Sleep took me before I had a chance to talk to Rick. In the morning, he was gone. I sat up, naked and alone, the sun pouring in. On my nightstand was a paper that hadn’t been there before. I picked it up and studied it. It was a job offer in the next town. Rick really did pass my resume off to someone. I’d have to call and set up an interview, but what they were offering was in black and white and twice as much as I was making before.
~*~*~*~
It was Saturday, and I’d planned to go shopping with Molly. Showering, I thought of what happened last night. Rick had done what he set out to do –fix me. Would I be able to do the same with Stephan now? Was I cured?
Molly picked me up in her convertible, and I spent the day watching her shop for her upcoming trip.
After we found eveningwear, the swimsuit, we were onto expensive lingerie. This took the longest. As she fussed in the dressing room, we had a conversation through the door.
“You and Rick, you have…?”
“Not yet, he wants it to be special, and at my age, that’s important. Rick is my forever man. I doubt I can keep this body forever. Frankly, dating is exhausting, I’m ready to be married again.”
“What happened with Mr. Sanders anyway?” It was awful of me, but I didn’t remember his first name. He was never around.
“Erectile dysfunction,” she whispered.
What could you say to that?
She laughed, “Well that’s a bit harsh. He could only not perform if I were involved. There were lots of things wrong with Gil Sanders, but mostly he couldn’t keep his dick in his pants.”
“Rick and you are talking about getting engaged pretty quickly. He must really be the one.”
“It only seems quick. I’ve been seeing Rick since my divorce but not exclusively, nothing serious. We’ve been taking things slow much like you and Stephan.”
I didn’t talk to Molly, but obviously, Stephan had been confiding in his mom.
“How long do you think it will take him?” She asked.
“Who, what?” I suddenly didn’t know who she was talking about.
“I know you aren’t putting out until you have Stephan secured, much like I am doing with Rick.”
How did she know I wasn’t putting out? “I’m not holding out for marriage,” I laughed, it was ridiculous.
“All men need a challenge or they lose interest. Back when my mother got engaged, women held out and secured what they needed before they gave it up.”
“I don’t think Stephan’s like that.”
“Nothing’s wrong with it, Loraine. Why do you think Rick is popping the question so soon? I heard you two had a good night last night, but I would hold out longer. Stephan needs to feel like he is working toward a goal.”
It took me a moment to realize she was talking about my night with Stephan not with Rick.
“Did Stephan tell you about last night?”
“Don’t get upset, we are all adults, and Stephan has come to us for guidance about your reluctance.”
“Us?”
“Richard and I.”
I couldn’t believe it, Rick knew about my night with Stephan before he came over last night?
She danced around me when she came out in a beautiful pink negligee. “Oh, the sound of it, Molly Mahoney, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Mahoney.”
“But couldn’t Rick just ask you to marry him and then back out when he gets what he wanted?”
“That’s why there are contracts. You won’t need one with Stephan, but for big fish like Richard Mahoney, a girl needs to be careful.”
I didn’t say much more to Molly during our day, and she didn’t notice. She had plenty to say about herself and her new life with Rick. One last stop and I would be free of her. I was having dinner with Molly at Table 21. Stephan was behind the bar and waved at me when a new face seated us.
“Enjoy,” the hostess winked at me as I realized it was the red head from sex addict’s group, Diane, the suffocation chic. What the hell was she doing working here?
I excused myself to talk to Stephan. He followed me to the back and didn’t ask any questions. He smiled, “How’s your day out with mom?”
“Enlightening, why did you tell her about last night?” More importantly Rick, he told Rick. I was so mad I couldn’t even say it.
Stephan face softened, “Oh Lorrie, I’m sorry. It was a step in the right direction, and I needed to share with someone. It’s not like I can tell the guys about how slow we’re taking things.”
He hugged me close, and I almost forgave him. “Well, we need to have a serious talk, later,” I said instead.
“Lorrie, we need to do lots of thing.” He kissed me easily, and it was familiar and comfortable but lacked the desperation of Rick’s kiss last night. I imagined letting Stephan do what Rick did for just a moment, and my body twitched in need before my anger at Rick stopped my fantasy. How could Rick plan to leave without talking to me? How could he come and do what he did after I made so much progress with Stephan? Stephan’s hands wandered, and I remembered we were alone. I began to undo his zipper, but he swatted my hand away. “Not here.”
I composed myself but the rejection stung. With this Bahama’s business, I needed to feel something more than ever. “Maybe you can stay the night soon.”
“Really, you’re ready for that?”
I nodded my head, letting him kiss me again.
I returned to the table and our salads, unsatisfied. I looked around for Rick and didn’t see him anywhere.
“And how exciting for you.” Molly mentioning me brought me out of my daze.
“Me?”
“Rick told me about your job offer.”
“Yeah, it’s unbelievable and it is in Davies County. I’d have to move.”
“I know, it’s exciting. Stephan’s new shop will be there too. Once Rick and I are engaged, Stephan will be quitting to renovate the shop in Millton.”
I shook my head confused. I asked slowly, “So Stephan is purposely working here until you and Rick are engaged?”
“I thought you knew that was part of the arrangement.”
Stephan hadn’t told me any more about a shop in Millton or that he was some strange spy for his mother. Rick apparently had agreed to all these hoops and contracts. What did this woman have, a platinum pussy? “I don’t know anything apparently.”
“Men,” she exclaimed, “they’d lose their ass if we didn’t keep them in line.” She shook her head and touched my arm. “I’m sorry Lorrie; I should be keeping you up to date. Stephan isn’t the best when it comes to communication, and I want things to work out for you two. He wants to give you everything. Why little Claira deserves a mother she can be proud of.”
Mother… Stephan had a kid? I bit my tongue, I didn’t say it aloud and hoped to god it didn’t show on my face. Forcing a smile, I excused myself to the restroom. I splashed my face with water not caring if it smeared my makeup. Dabbing my face dry, I saw red hair appear in the mirror.
“Hey Loraine,” Diane was behind me. I looked at her funny. We weren’t allowed in the public restroom on duty except to clean. She held up her spray bottle to show me. “Remember me?”
“Of course,” I stammered. “How the gang?” I searched for feet under the stall doors.
“Boring with you not showing and Rick quitting.”
“Rick quit?” He must be serious about keeping it from Molly.
“Yeah, then he offered me a job.”
“That’s nice,” …and weird. The list of weird, awkward shit just got longer and longer today.
“You work here too, but not tonight.”
“Yep,” I was beginning to think Diane was a few cards shy of a full deck.
She sprayed the mirror I was looking in and laughed. “You date Stephan, huh? He’s one fine piece of ass. I didn’t think he was your type.”
“Yes, Diane, we’ll catch up on my shift tomorrow. I have to go.” I left the bathroom quickly.
Finishing my dinner just as quick, I talked
about anything but Rick and Stephan. It was the most pleasant conversation Molly and I’d had in years, me pretending to care about the brand of shoes she lined her closets with. I didn’t look at Stephan as I left with his mom. I knew he’d be laughing, pretending to be slinging beers until he made his way in the world. Telling his sob story, Ashley left him and took it all, but really, his mom was rolling in dough. He was doing whatever she wanted so she’d foot the bill for his dream shop again. How could he forget to mention he has a daughter, I didn’t know he had a kid with Ashley? All the news about his motorcycle shop in Millton, not a word?
Molly dropped me off at my modest town house, and it had felt like it’d been years instead of one day. “Here’s the key and my MasterCard.”
“Okay?” I was confused again. Now what?
“You agreed to watch my place while Rick and I are gone.”
“I did?”
“We leave in the morning, so any time after is fine.”
“Tomorrow, in the morning?” I felt like pinching myself. Was I dreaming? I knew Molly had shopped all day for the trip, but I had no a clue it was tomorrow!
She went on, “Help yourself to anything in the house. You can use the spare bedroom and don’t be shy about ordering in anything you need. I haven’t been grocery shopping in ages.”
After Molly left, I found myself starring at my phone. Rick was really leaving, tomorrow! Now that he’d succeeded breaking me in, he was finished? I thought of his kiss, was he cured too? I waited for Rick to call, text, something. Soon I figured he wouldn’t be seeing me tonight. Was he even going to tell me goodbye? By 11 pm, I still hadn’t heard from him. Desperate, I called his phone, but Molly answered. “Lorrie darling, you’ll never believe it.”
“What?” What else could possibly happen?
“Rick proposed tonight.”
“What?” I was stunned.
“I think we have a bad connection. Rick and I are getting married. He gave me a gorgeous ring tonight.”
“Congratulations,” I managed.
“Did you need to talk to him? Rick, it’s Lorrie,” her voice faded away.
He had to take the call, and my stomach knotted. “Hello,” he said as I pushed “End”.
Chapter 7
On autopilot, I went to Molly’s the following day. There were pictures of Stephan and his little girl everywhere. How could I have missed it? Sure, I’d only been to her place once, Stephan’s twice but I’d actually seen the large painting of the little girl in Molly’s foyer. I assumed she was one of Beth’s children. I crossed my arms and stared at the painting. He never mentioned it, I knew for a fact. It’s not something you can forget when you are dating a man who wants to take things slow with you so he can give you the fairytale his ex-wife never had. Did he think I already knew because I knew Ashley left him and took his shop? Or was he keeping it a secret until he secured me? It’s not like I’d talked to his sister Beth in years.
Between Rick leaving me for good and Stephan’s secrets, I didn’t want to do anything, go anywhere. I ordered Chinese and called Table 21. “I quit.”
Eating Chinese alone, I checked my phone wondering when Stephan would call. When would he notice I hadn’t shown up for work? I started to text him, but changed my mind. I took my bag to the guest room and plopped down onto the gorgeous sleigh bed. Beside the bed was a list of numbers. The resort Molly and Rick were staying at was number one, next were all numbers I knew except for the last one, Beth’s. I called on my cell and left a happy voicemail. Too bad she wasn’t home; I needed someone to shed light on Stephan and his mother.
Stephan text me in the next instant.
Stephan: You quit?
Me: Yes, I have a new job – potential.
Stephan: Since when?
Me: Since when do you have a new motorcycle shop in Millton?
Stephan: Surprise –it’s not set in stone. My mother’s idea, no reason to talk about it yet.
Me: No reason for me to talk about my new job yet, either. Not set in stone.
Stephan: I meant to talk to you on your next night off. – It was supposed to be Thursday.
Me: Am I not seeing you before then?
Stephan: I’ll be taking some of this week off. I’m going to Millton most of the week finalizing some details.
Me: You have a daughter?
Stephan: Yes.
Me: You never said…
Stephan: Ashley’s not letting me see her. It’s a long story.
Me: Okay
Stephan: I’ll come over to mom’s house on Friday night. I’ll explain everything.
Me: Okay
Stephan: Are you mad?
Me: No
I never heard back from Beth and spent the next five days eating expensive chocolate and drinking Molly’s best wine. I swam in her pool, used her sauna, her hot tub, her tanning bed, her gym, her whirlpool tub with all her products. Filling my need for nightly sexual pleasure with take-out, I probably put on five pounds. No, I was sure of it, Molly had a talking scale too.
Stephan didn’t call until Thursday night to confirm our Friday night plans. He said he had to work at the bar, do some inventory.
“I thought you were quitting.”
“No, not until I get back on my feet. Who told you that? Mom?”
“Yeah, she said you were done spying for her now.” Damn, I’d wanted to talk about that in person, and now I had given him a head’s up. He had time to make up a story now.
“Lorrie, it’s not what you think. We really need to talk, but in person. I’ll bring dinner tomorrow. I know mom doesn’t keep much there. What have you been doing all week?”
I didn’t say anything.
“Lorrie, please see me. I know I’ve been distant. I’ve not told you everything. I had to be sure you wanted to move forward with me. Become a part of my family. Okay?”
“Okay.” I hung up thinking of how I’d not told Stephan everything either. Hell, I’d fucked Rick under his nose. Was I horrible for expecting more of him? Stephan wanted a future with me, he said. He took me out on real dates and was interested in more than just my body. He had also been willing to wait, to make us special.
I’d spent all week with an ache in my chest for Rick when Stephan was a normal man that wanted to love me. Rick was nothing but sex addict who used me to get the rich woman of his dreams. Imagining him kissing Molly drove me crazy. Maybe Rick’s parents had given him another chance to win his family’s fortune? They seemed to be really interested in Molly. Maybe he’d really lost most of his wealth to keeping women quiet and wanted Molly’s money? Maybe he just really loved Molly? Either way, I resolved to give myself to Stephan tomorrow night. If I didn’t, I would never know if I would have a chance at happiness.
In bed anticipating letting Stephan fuck me like Rick did, I wondered if I could do it. I tried to imagine it, but all I could think of was Rick. I thought of his commanding voice, his touch and his kiss. I remembered the way his cock had felt in my mouth and elsewhere, how it filled me so fully, giving me exactly what my body wanted. For the first time in a long time, I wiggled my hand down the front of my panties, brushing my little wet nub, and for the first time ever slipped my finger inside. My pussy wet and tight around my finger, I thought of Rick’s reactions as I moved on my own hand. I moaned his name in the overstuffed down pillow as I got off.
~*~*~*~
The next day was more of the same, lounging in luxury. It was getting old already, but Molly would be back Saturday night with her fiancé, and I would have to go home, call to set up an interview and get my house on the market.
Having slept in, it wasn’t long before I had to think about cleaning up and getting ready for my evening with Stephan. I picked up after myself and did a few dishes before getting in the shower. After I dressed in one of Molly’s dresses complete with expensive heels, I smiled at the effect in the mirror. It would be creepy if Stephan’s mom wasn’t hot, and it’s not like she ever wore anything more than once. He’d
never know. I had on my own panties, and that’s all that mattered.
I checked my phone for the time. Stephan would be here any minute. I set the heels near the basement door and went down to pick out a bottle liquid courage.
“Help myself to anything,” I said aloud, selecting her oldest bottle that wasn’t locked away. A sixteen hundred dollar bottle of wine wouldn’t be enough, so I grabbed a bottle of tequila too. Even if I wouldn’t remember it, I wanted Stephan to fuck Rick off my mind and out of my heart.
I turned to see a man behind me. Screaming, I dropping the bottle.
Stephan caught it and laughed. “I scared you.”
“No shit,” I hugged him. He was a sight for sore eyes. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. Maybe I’d been spending too much time with Stephan before. His smile tickled me in ways it hadn’t in weeks.
He twirled me around. “You look good. Do you have a hot date?”
“Maybe,” I said seductively, batting my eyelashes.
He took in the bottle of wine and then the tequila in my hands. “What’s the occasion?”
“It’s a special night.”
“I’ve been dying for you to say that.” Stephan picked me up effortlessly, carrying me up the stairs.
“What about dinner?”
“It’ll keep, but you’re finally ready.”
Was I? I searched myself and knew I needed my fix. A man hadn’t touched me all week. He took me to Molly’s bedroom upstairs instead of the guestroom.
I sat on the bed still cradling the bottle of tequila, “How about a drink first?”
“If it will make you more comfortable.” Stephan rubbed my shoulders from behind. “You’re always so tense.”
I stood with the bottle, agreeing.
In Too Deep Page 8
