I grin wryly.
“Yep. Thankfully, there isn’t any more footage of them. I don’t know what I’d do if there is.”
Jane laughs and says, “You know what? I bet there is. These things aren’t usually one-time events.”
I drop my head into my hands in mock horror.
“Oh fuck. Well, at least they’re married now. Hopefully, I’ll never see it.”
Jane laughs.
“Parents always seem like they know when you’re going wrong. If you sense that everything’s okay, then it probably is.”
I chuckle, “I suppose it seems that way. Anyways, I hope you know I am 100% behind my daughter and her husband now.”
“Of course, Brent,” she smiles gently. “You’re a fantastic grandfather.”
I pause for a moment.
“It’s weird to hear that word describing me,” I admit. “But I also sort of love it, you know? Fannie and Freddie are wonderful kids, and very smart. They have huge hearts, too. Did I ever tell you about when Freddie dropped his ice cream?”
“No,” she smiles as we start hiking again.
“Fannie gave hers to him, straight away. She doesn’t even ask for a replacement, she just gives him hers, like she hasn’t been looking forward to her own cone. I couldn’t have better grandchildren, if I say so myself.” Then, I notice the look on Jane’s face. “What? What’s wrong?”
She smiles.
“You get so happy when you talk about them. It’s really sweet.”
I smile ruefully again.
“I never saw myself as a grandfather, but Fannie and Freddie make it worth the title. And Gray and Harlow clearly love each other, and are excellent parents. He doesn’t stray and he treats his family well.”
Jane laughs.
“Your daughter is head over heels in love with her husband.”
I laugh. “Oh?”
She nods.
“Oh my god, every time I see Harlow now, it’s Gray this, and Gray that. I mean, I get it, they’re married, but my god, he’s just a man.”
“Jealous some?” I interrupt playfully.
“Completely,” she laughs. “Am I that transparent?”
“Methinks she doth protest too much.”
Jane’s quiet for a moment, but then she nods.
“Yeah, maybe. It’s just, their life is soooo perfect, like it’s out of a magazine. It’s kind of annoying, don’t you think?”
I nod and we walk quietly for a while. The late summer breeze has a hint of coolness and I can’t wait for autumn to come. When it does, I want to take Jane to Baja for some sightseeing. But maybe that’s premature. I don’t even know what she wants from me, and suddenly, I’m compelled to ask.
“Do you think your life could be perfect like Harlow’s and Gray’s?”
She smiles and coyly says, “Maybe. I don’t know. Magazine-ready doesn’t sound good to me. I don’t want to hold myself up as a paragon of perfection when we both know I’m not.”
I smile at that, and kiss her gently on her forehead. We hike silently for a bit longer before she says, “Brent?”
“Yes, sweetheart?”
Tentatively, she bites her lip and then asks, “Do you want more kids?”
I think about how to answer her question because I’m not sure what she wants to hear. But then again, there’s no sense in dodging the query. I’ve already made my feelings clear, and I’ll re-state them if need me.
“Yes, honey, I do. I want more children.”
She smiles radiantly. Her sweet brown eyes are radiant, and her lips look like the best dessert I could imagine.
“You don’t think it would be weird if you had grandchildren older than your own children?”
I think a bit on the question and answer in a roundabout way.
“I had a terrible marriage, as you know,” I explain as we hike. “After my divorce fifteen years ago, I was burned out. I thought that more kids were not in my future. It would just be Harlow, and as much as I hate her being an only child, I knew she’d be fine. So I focused on my business. I dated, sure, but it wasn’t anything serious. The women I met were absolutely not maternal, and I was fine with that.”
I pause for a moment before continuing.
“But now, yeah. I want to have more kids. Maybe it’s because of Fannie and Freddie. I don’t know, but something’s changed and I’d love to hear the pitter-patter of small feet again, as cheesy as that sounds.”
Jane’s gone silent, and in fact, she’s not even standing next to me anymore. I turn, and she’s motionless in the woods, a smile on her face.
“Sweetheart, what’s wrong? Is everything okay?”
“I know this sounds weird, but I’m dying to start a family,” she confesses. Her voice cracks with emotion, and she admits, “I feel like being a mother is my purpose in life.”
I shake my head and take one small hand in my own, even as my heart leaps.
“You’re twenty-five, you have your whole life ahead of you, and you haven’t even really started your career yet.”
She shakes her head.
“Brent,” she says firmly. “I am a receptionist at an insurance company. I’ve spent the last few years trying to figure out next steps, and nothing ever really comes to me. I’ve finally realized the reason. It’s because I want to be a mother. That’s my purpose in life. I want a family. I want kids and a husband, and I want the white picket fence. I know this traditional stuff probably sounds weird to say, especially since I’m a college graduate, but it’s true. I don’t want to be some powerful CEO, or to run my own company. I want a family.”
My heart soars and I take her in my arms. Her honesty is refreshing because there’s no scheming, and no games in those soft brown eyes. This woman wants what I want, and our goals are aligned.
I kiss Jane passionately and my voice is soft when I say, “That’s what I want too, sweetheart. Someone who wants to come to Bear Woods for a day, someone with real values, and someone who will raise my children. I want a partner in life whom I adore with lush curves and curly brown hair.” I kiss her again, and this time, we have a meeting of our minds as well as our hearts.
10
Brent
* * *
A month later.
Jane’s coming over to my place for takeout and Netflix, and I’m looking forward to it. I spend every free minute I can with the curvy girl and at this point, I think she must know I’m madly in love with her. After all, I make love to her non-stop and bombard her with compliments. I give her gifts, and even offer to wash her car for her, like a lovestruck teen. It’s a little pathetic, but I don’t care. I adore this woman, and I think she loves me too.
However, we’re still not open about our relationship. We’ve agreed Harlow and Gray don’t need to know just yet because my daughter’s pregnant again, and Gray works with me. These days, he’s handling a lot of stuff at the company too, so I don’t want to tear him away from his responsibilities because it would just mean less time for me with my curvy girl.
When the doorbell rings, my feet hardly touch the stone floor. My house (Jane calls it a mansion, but at 8,000 square feet, it barely qualifies as far as I know) is empty because my staff generally goes home early when I have her over. It’s easier to keep secrets when no one else is around, although I think they suspect.
I open the door and there she is, in her black trench coat. My hopes grow, “Aren’t we doing dinner and Netflix?”
She winks, “Yes, sir.”
“Then come in, sweetheart. May I take your coat?” I ask as I close the door behind her curvy form. God, I hope she’s naked underneath it.
“Of course, sir,” she smiles and lets me sweep it from her shoulders.
Damn. She’s wearing a snug pink sweater and tight jeans which highlight her assets. I can’t complain. I kiss her cheek and then turn to the closet.
“You got my hopes up with the infamous trench coat, missy.”
She giggles. “Sometimes a trench coat is
just a trench coat, sir. Can’t get your hopes up.”
“What a disappointing truth,” I tease her. “By the way, dinner’s already here. There are chopsticks with the cartons in the kitchen.”
“Perfect, I’m starving!”
I sling my arm around her companionably as we stroll to our meal. She winks at me.
“By the way, I love you in that red. Why don’t you wear more color Brent?”
I laugh.
“Guys usually don’t. This is me easing you into my lounge wear outfits, which is usually just t-shirts and shorts.”
She throws me a look.
“You do remember that I practically grew up here, right? And that I’ve seen you in your house clothes more times than I can count?”
“Yes, but I want to gradually disappoint my girlfriend, not lower the bar entirely right off the bat.” She laughs and we dig into dumplings and lo mein before I ask, “So, what have you been doing this last week, sweetheart? I haven’t seen you the past three days.”
She gives me a devilish look.
“Miss me much?”
I want to carry her off to my bedroom right now, but restrain myself.
“Maybe.”
She laughs.
“Well, you know I’ve been collecting succulents as tiny house plants lately. I got a new one, so that’s fun. And usually, I like to practice karaoke before this one guy began to steal all my free time.”
“That bastard! I’ll kick his ass.”
She giggles.
“Don’t you dare because he has a fantastic ass.”
I blush and laugh easily with her. “So, plants and karaoke?”
“Mm-hmm,” she swallows and says, “I read a lot, but I seem unable to focus lately, although I’m sure why.”
“Maybe you have something on your mind? A man, perhaps?”
She giggles.
“Maybe. But seriously, I want to read more again. I’m sure the librarian will say something the next time I show up.”
I nod. “She’s a hardass?”
“He is a flirt. I knew him in college, Mike Drury. We went on a couple of dates in college, and I think he’s still into me,” she says while diving into her lo mein to hunt down a piece she likes.
Suddenly, my heart contracts, and I swallow my trepidation. I have to ask.
“And are you?”
“Am I what?” she says before finally finds the last mushroom and gobbling it down.
“Are you still into Mike?”
Jane starts to laugh but chokes instead. I rub her back until she breathes correctly once more.
“God, no! Why would you even ask that?”
My panic subsides, but only a little.
“A guy your age is into in you. He’s smart and well-read, and probably twenty years younger than me at a minimum. I’m not here to tell you what to do with your life. If you want to see him—”
Jane is staring at me with utter surprise.
“I don’t,” she says firmly. “Not at all, Brent. I want to see you, and you only. I thought we understood that.”
I swallow, feeling very insecure.
“We never set it out explicitly, but that’s what I want too.”
She smiles gently.
“I have no interest in dating anyone else but you, Brent Marshall. And I haven’t seen anyone but you since our night at the Cube, so you don’t have to worry.”
“Same here,” I manage in a low voice. It quivers, even though I try to control it.
She grins at me.
“Then we’re exclusive?”
“Yes, sweetheart,” I say, my heart fluttering. “It makes me happy.”
She smiles at me, her eyes warm.
“I very much want to be exclusive, Brent. I am only into in you. That’s why I’m whining about Mike. I can’t buy all the books I want to have, and I certainly don’t have storage for all of them, so going to the library is how I get around all of that.”
I smile but say, “Denver is a big city. I’m almost certain we have more than one library.”
“Yeah,” she smiles, “but his is the biggest and the best.”
“I don’t like hearing those words out of you about another man,” I growl.
She giggles.
“Oh no, on that note, things are definitely different. You are absolutely the biggest guy I have ever been with.”
My pride swells and I harden a bit.
“You’re not just saying that to stroke my ego?”
“No. I’m not exaggerating. The first night we...” She’s caught up in the memory of our first night, and giggles breathily. “I legit thought you were packing some sort of toy. I’ve never been with a guy that big.”
I blush, although of course, I’m pleased. “I’m not that big.”
“You are porn star big, Brent.”
My face is on fire. “Really? I’m the smallest of me and my brothers.”
Her mouth drops. “Are you kidding? Do they live close? Maybe they could join us for Netflix and chill.”
“HEY!”
She giggles, “Oh please, like I could handle anything bigger. You hardly fit in me as it is. You know how you always have to work yourself in.”
“Watch yourself, missy,” I mock-frown.
“So, what have you been doing, Brent? I know, three days is such a looong absence.”
I smile, “I went to work out at the country club. Remember, the one you used to work at as a porter?”
She stares at me with her mouth open.
“I can’t believe you remember that!”
I smirk.
“It’s hard to forget the stunning creature who threw a golf ball at my potential client’s head.”
She makes a face.
“Barry Winslow is a lech who sexually harasses all the girls. I know because he propositioned me … wait, what is that look on your face?”
I’m suddenly insanely angry.
“I’m so sorry that happened to you, Jane.”
“You think I go throwing golf balls at random guy’s heads?”
I shake my head furiously.
“I didn’t really know you back then. Not like now. If I’d known Winslow was harassing you…”
She gives me a half-smile. “Well, it is what it is. They let me go because he complained.”
Rage stirs in my being.
“I am so sorry about that. I’m going to call that asshole-”
“Don’t you dare!”
“Why not? I still have his information, and he needs to pay for what he’s done.”
Her face reddens.
“Don’t, Brent. It was a million years ago, and it’s water under the bridge now. I don’t want you to stir the pot. I don’t even know why we’re talking about it.”
We are quiet again, but it’s not an awkward silence. Finally, I try to explain myself.
“I hate the thought of another man disrespecting you, sweetheart. I always knew Winslow was a jerk, but I had no idea he was that much of one.”
She puts a small hand on mine soothingly.
“It’s fine, Brent. I hated that job anyways, so it was no skin off my nose. It’s ancient history now.”
I nod and pretend that everything’s settled, but it’s not. I plan to send Barry Winslow a thousand subscriptions to gay porn to his office, in addition to a few dozen roses with a thank you note from a guy I’ll call Tom. That should go over well. It’s so juvenile, but I don’t care. That asshole is such a fucking prick, and he’s lucky I’m not doing something more serious.
I turn back to Jane.
“Enough talk. I’m done eating. You?”
She looks down at her half-finished lo mein, but she also sees the hard glitter in my eye.
“I’m done too, Brent,” she coos softly. “Let’s go.”
With that, I sweep her into my arms and transport her to my bedroom. After all, this talk has only made me want to imprint myself on her more. I want Jane to be mine, and I want to protect her from the wo
rld. I want to give her a baby tonight … if she’ll let me.
11
Jane
* * *
We snuggle on Brent’s California King and flick through the shows in our queue. It’s so strange to me to think of it as our queue, but I do. Over half the shows in it are the ones I put into his account. Half of the time, we scroll until our eyes go blurry and we fall asleep. But the other half of the time, we end up having sexy times and it’s off to the races.
Tonight however, I need to tell him something and either of those outcomes would hinder my goal.
Brent has no idea. He pats me fondly on the behind and asks, “Do you want a movie or a tv show?”
“Movie, I think.”
He gets a naughty look on his face and asks, “Ever seen The Secretary? It’s a little risqué, but you’re old enough.”
I laugh.
“I’m twenty-five, Brent. I’ve had free online porn available ever since I can remember.”
He laughs. “No, not like that. This is a real movie with a plot and everything. I don’t know if it’s on Netflix, oh wait, there it is. It’s a character study of a couple with edgy, salacious parts. Up for it?”
I shrug.
“I don’t know. A title like The Secretary makes me think of my job.”
He chuckles.
“I promise it will not remind you of your job at all.”
I sigh. “Alright. I trust you.”
He flicks it on, and it’s good actually. The movie’s about a woman with a variety of issues using BDSM to help her heal from those problems. When her boss has her bent over his desk and spanks her, I shudder in delight.
Brent’s fingers interlock with my own, as he stares at the screen. He’s hard, and I can see the enormous bulge through his trousers. He stares into my eyes, and I swallow hard before asking, “Would you ever want to try something like that with me?”
He shoots me a fiery glance.
“Why? We haven’t been back to the Cube since we got together,” he says slowly. “Do you miss it?”
I take a minute before nodding.
My Bestie’s Dad: A Forbidden Romance Page 7
