The Baby Favor

by Chance Carter

  Arran removed the lid from the tiny box, presenting it to her. Inside was a pair of Tiffany platinum studs shaped like little apples, a ruby gem in the center of each one, surrounded by flawless diamonds. They were breathtaking and far too extravagant for a friendship gift. They must have cost him a small fortune. She knew she couldn’t keep them but like any woman, she was dazzled by their beauty.

  “Arran, what did you do?” she scolded sweetly, trying to mask her enthusiasm.

  “I saw them in the window and thought they would look enchanting on you. Try them on,” he urged, slipping them out of their box.

  “They are beautiful, but it’s too much. I can’t accept them,” she insisted, determined to do the right thing.

  “You can, I insist. Just be grateful I didn’t buy the matching necklace. Now that would have been too much,” he laughed, handing her the earrings. “Please, Emma, try them on.”

  Emma regarded him curiously, wondering exactly what the gesture meant to him. They had only known each other a short time and while she was very fond of him, she still wasn’t sure what their future held, maybe friendship, maybe much more. All she knew was that she wanted to take things slow, have some fun, enjoy some adventures along the way. Was he wanting more?

  She looked down at the precious little apples in her hand and sighed, tempted by their sparkle.

  “Emma, if you don’t want to put them on then at least try on the handcuffs...” Arran teased, swaying the furry cuffs on his fingertips. She looked up and grinned wickedly at him, her mind quickly shifting to sexier thoughts. He took the earrings from her hands and placed them back in the box, sitting it on a nearby shelf.

  “We’ll argue about these later, even though I’ll surely win, but for now, you promised to change into something vampy. I’ll follow you in shortly with these,” he insisted playfully, waving the cuffs in front of him.

  “You got it,” she laughed, kissing him tenderly on the cheek. “And I appreciate your thoughtfulness, I do. Don’t think I’m ungrateful. It just might be too soon for such an expensive gift...”

  “Emma, go...” he laughed, urging her down the hallway.

  She changed quickly, choosing a red lace teddy with matching thigh-high stockings. It was completely transparent, erotically displaying her pussy through the thin fabric while accentuating her beautiful curves. She was certain Arran would approve. She took a few minutes to freshen up, then tied her hair in a loose knot on the top of her head.

  She waited for him to join her and laid back into her pillows, anticipating the pleasure to come. She was ready to pick up where they left off. When a few more minutes passed and he had not come to her, she slipped off her bed, opening her bedroom door just a crack. She was just going to call out his name, invite him in, when she heard him talking on the phone. He sounded agitated. She listened in for another thirty seconds or so, picking up the gist of the conversation. She was certain it was business related.

  “This is why I pay you the big bucks, so you will handle these issues as they arise...Well, how did it get to this point?... Why didn’t you anticipate this?...I knew that I should have handled this myself...”

  Emma closed the door, unwilling to disturb his privacy any further. She sat down on the edge of her bed and waited, annoyed that her own phone was in the other room. She couldn’t help but think of Luke, wondering if he’d texted her. She was curious what he was doing, if he was out having a good time. For a second or two, she wished she was out with him, enjoying his easy company, relentlessly teasing each other and laughing at everything...and nothing. She even felt a little anxious that he might be with someone else.

  She took a deep breath, silently berating herself for thinking about Luke, when Arran, a man who clearly liked her, was right in the other room. He deserved her focus, and she intended to give it to him as soon as he walked through her bedroom door.

  What the heck was holding him up, she thought, walking back to the door. She opened it a crack and could hear him finishing his call. She quickly went back to the bed and sat down.

  “Emma, I’m so sorry,” he apologized, slowly opening the door. His eyes widened when he saw her. “Crikey, you look bloody hot.”

  She couldn’t stifle her giggle at his antiquated remark, his accent thicker than usual. He walked over to her and pushed her back into the bed, easily lifting her into position, then shifted himself on top of her. He kissed her passionately, his cock growing firm against her. Her own kisses matched his passion. She was so worked up she thought she would cum just from the friction of his cock pressing on her clit. His breath, hot in her ear, was almost unbearable and she pushed herself against him, silently begging him to fuck her.

  “God, Emma, I have to go,” he whispered, raising himself to look at her. She tried to focus her eyes on his, to read his passion, and was surprised to see a look of defeat in his eyes.

  “No, no you don’t, you need to fuck me,” she insisted, holding his ass tightly. He kissed her again, this time with less urgency, almost apologetically.

  “I can’t,” he mumbled regretfully as he rolled off of her. “God, don’t be upset with me. I want to shag you, believe me. Fuck, I have to go.”

  She sat up, her eyes searching his, wondering what she did wrong.

  “What? Why?” she asked, watching him slide off the bed.

  “I received a call, while I was waiting for you,” he confessed, looking her up and down.

  “Jesus, that outfit is hot...it’s business....there’s a serious issue I have to address. My CFO is setting up a conference call to Dubai as we speak, I have to get back to the office.”

  Emma looked at him crossly, wondering what could be so important that it couldn’t wait until morning. She didn’t want to be angry with him, but the truth was, her ego was a little bruised and she was frustrated as hell. Didn’t he want her too?

  “I’m sorry, I wouldn’t leave if I didn’t absolutely have to,” he insisted, leaning over to kiss her. She turned her head so his kiss landed on her cheek.

  “Don’t be cross, I promise to make it up to you,” he scolded, raising her chin with his fingers. “Believe me, there is nothing I want more right now than to take you, right here and now, but it is vital that I be there. Ok?”

  She inhaled slowly and in spite of her disappointment, nodded her consent.

  “That’s a good girl. Now let me kiss you.”

  She tilted her head and accepted his kiss, allowing her mood to lighten. He pulled away with a soft smile, holding her gaze until she was forced to smile back. She pouted playfully at him, yielding her indignation.

  “If I can sort out the trouble in decent time, perhaps I can come back and we can pick up where we left off?” he suggested, brushing a stray hair out of her eyes.

  “It’s ok, Arran. I think I’ll just take a bath and go to sleep,” she said quietly, then added with a smirk, “after I finish myself off of course.”

  “Ah, well that’s a torturous thought. Are you trying to drive me crazy?”

  “Yes, you deserve it,” she sassed, slapping him gently on the backside.

  “Yes, I suppose I do. At least think of me while you climax,” he grinned, tossing her a playful wink.

  “No promises.”

  Chapter 32

  “Thanks for coming with me. I’m sure you could have spent your Sunday more productively,” Emma chirped, slipping her arm around Luke’s.

  As a friendly gesture, he patted her hand and smirked. Yes, there probably were things he’d rather be doing than tromping through a museum, but it was important to Mimi so he was happy to join her. Besides, there had been more than one occasion that she’d kept him company in situations that were not to her liking, any of the UFC fights came to mind. That’s just what friends did for each other.

  “No biggie, I didn’t have much on the go,” he replied warmly, “I’m glad you asked.”

  “Are you feeling any better?” she asked, still concerned about him.

  He nodded pa
ssively, offering just enough to satisfy her. The truth was, he hadn’t been under the weather at all, he just needed some space to get his head together. He had left the party in a hurry, torn by how unsettled the whole experience made him feel, not to mention his guilt for abandoning her. Thankfully, she seemed no worse for wear.

  “I missed you,” she admitted, tossing him a warm smile.

  “Yeah,” he replied ambiguously, leading her into an exhibit room.

  “I’m surprised it’s so quiet in here, I thought it would be busier,” she observed, looking around the hall, “but it’s nice.”

  “I guess all the art geeks have seen it already,” he quipped, teasing her gently.

  “All but this one,” she mused, squeezing his arm.

  They walked quietly through the exhibit, enjoying the unique art pieces, but talking very little, respectful of the quiet space. It suited Luke just fine, given that he wasn’t feeling all that talkative. He had spent much of the week weighing his feelings about the party, and had come to the conclusion that he couldn’t be Mimi’s wingman anymore. It was just too confusing.

  It wasn’t that he had changed his mind about her venturing out into the world, exploring her sexuality and such, he still wanted that for her. The problem was that he was juggling mixed feelings about her. Emotions that didn’t serve either of them. He’d always had a fondness for her and cared deeply about her, but they were friends! He had never been good at relationships, failing miserably at every single one he had found himself in. Relationships were like a Jenga tower, constantly and precariously trying to maneuver the pieces, building on a fragile foundation that inevitably would come crashing down. He sucked at puzzles.

  Emma drifted away from him, casually walking ahead as she admired the collection. He observed her curiously, his thoughts drifting back to the party. He tried to push the memory down, hoping his shame would follow suit. He had made a huge mistake that night, taking her there. There had been several situations where he wished life was like an etch a sketch, just give it a good shake and be granted a clean slate. That night was one of them.

  Mimi laughed and turned around searching for him, to share whatever amused her. Her laughter was so melodic, and he wondered if it had always sounded that way. Her eyes brightened as soon as they landed on him.

  “Luke, come look. This piece reminds me of the sculpture you made in Mrs. McLennan’s art class, remember? The one that got a call home to your parents?”

  He caught up with her and saw exactly what she meant, what had made her laugh so freely. He chuckled at the overtly phallic statue, recalling how much crap he took for his ‘artistic license’, barely escaping suspension. There were very few people in his life that shared his history with him and knew him so intimately. Mimi was one of those people, and the thought of ever losing her was unbearable.

  “Remember when she gave you proper hell in front of everyone and you defended the piece quite proudly, insisting that it was very realistic, that you were only following her instructions?” she giggled.

  “Yes, as I recall I told her she should have been more specific that the sculpture was supposed to be of my face,” he laughed, the memory softening his pensive mood.

  “I don’t think Mrs. McLennan liked you much after that, but if I recall correctly, Samantha Shepherd sure did!”

  “Oh yeah, she was hot. Must have liked what she saw,” he boasted, not even trying to mask his pride.

  “Oh yeah, big guy, what makes you think that?”

  “She couldn’t wait to get into my pants. Pretty sure she told me later how modest my sculpture had been,” he teased, earning a good-natured punch in the arm.

  “Really, Luke...”

  “What can I say, there wasn’t enough clay.”

  Their laughter quickly shifted his mood, bringing him back to the familiar comfort he always seemed to feel in her presence, the place he protected so diligently. He didn’t want anything to fuck up what they had together. They spent the next hour or so poking through the museum, making fun of obscure pieces, reflecting on how bizarre it was that they were considered ‘art’. Luke even mused how quick Mrs. McLennan had been to dismiss his work as smut, when clearly he was just an undiscovered talent, way before his time.

  Afterward, they went to the little pub around the corner for spiked coffees, neither of them ready to part ways. Mimi seemed to have something on her mind, he could read it in her eyes. He was pretty sure it could be only one of two things, and wasn’t sure he wanted to talk about either. He figured she either wanted to talk about the party, or she wanted to talk about Arran, ask him to impart his wisdom on both subjects. The problem was, since the damn party, he wasn’t sure he could be objective anymore. He decided to head her off at the pass, hoping to avoid her questions.

  “So, I have some news,” he stammered, impatiently knocking the sweet foam off the top of his coffee, kicking himself for not asking the server to hold the whipped cream. He hated the stuff ever since he’d sprayed half a can of it on a woman and had to lick it all off. By the time he had lapped most of it away he was gagging on it like it was another man’s spunk. It wasn’t one of his finer moments.

  “You do?” Mimi asked, raising her brows. It wasn’t often that he willingly shared details of his life with her without her teasing it out of him. It was how things worked with them. It was just part of their dance.

  “I’m seeing someone.”

  Her mouth dropped open, just a little, as she regarded him curiously, her feelings carefully guarded.

  “You are? Who? When?” she asked, obviously controlling her tone. He smiled at her warmly, hoping to appear casual.

  “I met her awhile back, but nothing really developed. Then, out of the blue, she texted me and we went out...and had a good time. We both agreed that we wanted to see each other again,” he reported, keeping his tone as neutral as possible.

  She pouted out her bottom lip, as though contemplating his words, but said nothing, forcing him to continue.

  “Anyway, I would kind of like to see where it goes. I mean, knowing my luck, it probably won’t last long, but who knows? It’s worth a shot.”

  “Wow, that’s...great. What’s her name? How did you meet?” she asked cautiously, selecting her words carefully.

  “Maggie,” he answered too quickly, drawing another inquisitive look from her. “We met at a party somewhere. I don’t remember.”

  “Oh.”

  “Anyway, I won’t be able to be your fairy godfather anymore, at least until I know where things stand. Make sense?” he explained delicately, anxious that she might sense a shift in his voice, something that would reveal his dishonesty.

  “Sure. I guess it would be kind of awkward to explain that to a new girlfriend. I get it,” she shrugged, trying to hide her disappointment. He smiled back awkwardly, swallowing his guilt.

  Mimi turned away from him, pretending to search the room. “What’s she like? Is she nice?”

  “Um...nice? Yeah, I guess. Pretty, petite, feisty,” he embellished, wishing he could change the subject.

  “Just how you like them,” she teased, looking back at him. He nodded noncommittally and shrugged.

  “I don’t really know what I like anymore,” he mumbled, catching her eye. She cocked her head at him, questioning him with her gaze.

  “I guess that makes two of us,” she agreed softly.

  “What do you mean?” he approached cautiously, curiously hopeful by her admission.

  “I’m finding myself waffling back and forth with Arran,” she began, quickly looking away again. He was grateful she didn’t see him rolling his eyes.

  “Sometimes he seems to be exactly the kind of man I want, exciting, spontaneous, adventurous, but then there are other times that he really frustrates me.”

  “How so?” Luke asked, grateful to change the topic but annoyed the subject was Arran. He took a careful sip of his hot coffee to avoid her eyes, just in case his irritation was evident.

  “I
can’t quite put my finger on it. He’s a good guy, honestly, but sometimes he can be a little patronizing. I mean, I get that he’s a man who is used to making million dollar decisions every day. He has to be authoritative, decisive, confident...and he knows what he wants, but sometimes I get the impression that my needs are incidental, like he always knows best,” she explained. Her tone was hushed and controlled, as though she needed to arrange her thoughts before offering them. Luke had been down this road with her before. He didn’t like it then, and it was even harder to watch now.

  “But he’s also charismatic, charming and sexy, you know? He’s curious like me, generous, and playful,” she confessed longingly, as though her mind was offering a sexy memory she couldn’t dismiss, he seemed to know exactly what I needed...

  “Mimi,” Luke interrupted with a smirk, pulling her attention back, “does he remind you of anyone?”

  She looked up at him, her thoughts muddled, but said nothing. Luke sighed, shaking his head. He had mixed feelings about Arran and felt even more conflicted sharing them with her. He didn’t want to give her the wrong idea, or any idea, especially given his own revelations over the past few weeks. He wouldn’t go down that rabbit hole with her.

  “What do you mean?” she asked, genuinely concerned by his question.

  Luke shrugged his shoulders, wishing he hadn’t said anything. In so many ways, Arran was just like her stupid ex-husband, controlling, detached, narcissistic. All excellent traits in business, but a nightmare in relationships. How did the woman not see it? Sure, Arran could offer her adventure, he had the resources and the connections, but when Luke introduced Mimi to him, he didn’t realize just how much like Andrew the bloke actually was. He didn’t fucking trust him.

  “I don’t know, Mimi, the condescension, the superiority, the objectifying. You got nothing here?” he blurted, more abrasive than he intended.

  She pulled her breath in slowly, knitting her brows. Certain it was recognition, he sat back in his chair to punctuate his point, but it was short-lived.