Fun With Rick and Jade (12 page)

What did he want, an award for recalling how she liked her water?
His head would spin with all the preferences, sexual inclinations included, she’d had to file away in her brain. Mr. X didn’t like to have his balls tickled. Mr. Y insisted she call out “Ride me, big daddy” during climax. Ewan had always been up for anything. No bullshit. One of the things she’d liked about him. She’d never had to act with him. Something he had in common with Rick. Basic guys with basic needs. Give it to him straight.

“I was hoping you’d bring Coral.” He displayed his I’m-disappointed-beyond-words face. She knew the look well, as he’d whip it out often for manipulation purposes.

Jade crossed one leg over the other. “No, you weren’t.” She knew with some certainty he’d run screaming from the restaurant if Coral had a tantrum or a bowel movement.

“Drop the tough-girl act.” He snickered, thinking he had her pegged. “For lunch, anyhow.”

She inclined her head. “This is
only
lunch.”

He grinned so smugly, always thinking himself irresistible. He loved to brag how he could have any woman he pleased. He’d preferred the uncomplicated nature of his
relationship
with Jade. She’d come when requested and leave the same way, out the back door ten minutes ahead of or after his departure, to avoid detection.

Jade made no demands. Never asked him to leave his wife or spend a holiday with her. If she wanted flowers, jewelry, or tokens of affection, she’d buy them herself with the money he paid her for services rendered.

He ordered her water and lunch. She opted for a salad, mostly picking at the lettuce when it arrived. He’d bored her with small talk while they’d waited. She’d forgotten how dull johns were. Giving birth to his baby had played tricks with her mind. She’d remembered him as being slightly more interesting, actually romanticizing what they’d shared. And the possibility of a family? What a hormonal rube she’d been.

She could see now why his wife wasn’t interested in sleeping with him, if that story he’d spun were true. Who knew? Men were not to be believed. And for the most part, she didn’t care. Colleen could take him.

He finally got to the point of the meeting. “Have you given any thought to what I proposed?”

“What?” She took a much-needed sip of her water. “You mean stealing
my
baby? No, not really.”

He leaned in, closing the gap between them. “Our baby.”

She hated him being right about that. Jade regretted the paternity test. She should have faded into obscurity and avoided this nightmare. “Were you serious about that? I had no idea.”

“You know I was,” he said drolly. “Stop with the games already.”

Games! Me?
She stabbed her finger at him. “You deliberately knocked me up.” It would be like him to plant his baby in her womb so he wouldn’t be forced to adopt. He was that conceited.

Ewan backed off. “I never.”

“You told me you were sterile,” she whispered. “You lied.”

He’d told a good story. She knew he had one testicle, despite his ballsy demeanor. He’d spun some tale she couldn’t recall now about why he didn’t have two. The lie had ended with the word sterile.

She’d developed a long-term business arrangement with him, when suddenly he’d sprung his request for sex without a condom. She’d refused at first, bareback being a deal-breaker for her. He’d claimed he and his wife slept apart. Jade was his only partner, and he wanted to feel her pussy tight around his cock with no barrier, which had sounded more appealing at the time than it did now. He threw in a clean bill of sexual health to sweeten the pot. The kicker was a monetary bonus. And she’d actually thought they had something besides the money-for-sex thing going for them. At the time, she could totally see him putting her up in a cozy apartment and making her his mistress, which had sounded appealing. What a putz she’d been.

She and Ewan often laughed and talked before, during, and after sex. Sometimes, she’d felt more like a girlfriend than a whore. He’d taken her on paid vacations. They’d dined out on her birthday. Then he’d betrayed her, and she had no one to blame but herself.

The moment she’d felt Coral move in her belly she became conflicted. When she held her baby girl in her arms for the first time, she wanted to break out the monogrammed stationery and send him a thank-you card. Admitting as much would not get her any much-needed money. At the moment, she’d settle for custody.

“You said you were on birth control,” he countered accusatorily, like she’d planned the pregnancy. He wagged his finger at her. “You tried to trap me, you naughty girl.”

“Why would I, Ewan?”

If she’d wanted a life partner, she would have found a single patsy, not a married politician. If she’d wanted money, she’d had richer clients than Ewan to shake down. That wasn’t her style. Her profession lent itself to trust. Jade wanted what she legally had coming. Child support.
Takes two to tango
.

He scoffed. “Why wouldn’t you?”

“I should send Coral home to you and the wife, just to teach you a damn lesson.”
Never in a million years
. “The kid can howl with the wolves and she knows how to stink up a diaper.” Colleen McShane probably had a nanny on call for such unpleasantness.

“What if I make you a deal you can’t refuse?”

Jade squared her shoulders and shook off the flash of nervous heat that washed over her skin. “You don’t have enough money to buy my baby, if that’s your plan. So save it for the next whore.”

He glanced around the restaurant and then covertly touched his fingertips to hers. “We could carry on, business as usual. I can make sure you get supervised visitation. I might even bring her with me sometimes. Best offer.”

Jade snatched her hand away. “I know for a fact you don’t have enough money to get me to fuck you again.” He knew as well as she did she’d do anything to see her kid.
I’m not ready to fold yet
.

Rick gave her a shot at custody. If she could help him swing his business deal, he’d be a fairly successful businessman. According to Bob, anyhow. With the right judge, she could keep her baby and Ewan would be the one getting visitation.

Ewan’s offer was Plan B.

Rick spotted Jade and her babydaddy in a corner booth. Maybe Rick
was
her type after all, because he and the guy in question were pretty similar in height and weight. Then he remembered her
type
paid. Probably in hundred-dollar bills, judging from her skills. He reminded himself that this was not a love connection he was witnessing.
She hates this guy. He wants sole custody. I’m the hero in all this
.

Rick had married her for a reason. She’d married him for a reason.
This has nothing to do with jealousy
, he told himself. He told himself a lot of things. Himself wasn’t listening.

Rick marched over to the table. “Sorry I’m late, babe.” He leaned in to kiss her cheek. Thrusting his hand out, he said, “Nice to meet you. I’m Rick Jette. Jade’s husband.”

The guy’s brows drew together, assessing Rick, who was assessing him.
I’m younger. Just as good-looking. I’ll bet my cock is bigger
. They shook. He considered crushing the guy’s hand with his own, but decided he didn’t need that sort of theatrics to get his point across. And the tactic might backfire, since he’d skipped the gym for the past six months.

“Ewan McShane,” the guy said.

Rick’s head snapped in Jade’s direction. “Councilman McShane?”

“The one and only,” she confirmed in her why-can’t-you-do-as-you’re-told tone.

Rick wondered the same damn thing. He’d walked into a meeting completely unprepared. He’d get the I-told-you-so speech later, along with her cold shoulder. Rick knew Coral’s father had money. Bob had told him the guy was married. He did not tell Rick his opponent, as he thought of him, was a public figure with friends in high places who probably owed him huge favors. Rick figured he’d waltz into court with Jade on his arm—done deal. Smile for the judge. Profess his love and devotion for mother and child and be done with it. They’d divorce shortly thereafter, unless he could talk her into a honeymoon.

No wonder Jade was so stressed. This guy had clout. He was a member of the good-old-boy network. He might have a judge or two in his pocket that he played golf with at the country club, or was that a cliché?

“What did I miss?” Rick asked without skipping another beat.

McShane’s lip curled up into a rueful smile. “Nice move, Jade. Well played. I did not see this coming.”

Both men glanced at her finger. No wedding band. In the absence of his ring on her finger, Rick slid a proprietary arm over her shoulder.
Mine. Insert chest-thumping here.

“I’m full of surprises.” She laced her fingers with Rick’s. She didn’t bend them backward to the breaking point, so he relaxed into the booth next to her.

“This guy? Seriously?” He pointed a lazy finger at Rick.

Shrugging, she replied, “The heart wants what the heart wants.”

“And this is what your heart wants?” McShane scoffed.

“Dude,” Rick said, “I’m sitting right here.”

“Dude?”

Jade squeezed his fingers.
Strike one
.

Rick waited for her to tell McShane what a great guy she’d married. Starting with how he’s an excellent husband, ending with what a great father he’d be to Coral. In between, she could mention his potential for being a good provider and a better-than-average lover with an above-average cock. If she wanted to throw his youth in McShane’s face, so be it.

Jade sneered. “Don’t make me go to your wife and tell her how you inappropriately propositioned me—again?”

Rick shook the absurdity of her statement from his mind.
The guy wants sole custody of his kid and he makes a pass at Jade, my wife?
That took balls or lack of brain function or something. Like many powerful men, McShane must have a sense of entitlement and an inflated ego. “He what? You what?”

She pulled back on his fingers.
Strike two
.

“My wife doesn’t care what or who I
do
as long as I keep it discreet and she has my baby to fawn over,” McShane said, but Rick doubted his words. Didn’t sound like any woman he’d ever met.

“Wait a second here.” Rick stood up. “You propositioned my wife?”

“Are you still back on that, sport?” McShane scowled at him and stood to look him threateningly in the eye. “Are you a moron? You married a hooker.”

Rick drew back his fist, letting it fly into McShane’s face. “Ex-hooker.”

The councilman plopped back into the booth, cradling his cheek. Rick shook the sting from his hand.

Jade mouthed to him, “Ex-escort.”

But all he heard was
strike three
.

***

“What happened to your hand?” Dave asked Rick.

Jade watched him appraise his hand like he’d never seen one before. “I accidentally slammed it in the car door,” she said, since he had this I’ve-been-struck-dumb look about him. His severely lacking lying skills were never far from her mind. Better to lie for him, she decided, than do damage control after one of his debacles.

In all honesty, she’d wanted to slam his hand in a car door. Rick essentially showed Ewan the cards she held by divulging their marriage. That was a little something she’d wanted to save for the element of surprise the next time they met to negotiate custody, or for a big reveal in court.

“Ouch!” Dave winced. “That must smart.”

Trudy had been abnormally quiet all afternoon, so Jade started right away plying her with alcohol. She seemed to like margaritas, and who could blame her? Jade wanted one herself. Rick noticeably kept a good twelve to fifteen feet between himself and Trudy, for some reason. They swapped one- to two-word pleasantries.

Catching Dave’s eye across the living room, Jade exchanged a concerned look with him.
Yes, Dave, we are the only two sane people in the room
.

“What shall we do tonight?” she asked with mock enthusiasm, like an activity director in an old folks’ home too close to nap time. She found her future linked with Rick’s success, and with the Honeycutts’ by association. She was starting to think she’d hitched her horse to the wrong wagon. “I’ve already got a babysitter lined up.”

“Karaoke,” Dave quickly replied. Too quick. But Trudy brightened. Because the alcohol finally hit the spot or because of karaoke, Jade didn’t care which. Bright was good.

“I know the perfect place.” And they could get a bite to eat. Her lunch had gone unfinished, due in part to Rick punching Ewan. “Let me get changed.”

“You’re going to get prettier?” Trudy whined.

Looking around the room from face to face, she decided no, she would not get prettier. “I guess I’m good to go.” Holding her hand up, she said, “I’ll be the designated driver.” They all three looked like prime candidates for a hangover. The doorbell rang. “That’s my sitter.” The vacant stares in the room made her think she was in Zombietown. She’d never been the life of any party, more like a conscientious observer, judging and ridiculing others for sport. But everyone else in the room appeared lifeless by comparison. “God help me,” she said to her friend Goldie when she opened the door.

A short twenty minutes later they found themselves at Martini Alley, sitting around a four-top table with drinks and appetizers. Karaoke didn’t begin until eight o’clock. None of the interesting people showed up until ten or eleven at the earliest. She guessed her brood would all be snug in their beds by that time.

Dave and Trudy were eager to sign up to sing. According to them, they were quite the duo back home. While they were choosing a song, Jade and Rick sat in silence. He hadn’t spoken to her much at all since the smackdown. His silent treatment. Why? Because she’d ditched him to have lunch with Ewan to begin with. Because she and Bob had withheld the identity of Coral’s father from him. Possibly, his anger simmered on account of his sore hand. The core reason for his sullenness was anybody’s guess.