Authors: Audrey Carlan
My three hard rasps echoed in the breezeway outside of her apartment. As I was about to knock again, the door swung open and my girl stood there, long hair tumbling like a halo of colors around her shocked expression. Tiny bed shorts and a tight fitting camisole with little pink flowers imprinted in the fabric were all she wore. Her breasts rose and fell as her nipples tightened through the flimsy fabric. My dick hardened instantly. I could take her right here, right now and not be sorry. Not one sodding bit.
“What are you doing here?”
I looked down at my time piece. “It’s later. Time we talked, don’t you think? Nine o’clock has always seemed to work for you by phone.”
“Yeah,
by phone
!” She looked over her shoulder then back at me. “Um, now’s not a good time.”
A growl reached my throat, but I pressed it down. “Now’s perfect.” I pushed on her abdomen, forcing her to take a step back and inserted myself into her home. She closed the door with a long sigh.
Camille’s shoulders stiffened, and she stood straighter. She was so cute when she thought she had control of the situation. “Really, you need to go. My roommate is getting ready for work, and, uh, you shouldn’t be here.”
“Of course I should be here. My girlfriend lives here. It’s high time I see her place and meet her roommate.”
Her mouth dropped open then she set her hands on her hips. “Your girlfriend?” she asked, eyes wide as the tires on my luxury sedan. Her voice shook life a leaf in a windstorm.
I tugged her into my arms. Her fingers dug into the lapels of my suit jacket as she buried her head into my chest. I closed my eyes, enjoying the sensation of having her exactly where she should be, in my arms.
“Precious, we need to talk. I wasn’t going to wait around for my girl to find reasons to run away.”
“You don’t understand,” she mumbled into my chest. I gripped her chin and held it with my thumb forcing her to look at me.
“What don’t I understand?”
“I’m not who you think I am?” Her eyes misted.
“You’re exactly who I think you are. You’re the woman I want in my life and in my bed. There really isn’t anything more to chin wag about.”
“Nate--”
I cut her off by eating her words with my lips, teeth, and tongue. Her hands came around my neck, her luscious body slammed against my hard one as I deepened the kiss. That little mewl sound that made me insane with lust formed low in her throat and spilled into my mouth. My prick was at half-mast at the sight of her in her bed clothes. But now, with her sexy half-naked body pressed against mine, there was one place it needed to be. Deep inside Camille. I palmed her arse and tugged one leg over my hip to grind the rock hard erection into her sex. She moaned.
“Eewww gross. Mommy, why is that man sticking his tongue in your mouth!” A tiny high-pitched Mickey Mouse voice startled us both. Camille jumped out of my arms and threw her hands to her swollen lips. Her face was off color, and she had that frightened look in her eyes again. The one I detested with every breath I took.
The little boy’s words hit the synapsis of my lust-riddled brain and fired at all ends. Sparks, lightening, and that buzzing sound you get when something blows your mind tore through my mind. Reason took over. I leaned to the side, grasped the sofa’s arm and planted my arse on it, feeling shaky and unbalanced. “Mommy?” I asked in disbelief, fear, and a shock so deep I couldn’t feel the floor.
Camille nodded, turned around and addressed the little boy. “Tanner, baby, why are you awake?”
“I heard knocking. If I saw Leah, you’d be having to work, and I’d be sad, Mommy.” The brown haired little boy with giant blue eyes shook his head. His lip quivered.
“Honey, Mommy’s not leaving tonight. I don’t have to work until later in the week.”
“Who’s the man.” He pointed a little finger at me. The other hand clutched a giant fluorescent green stuffed lizard almost his size.
“That’s Nate.” Camille took a deep breath and placed both hands on the boy’s shoulders. “Nate, this is my son, Tanner.”
“Oh Nate!” The little boy ran over and threw himself at my knees in a hug. “Auntie Jin says you’re hot and nice and rich. You don’t feel hot.” He palmed my legs. “You smell nice. Kinda like oranges. I love oranges!” He turned on a socked foot--the other one was bare--and looked at Camille. “What’s rich mean? Is that like when pirates steal gold, Mommy?”
“No, baby. No,” Camille addressed his nonstop questions.
Fast as lightening he turned to me once more. “Do you have lots of gold coins? Can I have one? I’d keep it berry safe and keep it in my treasure box!” he squealed.
I didn’t know where to start. This child,
Camille’s child,
was beautiful and bouncing with joy and happiness. His blue eyes bore into mine waiting for a response.
“Well? You have gold?” he stuck out his little hand innocently.
“Tanner!” Camille scolded. I held up a hand to stop her from coming over, fascinated by this full of life young boy.
“Tell you what. The next time I see you, I will have a real gold coin for you.” His little eyes lit up like a firecracker.
“You promise!” He screamed.
I put a hand up to my ear to stave off his piercing squeal. “Yes, sport, I promise. Now tell me, how old are you?”
“Five!”
“You are not five, Tanner, don’t lie,” Camille warned.
The little boy rolled his eyes. “Okay, so I’m kinda four, but I’m gonna be five! We just cele-a-bated my birfday!” His words were jumbled but I could tell he was smart. Really bright for a four year old.
“That was your half-birthday we celebrated, Tan Man. Remember… ice-cream on half-birthday’s, cake on real birthdays.”
His little lips pinched together and he put a hand to his head. “ I forgotted. But I’m gonna be five soon!” He yelped with glee. Camille sighed.
When I thought the situation couldn’t get any stranger, a petite Asian woman entered the room wearing nothing but sexy lingerie and a silk robe open at the waist. My eyes took in the blue and black corset, stockings and shag me heels before I could look away. What the fuck was going on here?
The woman hadn’t noticed me. She was looking at her outfit and pulling her long black hair back. “Cam, how does this look for toni…” her words trailed off as she lifted her head and our eyes met. She twirled around, clasping the edges of her robe, frantically tying them shut. “Oh my God, Oh my God.”
“That was quite an entrance.” I chuckled, trying to lighten whatever had just happened.
“Cam didn’t tell me we had a visitor,” she said through a clenched jaw. She narrowed her brow at her friend.
“I gathered that.” I held out a hand. “I’m Nate by the way. Camille’s boyfriend. It’s Jin right?”
“Uh, yeah. Boyfriend?” Her gaze shot to Camille. I didn’t turn to see what silent girl gestures she was doing behind my back.
“Yes, her boyfriend,” I assured her.
“O-kay.” Her eyes widened as she clutched her robe tighter.
“Mommy, what’s going on?” Another child’s voice entered the conversation. I looked down and saw a black-haired Asian child clutching Jin’s robe.
“Nothing Zach. Auntie has a visitor. Go back to bed.” The boy was the same height and size as Tanner.
“But he gets to stay up!” Zach wailed and stomped a foot.
“What?” She spotted Tanner hiding behind Camille. “Tanner, get your little booty over here right now. You know you’re supposed to be in bed. Auntie Jin is getting ready for work and Mommy has a visitor. Come on.” Her arm pointed down the small hallway.
Camille leaned down, hugged her son then kissed his forehead. “I love you, baby. Sleep tight okay. Mommy will be here when you wake up.”
And there it was.
Mommy will be here when you wake up.
The reason why Camille left my bed. She had to get back to her son. Her four year old son. Four and a half. Oh shite. That meant…no. Fucking no! I stood and waited until the children were around the corner.
“Nice meeting you, Nate.” Jin said over her shoulder and hustled the boys off. I turned and stared at Camille.
“He’s four and a half?”
“Yes,” Camille whispered.
“He’s Tyler’s son?” I asked the question knowing the answer. Camille nodded and closed her eyes on a heavy breath.
I stared at her. The most beautiful, kind, sweet, intelligent woman I had ever known. The only woman who had ever gotten under my skin. My
girlfriend.
The first woman I’d ever given that title to had a four year old son who belonged to my best mate. Sod all! If that wasn’t enough, she could be pregnant with my own child.
“I have to go.” I said through clenched teeth, not sure what to do but positive I couldn’t be here right now.
“Yeah, it’s best if you do. Goodbye, Nate.” Tears slipped down her cheeks. I wanted nothing more than to catapult to her, kiss them away and make it better for her but she’d been lying to me. Lying for a couple weeks now. I needed time to process what happened and deal with it.
“I’ll be in touch.” I assured her placing my hand on the door handle.
“Whatever you say, Nate,” she whispered. Her shoulders sagged as tears spilled down her cheeks and fell into tiny puddles on the wood floor next to her bare feet. I stormed over, pulled her body against mine, cupped the sides of her cheeks and held her gaze.
“You’re still mine. You wait for me to process this. Then we’ll talk. Stop fucking running. Got it?”
Her lips trembled and more tears poured from her emerald eyes. They were greener than any of the lush landscapes back home. She was undoubtedly breathtaking when she cried. I couldn’t stop myself from kissing her. Her lips tasted of the salt from her tears and my sweet Camille.
“You’ll wait. Say yes, Precious,” I urged, not willing to let her go until she agreed.
“Yes, Precious.” A tiny grin crooked at the corner of her mouth. Christ she was heart-breakingly beautiful.
“I trust you,” I said with finality then kissed her once more.
“You shouldn’t,” she warned and closed her eyes.
“Don’t make me regret it.” I took one more taste of her lips, holding onto her far longer than I should. Having her close, my lips on hers, wasn’t giving me the space I needed to deal with the shite storm that bore over us this evening. Another peck, a little nibble that gifted me the mewl, and I pulled away. “Christ you’re fucking delicious. I have to go. Later, we talk.”
I left her standing dazed, teary-eyed and so God damned beautiful she made my eyes hurt and my heart bleed. I was royally screwed.
Chapter 11
Three days had passed. Three excruciating days filled with fear, uncertainty and defeat. Nate didn’t want me. If he did, he would have already come for me, made contact somehow.
Jin urged me to give it time. She explained that three days didn’t mean it was over. It just meant that he wasn’t done processing. No news is good news, she said. I didn’t agree.
I untangled the strings of the bikini triangle-style bra. Only this wasn’t your average triangle top bikini. Usually fabric covered the breast completely. This one did the exact opposite, encasing my full D-cup with half-inch satin strings that met at each point on the triangle and spider-webbed out into a perfect circle where my nipple could fit through. It drove the men absolutely wild , ensuring me a G-string full of stellar tips. Tonight the pick-me up to my confidence was warranted. I needed someone to want me. Even if it wasn’t the man I wanted.
“Damn, you’re going to rake in the cash tonight.” Jin eyed the matching string bikini bottoms, garters, and fishnets. I grinned, more for her benefit then mine. It was all about playing up the dark side of erotic dancing this evening. Fit my mood perfectly.
Tonight, I’d be Mistress Black, smacking my own ass with a riding crop, making sure it turned nice and red before I turned it on a couple audience members. I always knew which ones were into the kink. The second my whip made an appearance their eyes would smolder. They were the heavy hitters, rich as could be, willing to pay a nice chunk for me to give them a couple solid swats from my crop. Half of them would try to disrobe so I could spank their bare fannies, even though it was forbidden. Employees were the only people permitted to take their clothes off. Gems was a gentlemen’s club, not a brothel or a whore house. The owners made their money off the illusion of sex not the real deal.
My cell phone rang as I applied a thick layer of candy apple red, long-lasting lipstick.
“Aren’t you going to answer that?” Jin asked looking at the screen.
“Nope. It’s probably Oliver again.” I rolled my eyes. “Aspen or Hank has a big mouth. Ever since the phone call at the office the other day, he’s been all over me wanting the “deets” as he calls it.”
“Then why does it say Nate Walker is calling?” Jin grinned and answered. My mouth went dry and I lost all ability to breathe. He finally called. A new fear splintered out my limbs like a windshield did upon taking on damage.
“Hey, Nate. Yeah she’s here. How are you?” What game was my friend playing? I held out my hand to take the phone, wiggling my fingers to hurry her. She shooed me away.
“Right now she’s getting ready for work.” Her eyes took in my barely dressed form. “Yeah, she works at the same club I work for. I’ve served a drink or two in my day…well, uh, it was nice chatting with you.” I could tell that Nate’s questioning took on a subject she wasn’t prepared to answer. Mainly what we did at this “club”. “Time to get the boys. Be good to our girl.” She held out the phone and winked at me.
“It’s Nate.” She smiled wide.
“I gathered that.” I held the phone to my chest. “You are so dead,” I whispered.
“Not the first time you’ve said that, won’t be the last.” She flipped her shiny hair over her shoulder and left the room closing the door behind her. I took a deep breath then held the phone to my ear, needing to hear his voice but dreading what he had to say.
“Hey,” I spoke quietly.
“Good evening, Precious.” His use of the much loved endearment had my heart thudding in my chest. “I told you I’d call.”
“So you did.” I tried not to sound weak but my voice shook.