But something was still wrong. He couldn’t figure out what. He studied her again. Her hands were down next to her sides and clenched into fists.
Instead of approaching her this time, he just told her what to do.
“Any chance I can get you to relax?”
She took a few deep breaths, and her hands released the fists, but she still held her fingers tense. This would not do.
“I need to you to raise your hands above your head.”
“I didn’t think you were getting any face shots.”
“I’m not, but your hands are in the way.”
She did as she was told and raised her hands. She looked amazing. He took a few shots that he wanted for his project, and then he backed up a little bit and took full body shots. He wouldn’t publish them, but in a few years, when she’d disappeared, he wanted to have evidence that she existed.
He stood up. “You can put your arms down now. Should we head into the laundry room?”
“I’m going to get out of these jeans though.” He nodded and resisted the urge to call out that he could help her if she wanted.
Bethany’s fingers shook as she pulled at those ridiculous jeans. He was so damn gentle with her. When his fingers brushed her skin, she wanted so badly for him to do more than that. For him, this was work. But for her, this was so much more. She laughed at the irony.
She was married, but couldn’t get her husband to sleep with her. He kept her at a distance for a reason. He didn’t want to screw up the possibility of getting his son, but she wanted desperately for this to move beyond awkward sexual tension.
She pulled her running shorts on and exited her closet, finding him scrolling through the pictures on his camera with a stupid smile on his face.
“Did you get the shot you wanted?”
“What?” he asked, looking up at her. “Oh, yeah. I did. You ready?”
She wasn’t. Not really. He’d laugh at her for this one.
In the laundry room, he leaned against the doorway while she demonstrated the problem. She pulled her stepstool over to the washer, opened the top, and reached in. For her to touch the bottom she had to practically fall into the thing.
He chuckled, and she stood.
“You know, a front loader would fix that.”
“Can’t afford one of those.” Her cheeks flushed. He constantly reminded her of her state.
“You can now. But first we need to get the shot.” He was right. She had a credit card that allowed her to spend as much as she wanted. After this humiliation, she would go buy one.
“So what do I need to do?” she asked.
He studied her for a moment. “This whole thing is comical. That’s not the feel we are going for. So… how to make it sexy?” He paused for a second. “Take off your shorts.”
“What? You promised no nudity.” Her whole face went red. There was no way she would do this.
“Yeah, but an underwear shot would turn this from funny into sexy.”
She held onto her shorts. “You don’t even know what kind of underwear I have on.”
“It doesn’t matter. Even if it’s granny panties, it will look good. In fact, that might be the best.” He waited. Did he really expect her to take her clothes off? Part of her wanted to shock him. The other part was mortified. She squeezed her eyes shut and took her shorts off. She met his eyes with defiance. He obviously wasn’t ready for her to comply so quickly, and she saw hunger in his eyes. She had on black lacy panties that covered her skin, but were completely see through. She waited to see what he would do.
He put the camera near his face and waved to the washer. She found herself disappointed.
She dove in. The edge of the washer dug into her stomach, and she hoped he’d get this over quickly. Suddenly, the stool disappeared out from underneath her. She gasped.
“Jamie, put it back,” she called from inside the washer. She put her hands on the bottom to hold her weight, but she could feel the blood rushing to her head.
“In a second. This won’t take long.”
“I’m serious. Put it back.”
“Done. You can get out now.”
“I can’t. I’m stuck.”
He chuckled, and she seethed. He didn’t have to make fun of her. When she got out, she was going to go buy the most expensive front loader she could find.
She waited for him to put the stool back but instead felt him lean against her and wrap his arm around her bare waist and lift her out. He set her down, and she spun to face him. He didn’t take his hands off her. She looked up, ready to give him a piece of her mind after he humiliated her, but she stopped when his eyes pierced hers.
He leaned down, and his lips met hers. She responded instantly. He hoisted her up on the washer, and she wrapped her legs around his torso. His hands gripped her thighs. She’d never wanted a man as badly as she wanted him.
He pulled away for a second, and his eyes burned with hunger.
“We should go upstairs,” she whispered.
He nodded, but made no move to the door. Instead, he kissed her again. She grinned against his lips. “Or the laundry room works, I guess.”
She tugged at the hem of his t-shirt and pulled it up over his head. She ran her hand across his pecs. “I’ve been wanting to touch these.”
“I know,” he said with a light kiss on her nose. “Every time we go swimming you won’t look me in the eyes.”
She shrugged. “It’s a nice view.”
He looked to the door. “We should go upstairs.”
They were halfway up the stairs when his phone buzzed.
“Dammit. It’s Zoe. I should take this. It might help the case. Can you wait for me?”
She nodded, a little disappointed. He leaned forward and gave her another good kiss on the lips then answered the phone and headed down the stairs. She watched his shoulders and wondered how on earth she’d manage to snag such a sexy man.
She climbed into bed, completely happy for the first time in a long time. She closed her eyes thinking she’d rest before he returned, but soon she felt herself drifting off. Her mind filled with the taste of his lips and the feel of his hands on her skin.
“Hey, Zoe, what’s up?”
“The paternity test results came back.”
He sat on a stool at the counter. “You sure about that? My attorney would’ve called me.”
She snorted. “Well, I’ve got contacts. You’re not the father.”
Jamie felt his heart constrict. “You’re lying.”
“Believe what you want. I’m trying to save you the humiliation. You could call this whole thing off and let us all get back to our lives. Then Ray won’t have to take time off work.”
Yeah, she was totally lying. “Nice try, Zoe. I’ll see you in court.”
He hung up the phone without waiting for a response. He should get back upstairs, but he needed to think. Annabelle had told him not to talk to Zoe, but he kept thinking things would be easier if he did. He’d have to deal with Zoe for the next several years and wanted to be on good terms with her. But she was playing games. Dangerous ones. He needed to be on his toes. He couldn’t let anything distract him.
He slowly made his way upstairs. Bethany lay on the bed, sound asleep. He moved the blanket around her, and she didn’t even stir. He slid in bed next to her. This was the first night they shared a bed. His feelings were all conflicted. This was his wife. He’d never imagined marriage this way. Sure he was falling for her, but he always assumed that love would happen first. He watched her deep breaths and slowly fell asleep.
Jamie slid out of bed the next morning without looking at Bethany. He couldn’t. Every time he looked at her, he did something he shouldn’t. His mind and his heart were saying two completely different things, and he needed to think clearly.
He showered and dressed in a button down and khakis. When he walked out of the bathroom, he found Bethany on the balcony doing her morning yoga. He’d never seen her do it before. She looked so sexy. He
xa lay on the ground near her.
He wasn’t sure if Hexa would be going with him after the divorce. She’d become Bethany’s dog.
Bethany stood up, stretched her arms high above her head, and then turned to face him.
She smiled, and his heart fluttered. “Good morning.”
She made a nice distraction. They’d already kissed. Maybe he could indulge this one thing. He approached her, leaned down, and kissed her full on the lips. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned into him. He pulled away, but she didn’t let go. She held his gaze, her eyes full of questions.
“You shouldn’t look so surprised every time I kiss you,” Jamie said.
“Maybe you should do it more often,” she replied. Then her face flushed.
“Maybe I should,” he said and kissed her again, and she pushed him away.
“You’re messing with my yoga.”
He smiled at her and settled in one of the porch chairs.
She spread her legs out wide and bent over. It provided a nice view of her ass. He appreciated it.
“How come you didn’t wake me up last night?”
He scowled. “My conversation with Zoe killed my mood. I’m sure you could’ve brought it back, but you looked so peaceful sleeping, I didn’t want to disturb you.”
“I wouldn’t have minded.”
He took a deep breath. She turned him on in ways she probably didn’t even understand.
Jamie held Bethany’s hand as they entered the courtroom. He had a tighter grip then he should have, but he was nervous. Bethany put her other hand on his arm.
“It’s going to be okay. The visits from the court officials were good.”
He nodded. Annabelle was already at the table. He and Bethany joined her. There was no sign of Zoe or her attorney.
“Everyone should be here soon. You two good?”
Jamie clutched Bethany’s hand. “Yeah, just nervous.” They sat down, and Bethany scooted close to him. She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek.
“You have nothing to worry about. No judge is going to deny the rightful father visitation,” said Bethany.
“She’s right.” Annabelle gave him a tight smile. Then she gave a wink. “Good acting job, by the way.”
Bethany opened her mouth. Jamie was curious of what was about to come out, but the door in the rear opened. Zoe and her attorney entered. There was no sign of her husband or Garrett. Jamie studied the attorney. Last time he’d been too focused on Ray to notice. Her attorney wore a cheap suit, but was well put together. He was young though. Couldn’t be more than two or three years out of law school. Annabelle would slaughter him.
Zoe kept her head down. She was dressed in a pantsuit, but it didn’t fit her right. Her bright blonde hair was pulled in a tight ponytail, and it made her face look severe.
Annabelle turned to him and Bethany. “The judge will be in any second. Let me do most of the talking. Bethany, hold Jamie’s hand. You’re doing a good job. Smile every once in a while. If the judge asks you a direct question, you may answer it, but wait a second or two and see if I answer it first.”
Jamie nodded, and Bethany clutched at his arm. The side door opened, and they all stood up. The judge sat down, looked over the papers, and stared at Jamie.
“Please be seated.”
They all took their seats, and Bethany kept her hand in his. He was grateful for the comfort. His palms were sweating, but she didn’t even seem to notice.
“Paternity test came back. No surprises. Mr. Green is the father.” Jamie felt a smile crawl across his face. He’d known it, but now it was official, and things could move forward.
“Now you are petitioning for visitation rights for your son, correct?”
Jamie waited until he got the nod from Annabelle to answer, then responded. “Yes, Your Honor.”
“He’s six. Why have you waited until now?”
This time he didn’t wait for Annabelle. “Because I wasn’t aware I had a son until a few months ago. When I found out, I immediately took steps to contact Zoe.” He was nailing this. A few of the nerves in his stomach dissipated.
The judge turned to Zoe. “Why didn’t you tell him?”
Zoe’s attorney answered for her. “My client didn’t know who the father was. She also had no contact information for Mr. Green.”
The judge glared at him. “I asked your client, not you.” The judge perused the papers once again. She waved toward Bethany.
“Is this your wife?”
“Yes,” Jamie answered.
The judge nodded, distracted. She studied the papers in front of her. “Garrett’s GAL submitted her report. I see no reason not to grant visitation. The paternity test is clear. Also, Mr. Green isn’t a flight risk. He’s married, and according to the GAL, he’s got a room for Garrett set up. I’m going to give him every other weekend and one evening a week. I trust that you are both adult enough to make your own arrangements.”
Zoe’s attorney spoke up. “With all due respect, Your Honor, my client is the only parent Garrett has ever known. He’s six. Taking him away from his mother for a whole weekend would be traumatic for him.”
“Mr. Green is his father. He has a right to be a parent as well. My decision is final.”
The judge stood up and exited the room. Zoe fled to the back, but Jamie chased after her. Everything went smoothly with the judge, but Zoe would be a different story.
He caught her arm. “We need to talk about this. When can I see him?”
She glared at him and shook free. “You can rot in hell. You aren’t going to see him at all. I don’t care what any stupid judge says.”
“You can’t keep him from me. The judge said every other weekend and one evening a week. Can I see him tonight?”
Zoe pinched the bridge of her nose. “No.”
“Then what night can I have him?” He wasn’t going to let her get away with this.
“Are you not listening to me? You can’t. My attorney will fix this before it becomes a problem. Why couldn’t you stay the hell out of my life?”
She stalked away. Jamie was disappointed, but he knew where she lived and where Garrett went to school. He’d pick him up on Monday. He had a court order, and the ladies in the office loved him.
Bethany and Annabelle walked up behind him.
“That didn’t look like it went well. Do you need me to set up another hearing so the judge can define which nights and weekends?” asked Annabelle.
“Nah. Let me try first. She doesn’t have a choice in the matter. I can make it work.”
“Keep me updated this week. We’ll file a custody petition in two weeks. You need to spend time with him first, give the judge a reason to believe that this wasn’t the plan the whole time. Gather evidence when he’s with you. Everything means something. If you can come up with enough evidence to prove your concern for Garrett’s safety, we’ll have an easier shot at it. I have to go, but let me know how the first visit goes.” She reached for Jamie’s hand, squeezed it, gave him a smile, and walked away.
Bethany grabbed his hand and beamed up at him. “One hurdle crossed.”
Jamie grimaced. “That was the easy one. Now I have to actually deal with Zoe.”
Bethany shrugged. “At first she’ll be difficult, but after it becomes routine, she’ll be fine.”
“Except it won’t become routine. As soon as she gets used to the idea, I’m filing for custody. She’s going to have a fit.”
“Maybe. But today we need to celebrate. You won the first battle.”
She was right. He was officially Garrett’s father. A new chapter had opened in his life. He couldn’t wait to see Garrett and needed to plan the first visit. Maybe he’d take him out for ice cream and swimming. Feed him whatever he wanted for dinner and let him stay up way too late. He had every intention of spoiling the kid.
Zoe wouldn’t answer any of Jamie’s calls. He’d dropped by her house, and that sleazy husband of hers answered the door and said both she and Gar
rett were out. He was having none of this. She couldn’t stop him from seeing his son. On Monday afternoon he walked into the school and approached the secretary. She was probably in her mid-fifties with a friendly face.
“Hello, Ms. Wendy.”
She looked up from her computer. “Can I help you?”
“I’m Jamie Green. We’ve spoken on the phone a few times.”
She grinned. “It’s good to finally put a face with a name. You are Garrett’s father. How are things going?”
This was definitely in his favor. Being nice to the secretary always earned him bonus points.
“Not well.” He leaned against her desk and handed her a few papers. “I have a court order that says I get visitation, but Zoe refuses to let me see him. I’d like to take him home tonight.” This was his last resort. If the school wouldn’t let Jamie take Garrett, he’d have to get Annabelle involved, and he didn’t want to take Garrett by force.
Ms. Wendy looked over the papers. “As much as I’d love to, I’m afraid I can’t give you permission. Let me grab the principal.”
A few minutes later the principal came out of her office. She was younger than her secretary by a good twenty years and all business. “I don’t see how we can say no. But I don’t like getting in the middle of domestic squabbles.”
Jamie turned on his charm. “I’m not kidnapping him. I’m taking him home for the evening. I’ll have him to Zoe’s by eight tonight. I promise.”
The principal straightened. “Very well. Ms. Wendy, could you get Garrett?”
Ms. Wendy nodded. Jamie’s palms began to sweat again. He wasn’t sure how this was going to go. He bounced up on the balls of his feet.
The principal crossed her arms. “Mr. Green, I’ll tell Zoe you will have Garrett home by eight. Don’t make a liar out of me.”
“I won’t. Zoe has my phone number, and I expect she’ll call me, and I’ll make sure she knows I’m simply exercising my parental rights.”
Ms. Wendy came back holding Garrett’s hand. The little boy stared at the ground. Ms. Wendy knelt down next to him.
Folly and Forever (Omega Mu Alpha Brothers Book 3) Page 12