“Holy shit,” she breathed. “Did you know that you’d see him again?”
“I knew that I was interviewing with his company but had no idea that it would be with him. I looked into it extensively when I heard about the job and I thought that I was safe. So now I’m in this job that is otherwise amazing for Mase and me but I have to work with…him.” I shrugged. “He’s taking it to the extreme and I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to lose my job.”
“How about giving it a second chance?” Her words were soft and I shot her a scared glance. “He’s hot and he seems…caring?”
“That’s a lot to consider. I can’t just throw Mason’s world off, and besides, I have no idea whether Carter even wants to be a dad. It’s been so long,” I whispered as Mason walked into the room with his backpack and an additional duffel bag. Tears filled my eyes as I walked over to hug him. “I’m going to miss you, Mase. So much. I love you.”
“I love you, Mommy.” His voice was so sweet and solemn and I felt my heart turn into hot goo.
“Be good to Lainie, okay?” I faked a bright smile and he nodded. I walked them to the door and hugged him again before thanking Lainie for watching him.
I locked the door and leaned against it as I took a deep breath. My apartment was empty and my heart felt empty right now. I wanted to call Mason back and take him to Lainie’s house in the morning, but I still needed to pack and catch a plane tomorrow.
That little boy had been with me for the last five years, and inside of my stomach before that. This was going to be damn near impossible. I took a deep breath, blinking back the tears that I felt coming again. I walked into my small bedroom to change into some pajamas before I started to pack for the trip.
Business trip…for real this time. I assumed that there would be events and meals and maybe also some downtime, so I needed to bring different types of clothing. I grabbed a couple of casual dresses and some more professional ones. I also packed some jeans and a couple of t-shirts, as well as some shorts and shirts to sleep in. Most of the clothes were second-hand; I had purchased them when I started looking for work. I decided to pack my toiletries in the morning and settled in my lonely bed in my quiet room with my Kindle to catch up on some reading.
Screw Carter. I had agreed to go on this trip with him, but I’d draw the line from now on. I couldn’t afford to lose my job, but if he wouldn’t listen to me, I needed to look for other options. I picked the same steamy book from before but got annoyed half a page in, because I was placing Carter in the place of the book boyfriend and got aroused. I reminded myself that I needed to hate him, not want him. The effect that this man still had on me was unreal.
I dropped the Kindle to the mattress and stared at the clock. Mason would be asleep by now. I needed to get a few hours of sleep too.
Ugh. I needed to address the situation between Carter and me before it got any worse.
Chapter 10 - Carter
I went home after informing Vivian of the trip, feeling a little bad that I had told her so last minute. I had meant to do it over dinner but she kept turning me down, so I had to go to her apartment. I was surprised to see her with a little boy, not expecting that at all.
I thought about him as I walked through the front door and frowned. He was a cute kid and looked familiar somehow, though I couldn’t place it.
I went into my room to pack, placing my Louis Vuitton suitcase on the bed. I walked to the dresser and grabbed socks and briefs, tucking them in before I added some t-shirts and a pair of worn jeans. I walked to the closet and found a couple of suits. I’d pack them now and have the hotel staff prepare them for me later.
I couldn’t get Vivian out of my mind. She had looked so surprised to see me, holding her son’s hand. I frowned as I tried to guess his age, feeling something deep down that bothered me. My parents never told me she had a child. Come to think of it, Vivian hadn’t even mentioned his name tonight. No introduction or barely an acknowledgment of me before she shuffled him inside. I just knew that he liked hot chocolate since he asked for some.
I finished packing and put on some shorts to rest in bed, watching a little television, but I soon got distracted. I couldn’t put my finger on what was bothering me. I had an early morning and I needed to get some rest. This was a legit trip and we’d be going to lunches, dinners and presentations.
There would also be a hotel room that we’d be sharing for two nights. I used the excuse of the fiancée to get a nice suite with a living room, massive bedroom with king-sized bed, kitchen and bathroom. We’d be sleeping together if she didn’t insist on sleeping on the couch or worse yet, kick me out. I looked forward to being that close to her, hopefully finally touching her and getting to feel her again.
My cock hardened as I thought about it, playing the fantasy through my head. Fuck. I wanted her so bad and I reached down to slide my hand in my shorts and grip myself firmly. I couldn’t get enough of jerking off when I fantasized about Vivian. I started moving my hand as my eyes dropped closed.
I grabbed a tissue when I came, wrapping it around my cock to catch most of the mess. I hoped that I wouldn’t need this in LA tomorrow night. I was hoping for the real thing.
I went to the kitchen for some water before returning to bed. I saw my phone lit up on the comforter as I sat back down. It was Shane. He was being a dick about the fact that I hadn’t slept with Vivian yet. He knew that he might win the bet but I had one more night plus a luxurious hotel room to push her over the edge. It had worked wonders in the past.
I answered the call and Shane immediately asked if I’d hit it yet. This was getting old because Vivian was more than just a warm pussy to me. I hadn’t said that to Shane yet though. I held in my annoyance and tried to sound casual as I leaned back. “Close, but we’re going on a business trip together tomorrow. That will definitely do the trick.”
“I think that you’re losing your touch, Carter. You’ve had women faster than this in the past. Is she a prude or is she just not that into you?” His words were like a punch to my face. I hated him in this moment but tried to hold in my racing emotions. I took a deep breath to steady myself.
“She is. There’s no doubt about that.” I said blandly. “We work together. That’s what’s holding her back.”
“Uh huh. Haven’t you slept with colleagues before?” Of course, I had. But Shane wouldn’t understand that Vivian was special. He didn’t know the meaning of the word.
He told me about his latest conquest, who was a waitress at a local bar. She was in an estranged marriage. I warned him not to get involved, but Shane was tunnel minded when it came to women. He wouldn’t listen when I told him that one of these days, some jealous man was going to kick his ass. I asked him to give me a call when that happened so that I could make popcorn and watch the scene.
I ended the call with the excuse that I needed to get to sleep and dropped the phone onto the floor. I didn’t want to see it again tonight. The alarm for the next morning was already set.
I settled comfortably in the pillows and watched an interview with a new singer. I was feeling tired and drifted off to sleep, only to continue my fantasy in my head.
I needed to work her out of my system. I needed to act professionally during the trip and get the deal done.
I slept fitfully until the alarm went off in the morning. I rolled over to grab the phone and hit snooze. I made coffee and showered before dressing in jeans and a button up shirt. I wanted to be comfortable and casual before the suits needed to come out. Ned was going to pick me up and then we’d get Vivian. I was looking forward to seeing her again and tossed some toiletries into the suitcase as I hummed a song that was playing through my head.
Oddly enough, it was a song that played at my high school hockey games and it reminded me a great deal of Vivian. It was stuck in my head and I allowed myself a moment to think back in time.
I mentally kicked myself for not treating her better in high school. I thought back to the other girls and cringed,
realizing how hurt she must have been. I could only chalk it up to being young and stupid, and I wondered whether she’d give me a second chance.
What if this was more than a bet?
I locked the door to my apartment before I rolled the luggage to the elevator. I approached the limo with my bag and greeted Ned as he stepped out to load it for me.
Vivian’s son came to mind again and I wondered why he looked so familiar. There had been an uncomfortable feeling in my stomach since I saw him. I assumed that Vivian was raising him alone. How hard must that be? She was doing it all on her own and I hated the guy who abandoned her for a second. No wonder she was so scared of losing everything by making one wrong move. I was going to assure her that nothing like that would happen. Through all my seduction efforts, I noticed that she was a good PA and did her job well. Worst case scenario, she could transfer within my huge company or seek employment elsewhere with a glowing recommendation.
I slumped in the seat at the thought of her not being a part of my life and vowed to make her mine this weekend. We pulled away from the curb and I reached for the radio controls to get the fucking song out of my mind, settling for some easy jazz to soothe my soul. I didn’t like where my mind was taking me and I tried to shake it off. I never worried about women leaving me. I worried about them staying and wanting things that I couldn’t give them.
This time, though, it seemed like I wanted a woman to stay and I wondered what was happening to me.
Chapter 11 - Vivian
I rolled my suitcase out of my bedroom and tried to dispel the worries that were growing larger in my head by the moment. This trip was going to be a huge mistake, especially with the fake fiancée lie that Carter wanted me to play along with. I wondered if it was just a ploy on his part to draw me further into his web. He seemed like the kind of man to do that in the name of the business and the idea made me sad.
If that was the case, he hadn’t changed at all.
I jumped when I heard a knock at the door. Holy shit. This was really happening. I was going to LA as Carter’s fiancée.
Carter took my luggage to the elevator, remarking that he was surprised that it was only one. I laughed and said that I was a simple, but prepared girl. In truth, I didn’t have a lot to pack. I was going to add some clothes to my wardrobe after I got my first paycheck and for now, I was merely being as creative as possible with what I had.
“You’re hardly simple, Vivian. From what I remember, you never were.” I looked at him as he left the elevator ahead of me, wondering what that meant. We made our way to the limo as people stopped to watch, making me blush.
He got the bag into the trunk and we slipped into the seats. I felt my cheeks grow even warmer, remembering what happened last time we were in here. I crossed my legs and placed my hands in my lap. I stared out of the window, watching as the car pulled away from the curb.
“You’re thinking about it, too?” Carter asked. I turned my eyes to his gorgeous face.
“What?”
“Last time we were in here.” I nodded and tried to choke down the weird giggle that was forming in my throat. “That was one of the hottest nights I’ve ever experienced, Vivian.” He tilted his head at me. “You got a call about your son that night, didn’t you?”
“He had a fever,” I said, hoping that he wouldn’t say anything more.
“Why didn’t you tell me that you had a son?” Carter asked as ice filled my veins.
“Oh, you know. I didn’t want to be one of those moms that make it all about her kid. I can work as well as anyone else,” I said.
“I know that, but he’s something to be proud of.”
I smiled, wishing for a fleeting second that this was about him being Mason’s father. But I gave that dream up a long time ago.
Carter moved on to how I liked it here in the city and we even talked about Vermont a bit. He admitted to missing the small-town atmosphere sometimes. “It appears that I own the world here or some shit like that, but I sleep with my television on because I miss the sound of crickets and frogs,” he said with a shy smile.
We both laughed. “Well, it’s loud here at night. I love Brooklyn, though.” I smiled as I thought about my new home and he stared at me across the car before moving closer to me.
“I’m glad you’re here. I know that I didn’t appreciate you like I should have before.” I stared at Carter in shock. “I was young and only thinking of moving here, Vivian. I didn’t think that I’d miss any of that.”
“You miss it?” I asked as he smiled wryly.
“As much as I do the frogs and the crickets,” Carter said, sounding sincere. “I don’t visit home as often as I should. But I bring my parents out here sometimes. Mom loves it at Christmas. How are your parents doing?”
“They’re good. They miss me but understand that the move would be good for me. I expect they’ll visit soon to check out my new place.” I smiled and looked down at the floor, feeling tears behind in my eyes. They used to help me so much with Mason and I missed them greatly.
“They enjoy having a grandson?” Carter pressed and I nodded. “They must miss him.”
“Of course, but I needed a change,” I said.
“I understand. There’s more opportunity here to grow.” Carter chuckled. “Maybe we’ll retire there when we’re older.”
“It is a beautiful town,” I said as I leaned back. “How many people here know about your life back in Vermont?” Carter stared thoughtfully past me.
“Very few. They all want to know the new Carter that has the money. Not the small-town boy.” He shrugged.
“I’m proud of you for doing so well. I did a little research before the interview. You did a great job building up such an amazing company.” I smiled at him as he beamed at me.
“Thank you. That means a lot, coming from you.”
He threw me another intense look and I tried to change the subject. “How long is the flight?”
“Five hours, no layover. We’ll check into the hotel room and freshen up for dinner. It’s going to be a fast-paced weekend. Are you okay with that?” I nodded. He reached into his pocket, withdrew something from his wallet and handed it to me. “Here’s a company credit card. It’s got a high limit and you can use it for anything business related that you need.” He put his hand in his pocket again. “Oh, and here’s the ring that will show people you’re my fiancée.”
“Oh. Okay.” He put the ring on my hand and I felt discomfort wash over me. I had to remind myself that this was for business and nothing else.
I looked out of the window as we sped to the airport. We talked about the holidays in New York. He claimed they were beautiful and I believed him, having seen the pictures that Lainie sent me last year. It was only August now though, so I’d have to wait a couple of months to experience them myself.
We got to the airport and checked in our luggage before making our way to the gate. I was surprised when we entered the airplane and found out that we sat in first class. I stretched out my legs and smiled. Mason and I had flown to New York in coach and there was barely enough room for us.
We got coffee from the flight attendant and sat back as preparations for takeoff began. I felt that Carter wanted to ask me things but he held back and observed me quietly. I admired the way he leaned back, confidence oozing from every pore. Carter was a sexy man and he made me want to throw all caution to the wind. But I had Mason to worry about.
The flight was uneventful, but we watched the view and enjoyed some great food. I soaked up the luxury as I dreamed of the day I could fly my son in first class to some exotic location. I’d love to take him to LA and Disneyland.
Someday.
We left the plane and collected our luggage before going to yet another limo. I shook my head as we got inside, looking at the bright sun and palm trees with a smile. The hotel was even more luxurious than I’d ever imagined. The massive lobby was beautiful, with plants and leather couches everywhere. Carter told the three gorgeous women
at the front desk his name and they scrambled to help him as I watched with amusement. He didn’t pay them any more attention than needed. They ordered another staff member to bring our luggage upstairs and told Carter that the elevator on the far left would take him to the penthouse. My mouth fell open.
“Expense accounts and a great accountant,” he told me softly as we made our way to the elevator. I leaned my head back as it moved up. I had some idea what to expect but when we got to the penthouse, the large living room with its wall of windows took my breath away. I walked over to look over LA through the glass.
“Like it?” Carter asked as I turned and smiled.
“It’s beautiful. Different than New York “
“I like both places. This has perks that New York doesn’t and a lot of great beaches.” Carter told me that he was going to take a shower before dinner and disappeared to the bathroom. I looked out the windows again to see the city until I had my fill. I turned around and set out to explore the rest of the penthouse. It had a kitchen as well. Amazing. The hotel rooms I’d ever been to had just one room.
I went into the next room and gulped. It featured a massive king-sized bed with a fireplace and a big screen television taking up most of the opposite wall. I turned around to find the other bedroom, but couldn’t. This was the only one. We were a couple after all. A fake couple.
I heard the bathroom door open and dread filled me as I caught Carter’s reflection in the mirror. He was naked. He walked into the room, toweling off his hair. Every muscle on his body was sculpted like that of a Greek god. I stared at him, letting my eyes rest on his flaccid cock. He pretended that he didn’t notice my gaze but his cocky smile told me otherwise.
Good game, Carter. I knew that he wasn’t going to win.
Chapter 12 - Carter
Vivian was visibly flustered from my display and wouldn’t look at me as she secured her hair into a low ponytail. Her dress was a soft punk and clung to her curves, the kind that came from having a child and had to be some of the sexiest parts of a woman that I’d ever seen. Here in LA, everyone went to extremes to lose all their weight and look perfect, but I didn’t like that. Not in a woman that I wanted to spend any real time with.
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