Body Heat

by Mia Ford

  “I called and set up our date,” she explained quietly. “It’s tomorrow at six, and I told him I had to be back by midnight.”

  Frank looked a little surprised.

  “I thought you would want to take the whole night,” he said.

  “That is probably the very last thing I want,” Veronica scoffed.

  “Hey,” Frank moved closer to her and placed his hands on her waist, looking into her eyes. “Don’t be down about this.”

  “I can’t help it,” Veronica sighed. She thought for a moment, and she was grateful that Calvin granted her the time to process her thoughts.

  “I haven’t even seen him in weeks,” she said softly. “I just… I just don’t know how to be around him anymore. Especially not with all this. With you and me.”

  “Don’t worry about all that,” Calvin said softly. “You just be you. You’re smart. You’re going to know what to do in whatever situation you find yourself in. I believe in you.”

  Veronica nodded, and she found that his words served to comfort her quite a bit.

  “Are you sure you want me to go through with this?” she whispered, and he smiled down at her.

  “Like I said,” Frank gave a half smile. “I think you need to see him. And I think it will help you to figure out what you really want to get out of this situation.”

  Veronica nodded. She moved closer to Frank and rested her head against his broad chest. She inhaled the scent of his musk after his workout and shivered as the scent filled her lungs.

  “I just want you to remember one thing,” Frank said, pulling back slightly. Veronica looked up at him, waiting for him to tell her what was on his mind.

  “I want you to remember that I want you,” he said. “In your mind while you’re processing all these things, I don’t want you to ever doubt that I think you’re the woman for me, and that I want you more than anything. Don’t ever get that twisted. I want you to be mine. You just have to decide if I’m the one for you.”

  Veronica swallowed at yet another raw confession from this man.

  “But if that man for you is Calvin,” Frank went on more softly. “I will respect your decision in that regard, and we can both move on with our lives accordingly.”

  Veronica took in his words, and looked up at him.

  “Thank you,” she said softly. “I can’t tell you how much it means to me that you’re so understanding.”

  Frank smiled down at her.

  “All I want is for you to have a good chance to be happy,” Frank almost whispered. “And I do want it to be with me, no doubt. But I think Calvin is a good man, too. And I know he has a good future to offer you as well. If he was some kind of shady low-life, I wouldn’t be encouraging you to entertaining him as an option.”

  Veronica smiled, as she couldn’t quite manage a laugh. Frank noticed her quietness, and he lifted her face up to look at him.

  “Everything’s going to work out, alright?” Frank assured her. “I’m going to go get ready for work. You coming up?”

  “No,” Veronica shook her head. “I’m going to stay down here for a second. I just want to clear my head a little bit.”

  “Okay,” Frank smiled. “I’ll see you in just a little bit.”

  Veronica smiled as he moved out of the kitchen and up the stairs. She let out a soft rush of air, and she buried her face in her hands. She felt like her life was beginning to spin out of control.

  She wondered how things would have been if she had never taken the job from Frank. Would she and Calvin have broken up eventually just from their differences? Would they have stayed together, eventually gotten married and had children and a family of their own? All those ideas seemed to be pure fantasy now that she had been disloyal to him.

  Veronica wondered if she would tell him about her and Frank on their date. It seemed almost too cruel to do something like that to him. She knew he was terribly excited to see her, and this revelation would absolutely crush him.

  And if she didn’t tell him, she knew the guilt would be eating at her the whole night, and she would just end up having a completely miserable time altogether. She would only be sparing him from the truth temporarily, anyway, and there was little point in dragging it out.

  She wondered how he would react if she did tell him. Would he be angry? Hurt? Betrayed? Embarrassed? Doubtless he would feel all these emotions, but which one would he display. It was a question she would not know the answer to until she revealed her horrible secret.

  And the bigger issue in all this was whether she wanted to try and recover her relationship with Calvin, or if she wanted to pursue a new relationship with Frank? In some ways, the choice of Frank seemed easy. She had already nearly seamlessly adjusted herself into his life. She was attracted to him both physically and mentally, not to mention the deeper connection that they shared.

  But then, there were outside issues to consider. Frank was a man of wealth and status, and the duties of a wife were certainly much different than the duties of a nanny. She would likely be expected to attend events and to mingle with an entirely different class of people than she was accustomed to. In her mind, she just could not picture herself ever fitting in to that kind of picture.

  Veronica was also afraid of being a disappointment to Frank. They had only interacted in this environment. What if he came to find one day that she was not all he had made her out to be, and came to regret his decision entirely?

  All these thoughts rushed through her head, and Veronica rubbed at her temples. She got up from the table and headed upstairs to her room. She desperately hoped that a shower would help her to be able to sort out her thoughts on these issues.

  CHAPTER 10

  Veronica had a hard time keeping her mind away from this pressing issue for the next couple of days. She tried and tried to sort everything out, but even after hours and hours agonizing over it, she had not come any closer to finding a solution or making a decision.

  By the time Friday afternoon rolled around, she was nearly a complete mess. She was anxious about seeing Calvin after having spent this time without him, and knowing all the things she had done in that time.

  She really was on the verge of a complete mental breakdown.

  So, she was very caught off guard when Frank showed up at his home a little earlier than usual. He greeted his daughters, and then gave her a small smile.

  “Go on up and start getting ready,” he said softly. “I’ve got the girls.”

  Veronica nodded, unable to verbally respond, and headed up the stairs. She made it into her room, but stopped short as she saw a box on the bed. She looked closer and saw a note card lying on top of the box.

  She hesitantly moved closer, and picked up the card.

  ‘Wear this on your date. I know it will look incredible on you. -Frank’

  Veronica felt her heart clench as she read the note. As if it wasn’t enough to be playing with Calvin’s emotions, she was also acutely aware that Frank had feelings for her, and wanted her to stay with him.

  She was tempted to simply ignore the box and refuse to wear the dress. But she knew that he would insist, and she didn’t want to risk hurting his feeling over something that only cost a tiny fraction of his fortune. She would wear the dress, and she would thank him profusely for it.

  Slowly, Veronica opened the box, and she gasped at what she saw. It was a deep purple dress that she already knew would accentuate all of her curves in just the right way. It was complete with a neckline that would serve to show off her generous cleavage, but not so much as to be tacky.

  Veronica couldn’t wait to put it on. She found a pair of black lace bra and panties that would easily compliment the dress, and then she slipped on the garment itself. She gasped as she saw herself in the mirror. She was shocked to find it fit her perfectly, and with a pair of black heels it would give her a classy, elegant look.

  Veronica hastily took off the dress, all but too eager to put it back on when her hair and makeup were done. She went into the
bathroom and picked up her speed on that whole process. She found the perfect pair of black heels to go with the dress, and then put on the dress and shoes. She selected a black clutch to complete the look, as well as a matching set of pearl necklace and earrings.

  She was observing herself in the mirror when she saw her door open from its reflection, and she stiffened a little as Frank walked into the room.

  “Hey,” he said softly, and she watched his jaw drop slightly as he took in her wardrobe. She felt heat rush into her cheeks, and she couldn’t help but smile up at him.

  “Thank you for the dress,” she said softly, feeling a flutter of arousal as his eyes swept hungrily over her.

  “Thank you for wearing it,” he said, his voice husky. “You look stunning.”

  Veronica dipped her head out of modesty.

  “I wish it was me taking you out tonight,” Frank said softly as he moved closer to her. He placed his hands on her waist, and she could tell he was being careful so as not to wrinkle the material of her dress.

  “I wish it was too,” Veronica said softly, and she meant it.

  Frank gave her a sad smile and sighed.

  “Well if you go on a date with me at any point,” he said speculatively. “I’ll just have to buy you an even nicer dress.”

  Veronica smiled up at him, knowing that he was quite capable of doing so. They were both quiet for a moment, feeling a bit awkward for the first time she could remember since they had met.

  “Are you ready?” Frank asked her.

  “I think so,” Veronica said, though she was having a hard time keeping her voice from shaking.

  “It’s a little chilly out, you might need a coat,” Frank said.

  “Oh, thank you,” Veronica nodded, and moved into her closet to find an overcoat. She had forgotten that the chill of autumn was creeping up on them and that the warmth of summer was disappearing. She couldn’t help but think that somewhat metaphoric for her life at the moment.

  Veronica stepped out of her closet with the coat and began the process of putting it on.

  “Here, let me,” Frank stepped forward, and held the coat so that she could more easily put her arms through it.

  “Thank you,” she said when she was securely wrapped in the garment.

  “Of course,” Frank nearly whispered. Veronica could feel tension building between them, and she could see Frank’s jaw working.

  “You know,” he finally spoke after what seemed like ages. “All I want to do right now is take you and kiss you, so that when you kiss Calvin tonight, it won’t be your lips he’s tasting, but mine.”

  Veronica wanted to tell him that her lips already were his, and that if he had not already physically claimed her at this point, then one more kiss wouldn’t magically do the trick. Besides, she knew what he was saying, and she didn’t want the moment between them to be ruined by useless logic.

  “Anyway,” frank cleared his throat. “I came up to let you know that Thomas is outside with the car for you.”

  Veronica was a little relieved that Thomas would be driving her. She had gotten to know him better and better during her time her, as he was a member of the staff. He was kind, and she knew he would not judge her for where she was going, and he wouldn’t badger her with questions about her situation.

  “May I help you to the car?” Frank offered, extending his hand to her.

  Veronica gave him a nod, and took his offered hand. A little more slowly than they might have normally walked, he led her down the grand staircase and out the front door. Veronica saw Thomas waiting by the rear door to help her in, but with a nod from Frank, he moved to get into the Driver’s seat.

  Veronica felt her nerves mounting up inside of her as she approached the car, and when Frank opened the door for her, she hesitated to get in.

  “Everything alright?” Frank raised an eyebrow at her, and Veronica could hardly find her voice to speak with him.

  “I…” she trailed off for a moment, feeling vulnerable. “I’m scared.”

  “Don’t be scared,” Frank assured her softly. “Just try to go out and have a good time. Don’t think about right or wrong or making decisions. Just go out, and stay calm.”

  Veronica nodded, and she took a deep breath. She had known Calvin for years. There was no reason to be getting so worked up over a simple date with him. Somehow, though, in such a short time, she felt like everything had changed.

  Veronica lowered herself into the car, allowing Frank to help her as she did so. He bent over so he could smile in at her.

  “You said you’d be back by midnight?” Frank asked.

  “That’s right,” Veronica smiled up at him, taking comfort in the fact that no matter what happened on her date, she was still coming back to her life here afterward.

  “Good,” frank said, and she heard a trace of humor in his voice. “That’s about when the spell wears off, or so they say.”

  Veronica laughed aloud. She debated telling him that Calvin had also made a Cinderella joke, buts he decided the information was not quite welcome.

  “I’ll miss you,” veronica said softly. She had not spent an afternoon away from him since she had known him, and this was more than a little strange to her.

  “I’ll see you soon,” Franks aid comfortingly. “You should get going, you don’t want to be late.”

  “Alright,” Veronica agreed, sounding very calm considering her heart had just leapt into her throat.

  “Have a good date,” Frank said, a little acidity in his tone.

  “Thank you,” Veronica said.

  With that Frank closed the door and patted the hood of the car, and Thomas pulled out of the driveway, taking Veronica to her date with Calvin.

  PART 3: THE BILLIONAIRE’S NANNY

  Chapter 1

  Veronica stepped out of the car and smiled a thank you to Thomas, who had extended a hand to help her out. When she straightened herself she saw Calvin standing at the front entrance of the restaurant and he had a sparkling smile on his face. Instantly, waves of nervousness and guilt filled Veronica and she felt her shoulders slump a little from the weight of it all.

  As she heard the car being driven away by Thomas to be parked, she walked towards Calvin. She only took small nervous steps, still unsure of herself.

  Calvin was dressed to the nines, and it suddenly reminded her of how hard he had tried in their initial days of being together; to please her. He was in a sharp dark navy suit and his hair was neatly polished to one side. He had a bouquet of red roses in his hand that he was gripping tightly.

  She could sense that he was pleased to see her. Not only pleased, but he was excited.

  “You look beautiful, Veronica,” he said, gushing, as he stepped towards her.

  Veronica felt an initial instinct to step away from him when he moved towards her, but she caught herself just in time. Calvin was her boyfriend after all, and he had every right to touch her or kiss her.

  “Thank you,” she said, blushing to a bright red as she accepted the soft kiss that he left on her cheek. Without a word, Calvin extended the bouquet towards her and she accepted it, hanging it from the crook of her arm. Then she felt Calvin’s hand on the small of her back as he pushed open the door of the restaurant and they both stepped inside.

  Veronica was glad for the hustle bustle of the place. Surrounded by so many people, the noises and the soft background music; had put her somewhat in ease. At least they were not completely alone.

  Calvin had already booked a table for them, and the host led them towards a small table for two by the large bay windows overlooking the back garden view.

  Veronica noticed the changes in Calvin’s behavior. He was quick to pull out a chair for her before he sat down, a chivalrous gesture that he had tended to forget as their relationship grew old. She was beginning to believe that she had completely been right, their time apart had definitely done them a world of good.

  Calvin’s eyes were bright and he had a constant smile on his face.
Like a young teenager, giddy over a crush, he sat down across from her. The host came over and lit the tall candle between them, and Veronica placed the bouquet of roses at her feet on the ground.

  “Is that a new dress?” Calvin said, finally breaking the awkward silence between them. Veronica wondered if it was only awkward for her or for them both. He seemed blissfully unaware of the contradictory feelings that were going on inside her.

  “Yeah, it is,” she admitted, being quick to avoid looking directly into his eyes. She was aware that she felt beautiful in that dress. Was that the most expensive piece of clothing she owned? The feel of the buttery soft fabric against her skin, was also a constant reminder of who had given the dress to her. Frank Davenport. Her cheeks colored immediately.

  “When did you have time to go shopping? I thought you said you were always in the house with the two girls,” Calvin continued to interrogate and Veronica crossed her brows. Back to the cross examination! She thought.

  “Will you stop being a lawyer, for one second, Calvin,” she snapped at him, and instantly regretted raising her voice. Calvin’s eyes widened and then sank down. He had rarely seen her lose her temper, and she hadn’t expected that reaction from herself either. In fact the last thing she wanted to do was to infuriate Calvin.

  Veronica gazed at him, blinking, as he quietly read the menu. She still hadn’t decided when and what she was going to tell him. She could feel a familiar feeling of guilt creep up in her as she watched him.

  It had been several weeks since she last saw Calvin, and given how long they had been dating and how intimately she thought they knew each other - Veronica had expected at least a little more excitement when they met after so long. But she had felt nothing when she set her eyes on him. She appreciated the effort he had put into setting up the date, and how polished and handsome he looked. Beyond that however, she didn’t feel that spark. The spark she knew she felt every time she merely set her eyes on Frank.

  Calvin looked up at her suddenly, interrupting her thoughts.

  “Have you decided what you’ll order?” he asked and Veronica felt her mouth go dry. After the number of times they had frequented this restaurant, she thought he would have known exactly what she wanted. She had ordered the same main and same side for the past three years, every time they came to this place. She never got bored of it.