by Helen Cooper
Then I laughed and put my hand on hers. I had to laugh to let her know that while I wanted her, I wasn’t going to let it consume me. I wasn’t going to let my want for her body make me act irrationally. I needed to get her answer first.
“Have you made your decision?” I asked softly.
“I don’t know what to do.” She bit her lower lip and shook her head. “What should I do, TJ?”
“I can’t make your decision for you, Mila.” My voice was deep, some might say husky, as I looked down into her wide eyes. She was gazing at me with a question in her big brown eyes and her lips were slightly parted. “What’s your answer?” I said abruptly, needing to know so badly that it was killing me inside to not know.
“Why are you doing this really?” she asked me softly as she stepped towards me, licking her lips nervously. Her long blonde hair hung around her shoulders and small runaway wisps blew into her eyes. I leaned over and moved them gently behind her ear. She blushed at my touch and I made sure to let my fingers linger on her cheek for a few seconds. I could feel the heat emanating off of her skin onto my fingertips.
“I want you to experience the happiness, the joy, the goodness that you deserve.” My voice sounded too serious and I wasn’t altogether sure why I’d chosen those exact words. I myself wasn’t really sure why I was here, with her, about to do something I knew I shouldn’t do.
“I wish I could control what happens next,” she said, her voice breathless. I gazed down into her eyes and my heart stopped as I saw the emotion there. She was letting me in, baring her soul to me in a naked, vulnerable way. Her eyes reminded me of a young, innocent doe I’d seen in the woods one year when I’d gone deer hunting with a friend’s family. I’d felt guilty then and I felt guilty now as well.
“There’s not much that is going to happen next.” I sounded harsher than I’d intended. I didn’t know how to tell her that I was mad at myself and not at her. She wouldn’t understand the inner turmoil I was in. “We’re going to kiss and then you’re going to dump that loser of a ‘boyfriend’.” I put my hands on her waist and stilled them from going higher.
“He’s not my boyfriend,” she squeaked out as she closed her eyes and lifted her lips up to me, waiting. Her shoulders were thrust back indignantly and I stared down at the curve of her breasts and down to her long legs. She’d grown into a beautiful young woman. A very beautiful young woman that I knew I shouldn’t let myself indulge in.
“You’re damn right he’s not,” I growled before bending down and lightly pressing my lips against hers. They were so soft and sweet and she kissed me back eagerly as her fingers fumbled with my shirt. I grabbed her hands and clasped them in mine as I deepened the kiss, allowing my tongue to enter her mouth and taste the delicate hint of freshly picked strawberries that she’d just eaten. She moaned slightly as I sucked on her tongue and my hands moved up her waist, making their way up to her bra. All thoughts of Cody warning me to stay away from his sister were far from my mind.
“Oh, TJ,” she said as she grabbed my hand and moved it up and pressed it against her breast. “Oh, yes.”
“Oh, no.” I stopped and pulled back. Her eyes blinked open and she looked at me with a slightly bewildered and lost expression. She looked hot and flustered and I loved it, though I kept my grin to myself.
“What are you doing?” She pouted. “Why did you stop?”
“You didn’t think it would be this easy, did you?” I said with a smirk, feeling hot and bothered myself. “Nothing happens until I get your decision.”
“But, I just can’t pretend to be your fiancée, TJ. That’s not right.” She licked her lips nervously.
“You can’t?” I said softly, allowing my fingers to trace the curve of her lips. “Or you won’t?”
“I read the contract,” she said and swallowed. “What you’re asking—it’s too much.”
“For you or for me?” I asked, my eyes never leaving hers. “What’s four weeks, Mila?” I said as I pushed the tip of my finger into her mouth and watched as she sucked it gently. She just stared at me, thinking, and I could see her mind racing. She had no idea what to say or do. I’d beaten her at her own game and she knew it. Now I was ready to take my prize. And I was going to take it whether she became my fake fiancée or not. I knew that for a fact as she nibbled on my finger. She’d driven me to the brink. I needed to have her now. I didn’t care about anything else in that moment.
“TJ, what you asked, well–”
My lips crushed down on hers to stop her from speaking as my hand crept over her breast. My other hand moved down to her shorts to unzip them. I was going to take her in the lake. It would be fitting. And then, before I was about to fuck her, I would make her answer me and tell me yes. She’d say yes and then I would take her, in the water, in the most primal fashion. And we would become one.
“Hey, Mila.” Sally’s voice was heading towards us and I froze. “We’re getting ready to leave. You ready?”
I swore under my breath and stepped away from Mila as Sally came into focus. Her eyes narrowed at me as she stared at the two of us, and I knew that she knew what was in the contract.
“Let’s go, Mila,” she said, and I could tell she wanted to say something else. “Cody wants to tell you something before he leaves.”
“Okay.” She nodded and gave me a small smile as she headed towards her friend. “We have to go now, TJ.”
“I’m going to get your answer sooner rather than later, Mila,” I whispered as she walked past me. “And when I do, you’re not going to know what hit you.”
Chapter Eighteen
Mila
April 18th, 2011
Dear Diary,
Nonno made me promise today that I would marry for love and not for money. I told him that of course I wouldn’t marry for money. I think he was worried because Sally and I were talking about the cars we wanted to drive when we were older. I’d love a Range Rover, black, sports edition. Nonno said to me that he hopes I plan to work hard for it. I nodded, of course, but I think he heard me giggling to Sally telling her that TJ might buy me one when we start dating. I don’t know if Nonno was upset that I wanted to date TJ or that I wanted TJ to buy me a car. Which I really don’t want him to buy. I was just joking. I can buy my own car. One day. If I ever make enough money.
Mila
XOXO
“Did you talk to TJ about the contract?” Sally mouthed to me in the back seat.
“No,” I mouthed back, my eyes on the front seat to make sure TJ and Barbie weren’t paying attention to us.
“I can’t believe that he expects you to sign that,” she whispered and I nodded. “Who does he think he is?” She shook her head. “He thinks he’s some sort of god.”
“Sally.” I widened my eyes at her and put my finger to my lips. “Shh.”
“What’s going on back there?” TJ looked directly at me.
“Nothing,” I said innocently, staring back into his mesmerizing eyes, wondering what he was thinking.
“I see,” he said and turned back to the front to concentrate on his driving.
“I’m surprised you didn’t drive back with Cody,” Sally said, looking at Barbie.
“Why would I do that?” Barbie looked back with a smirk.
“Because you slept with him.” Sally gave her a venomous look.
“So?” Barbie said and she put her hand on TJ’s thigh. “I like men.”
“Cut it out, Barbie,” TJ snapped and removed her hand from his thigh. “Mila knows we aren’t dating. Though I’m pretty sure you didn’t care what she thought when you hooked up with my best friend.”
“You never cared who I hooked up with before.” She purred and looked back at me, her eyes narrowed. “Not even when we talked about me becoming a Walker.”
“What?” Sally’s voice was loud.
“Oops.” Barbie smiled and then shot a look at TJ. “We weren’t talking seriously.” She looked back at me. “I would never marry or think about marrying TJ.
Way too many skeletons in his closet.”
“And what’s stuck in yours? Dicks that fell off from touching you?” Sally snapped back and I giggled.
“I’ll have to check when I get home and see if Cody’s dick is in there,” Barbie said as she fluffed her blond hair and gave us both a narrow smile. “I wouldn’t be surprised, seeing as it was in everything else of mine this weekend.”
“Enough.” TJ’s voice was cutting. “Let’s all just listen to some music and go home.”
“Yes, boss,” Barbie said in a sweet tone. “Whatever you say, big boy.” She ran her fingers all the way up his thigh and I saw her grab his package, giggle and then sit back. I felt the blood going straight to my face. I was going to slap her. If I ever saw her again, I would beat her down. She was such a bitch.
***
“Bye,” I said as I jumped out of the car. I didn’t even bother looking at TJ, I was still so pissed that he’d let Barbie touch his junk without saying a thing. Even though it had only been for a second, I still felt he should have said something. I walked to the back of the car and waited for TJ to open the trunk so that I could get my bag.
“Bye? That’s it?” TJ said as he got out of the car and walked to the trunk and stood next to me.
“Well, if you’d dropped Barbie off before me, that wouldn’t be it.” I looked away from him. “But no, you dropped off Sally, and then decided to drop me off next.”
“I’m not sleeping with Barbie, Mila.”
“Let me get my bag.” I glared at the back of his car.
“Mila, look at me.” He grabbed my face and pointed it towards him. “I dropped you off before Barbie because I need to talk to Barbie. I want to make sure she’s not trying to play Cody.”
“Oh?” I looked up at him, my heart softening.
“Really.” He nodded. “I couldn’t really do it at the house with Cody there and I couldn’t do it in the car with you and Sally, and I don’t really want to see her again after today.”
“I guess I can understand why.” I grinned at him now.
“Good.” He leaned down and kissed me. “I’m going to call you tonight.”
“Okay.” I nodded.
“Have you made your decision yet?” His eyes searched mine.
“No.” I shook my head. “I need to think about the contract.”
“What about it?”
“It gives you a lot of power over me and my every decision,” I said, with a frown.
“I like to be in control,” he said, his eyes not leaving mine.
“It’s only four weeks. What does it matter?”
“Is it going to be a problem?”
“There are some parts I have problems with.” I nodded.
“Mark them up and we’ll discuss them.” He kissed me again. “I’ll call you tonight, dorky.”
“Don’t call me dorky.” I glared at him, but I couldn’t stop myself from smiling as I watched him driving away. I walked to my apartment and dumped my bags on the ground and then opened my purse again to reread his contract. I grabbed a pen from my table and sat down on the couch to read through the contract.
I looked at the first page and my heart thudded for a few seconds when I read that the contract was between “Travis James also known as TJ Walker and Mila Brookstone.” I bit down on the pen and thought about what Sally had said, wondering why TJ had just happened to be carrying a contract around with him that had both of our names on it. That meant that he’d been planning this for a while. And I’d had no clue. Absolutely no clue. I wasn’t sure if I should be happy about that or not.
My eyes scanned the contract until I got to the nitty gritty.
“The contract between TJ Walker and Mila Brookstone will last for the maximum duration of a year, not to exceed three hundred and sixty-five days. The minimum length of time for the contract is forty-five days,” I said out loud, wondering why it didn’t say four weeks like TJ had said, not that that was a huge deal to me. It was the next part that I was more concerned about.
“TJ Walker shall have full knowledge and access to all of Mila Brookstone’s legal documents, bank accounts, social media accounts and phone records for the duration of the arrangement.” I repeated that twice and then grabbed my phone. I needed to speak to Sally again. I called her number and waited for her to answer.
“You’re home?” she said, answering right away. “Alone?”
“He dropped me off first. He said he wanted to talk to Barbie.”
“Ugh, don’t talk to me about that bitch.” Sally started pissed off, and I knew I had to cut her off before we got into a long bitch session about Cody and Barbie. I felt bad for her, but I didn’t want to keep talking about my brother.
“TJ said he’s going to call me later to go over the contract. He wants me to mark up the stuff I have issues with.”
“So the whole contract, then?” Sally sounded indignant. “He sounds like a control freak and just a freak.”
“Sally!” I admonished. “We don’t know that.”
“Mila. He wants to control your life in and out of the bedroom. I mean, he wants you to start doing yoga with him and he wants you to designate a day to tantric sex techniques—like, what the fuck?”
“That’s better than whips and dungeons, though.” I laughed, though I was also puzzled about the whole tantric sex day thing as well.
“He’s building up to that,” Sally said. “Look, I know you’ve loved him forever, but I feel like this guy is trying to get you caught up in something crazy.”
“What do you mean crazy?”
“I mean crazy, twisted, Nine and a Half Weeks type of shit.”
“That wasn’t that twisted.” I laughed. “Don’t blow things out of proportion.”
“Mila, you know his contract is crazy. Isn’t that why you called me? I thought this contract was for him to convince the board of directors that he’s not a playboy and that he wants to settle down? Why does he need all this extra shit?”
“That is the point of the arrangement. But I guess he wants to experiment as well.”
“Is this really what you want, Mila?” Sally’s voice softened. “I know you’ve wanted him forever, but is this really what you want?”
“Things can change. Maybe he’ll want to make the engagement real,” I said hopefully.
“Are you sure you would want that?”
“I don’t know.” I sighed and then jumped up. “Look, Sally, I want to go and have a bath. I’ll call you later.”
“Call me after you talk to TJ,” she said. “I want to know exactly what he says and what gets stricken off of the contract.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I said and hung up quickly. I looked down at the contract again and flipped the pages until I stared at the paragraph that had given me the most pause. The part of the contract that had stood out the most was that I had to trust him, even if I felt my life was in danger. Why would I think my life was in danger? That scared me more than it thrilled me. Trusting him with my life was something I did implicitly, but to have it in a contract made me wonder if there was something about him that I couldn't trust.
I didn't care if he was into a little role-play or something—that could be hot—but what if he wanted to choke me or something? I wasn't sure that I was down for that. Why would a contract state that I was to trust him in all endeavors?
I walked into the bathroom and started running a bath and took a deep breath. I looked into the mirror and studied my face, not altogether displeased at my reflection. I looked confused and pretty—or, as Cody would put it—pretty confused. I leaned forward and studied my eyes and lips. Did I look like someone who had just had a crazy weekend? Did I look like someone who was contemplating signing a contract to be TJ’s fake fiancée even though I really had no idea what I was signing? I wasn’t even sure if I cared. I turned back to the bath and put my hand in it to test the water to make sure that the temperature was perfect. I grimaced as the cold water touched my skin, and sighed. I turned the faucets
off and walked back to the living room. The water tank was out of hot water. I’d have to wait twenty minutes and try and run the bath again.
Beep beep. I looked down at my phone and froze when I saw TJ’s name on the screen. He’d sent me a text message. I grabbed my phone and tapped the screen so I could read what he’d written.
I miss you already.
Sure you do.
I do. Did you think about the contract?
You have a one track mind.
Why do I think you’re not talking about sex.
How did Barbie take the talk?
How do you think?
She pushed her boobs in your face.
Are you psychic?
Funny! Not!
Did you make up your mind about the contract?
You said we could go through it first.
Can I call you now?
I was about to have a bath.
Can I come over then?
You wish.
Yes, I do.
Call me.
Ring ring.
“That was fast,” I said as I answered the phone with a smile on my face.
“You did ask me to call.”
“Well, if we’re going to be technical about it, I only said that after you asked if you could call me,” I said, feeling light-headed.
“What’s bothering you about the contract?” he asked me, changing the subject.
“You’re really interested in me agreeing to this contract, aren’t you?”
“What do you think, Mila?”
“I want to know why you had a contract with my name on it already.”
“What do you think, Mila?”
“I want to know if this is a plan you’ve had for a while?”
“What do you think, Mila?”
“I think if you don’t stop saying that, I’m going to scream.”
“I’d love to hear you scream.” His voice deepened. “I’d love to hear you screaming out my name as I—”
“Yeah, yeah, TJ.” I rolled my eyes into the phone, though I couldn’t stop myself from shivering slightly at his words. “You want me in your bed. You want to make me come. You want me to make you come.” I paused and took a breath, but he interrupted before I could continue.
