Friends With Extra Benefits

by Luke Young

  Josh glanced at Natalie and found her still seething. Sighing, he looked down at the release agreement and began reading. Moments later, he shook his head with a frown. “There is no way you’re getting off the hook for a quarter million dollars when the value of future books in this series is worth at least fifty times that.”

  “Ms. Grayson will be publishing the next book with or without this release,” Stanley shot back.

  “Well, then, prepare for another lawsuit.”

  “Mr. Roth, bring it on. The publicity from Miss Brookhart’s first suit still has the book on the bestseller’s list. We’re quite confident that Miss Brookhart is now herself a celebrity as a result of this ordeal. And as a celebrity, we believe that her image is fair game, and you’ll lose at the next trial. Either way, we would relish the publicity another sensational trial such as this would bring.”

  Natalie whispered in Josh’s ear, “They can’t do this, can they? She can’t write about me again. I—”

  Josh softly said, “Calm down. I’ll take care of this.”

  “We’re going to require final approval of the manuscript, and you’re going to have to come up with something in the seven-figure range for this—”

  “Mr. Roth, it’s not going to happen,” Stanley interrupted. “We’re not turning over editorial approval to your client. You have our offer. It’s good until the end of the month.” He stood and Jillian followed him.

  Josh rose from his chair and left Natalie sulking at the table. Josh and Stanley shook hands. Josh nodded to Jillian before she and Stanley slipped out of the room. Turning back to Natalie, Josh said, “I think we can at least get them up to half a million.”

  She stared at him with her expression unreadable.

  With a hopeful expression, he asked, “Would you like to go to dinner tonight to discuss it?”

  Shaking her head, Natalie gave him a tired look before standing and heading for the door.

  “Natalie… Natalie!” Josh called after her.

  She turned back, “Are you like the worst lawyer on the planet?”

  “What? No, I… Look, we won and—”

  “We won?” she said sarcastically. He opened his mouth to reply, and she held her hand up to stop him.

  “We didn’t win.”

  “I’m sure I can get a better offer.”

  Natalie shot him a tired look.

  “Dinner?” Josh pleaded pathetically.

  Glaring at him, she slowly turned and left the room.

  Two days later, Josh sat in his office, wearing a bright smile. He glanced at the clock then called out to reception for the third time in the previous twenty minutes. “Is she here yet?”

  “Mr. Roth, no. She… Wait, yes, she just walked in.”

  “Send her back.”

  Josh stood, straightened his tie, cupped his hand over his mouth, blew into it, and checked his breath. He shook his head with a grimace, thinking he should have skipped the coffee. Quickly, he opened a desk drawer and fumbled for a pack of mints.

  Just as he slipped one into his mouth, Natalie took a step into his office.

  He smiled at her as he quickly tried to suck the mint down.

  “I…” he began then choked on the mint. Natalie stared at him with an incredulous look.

  He coughed, cleared his throat, then plowed ahead, “I have great news.”

  “They increased the offer?” Natalie asked.

  Josh approached her. “No, but…” She turned to leave. He put his hands on her shoulders and guided her to a chair. “It’s better.”

  After closing the door, he swallowed the mint, checked his breath again, and rushed to his chair. Josh sat down and gave her a big, goofy smile.

  She frowned. “What the hell is it, Josh? I hope you didn’t bring me all the—”

  “You’ll never guess who called me last night from L.A.?”

  She gave him a tired look. “I don’t know… Snoop Dogg?”

  Narrowing his eyes, he scoffed. “A Mr. Hugh Hefner.”

  “No way.” Natalie’s mouth shot open, and she moved to the edge of her seat.

  Josh nodded. “Evidently, you have a big fan in the Playboy mansion. They want you to be the centerfold in the June issue.”

  “How much?”

  He widened his eyes. “Seven-hundred-fifty thousand.”

  “No freaking way.” She beamed as she jumped up and began pacing around the room.

  “Heff followed the trial. He heard about the pictures, and they want you do a nude pictorial of all the ballet poses. Plus, they want to do a full article about the trial and the book, all of it. This is big.”

  Natalie turned to him. “And the settlement?”

  “They won’t budge. But I read the release, and it’s fair. They’ve outlined how you’ll be portrayed, and it really isn’t that bad. I mean, actually much better than you already were in the first—”

  “Stop talking before I walk out of here,” she said with a grin.

  “Sorry… So, are you happy?”

  Natalie gave him a sexy smile as she slowly made her way to him. Rolling his chair out from the desk, Josh spun toward her.

  “I’ve missed you so much,” he whined.

  “I don’t think I hate you anymore.” Natalie slipped down to her knees in front of him.

  “That’s, uh, good.”

  She placed a hand on each of his thighs and slowly ran them up toward his fly. “Do you think you could get Heff up to a million?”

  Josh began, “I’m not sure if they…” He stopped talking when she pulled her hands away from his pants.

  She frowned. “Oh, I think there’s room for negotiation.”

  “There might be some,” Josh said slowly.

  Placing her hands over his growing erection, she massaged it a bit. He closed his eyes as she unzipped his fly and pulled out his manhood. She worked it until it was fully hard, opened her mouth, and moved down until she was within a millimeter of his hot flesh before she glanced up at him. “Tell me you’ll get them to a million.”

  Josh opened his eyes and stared down at her. Natalie’s warm breath tingled his sensitive skin. Her lips were so close to it as she breathed out once more, waiting for his reply. He fought to speak.

  “Tell me,” she repeated.

  “Uh, I, uh…” he murmured as he wished he were just a half inch longer, for then he’d be inside her lips.

  “A million… Say it,” she whispered.

  He nodded, mesmerized. “I’ll get them to a million.”

  She grinned before wrapping her lips around him.

  The night of Victoria’s birthday party, the crowd gathered in Jillian’s backyard out by the pool. Adam and fifty of Victoria’s friends were in attendance, and the event was catered with delicious food and featured a bartender and wait staff. Victoria was just entering her thirty first week of pregnancy. Looking at her from the back, you could barely tell she was pregnant at all, especially in her stylish, short maternity dress. The front was another story. There, she carried the baby beautifully in a fairly large, yet compact, ball.

  Her breasts were, however, enormous. They had somehow expanded even further since the trial. All the other women looked her over jealously as nearly all the men who glanced at her imagined what she’d look like naked. A few even enjoyed a pregnant woman sex fantasy as they watched her mingle with the crowd.

  Victoria and Adam stood together, chatting. Just as the cake was being carried outside, Victoria grimaced in pain and clutched her stomach. Adam grasped her elbow; she smiled and shook her head as she rubbed her hand over her belly.

  “Wow that was different.” She exhaled deeply. “It didn’t feel like a normal kick by my little friend here.”

  He held her, and she was fine for a moment until her mouth opened wide, and she doubled over again. Jillian rushed over, concerned, as Adam put his arm around her waist and helped her to a chair.

  “I’m fine, really.”

  Adam and Jillian knelt down next to h
er as the guests stared on in silent concern. Brian came over and put his hand on Jillian’s shoulder. “Is she okay?”

  Jillian said, “We should take you to the hospital.”

  “No, really I just need to sit for a—” Victoria’s words dropped off as she moved her hand down between her legs. “I’m a little wet down here. This can’t be my water, right? It’s too early for that. Jillian, what’s going on?”

  “Don’t worry. Brian, get the car,” Jillian said calmly.

  Brian rushed off as Jillian directed two male guests to help Victoria to the driveway. Jillian sat in the backseat with Victoria as Brian drove quickly to the hospital.

  She was whisked up to the maternity ward, where a number of tests were performed. Both Victoria and the baby’s vital signs were stable. Victoria had experienced a premature rupture of the membranes, which led to a leak of the amniotic fluid. She was given antibiotics to fend off any potential infection and corticosteroids to help the baby’s lungs mature faster, in the event that a premature delivery would be required.

  Brian called Jim and updated him on the situation. Jim was ready to get in the car and make the twenty-four hour drive to Miami, but Brian talked him out of it. Brian promised to keep him informed of any change.

  Victoria spent the night in the hospital, and her OB GYN arrived the next morning. Dr. O’Reilly met with the staff doctor and both were in agreement that the baby was probably going to come early and soon, but there was no way to know when. Victoria remained in the hospital for one more night before going to stay with Jillian and Brian, so she could stay off her feet as much as possible.

  The next morning during a routine exam, Victoria was found to be already two centimeters dilated. The baby was beginning to enter the birth canal and was in a good position for delivery. There was no stopping it now. Brian called Jim immediately, and twenty minutes later both he and Caroline were driving to the airport.

  As Jim and Caroline sat together on the plane, he glanced down at her engagement ring and asked if she wouldn’t mind taking it off until they returned to Philadelphia. He explained that he wanted to announce the happy news under less stressful circumstances and Caroline reluctantly agreed. Just as their plane was taking off, the two and a half pound baby was delivered without complications. The lungs were only partially developed, so the tiny baby girl was rushed off and placed on a breathing machine. Victoria was able to only steal a brief glimpse of her daughter before she was whisked away.

  Jim and Caroline arrived at the hospital a few hours later and discovered Brian and Jillian sitting next to Victoria’s bed as she slept.

  Jillian quietly got up and met Jim near the door. She gave him a big hug, and the four slipped out to the hall.

  “How is she?” Jim asked.

  “She did amazing, and she’s fine,” Jillian replied.

  “And the baby?”

  “She’s on a breathing machine…” Jim sighed and then rubbed his hands over his face as Jillian continued, “… but the doctors think she’s going to be fine.”

  “I have a daughter?” he began before his eyes filled with tears. Caroline looked on, touched by his reaction, and then moved close to him. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder. She smiled up at him and placed her hand on his chest.

  After pausing a moment to pull himself together, Jim asked, “Can I see her?”

  Brian nodded. “I’ll take you.”

  Caroline and Jillian returned to Victoria’s room as Brian led Jim to the NICU. Before entering, Jim was given instructions for proper hand washing and a hospital gown to put on over his clothes. Once he was ready, a nurse escorted him to the small isolette, where his daughter lay connected to the ventilator.

  Kneeling down, he stared through the clear plastic to the tiny, beautiful baby with his eyes dripping and his lip curled up as he fought to hold back his emotions.

  The nurse said, “She’s doing really well.”

  Jim nodded to her with a smile before wiping his eyes. “Can I hold her?”

  “In a day or two, probably, but for now, you may hold her hand or stroke her head. A gentle, consistent touch is what she needs right now.”

  “She’s gorgeous.”

  “She is.” The nurse smiled and took a step back from him. Jim reached into the isolette and gently extended his finger to her tiny hand. The baby reacted to his touch and wrapped her little fingers around his seemingly giant one.

  He blinked his eye, and a tear streamed down his face. Moving his hand to the baby’s forehead, he gently stroked her skin. He ran his other hand over his face and stared at the baby that he and Victoria had made and began to really lose it.

  Jim said with his voice cracking, “Mommy and I… are so happy that you’re here.”

  He shook his head with tears streaming down his face. He wiped them away and glanced around the room nervously.

  The nurse spotted a doctor scrubbing up in the outer room and said, “The neonatologist is coming in now to insert a feeding tube. But you can come back and see her later.”

  Moving away from the isolette, Jim took one last look at his daughter. He smiled. “Okay, thanks.”

  Victoria was now awake in her room with Jillian and Caroline standing on each side of the bed.

  Jillian said, “She’s perfect. They think she’ll be breathing on her own in a day or two.”

  “I want to see her.”

  “You can soon.”

  Moving her gaze to Caroline, Victoria asked, “How are you doing?”

  Caroline chuckled. “Me… I’m good. How are you feeling?”

  “Tired. I’m sorry you guys had to rush down here.”

  “Don’t worry about it.”

  “I was hoping to put this off until you were on Spring Break, but, uh…” Victoria widened her eyes. The three women shared a smile.

  After a slightly awkward silent moment, Victoria added, “This isn’t too weird, is it?”

  Caroline put her hand over hers. “No, it’s really not.”

  Jim and Brian returned to the room. Jim and Victoria’s eyes met, and he moved to her. Caroline took a few steps back in the now-crowded room.

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  Victoria nodded. “Did you see her?”

  “Yes. She’s beautiful.”

  Caroline narrowed her eyes, watching the new parents with concern.

  Jillian and Brian shared an awkward glance and then asked, “Caroline, we’re going to head up to the cafeteria, did you want to come?”

  Caroline looked confused by the question as her mind raced. Then the lights came on. “Yeah, sure.” She glanced at Jim and asked, “Do you want anything?”

  Jim didn’t respond to the question. Caroline repeated, “Jim, do you want anything?”

  “What?” He turned to look at her while wearing a faraway smile.

  “We’re going to the cafeteria.”

  “Oh, no… thanks.”

  He returned his attention to Victoria as Caroline followed Brian and Jillian from the room.

  After moving to the chair next to Victoria, Jim placed his hand atop hers.

  She curled her lip. “I want to see her.”

  “The doctor is with her right now. Let’s give them a couple minutes, and then I’ll check.”

  “Okay.” She fought to brighten her expression. “So, who does she look like?”

  He smiled. “You. She’s all you. Let’s hope, anyway.”

  They shared a chuckle.

  Victoria took a deep breath with her eyes closed. When she opened them, she gave him a serious look. “Do you think Caroline is really okay with all of this?”

  After pondering that briefly, he shrugged. “We’re going to make it work somehow.”

  They shared a silent moment as Jim stroked her hand.

  Victoria smiled and looked up at him. “I can’t believe she’s really here.”

  “Do you have a name picked out yet?”

  “No, I wasn’t ready for her. I do have a few ideas,
though.”

  “Like?”

  “Elizabeth.”

  Jim grimaced immediately as a memory flashed into his brain. He shook his head. “The first girl I ever kissed was named Beth. After we did, she laughed at me, told me I didn’t have any lips, and then told everyone how bad of a kisser I was.”

  “That bitch.” Jim nodded in agreement, and Victoria continued, “You have lips… They’re pretty great lips too.”

  “Thanks.”

  “So, no Elizabeth, then.”

  “Well, I think I could get over it and move on.”

  She gave him a supportive look. “You shouldn’t have to.”

  “Thanks. That’s probably best. What else do you have?”

  “Kaylie.”

  “I like that.” Jim smiled.

  “You think?”

  “Yeah, it’s pretty.” He nodded. “That’s a good name.”

  Victoria nodded along with him as she adjusted her position in bed. She grimaced in pain.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, it just really freaking hurts when you deliver a baby. I didn’t realize… I mean, I know she was small, but you try squeezing something even that size out of your vagina, it’s not too much fun.”

  He chuckled. “What did you expect?”

  “I don’t know… I just thought with all the sex I’ve had, it would be… Like this one time, I had sex with this guy. He was…” She extended her fingers and put her hands together forming a huge circular shape. “… this big around and—”

  “No way.” He looked at her, both shocked and a little horrified.

  Victoria held her fingers in that position as she added with her eyes wide, “I swear, he was that big, and—”

  Putting his hand to hers to break up the show and tell, he wore a distasteful look. “Please, don’t tell me any more.”

  She smiled. “I just thought I’d be better prepared down there.”

  “Did they give you drugs?”

  “Yep, but I think I got them too late.”

  He shook his head and gave her an incredulous look. “I think they’re taking effect right about now… A guy as big around as a freaking grapefruit. You’re—”

  “Okay, maybe he wasn’t that big.”

  They shared a chuckle.

  “Do you think I could see her now?”