by J. L. Ryan
This was just one of those things that happened. He probably thought she was some slut anyway since they had only met this week. She shrugged, she owned everything she did, good or bad. She showered and dressed quickly waiting for him to return.
A mile away Jacob was all smiles. Jessalyn was not pregnant, and he was falling for a red haired siren. He had gotten the call while waiting for the food to take back to the hotel and he was relieved. He really wanted to focus on where this was going with Amelia.
He had never felt so alive, so free. He made his way back to the hotel carrying the food when he noticed the men working on the pipes beside the diner they had visited just the day before. He stopped the car and a thought occurred to him. With a huge smile he made his way up to her room.
"Amelia… you in there?” He knocked on the door and pulled her into his arms as she opened it. He put the food on the table and grabbed her hand. “We have to go, come on.” She was confused. What was he running all crazy about? He was on his way back out and noticed she was only half dressed and had a head full of wet hair. She noticed him taking in her appearance.
“Yeah, so I was thinking I could finish getting dressed first and then you can tell me what’s got you so worked up.” She moved to slide on her jeans and he watched her every move. He was fascinated by her.
“Sorry, I get excited sometimes. I think I have an answer for you, first let’s eat. There is snow everywhere and you need to eat.”
“Yeah, because I’m so skinny I may just float away.” She said it with sarcasm and a smile.
“I don’t like skinny, I like curves.” He glanced at her and crossed his arms, “You’ll do.” She threw a pillow at him as she wound her hair up in a ponytail and sat down to eat a quick breakfast.
“So you have an answer about what?” She sipped her coffee and ate her food.
“Oh no, it’s a surprise, just eat and we will go.” He gave her a huge smile as she licked her fingers clean. She was adorable.
“What?” She shrugged. He handed her a coat and they made their way to the car.
As they rode along she thought it was a good time to bring up last night.“Jacob listen. Last night was great. I don’t want you to worry I will be expecting anything. I hope we can be friends and everything.” She watched the trees fly by as she said it.
“What are you talking about? Expect anything? This isn’t high school, Amelia.
“I’m just saying…”
“I know exactly what you’re saying.” He cut her off and she frowned. She had given him an out, and he was pissed. She glanced back out the window and frowned, they were headed to her Nana's house, she was sure of it. He made the final turn and pulled into the driveway of her childhood home.“Jacob what are we doing here?” She got out and waited as he pulled a large bag out of the trunk.
“I was thinking, your Nana was getting sick when she was at home drinking, but the water tested fine at the plant. The only solution is the pumping system here at the house.”
They made their way around the house to the old water cover and pump. She knew factually it hadn’t been changed or looked at in at least 12 years. He pulled the cover off the system and turned on the water directly coming out of the pipe. He put some in a vial and put two drops of something in it and shook. It took less than a minute before theater turned a dark blue color.
“I knew it, the lead levels are through the roof. The problem is the system outside the house Amelia.”
She took the vial from him in awe. All this time she had been coming after him and the problem was, literally, in the backyard. She made her way inside and he followed. She sat at the kitchen table and rested her head in her hands. Now she would get it fixed, and everything would go back to normal.
“How much does one of those things cost?” She glanced over at him as he looked around her old room. “It varies really, not too much.” He smiled at her.
“Listen, I don’t know what I said earlier, but I was trying to make it easy for you to walk away, you get that right?” She crossed her arms over her chest. Something she had done many times before.
“Amelia, I don’t want to be let off the hook, I want you, I want to be there for you when it gets hard, I want to eat chili burgers together and be close if you panic again, and you don’t have to be scared of anything ever again.” He took a step towards her and she frowned.
“What are you talking about? Panic again or scared anymore?” She looked up at him and her face fell. “Did you look up information about me, Jacob?”
He looked scared before he answered. “Yes, but I wanted to get to know you that’s all I didn’t know about, everything you had been through.”
“So you found out all about me and then slept with me? What was the reason, pity?” She was loud now, angry and crying.
“Amelia, no, it’s not like that. He took a step towards her.”
She stopped him, “Go Jacob, just go. NOW!”
Nothing left to say he made his way outside and spun his tires as he headed back to Charleston.
She had been back to work two weeks now. She tried to take on every case she could, to help take her mind off of things. Two weeks since she had seen him. He was still texting and calling and she refused to acknowledge any of it. He had betrayed her. She looked up from her desk.
Tonight she would go see her Nana and check on the new system she had purchased with a new credit card. It would take at least a year to pay it off, but it was worth it. She made her way to her car and set off for Daniel Island.
This had to work, he had tried everything else and yes, it was sneaky getting Nana in on it but she wouldn’t respond to him. He was in love with her and she loved him too, if she would stop being so stubborn. He had hurt her, he knew that now, but he couldn’t make it right if she avoided him.
He glanced over at Nana who was rocking happily in her chair. They had talked for hours about Amelia and she knew he loved Amelia very much. She had shared so much about Amelia he loved her even more than he had before. He stood when he heard the car pull up. She was going to be furious, and he knew it.
“She will only be mad for a moment son, she is always more bark than bite.” Nana chuckled to herself.
The door opened and she came in with an armful of bags. “Nana what in the hell is that monstrosity out back? I didn’t pay for that and I hope they don’t think I’m going to. That model was $5,000 more dollars than the one I got you. Not that I don’t want you to have the best but …” She trailed off as she turned and saw him there.
“Don’t get mad, don’t say anything until I’m done Amelia.” He glanced at Nana who gave him an encouraging nod. Amelia stood frozen to the spot. “I am in love with you Amelia Randolph and I probably was from the first day we met. I know what I did was wrong, I’m sorry if I hurt you. The truth is we belong together.
You help me be a better man and I'll force you to go to society balls and spend a lot of money on charities and things you will hate doing, but you will do it because you love me. I want to spend my life with you Amelia, and I want to face challenges together. I want to help you find Evan.”
He looked over at her and the tears streaming down her face. Good or bad he wasn’t sure yet. Nana, who always loved a good love story sat up on the edge of her seat and waited. With a sob Amelia threw herself into his arms and relished in the feel of him holding her. This was where she belonged. She looked up at him.
“That monstrosity out there I bought for Nana. She deserved the best. She brought us together, it was the least I could do.” He gave Nana a grin and she just shooed him away. He hugged her close.
“Do you remember in the elevator that day, I said it was refreshing?” He smiled.
“Yes, what did you mean exactly?” She pulled away slightly.
“I meant it was refreshing to meet a woman who was beautiful and didn’t even know it.” He leaned in for a kiss.
Legal Affairs
Jennifer was ecstatic when she left her job interview
because she knew she impressed Trevor, the charismatic, handsome lawyer with whom's firm she was seeking employment with.
"I see that you've worked as a paralegal for a couple years," Trevor commented after reading Jennifers's resume.
"Yes, I was hired right out of college by the law firm that represented my father when he owned some commercial property," Jennifer replied.
While she was trying to pay attention to his words, Jennifer was mesmerized by Trevor's striking blue eyes and dazzling smile. She also felt a twinge of excitement when she noticed that the debonair attorney wasn't wearing a wedding ring.
Trevor was brilliant, and even though he was a partner in a prestigious law firm, he was only 25 years old. He graduated college very early and finished law school before most of his classmates even completed high school.
"Where do you see yourself professionally in the next five years?" Jennifer was unprepared to answer this question, and while she tried her best to sound creative and profound, she worried that she came off silly and trite.
"I would like to be working for a well-established law firm where I could further my knowledge of the legal system as it pertains to corporate law and international economics," she sputtered.
Jennifer was so mortified by her reply that she could literally feel her face getting red and hot. She wished that she would have prepared for the interview more, but it was too late now, she thought.
Trevor seemed to be impressed with everything Jennifer had to say, and even more so with the tight, low-cut blouse she was wearing. Jennifer, or Jen, as she liked to be called, thought about dressing conservatively, but decided to be a bit more daring.
"Why should I hire you?" Again, Jen wasn't prepared to answer this question, but quickly came up with a clever answer that even she was impressed with. "This is my dream job.
Some of the other applicants might have more experience or better credentials than I do, but after a couple of months or so, I’ll have those same credentials, and I'll also have the passion that those other applicants lack," Jen replied.
The rest of the interview went well and Trevor told Jennifer that he would be in touch. Jen's post-interview euphoria was short-lived because days went by with no phone call from the hunky legal eagle.
Finally, after about two weeks he called and left a message on her cell. "Hi, Jennifer, this is Trevor Parker from the law firm and I'm calling to see if you are still interested in the job, and if you are, please call me back."
Jennifer didn't want to seem desperate, so she waited a respectable 2 hours before she returned his phone call. She was so nervous, she could barely catch her breath, and for a minute, she thought about hanging up.
Trevor's secretary answered on the second ring and promptly transferred Jen over to his extension. "Trevor Parker speaking, may I help you?" Jennifer's heart skipped a beat but she managed to keep her cool. "Hello, Mr. Parker, this is Jennifer Adams returning your call."
Trevor responded, "Hey, Jennifer, thanks for calling back, and please, call me Trevor."
"Very well, Trevor!"
"Jennifer, I would like to offer you the paralegal position."
"Thank you, I accept," Jen replied.
"I'm a laid-back type of boss, so if you don't mind, why don't we discuss the details of the job over coffee at the corner cafe instead of at the office?"
Jen replied, "That would be great, I love that little cafe, it's so quaint."
Trevor responded, "Great, how does Thursday at 11:00 sound?"
"It sounds perfect," Jen said.
"Fantastic, I'll see you then!" replied Trevor.
Jennifer called everyone she knew to tell them about her new job. Actually it wasn't so much the job she was gushing over as it was her new boss, Trevor. She couldn't believe her good luck.
She never thought she would find a job this quick, and only in her wildest dream did she ever think that she would be working for someone who looked like Trevor. Not only was he gorgeous, he seemed very kind, easy to get along with and super funny.
Jen couldn't decide on what to wear for her meeting with Trevor, so she decided to buy something new. She really wasn't in a position to be buying new clothes, but this was a special occasion.
At the store, Jennifer tried on at least a dozen outfits but couldn't make up her mind. She finally decided on a tight-fitting black dress that was professional enough for a business meeting but seductive enough, she thought, to get Trevor's attention.
When Thursday finally rolled around, Jen was beside herself with excitement. She felt confident in how she looked, but she was so nervous that she forgot to put on lipstick.
Jen never goes out of the house without lipstick, but by the time she realized that she had forgotten to put it on, it was too late to turn back and go home. Instead, she ran into the closest drug store and bought a cheap tube.
Not only did she purchase the lipstick, she also purchased a box of condoms, just in case. Jen has never slept with someone after only meeting them once, but she had a feeling about how her meeting with Trevor was going to go.
Sure, this was a business meeting of sorts, but she felt such a connection to Trevor and she knew that it was reciprocated. She was very hot to trot for her new boss and wanted to be prepared in the event that things heated up after their meeting.
Trevor arrived early to the cafe and took the liberty of ordering two large coffees and a couple blueberry scones. Soon after, Jennifer arrived, confident in her appearance, thanks to her new lipstick purchase.
Trevor, the gallant gentlemen that he is, stood up and pulled out her chair. After exchanging pleasantries, they discussed the job.
Trevor offered Jen almost twice as much as she was making at her last job, and she wouldn't be working weekends or holidays either. "How does 4 weeks vacation sound?"
Jen's last job only allowed for a one week vacation after being on the job for a year, and having four weeks vacation was the icing on the cake. "It almost sounds too good to be true," she replied.
After Trevor and Jen were finished discussing the details of the job, their conversation quickly turned personal. They found out that they had mutual friends and that they once even worked for the same company.
After feeling more comfortable with one another, Trevor asked Jen if she would like to join him for dinner at his home.
He lived only a few blocks from the cafe, and because he was a gourmet cook, he was looking forward to preparing his new employee the best meal of her life. Feeding her, however, wasn't the only thing on his agenda.
Trevor was instantly attracted to Jennifer the moment he first saw her. The sexual chemistry was obvious, which is why Jen purchased the condoms at the drug store when she bought her lipstick.
"Your home is spectacular," Jen told Trevor.
"Thank you, Jen. I bought it from one of the partners of the law firm who retired to Florida about a year ago."
Before the couple made their way into the kitchen to start dinner, they started kissing as soon as they got into the house.
Jennifer vowed that if she ever "married rich," she would give her parents enough money so that their lives would change for the better.
She would pay all their bills, buy them a new home and make sure that they never worried about money again.
Trevor shook his head moving closer to her and putting his hands on her blouse. “We’re being irrational. Just go for it. He ripped the shirt from her body and it fell to the floor. His lips went to her neck, while her hands went to his shirt, removing it from the confinement of his dress pants.
She started off tediously undoing button after button, but then knew that she needed to move the show on the road. She busted open his shirt, the way that he had busted open hers.
Her hands trailed down his chest, while he continued to kiss her neck. She arched her back, sighing against his kisses. His hands went behind her back, as he slowly removed her bra. Her breasts pressed hard against his bare chest.
Her hands went to his
pants and she quickly removed them. They fell to the floor and he kicked them off. Then his hands went to his boxers and she drug them down his legs, while his hands caressed her nipples. She eyed his manhood, salivating at the sight.
His hands slowly slid down her stomach and then wrapped around her back. He undid the zipper to her skirt and it fell to the floor.
His hands went to her panties and he looped his fingers through them, tugging them off of her body. Before she had time to comprehend the next move, she felt him lifting her into his arms and laying her down on the floor.
Their lips met, his tongue dipping inside her mouth. As their tongues clashed together, his hands continued to massage her breasts, gently feeling each part of her sensitive skin.
As he was about to enter her, he pulled back. “Damn, I don’t have a condom,” he groaned, starting to regress.
"It's your lucky day, because I have one," Jen coyly replied. She had almost forgotten that she bought them earlier.
She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him closer to her. “Ugh…” she groaned, arching her back, but not breaking from the kiss.
As each thrust turned harder, she was forced to part from the kiss. “Ugh…Oh God…yes…” she whimpered, barely able to get the words out, it felt so good.
As one arm continued being wrapped around him, her other arm fell down to her side and she tried desperately to grab anything to hold onto, finally choosing for a leg to his chair. Her hips bucked against his.
He pressed up against her, with a hunger that she never endured. “Oh God…yes…yes…” he cried, pressing harder to her core.
“Wow…” she sighed, closing her eyes and just lying there. As she was focusing on her next move, she felt hands on her legs, parting her ever so softly.
Then it was over and she was fighting disappointment, until she felt something else. She tried to control her breathing, as she felt his tongue exploring every inch of her body.
She felt the smoothness of his moves and she sighed against his deep and masculine movements. “Hm…hmmm…hm…” she signed, her body gliding against the intensity.
