My Uptown Girl

by C. Morgan

  “It isn’t like that.”

  “I know you, Amara. You’re a beautiful woman. It’s no wonder this guy is sweet on you.”

  I wanted to groan and crawl under the table. I felt like I was fourteen and having our first conversation about boys and what to expect. It was no less embarrassing at twenty-two. “Dad, please. It is not like that. I’m a big girl. I can handle my business.”

  He took a deep breath. It was clear he was uncomfortable with the conversation as well. That didn’t stop him from proceeding. “Amara, you are a beautiful young woman with means. We’ve talked about this before. You have to be very careful about who you allow yourself to get involved with. Not everyone is going to be honest. There are going to be those that want to take advantage of you. I don’t want you to be taken advantage of.”

  “If anyone is being taken advantage of, it’s him. He’s giving me a great deal on the lobster. He didn’t even charge me extra for my emergency order. Any other company would have.”

  “That doesn’t change the fact you are the owner of the restaurant. You are his customer. You need to have the upper hand in this situation.”

  “Dad, I’ve got this. I’m not about to ruin a good connection because you think I’m too naïve.”

  He looked down at the table before looking me in the eyes. “Sweetie, I say this out of my love for you. I’m your father and I need to protect you as much as I can. You need to be careful about who you get involved with. This guy, Fulton? He’s not for you. You are someone who comes from a very different background. This is not going to end well. Your differences are going to catch up to you. I understand the attraction, but like you said, you don’t want to ruin your supply hookup.”

  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Dad, I have never heard you sound so arrogant. So pretentious. You have never looked down on anyone. I don’t like this side of you.”

  “I’m not trying to be pretentious,” he argued. “I am looking out for you.”

  “I don’t need that kind of looking out for. In fact, I would prefer if you just stayed out of my dating life.”

  “Don’t be like that,” he scowled. “You know I don’t normally say much about the people you call friends, but I see this ending badly. I don’t want you hurt. I don’t want you to be used. I can’t stand by and let you get your heart broken.”

  I sighed. I knew he was coming from a place of good, but it was not sitting well with me. “Thanks for stopping by,” I said, effectively ending the conversation.

  “Amara, don’t be like that.”

  “I’m not being like anything.”

  “You’re angry.”

  “I’m not angry. I hear what you are saying. I’m not saying I agree with it and I’m not saying I’m going to listen to your advice. In the end, this is my life. I feel like I’ve made some pretty good choices these last few years. I don’t deserve this distrust.”

  “It isn’t that I distrust you,” he said and leaned forward. “I trust you. You are such a good girl. You are kind and generous, and sometimes, you don’t see the bad in people.”

  “I cannot believe you are making a snap judgment about someone you have never met,” I said with genuine surprise. “What did Nick say after I left?”

  “He mentioned it looked like things might escalate. He said it was only the fact that you intervened that this Fulton guy didn’t try to get violent.”

  “Dad, have you met Nick?” I asked him. “I mean, come on. The guy is a douche. He is arrogant, and I could never be happy with him.”

  He offered a small smile. “He can be a little arrogant, but I think his heart is in the right place. He’s just young and immature.”

  “I don’t care.”

  “All right, I get it. I’ll butt out of your love life, but I will not let this guy do anything to hurt you.”

  “Like I said, I’m a big girl. I dated guys in college. I’ve gotten my heart broken and I survived. You weren’t there to save the day and I’m still alive and well.”

  “I suppose you are,” he said with a proud smile. “I’ll go. Just be careful.”

  I walked him to the door and gave him a hug. Once he was gone, I let out a long sigh. “I’ll be in my office,” I told the hostess.

  I needed a stiff drink. My father exhausted me. Both of my parents had always been supportive. Sometimes, that support looked and felt a lot like meddling. I reminded myself over and over that it was because they loved me. It could be much worse. They could be cold and unfeeling and forget I even existed.

  But my dad had no business telling me who I could and couldn’t date. For the first time in my life, I was feeling rebellious. I snatched my phone and pulled up Fulton’s number. There were butterflies in my stomach as I thought about what I wanted to do.

  Did I dare?

  I dared. I pushed the button. The ringing on the other end sent my butterflies crazy. I could hang up.

  “Hello?” his deep voice came through.

  I was in it now. “Hi, it’s me, Amara.”

  “Yes, Amara. I have caller ID.”

  “Oh, duh. Sorry. Of course.”

  “What’s up?” he asked

  “Um, are you busy tonight?”

  There was a brief pause. “Tonight?”

  “Yes. I’m closing up at eight. Are you doing anything after that?”

  “Nope.”

  “Do you want to hang out?”

  “Sure. Why don’t you come here?”

  “To your place?” I squeaked.

  “Is that a problem?”

  “No!” I blurted out. I ignored all of those warnings from my parents, my friends, teachers, everyone. Never go to a stranger’s house. Technically, he wasn’t a stranger. I had seen him naked and vice versa. “I mean, yes, I’d love to. Text me the address and I’ll see you around eight thirty or so.”

  “I’ll see you then,” he said.

  I ended the call and released a long breath. There was no denying what was going to happen between us. With the connection we had, it was inevitable. I told myself I wasn’t doing it just to piss off my dad. I was doing it because I actually liked the man and wanted to hang out with him.

  I wanted to fuck him. If I was being honest, he made my body sing and I wanted it again.

  Chapter 19

  Fulton

  I was not expecting company. I was a greasy mess, and instead of cleaning my house, I worked on the damn engine all day. When Amara called, there was no way I was rejecting her invitation. I kicked Stanley out and hopped in the shower. When I got out of the shower, my hands were still stained. There was not much I could do about that.

  I pulled on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt that smelled clean before I got my ass in gear to clean up a little. I was hoping her standards weren’t all that high. My house wasn’t a wreck, but I knew it lacked that homey, female touch. I didn’t have throw pillows or candles or any of the foo-foo stuff. I noticed a couple of screwdrivers sitting on a table and snatched them up, shoving them into a drawer.

  I looked around again and decided it was the best it was going to get. I didn’t think she was coming over to do a home inspection. She was coming over for one thing. I would make sure she didn’t give a shit about my old furniture. I planned on having her on the furniture. After I fed her. She made dinner for me. It was my turn to cook for her.

  I had just finished making my bed when I heard the doorbell. I rushed out, took a second to breathe, and opened the door.

  “Hi,” she said with a sheepish smile. She was in her work clothes.

  “Hi. Come in.” I stepped out of the way and gestured for her to come inside.

  She walked past me. I inhaled, catching a whiff of her scent. My dick jumped, recognizing her immediately.

  “This is cute,” she said.

  Cute was quaint. Cute was code for you did the best you could with what you have. “Thanks. I don’t have wine, but I can get you a cold beer or some Jack.”

  “You like your Jack, don’t yo
u?”

  I shrugged. “It’s smooth, cheap, and it does the trick.”

  She grinned. “A cold beer would be good.”

  “Are you hungry?”

  “Um, I could eat.”

  I smirked, grabbing two cold beers from the fridge and quickly opening them both. “I’ll make you dinner.”

  “You don’t have to do that.”

  “I will. I owe you a meal.”

  “What did you have in mind?” she asked. I watched as her lips touched the bottle and immediately thought about her lips wrapped around my cock.

  “Something simple. Hamburgers.”

  “That sounds good. I’ll help?”

  “Nope, you’ll sit,” I told her and pointed to a chair.

  “Oh, bossy.”

  “You have no idea,” I said, giving her a hard look.

  I pulled out the ground beef and a few spices.

  “Are you going to add an egg?” she asked.

  She couldn’t resist. I should have known. “No, I’m not. This is my dad’s recipe. My dad didn’t do a lot of cooking, but he could make one hell of a hamburger.”

  “He taught you his secret recipe?” she teased.

  “He did. I don’t know if he would have won father of the year, but he did the best he could. He had a lot of hurdles to get over, and when my mom died and he was left to raise me, it could have completely sunk him. He held on for a while.”

  “I’m sorry,” she said. “I can’t imagine how it must have been to be so young and have that kind of responsibility on your shoulders.”

  “It made me stronger,” I replied. I refused to feel sorry for myself. My story wasn’t as bad as some of the other guys I had met during my time on boats. It was a hard life.

  “Did he want you to be a lobsterman?”

  I shrugged. “I don’t know. Initially, yes. I was supposed to inherit the boat. He taught me a lot. When he lost the boat, it crushed him. I vowed to get it back after he died. I did.”

  She looked at me. “Your boat is his boat?”

  I nodded. “It is. The guy that bought it used it for a year and parked it. He was going to junk it. When I showed up to buy it, he thought I had lost my damn mind. I made an offer he couldn’t refuse.”

  “That’s why you keep working your old boat,” she said with a smile. “That’s very sweet.”

  “I don’t know if it’s sweet. It was supposed to be mine. I took back what was mine.”

  “Would your dad be happy to know you had it?”

  I wasn’t touchy feely. I didn’t want the psychobabble. “I don’t know.”

  “But you are hoping it would have made him proud,” she stated.

  Yes. “Nope. I don’t believe in any of that stuff.”

  I glanced over and saw her looking at me with a funny expression. “I think it’s a very noble gesture,” she said.

  “Whatever.”

  I began mixing the beef. I didn’t measure anything. I had made the same burgers a hundred times. My dad wasn’t an expert cook, but he learned a lot when my mom passed away. I liked his cooking. Or rather, I learned to like it and now it was my comfort food.

  “You should add—” she started to say.

  I shot her a look. “No. I’m cooking. I didn’t tell you how to make your lobster cakes.”

  “Sorry, old habits die hard,” she said with a laugh. “I suppose you know how to make them as well?”

  “I do and it’s fine. You can tweak the recipe after you have had one of my burgers. Until then, keep an open mind. It isn’t fancy but it’s good food.”

  “I believe you,” she said with a smile. “So, do you think you’ll fish forever?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t know much else.”

  “You could always go back to school,” she offered.

  “Why would I do that?” I asked a little harsher than I meant to.

  “I only meant you could go to school and learn a new profession,” she said.

  I shook my head, carrying the tray of patties out to my tiny patio, and fired up my grill. “Not everyone needs professional education. How much do you think your degree cost you?”

  She shrugged. “A lot, but I am hoping it will pay off in the long run.”

  “And it probably will. Guess how much debt I have?”

  A slow smile spread over her lips. “Touché.”

  “I’m not knocking education, but my uneducated ass can fix about anything with these two hands. Life skills are pretty valuable.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend.”

  “You didn’t. I’ve heard it a lot.”

  “Did your parents want you to go to college?”

  I smirked. “No. Maybe my mom did but Dad never mentioned it. We were never meant to be college bound. That is not how my family is. We’re the people that put the food on the table. We fish, we farm, we do manufacturing. We don’t wear suits and ties and we don’t sit in offices.”

  The look on her face was one of confusion. “But wouldn’t they want better for you?”

  I wasn’t going to be offended. I had heard it before. I knew the general expectation. “You assume I do not have a better life.”

  “No, not at all, but it is just the way everyone thinks.”

  “Not me. Not my dad. Better doesn’t have to mean I’m wealthy. Better means I have the skills and knowledge to get through life without some of the hardships they faced. I have. I am. Therefore, I have it better than they did.”

  She smiled. “All right. You are right. I guess I never thought of it like that. You’re a forward thinker.”

  “I don’t think I’m forward anything. I just want to keep my head above water.”

  “I can understand that.”

  “Can you?”

  “Absolutely. I think there is something to be said for being practical. You’re a practical thinker. I kind of wish I was a little more practical.”

  “You seem like you have a good head on your shoulders,” I teased.

  She laughed before taking a drink. “I try. I know there are easier ways, but I don’t see easier as always being better.”

  “What do you mean easier?” I questioned.

  There was a flash of regret before she waved a hand. “To take a bigger loan, hire more people, and go overboard. That would have been easier, but I didn’t think it was smarter in the long run. In many ways, I’m like you. You didn’t want to take out a big loan to buy a new boat or take student loans for school. I think that is smart. Maybe we really are kindred spirits.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “Maybe.”

  “When you have children, do you want them to follow in your footsteps?”

  I almost choked. “When? Um, that’s a loaded question.”

  “I only meant, do you believe in your father’s methods?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t hate my life. When you say parents want better for their children, that implies there is some kind of misery. I’m not miserable. If I ever had kids, I think it would be cool if they were happy and healthy. I wouldn’t give a fuck if they were rich.”

  She flinched. I realized then I was talking to a lady and not Stanley. “Got it. I get it.”

  “Do you?”

  “I do. No more on the subject.”

  Thankfully, there was no more said on the matter. I didn’t like the hard questions. I didn’t like thinking about a future with kids and all of that stuff. I was just worried about tomorrow. I cooked the burgers to just the right doneness and carried them back inside. Thankfully, I had a few condiments in the kitchen to top off what I knew was perfection.

  She took her first bite, nodding. “Oh my god,” she said around a mouthful.

  I winked. “I’ve heard that before.”

  Instead of being embarrassed or looking away, she grinned. “I’m sure you have.”

  She took another healthy bite, nodding and moaning. If only it was something else in her mouth making her moan. I tabled the thought to be addressed later. I wanted her
to enjoy her meal.

  “How’s the business?” I asked, trying to keep her comfortable. I didn’t want her to bolt before I got a chance to have my way with her.

  “Good. It’s been a little slow but I’m confident it will pick up again.”

  “It will. Give it time to get the word out.”

  “Thank you. I appreciate it.”

  We finished our burgers. I stood, ready to clean up the mess when she touched my arm. “Nope.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Last time, I cooked and you insisted on cleaning up. Now it’s my turn.”

  I chuckled and looked around the kitchen. “I only made half the mess.”

  “Then it will only take half the time for me to clean.”

  “I don’t need your help to clean up,” I told her.

  “The burgers were amazing,” she said, turning to look up at me.

  I was scanning my countertops. Her kitchen was bigger and more modern. My kitchen was not going to work. “Thanks,” I said, stepping toward her and invading her personal space. I used my larger body to back her up.

  She took a couple of steps back before stopping and holding her ground. She looked up at me with a hint of defiance. I waited, letting her make the first move. I knew she wanted me. I wanted her to show me how much. She reached up, her hand touching my cheek as she went on her tiptoes. Her lips brushed over mine before she found her nerve and kissed me like she wanted. Like I wanted her to.

  I slid my arms around her, bringing her body close to mine. I felt her jerk when she felt my erection. I knew she was wet. I could smell her arousal. It fed my carnal lust, demanding I take everything she offered.

  Chapter 20

  Amara

  I rubbed against him, raising one leg and hooking it around his knees. His erection ground against me. It wasn’t enough. I needed more. I always needed more with him. His mouth opened wider as his tongue shoved inside mine. My tongue dueled with his, searching and tasting as his hands roamed down my back. He squeezed my ass before lifting me. My body slid up his. My breasts pushed against his chest, my nipples hard and sensitive and sending wild sensations through my body.