by Helen Cooper
“It seems like you know me inside and out.” His voice was smooth and I wondered what he was thinking.
“No, I don’t. That’s why I want to discuss the contract with you. Why exactly do you need access to all my personal information?”
“So I can make sure you’re not cheating on me.”
“How can I cheat on you if the relationship is a farce?”
“The engagement is a farce. The relationship won’t be.”
“Oh.” I bit my lower lip and mumbled. “So I’ll be your girlfriend?”
“No.” He sighed. “Not exactly.”
“Okay. So I’m just meant to let you have power of attorney over everything in my life. I’d think you were after my money if I had any and you weren’t a millionaire.” I laughed.
“I’m not after your money, Mila.” He sounded amused. “Your body, yes. Your money, no.”
“What does the clause mean that I need to trust you?” I said softly. “Even if trusting you means I’m scared for my life.”
“Is that what’s bothering you the most?” he said, the words sounding smooth and light as if what I’d just brought up was of no significance to anything.
“Yeah, that’s bothering me. What exactly would you be doing that would have me scared for my life?”
“It’s a general contract, Mila. I just want to know that you’re giving everything to me and not holding anything back.”
“What would I be holding back?” I frowned into the phone. “And you didn’t really answer my question.”
“For this to work, I need to know that you will give me the benefit of the doubt. I don’t want to control you. I don’t want to dictate your everyday life to you. I just want to know that you’ll be open to suggestions of different things.”
“What different things?”
“You’ll see.”
“I don’t want to see. I want to know.”
“There are some things you can’t know right now, Mila.”
“What can I know?” I sighed.
“You can know that I want you very much. You can know that this engagement will benefit both of us. You can know that I will not do anything that will hurt you.”
“But you’ll put me in harm’s way? Possibly?”
“I would never put you in harm’s way.” He sighed. “Though you might always think that.”
“You’re scaring me, TJ. I don’t understand what you’re asking. How can I say yes to something I don’t really understand?”
“You can say yes if you can answer to these three things,” he said softly. “If you want to help me. If you want to make love to me. If you want to be taken into a world of passion and excitement that you never knew existed before.”
“When would I have to move in with you?”
“If you say yes—now, tonight,” he said, and I wasn’t sure if he was joking.
“Tonight? I haven’t even packed.”
“You won’t be needing clothes, so that doesn’t matter.”
“TJ! What?”
“I’m joking, Mila.” He laughed. “I’m not having you move in with me so you can be my sex slave, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“I’m not worried about that,” I said softly. “If anything, you’ll be my sex slave.”
“If you say yes, we can get you on the pill tomorrow.”
“You’re so eager for me to get on the pill.”
“It’s safer. There may be times and situations where a condom won’t be the easiest thing to remember or put on,” he said softly, and I froze.
“What does that mean?”
“It means exactly what I said it means.” His voice lowered. “Can I come over?”
“Come over for what?”
“To discuss the contract further.”
“You’re not really answering any of my questions, TJ.” I sighed. “I don’t see the point of you coming over, just to further ignore me.”
“Have dinner with me tomorrow,” he said in a deep, sexy drawl. “Have dinner with me and let me take you on a date. I won’t ask you about the contract or your decision unless you ask me to talk about it.”
“I don’t know.” I sighed and rubbed my forehead. I wasn’t sure it was a good idea to go and see him before I’d made up my mind. And I wanted to make up my mind when I was in a rational state instead of in the throes of want for him.
“Just dinner, Mila. That’s it. No hanky-panky.”
“I don’t believe that you can have dinner with no hanky-panky.”
“I mean, I can’t promise I’ll stop you from feeling me up.” He laughed.
“You wish.”
“Yes, I do.” He laughed again. “So what’s your answer?”
“Fine, yes,” I said with a smile. “I’ll have dinner with you.”
“She said yes!” he exclaimed excitedly.
“To dinner, nothing else.”
“I’ve never had a lady take so long to answer my marriage proposal before.”
“How many women have you proposed to?” I asked, slightly jealous.
“For real? None. For fake? One,” he said seriously. “Only you, Mila.”
“Uh huh,” I said and shook my head at myself as I felt butterflies in my stomach. This isn’t a real engagement, dumbass, so stop thinking that it is, I lectured myself silently as I waited for TJ to talk again.
“I’ll pick you up tomorrow at seven o’clock, okay?” TJ said and then paused. “Don’t think too many naughty thoughts of me tonight.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow night, TJ,” I said and hung up. I walked to my bedroom and flopped down on the bed. Never in a million years would I have thought that I would be in a situation like this, and with TJ Walker of all people. It was like I had entered an alternate reality. An alternate reality where all my dreams had come true. I sat up and reached over to my night table drawer and pulled out my diary and grabbed a pen. I paused before writing as I realized that I wasn’t quite right. This reality I was living was exciting and thrilling, but it wasn’t quite a fulfillment of all my dreams. I wasn’t sure what it was, really, but I knew that only time would tell me exactly what I was getting myself into.
***
“You’re very punctual.” I answered the front door with a smile.
“Actually, I’m early.” TJ grinned at me. “It’s six fifty-five p.m.”
“Don’t tell me that.” I grinned back at him. “Or I might think you were eager to go on this date with me.”
“I wouldn’t want you to think I was eager,” TJ said as he looked me up and down. “You look very beautiful this evening.”
“Stop it.” I blushed. “You’re just saying that.”
“I never just say anything.” He shook his head and touched my blouse. “I like it.”
“Thanks. I got it at a little old store called Old Navy.” I winked at him. “Cheap and cheerful.”
“What, no shopping spree?” He looked shocked. “No fancy dress for our dinner date?”
“I thought jeans and a top would do?” I smiled at him. “You weren’t planning anything fancy, were you?” I looked at TJ in his dark grey slacks and white button-up shirt and cringed. “Am I underdressed? I can change, you know. I have five minutes left before I’m late.”
“You don’t have to change.” He shook his head. “Frankly, I’m glad you didn’t dress up.”
“You are?” I was surprised. I’d dressed casually both for myself and for him. I knew that if I’d put on some ball gown or sexy outfit, I’d be putting both of us in the mood for something more seductive, and I didn’t want that. I wanted us to just hangout and relax.
“Yeah.” He nodded. “Somehow a picnic in the park would have felt off if you were in your Sunday best.”
“We’re going on a picnic in the park?” I gazed at him and studied his face. “You don’t strike me as a picnic guy.”
“Okay, so maybe we’re aren’t going on a picnic in the park.” He laughed. “Maybe I’m going to cook you di
nner at my place.”
“Really? You can cook?”
“Mila! You’ve known me for how many years now? Of course I can cook.”
“Ha!” I laughed. “This I have to see. I hope you have a fire extinguisher.”
“Very funny.” He grabbed my hand. “I won’t burn anything if you help me.”
“If I help you?” I put my hand on my hip. “You’re supposed to be treating me to dinner, not me treating you.”
“A man can only hope.” He winked at me. “You ready to go?”
“Yeah, just a second. Let me get my bag.” I hurried to my room and grabbed my handbag and made sure my phone, wallet, lipstick and a box of mints were in there. I hurried back out of the room and paused as I saw him standing in the doorway. “What’re you doing?” I asked him suspiciously as he just stood there, not moving out of the way to let me pass. “We’re not about to play tonsil hockey on my bed, you know?”
“I know.” He grinned as he stared down at me. “I was just watching you in your natural habitat.”
“Um, okay.”
“Are they peppermint or minty green?”
“What’s that?” I asked, embarrassed.
“The mints you put in your purse.”
“None of your business, TJ Walker.” I pushed him back, my fingers enjoying the feel of his hard chest. “Let’s go.”
“Okay, we’re going.” He stepped back. “I like it when you get bossy.”
“Really now? You never seemed to like it before.”
“There was nothing you could boss me around to do before that I would like.”
“And there is now?”
“There sure is.” He flicked his tongue at me and then laughed as I blushed. “Come on, my innocent little flower. Let’s go and eat.”
“I hope you tidied up.” I laughed. “I wouldn’t want to tell your dad that your place was a mess.”
“Tell my dad?” He looked down at me with hooded eyes. “You’ve been in contact with my dad?”
“Of course not.” I wasn’t sure why he looked so annoyed, but I figured that he was fed up of women trying to come on to him to get to his dad. “I was just joking.”
“I knew that.” He laughed again, but it seemed to me as if his laugh were forced. And I wondered why. He couldn’t really think I cared about the Walker millions, could he? “Let’s go, Mila. No more small talk.”
“You want the big talk instead?”
“I don’t think you really want to know what I want, Mila.” He winked and then tapped me on the ass as I walked down the hallway in front of him.
***
“Nonno’s calling me, do you mind if I take it?” I asked TJ as I pulled out my ringing phone.
“Of course not.” He shook his head. “We’ll be at my place in about ten minutes.”
“I know,” I said and smiled, and then answered the phone. “Hello, Nonno.”
“Mila.” He sounded happy. “I haven’t heard from you.”
“It’s only been a few days, Nonno.” I said, exasperated.
“Well, the last call had you and Sally in tears. I want to know what happened.”
“We weren’t in tears.” I laughed. “And Sally will be fine. I think she realizes now that Cody is an asshole and not worth her time.”
“And you?”
“I’m actually in a car with TJ right now, Nonno. He’s taking me to dinner.” I didn’t bother mentioning that dinner was at TJ’s house. I was pretty sure Nonno would not approve of that tidbit or of the fact that I’d almost lost my virginity to TJ at the lake house.
“With TJ?” Nonno sounded suspicious. “Cody’s friend.”
“Yes, the one and only.”
“You’re going to dinner with him?”
“Yes, Nonno.” I sighed. He wasn’t sounding as delighted for me as I’d hoped he would.
“How did this happen?”
“How did what happen?” I could see TJ looking at me from the driver’s seat and I gave him a small smile.
“How did you go from being upset that he had another girl at the lake house, to you going to dinner with him?”
“Nonno, can I call you later?”
“Fine.” He sighed. “I was calling to tell you about your parents. Things aren’t going so well.”
“What do you mean? Are they getting a divorce?” My voice sounded shrill, even to my own ears.
“No, no,” Nonno said quickly. “I mean the business. It’s not doing well. I’m worried for them.”
“Oh, no.” I bit my lower lip. “I’m sorry, Nonno.”
“It’s fine,” he said, but I knew it wasn’t. The business was Nonno’s life. In fact, he still owned the majority share. I knew he would be crushed if it failed. “I just need you to make more of an effort to help out at work, okay?”
“Yes, Nonno. Of course.”
“Don’t let yourself be sidetracked.”
“I won’t.”
“I don’t know about that TJ.” His voice was low. “Be careful.”
“Nonno.” I moaned. “You’ve never had a problem with him before.”
“Mila, do you have to be so loud?” Nonno sounded exasperated now. “Call me when you get home from your dinner.”
“It might be late.”
“I don’t mind. I’ll be waiting up.”
“Okay, I love you.”
“I love you too, Mi Cara. I love you too,” he said and hung up. I put my phone back in my bag and looked over at TJ, who was grinning. “What’s so funny?” I said as I looked at him.
“Nonno doesn’t want me dating you, does he?”
“He didn’t say that.” I shook my head and clasped my hands. “Though I’m sure if he knew what happened last night and the night before, he wouldn’t want me dating you.”
“What happened last night?” he asked with a small smile.
“I’m not going to bring up the contract or anything like that. Tonight is meant to be a causal date.”
“And that it will be.” TJ grinned as he pulled up to his high-rise apartment complex and into the parking lot. “We’re here.”
“Yes, we are.” I got out of the car and all of my nerves suddenly hit me again. I couldn’t believe I was going to dinner at TJ’s place and it was just going to be me. No Cody, no Sally, no parents, no nothing. Just the two of us.
“Let’s go.” TJ took my hand and led me to the building. “Are you nervous, Mila?”
“Of course not. Why would I be nervous?” I said and I ignored the feeling of his fingers squeezing mine as he escorted me to the elevator. We walked into the elevator and I tried to ignore the look he was giving me. Was he deliberately trying to look sexy as hell?
“This is my floor,” TJ said as we got off on the twenty-first floor and walked towards his sumptuous loft apartment.
“What’s for dinner?” I asked him, grinning as he opened his door.
“Me,” he said with a raised eyebrow as he ushered me in.
“Very funny,” I said as my stomach flipped over. I walked into his apartment and looked around in awe. TJ had redecorated since I’d last been there. His walls were all a light sand color and he had a huge dark-brown sectional in his living room, opposite a grand fireplace. “You have a fire burning?”
“I wanted to set the mood,” he said softly as he stood next to me. “You approve?”
“It’s gorgeous in here.” I nodded, admiring his taste as I walked farther into his apartment. I noticed the bottle of champagne on his coffee table, sitting in a silver bucket of ice, and two flutes next to the bucket. “Champagne?”
“And strawberries.” He grinned. “And chocolate.”
“Are you trying to spoil me?” I laughed.
“Something like that.” He nodded and he reached over and ran his fingers across my lips. “But before I spoil you, you must eat.”
“What are you cooking?”
“I have steaks.” He looked down into my eyes. “With a red wine cream sauce and mashed potatoes.”<
br />
“Sounds yummy.” I licked my lips.
“Good.” He kissed the tip of my nose. “Have a seat on the couch and I’ll start cooking.”
“Are you sure you don’t want any help?” I asked him as he walked to the kitchen. “I can make a mean salad.”
“No, that’s okay. Put on some music. My stereo is next to the TV.”
“What shall I put on?”
“You choose.” He grinned and looked back at me from the kitchen. “Just no One Direction or 'N Sync or whoever the cool boy band is today.”
“I don’t listen to boy bands,” I lied. Of course I still listened to boy bands. They were awesome. I walked over to his stereo and my jaw dropped as I gazed at his flat-screen TV. It was huge, at least 65 inches. I’d never seen a TV so big before. I turned to his speakers and saw an iPod sitting on a Bose dock. I nodded, impressed. I picked up the iPod and searched through his music to see who he listened to. I was surprised at the range of musicians that he had on the player and quickly pressed play on a Beatles song I’d loved as a child, “Hey Jude.”
“That’s not baby-making music,” TJ called out from the kitchen, and I laughed and walked back towards him to see how he was doing.
“How goes the cooking?” I asked as I walked into the kitchen and burst out laughing at the huge mess. There were plates and pieces of food all over the countertops. “Or shouldn’t I ask.”
“It’s going fine.” He laughed. “It looks worse than it is.”
“Uh huh.” I shook my head at him. “What can I do to help? Peel the potatoes?” I looked down at the half cut potatoes that still had most of the skin on them.
“You don’t have to do that!” He shook his head and dropped the butter knife that was in his hand. “I want you to relax.”
“So what should I relax and do?” I asked him softly as he walked up to me, his green eyes gleaming.
“Come with me.” He grabbed my hand and led me out of the kitchen and down a hallway.
“Where are we going?” I asked him suspiciously.
“I want you to relax in a bath while I cook.”
“Relax in a bath?”