Forget Me Not 1: DECEIVED

by Bennett, Liv

  “I’d rather keep Lisa here until I have her background check results,” Kenneth says.

  “Oh.” Her eyebrows pull together in confusion.

  “As soon as I know everything is in order regarding her background, she’ll sign a work contract and I’ll have her on the company’s health plan.”

  “She doesn’t have a car,” Loraine adds—my savior.

  “I’ll drive her back.”

  Loraine nods with an affectionate smile and leaves a quick kiss on her husband’s lips before leaving us alone.

  CH 9

  ~

  I stand hastily, unsure of where to wait until the background check results are in, while Kenneth walks Loraine out. When he comes back and closes the office door, he stares at me with a confused look, reflecting my own.

  “Shall I wait outside?” I ask, clutching my purse with uneasiness.

  He simply shakes his head as he walks back to his desk and motions with his hand toward the chair where I sat. My wariness growing, I move and slide back on the chair, watching him settle behind his desk. I just keep staring at him, waiting for him to drill me with more questions regarding my life or secret agenda, but he silently starts his computer and works.

  Soon my muscles give way and I start relaxing in the chair, staring at the wide view through the window behind him. Trish comes in two times to bring files and inform him about a German banker, Mr. Schmidt, who won’t stop calling to schedule a meeting with Kenneth. Both times, she squints her eyes at me in suspicion, her disapproval at the sight of my bare knees clear in her gaze. I wonder if she’s rethinking her hasty decision to classify me as harmless.

  As bothered as she looks over my extended and curious presence in Kenneth’s office, Kenneth couldn’t care less about me or my legs that are bare from mid-thigh down or the low-cut dress exposing most of my chest. His eyes remain dutifully on the screen of his computer.

  After nearly two hours of anguish, the phone on his desk rings, and for the first time since Loraine left me alone with him, he lifts his eyes from his computer and lands them on me. As he places the receiver against his ear, an apprehensive look that has me sweating under my armpits and in my palms, tightens the muscles of his face.

  The call must be about me. Although I get no clue from his clipped answers, his man must be telling him the truth about me. Someone, perhaps Loraine’s driver, must have overheard my talk with Loraine and revealed the real reason behind my recruitment. Kenneth won’t tolerate it. He’ll dismiss me right this instant, and I’ll have nowhere else but my miserable life to go back to.

  My heartbeat accelerated, my hands tight in fists, I’m to the point of trembling in fear, once he puts the receiver down.

  “You’re in the clear,” he says and I let out a loud breath of relief. Seeing me getting comfortable, he adds, “Which doesn’t mean you’re off the hook. I’ll keep my eyes on you. My family is my life. I won’t hesitate to ruin you if you hurt any of them.”

  “I promise, I’ll work very hard and give my very best to take care of your kids.” My hands raise in the air and press against my chest in a sincere gesture to show him my gratitude, although he looks neither impressed nor suspicious and quickly returns his eyes back to his computer.

  I wait another hour in his office, sitting quietly, since he hasn’t dismissed me. Except for occasional glances at him, I mostly keep my eyes on the window, welcoming the opportunity to desensitize the effect of his presence on me. I’m used to standing on my feet for long hours. Just sitting around and doing nothing is actually a good change of pace. My stomach growls a few times, but Kenneth is so immersed in his work, he remains unmoved by the sound.

  Trish enters the office one last time to inform Kenneth that she’s leaving for home, her eyes immediately meeting with mine when I shift my body to look at her. “This is from HR.” She walks until she stands beside him and places a file on his desk. Casually, her hand lands on his shoulder with a quick brush as she wishes him a good evening.

  A smile replacing the stern expression on his face, Kenneth thanks her and starts examining the document. He doesn’t seem to mind the quick touch of Trish’s hand However, Trish’s raised eyebrow while standing within brushing distance of him, her threatening glance at me, and her possessive attitude tell a whole different story. It is clear she seems to believe she enjoys a special place in his life.

  I wonder what the deal is between the two. Kenneth doesn’t give off the vibes of a man who’d sleep around with his employees, but Trish’s attitude as if she’s his main mistress makes me curious about her ability to separate her daydreams from reality. In any case, I’ll make sure to report Trish’s intimate gesture to Loraine.

  Once Trish steps out of the office and closes the door behind her, leaving me alone with Kenneth for the fourth time, Kenneth stands and walks around his desk, extending the document in his hand to me.

  “Here’s your contract. Read it carefully before signing. I’ll be here if you have any questions.” Handing it to me, he settles on the chair next to mine.

  It’s a brief document explaining the duties and responsibilities expected of me and the monetary compensation and benefits I’ll receive in exchange. There’s no mention of the time frame, though, although Loraine made it very clear that I’ll have the job for five months only. I sign it with a pen he provides me and watch him attentively as he places his signature on it.

  “Congratulations.” Still in the chair, he offers his hand to me.

  “Thank you.” My cheeks turning hot, I lift my shaky hand to slide it in his.

  His skin is hot and soft, and his long fingers round around my hand in a tight hold. The touch of his skin is electric, and the current going from him to me has me swallowing hard. His eyes wander down my throat, a smile forming on his lips hinting at his recognition of my obvious reaction to his touch. Hastily, he pulls his hand away and pushes to his feet. “I have one more thing to tackle, then we can go home.”

  I simply nod. My utter embarrassment keeps me from stealing glances at him while he busies himself with work for another half-hour. My mind, though, is on high alert and pushes me into wild fantasies where Kenneth lifts me up onto his desk, spreads my legs, and palms my bare crotch with his hot hand.

  The room feels warmer, and my dress tighter as the fantasy progresses into a full-fledged wet dream. I squeeze my thighs together to yank away the vivid visuals and to calm down my racing heart. I realize my breathing is getting shallower and if I don’t soon get my act together, he’ll know what’s going through my restless mind.

  He clears his throat and shuts down his laptop. “Are you okay?”

  Shit! Blood rushes to my cheeks as I raise my eyes to his. He knows! I can tell by the slight discomfort in his eyes as they take a quick sweep of my squeezed legs.

  I have no doubt my cheeks and my chest are crimson in embarrassment. I’d rather fart in his presence than give him a clue regarding my sexual fantasies about him. My lips move, but nothing sensible comes out.

  “I’m done here. Shall we go?”

  I’m not sure why he asks, but I nod quickly and get to my feet, straightening my dress. Slipping his laptop into a briefcase, he walks to the door and opens it for me, his eyes carefully avoiding me as I walk through the door. He doesn’t speak or make eye-contact with me as we walk to the elevator and then to the reception area.

  To my surprise, I see Trish chatting with the girl at reception and both become silent as they notice Kenneth. “Wait here,” Kenneth orders in a soft but commending voice when we arrive at the seating area across from the reception desk.

  Pressing my work contract and my handbag against my chest, I take a seat on the wide couch, my face turned toward Kenneth. I hear him say, “Can you please leave me alone with Alice,” and Trish nods and strolls toward me.

  “So.” Trish glances down at her red-polished nails as she lowers her body against the armrest of the chair next to the couch, not wasting a glance at me while clearly talkin
g to me. “You’re the new nanny?”

  “I am.” Lifting my chin, I let my eyes examine her without caring about formalities and grin knowingly.

  Perhaps sensing my tease, she stops examining her hands and focuses her attention on me. “I’ll let you in on a little secret. Loraine changes nannies like underwear. She’s very possessive of Kenneth, as you can imagine.” Her eyes move over from me and find their way to Kenneth, longingly staring at him.

  I chuckle, but don’t respond to her comment verbally. It’s better to let her spill her beans than give her any clue about my thoughts or feelings.

  “I’d be very careful, if I were you. She can put you out the door with the snap of her finger if she suspects you’re interested in Kenneth.” As the words roll off her lips, she faces me, lifting her chin higher to look down on me with a spiteful glare. “She might look warm and friendly at first sight, but she’s a heartless bitch when it comes to protecting what’s hers.”

  “Loraine isn’t a heartless bitch,” I say loudly, because I see Kenneth walking toward us and I want him to witness that his dear little assistant isn’t actually the employee of the year.

  Shooting up to my feet, I make sure my face conveys every little bit of anger I feel when I add, “Both Mr. and Mrs. Carter have been nothing but very kind toward me. I don’t know why you’re speaking so badly of your boss’s wife behind her back.”

  Looking panicked and fearful, Trish stands and abruptly turns her head to her side to check on Kenneth, who’s now standing next to her.

  “What’s going on here?” Kenneth asks with a curious tone in his voice.

  “No…nothing.” Trish shoots me a warning glare. I keep quiet, of course not because her threat actually scares me off, but because Kenneth is neither deaf nor stupid enough to misread my words and must have come to his own conclusion without me having to inflame the situation more.

  Her head bowed, Trish excuses herself and dashes out of the building. I apologize to Kenneth for the loud discussion and, fortunately, he doesn’t insist on an explanation. Quietly, I follow him out to the gated garage and stop as he opens the door of the front passenger seat of his BMW for me.

  I try my best to imitate the way Loraine climbs into a car but can’t keep my knees together as she does and end up having one leg in and the other out while scooting inside the car. My cheeks turn hot again at the sight of the graceless position of my lower body, more so because I hear Kenneth chuckle before he closes the door.

  To my surprise, there’s no private chauffeur driving us. Instead, Kenneth slides behind the wheel and starts the engine. He doesn’t turn on the radio and drives in silence. Rather than getting desensitized to his presence, I become more aware of his every move. Be it a subtle drawing of a breath of air or a loud clearing of his throat, my body responds to his every little gesture. Hormones rush thick in my blood as excitement and desire fill me. The longer I gaze at his thick brown hair, the smooth skin of his face, the rippling contours of his body and the more I inhale his scent, the less control I feel of my growing urges.

  While on the other hand, my curiosity about Loraine’s plan rises to new heights. He clearly loves his wife and is very protective of her and their children. Unless he’s a master of deception, I don’t see a logical reason why Loraine should doubt his sincerity in his feelings toward her.

  My phone buzzes inside my handbag as he pulls up in the driveway of his home. I take a quick glance at the text that’s from Loraine and hurry after him into the house.

  “Go right into your room and don’t come out until I tell you.”

  CH 10

  ~

  Somehow, I picture Loraine furious while typing me the text, although I’ve yet to see her angry in real life. Following her order, I run up the stairs and retreat into my bedroom.”

  Without having Kenneth to distract me, my physical needs resurface. My stomach growls in hunger, my bladder is coming close to exploding. Unfortunately, there’s no food in my bedroom and Loraine might take my move as disobedience if I sneak into the kitchen to grab a bite, but thank goodness, my room has its own bathroom, so I am able to take care of my most pressing problem.

  To distract myself, I go through my closet and find the drawers filled to the brim with all sorts of clothes, from pajama bottoms and yoga tights, to socks and tank tops, with their price tags still on. Loraine must have sent one of her employees to shop for me. If only she knew, I’d rather have a chicken sandwich than a hundred-dollar tank top right now.

  When my hunger becomes unbearable, I end up taking a long, relaxing bubble bath and then settle in my bed with the TV on. Hunger and the stress of the day has drained all my energy, and soon I doze off in my plush bathrobe with my hair still wet from the bath.

  When I awake, it’s dark. Panicked, I look for my phone to check the time and see there’re three calls from Monika and an unread message from Loraine. My hands tremble as I push the button to read the text.

  “Go to the kitchen right now. When you see Kenneth, tell him I had a miscarriage today. Make it look as if you’re telling it behind my back.”

  Fear tightens my chest when I realize the text was sent half an hour ago. Cursing at myself for not setting the phone to loud, I jump down from the bed and hurry out. Only halfway down the stairs do I notice I’m completely naked beneath my bathrobe, but then realize that is probably how Loraine envisaged me dressed while interacting with her husband.

  I should loosen the belt around my waist and push the sides of the bathrobe aside to display more of my chest. I know that’s what Loraine wants me to do. But, despite my best intentions, I end up adjusting the robe so it covers up most of my body, hoping Loraine won’t be around to witness my failure.

  The kitchen is dark and eerily silent when I step inside. I stop and listen to the sounds of the house and detect nothing except for the sounds of my growling stomach. They all must have gone to sleep, although it’s only eleven.

  Anger rises inside my chest. I should have stayed awake and waited for Loraine’s orders rather than dozing off the entire evening. I missed a good chance to prove to her I’m motivated and dedicated to her plan.

  Feeling defeated and exhausted, I approach the fridge and open its door. Loraine didn’t give me permission to eat from their food, so theoretically I’ll be stealing their food if I give in to my urges and take a piece of the delicious-looking lasagna.

  My hand goes back and forth between the lasagna tray and my chest several times before I finally close the fridge door. Even though the food will end up in the trash can tomorrow, I have no right to take it without first asking Loraine for permission. My stomach growls louder as if yelling at me for my foolishness and I press my hands against it to squeeze my belly.

  “You can eat whatever you want,” a male voice says, startling me out of my skin.

  Glancing at the direction of the voice in the darkness, I see Kenneth’s silhouette behind the dinner table. My hands reach up to my mouth involuntarily as my jaw drops in shock. Have I not been alone in the kitchen all this time?

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” He walks around the table toward me and opens the fridge door. A pair of dark-colored silk boxer briefs are the only piece of clothing covering his body. I try hard, very hard not to let my eyes drop to his nakedness.

  “I just didn’t know if I was allowed to eat,” I try to explain with my chin trembling from the shock.

  “Of course you’re allowed.” There’s edge to his voice that I suspect isn’t rooted in my hesitation to eat, but something else.

  Then I suddenly remember Loraine’s text. The opportunity is not completely gone. I might have overslept, but I can still catch Kenneth and turn things around. If only I knew how I should bring up the topic of miscarriage without appearing as a traitor for giving away personal information about my boss.

  He grabs the heavy glass container with ease and sets it on the countertop. When he approaches the cupboard to get a plate for me, my eyes bre
ak free from my control and start inspecting the ripped muscles of his biceps and back. Oh, dear angels in heaven!

  I gasp while studying the details of the beauty in front of me and he abruptly cranes his head to look over at me.

  I cover my mouth and rip my eyes away from him. “Sorry. I’m just very hungry.” Not only for food, though.

  Pushing the plate with a fork on the counter top in front of him, he gestures to me with his head to indulge in the lasagna. I do just as he insinuates and take a huge piece of the delicious food and warm it up in the microwave, while all my senses are on high alert for Kenneth.

  He stands behind me, and naturally I can’t see what part of my body he’s looking at, or if he’s looking at me at all. Although the bathrobe I’m wearing is doing a great job covering my torso, it runs only mid-thigh and leaves most of my legs nude. There’s also the fact that I’m completely naked underneath. I wonder if that information has any effect whatsoever on Kenneth. It’d be easy to tell if I could just peek at his penis.

  Just the thought of his manhood makes me blush, how will I react if I try and take a look at it. It’ll take my shamelessness to new heights.

  I hear him pull a chair to the kitchen island and wonder why he cares to stay with me while I eat. Working hard to radiate a nonchalant vibe, I settle on the chair across from him and fork a piece of lasagna.

  “This is so good.” My eyes roll back in their sockets with delight. My muscles start relaxing as soon as I gobble down enough to stop my stomach from growling, and I almost forget about Kenneth’s presence only a few feet away from me.

  His low chuckle reminds me of the mission I should be focusing on rather than losing time on insignificant things, like appreciating a plate of heavenly deliciousness.

  “Thank you,” I mumble with my mouth full and watch his smile widen. “I didn’t get a chance to grab a bite. First the daycare, then the gynecology clinic, and then your office.”

  The smile on his face freezes and his eyebrows lift. “What gynecology clinic?”

  I cover my mouth with my hand, pretending to look panicked for giving away too much. “Mrs. Carter didn’t tell you about it?”