I’m taking Zeek’s car to the spa this morning so mine can be cleaned up. It reeks of puke and I can’t take that. His windows are tinted to the maximum darkness they can legally be so I look out my window at the car that’s pulling up next to me at the stop light.
It’s a black Suburban and I do a double take as I swear its Mercy driving. She’s talking to somebody and looking back. I can’t see through the darkly tinted passenger window to see who she’s talking too. But I do see that she isn’t noticing me at all.
I drop back behind her as we leave the light and follow her. Now I’m sure to find out what she’s been hiding!
Only three blocks up, she turns and I stay back far enough so she doesn’t figure out I’m following her. Then she takes a sharp right into a fenced in parking lot.
Parking across the street, I watch her as she gets out of the car and goes to the passenger door right behind the driver’s seat. I look at the sign of the little yellow building with the red roof and see that it’s a daycare facility.
Maybe she’s dropping off some neighbor’s kids.
She opens the door and it takes her some time to get the kid out. Then out comes a little boy. She takes his hand then goes around to the other side and I can’t see what she’s doing.
After a minute or so, I see her walking up the sidewalk. The little boy is walking beside her, holding her hand and she’s carrying a little girl.
The little girl has blonde hair just like Mercy’s, only the girl’s is really curly. A woman opens the door for her. Mercy kisses the girl on the cheek then hands her to the lady. Then she kneels down a little and kisses the little boy on the top of his head and pats him on the shoulder and says something to him.
I roll my window down to see if I can hear anything. Then I hear her voice as she waves and turns to walk back to the car, “I love you two. Be good. I’ll be here at six to get you.”
That’s not the way anyone talks to a neighbor’s or friend’s kids, is it?
Mercy has kids! And she lied to me when I asked her that question!
Why would she lie to me?
Following her to the spa, I can’t even think about what I’m going to say to her. She lied to me!
I’m too pissed to face her right now, so I take the next left and change my plans for the day. I won’t be going to the spa today. I have no idea if I’ll be able to contain my pissed off state.
Instead, I think I need some more information and I think I might know how to get that. Mercy may not be willing to let me in on why she’s hiding those kids from me, but there’s more than one way to skin a cat.
A little phone call has me well on my way to finding out what her deal is. “Hi, I was wondering if you would be willing to accept a donation of children’s books.”
The woman answers enthusiastically, “Of course!”
I thought so. “Can I bring them by this morning?”
“That would be great. Anytime will be fine. Just ring the bell and I can come check your ID and let you inside. Your name is?” she asks.
“Jude Hurst,” I tell her.
Quickly, she asks, “Oh! Of Hurst Oil and Gas?”
“Yes, mam. Our company is helping out some of Dallas’ daycares and I picked yours.”
She squeals with delight. “Will the news media be with you?”
“No, this isn’t a public outreach program. This is private. Very private. What are your policies on reading to the kids?” I ask as my wheels are turning in my head as I’m trying to figure out how I can get to talk to at least that little boy who seems like he’s old enough to be able to carry on at least a little bit of a conversation.
“If you’re talking about you reading to them, that will be fine. Your reputation is very public. You have no criminal history and that’s what we care about. So when can we expect you? I’ll set up a little reading time today if you want.”
“How about around nine. I’ll bring some fruit trays so the kids can snack while I read them a few stories. I really love children,�
�� I say as I head out to a bookstore to load up on some books.
“That sounds wonderful!” she gushes. “See you then.”
As I drive down the road I get the sudden urge to give Mercy one more chance to come clean with me before I go all undercover on her. She answers her phone, “Good morning, Jude. Will I be seeing you this morning?”
“No,” I say. “I have things to do this morning.”
“Oh! Okay. This afternoon then?” she asks, sounding a little disappointed.
Well, so am I!
“I’m not sure yet. Mercy, are you sure you don’t want to tell me why you are so busy? You know, the real reason why you can’t do more with me or let me come to your house?”
“Jude, for God’s sake, let it go. Crap!”
She sounds exasperated and now I am too. I mean, damn! I told her kids were not a deal breaker so what the hell is her problem?
“Fine, Mercy! Forgive me for giving a fuck about you!”
“I’m sorry, Jude,” she says as her voice goes very soft. “Call me when you figure out if you’re coming to the spa today or not. Okay?”
“I will,” I tell her then hang up.
Why the hell would she hide her kids from me? Or is there more than kids she’s hiding?
Part 6 Protective Urges
A Billionaire, Bad Boy, Romance
By Michelle Love
Chapter 1
JUDE
Carrying a box full of children’s books, I ring the bell outside of the daycare and find a young, dark haired woman answering the door. She’s all smiles as she looks at me through the glass window then I hear a buzzer and the door opens. “You have to be Mr. Hurst.”
“I am,” I say as I go inside. “And you are?”
“The kids call me, Miss Abigail,” she says as she leads me down the hallway. “Follow me. I have the older kids in the reading room and they’re pretty excited about the new books.”
As we walk into the room, the kids jump up and down and cheer as if I was carrying in toys for them all. But all I can do is scan them all for the little boy who has on a Spiderman shirt and a pair of khaki shorts and short blonde hair. The one I saw with Mercy early this morning.
It would be great if I knew his name too as I see three little boys wearing similar outfits, all of them have short blonde hair too. Crap!
I did not see this coming. So I adjust my plan and place the box on the table the young lady is gesturing to. “Here you go,” I say as the kids rush to the box.
“Hold on kids,” Miss Abigail shouts. “First things first. What do we have to say to Mr. Hurst for giving you all these books?”
“Thank you, Mr. Hurst,” they all yell at the top of their lungs.
One of the little blonde, Spiderman shirt wearing boys hugs my leg and looks up at me. I run my hand over his head and see no resemblance to Mercy but give the kid a smile anyway.
“Thanks for the hug. What’s your name?” I ask as I pat his head like a dog and stop because that just seems wrong.
“Hank,” he says then lets me go. He points to the other two who also have on the shirts. “These are my best pals, Cody and Carter. We all wanted to match today.” He tugs at his shirt.
I wave at the other boys and ask, “So, who wants to pick out a book for me to read?”
The kid named Cody raises his hand and the kid named Carter takes a seat. His eyes are a little glassy and he has slightly dark circles underneath his little blue eyes.
Mercy has blue eyes and if she had that virus I bet her kids did too. So I ask the kid named Carter, “Hey, man. You feeling okay, buddy?”
He nods and looks down. He’s shy too and quiet and the way he moves his arms to cross over his chest reminds me of how Mercy does that all too often.
So I grab a book out of the box and go take the tiny chair next to him. “Do you like books about dogs, Carter?”
He nods and runs his hand over the cover that has a bloodhound puppy on it. “I like dogs,” he says.
“I happen to have me an old dog that looks like this guy on the cover,” I tell him then decide to add, “Have you been sick recently?”
He looks up at me with wide eyes. “Yes. How did you know? I threw up like crazy the other day.”
“I had a virus too the other day.” I run my hand over his little head. “It was awful. I can see it really took a lot out of you.”
He nods. “It did. Me and my little sister both had it. My Aunt Mercy took her to the hospital late at night then when we came home I got sick too. It was terrible. Aunt Mercy got sick the next day. It was a terrible way to start the week.”
And I have it all now. The kids are her niece and nephew. Now, why would she feel she had to hide that?
So I dig deeper. “I see. That does sound terrible. But why did your aunt take you instead of your mommy or your daddy?”
He looks down again and his arms go back to cross his little chest as he whispers, “They’re dead.”
My heart stops and I find the words coming out of my mouth even though I should shut the hell up. “Dead? They’re dead?”
Suddenly Miss Abigail is touching my shoulder. I turn to look at her and she motions for me to follow her. I get up and go to a corner of the room where she whispers, “That’s Carter and his parents died in a car wreck two years ago along with their mother’s parents. Their aunt took them over as her own. We don’t like to talk about it because it still upsets him. You understand, don’t you?”
I nod. “Sorry, yes. I won’t ask him anything else like that. How is his aunt handling all that? It has to be rough on her. Does she have anyone to help her?”
Miss Abigail shakes her head and looks sad. “No, she has no help and won’t allow any. She’s taken them all on her own and refuses to really talk to any of us. I have no idea about her personal life. But as far as the kids talk, they spend their time alone with her. No mention of friends or boyfriends or anything like that.”
I feel as if I’ve been punched in the stomach. My heart aches for Mercy and I’ve been a fucking asshole all this time.
But now, more than ever, I know I have to get her to let me into her real life. She really needs me!
Going back to the kids, I take the book Carter has and ask, “Would you like me to read this one, Carter?”
He nods and says, “Please.”
Such a nice kid!
So I sit down in a chair that Miss Abigail has pulled out from behind her desk so I don’t have to sit with my knees up around my ears in one of those tiny chairs and I hold out my hand to Carter. “Carter, would you like to sit on my lap and help me read this book to your friends?”
He nods and smiles and climbs right up on my lap and leans his back against me and I think I might just cry. A lump in my throat has me swallowing it down and I clear my throat to completely get rid of it then I start reading the story and wonder how I can get Mercy to let me in.
Chapter 2
MERCY
The whole day has gone by without a word from Jude. I’m not sure what to make of it. And I have to admit I’ve not only missed the sound of his voice, I’ve missed seeing him too.
The man has managed to grow on me very quickly. As I went to check out the empty space where his training facility will be, I found myself thinking about running into him around the spa. And maybe little secret sessions in my office and his.
It had my mind occupied all day long as I thought about us taking lunch together every day except Thursdays when I eat with the kids at their daycare. And I did think about letting him do some personal training on me. It had my pulse going faster with just the thought of it.
Since I’m on my way to pick the kids up, I think I should give him a call before I have them with me. So I make the call and find it goes straight to voicemail. Just like it has the other five times I’ve called him today.
Man, I can’t believe I’ve turned into one of those women!
I’m sure he’s just very busy today with something. Or someone.
>
Please don’t let him be with another woman!
I know I’ve been holding him back with a ten-foot pole. But the fact is I wouldn’t be if it wasn’t for the kids. I’d be all over that man if I didn’t have them to consider.
My phone rings and I jump as I see it’s him. “Hi!” I answer all fast and breathless. “I missed you today.”
Did that really just come out of my mouth?
“Good,” he says. “I’ve really missed you too. Wanna grab a bite to eat with me?”
“Damn it,” I say. “I can’t.”
“Oh?” he asks. “Well, that’s too bad. I guess I won’t see you until tomorrow then. I’m about to leave the place I’ve spent the day. I was hoping to take you to dinner but if you can’t then you can’t.”
“Wow, you took that awfully well, Jude.” I’m kind of surprised he isn’t asking me why I can’t go to dinner with him the way he usually does. “So where did you spend your day?”
“Just doing some community PR work for the company. You know how people love to hate oil companies. So from time to time we do things to reach out to the community to let them put a face to the company.” I hear a woman’s voice call out to him. “Honey, can I call you later?”
“Sure,” I say as he ends the call and I find myself feeling kind of lonely and sad. I do wish I could go out to dinner with him.
I wore this nice bra and panty set in hopes of him being at the spa today and I’ve been itching to feel his hands run all over my body like crazy. And now it seems he decided to spend the day with some other people, and at least one woman.
If I could let him in, I would. Why does this have to be so damn hard?
The daycare comes up on the right and I turn into the parking lot and get out of the suburban to go inside and get the kids. A melancholy feeling flows through me and I think I need to have a heart to heart with Jude later tonight.
Maybe I could let him in on the fact I’m getting pretty excited about seeing him at work every day. Maybe that will keep him interested in me. A fear is creeping in that if I keep being too distant he’ll move on and forget about me.
The Billionaire Bad Boy Plan Page 74