"What did you tell her?" Hunter asked, trying to pull my attention away from Bryce.
"To be honest, I still haven't answered yet. I was once again so shocked, I didn't know what to say, so I told her I'd think about it."
Each one of my brothers looked at me as if I had lost my mind. "Whoa, hold on a second. A girl gives you permission to screw her, no strings, and you don't jump at the chance?" Bryce questioned. "Are you feeling all right? I think you might be sick."
"Yes, I'm feeling fine," I said, getting up out of my chair and pacing across my office. "Oh, I know you don't believe this, but I do have a conscience. I do respect women, and I don't want to do anything that will jeopardize our friendship."
Bryce roared with laughter. "Jesus, that is the funniest thing I have heard all day."
Carter chuckled and stood up and walked towards the door. "I've got to get home to Hope and the kids. We're headed to the zoo tomorrow, and I promised them we'd go and stay overnight and make a weekend of it. Hunter, Bryce, I'll see you later. Chase, good luck." He chuckled again and walked out the door.
"See you Monday," Hunter said and turned back to face me. As soon as Carter was gone, Bryce came and sat in the empty chair on the other side of my desk.
"So, you have a conscience. Could have fooled us." Bryce laughed, bringing us all back to our conversation.
"Shut up. She's one of my best friends. What would you do?"
"Oh, so that makes it different than every other woman out there? And what would I do? I jump at the fucking chance."
"Yes, it does make a difference," I mumbled, ignoring his other comment.
"What are you afraid of, that she may not like your piggish ass afterward?" Bryce bit out. Bryce had stayed with me for a bit last year before he met Mia. He, of all of my brothers, knew exactly how I was.
I stopped pacing and looked over at Bryce. He had pretty much hit it on the head. What if, by doing this, we totally ruined the relationship we already had with each other? We basically spoke every day in one way or another, we hung out on weekends, vacationed with the same group of people in the summer, and I already knew that not having her in my life or her not speaking to me would probably kill me.
"That's exactly it." Bryce laughed when I didn't respond immediately. "You're afraid."
"Can I not share anything with you asses? I don't know what the hell to do. I've never been in this position before."
"Do whatever you think you should." Bryce shrugged, looking at his watch. "I've got to run too. We are expecting Mia's brother and his family this weekend. She'll kill me if I'm not home on time tonight, and since I'm already late, I'm gonna have to make it up to her. See you next week." He waved as he walked out of my office and soon he, too, was gone.
"Hunter, what would you do?" I asked, trying to get some kind of feedback from someone older and wiser—and perhaps a little more mature.
"Honestly?"
"Yes."
He blew out a breath and placed his hands behind his head. He took a few minutes and thought, and then took a deep breath. "Well, I'd have to consider a lot of things."
"Like?"
"What my relationship with said person is and what it might become afterward. So I get where you are coming from on that front. I mean things are going to work out one of two ways: either everything will go back to the way it is now, or the worst, this will drive a rift right between you. You need to figure out how comfortable you would be with that last aspect. You also need to think about protecting yourself. I mean we as a company have a shit-tonne to lose if you go through with this, and then she wants to come after you financially."
"I'm not worried about that. Sophie is in a good place, and I've known her my entire life. Hell, we've all known her. I don't think she is doing this in any way to be vindictive."
"Neither do I, but the stress of dealing with a child alone can do a lot of funny things to people. What happens if she falls in love with you and you don't return the feelings, or you get married and she resents you forever and comes after you. You need to think of all of these things. I mean, you are right, we have known her all her life. Now, on the other hand, you also need to figure out what would happen if you end up wanting more."
"I won't," I immediately replied.
Hunter chuckled at my quick and immediate answer and rubbed the back of his neck. "Listen, I know I'm in a way different place than you are currently, but when I found out Autumn was pregnant, something in me changed. It was like a switch. Suddenly, I wanted to see my baby be born and grow up, and it killed me when she pushed me away. What if you feel the same way and she wants nothing to do with you?"
"Seriously? I'm a donor, nothing more," I bit out.
"So, then you’re telling me you're going to do it?"
I looked at my brother. Hunter had brought up great points, and I'd given zero thought to how I might feel about the entire process, especially how I might feel afterward. I'd also given zero thought to what would happen if she wanted more. I blew out a breath and dropped my head back and stopped and thought for a second. I hadn't really thought about any of the things he’d brought up. All I'd seen was the hurt in her eyes when she walked away from me. I'd seen it before caused by others, and I'd seen happiness, and honestly, I liked seeing the second better. I just wanted to do whatever it took to see that happiness in her eyes again.
"All I'm saying is be careful and be prepared for what you might not expect. Sophie has lived in Kings Cove her entire life, and she isn't going anywhere."
"What is that supposed to mean, she isn't going anywhere?"
"Well, it means that one day, after all this is done with, you will probably run into her on the street. Your son or daughter will be with her. The part that will hurt the most will be the fact that they won't even know who you are when you run into them, but you will. He or she will just think you are nothing more than an acquaintance that their mother knows, but you're going to know. I just want you to think and be fully prepared for how that might feel."
I sat there considering what he had just said. I knew there was a lot of truth in what he was saying. I had seen what a mess he had been over the whole Autumn situation. I blew out a breath.
"Oh, and what if she ends up wanting child support? That can end up being an entirely different can of worms. We work in the law field. Ask Carter the shit he's seen people pull. It will definitely open your eyes."
I nodded. He was right. "What do you think I should do?"
"If you are absolutely sure that you’re really going to be finished with this situation after the deed is done, then form a contract and make her sign an NDA," Hunter said, crossing his arms and sitting back in the chair. "If you aren't totally sure, then make sure you do a little soul searching yourself before you enter into anything with her."
"Thanks, man. I'll be working on that tonight."
"So I guess that is your answer then?"
"Yeah, I think so. I told her I'd have an answer to her by this weekend."
"Well, just be careful. Make sure it’s the right thing for you, and if you need anything, just call me, okay?"
Hunter got up and walked to the door, turning the handle, and was just about to leave when I cleared my throat.
"Hunter?"
"Yeah?"
"She wants it to be natural and fun. How the hell am I going to do that?"
"Treat her no different than the way you've treated the other women you have been with." He shrugged.
"No. I just mean she's my friend. It's going to awkward enough. I don't want to fuck this up."
"Fuck, do you need me to teach you how to use your fucking cock too?" He chuckled. "I dunno, get her some toys, have fun with it. Get her worked up, just relax, and have a good time. Remember, it’s only a week, and since there is no relationship going to be formed, you really can't possibly fuck anything up."
That was Hunter's advice. Before I could tell him I was more worried about fucking up my friendship with her, he had already
left my office and was on his way.
I stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around my waist. I dripped dry while I shaved, and then I walked to the kitchen with a renewed sense of who I was. The weight of having the decision lifted off me had made me feel much lighter than I had in days.
I pulled the fridge open and grabbed a beer and wandered into the living room. Flopping down onto the couch, I turned on the TV to catch some late-night news.
I needed to unwind. The tension I'd been carrying in my upper back and neck all week was now killing me. As I had driven home, I'd been happy with my decision, but now I realized that I wasn't proud of most of the things I had done when it came to women. I let out a breath. I didn't want Sophie to become just another woman on that already long list.
I thought back to the afternoon. All I had gotten from Bryce were wisecracks about my sex life. Hunter had been the one who had made the most sense. He had spoken to me from his heart. He genuinely wanted me to be prepared.
I picked up my cell phone, checking again to see if she had messaged me while I had been in the shower, but the only message that sat there was mine. "Fuck," I mumbled under my breath.
I threw my cell phone down on the couch beside me and reached for the documents I had printed earlier and started reading them over once again, making sure everything I wanted to be included was there. I was about halfway through them when my phone started to vibrate, and when I looked down at my screen, I saw Sophie was calling.
"Moment of truth," I murmured before taking a deep breath. I hesitated for a moment and stared at her name, and then I picked up my phone and answered.
9
Sophie
"I heard from Chase," I practically shouted into the phone. "He said yes." My stomach flopped at the thought. I lay in bed staring up at the ceiling, twirling a strand of my hair around my finger as I waited for a response from Jenna.
"EEEK! All right, girl, this calls for a day of shopping. We need to get your primped and primed and ready. We need to shop. We need to go to the spa and get things waxed. Oh, I am so excited. When is he coming? No pun intended." She laughed.
"Tomorrow, for one week."
"You guys live two blocks away from one another and you’re taking him hostage?"
I was giddy with excitement and began laughing. "No. It's part of my plan. I have to maximize my time."
"Maximize your time?"
"Yes, that way we can get in as many sessions as possible."
“You make it sound as if this is a therapy appointment.”
I let out a laugh. “I guess you are right.”
"Okay, if you say so. Well, this calls for a girls’ day, so get dressed. We are going out."
"What? I can't. I have so much to do," I said, looking around my already spotless apartment.
"Yeah, sure, I know you. You are laying there thinking your apartment is such a disaster when in fact you could eat right off your floor because you can't even find a piece of lint. So whatever you need to do, we will do it together. Get ready. I'm coming to pick you up."
Before I could say anything, Jenna was gone, and I threw my phone down on the bed and let out a breath. Twenty minutes had gone by before I had gotten up and showered, and now I sat beside Jenna at Kings Cove's only day spa, Pampered Soul, with my feet propped up on the footrest while some woman went to town filing the soul of my foot.
"What color polish would you like?" she asked me, handing me a color selection to choose from.
I looked over at Jenna, who was rooting through her purse for something and let out a breath. I had just begun flipping through the colors when Jenna suddenly ripped them from my hand.
"Oh no, no, no, no, no, no, you don't. I will choose. You need something hot and sexy. She needs something hot and sexy for her date," she said, smiling at the girl.
"I'm capable of choosing hot and sexy," I said, trying to reach for the color selection and failing as Jenna pulled them farther away from my reach.
"Oh no, the last time you needed to select hot and sexy, you ended up choosing clear coat. No, no, we need something more like this." She held out a deep, dark-red color.
I looked at her as if she had lost her mind. There was no way I could wear a color like that. "Jenna, no way. Bogota Blackberry is not going on my toes."
"Oh yes, it is. She will take this one please," Jenna said, handing the colors back to the pedicurist. "Actually, make it two please. You'll see, clear coat is something my grandmother wears, and she hasn't had a date in years," Jenna said, smiling and looking immensely proud of herself.
"Jenna," I bit out, trying hard not to laugh at the face she was making.
"Girl, you need to chill out. Now sit back, relax, and don't worry. Just trust me." Jenna sat back and closed her eyes, urging me to do the same.
I finally sat back and did my best to enjoy my time with Jenna. It took an hour, and now we finally sat waiting while our toes dried. Jenna had just put her phone back into her purse and looked to me. "Okay, so what is next?"
"Well, I need to shop for food, wine, flowers, and candles."
She glanced down at her phone and then over at me. "That's all? What about lingerie? Sheets? Perhaps a scented bubble bath? Give me your list." She held out her hand, and I reluctantly placed my folded list in it. She opened the paper and read over what I had written, and without a word, she pulled a pen from her purse.
"What are you doing?" I frowned as she circled some things, crossed others out, and chewed on the end of her pen, lost in thought.
"I'm making some...ah...shall we say, minor adjustments. Do you trust me?"
"Ha, yeah, look at my toes. Do I trust you. Clear coat would have been more...me."
"Yeah, and the next thing I know, you will be going to the old-age residence over on Madison and partaking in bingo night. All right, girl, let’s go, we have lots to do." Jenna said, dropping my list and the pen into her purse.
Twenty minutes later, we walked through Bed Bath and Beyond, making our way to the bedding department. I stopped at the first sheet display I came to, the one I always purchased from, while Jenna continued to make her way deeper into the department. I had decided on my usual sheets in a different color and was about to make my way over to the candles when I heard Jenna call my name. I turned around to see her walking towards me holding a package of sheets over her head. I wandered over to meet her, afraid of what she was going to present me with.
"These. These are the best sheets in the world. These are what you need." She shoved the package into my hands and took the sheets I had chosen and threw them on top of the nearest display.
"But I like what I had."
"Sophie, my love, trust me. Matt loves these sheets. They were the sheets I had on my bed the first time we...you know."
I held my hand up to stop her from divulging anything else. I knew I wasn't going to get away with anything different, so I succumbed. "Fine, but I'm taking these too," I said, grabbing the other package.
"But those ones are not going on your bed. These ones are," she said, grinning at me while she shook the package.
"I don't see what it matters, honestly. Sheets are sheets."
"Girl, trust me, it matters!"
"I'm not trying to seduce him. We are having sex for one purpose, that is all."
Jenna burst out laughing. "Girl, there is nothing wrong with a little seduction. This is Chase Malone! You need to have some fun. I’m sure he’d appreciate a little seduction! Plus, the remaining women in this town that have yet to sleep with him would kill for this opportunity. Are you blind? Do you not see them looking at him everywhere we go?"
"To be honest, I've never really paid attention. Besides, I wouldn’t know how to seduce him anyways." I shrugged and continue following Jenna through the store. Just as we approached the cash register, she stopped and turned to me, grabbing me by the shoulders. "You need to have fun with this, Sophie. Relax and have fun. I know it’s a new concept for you."
I ignored her
words, made my way to the checkout, and paid for my purchase. As soon as we were out of the store, Jenna was pulling me over to Forever His, a small lingerie store. I walked over to my usual table—cotton bras and panties—and glanced over to where Jenna stood. I could feel my face heating at the items she was sifting through. I stood there blushing just from watching her. It wasn't a wonder I had never made my way over to that table, those things totally intimidated me. Ignoring Jenna, I turned back to the table I was looking at and picked up a couple of pairs of panties when I heard her call my name.
"Oh, Sophie, this would great on you!" She held up a black lacy bra.
I swallowed hard and nodded. I guessed I could pull it off, until she held up the matching panties. "Are they....are they crotchless?" I whispered, ripping them out of her hand before anyone saw what she was holding up.
Jenna let out a loud laugh. "Yes! You need these."
"Jenna, no. There is no way I am going to wear those," I said, turning my back on her and sifting through the pile of cotton panties that were way more my speed.
"Come on, Soph. Come on, lighten up. These are fun!" She giggled, “Matt loves…”
I held up my hand to stop her, "SHHH…I don't even know who I am shopping with right now," I said, throwing down the panties I had picked out and went to walk away.
"It's your best friend, who is making sure you are going to have the time of your life this week." She shoved the bra and panties into my hand, looking me in the eyes. "Trust me. One week, Sophie. One short week, and then you are going to have a bun in the oven, and your sex life will be over."
I burst out laughing. That was the funniest thing I'd ever heard—my sex life. My sex life in the last five years had consisted of two men. That was it. One who never made me orgasm, and one who kissed like a lizard and had never gotten past third base. So if it was my sex life she was truly worried about, I hated to tell her it was already non-existent.
"What's so funny?"
"My sex life, that is what is funny. It's been so long since I've had sex, I'm pretty sure I almost forget how to do it."
Finding Forever with You (The Malone Brothers Book 4) Page 5
