Table 10: Part 2: A Novella Series

by Jiffy Kate

  When the check comes, I pay it and we leave. Kadi’s hand in mine. And I have an overwhelming feeling of dread, thinking about taking her back to her apartment.

  “Come home with me,” I plead. “I’m enjoying our conversation too much. Even if all we do when we get to my place is sleep. Sleep in my bed.”

  Chapter 7

  “Mmmm… is that bacon I smell?”

  Kadi shuffles into my kitchen wearing my robe and looking entirely too adorable. The plush fabric swallows her petite frame even though she has the belt tightened as much as possible and the only visible part of her body is her head.

  “Of course, it is. Now that I know it’s an aphrodisiac, I plan on using it to my advantage as often as possible.” I look at her over my shoulder and smile. “Besides, I’d be a fool to stop wooing you now that I finally have you. I’ve gotta give you a reason to stay, if only for the bacon.”

  I carefully flip the slices of bacon in the pan when I feel her arms wrap around my waist from behind. The last couple of weeks with Kadi have been amazing and I love that she’s finally relaxed enough to make herself at home here. She doesn’t stay with me every night but when she does, I want her to feel like she belongs here, because she does. She belongs with me.

  “You think you have me, huh?” There’s mischief in her voice and that’s fairly new, too. She’s always been feisty with a great sense of humor but she’s always held back with me. I think she’s letting more of her true self show now that she trusts me and I love discovering these new sides of her.

  After turning the flame down a bit so the bacon doesn’t burn, I turn around while staying in her arms. “Yes, I have you. I’ve had you here and I’ve had you there…” I explain as I point around the room. “I can’t wait to have you there… oh, and remember when I had you there? No wait, I believe you had me there, and it was pretty fucking amazing.”

  She buries her face into my chest as she laughs and I take the opportunity to kiss her neck, right behind her ear, knowing that it’s a sweet spot for her. Laughter turns to moans, but she stops me before I go too far. “Stop trying to distract me from my hunger. You wore me out last night; I need refueling.”

  “Damn straight,” I say, before facing the stove again and checking the bacon. Today is a rare day off for Kadi and I’m thrilled she’s going to be here with me just hanging out and relaxing. Well, I’m sure we’ll do other things as well but, really, I just want her to rest. She works too hard and she deserves to be pampered. One of these days, I’m going to treat her to a spa day and really spoil her but, right now, I’m too selfish for that. I want her all to myself.

  After we eat our breakfast, Kadi decides to take a bath while I return a phone call to my mother. When I’m done, I find her in the tub with bubbles up to her chin, eyes closed, and mouthing the words to whatever song is playing in her earbuds. She must sense my presence because her eyes fly open as I sit on the floor next to her. She unplugs her ears but remains laying back against the tub.

  “Don’t stop singing on my account,” I tell her.

  “The song was almost over, anyway. How’s your mom?”

  “She’s fine. She was very happy to hear that you’re here right now.”

  Kadi’s eyes widen and she sits up, causing water to splash and bubbles to fly. “You told your mother I stayed the night? She’s going to think I’m some kind of slut.”

  “That’s not what she thinks. She knows I’m a grown man and she’s well aware that I’m no longer a virgin. It’s fine, I promise. But, as I was saying, she’s glad you’re here so I can ask you for another favor. Well, a paid favor, if you’re interested.”

  “What did she have in mind?” she asks and I see the excitement quickly replace the embarrassment she felt only moments ago.

  “My mother would like to hire you to bake some more pies for a ladies’ tea that she’s hosting in a couple of weeks.”

  “I’d love to. I had no idea rich ladies loved pie so much!”

  I bark out a laugh. “Well, they definitely love your pies. I’ll call her later and tell her you’ll do it, she’ll be thrilled. But right now, I have a question of my own for you.”

  “That sounds serious.”

  “The ladies’ tea my mother is hosting is just one of the activities leading up to a large gala we’re hosting to celebrate all the wonderful things we’ve accomplished this year.”

  “We?” she asks.

  “Yes, she helps me with a charity called, Hendricks Foundation, and every year we throw a huge party to reward our volunteers and supporters, and of course, raise more money.”

  “Oh, wow. You have a charity?” Her eyes pop open—wide and surprised, mixed with a little awe.

  “Yeah, it’s not something I talk about much, but I do, and it’s really important to me.” I don’t talk about it much, not to people in my personal life. I’ve always felt like the best charity work is done under the radar. Flaunting the fact that you’ve raised millions for the less fortunate is a lot like bragging about your new car or the house you recently upgraded to. It’s just not my thing. Because it’s not about me. It’s about helping people in need.

  “Well, I think that’s wonderful.” I don’t know why, but the fact she leaves it at that makes me ridiculously happy and sets me at ease. “And I’d love to do more work for your mother, but I feel bad charging her to bake pies for a charity event.”

  I laugh and shake my head at her, always a surprise with this one. “Don’t worry about that. If you had any idea what we spend on these things, it’d make your pretty little head spin.”

  “Okay, if you say so.”

  “I say so.”

  “What was your question?” She sits up in the tub and the bubbles barely cover the top of her perky breasts, completely distracting me from anything else going on in the room.

  “Nathan?”

  “What? Sorry.”

  “The question?”

  “Right.” I clear my throat and a sudden sense of nervousness comes over me. I don’t know where it’s from or why, maybe because I really want her to say yes.

  “Will you be my date for the gala?”

  “Oh, wow. I’ve never been to a gala or anything like that. I didn’t even go to my prom!” She’s immediately anxious and I feel bad for putting this on her. I know it’s out of her comfort zone, but I can’t imagine going through the evening without her. Like I said earlier, now that I have her, I don’t want to let her go. Cupping the side of her face with my hand, I try to soothe her, kneeling down to her level.

  “It’s okay. I won’t force you, but I really would love for you to go with me. I promise I’ll make sure you have a good time.” I smile, hoping to ease her fears. “We’ll get dressed up, eat fancy food, and dance all night. We can even spend the night at the hotel where the gala is being held. Please say you’ll at least think about it.”

  I see her mental wheels turning and I brace myself for her refusal. I would never want to put her in a situation that makes her uncomfortable but I think a night out like this would be fun for her. A moment passes and she looks at me without a hint of emotion on her face. When she finally smiles and says “okay”, I feel like the happiest guy in the world. Who knew this woman would be able to affect me so much? Certainly, not me.

  “You know, that was kinda mean making me wait for an answer like that,” I say with a stern voice.

  “I kinda liked watching you squirm.”

  “Is that so?” I quirk my eyebrow at her. “Well, I think turnabout is fair play. It’s your turn to squirm.”

  “H-how will you do that?” She watches as I slip my hand into her bath water and slowly move toward her pussy. Her thighs are already trembling with anticipation when I reach my destination, gently rubbing her entrance with my finger, teasing her until she gasps.

  “Tsk, tsk, tsk,” I warn, my voice now deep and commanding. I trace the tip of my finger along the lips of her pussy. “I said it’s your turn to squirm, so no making a sound until
you come, understand?” I ease two fingers inside her and start pumping, my thumb firmly planted on her clit. “You have to stay quiet while I fuck you with my fingers but when you come, I want you so loud the walls rattle.”

  My girl nods her head while sinking back into the tub, eyes closed and mouth open, giving me permission to do with her what I want.

  All I want is to give her pleasure. And I love that even though she fights me on so many things, she never fights me on this. She’s always receptive to what I have to give her and always willing to give in return.

  Chapter 8

  My morning has been frustrating to say the least. The property I’ve been working on for the past month completely fell through this morning. The seller came back with a ridiculous counter offer, which will cut into my budget for remodel if I accept, and it’s pissing me the hell off. I hate when things don’t go as planned.

  “Knock, knock,” a familiar voice says from the doorway.

  I look up to see my father standing there and I couldn’t be happier to see him. He’s back in town at the perfect time, because if anyone can figure out a way to negotiate this deal to our best advantage, it’s him.

  “Hey, Dad.”

  “I’ve been standing here for a good minute, what’s got you so preoccupied this morning?” He walks over toward my desk and has a seat across from me.

  “Damn, am I glad you’re back in town.”

  “That bad, huh? I thought you’d be happy to have free reign for a while. I’m surprised between you and your Uncle Teddy you didn’t buy up half of Dallas while I was away.”

  I laugh and shake my head. He knows us well.

  Where my dad is frugal and logical in everything he does, my Uncle Teddy is the opposite. He’ll buy a ketchup stand from a lady in white gloves if he thinks it’ll turn a profit. Anything for a dollar. It’s their combined efforts that have made Hendricks Holdings what it is today. I’m proud to say I have a bit of both in me. I’ve tried to take as much from their teachings as possible. I take risks and go out on a limb when I need to, but I’m also cautious and I think through things as much as possible before making a final decision. Which brings me to my current conundrum.

  “I have something I need you to look over.”

  “Okay, but before that, how about catching me up on the business of Nathan Hendricks. According to your mother, there’s a female companion I should ask you about.”

  Smirking, I lean back in my chair. Of course she’d sic him on me first thing.

  “There’s a female companion,” I agree, nodding my head. “Her name is Kadance Davis.”

  “Kadance Davis,” he repeats. “Anyone I know?”

  I can see the wheels turning as he tries to place her in our social circle and I smile, loving that he won’t find her there. She’s not anything like the people we’re normally surrounded by.

  “You’ve probably seen her before… if you’ve ever been to Mack’s Diner.” I drop that bit of knowledge and let him think it over before continuing. “She’s a waitress there. That’s where we met.”

  My father nods, but doesn’t say anything for a minute.

  “So,” he begins, but I can see the questions on his face.

  Who is she?

  What does she want from you?

  “Before you start, I just want to say that I pursued her and she’s a good person. So, don’t think anything about her until you meet her. Because trust me, she’ll surprise you. She surprises me every day.”

  “Okay,” he says. “And you said meet her, so I’m guessing—”

  “She’s accompanying me to the gala.”

  “Wow,” he says, nodding his head up and down. “She must be something if you’ve invited her to the gala. And she knows about the charity?”

  “She does. She’s also baking pies for Mother’s ladies’ luncheon.”

  “So, she’s the Pie Girl?”

  “Yes, she’s the Pie Girl. But she’s so much more than that. Trust me.”

  “I do, I do. But Nathan, don’t obsess over this. I know how you can be when you feel like you’ve found a new project,” he says, emphasizing project. “You can’t build a relationship off your need to fix things. People don’t work the same way. So, don’t mistake compassion for something more.”

  “It’s not like that. I’m not with her because I want to fix her. If anything, she’s fixing me, making me better. She’s reminding me that’s it’s not all about how many companies you own or how much property you acquire. She’s so unapologetic about her life and I feel more alive when I’m with her. So, it’s not about saving her or rescuing her. Don’t think that.”

  “Okay.” He holds his hands up in surrender and a sly smile is on his face as he stands from the chair. “I just needed to hear it from the horse's mouth, so to speak.”

  He walks to the door, but pauses before leaving.

  “Your mother will be happy to hear that it’s more than a fling or some damsel in distress.” He taps the doorframe twice before walking out and leaving me deep in thought.

  It’s not about any of that.

  Kadi isn’t a project.

  She’s not a damsel in distress.

  I’m not her knight in shining armor.

  She’s more than that.

  We’re more than that.

  I repeat that, convincing myself of it because my father’s inquisition brings up doubts I haven’t allowed myself to entertain. I don’t like it. I wish I could hop over to the diner and see her, have some pie. But I have a meeting in twenty, so that’s out of the question.

  We’re more than that.

  Chapter 9

  With the gala only a few days away, I haven’t been able to see Kadi as much as I had the last few weeks and I hate it. Instead of having her tucked in beside me at night, I’ve come home to a dark, empty apartment. Normally, I’d feel a distance creeping in, giving me a sign that the relationship isn’t as strong as I thought it was, but with Kadi it’s different.

  I miss her more.

  Want her more.

  I know it’s late, but turning out of the parking garage of my office building, I dial her number.

  “Hello?” she asks, her voice groggy from sleep.

  “Hey,” I whisper, hating that I woke her up, but needing her more. “Sorry I woke you. I just needed to hear your voice.”

  “Are you just getting off?” she asks and I can hear her bed sheets shuffling.

  “Yes, just pulling out of the garage.”

  “I’m sorry you had to work so late.”

  We sit there in silence for a minute as I soak in the presence of her, even if it is over a phone line.

  “I miss you,” she says with a chuckle. “I know that sounds silly, but I was so used to seeing you every day. This week has felt really long without you around.”

  “Not silly at all. Why do you think I’m calling you at midnight?”

  “If I didn’t have to be at work in five and a half hours, I’d tell you to come get me.”

  “Don’t tempt me,” I tell her with a low growl.

  “Will I see you tomorrow?” she asks timidly.

  “Wild horses can’t keep me away.”

  She laughs, and it’s the best thing I’ve heard all day.

  “I did want to ask you something before I let you get back to sleep.” I’m a little nervous about this, because I know how she feels about me buying things for her. And as much as I want to, I hold back, because more than my need to care for her, I want her to feel empowered, like she can provide for herself. But I’ve been worrying about it all week, so I’ve gotta ask.

  “What’s that?” she asks.

  “Do you have a dress for Saturday?”

  “Uh, no. Not yet. But I will.”

  “If you needed one, you’d tell me, right?”

  “Hypothetically, yes.” She laughs. “But I don’t. Thanks to my new side job, I actually have some spare money for a change. And I’d really like to buy my own dress. I mean, it won’t b
e super fancy or cost a fortune, but—”

  “Whatever you wear will be perfect.” Of course, I’d love to buy a dress for her, but the fact that she wants to buy her own and can buy her own makes me feel proud. I’m proud of her and for her. It doesn’t escape me that of all the women I’ve ever dated, Kadi is the one who could use my help the most, yet she’s also the most independent. She’s never once taken advantage of me or my financial status. It’s a breath of fresh air, just like her.

  “Okay.”

  “Okay. Sorry for waking you. Get back to sleep.”

  “Thanks for calling me,” she says and I can hear the smile in her voice.

  “Sweet dreams.”

  Chapter 10

  I always get a little nervous the day of the gala. On the outside, I manage a calm, cool demeanor, but inside I’m anxious and waiting on something to go wrong. And like any grand event, it usually does, but thanks to my wonderful team, it’s an easy fix and even if it’s not, we make it appear that nothing is amiss. But this time, the thing that went wrong is the fact I just got word that my two biggest donors would like a private meeting ten minutes prior to the beginning of the gala. They need to be wined and dined and schmoozed. Rubbing elbows at its finest.

  Not that it's that big of a problem. I’m used to it. But all of this means I won’t be able to pick Kadi up like I planned and I don’t like changing our arrangements at the last minute and I don’t like her arriving alone. And quite honestly, I’m disappointed that I won’t get the honor of walking her in on my arm.

  I don’t want to entrust Kadi’s happiness or comfort to anyone but myself.

  But I have no other choice.

  Growling in frustration, I pull my phone out of my pocket and dial her number.

  “Are you calling to cancel on me?” she asks without even saying hello and it catches me off guard, putting an even larger knot in my stomach. The fact she’s even teasing about something like that makes what I’m about to tell her even harder.