After collecting her belongings, Jane returns to the hotel, eventually making her way out front where a car is waiting to take her to the restaurant to meet Brad. She is not sure if she even wants to see him right now. She’s feeling huffy and unbalanced, a mixture of sadness, disappointment, and anger. She really wonders why she should care. I mean, really. He’s a billionaire, and he can get whoever he wants.
The driver tries to speak with Jane, but she responds with one-word answers.
“You from New York?” he asks.
“Technically,” she says.
“A friend of Mr. Halliwell’s?”
“Maybe.”
“You married?”
“Why?” she responds, wanting to keep him guessing.
She feels like she is on some weird, emotional roller coaster that she can’t get off of. Brad is elusive, yet when he’s there with her, he is completely present. She feels so good when she’s with him, but then her paranoia takes over. At times, she worries she is being played somehow.
“Well, if I may say so, madam, you are a beautiful young lady, so anyone who gets to be with you is a lucky man,” he remarks.
Jane soaks in the compliments because this is not what she gets in New York.
“Well, thank you, sir. I will take your word for it,” she replies.
“One tip about Mr. Halliwell, ma’am. He holds onto his women for only so long. Usually there’s a spat, and it turns into, shall we say, too much passion,” he points out.
“Well, I’m not sure how Mr. Halliwell would feel about you speaking this way, but I appreciate your concern,” she responds gratefully.
“Just my two cents, madam. Take it for what it’s worth,” he adds.
“Thank you.”
This makes Jane feel nervous and sick to her stomach. She surely can’t tell Brad she knows this because it would implicate the driver, but it seems there are signs everywhere that keep showing her there’s something she just can’t trust about this guy.
Is it her fear, her gut instinct, or plain old common sense? Her uncle back home used to say, ‘Sweet baby Jane would get stuck in the middle of an intersection and just stand there because of her lack of common sense.’
“Well, here we are. Thai Bistro,” he says, slowing down in front of the place.
“Thank you, sir. Here, keep the change,” she says, passing him a tip.
Jane steps out into the hot air and immediately feels dizzy. She tries to catch her balance as she gets up. Someone at the restaurant comes out to escort her in.
“You’re with Mr. Halliwell?” he asks.
“Wow, who doesn’t Brad know? It seems everyone around here knows who he is,” she says.
“Well, yes. It is his island. He’s technically our boss here,” he says matter-of-factly.
“Oh. Well that explains why he seems to be able to get away with murder,” Jane comments. “Can’t say I’d want this kind of life, though, if you ask me. You’re just way too exposed to the world.”
“Indeed,” he replies. “So can I assume you’re not related to him, then?”
“Heck no,” Jane shoots back, afraid she’s going to get Brad’s reputation confused around here, and also because she’s not sure if she even wants to be associated with him at all right now.
Jane is escorted to the table. She is about 15 minutes early and realizes that with all the drama, she forgot to put the silly red thong back on. At this point, though, she’s not sure if she should bother.
She orders a Long Island Iced Tea and drinks it down as she sits and replays in her mind the events of the day so far.
Hmmm… he had to take a phone call, told me to meet him for lunch, then I find him in a hot tub with some other woman, and she eventually leaves. Did they sleep together earlier? Is she a woman who knows Brad from before? Have they slept together in the past?
Her mind is racing, and she has no idea how to shut it off.
She keeps wondering, though, what did he say to that woman? Why did she leave? Did he turn her down? Jane can only hope.
Deciding she’s not going to lose Brad to some woman she knows nothing about, Jane takes her purse and goes to the ladies’ room where she proceeds to remove her stockings and underwear, replacing it with the thong. She rolls up her garments and puts them in her purse.
The thong actually feels quite good. It rubs the inside of her cunt and against her ass. It makes her feel wet already, especially when thinking about the possibility of Brad reaching up her dress and touching her, outlining the thong with his fingers, and playing with her.
She would surrender and be his personal slut while he licks her deep and long until she squirts all over his face, right there in the stall, not caring at all about anyone else. Because, after all, it is his island, and he can do whatever the fuck he wants.
Jane pulls her skirt down and smooths it out, all lady-like. She leaves the stall and checks her makeup and lipstick. She looks pretty good, if she says so herself.
She checks to make sure the red thong isn’t showing through her skirt. All looks as it should.
She makes her way back to the table and finds that Brad is there.
“Hello, beautiful,” he says, standing up and kissing her hand.
“Well, thank you,” she says, a bit distantly. She still can’t seem to shake the hurt.
Brad can sense it, but tries to ignore it. He never knows what women are thinking, really.
“Have you ever had Green Basil Curry? This place makes the best in the world, I can guarantee it!” Brad says, trying to uplift her spirits.
“No, can’t say I have,” she replies, feeling sullen.
Brad orders an appetizer of fresh spring rolls, two orders of Green Basil Curry, and the finest white wine they have.
“Let’s celebrate having more time together,” he says, lifting his glass.
“Sure,” replies Jane, raising hers to clink against his. The appetizer arrives and they both start eating it in silence. Finally, Brad has to say something.
“Jane, I really have to speak up. I can tell you’re upset about something. What is it?” he asks, genuinely concerned.
Jane really didn’t want him to bring it up. She was hoping she could get through the meal without having to share these mixed feelings.
“It’s nothing, really. Just one of those days,” she says, nonchalantly.
“I see. Okay, I can take that. I have days like that,” he replies, reassuring her. “Well, just let me know if I can do anything for you, okay?”
Jane nods. “Yeah, sure.”
They continue to eat in awkward silence. Brad keeps pouring the wine, and Jane keeps drinking it. They both get tipsy, and finally Jane starts opening up, the liquid courage spurring her on.
“Well, honestly Brad, I don’t care what you think. I am feeling upset about something,” she replies, choking back her sadness.
“Okay, go ahead. What is it?” he says.
“Well, when we were together this morning, you said you had business to do, and you had to take an important phone call,” she explains.
“Yeah, that’s true.”
“Well, in my break time, I went down to the hot tub and…” Jane can hardly hold it in.
“You saw me with a woman in the hot tub. I know. I saw you on the other side of the door just before you ran away.”
This really took the steam out of Jane—the fact that he knew, the fact he wasn’t upset that she saw him, and the fact that he acknowledged this other woman in the hot tub. She really didn’t have anything she could hold against him.
“Did you think I was attracted to her?” Brad asks honestly, reaching out to hold Jane’s hand.
“Well… yes,” Jane says sheepishly, feeling ridiculous now.
“Well, I will let you know what happened, if that’s okay for you,” Brad says.
She nods her head, not wanting to force him to share if he doesn’t want to.
“Honestly, I know she is an attractive woman. I’m a g
uy and all. She started talking to me, and I just responded. She invited herself into the hot tub. What am I going to do? Tell her she can’t?” Brad says.
“Well no, I guess not,” Jane acknowledges. “Have you and her ever met before?” she asks.
“No, I’ve never seen her here before, which is unusual, because I know most people who come here. I still don’t know who she is, other than her first name,” he says with a concerned tone, wondering if perhaps she is some kind of journalist or spy. “But I need you to know one more thing. She did try to seduce me in the hot tub.”
Jane feels overwhelmed with jealousy. Brad can see her eyes welling up as her face turns away.
“That hurts you?” Brad asks, somewhat happy to know she cares this much.
Jane nods a bit, squeezing her lips together because she doesn’t want to admit it.
“Well, I turned her away. In fact, I didn’t feel turned on by her at all. For real. I could only think of you,” he says honestly, still holding her hand.
The warmth of his hand says a lot to Jane. She can sense how much he does care for her, and that he is being truthful.
“And the other thing is that, in my not-so-distant past, I would have probably had sex with her right there, just because I’ve been that kind of guy,” he says openly, not wanting to hold anything back from Jane.
Jane’s eyes widen, unsure of how to respond.
“Brad, that’s just it you see, this is what I don’t understand. I have no idea what you see in me. I have nothing to offer you. I’m broke, I’m 19, I’m a hick girl from Utah, I can hardly dance well, and I’m a virgin. How attractive is that? I mean, what man in his right mind would want me?” Jane says, grabbing the napkin to hide her tears.
“I want you, Jane,” Brad says, moving over to put his arm around her. “You see, one thing I realized today is that the hottest woman in the world could walk in here and promise to give me everything I want, and that still wouldn’t do it for me.
“You are capturing me. All those things you say are true. On paper, it seems ridiculous for me to pay a million dollars for the hope of something with you, but I can’t help myself. You do something to me that no one else has. Not even Kelly, my first love,” Brad says, admitting this for the first time.
“That still doesn’t explain what it is you like about me. I really don’t understand,” Jane says, feeling distressed and desperate.
“To be honest, I love your innocence. I’m really enjoying how real you are. You speak the truth, and you aren’t ashamed about who you are and where you’ve come from. I find that you are not only adorable but also stunning. The way you dance is full of heart, not just following the motions. You’re not trying to please anyone or prove yourself. You are just you, and that is enough for me,” he says, really wanting it to sink deep into her.
Jane feels his words penetrate her heart. She really can see that he means it, and she starts cheering up. She looks up, takes a deep breath, and feels herself come back to the room.
“The question really should be the opposite— why would you be interested in me?” Brad asks earnestly.
Jane is shocked, because it seems so obvious. Not just the money, but how he treats her. She thought he knew.
“I don’t even know where to begin to answer that,” says Jane.
“You don’t have to. Take as much time as you need,” responds Brad gently.
Chapter 33
“Well, it’s not that I need to think about it, Brad. I mean, it is surprising that you don’t know. It has nothing to do with your money,” she says, matter-of-factly. “It’s just that… well, I really haven’t had anyone take this much interest in me before. I really don’t know how to take it. It seems a bit overwhelming, to tell you the truth.”
“That surprises me, Jane. I really don’t know why anyone wouldn’t have scooped you up by now, but I can also see that you’ve been very dedicated to your dreams and you may not have noticed when someone was interested.”
“I’ll have to take your word for it. But back to why I’m attracted to you. I can only explain it as just the way you make me feel—like I’m the most beautiful woman in the world. I’m not used to this, and I find that it’s something I can’t fully believe, but I do love being treated this way,” says Jane, nestling into Brad’s shoulder. “I’m just nervous that soon you’re going to realize I’m not as exciting as you want me to be. I’m really just plain ol’ Jane Bryden. Nothing more.”
“You are way more than that to me, and I see you for who you are, not what you are.”
Brad reaches for her hand to help her stand up. “Here, let’s go out for some ice cream, okay?”
Jane stands up, her skirt grazing the chair, and she follows Brad, first reaching for her purse. In the process, her purse tumbles over and out falls her stockings and panties. Brad looks down and smiles, then reaches to pick them up.
“Well, it looks like we have something special here,” holding the garments between his fingers.
Jane is beyond embarrassed, and can’t believe he’s holding them up in public. He pulls her into a side alley and draws her closer. Sniffing her panties, he can tell she has worn them.
“Mmm… I love that smell,” he says, smiling.
He draws Jane closer to him, and her heart races. Grabbing her ass, he says, “So, does that mean you are not wearing anything underneath?”
She can feel his breath against her. She looks up into his beautiful, blue eyes and says, “Well, not quite. You gave me a little something, remember? Something red.”
Brad immediately gets hard and presses against Jane. Her pussy starts pulsating, and her stomach pulls in. She can’t stop squeezing her vagina, open and closed, the harder Brad gets.
She loves the smell of his cologne. It’s musky, manly, strong and yet not too overpowering. She feels so safe and turned on by him at the same time.
“Well, one thing I’m really fond of with you, Mr. Halliwell, is that you know how to make my pussy purr,” she whispers. “You bring out a wild beast in me I never knew existed,” she says openly. Jane can’t believe she’s telling him all of this, but it’s just pouring out of her mouth.
“Well, I’m glad. That’s exactly what I want to do to you,” he says, grabbing her ass harder and kissing her neck down to her cleavage.
“What I want to do to you, my dear Jane, is nothing short of naughty. I want those precious tits in my mouth so I can suck on them,” he says, lusting over her.
Jane doesn’t know what to do. So much of her wants to lift her skirt up, have him pull her up to his waist, unzip his pants, and put that big, hard cock deep inside her. She wants him to fuck her right there in the alley against the wall while he sucks on her tits.
“I’ll do whatever you want me to, Jane. Just give me the word,” Brad says, acting like a puppy dog.
Jane has never had someone beg for her, and she’s not very comfortable in knowing what to ask for.
“I want nothing more than for you to reach up under my skirt and pull my thong down,” she instructs.
He rubs her skirt against her thighs and moves the fabric up, scrunching it in his hand. “Like this?” he asks.
“Oh yes, just like that,” she whimpers as he rubs his fingers around her smooth skin.
Without exposing too much of her legs, he feels for the thong around her hips. He gets hornier knowing he’s getting closer to her sweet muff.
She starts moving her hips back and forth with desire for his fingers. He slowly pulls the thong down her thighs, rubs her on the inside, and feels some juices dripping down her legs. He’d love to lick her clean and move his tongue all around inside of her.
He imagines what her nakedness would look like, should the thong drop to her ankles.
He whispers in her ear, “You turn me on like no other woman I’ve ever met.”
He grabs her hand to feel his hard package.
“I can tell,” Jane giggles. “And can’t you tell you make me so wet and horny?”
she says.
She now feels nervous because she doesn’t know what comes next, or if she could ever really please him.
“You know I want you, right?” she says, stroking his hair.
Brad nods, ready to give her the time of her fucking life.
“But I’m just nervous and not ready yet. It’s my first time. I want it to be really special,” she says.
“This is special to me, baby,” Brad says back.
“No… really special, you know what I mean?” she says, scared she’s disappointing him.
“Sweetie, I want you to feel totally comfortable with me. I promised you that. Even though I want to eat you all up, I also don’t want you to do anything that you’re not ready for. I just can’t wait for us to be together,” he says.
He holds her while she cries with relief. “Oh Brad, thank you for being so patient with me.”
“You’re worth it, baby. You really are.”
Chapter 34
Brad grabs her hand and they walk down the street together, her skirt swaying in the wind. Brad puts his arm around her waist, squeezing Jane closer to him. She feels safe in his arms, at home and completely at ease.
They walk past a few stores and stop in at one—a Victorian Gift Shop. The place smells of potpourri, and the music is very light with chimes in the background.
“I’ll get you whatever you want in here. Don’t be shy,” Brad whispers in her ear.
“Really?” she says, unsure if she should accept. Her mind returns to their earlier discussion about money and his habit of buying friendship.
She picks up a little sachet with lavender in it for her lingerie drawer.
“This is lovely. I would like you to buy me this,” she says, looking at Brad with tender eyes.
Bridesmaid for Hire Page 32
