The Inheritance (Forever Bound #1)

by Bree Callahan

  “Hello, Charity?”

  She cleared her throat. His voice was undeniable. She glanced at the clock on the wall; it was just after nine o’clock. “Yes, this is Charity.”

  “Hey…I’m sorry for calling you on Saturday morning and I’m sorry for calling you so early, but this is Derek Worthington. I was going to call you yesterday afternoon, and I got so busy, and it completely slipped my mind. I apologize for that, but anyway…the reason for the call is I would like to offer you the position of my assistant. If you’re still interested, that is.” Charity’s jaw dropped. She couldn’t believe this call was serious. She was angry yesterday when she hadn’t received the call, and Damian was right…it was a mistake and here she was being offered the position of a lifetime. “The pay would be a salary position. It pays $60,000 a year. If that is suitable to you, then I thought you could start on Monday.”

  The words spun in her head and she never officially accepted the job. She gained her voice and finally responded. “That would be amazing, Mayor…Derek,” she corrected herself.

  He laughed on the other side of the phone. “Mayor Derek…I like that.”

  She blushed and was grateful he didn’t see her reaction. “Thank you so much for this opportunity,” she continued.

  “Not a problem! I look forward to working with you and does Monday work?”

  It would be pushing getting the news to her boss, but she had no other choice but make it work. “Yes, that definitely works.”

  “Okay, perfect. I will see you at eight o’clock then on Monday morning.”

  “Great! Thanks again! Goodbye!” She disconnected the call and squealed feeling thankful that things were starting to improve.

  “Babe…everything alright?” She turned back to where he still laid. He rested on his elbow, propped up to look at her.

  Babe? She stared at him, speechless by that one word. Then he smiled at her and she suddenly felt faint and put on a smile. If they could keep things strictly sexual, then maybe it could work. She walked back over to him and knelt down in front of him. “I just got the job!” She ran her hand down his chest and their eyes locked.

  “See, I knew you could do it,” he replied with a genuine smile.

  There was a heavy pause in the living room, and he finally asked a question he had on his mind. “When do you have to leave?”

  She tilted her head and smiled at him. “I should probably leave now,” she whispered. “Otherwise…” her words were cut off when he captured her lips with his. His tongue soothingly entranced her, and she gave into all of her doubts. She moaned into the heated kiss. “I just have to leave to turn in my notice,” she breathlessly replied. He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her down on top of him. “Oh God…” she whimpered. She opened her blanket and tossed it away from her as she slowly glided over his hard body. His mouth left hers, and he started kissing her shoulder. She tediously sucked on his neck, devilishly leaving her teeth marks behind. His hands wandered all over her body, and she groaned with every touch. “I’m gonna need a shower before I leave,” she moaned.

  Like a switch that shut them off, he cut off the kiss. She fell down next to him, and he got up and stared down at her. She looked up at him in disbelief. She opened her mouth to argue that they didn’t have to stop right away, but his grin was undeniable. “What are you waiting for?” He reached down and grabbed her hand. He pulled her to her feet, and they ran up the stairs. They reached a bedroom, and he let go of her hand. He hurried over to a dresser and reached into the top, digging around, until he finally brought out a condom. He turned around and smiled. He motioned with his head for her to follow him.

  She walked into the bathroom, and he quickly turned on the shower. She walked over to him, and he turned around and captured her lips back against his. When the water had heated up, they entered the shower. He pressed her against the cold tile. His tongue ravished hers and with one hand holding her back and his other hand sliding on his condom, they were immediately backed to where they left off… her needing him and him proving that friends with benefits could work.

  ***

  Derek opened his email on Sunday morning and was hit with an email from Calvin Peterson. It only read two words…call me. He didn’t waste any time making the call but received only his voicemail. After listening to the voicemail message, Derek left a response.

  “Hey, Cal, it’s Derek. I just received your email and wanted to give you a call. Hope you have good news for me. Call me when you get this message.”

  He went about his day, busying himself at his computer, eating a brief lunch, and then doing more work in his den. Just before two o’clock, he received a callback. He answered it quickly.

  “Hey, what’s up?” Derek asked.

  “I just wanted to give you an update. I’ve done some searching and not having any luck with locating the Bradshaw family.”

  “No one?” Derek asked.

  “Not a one. Not currently anyway. I just got a lead that Victoria might be in some sort of rehab in Mexico.”

  “Mexico?” Derek asked.

  “Yep, that’s what it appears. I’m going to take a trip to Mexico tomorrow morning and see if I can figure out more information, but that’s about all I have. It’s like they wanted to disappear.”

  “Strange,” Derek mumbled. “Well, keep me posted as soon as you know anything.”

  “I will. Talk to you soon!” Calvin hung up the call, and Derek let his phone fall from his ear. None of it made any sense. As he sat there and pondered his next step, Jenna’s face kept popping up in his head. He had that one phone number that went to her answering machine. He was sure it was her. He picked his phone back up and thumbed through his contact list until he landed on her name. He hit send to dial her number and waited until her answering machine came back on.

  This time, he didn’t hang up. He waited for the message to play all the way through and then gritted his teeth and left her a message. “Hello, Jenna…this is Derek. I know this will come as a shock to you to hear my voice, especially since it’s been so long ago, but I really need to talk to you. I believe you’re the only one that can help me out at this point. Please return my call. I look forward to hearing from you. The number is 874-5213. Thanks, Jenna. Take care!” He hung up, releasing a rush of air through this mouth. It was up to her to call him back. He just hoped she would, because all hope was dwindling.

  ***

  “Don’t go!” he begged her. Trying desperately to hold her in place and kiss her with tenderness all over her body, expecting that to change the inescapable. She couldn’t deny the fact that he was doing a pretty damn good job, but she had to leave.

  “I can’t stay,” she reluctantly stated. She pulled from him and got out of his bed. He watched her as she slowly got dressed. After Damian and her finished their shower, she got dressed in the previous night’s clothing, then went home and changed. She needed to be presentable to quit her job, and that meant not wearing a dress and pair of heels into the Diner. She went to the Diner and broke the news to Bill, then after everyone said their goodbyes she got Jamie to cover her shift for the evening and found herself heading back to Damian’s place.

  They spent the rest of the weekend completely caught up in this new bond they had going on. However, when Sunday night hit her, she had to say goodbye to him. “You’re killing me…you know that?”

  She laughed, looking down at him and kissing him softly on the forehead. “This is killing me, too, but I start a new chapter in my life tomorrow, and I need rest and as few distractions as I can possibly have. You, my friend, are a distraction.” She laughed, winking at him and pulling away from the scent he lingered. “A good distraction, but a distraction nonetheless.”

  He groaned. “When will I see you again?”

  She thought about it and smiled. “Tomorrow after work? We could celebrate with a bottle of Chardonnay and a little dessert.”

  He seemed eager for it, but his face fell. “I work tomorrow until la
te and then I’m sure you will say it’s too late because you have to work the next day.”

  She nodded. “We’ll find a time…soon.” She picked up her cellphone from his dresser and slipped it into her pants pocket. “Besides, we always have texting.”

  “It’s not the same!”

  He grabbed her hand and pulled her back down to the bed. Their mouths met, and his tongue dashed between her lips. His hand rubbed circles around her back as she started to succumb to him. “No…it’s not,” she whispered, forcing herself to get off the bed. “It will just have to do.”

  He sighed, and it took every ounce of her willpower to move closer to the door. “I’ll call you later!” she replied.

  “Is a promise?” he asked with a teasing grin.

  She nodded. “Bye!” She heard his pitiful response of goodbye and then she walked out of his bedroom. She hurried down the stairs and grabbed her purse. Looking back once and spotting him at the top of the steps and looking down at her, she almost raced back upstairs and took him one more time. She waved to him and continued to walk forward, out the door, and to her car. She looked up at the house as she got into the driver’s seat. Then she started the car and pulled out of his driveway.

  She blared the stereo in her car to drown out the rampant thoughts in her mind, and when she got to her apartment, she forced herself to go inside and make her way to her own bedroom. She got undressed with the intention of going to sleep and possibly having a dream or two of him, then waking up and heading off to her job. That was until she got a text message right before she got in bed. She glanced at the phone, and a smile fell on her lips.

  Damian: Miss you already!

  Charity: I’m supposed to be getting rest.

  Damian: You said we could text. Just ten minutes?

  Charity: Fine! You win!!

  Damian: Don’t I always? ;)

  Charity: LOL…true! Oh and I miss you, too!!

  Damian: Good to know! You have no idea how much I wish you were lying next to me right now!

  Charity: Oh…I have a pretty good idea.

  Charity smiled as she put in the response. What will be his response? When it came through, she giggled, feeling like a horny teenager looking to have sex with the most popular kid in school.

  Damian: What would we be doing if you were here right now?

  Charity: I said we were going to text…not sext!!

  Damian: Come on…appease a lonely guy, will ya?

  Charity couldn’t believe she was even considering it. She’d never done anything like this in her twenty-five years of age. Even Joe and she never got comfortable enough to do something so private and intimate, but the thought of being so free to do this…made her instantly crave the idea and so she decided to give it a shot.

  Charity: You would lick my body from head to toe, sending shivers up and down my spine and causing

  me to scream out your name repeatedly.

  She blushed, looking down at her reply. It was so corny and surely he would find her immature, but

  it was already out there and she couldn’t go back.

  Damian: Hm…I do love the sound of my name on your lips. Then what?

  Charity: Your head would be buried between my thighs as you relentlessly slide your tongue in and

  out of my

  She froze before typing the last word. For a second she wondered if she was even cut out for this type of activity. She bit her lower lip, then quickly typed in the word, pussy. Her racing heart continued to beat heavily against her chest as she anxiously waited for his answer. It was clear he’d done this before, as he was quick to respond.

  Damian: Taste. So. Sweet! Your clit vibrates against my tongue. I flick my tongue in and out of your

  pussy so that I can taste your juices. Cum for me baby! Cum for me!

  Charity touched her forehead. It was soaked with sweat. She was wet and dripping with need. Then calmness took over and she was no longer embarrassed by it. She wanted to show him that she, too, could be sexy.

  Charity: My juices gush into your mouth and my stomach clenches. Your sucking hard and I groan

  with heated desire. Damian…Damian…I cry. Fuck yes! My body seizes against you and your tongue

  frantically thrashes against the walls of my pussy.

  Breathlessly she panted, waiting for his next move. “Oh God…” she groaned, falling back against her pillow and aching for him to really be there.

  Damian: Holy Fuck!! Something to tide us over I see.

  Charity laughed, nodding and sighing as she could barely move to type in another message. She slowly started her response.

  Charity: Not as good as the real thing, but we’ll get there. ;)

  She dropped the phone and didn’t bother to move it when it landed on her stomach. She was too tired to get undressed for bed. She was even more focused on getting that rest because Damian tired her out and the morning would be there before she knew it.

  Chapter 12

  Her eyes opened as she was awakened from her dream. Beads of sweat drenched her as she shot her eyes toward her alarm clock. “Shit!” she screamed, jumping out of bed. Her phone fell to the floor, as it was resting on her stomach and she started stripping herself as she ran to the bathroom to get in the shower. She’d fallen asleep, succumbing to her tiredness. She didn’t bother setting her alarm, because she was so caught up in sexting Damian, that everything else paled in comparison.

  She took the quickest shower she could and got out and raced to get dressed for work. She was going to be late. There was no use thinking otherwise. She couldn’t get across town in less than fifteen minutes, and as she got in her car, she only had five minutes to spare. She rehearsed what she was going to say to him. It was a horrible impression to be late on the first day of a new job, and she could only take her punishment with ease.

  She parked in the attached parking garage and got out of her car, just as she shut it off. “I’m sorry Mayor Worthington for being late. My apologies as I’m usually a very punctual person. It will never happen again, and I promise you that you can count on me.” She almost ran into the courthouse, and as she waited for the elevator, she contemplated of taking the steps. She was sure she could make up her time, but she waited and waited and finally she did get the elevator to open. She punched in his floor number and took the slow journey up. “Please forgive me for my tardiness. There was an accident…horrible pile up.” She paused. “You can’t start off a job by lying, now can you?” The door dinged and opened up to reveal his office.

  Lily wasn’t at her desk, so Charity glanced around to see if she could find her. It was Derek that first appeared, though, and she was left to ramble on. Except, he was the one to initiate the conversation. He hurried out of his office and nearly bumped into her, obviously on a mission. He looked up, and darkness filled his face. “You’re late! I don’t tolerate tardiness, Ms. Parker.” Ms. Parker? His voice turned so formal. She desperately searched for something to say, but her mind was complete mush. “Don’t you have anything to say?” he asked. His eyes bore holes into her soul.

  “I…I’m sorry, Mayor Worthington. I…I…I overslept.”

  He looked away from her, as Lily approached the two of them. “Derek?” Lily asked.

  Derek turned back to Charity. “Don’t let it happen again!” He pushed past them and went to the elevator, leaving Charity frozen in place. He hates me! I’m going to lose this job before it barely even starts. She looked over at Lily and Lily gave her a genuine smile.

  “I truly apologize for being late.”

  Lily shrugged. “It happens. His bark is far worse than his bite. He’ll forget about it by noon. Trust me!” She patted Charity’s arm and continued to give her an encouraging smile. Charity hoped she was right. “Come on! I’ll give you the tour.”

  Charity followed her around the office, where Lily showed her everything from important files to where to go for Derek’s coffee. She explained how Derek took his coffee, and Charity fought the u
rge to explain she already knew. They wrapped their way around the office and back to her desk. “Where should I put my purse?” she asked. She noted how her voice was a little shaky as she was still settling down from the way Derek seemed so upset with her.

  “You can put it in this bottom drawer.” Lily opened up the bottom drawer of the desk and showed her how she could lock it. “You don’t usually have to worry about anyone else being in the office, as usually the only traffic is if Derek has a meeting in the conference room, or someone’s coming up to go to lunch with him. For the most part, it will be just the two of you.”

  Great! Just me and the man who hates me. Lovely. Charity smiled. “Sounds good. I do have a question.”

  “Sure. What is it?”

  “Um…do you call him, Derek? Or, should I resort to calling him Mayor Worthington at all times. I mean, I don’t want to be disrespectful or anything.”

  Lily laughed. “I completely understand. It’s true that I’ve worked with Derek for a while now, but it’s pretty common that everyone just calls him Derek. Now, I suppose if you were some stranger on the street, then you should stick to Mayor Worthington, but Derek usually doesn’t like titles, so I believe he’d agree with me.”

  Charity nodded. “Okay, then Derek it is.”

  Lily smiled. “Good. Now, you want to take a walk around the building, and I’ll show you everyone else that works here?”

  “I would like that!”

  Charity and Lily got on the elevator and stopped on each floor, where Charity was introduced to many councilmen, police officers, lawyers, and other city clerks that help run the town. Charity was left feeling overwhelmed and unsure whether she would remember who was who. When they rounded a corner, and she saw Jesse walking their direction, she considered making a dash get away from him.