13
Brent
* * *
“I know you’re upset, Harlow, but I need you to calm down. This isn’t good for the baby,” I advise my pregnant daughter.
Harlow won’t look at me although two spots of bright pink decorate her cheeks.
“I am waiting for Jane before speaking. Oh there she is. Get out of your ropes okay, Kinky Boots?”
Jane’s face flames with total embarrassment.
“Harlow, listen, I know that was weird, but you have to understand –”
“Quiet. Both of you.” Harlow calmly sits on a stool and with a serene expression, her hands folded over her slightly distended belly. “This is your life. Not mine. It’s not my place to tell either of you what to do, seeing that you’re adults. Plus, I shouldn’t have barged in on my own, but when you don’t answer my phone calls, Dad, I start panicking because every mental image of my father having a heart attack makes me freak out.”
I smile at my silly girl.
“I’m fine, Harlow. Good as new.”
“Apparently,” she smirks. “The point is that I need some boundaries and you need a medic alert bracelet to keep me calm.”
“I’m in my forties, sweetheart,” I drawl. “Hardly old enough for an emergency bracelet.”
Harlow shoots us a silly grin.
“You’re in your late forties, Daddy, and you’re a ball of stress from working all hours, traveling all the time, and oh my god, you’ve been blowing me off to see Jane, haven’t you?”
I smile and share a knowing glance with the curvy girl.
“Maybe.”
My daughter laughs and says, “Well, that is so much better than working yourself into an early grave!”
Jane giggles a bit too now, relaxing finally.
“Brent might be going to the grave if he keeps going at me hard in the sack –”
Harlow puts her hand up.
“There is no good way for you to finish that sentence, Jane Cuesta.”
“Yes, ma’am,” she smiles and looks down.
“Now, I need to know something: is this just some kinky fling or are you serious about each other?” my daughter demands. “Because you both mean a lot to me, and you know I want this to last forever.”
I stare at Jane and she meets my eyes. My heart pounds as I speak slowly.
“The truth is that over the last few months, I’ve fallen in love with your friend, Harlow. I wouldn’t say it was love at first sight, although it was definitely lust. But I had to get to know Jane as an adult before I could let myself fall for her. And I have. Jane, I’ve fallen madly in love with you, did I mention?”
She smiles.
“I’m in love with you too, Brent,” she whispers as her eyes glisten with tears. “My childhood crush has become the real thing, and it’s a dream come true. But Harlow,” she says, turning to my daughter. “I hope you can understand that.”
My daughter nods. “I’m glad this is the real deal. I’ve seen the sparks fly between you two for years and honestly, I couldn’t be happier about this.”
I blink rapidly in shock and Jane’s jaw drops open.
“Really?” I guffaw.
“Harlow, are you serious?” echoes Jane.
My daughter giggles, “Yes, you silly people! And I’m not the only one who’s seen it. Gray asks me all the time about how we’re going to set you two up. It’s sort of an inside joke with us, truthfully.” She shrugs, “You guys have chemistry and it’s undeniable. I’m so happy for you.”
Jane runs and hugs Harlow as I’m left speechless. Jane murmurs, “I feel so much better now, knowing you’re on board with all of this.”
“Well,” Harlow hesitates, “I definitely don’t need to be on board with all of it.”
I ask, “What do you mean?”
My daughter smirks.
“I don’t need to know anything about the ropes and leather and whatever is happening upstairs. In fact, I could use a few gallons of brain bleach to get rid of the memory, or maybe one of those memory wipe devices from Men in Black. But that’s your business and whatever makes you two happy is fine by me.”
Jane giggles and walks my way. Slowly she takes my hand and looks deeply into my eyes.
“I’m so in love with you, Brent Marshall.”
I gaze into her caramel stare, and a silly smile comes over my face.
“I’m in love with you too, Jane Cuesta. More than I ever knew possible.”
“That’s my cue to leave,” Harlow chirps as she carefully gets up from the stool and heads for the door. “You two, just be careful with whatever your um, hobby, is. Okay?”
We all laugh then.
“Bye Harlow,” sings Jane. “See you.”
My daughter merely waves, and closes the door behind her, leaving us in solitude once more. I hold Jane in my arms and gaze into those chocolatey eyes. She’s gorgeous, flushed and still glowing from making love. Sure, I gave it to her in a new way, but that’s what I adore about Jane: she’s always open to exploration. Finally, I break the silence.
“I’m so happy we can be out in public now.”
“Me too,” she smiles. “Did that go better or worse than you think?”
I ponder for a moment.
“I think better, actually. Harlow was really open-minded, and she didn’t seem too thrown, seeing that she found us in a naughty situation. But now, we can do anything. Go anywhere, do anything, be seen together. I love you so much, Jane.”
She smiles too, tears coming to her eyes.
“I love you too, Brent. But there is one more thing, and I’m not sure how this is going to go, so I feel like I should rip the band aid off fast, and if this changes things, or—”
I kiss her to calm her down. “Relax honey. Go slow.”
She merely smiles at me again with shining eyes.
“I’m pregnant,” she says in a soft voice. “You’re going to be a father again, Brent.”
I literally can’t move for a moment. A father? My heart soars and I kiss her again, and then clasp that curvy form tight to me.
“Are you sure?” I rasp hoarsely. “I’ve wanted this for so long.”
Jane sniffles a bit.
“Yes, I saw my doctor yesterday and he confirmed it.”
“How far along are you?”
Jane lets out another cute half-laugh, half-snort.
“Pretty far. The baby was probably conceived that first night at the Cube in fact, so maybe twelve weeks?”
I start to laugh, “The condom wasn’t effective that night, huh?”
She giggles.
“Well, nothing is 100% effective.”
I smile, but then I grow serious. “Are you sure this is what you want, Janie? I know we talked about it some, but this pregnancy is out of the blue.”
She gazes into my eyes and merely smiles happily.
“I want this more than anything in the world, Brent. You?”
I nod, pulling her tight against my strong form before resting my chin on her head.
“I’m so grateful to be a dad again, I can’t find the words to express it. This is a dream come true for me, and you’re going to be a wonderful mommy, Jane. We’re going to have the best kids, and –”
She stops me.
“Kids, plural?”
I press a soft kiss to that plush pout.
“Absolutely plural,” I whisper against her lips. “I want you Jane Cuesta, over and over again. And I’ll have you because you are mine, the same way that I am yours.”
With that vow, our fate is sealed and love blossoms again, encompassing us both. Who would have guessed this could happen? After all, Jane is my daughter’s best friend, but now she’s my partner for life and the mother of my unborn child. I never thought I could get so lucky, but somehow against all odds, the curvy girl has become mine.
Epilogue
Jane
* * *
Two years later.
Harlow and Gray have come over for dinner,
along with their three children. We sit around the table, while Fannie and Freddie run around the playroom, too energetic from their ice cream to hold still. Harlow’s youngest, Frankie, is on her lap, and my daughter, Candace, is on mine. Harlow says, “You know, Candy looks just like the old pictures of Dad.”
“Strong genetics on that side of the family, I imagine,” I smile at my little girl. Her brown eyes and hair remind me of him, but her toothless grin reminds me of my grandmother. “More ice cream?”
Harlow shakes her head.
“No, thank you. Can you believe we ended up pregnant at the same time? Unreal, right? But now little Frankie and Candy can play together.”
I smile.
“Yes, it’s awesome. And honestly, it’s been the best time of my life.”
“Me, too,” Harlow smiles. “It’s a dream come true for me. The other playgroup moms never understand about me and Gray when it comes to the age thing. They always think he’s some disgusting lech who hooked up with a teen girl, which is just not true! I was young, but I wanted it. They’re so judgmental and it pisses me off,” she rolls her eyes.
I shrug. “It’s their loss. Don’t even worry yourself about it.”
Then, my handsome man strolls over, and presses a kiss to my forehead. He’s followed by Gray.
“What are you ladies talking about?”
“What, Daddy?” Harlow asks innocently. “Oh, Jane was just telling me her news,” she says with a meaningful look my way.
I gasp.
“Harlow!”
My friend just shrugs and bobbles little Frankie on her knee.
“Go ahead, tell him.”
I turn and look into the hazel eyes of my handsome boyfriend.
“Brent,” I say slowly. “You’re going to be a father again! I’m expecting.”
Gray shouts with glee behind us and claps Brent on the back in congratulations.
“Father and grandfather at once,” he chuckles. “Only my best friend could have accomplished it.”
Brent looks stunned for a moment, but then he swoops down to capture my mouth in a demanding kiss.
“Thank you, sweetheart,” he rasps. “I’ve wanted this for a long time, and you’ve made my dream come true again. I can’t say thank you enough.”
With that, he gets down on bended knee, and pulls a diamond ring from his pocket. I gasp, tears filling my eyes as little Candy coos upon seeing the sparkling gem.
“Will you marry me?” Brent asks, his own eyes tearing as well. “I love you so much, Janie, and you’ve made me a real man. You’ve given me a daughter, and now we have another child on the way too. I love you, Janie. Please, marry me.”
I lean forward to kiss him and whisper, “Yes. Of course, yes!”
Behind us, Gray and Harlow cheer as Brent slips the ring onto my finger. It looks beautiful, and Candy gurgles a bit, her brown curls bouncing. But then Brent kisses me again and gazes into my eyes.
“I love you, Mrs. Marshall,” he whispers for only me to hear. “Always and forever.”
I kiss him back.
“I love you too,” I whisper, and once again, our hearts are joined as one.
* * *
THE END
* * *
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* * *
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* * *
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Sneak Peek: My Dad’s Business Partner
Harlow
Harlow decides to be a bad girl her first day on the job.
Jane went shopping with me last week for work clothes because she said I had nothing appropriate. I’m thankful, because my friend is right. All my so-called “work clothes” were shabby and too tight. I put on the freshman fifteen and then the sophomore twenty, so I’m a bigger girl now. New clothes were definitely needed.
Now, I pull up to Kombuchaid headquarters in a pale gray skirt suit and white lace blouse. My leather messenger is by my side, and I swing it over one shoulder while getting out of my car. I’m still awkward in heels, mincing across the parking lot, but at least they make me feel taller and more confident.
As I enter the glass doors, I hear a sharp voice call out across the marble waiting area.
“Miss Marshall?” A severe woman in an eggplant suit stalks over to me in stilettos. She has far too much makeup on and one of those “I want to speak to your manager” hairstyles. I’m immediately intimidated.
“Yes?”
She gives me a perfunctory nod.
“I’m Karen, and I’m here to show you around on your first day. Follow me.” And with that, she spins on her heel and walks away, her mouth pursed like she’s just bitten into a lemon. Clearly, Karen doesn’t want to be doing this, and wishes I were dead. I instantly do not like her. She’s skinny and rude and reminds me far too much of my mother but what choice do I have?
Silently, I follow her through the labyrinth of Kombuchaid headquarters and end up completely lost by the time we arrive at my desk. It’s my own little gray corner of office hell, and I wonder if I’m being punished for something. There are probably shackles under the desk, come to think of it, although I force myself not to look.
“Um, thanks,” I mutter.
“Only the best for Brent’s daughter,” Karen says with an ugly twist to her mouth. “There’s nothing for you to do right now, but I’m sure you can occupy your time with your phone or something.”
I nod tightly.
“I’m happy to do whatever is needed, Karen. I can run copies or go get coffee if you like.”
Her sharp laugh is more like a bark. I turn to see if anyone heard, but there’s no one in the office yet.
“No, it’s fine. I’m sure you’ll find something to do. Just sit here, okay? That’s it. That’s the job.”
God, why is this woman such a bitch? I didn’t ask to be the boss’s daughter.
“Thanks,” I say tightly. “I’ll keep you updated.”
“Great,” she says coldly before disappearing down a hallway.
I’m pretty shocked at how openly hostile Karen is. I mean, who acts like that straight off the bat? Clearly, she’s got a chip on her shoulder from something or other.
But I don’t want to make a big deal of it because I don’t want everyone to think I’m that girl. There’s no sense in starting off the summer as the rich bitch who’s also the boss’s spoiled daughter. As a result, I decide to keep my head down. I get acquainted with my computer, clicking around on some random folders. There are no emails yet, which is good. Then, I read a bit of the company manual, but it’s exceedingly boring. So I do as Karen suggested: I pop out my phone and play around a bit. Candy Crush keeps me occupied for fifteen minutes, but then I get bored of that too. I try angling the phone for a selfie, but it’s too depressing. There’s too much gray between my suit and the cloth-covered walls. Tomorrow, I’m going to bring a few succulents to spice this place up because right now, it’s just too blah.
To my surprise, an hour passes and then two. No one comes around to say hi or introduce themselves either, so I decide to head to the bathroom. After relieving myself, there’s still nothing to do, so I decide to take myself on a tour of this place. I’ve been to Kombuchaid headquarters before, of course, but it was always with my dad and we pretty much just stuck to the reception area and his office. This time, I’ll show myself around a bit.
The building is huge, with several floors, and there aren’t any access codes or badges needed in the elevator, so I’m able to roam freely. Strange. I decide to start at the bottom, in the basement. But when I get down there, the elevator opens to what appears to be a construction site.
“Hello?” I call in a moderately loud voice. My voice seems to echo into
the quiet.
Then, I step outside and begin to make my way around the construction. There’s plastic sheeting on some of the storage boxes to protect them from all the dust and grime, and the furniture is bound in saran wrap. There’s a ton of dust flying in the air, and I cough a bit, masking my nose and mouth. Damn. I swear the plaster’s getting in my air passages. Maybe I should just go back.
But then I see a women’s restroom and duck inside. Thank god. It appears relatively clean, without the layer of dust covering everything. I look at myself in the mirror, and see my tousled hair and rosy cheeks, not to mention the smart gray suit. Damn, why isn’t Gray here? I wish he could see me like this, when I’m wearing a professional outfit with an ID badge dangling from my waist. Would he laugh? Would he chuck me on the chin, and call me “sweetheart” again? I grow warm inside just at the thought.
God. Gray Jamison. Dammit, why do I keep having to think of him? I haven’t seen him in ages, but his image continues to haunt me even here, in the most inappropriate of places. He owns this building, for crying out loud! Well, at least he co-owns it with my dad.
But I want him too badly, and I can’t stop the urge. His hands on my skin…his cock in my mouth…Gray whispering my name in my ear. It’s too much, and the ache overpowers me.
Like a bad girl, I whip out my phone and google Gray’s picture. I quickly find one of him on vacation in Hawaii and I was right about his body. Damn. Tan, muscular, with a smirk that drives me wild. Unhesitating, I hitch my skirt up and then prop one leg up onto the counter, while holding my phone in my left hand while my right hand slides up my thigh and into my panties. I wish it were his hand, and not my own.
I keep thinking of what I would say if he spoke to me the way I long for him to. What would he say? Would he growl my name in my ear? Would he kiss my jaw before bending down to swipe his tongue across my clit?
My Bestie’s Dad: A Forbidden Romance Page 9
