She peered past me, focusing on the wall of windows. “It’s huge.”
I moved to the side. “Come in.”
Gingerly she stepped through the door. Using the same delicate steps, she slipped between me and the corridor’s wall, making eye contact with me as she walked past.
The sweet smell of her perfume tickled my nostrils.
I reached for her shoulder, stopping her from going any further. Our eyes locked. Without warning, I pushed her against the wall and kissed her deeply. Her purse hit the floor with a thud. She wrapped her arms around me and returned the kiss, matching my passion completely.
For a period of time that I couldn’t accurately describe, we were tangled in that passionate kiss. Our hands fumbled to touch places we had held sacred from one another. We continued to kiss until my mind was aflutter, and then I broke the embrace.
She looked at me with wide eyes and a face washed with hope. She wiped her mouth on the back of her hand, and then smiled.
“What was that about?” she asked, wearing an ear-to-ear grin.
“It was a test,” I replied.
“Did I pass?”
She certainly did. The kiss was everything I wanted it to be, and so much more. It was the kiss novels were written about. The kiss that caused men to become weak and women to fall in love. The kiss that said what no words were able.
The kiss that answered the question my mind was afraid to ask, but my heart yearned to know.
As I gazed at her with admiring eyes, I realized I had a decision to make.
One that could expose me to far more risk than battling the ATF in court. One that had the ability to either drive me to a lifetime of celibacy, or a lifetime of reward.
I simply needed to commit to take that risk.
Chapter Twenty-Three
In the forty-eight hours that passed following the kiss, Jess and I spent every moment that she wasn’t working with one another. While sitting at my desk rereading the manuscript, a smile formed on my face.
I sent Jess a text.
Get a sheet of paper and a pen.
In a few minutes, she responded.
I’ve got them both. Now what?
Wearing a smile, I typed the next message. I need you to write something down and take a picture of it. Only write it if you truly believe it.
Okay, she responded.
I typed the next message and pressed send.
Scott Hildreth owns me
In a matter of seconds, my phone beeped. Much to my satisfaction, the message contained a picture. Holding my breath, I opened it. In the most delicate of written script, the yellow page of paper had four words written on it.
SCOTT HILDRETH OWNS ME
I smiled and typed another message. This time, a question. I doubted she’d fully understand, as it was a line from my Baby Girl series of books.
Who owns you Baby Girl? I asked.
Her response came quickly and made me wonder if she had, in fact, read the book.
You do, she responded.
At that moment in time, Jess became my Baby Girl.
She simply didn’t know it yet.
Chapter Twenty-Four
The seating area of my home was fitted with two large couches and a love seat. With Jess’ hand in mine, I guided her across the floor and gestured to the loveseat with a wave of my free hand.
“Have a seat. Relax.”
She sat and flashed a crooked smile.
Nervous, I sat down beside her. Instantaneously, I stood. I wasn’t accustomed to being nervous, and it surprised me that I felt the way I did. I decided it was further proof that I was doing what was best for both of us.
“Do you want me to get up?” she asked.
I rubbed my sweaty palms on the thighs of my jeans. “No.”
“Are you okay?” she asked. “You look sick.”
“I’m fine.”
She crossed her legs, and then looked up. “What are you doing?”
“I’ve got some things I want to say, and I’m trying to think of how to say them.”
“I do that a lot,” she said. “Just blurt it out. It works for me. It might not come out right, but I’m sure we’ll figure it out.”
With my eyes fixed on the tips of her shoes, I nodded. Then, I met her gaze. “I want to be in a relationship with you. Starting right now.”
“A relationship?” Her eyes shot wide. “A relationship? Like a real relationship?”
I gave a crisp nod. “Yes.”
Her excitement diminished. Her nose and brow wrinkled at the same time. “Like what we had?”
“No. An actual relationship. We’d be lovers.”
She leaped from her seat, and then quickly sat down as if she’d done something wrong. “Oh, my God. Really?”
“Yes.”
“You’re talking sex and everything, right?”
“Yes. But there are rules.”
Her eyes gleamed. “Like Kelli and Erik?”
“You little fucker,” I said with a laugh. “You read it?”
“I read it at my mom’s house. When I took the kids. I didn’t realize you’d released another book since Broken People until we met at the Donut Whole. After you said you’d written some more, I looked on Amazon and found it.”
It surprised me that she’d read the book. I found the fact that she wasn’t telling me how ridiculous it was to be comforting. Being in a vanilla relationship wasn’t something I wanted to do, and I doubted I’d survive any length of time attempting to do so.
“Not those kind of rules,” I said. “These are a little different.”
“But you’re Erik,” she said. “Or he’s you. You walk like him, you talk like him, you use the same expressions and phrases. He even asked Kelli the exact same questions you asked me on the night we met. He makes her walk on his left, too.”
“You’re right. He’s modeled after me.” I looked her over. I didn’t want to influence her response, so I asked the question without preceding it with an explanation. “Was there anything in the book that scared you?”
She shook her head. “Nope.”
“Are you sure?”
She grinned. “Positive.”
My level of excitement shot through the roof. She was truly a one of a kind woman, and exactly what I hoped she’d be.
“The type of relationship that Kelli and Erik had is what I prefer. Trying to do anything differently would be a stretch for me. Naturally, I’m exactly like Erik. I’ve been that way since I was old enough to even desire a woman’s company. Maybe since I was seventeen or so.”
Her face was painted with surprise. “Oh. Wow.”
“Does that bother you?”
“No,” she said. “It excites me.”
“Because you think it would be cool? Or fun?”
“No. Because I feel just like Kelli did in the book. I’m kind of like you, I guess. I’ve always been attracted to older guys, and I like it when they take charge. I like being told what to do, and then doing it. In the bedroom, you know.” She smiled a hesitant smile. “Not in the kitchen.”
“That’s perfect,” I said, my tone infused with excitement. “What you’ve described is exactly what I need to be completely comfortable in a relationship. If we agree to do this. I want you to know a few things about me.”
She rubbed her hands together feverishly. “Okay.”
“I’m a very caring man. I’ll never let anything happen to you. I’ll always protect you and the children. I’ll put you first and myself last. Always. I’ll never do anything to hurt you, mentally, physically, or emotionally. I’ll never raise a hand to you. But, I can be an asshole. No. I am an asshole. In one respect, at least.” I tilted my head to the side and raised my brows. “You can’t ever tell me what to do.”
“Okay.”
“I mean ever. You can ask me. You can make suggestions. But, no matter what, don’t ever tell me what to do when it comes to living life. You can tell me to pick up my clothes or that the grass n
eeds cut, but not ‘Scott, you need to live your life like X.’ It’s a fault I know I possess. I’ve got to make my own decisions, or at least think I am. It might seem weird, but it’s a big deal to me.”
Worry washed over her. “What happens if I slip up? Is it over?”
I chuckled. “No. If it happens, I’ll simply remind you that you. Maybe when I do, you should try and remember that simply rephrasing what you want to say will work better with me. Saying ‘Scott, have you ever considered living like X?’ But, if you slip up, it’s certainly not a deal breaker.”
“Oh. That’s easy.” She grinned. “Is that it?”
“No, there’s more.”
“Okay.” She relaxed against the back of the couch and crossed her legs again. “I’m ready.”
She seemed excited and comfortable at the same time. It was nice to see her so at peace with herself.
“If we agree to do this, it’ll be no different than if we were married. It’s going to be you and me, and that’s it. I’m committed to you, and I expect you to be committed to me. The only thing we won’t have is a piece of paper saying we’re married. In my mind, at least, we will be.”
“I’m fine with all of that.” She looked at me like she wanted to eat me. “You don’t understand. You’re all I’ve thought about for the last few years. It wasn’t easy getting over you. I never really did, to be honest.”
I didn’t bother telling her I felt the same way.
“So, you’re okay with everything?”
She nodded, and then flashed a smile. “Yes.”
“There’s one last thing.”
“A contract? Like Kelli and Erik?” she asked excitedly. “A list of what’s okay and what isn’t? Lines that can’t be crossed? Like the night they were at Stearman Field?”
I laughed. “No.”
She scrunched her nose. “What is it, then?”
“For the first thirty days that we’re together, we’re going to spend every day together, if possible. We’re going to try to make ourselves sick of one another. We’re going to kiss, lay in bed naked, run through fields of sunflowers hand-in-hand, sleep together if we can, and wake up together. But, one thing we won’t do is have sex.”
Her eyes bulged. “What?”
I shook my head. “No sex for the first thirty days.”
“Why?” Her eyes went thin. “What did I do?”
“You didn’t do anything. That’s my rule. Take it or leave it. It’s not negotiable.”
She looked me up and down, and then locked eyes with me. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”
I crossed my arms. “I sure am.”
She laughed. “I knew there had to be a catch.”
“Well. Are you in, or are you out?”
She smiled. “I’m in.”
I extended my arm and clenched my fist, holding it over her lap.
She looked at it, and then at me. “What’s that for?”
“Pound it,” I said.
“Why?”
“It’s our agreement,” I explained.
Her brows knitted together. “A fist bump?”
I gave a crisp nod. “It’s as good as a written contract where I come from.”
She twisted her mouth to the side and made a fist. Then, she pounded her knuckles against mine. “There,” she said. “You’re all mine.”
“You just made a deal with the devil,” I said.
“What does that mean?”
“You’ll find out,” I said with a laugh. “In thirty days.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Jess and I had been in a relationship for a week. We’d seen each on every occasion her schedule would allow. Even though only seven days had passed, I was convinced the fear I’d struggled with regarding relationships wasn’t going to apply with Jess. I had an odd sense of comfort that she and I were going to make it to the bitter end.
If she could last the first thirty days, that is.
After making out on the couch for half an hour, she pushed herself away from me and stood.
“This is ridiculous,” she said. “We’re not in high school.”
“Twenty-two days to go.” I struggled not to smirk, but I didn’t succeed. At least not fully. “It allows us to be in the relationship for all the right reasons. Our decision isn’t influenced by sex. People have sex first, and then they’re staying together because they like to fuck. I think we should be together because we like each other. The fucking comes afterward. Fucking first is going about it backward.”
She gestured toward my crotch. “I wonder if that thing even works.”
I arched an argumentative eyebrow. “Excuse me?”
“Your you-know-what. I bet it’s messed up. Broken. Noodley, or whatever.”
“There’s not a goddamned thing wrong with me,” I said matter-of-factly.
She looked me over. Then, she met my gaze. “Prove it.”
“Believe me, in twenty-two days you’ll be begging me to stop.”
“I doubt that,” she said snidely.
“You will. I can assure you.”
“Maybe you met your match,” she said.
“When?”
She gave me a look. “When you met me, silly.”
“Doubt it,” I said dryly.
She scrunched her nose and then looked away. “I don’t like this thirty-day crap.”
“Twenty-two.”
“Maybe if we didn’t see each other so much.” She sat at the edge of the couch and forced a sigh. “I think it would be easier. A lot easier.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “That wasn’t the deal we made.”
“That deal we made is ridiculous. Spend all day together and not bone? Who does that? I’ll tell you who. Sixteen-year-olds. Even the Amish kids up in Hutchison bone when their eighteen.”
I raised my chin slightly. “We’re doing it this way. It’s instrumental to the relationship’s survival. We’ll learn a lot about each other, and we’ll be in it for all the right reasons. You’ll fall in love with me, not my dick.”
“Erik Ead wouldn’t do it like this,” she snapped back. “He’d bend Kelli over the arm of the couch and give it to her like a boss.”
“I’ll give it to you like a boss. In twenty-two days.”
She laid her face against her palms. After screaming into her hands for a moment, she looked up. “Don’t you get blue balls?”
I let out a laugh. “That’s a lie.”
She squinted. “What is?”
“Blue balls,” I said. “It’s made up. Guys say that to get girls to give it up. It isn’t true.”
She cocked her head to the side. “Huh?”
I cupped my hands around my mouth and made a megaphone. “It isn’t true!”
“It builds up pressure,” she said. “It’s painful. If you don’t get a release, you’ve got to go to the hospital and have a nurse jack you off.”
I barked out a laugh. “Holy crap. You seriously believe that shit?”
“It’s true, isn’t it?”
“It’s a complete and utter lie,” I explained. “There’s no such thing as blue balls.”
She looked as if she’d bitten into a lemon. “Are you sure?”
“Positive.”
Her gaze dropped to the floor. “That sucks.”
“Why, because you can’t use reverse blue-ball psychology to get me to give it up?”
“No.” She looked up. “Because I’ve been tricked a few times by the blue balls lie.”
“Well, now you know.”
She dragged her tongue along the edge of her upper lip. “Don’t you think it’d feel good though?”
“I’m sure it’d feel great.”
She looked at my crotch. “Get it out.”
“I’m not getting it out.”
She wagged her index finger toward my zipper. “Get it out.”
“I’m not—”
“You said no sex for thirty days, right?”
I nodded. “That is correc
t.”
“I want to suck your dick. Blowjobs aren’t sex.” She waved her hand toward my crotch. “Get it out.”
I gave argument, but not much. The thought of her proceeding with her proposal sounded like one hell of a good idea.
“That’s probably not a good idea,” I said, lying through my teeth the entire while.
She smiled. “Why not? You scared? Scared you’ll give in?”
I shook my head. “I’m too strong willed to give in.”
“Get it out then.” She nodded toward my stiffening dick. “Prove it.”
“I don’t think it’s a good—”
She started clucking like a chicken, flapping her arms as she did so.
There was a huge difference between being strong-willed and being afraid. I wasn’t afraid, that much I knew. I unbuckled my belt, unzipped my pants, and pulled it out.
“There,” I said. “Satisfied?”
“Holy crap.” She stared at it for a few seconds, and then looked up. “Twenty-two days, huh?”
I nodded “Yep.”
Wearing an ornery grin, she curled the tip of her index finger into her palm. “Come here.”
With her seated at the edge of the couch, I did as she asked. After gripping the shaft in her hand, she locked eyes with me. “Kelli Parks was a novice compared to me.”
“So you say,” I said. “That girl could swallow a baseball bat.”
Fifteen minutes later, I was convinced Jess was right. She could have held weekend seminars on how to perform oral sex to a man’s complete satisfaction. I’d always considered myself an authority on blowjobs. Truth be known, she may have taught me a thing or two about them that I didn’t realize.
My strong-willed nature crumbled. I was mere seconds from climax. With the end nearing, I closed my eyes and prepared for the fireworks that were sure to follow. She must have sensed it, because she stopped mid-stroke and pulled her mouth free.
“What are you doing?” I opened my eyes. “I was about to come.”
“I know.” She wiped her mouth on her arm. “I’m done.”
“Seriously?” I asked. “You’re going to stop right there?”
“I’m tired of doing that. It’s dumb.” She looked at me and smiled. “I want to bone.”
“Say again?”
“Fuck. Bone. Screw. Have sex.” She pointed at my rigid cock. “Put that.” She pointed between her legs. “In here.”
LOVER COME BACK_An Unbelievable But True Love Story Page 11