She watched as I slid the door open, stepped out, and released the soiled panties, the wind taking them far away as they slipped from my fingers. She laughed and shook her head. "Only you would have the audacity to do such a wicked thing, Alec Slade."
I smirked. I couldn't disagree. "Well, where else would I have put them? Would you rather I’d hid them in the room somewhere?" I shrugged innocently and she laughed again. "I guess you'll just have to go commando the rest of the night. That's something nice for me to think about."
She shook her head, standing and adjusting her dress. She caught sight of herself in the mirror and began trying to put her hair back in place. "Everyone is going to know what we just did if I don't get cleaned up. I need to go to a bathroom."
I smiled as I watched her. She smoothed out the bed where we had crumpled the sheets. She was perfect and I wished she was my girlfriend for real and not just to fool my father into cutting me back into the business.
I put my suit jacket back on and smoothed down my own hair. "Alright my princess. Let's go get cleaned up, then." I fixed the strap on her dress, delicately untwisting it before I opened the door to the room. She followed me out into the hall and we walked back toward the party.
"There's a bathroom," I said, pointing to an open door.
"I need to go get adjusted, I'll meet you out there," she said, glancing around to make sure no one saw us. She was so cute when she was paranoid.
'Okay, I'll be waiting," I kissed her bare shoulder before she disappeared into the bathroom. I headed back downstairs where nobody was doing anything different from when I had left.
I grabbed another drink and leaned against the banister, watching all these fake people mill about, trying to kiss the ass of whoever it was they thought could benefit them.
"Alec." A woman's voice said my name and I turned to see Kara Whitley, a model that I had had in my bed more than once in the recent past. She was drunk, as usual, and had a wicked grin on her face. I had no interest in seeing her at the moment.
"Hello, Kara," I said coolly, being careful not to open up much of a dialogue.
"Just a hello is all I get?" She took a step toward me, her full breasts that were barely covered brushing my chest. "I thought you might be happier to see me."
I shrugged.
"Don’t you remember the fun we've had? Do you want to have some more?" She stepped even closer and grabbed my cock as she bit my neck before I could get away.
"Kara, not now," I told her, horrified.
She wasn't being moved easily. I put my hands on her shoulders to try to pry her off when I looked up and saw Myra watching us with an expression on her face that didn't look pleased.
"Come on, Kara, not now," I seethed, finally getting her off of me.
"What's the matter? Are you worried that your hired girlfriend is going to see us?" She laughed, then turned to see Myra standing a few feet from us.
Kara turned to her with a snarky expression. "Hi honey, you're doing a great job at acting, but you're not quite pulling off that dress. I know girls like you aren't used to designer cuts and it shows. Just learn how to walk and maybe Alec's daddy will be fooled next time."
Kara waltzed off, blowing me a kiss and holding up her cell phone, indicating I should call her later. I ignored her and walked toward Myra.
"I'm sorry about that. She's always like that when she's drunk," I explained.
Myra pursed her lips. "I'd like to leave as soon as possible. Do you need to be seen by any more people, perhaps subject me to a bit more torture? Or can we go now?"
My heart sank. "We can go if you'd like."
"Yes, I'd like that," she snapped.
I quickly said my goodbyes while Myra hung back, and then I got us out of there. Once we were downstairs and settled into the limo, I tried to put my arm around her, but she scooted away, keeping her face turned toward the window.
She finally spoke to me as we sped down the road.
"What we did was a mistake and it can never happen again," she said coldly.
I didn't respond right away. "I thought you enjoyed it."
She didn't deny that, but she replied. "I'm not your real girlfriend, Alec, and what we did was not a part of the script. Never again. Besides, I don't think you need me to play with. I think you have plenty of playmates already. You hired me for a job and that's it. No more."
My phone, which was sitting on the table in front of us, buzzed. Before I could reach it, Kara's picture came up as her ID, one I had taken of her while she was at my house. Topless. Embarrassed, I snatched the phone but it was too late. Myra had seen who was calling.
I silenced the call, and she turned back to the window, but not before giving me a look that told me I wouldn't be touching her again tonight or probably ever again.
9
Myra
I couldn't believe it was that time of the month already. This had been happening every month for all of my adult life, and going to dinner at my parents' house never got any easier. But it was a monthly tradition, and my brother and I followed it religiously. It was the least we could to do honor our parents who had put us both through school.
My parents were great. They really were. It was just that they expected so much. They liked to pry and I wasn't living the type of life that I wanted them prying into at the moment.
I got on the final stretch of highway that would take me to their house and rolled down my window, in hopes that the fresh air bowing through the car would blow the thoughts of Alec right out of my head. I let the wind whip through my hair but I couldn’t get myself to forget about what had happened with Alec last night.
I wanted him so bad, and not like I’d ever wanted anyone else. There was something carnal and frenzied about the way we had fallen into bed together, something that I couldn't control or resist. It had been heaven. Apparently, lots of women thought the same way, I realized. The more I thought about that, the more I realized I had overreacted the other night at the party. He clearly was trying to push her off of him. He didn't look like he wanted anything to do with her.
I was ashamed of myself. I’d become just another of his groupies, basically. I'd never been like that with guys, yet here I was. I had told him that what happened could never happen again, but I knew I didn't mean it and he probably didn’t either when he didn’t fight for us.
For once, maybe this dinner with my family would be beneficial. Being around them would help me to keep my mind off of him at least. This is what I needed. Some space. I had never lived with a boyfriend before in my life and now I was living with my fake one. My soon to be fiancé even. The lines between reality and the story we were weaving were starting to blur and my sanity was taking a hit. Also, my libido felt like it was on steroids. Alec was magic and his bed was magic. I had to remember that he wasn't really mine. He never would be.
I exited the highway. I needed to get my head on straight before I showed my face to my mother. She had a pesky way of knowing when something was up with me, and if I didn’t get it together she'd start asking even more questions until I cracked.
I was going to have to tell them about my pending engagement before they found out about it in the tabloids. My mother would have a heart attack if that happened. I had no idea how I was going to break it to them, especially considering the whole thing was a sham. I was terrible at lying, especially to my parents, but there was no choice this time.
Besides, news of my engagement would at least take the limelight away from my career, which at this point was non-existent. And they definitely didn't need to know that.
As I pulled up to their house, I gave myself a quick pep talk before I went in.
"You cannot allow this infatuation to continue,” I repeated to myself. “Alec Slade is nothing but a business associate to me, and I am just setting myself up for failure if I let this infatuation continue. Forget about his magic cock for a few hours and go have dinner with your family, Myra."
I looked at myself in the mir
ror, giving myself a stern look to stay on track, and then finally getting out of my car. Yeah, I was losing it.
My parents' house always had that distinct smell that hit me as soon as I entered, putting me in a state of familiar ease while also forcing me to stay guarded with attention. It was like I was in a quaint and beautiful forest, but I knew there was danger lurking just beneath the surface and if I made a wrong step, I might awaken a poisonous snake.
"Myra," my mother exclaimed, looking up from the kitchen counter that overlooked the seating area. "Oh, honey, I am so glad to see you. Your brother got here about half an hour ago and we all thought, now where is Myra? She is always here first. You never have been one to be late for a meal."
I laughed, giving my mom a quick hug as I joined her behind the counter after I hung up my purse and coat. My brother, Dylan was sitting on the couch chatting with my dad. They both looked up when they saw me.
"Myra, there's my sunshine!" Dad said and waved me over. "Come join your brother and I. We were just talking about which one of this weekend's blockbuster debuts is going to flop."
They were both movie buffs, and liked to think that my mother and I were too, but in actuality, we couldn't care less about what was on the big screen. My mother and I were more into books than films. We exchanged a knowing look.
"I really have no idea what's going to flop or not, Dad."
"You sound more like your mother every day, you know that?"
"Thanks," I said sarcastically.
"Now what's that supposed to mean?" My mom put her hands on her hips. "That was a compliment."
"That's why I said thanks."
"Yeah, well you didn't mean it. Not when you said it like that."
I sighed, throwing my hands in the air. "I can't win around here, can I?"
"Never," my dad cackled from the other room, and Dylan laughed too.
My mom finished arranging a tray of appetizers and started for the living room where she placed the tray on the coffee table and took a seat. Dylan and I immediately grabbed for the deviled eggs. My mom always liked to go all out for these dinners, making cutesy appetizer trays that she had seen in the latest food magazines that she subscribed too. I could cook, too, but nowhere near as well as she did.
Although, at Alec's house, I hadn't done any of that yet. It wasn't so bad being waited on, having my hair done, being told that I was gorgeous all day. My mind drifted back to Alec.
No, I scolded myself silently, biting into another deviled egg to take my mind off of him.
My foot twitched nervously, which my brother noticed. He looked down, then squinted his eyes.
"Are those Louboutins?" he asked, pointing at my shoe.
I nodded innocently.
"Damn sis," Dylan said. "Rocking the high class. That's what's up."
"What's up?" Dad asked.
"Myra's heels. Louboutins. She's moving on up in the world."
"What's a Louboutin?" he asked. "I have no idea what you kids are talking about."
My mom let out an exasperated sigh. "They're nice shoes, Mark. That's all you need to know."
She gave us a knowing look. "Your dad is getting old so you'll have to excuse him. Now let me see your shoes, honey."
"They're no big deal, really."
Dylan disagreed. "They're designer shoes that cost about a thousand dollars," Dylan informed my parents like the helpful brother that he was.
I cursed myself for wearing the shoes. Of course, I had found them in my newly stocked designer closet, and I was having a hard time not wearing the treasures that I found inside, even to go to dinner at my parents' house. I should have known it would cause a stir. My parents were getting increasingly bored now that Dylan and I lived in the city it seemed, and Dylan had a stable long-term relationship with his boyfriend. Apparently, my life was the exciting one. If only they knew.
"And your hair is on point too. You must be hitting those high dollar salons. Little miss trendy over here," Dylan teased.
I rolled my eyes.
"No honey, I'm happy for you," my mom said. "You are a successful young woman and you should be proud of it."
The knot in my stomach tightened.
"Yeah you must be kicking ass and taking names at work," Dad said.
"Yeah, what's up with your job, did you get a promotion?" Dylan asked. I was going to go crazy, even though they were all just asking innocent questions. "You must have to afford all this stuff. I'm proud of you too."
I stuffed a cracker with cheese spread in my mouth. "Yeah, work is going great," I lied, making eye contact with no one in the room.
My mom patted my knee. "That’s my baby. I knew you would be a great success. I always knew it." She finished off her glass of wine. "Now you just need to find yourself a good boyfriend and you'll really have it all."
I swallowed hard, then decided to just go for it and end this conversation, or at least divert it away from work.
My brother beat me to it. "Actually, by the way she looks and the way she is dressing, I'd say she's getting some action."
"That’s enough Dylan," my dad scolded him. Dylan laughed, mimicking our childhood behavior.
Mom just shook her head. "You two are impossible."
"Well, actually, I have been seeing someone," I said. "I was planning on telling you tonight before Dylan so crassly took over the conversation," I shot my brother a look.
My mom and dad were all ears now. "Oh really," Mom said. "Well, where is he? We want to meet the lucky man."
I shoved another cracker in my mouth. "Actually, I'm sure you've heard of him, Mom."
She raised her eyebrows and had somehow scooted to the edge of her seat in anticipation of the grand reveal. "Well, come out with it. Who is he? You're killing us here," she urged.
"Alec Slade? Ring a bell?" My mother's face went blank for a moment, then her jaw dropped.
"The real estate mogul's son?"
I nodded.
Her face tightened and my dad looked upset. "I know who he is," he said. "I've read all about that guy. He sounds like a real piece of work."
Oh, so Dad wasn't up on the latest fashion but somehow he knew all about celebrity gossip? Of course, he did.
"Myra, is this one of your practical jokes?" Dylan asked. "Because I am about to call all my friends and tell them my sister is dating a famous socialite millionaire and if you make me look like an idiot, I'll be mad, so tell me now."
"No, it's true. We've, uh, been seeing each other for a bit now."
"Why didn't you bring him to meet us? Are we not rich enough?" Mom asked bitterly.
"He's busy, Mom. He runs a business with his family and has a lot of places to be."
"Yeah, I bet," Dad said. "I can't believe this Myra, I thought I taught you to have a better judgment of people. That guy is no good for you."
"That stuff you read is all sensationalized, Dad," I said. "We're actually planning to get engaged soon," I added quietly.
"You're what?" my mother exploded.
Dylan whooped, pumping his fist in the air. "Oh hell yeah. You've got to get me into some of the clubs where Alec is a resident. Oh, shit this wedding is going to be on fire!"
"Hush Dylan," Dad said. "This is serious. Myra, I don't know what to say, but I am shocked and upset."
My mother just shook her head. "I wanted you to find a nice man, not a playboy. don’t you know how men like him are, Myra?"
"What? You think I'm not good enough to keep him interested? Is that it?" My emotions were running high and I knew I needed to calm down but I couldn't.
"No, honey that's not what we are saying at all," Mom said. "It's just that he has a very bad reputation and we don't want to see you involved in it. I don't care if it's true or not, but the public eye can be a nasty thing and you have too bright of a future to be scandalized like this."
"I'm not being scandalized, mom," I insisted.
"How did you even meet him?" My dad wanted to know.
I thought fast. "At
a business function," I said. Technically, I had first met him in his home office where he was conducting business. I wasn't a total liar.
"I think the guy is a snake," Dad said and Mom agreed. "I think you need to take it slow, Myra. There's no need for an engagement. Well, not until we meet him, at least."
"I thought you'd be happy that my life was going well," I lied.
"We are happy that you are doing so well at work, honey. You've worked so hard for your success."
"Well, there is more to life than work," I retorted. "Maybe I like what I have with Alec."
"Lots of women do," My dad frowned. "That doesn’t mean he's good for you."
"I've got to get out of here. I'll call you later," I got up, storming out of the living room and out to my car. I couldn't take another word of this argument, even though deep down I knew they were right.
With tears in my eyes, I started down the road back to the city. I'd gotten myself into such a mess that I was now lying to my family and walking out on them. Alec Slade had turned me from a hardworking good girl into a liar and a drama queen, and the worst part was that he was worth it.
10
Alec
So maybe it wasn't going to be as easy as I thought to clean up the mess that I’d made of my life. Maybe it wasn’t going to be so simple to undo years of poor decisions and irresponsible behavior in one short month.
But now this had become about more than just convincing my father that I was on the straight and narrow. I had seen what my life could be like if I had a girl like Myra, and it was actually appealing to me. She was making me see how shallow, fake, and useless all these other women were. Sure, I'd be giving up a lot of hot girls if I became a one-woman man, but it would be worth it to have just one beautiful girl who also had a beautiful personality. And she did. She was the most intelligent, hard-working, resourceful, and yes, the hottest woman I’d ever met.
And I wanted to make her mine. For real, not just for a temporary show, or until my dad passed.
Forbidden Neighbor: A Contemporary Romance Boxset (Forbidden Saga Book 2) Page 22
