by Lacey Wolfe
Josh stood and held his hand out to her. She hesitated a moment but then took it. He pulled her up. “I’m going to head out. If she’s mine, I promise I will take care of her and you.”
“She is yours.”
Josh smiled. “I know. She reminds me of my mother. But this test needs to be done regardless, if I want to legitimize her.”
“I understand,” Abigail snapped.
Josh reached out for her, but she stepped back. “What’s wrong? Things have been going really good tonight.”
“It’s this whole situation. It’s getting to me. It’s like you’ve waltzed right in and become a part of our lives. But at the end of the week, you’re leaving. And when you do, I have no job to return to and yet still have bills to pay.”
“I’ll take care of you.”
“I’m not some child that needs to be taken care of though. I’ve been independent all these years.” She paused before adding, “but I guess you just don’t understand. You’ve probably always had money.”
“Let’s just get through tomorrow and before I leave, I promise we’ll figure this all out, okay?”
Abigail nodded, not having much fight left in her tonight. The last two days had been emotionally draining and at this point she wasn’t sure what she wanted.
Josh took her hand and kissed the back of her palm. He then removed a card from his wallet, handing it to her. “This is where we’re going tomorrow. Would you like me to pick you both up?”
“No, we’ll meet you there.”
“Okay.” He moved toward the door. “See you tomorrow.”
After he was gone, Abigail was able to let out a huge sigh of relief. Life was about to change and she prayed it was for the best. In the meantime, she had to go against Josh and find a job. She already had an interview set up in the morning. She couldn’t take a chance on Josh yet and the offers he had. For all she knew, when he left at the end of the week, she would never see him again
Chapter Four
“And tell me, why would I want to hire you when Freddy Regan let you go?” the scrawny man in front of Abigail asked.
“He didn’t want to let me go. I was his number one act,” Abigail argued.
“So you say. Go on up onstage, show me what a number one act is.” The repulsive man pointed at the stage.
“I don’t have an outfit.”
“You got panties on underneath what you’re wearing?”
She nodded, feeling nauseous with the way his eyes groped her.
“Then you have what I need. Now strip.”
Abigail sighed and then did as he said. This strip joint wasn’t nearly as nice as the one she’d come from. She wondered what the cliental was like here and if it was even worth trying to get the job. On stage, she waited for the music but it didn’t come.
“What are you waiting on?” the man demanded.
“Music?”
He laughed. “If you have the talent you claim, then you don’t need music to aid you. Strip and dance or get off my stage.”
Taking a deep breath, she slowly and seductively removed her clothes, leaving them in a pile on the small stage. She then set forth with the number the men all loved at the other club. Holding onto the pole, she grinded her hips into it as she moved up and down. Next she wrapped her legs around it and spun around with one hand, all while undoing her bra with the other. She cupped her breasts and flicked her nipples. She stole a glance at the owner and he looked very pleased. Leaning back against the pole, she hooked her thumb into the tops of her panties and slowly lowered them.
“Okay,” he said in a throaty tone. “You’ve got the job.”
Pulling her panties back up, she grinned. “Thank you.”
“I don’t know what Freddy was thinking, but man, you’re one hot piece of ass. When can you start?”
“Next week.” She had to wait until Josh was gone.
“Saturday night or not at all.”
Reaching down, she grabbed her clothes. “I can do Saturday.”
“Good.”
She dressed and then met him off the stage. “I really appreciate it, Mr. Taylor.”
His eyes were dilated and she had a feeling he was hoping she’d reciprocate how much she appreciated it.
“I have to go get my daughter from school. I’ll see you Saturday evening.”
He nodded. “Seven. Don’t be late.”
Abigail left as quickly as she could. She had to get Hailey now and across town for the DNA test. And she still hadn’t figure out how to tell Hailey why she was getting her cheek swabbed.
* * * *
Josh sat in the waiting room. Abigail and Hailey were running late, but at least Abigail had called and let him know. Traffic was backed up, she said, from a train.
He thought back to his conversation with Nate, who warned him not to get attached just yet. But it was too late for that. Just as he’d told Abigail last night, he knew without a doubt that little girl was his. He felt a bond with her immediately and when she cuddled up with him in the rocker, all the anger and pain he’d been feeling about the situation faded. He was meant to be with her and Abigail, regardless.
Abigail. She was going to be a tough one to convince. She had a brick wall around her and he wasn’t sure she was willing to let anyone in. She’d been doing it alone for years and she was content that way. He was positive the only reason she was letting him anywhere near their daughter was because she’d hidden it from him. If the roles were reversed, she’d have chased him out of there with a baseball bat.
He only had a few more days in town and needed to take that time to win them both over. Nate thought it was crazy that he wanted Abigail and to be a family. Nate felt like he should be angry and take the woman to court. And all kinds of other things. But he wanted Abigail. He always had. He never should’ve let her get away all those years ago. If he had been smart, he’d have gone after her. She’d be a lawyer by now and they might even have another child.
He was going to see that her dreams still came true. She deserved it. Not to be getting naked for men. As long as he had his way, she’d never return to that lifestyle. Even in the event Hailey turned out not to be his, he still wanted both of them.
The door swung open and Abigail and Hailey entered the office. They each had their golden hair up in ponytails.
“Hi, Mr. Carter,” the little girl said as she took a seat next to him. “Mommy said you and I are taking a test.”
“We are. Did she tell you what kind of test?”
She nodded her head real dramatically up and down. “To see if we’re related.”
He grinned at her but didn’t say much else. He then glanced at Abigail, who leaned against the wall, arms crossed, and appeared to be nervous. “How are you?”
“Good.”
He was about to pry a little more, but the door to the back opened and a nurse called their names. “Are you ready?” he asked Hailey.
“I hope so. Mommy said she is taking me for ice cream after this.”
“Oh yum. What’s your favorite kind?” he asked as the three of them went into the back.
“Chocolate with sprinkles.”
“Me too. The sprinkles especially.”
Hailey giggled. “We must be related.”
Abigail helped the little girl up on the table. The test only took a few minutes and they were on their way. In the parking lot, they parted ways. He wanted to spend more time with them, but could tell Abigail needed space. Him being here was getting to her, so he’d give her tonight. But tomorrow he planned to surprise her while Hailey was at pre-school.
* * * *
Abigail removed the yellow gloves and went in search of water to curve her thirst. Whenever she was stressed out, she cleaned. As she sipped the water, pride filled her that her place sparkled and smelled of lemon and bleach. Now to get herself clean.
Setting the bottle down on the counter, she began to lift her shirt up over her head.
Knock knock.
Abig
ail pulled the edge of her tank top back down. She glanced at the clock and thought it was early for the mail man to be here, but he might’ve been ahead of schedule today. Then again, she wasn’t expecting a package at the moment, so it probably wasn’t the mailman. She stood on her tiptoes and peeked through the peep hole. Josh. What was he doing here?
Opening the door, she said, “Hailey’s at school.”
He held an envelope in his hand. He couldn’t possible have the test results already. Then again, he had money, so anything was possible. “I’m here to see you. Can I come in?”
Abigail stepped back out of the way and let him enter.
“It smells good.” He glanced around.
“I was cleaning. I was just about to wash up before you showed up unexpected.”
He grinned. “I thought we could open this together.”
She eyed the white rectangle in his hand. “That’s for you. Not me. I know you’re the father. You were the last man I was with.”
“Before you found out you were pregnant?”
She laughed. “No, as in you’re the last man I’ve ever had sex with.”
“You don’t mean…”
“Oh, yeah, I mean it. I’m a single mother. I don’t have time to date.” He was quiet and she found it amusing. She could only imagine the thoughts running through his head. “Open it up.”
He set the envelope on the table next to him and closed the space between them. “It was five years ago that you and I were intimate. And in all this time, you’ve never gone to bed with another man?”
“You’re still on that?” Men.
His hand wrapped around her neck and he pulled her face to his. “Do you have any idea what it does to me to know I was the last one to touch you?”
She shook her head. “What does it mean to you?”
“How about I show you? Can I?”
She gazed at his lips and licked hers. Before she knew what was happening, she nodded and his mouth crushed against hers. He stole her breath when his tongue swooped in and met hers. She reached out and grabbed his shoulders, bringing her body closer to his.
Her body burst with pleasure, the same way she felt years ago. His arms wrapped around her and lifted her. Her legs intertwined with his waist. Josh spun her around, setting her on the same table the envelope was on.
He ended the kiss, but only to begin a trail on her cheek, to her chin, neck, and collarbone. “Oh God,” she murmured.
She arched into him as his tongue licked the top of her cleavage. Her core ached to be touched. She wanted this man badly. Instinct kicked in and she reached out, yanked a handful of his dress shirt, and smashed her lips to his. Her fingers began working his buttons. Once a few were undone, she slipped her hand inside his shirt and across his firm chest.
“You’re amazing,” he whispered before his thumb flicked over her nipple.
Abigail gasped and then went back to working on his shirt. Just as she reached the last button, she looked up at him and saw the passion in his eyes. But then she wondered what she was doing. Should she be doing this with him? She barely knew the man and for all she knew, when he returned home, she may hear from him again. She couldn’t risk it.
She pushed him away and hopped off the table.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“We can’t do this.”
He came up behind her. “We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”
Oh, she wanted to. And her soaking wet panties were all the confirmation she needed. But her heart couldn’t handle it.
“I think you should go.”
“What about the results?”
Abigail turned back toward him. “Like I said before, those are for you. I don’t need to see them.” She left the room for the shower she had originally set out for earlier.
Chapter Five
Josh sat on his bed in his hotel room and stared at the sealed envelope. He then picked up the photo of Hailey that he’d taken and studied the little child. He never told Abigail his mother’s name. If he’d seen her more years ago, he was sure that he would’ve. But one night of passion didn’t leave them much time to talk.
Hailey had large round eyes and the shape of them reminded him of his mom. He had no doubt what the contents of the envelope would tell him. He didn’t need to see it to know. He opened his briefcase and tucked it away inside. He’d burn it if he could, but knew he’d need the results to legitimize Hailey as his. And he planned to. He wanted to give her everything she dreamed of.
Perhaps he could convince Abigail to come live with him in New York. He then remembered what she said—him being the last man she’d ever been with. It warmed his heart to think of her as untouched. And that the last man to bring her pleasure had been him. Now to convince her she would never need any other man but him.
He was glad she’d stopped their make-out session today. It would give her time to figure out if she wanted him or not and not based on the desire he lit in her at that moment.
Josh’s cell phone rang, pulling him from his thoughts. “Josh speaking.”
“Sir, I know you’re away on business and mini-vacation, but there’s been an emergency and we need you back in New York ASAP,” his secretary said with urgency in her voice.
“What’s the emergency?”
“The union is threatening to go on strike.”
Crap. “I’ll be there this evening. Call and get my jet ready.”
“Yes, sir.”
He hung up. Leaving right now wasn’t what he’d wanted, but it looked as though he had no other choice. Once things got settled, he’d call Abigail and arrange to have her and Hailey fly out to him for a weekend.
* * * *
Abigail set her phone down on the car counsel after listening to the voicemail from Josh. He had left and gone back to New York. He claimed there had been a work emergency, but she wasn’t so sure she believed him. Maybe he was like other men, and when she didn’t spread her legs, he took off. Well, at least he was gone before she had made the mistake and sat down to tell Hailey just who he was. For now, she would wait until her daughter was older.
Abigail pulled the checkbook from her purse and then headed inside the pre-school.
“Hi, Mrs. Smith,” Abigail greeted the director of the school.
“Ms. Reese, it’s good to see you. I wasn’t expecting to see you in today. Let me call back and have them bring Hailey up.”
Abigail chuckled. “Tuition’s due. I always come in on this day.”
“Oh, well, I figured since your paid up for the next few months…”
“Wait, what? Is my account mixed up with someone else?”
“No. A gentleman came by and took care of it. I figured you knew.”
Josh hadn’t been lying when he said he’d take care of Hailey. “Oh, yeah, I forgot. Silly me.” Hailey came running through the front doorway and clung to her mother. “Well, we’ll see you next week.”
Abigail picked Hailey up and toted her outside to the car. She wasn’t sure how she felt about Josh at the moment, but if he did help out with Hailey’s expenses, perhaps she wouldn’t have to strip any longer. She’d at least go Saturday since she’d made a commitment, but after that, she wasn’t so sure.
“Mommy,” Hailey called from the back seat.
“Yes, honey.”
“Did you get the tests back?”
“What test?”
“The one with that man, Mr. Carter.”
Leave it to her daughter to remember such a thing. “Oh, yes, he did.”
“Are we related?”
Abigail sucked in her breath and then slowly let it out. Her daughter was much too smart for her to lie to. “Yes, honey, you two are.”
“Good, ‘cause I really like him. I want him to come over more.”
Abigail tried to contain her emotions, but it was hard. Having a child could do that. They were so pure and understanding. “Well, we’ll see what he wants to do.”
Hailey didn’t sa
y anything else. She looked out the window for the rest of the drive home.
* * * *
Josh climbed out of the cab in front of Abigail’s apartment. He had missed them both so much he’d fueled up his jet and flew back to North Carolina as soon as he could. He wanted to surprise her and Hailey and hoped it wasn’t too late. It was a little after seven on Saturday. He’d tried calling earlier, but hadn’t gotten them. Hopefully they didn’t already have plans.
He knocked on the door and was greeted by a woman he didn’t know. “Hi, is Abigail here?”
“She’s working,” the older woman said.
Something in his gut told him he wasn’t going to like where this conversation was headed. “Where is she working?”
“I don’t think I’m at liberty to say at this moment.”
Hailey peeked her head around the lady. “Hi, Mr. Carter.”
“Hi, sweetie, I was coming over to see you and your mommy tonight. I miss you both.”
“Mommy’s working like she does every Saturday,” Hailey confirmed his fear.
“Oh, I forgot. You be good for this lady, okay?”
“I will.”
He smiled until his back was to them and the door was closed. Anger boiled through him. Had he not promised to take care of her? Did she not believe him? It wasn’t like he’d just abandoned her. He’d left her a message explaining why he left. It wasn’t like he was never coming back. Unless she thought that? No, she couldn’t. He was positive he’d been making his feelings to her known.
Either way, he was calling Freddy and letting him know he wasn’t pleased. But after the phone call with him, he learned that she wasn’t stripping at his place. Instead, rumor had it she was the star act at one of the slummiest places in town. Abigail couldn’t be that desperate, could she? There was only one way to find out and that was to go into the shithole and see if she was there.
The cab arrived back quickly and when he made it to the strip joint, he asked that the driver wait on him and to keep the meter running. His plan was to go in there, yank her out, and take her back to her place. The mother of his child was not going to be doing this for a living.
