Fate

by Tia Wylder

  I showed him my sandwich. “I think it needs mustard,” I said, narrowing my eyes and staring at the odd concoction I’d put together. “Or maybe Worcestershire sauce.”

  Jack mimed gagging. “I think our kid is going to be anything but a picky eater,” he said, shaking his head and laughing. “What do you want for dinner? Feel like going out? Or should I tell Grace to make something here?”

  “I don’t know,” I said as I took another bite. “Just something good.”

  “Like tuna mixed with chocolate?”

  “Ew!” I burst out laughing. “That sounds gross, even to me!”

  Jack snickered. “Gotcha,” he said. He got up and sat at the foot of my chaise lounge, rubbing my feet. “I love you, baby,” he said. He leaned over and put a hand on my belly. “And I love you, baby,” he said to my huge stomach.

  I flushed. “How the hell did I get so lucky?” I asked softly.

  Jack didn’t answer. He leaned down and put his head on my stomach. As he listened to the kicking baby, I listened to the soft crashing of the waves in the distance. Our massive house was on the beach, and I could see the water from where I sat. Even as pregnant and uncomfortable as I was feeling, I’d never been so relaxed in my life.

  “Well, I guess you sailed to Nassau in the middle of a hurricane and found this handsome guy who was stranded at a hotel,” Jack said, rubbing my stomach. He sat up and looked into my eyes. Suddenly, the beauty of the blue sky and the ocean was nothing compared to the tenderness in his brown eyes.

  “Yeah,” I said. “I guess I did that, what a crazy thing for a woman to do.” I raised an eyebrow at Jack. “Hardly seems fair, really. Most people get to say they met on a dating site, or at a party.”

  Jack snickered. “I think ours is much better,” he said. He reached for my hand and gently squeezed it. “Adele, I love you so much.”

  “I love you, too,” I said. “I always will.”

  Jack lifted my fingers to his mouth and kissed the back of my hand, then turned my hand over and kissed my palm. A delicious, warm thrill shot up my arm. As we sat together under the bright Nassau sun, staring at our little slice of heaven, I knew that I was truly the luckiest woman in the world. I had it all – love, a great career, and I was about to become a mother.

  I couldn’t have designed a better life for myself if given a chance to draw the blueprints.

  The End

  Daddy’s Virgin Nanny

  Chapter One

  Jasmine Lawson drew her lip between her teeth, refreshing the auction page on her cell phone. She’d been following the same sort of routine for nearly an hour now, with the auction counting down to the final minutes. Her eyes widened as the bids increased dramatically in price, feeling as if her heart would cease its steady beating in her chest as the auction hit the fifty-thousand mark. She counted down the seconds, watching as the clock ticked down. Five… four… three… two… one: at the last second a sixty-thousand-dollar bid clocked in from a user by the name of BigDaddy12. She exhaled a breath she hadn’t known she’d been holding, staring at the final bid. She’d never expected the bidding to go so high, but then again, she’d never been particularly well versed in these sorts of auction websites. After all, you could only sell your virginity once. Yes, while it wasn’t the most glamorous means of making a profit in the world, Jasmine had been driven to giving up the one thing she truly had left to offer. She was several months behind on rent, jobless, carless, and hopeless. She’d been browsing the web for ways to make money when she stumbled across the ‘Win my first night’ website. It was relatively cut and dry if a bit questionable. She signed a contract to confirm the validity of her virginity, and thusly the auction had begun. She never thought she would resort to what was essentially prostitution to get by, but then again, she’d never expected to be in the position she was in.

  She shook off these thoughts as a message came through on the auction site, an instant message from BigDaddy12 himself. He sent her a smiling emoticon, expressing how utterly thrilled he was to have won the auction. She wasn’t sure how exactly to respond. Was she supposed to be thrilled as well? She supposed she should have been, considering the hefty payment he had laid down. Before she could formulate a response, three dots popped up to indicate he was typing once more. She hesitated, leaning back in her chair. She was surprised to see a long paragraph’s worth of text pop up, detailing his address, and how he would provide transportation for her to meet him there. She had her fair share of uncertainty, but truthfully, she had little choice but to agree with his proposition. She input a simple confirmation of her address, and with little else to say, he bid her a good night. She stared at her phone for a moment longer, before resolving herself to getting ready for bed. She set the phone on her bedside table, getting dressed in her pajamas before slipping beneath her simple twin sized blanket. Her mind raced what seemed a thousand miles per hour, but finally, she managed to drift into a restless sleep.

  When she woke the next morning, she immediately packed what BigDaddy12 indicated she would need for her… stay, so to speak. She took a moment to pick out her sexiest underwear, pulling them on with some reluctance. She supposed she should dress to impress at the very least, considering the exorbitant bid that this man (or what she assumed was a man) had put in for a night with her.

  She meandered downstairs with her suitcase, not bothering to engage in idle chit chat with passerby. She had a lot on her mind, and it wasn’t as if she could simply confess to the first person she passed that she was going to trade her virginity for a large lump sum. She rolled her eyes at the thought, stepping out into the bright and sunny morning. BigDaddy12 had indicated a cab would be waiting, and she was not disappointed as an older gentleman stepped towards her and offered to take her bag.

  “Jasmine Lawson, yeah?” He rumbled, and she nodded hesitantly. He shoved her suitcase in the trunk of the taxi, opening the door for her to slip inside before taking his place behind the steering wheel. The trip was a short one, and though Jasmine might have expected the winner’s abode to be expansive, she could have never anticipated just how large the estate would be. As she was driven toward the front entry, she was startled to see a young girl playing in the grass just beyond the porch. The taxi driver pulled her door open, allowing her to step out. He shoved her suitcase into her hands, tipping his hat before getting back in the taxi and driving away. Jasmine felt as if she might hyperventilate, suddenly afraid of what this BigDaddy12 man would be like.

  “What have I gotten myself into…,” she muttered, knuckles white gripping her suitcase handle.

  “Jasmine? Jasmine Lawson?” A warm voice called, and she was startled to see it belonged to a handsome man who could only be a few years her senior. He stepped down off the porch, smiling and taking her suitcase from her hands. “My name is Mark Stanford. You may know me as BigDaddy12,” he chuckled. The young girl, who Jasmine could only presume was his daughter, continued playing in the grass. She seemed happily oblivious to their conversation.

  “Yes, I’m… I’m Jasmine. Is this your daughter? Is she going to… be here, tonight?” Jasmine muttered with a pasted-on smile. Mark laughed warmly, reaching out to rest a hand on her shoulder. She struggled not to shrink away, managing a smile of her own.

  “Actually, Jasmine. I have a bit of an alternate proposal to present to you,” the handsome man murmured. Jasmine met his gaze, wariness welling up inside her.

  “I’m… all ears, Mr. Stanford,” she swallowed hard. He laughed again, taking her by the arm.

  “Please, Jasmine. Mr. Stanford was my father. Please, call me Mark. And this… this is my daughter, Jenny,” he smiled, nearly dragging her over to the younger girl. Feeling entirely out of place, Jasmine forced a smile as the young girl scrutinized her. She wasn’t entirely sure what she’d gotten herself into, but for the time being, she was sure she didn’t like it. All the same, she tended to be rather good with kids. After a moment of staring at her, Jenny quirked her lips in a smile and wave
d one of her dolls at Jasmine.

  “Hello, Jenny. It’s… nice to meet you,” she managed, smiling cordially at the young girl despite how strange the situation seemed.

  “It’s nice to meet you too, ma’am,” Jenny cooed, before returning her attention to her dolls. Mark watched them with a relatively unreadable expression, broad arms crossed over his chest. “Do you wanna play with me?” The young girl abruptly piped up, gesturing to the other doll that lay unused on the ground. Jasmine hesitated for a moment, looking to Mark for some sort of instruction. When she’d sold herself, she hadn’t exactly anticipated her the buyer’s daughter playing dolls with her. The unorthodox situation didn’t bother him, however, as he gestured Jasmine to play with his daughter. She complied with little hesitation, grabbing the doll that Jenny had indicated and waving its arm at the other doll. Jenny smiled in obvious delight, and the two made the dolls embrace. While Jasmine played with the young girl, she watched Jenny’s father from the corner of her eye, not sure what to expect at that point.

  “You know, it’s been some time since she had another female to play with,” Mark hummed, and Jasmine quirked a brow, looking between father and daughter.

  “Mommy doesn’t like to play with me anymore. She’s very busy,” Jenny smiled bitterly and Jasmine couldn’t deny the tug at her heartstrings. She reached out to rest a hand on the young girl’s shoulder, giving her a reassuring squeeze.

  “I’m sorry to hear that, Jenny. You don’t have any playmates in the neighborhood?” She inquired with a soothing tone. Jenny giggled, gesturing to her father with a doll.

  “Daddy plays with me,” she announced with a big smile. Jasmine met Mark’s gaze, and he looked surprisingly troubled. “He’s been staying home from work to take care of me,” Jenny said idly, and Jasmine mused that it explained Mark’s expression.

  “That’s very sweet. I’m sorry that your mommy doesn’t seem to have time for you anymore,” she murmured. Jenny shrugged her shoulders, losing herself in the pretend play. Jasmine couldn’t deny that she felt a bit foolish considering her reasons for coming to the estate. While she didn’t mind entertaining her buyer’s daughter, she certainly didn’t know if it was par for the course with such auctions. She inhaled a deep breath, allowing her mind to drift. She looked towards Mark, the man she better knew as BigDaddy12, taking a moment to consider his appearance. She supposed he suited the tall, dark and handsome stereotype well enough. He stood over six feet tall from the looks of it, and though his clothes obscured his body rather well, she could only guess how muscular he was underneath. His hair was dark, his eyes a vibrant shade of blue that could pierce a woman’s heart. The slightest of stubble along his jaw is enough to look as if he had simply gone unshaven for a few days, but she could guess that he kept it well-manicured. There was nothing about the man that screamed danger, but there was nothing about him that might have indicated his illicit online activities either. He noticed her staring, quirking his lips in a wry smile as she blushed and averted her eyes.

  “Jenny’s been feeling rather lonely since her mother expressed…,” he paused, his eyes darkening. “Expressed being so busy,” he finished coolly. It was obvious that there was more to the story, though Jasmine couldn’t begin to understand why Jenny’s mother wouldn’t want to see her. Perhaps it was an issue with Mark himself? That didn’t seem to fit either, however. Mark was a rather charming and all around good looking man, and Jasmine could only wonder why a woman would feel inclined to leave him. It was certainly none of her business, however, and she dared not voice that thought.

  “Daddy’s been lonely too,” Jenny piped up innocently, and both Mark and Jasmine turned several shades redder.

  “Oh, honey, you know that you’re all the company I need,” he assured his daughter, only for her to roll her eyes in response. “However, I do have a bit of news,” he continued, taking Jasmine by the hand and pulling her to her feet. She thought to resist, uncertainty welling up inside of her. Certainly, he wasn’t going to announce their affair of sorts to his daughter as it would be entirely inappropriate. He met her gaze, and his bright eyes revealed nothing but amusement. She failed to see the humor in the situation, but it wasn’t as if she could fight the man’s wishes. Sixty thousand dollars was a huge chunk of change, and she had already put her morals on hold to an extent. He turned a broad smile upon his daughter, wrapping an arm around Jasmine and pulling her in for a warm embrace. She braced herself for his words, but nothing could have prepared her for what spilled past his lips. “Miss Jasmine will be your nanny for the next few months, isn’t that exciting?” He announced with a broad smile. Jenny’s expression lit up, and Jasmine turned incredulous eyes upon the man.

  “What?” She deadpanned. This was not what she had signed up for by any means, but Mark didn’t stutter or show any sign of insincerity as he spoke. He turned to face her, turning a panty dropping smile upon her.

  “When I found your… ad, of sorts, I must admit, I was exceedingly lonely,” he began. Jasmine blushed a bright shade of red, eyes darting towards the young girl who looked curiously between them. “Honey, go play on your swing set, please. Miss Jasmine and I need to hammer out the details,” he said with a faint smile. Jenny scrutinized the both for a moment before shrugging her shoulders and slipping away. Jasmine watched the young girl go, feeling as if her safety net had been ripped out from under her.

  “As you were saying…?” She prompted reluctantly, turning to face the strikingly handsome but exceedingly odd man. She drew her lip between her teeth, unable to ignore the stirring in her gut as Mark’s eyes fixed upon her lips. He smiled warmly, his icy eyes glinting with mirth.

  “Yes, of course. When I found the auction for your first night, I initially placed my bid with the full intent to receive what was offered. However, I rethought the possibilities, and…,” he trailed off for a moment, averting his gaze. “You look so innocent, I couldn’t bear to simply rip that away from you. So, it occurred to me to offer you this alternate position,” he smiled. Jasmine looked him up and down, wondering if she should feel offended or relieved. Perhaps a mix of both was most suitable.

  “An alternate position as… your daughter’s nanny?” She murmured, glancing in the direction the young girl had gone. Mark nodded, paused for a moment as he considered her.

  “That, and… well, I have been lonely. I know this is perhaps more unorthodox than the original auction, but… I would be much obliged if you would play the part of my paramore of sorts until the bid is paid off,” he said somewhat awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. Jasmine’s eyes widened, and she took a moment to consider his words before speaking again.

  “You mean you want me to pretend to be your girlfriend…?” She inquired with uncertainty embedded deep in her tones. The man tapped his fingertips together, looking rather unsure himself.

  “If it’s reasonable, of course. It would be taken into consideration along with your services for my daughter, to pay off the sixty thousand dollars. At the rate I’m willing to pay, it would only take three months for you to work off the payment. Then, of course, you’ll never have to see me again,” Mark smiled tentatively. Truthfully, Jasmine couldn’t help but feel pulled in by those sad eyes of his, not to mention those perfectly plush and kissable lips. She tried to shake off her attraction, knowing that it would do little good regarding their plot. If she could get out of the situation with her virginity intact and still be sixty thousand dollars richer, she failed to see any reason to back out of the scheme.

  “Alright. Sounds reasonable enough. I’ll be your daughter’s nanny for the next three months, as well as playing the part of your girlfriend. I won’t lie, Mark, this seems almost too good to be true,” she muttered. He grinned, leaning in to press a kiss to her forehead. The sudden affection caught her off guard, and she nearly lost her footing trying to stumble away. He caught her with a hand pressed to the small of her back, and she smiled nervously up at the handsome man.

  “Too soon?” He
inquired softly. Jasmine smiled nervously, shaking her head.

  “You just caught me off guard,” she explained, steeling herself and pressing a kiss to his cheek. He brightened at the show of affection, and as he led her to the estate she would apparently be living in for the next 3 months, she could only wonder just what she had gotten herself into.

  Chapter Two

  Stepping into the house, Jasmine was even more impressed than she had been upon laying eyes on the exterior of the estate. The entire decor of the place screamed that the owner of the home was exorbitantly wealthy. Of course, she could have guessed that from the amount that her auction had risen to. She just wasn’t sure of Mark’s wealth.

  She shook off the thought as he guided her further inside the house, her eyes traveling along the intricately patterned walls. She felt as if she were living some dream, as if she had died and Mark was the angel who had arranged her ascent into heaven. She couldn’t imagine living in such an extravagant place for the three months they had arranged, let alone the years that the father and daughter would likely spend here.