MR. BILLIONAIRE
By Ivy Jordan
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents
are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are
not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead,
actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2017 Ivy Jordan
Chapter One
Stella
My phone directed me toward a set of large black
gates. As I reached out the window of my 2012 Kia Forte
to push the intercom button, my nerves rattled my
securities.
“Good morning. Can I help you?” a male voice echoed
through the small speaker near the gate.
“I’m Stella Griffin. I’m here for an interview,” I said, my
voice shaking a bit as I spoke.
“Yes. Come on in.”
A buzzer sounded, and suddenly the gates opened in
front of me.
The ad for the nanny position was simple, nothing
fancy. I’d had no idea it was for such a wealthy family. I
pulled my car forward, driving slowly up the smooth
blacktop drive. Large trees landscaped the path to the
house, and then opened to a beautiful lawn, complete
with a tire swing hanging from a lone elm in the middle of
the yard.
I parked my car, took a deep breath, and forced
myself to get out of the car. I needed this job.
My blue heels clacked against the pavement as I
walked toward the steps leading to the heavy wooden
front door. My fists clenched, and I worked hard to
swallow as my nerves began to increase with every step I
took.
The floor flung open before I had a chance to ring the
bell, leaving me frozen in my spot on the top step of the
entrance. The man, beautiful and refined, stood in the
doorway with a warm smile. “You must be Stella,” he
said, motioning me inside.
“Pleasure to meet you,” I said warmly, extending my
hand to his.
A soft, callous-free hand gripped mine. It was a hand
that probably never seen a hard day’s work in its life.
“Gavin Bellefonte,” he said strongly, and then released
his tight grip from my hand.
I followed him as he turned and walked inside. The
home was just as impressive inside as it had been on the
outside. Tall ceilings hovered above with crystal
chandeliers hanging for a dramatic touch. The floors
were made of marble, and with every step, my heels
echoed a disturbing noise through the large room.
“Tell me a little about yourself, Stella,” he said, sitting
on a white sectional just off the entrance.
“Well, I guess I could start by telling you I’m twentysix. I have a degree in fine arts, and I paint in my free
time,” I rambled.
“An artist?” he asked, his eyebrow raising.
I hated the way people looked at me when they found
out I was an artist. It was almost as bad as when they
found out I was a nanny. “Yes,” I said softly.
His lips curled into a smile as he crossed his tan, bare
legs. My eyes drifted toward his large calves as he sat.
“Please, have a seat,” he offered, motioning to the chair
across from him.
I was nervous. He was gorgeous. I knew I looked like
a rambling idiot. I sat, took a deep breath, and calmed
myself down.
“Would you like something to drink?” he asked.
I shook my head and smiled.
My throat tightened as I worked to swallow. “I’ve been
a nanny for four years,” I said quickly.
“Great. So, you like kids?” he asked.
“Yes. I love them,” I admitted.
“My daughter is ten. I would expect whomever I hire to
sign a contract to stay on until she turns eighteen,” he
said with a serious tone.
“Of course,” I agreed.
In the ad I responded to, it did say ‘long-term,’ which
wasn’t so unusual. Most parents didn’t want people flying
in and out of their children’s lives. They wanted stability.
“That wouldn’t interfere with your future plans?” he
asked.
“No. As I said, I paint in my free time,” I smiled.
“Why did you leave your last position? Did the child
turn eighteen?” he asked curiously.
I felt panic stirring in my blood. I wasn’t sure the truth
was the best way to go with Gavin Bellefonte. “No. They
were twelve and fourteen,” I said quickly, avoiding the
part about why I left.
“And the reason you left?” he inquired.
My heart raced at the thought of telling him the truth.
The father, Larry Evans, was a lawyer who worked long
hours, and his wife spent most of her time aboard with
her fashion company. Living in the house with a lonely,
overworked man proved to be a problem when one night
he grabbed me from behind. His hands were wild and
fast, caressing all the delicate and private parts of my
body before I could pull away. I didn’t want to destroy the
family, so I quit.
“I felt the arrangement was no longer suitable to my
needs,” I said, feeling relief flow over me as I come up
with the answer.
Gavin looked at me, eyed me, really. His eyebrow
lifted, his lips tightened, and even though I thought he
would ask for more detail, he didn’t.
“Is that your CV?” he asked.
I nodded and handed him the paper clenched in my
hand. He read through it while I sat there across from
him, nervously awaiting the next question.
“You do have good references from the previous
family?” he asked.
I nodded. “Yes. Of course.”
His eyes rested on my blue high heel, and then slowly
slid up my leg, my body, making me squirm in my seat
until they finally met mine.
“There is another matter to discuss before I make any
decision,” he said softly.
He leaned in toward me as if he was going to let me in
on a secret. His dark hair was drizzled with silver flecks,
and his bright-blue eyes glistening as the sunlight
pushed through the large open window behind me. He
was a handsome man. Not just handsome for an older
man, but the kind of handsome you see in GQ
magazines, or on billboards advertising men’s briefs or
body wash. His intense stare made me nervous, and a
little uncomfortable.
There was no mention of a Mrs. Bellefonte, which both
excited and scared me at the same time.
“Did you notice the part in the ad that mentioned
‘specific stipulations?’” he asked.
I nodded. It was an odd thing to see in the type of ad
he placed, but I hadn’t given it much thought. I assumed
it was a special diet, or that I needed to be a non-smoker.
“I’m not looking to hire just a nanny,” he said quickly.
My heart raced as he continued to stare into my eyes.
“I would want you to play a part. You’re an artist, so I
assume you understand,” he said.
“Play a part?” I asked curiously.
My mind raced with ideas of what that could mean.
Did he expect me to clean the house naked, give him
bubble baths? Shit, what if there isn’t a kid, and he wants
me to be his nanny, changing his pretend diapers and
powdering his butt?
“I’m a very busy man, Stella. I don’t have time for
dating, but I feel it’s important for my daughter to have a
woman around. I also feel it’s extremely important she
have some idea of what a healthy relationship looks like,”
he said quickly.
I was growing very confused as he spoke.
“I would expect you to play the part of my girlfriend,
and of course, a mother-figure to my daughter,” he
concluded, and leaned back against the sofa cushion.
I knew my mouth had fallen open, and my eyes had to
be filled with confusion and shock. I left one position
where the husband was coming on to me, for one that I
would…what, sleep with the dad, and pretend we were a
couple?
“I’m prepared to offer you one million dollars a year.
That is eight million dollars for the completed contract,”
he stated professionally.
My heart nearly jumped out of my chest. Holy shit!
“A million dollars?” I gasped, surely, my mouth still
hanging open.
“There will be certain stipulations, as stated. You
cannot date anyone else. You will stay in my house,
sleep in my bed, and attend all public events by my side.
I will give you an allowance for clothing for any formal
events. You will be given a car, a driver if needed, and
even though it will appear to the world, to my daughter,
that we are a couple, you will understand that we are not.
When the contract is over, I will no longer require your
services,” he said sternly.
I calculated the time, realizing I would be thirty-four
before I could even look for a real relationship. His eyes
burnt through me, creating a heat between my legs that I
enjoyed. “So, I would be required to sleep with you?” I
asked.
“In my bed, yes. Sex is negotiable. I expect that after
you get used to me, it shouldn’t be a problem, and that
you, of course, would enjoy it,” he said with a smile.
“But no. I do not plan on forcing you to do anything
you don’t want to do, Stella. But you will be required to
show affection toward me, both in public, and at home,”
he added.
I was dumbfounded, and intrigued.
He reached into a small drawer, pulling out a stapled
packed of papers. “This is the contract,” he said, pushing
it toward me. “Have your lawyer look it over, and if you
decided to take the job, it’s yours. But I will need an
answer by the end of the day,” he said quickly.
I nodded, still unable to speak. I shook his hand and
let him show me to the door. My heart was racing, my
mind reeling. I wasn’t sure what I should do. Should I do
it? It was almost too good to be true.
I sat in my small apartment, staring out the window to
the streets below. Kids were playing basketball in the
courtyard below, the net torn from the hoops, the grass
gone, and with the help of the sun’s glistening light,
broken glass on the ground sparkled. It was a horrible
neighborhood, but it was all I could afford.
My last job, with the Evans family, I had lived with
them in their modest townhome. My pay wasn’t much,
but enough to buy paint supplies, have a night out
occasionally, and make my car payment. I hadn’t saved
up much, and I knew after paying for this dump, my bank
account was diminishing quickly.
I needed this job. A million dollars a year, eight million
dollars in eight years. I sighed, pushing open the first
page of the contract.
The lingo was confusing, and the only lawyer I knew
was my cousin Tiffany. It was embarrassing to make the
call, but I couldn’t afford a lawyer on my own.
“I’ll be over in an hour, after I leave court,” Tiffany said
without hesitation.
We’d been best friends growing up, the only young
girls in a mostly male family.
I paced the floors, reading, and re-reading the
contract while I waited on her to arrive. When I finally
heard a knock on the door, I rushed to let her inside.
“What is the urgency?” she asked, concern in her
voice.
I pushed the contract toward her, quickly explained
my offer, and then watched her as she started to read.
“Are you actually considering this?” she asked.
I nodded. My cheeks burnt red as my embarrassment
grew. “If I do, you can’t mention it to anyone. There’s
lawyer-client confidentiality, isn’t there?” I said quickly.
She laughed. “Yeah, for clients that pay.”
I pulled a twenty out of my purse and shoved it toward
her, “I’ll pay you whatever you want when I get paid, but
take this as a deposit. Please. He made it very clear that
even my closest friends and family couldn’t know this
was an agreement,” I pleaded.
She took the twenty and shoved in her purse. “Okay.
You’re seriously going to do this?” she asked.
“Should I?” I asked.
She sat down at my kitchen table, read through the
agreement, and then smiled. “It’s a sweet deal. Does he
have room for two pretend girlfriends?” she laughed.
“You do realize that you can’t have any romantic life of
your own, or you are obligated to return any money
you’ve received?” she asked, her tone growing more
serious.
I nodded.
“I’ve not exactly been doing great in that department,”
I laughed.
She’d listened to me whine about Hans, the Swedish
trainer at my gym. He was the closest thing I’d had to a
real relationship since college, and he was too selfabsorbed to ever settle down.
“Okay. If you’re serious, I’ll represent you,” she said
firmly.
I gave her a quick hug as she stood to leave. “I have
to get back to the office. Call me with an address and
time,” she said.
I hesitated to call Gavin once she left. Was I doing the
right thing? A million dollars, eight million dollars.
I made the call, and Gavin was gracious with my
acceptance. “We can sign the papers this evening. Is six
o’clock okay with you?” he asked.
“Yes. I’ll bring my attorney, if that’s okay,” I replied.
“I wouldn’t expect it any other way,” he said quickly,
and then hung up.
Tiffany agreed to pick me up at a coffee shop near
Gavin’s home. I drank three cups while waiting on her,
and by the time she arrived, I was wired for sound.
“You’re a mess,” she laughed, pushing open her
passenger door.
I didn’t speak during the short ride to Gavin’s estate.
We both walked inside when he greeted us, and I let
Tiffany do most of the talking.
When it was time for me to sign, Gavin smiled,
handing me a gold pen. His hand brushed against mine
softly as his eyes smiled into mine. “This is just an
agreement,” he said clearly.
I nodded, took the pen, and signed the next eight
years of my life away to this man.
“You will be moving in tomorrow afternoon. I expect
you to arrive by two o’clock, so you can be settled in
before Isabella returns home from school,” he said with a
smile.
“I’ll be here,” I assured him, and then took the first
week’s check written out for nearly twenty-thousand
dollars.
Tiffany gushed about how handsome Gavin was as
she drove me to my car. “Call me if you need anything,”
she said, gripping my hand tightly in hers as I opened
the car door.
This was it. I signed.
There wasn’t much to pack in my small apartment. I
shoved my picture albums, my important papers, and a
few keepsakes in a large duffle, and used my only
suitcase to carry all of my clothes. Since college, I’d
worked for the Evans family, and I had never been
required to dress in anything more formal than yoga
pants and a t-shirt. This was going to be a totally different
experience.
A black Lincoln pulled up in front of my apartment just
before two o’clock. My phone beeped with a message
from Gavin’s number, instructing me that the driver would
help me load my bags. I’d planned on driving, but
remembered Gavin saying I’d be equipped with a car. I
guess a woman driving a Kia Forte wasn’t exactly in his
league.
It felt surreal as the man wearing a tuxedo shirt and
black jacket took my bags. I slid into the backseat,
practiced the breathing exercises Hans taught me, and
tried not to overthink it. This was a good thing, a great
opportunity. I repeated those statements over and over in
my head until pulling up in front of Gavin’s house.
“Glad you made it,” Gavin said, quickly ushering me
into the house.
Glad I made it? I laughed to myself at the thought.
How could I not have made it when he’d sent a driver to
collect me?
“Let me show you around,” he said sweetly.
The house was intimidatingly large, and as he showed
me room after room, I felt as though I’d need a map to
find my way around again.
“Our room is upstairs,” he said, taking the first step up
the spiraling staircase.
Our room; it just sounded so strange.
I followed him up the stairs, and down the long, wide
hall. He pushed opened the double doors, revealing a
large master bedroom, complete with a canopy bed,
terrace, and marble bathroom. “This is your closet,” he
said, pushing open doors to a room larger than my
bedroom at the Evans’.
“I’m sure you’ll have no problem filling it with the
allowance you’ll receive,” he laughed.
Tiffany told me my allowance had been stipulated in
the contract. I would receive ten thousand a month for
clothing, incidentals, beauty treatments, and other items
related to keeping up the appearance of Gavin
Bellefonte’s girlfriend. On top of that amount, any formal
event attended would earn an additional ten thousand for
formal attire, special preparation, and time spent. I was in
awe. This can’t be real. I must’ve fallen and hit my head. I
knew I had to be in a coma in some crappy hospital,
dreaming up this world.
“We met on my trip to Barcelona six months ago, and
we’ve been Skyping ever since. You have family here, but
you lived in Barcelona, where you studied your arts. We
are in love, and you adore me, so you agreed to move
here and stay with me and my daughter,” he said quickly.
It felt as though I was in whirlwind, gathering
information too quickly to absorb. I wondered how long it
had taken him to come up with that back story. “That’s
what you’ll tell everyone,” he said.
I’d never been to Barcelona. What if someone asked
me a specific question? Ugh. I was getting in too deep.
“There’s Isabella,” he said, gripping my hand in his.
It was odd, holding his hand as we descended from
the staircase and into the large entry.
A beautiful little girl stood in the sitting room. Her hair
was blonde, curly, and her eyes bright blue, the only
thing that she seemed to inherit from her father. “This is
Stella,” Gavin said, pulling me into his side.
His arm slid over me, feeling like a strange weight as
the little girl looked up at me and smiled.
“Glad to meet you,” she said.
I knelt down to her level, extended my hand, and let
her grip me with her tender fingers for a quick shake. “I’m
so glad to meet you, Isabella,” I said.
The driver who’d picked me up earlier nodded and left
from the front door. “You’ll pick Isabella up from school
starting tomorrow. I believe it is good bonding time for
her,” Gavin said , his voice softening as he spoke of his
little girl.
The next two hours were spent getting to know
Isabella while Gavin worked in his office with the door
shut. She was a very interesting girl. She loved to paint,
so it excited her that I’d studied in Barcelona. We agreed
to go shopping and set up a studio in the large home
where we could both paint as we desired.
She never questioned the fact I’d just moved in, which
I found a little odd. She was gracious, polite, and it was
possible that her refinement kept her from asking such
questions.
Gavin arrived for dinner, which he’d had catered from
a gourmet restaurant he said was his favorite. The food
was delicious, and when he told me I’d be expected to
handle dinners from there on out, I was worried my tuna
casserole wasn’t going to be well received.
I loved spending time with Isabella, and after dinner, I
helped her with homework, picked out her night clothes
so she could get a bath, and even snuck her up a beforebed treat of cookies and milk.
I hated for her to go to bed, leaving me alone with
Gavin. He was sweet, and very attentive when Isabella
was around, leaving me to wonder how he’d be when she
wasn’t.
“Isabella is asleep,” I said, poking my head into
Gavin’s office.
“I’ll be up for a while. You can go on to bed without
me. Isabella needs to be awakened by seven thirty, and
breakfast by eight,” he said quickly.
I was a bit relieved, but felt a strange rejection from
him. This was my first night here, and it felt odd walking
up the spiral staircase alone and climbing into the large
bed. I didn’t know when he’d come to bed, or what he’d
expect when he did.
My alarm went off, waking me from the slumber I
hadn’t even realized I’d fallen into. I never heard Gavin
come to bed, but there he was beside me.
His shirtless body was only partially covered by the
thin, Egyptian-cotton sheet. My eyes lingered on his
chest, tan and tight. My body reacted with a yearning I
hadn’t expected.
He rustled under the sheet, turning to his side. I
slipped out of the bed without disturbing him and
knocked softly on Isabella’s door. “Come in,” she said.
She was already up, picking out clothes for the day
when I came into her room. “Good morning,” I said
cheerfully, surprised to see her up.
She smiled as she laid out her clothes onto the bed.
“I’ll be down in thirty minutes,” she said politely.
“Of course. What would you like for breakfast?” I
asked.
“Just fruit and some juice,” she replied.
When she turned to head into her bathroom, I felt that
same strange rejection from the night before. This is just
a job, Stella.
I wasn’t sure what Gavin would like for breakfast, so I
made bacon, eggs, pancakes, and cut up fresh fruit.
When he came downstairs, Isabella was eating her fruit,
sipping her juice, and deep into her chapter book.
He wrapped his hands around my waist, pulling me in
close. His lips pressed against mine, soft, sensual, like
we were truly in love.
My knees weakened, my body melted into his arms as
he held me against the kitchen counter. When he pulled
back, he winked, and quickly turned his attentions to the
coffee maker where I’d made a fresh pot. Isabella hadn’t
even looked up for the display of affection, which was
solely for her benefit. At least I think it was for her benefit.
This wasn’t just a job. At least, it wasn’t like any job I’d
ever had.
Chapter Two
Gavin
Stella was a beautiful woman, and after only a week
with Isabella, she’d proven to be a very wise choice on
my part.
I watched her with my daughter, how she lovingly
attended to her every need. She would be an amazing
mother one day. Isabella was lucky to have her.
“There is a charity event this evening,” I said, realizing
I hadn’t given her much warning.
Her bright-green eyes widened as she stared across
the breakfast table in my direction. “Tonight?” she asked.
“Yes. I apologize for the late invitation. This is an event
for a client, and I just found out myself,” I assured her.
She nodded, but I could tell she was nervous. I
wondered if she’d ever been to a formal event before,
and if not, how would she act?
“I’ll have Stephanie from my office help you with all
the last-minute details,” I said, pushing my coffee mug to
my lips.
My eyes lifted over the mug, watching her push her
scrambled eggs across the plate. Her nails were painted
pink, not professionally, and not well. Her hair was long,
blonde, but not styled, and she didn’t seem to wear
much makeup, not that she needed it on any other
occasion, but tonight would be special. This was the first
public outing, the one where she’d be introduced as my
girlfriend. I needed it to be perfect. I needed her to be
perfect. “She’ll arrange an appointment at the spa,” I
said, scooting my chair back and standing to leave.
“What about Isabella?” she asked, her eyes filled with
a genuine concern.
“I’ll make arrangements for her to get home, and to
have someone stay with her,” I assured her.
“A new woman?” Stephanie pried as I gave her the
assignment of handling Stella’s needs.
I smiled, but didn’t answer. Speaking about my
personal life wasn’t something I did at the office, or
anywhere. Stephanie knew enough. She didn’t need to
know more.
“I’ll handle it,” she promised, and then slipped out of
my office.
I wasn’t sure why I was nervous. This wasn’t the first
time I’d taken a woman to a formal event. There was just
something different about Stella. I hadn’t even tried to
sleep with her yet, even though there were nights my
dick was so hard I could barely sleep beside her.
She was sweet, a little naïve, and always seemed
nervous when I was around. I promised I wouldn’t make
her do anything she didn’t want, but I wasn’t sure how
long I could wait for her to warm up to me.
Stephanie informed me that Stella was being properly
taken care of, and hinted around for me to give her
details about the new mystery woman in my life.
“I’m gonna take off early,” I laughed, ignoring
Stephanie’s sleek form standing in front of my desk.
“Have a good time tonight,” she said, her bright-red
lips parted and sensuous.
I knew she was after me, and had been ever since I
hired her. It wasn’t that she wasn’t attractive; hell, my dick
stiffened every time she bent over. I wasn’t willing to
involve myself in anything messy. That’s why Stella was
so important. It was all the benefits, with none of the
mess. Isabella didn’t need to see anymore dysfunction in
her life than she already had. Every time I looked at
Stephanie’s perfectly manicured nails, I pictured them
digging into my flesh in anger. I knew I was busy, too
busy for a real relationship. It pissed women off, made
them jealous, and jealous women had a tendency to
create drama.
I snuck out of the office, slipped into my black
Porsche, and drove home. My mind was on women. I
missed the touch of a woman, and I knew if Stella didn’t
warm up soon, I was going to have to take matters into
my own hands. I made sure there was nothing in the
agreement that stopped me from visiting a female friend
late at night for benefits not received at home. Still, I
didn’t want to. The risk of being caught meant that
Isabella would possibly find out. That was a risk I wasn’t
willing to take, at least not yet.
The house was quiet when I entered. Isabella was
outside, swimming while the sitter watched. I slid
upstairs, pushed through my bedroom doors, and
noticed the gorgeous red gown spread out on the bed.
There wasn’t any sign of Stella, so I began to undress. I
assumed she was still out, working on her last minute
touches since I wasn’t due home for another hour.
I slipped out of my clothes, and stretched in front of
the mirror. Yeah, I still got it!
Going to the gym twice a week was really paying off. I
looked better at thirty-eight than I had at twenty-eight.
I grabbed my towel from the back of the closet door,
loosely wrapped it around my hips, and pushed open the
bathroom door.
Stella stood there, her frame long and lean, covered
only by sheer white panties. Her breasts were small, but
displayed a perkiness I loved. My eyes lingered on her
hips, wide, but lean. My dick reacted with a quick jump
beneath the towel as blood rushed between my legs. My
balls clenched upward, tightening against my body as
she jumped, covering her breasts with beautiful,
manicured hands. The pink polish matched the color of
her nipple, sending more blood to my member than I
could control.
My towel flinched as my own hand gripped at the
material to hold it in place. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think you
were home yet,” I apologized.
She didn’t speak. She just stood there, her hands
covering her breasts, and her red-painted lips parted,
quickly matching the color of her blushing cheeks.
“I was just hopping in the shower,” I said, suddenly
calmed, turned-on, and relentlessly after a reaction.
My hand released its grip on the towel it held in place,
letting it drop to the floor. Her eyes drifted immediately to
my cock, half-hard, but still impressive. I watched her
carefully, looking for a green light to make my move
without receiving one. Her eyes quickly moved back up
my body, only making contact with mine briefly before
landing on the floor. “I’ll let you get ready,” she mumbled,
sliding past me, her hand brushing my chest as she
passed.
I slid into the shower, turned the water to cold, and
tried to shake off the tension created between my legs
and in my mind. Fuck, she was gorgeous.
Blood slowly left my member as the cool water rolled
down my face, my chest, and my legs. Even if she had
given me the green light, tonight wasn’t the night. It was
too romantic, being out in public, dressed in formal attire.
It would feel like a date, possibly confuse her—or myself,
for that matter. Tonight was pretend. There was no need
to confuse reality and make-believe.
“Are you decent?” I asked before opening the
bathroom door to enter the bedroom.
“Yes,” she replied softly.
I opened the door to find her standing there in front of
the large mirror. The red gown that was on the bed now
flowed along her body, clinging to all the right parts.
The long slit in the side ran up her leg, offering a sneak
peek at her smooth, tan skin. The back was open,
revealing the most sensual part of a woman: the arch just
above her tailbone. “You look amazing,” I gasped.
She blushed. I loved that she seemed not to realize
the full extent of her beauty, or its impact on men.
“Thank you,” she replied.
Her makeup was applied professionally, perfectly, and
her hair styled in a loose up-do that showed off the long
line of her neck. I couldn’t have envisioned a more perfect
woman in my dreams.
Our driver arrived, whisked us away to the banquet
hall, and I proudly walked into the room with Stella on my
arm.
She was impressive, not showing any signs of nerves
amongst the other guests, even though I knew she must
have been a wreck on the inside.
“How did you two meet?” Jack, an associate, asked.
I was debating on throwing out the original story I’d
mentioned, figuring she hadn’t had time to prepare. “I
was spending time in Barcelona, soaking up inspiration
for my art, when Gavin walked into my favorite coffee
shop,” Stella said without hesitation.
My cheeks hurt from smiling so hard as she continued
to give details about the coffee shop, and how she’d
declined my advances. That wasn’t part of the story I’d
given her, but the way she told it, I believed it happened.
“He showed up there the next two days in a row.
Finally, I couldn’t resist. Although, if truth be told, I fought
to say no to his first offer,” she smiled in my direction as
she spoke.
The topic quickly jumped from how we met to interest
in Stella’s work. She spoke so eloquently about her
passion that anyone near was immediately sucked into
her words.
We danced, ate, and Stella wowed anyone I
introduced her to, except Stephanie, whose red nails
were sharp as razors, and out for blood. Yeah, I was glad
I dodged that bullet. It was obvious she could be one
wildly jealous woman.
“Barcelona?” Stephanie interrupted Stella from her
story.
She nodded and smiled.
“I spent time there last year. Where did you stay?” she
asked, her tone sopping with sarcasm.
“I spent most of my time on the sea, but I did stay in
La Rambla for several months,” Stela replied without
hesitation.
“So, you are familiar with Palau de la Musica
Catalina?” she asked.
It was obvious she was trying to stump her, not
believing the backstory I’d created for her. I gripped her
arm tightly, pulled her in close. “Can I steal you away for
a moment?” I asked, eyeing Stephanie with a disgusted
glare.
“Yes, of course. I was honored with tickets to see
Leonidas Kavakos and Enrico Pace. The hall was
beautiful,” Stella responded.
I smiled at Stephanie, who now doubted her own
doubt. I pulled Stella away, whispered, “You’re amazing,”
in her ear, and spun her onto the dance floor.
“I knew I better do my homework,” she giggled,
snuggling her face into my neck.
Her moves were as graceful as her demeanor, pulling
the attention of every man in the place to us.
It was a perfect night.
Chapter Three
Stella
The night of the charity ball had gone so well, but
Gavin seemed to be more distant than ever. He stayed up
most nights, slipping into bed after I’d gone to sleep. He
made sure to show affection whenever Isabella was
around, but barely spoke to me when she wasn’t.
“I’m not sure I can do this,” I whined on the phone to
Tiffany.
“You signed a contract. It sounds like things are going
exactly as he said they would,” she replied.
“It’s just weird,” I admitted.
She laughed and then let out a long sigh. “Are you
starting to think this is real?” she asked.
“No,” I insisted.
Was I?
“Be careful, Stella. This is a business transaction,
nothing more,” she warned.
Maybe it was just hormones. I was feeling lonely the
last couple weeks without my regular booty calls from
Hans.
“I know. I’m just…” I stopped myself from saying
horny. It was so vulgar.
“Stella, get a vibrator,” Tiffany said quickly, as if she
could read my mind.
I laughed. “You’re right,” I agreed.
“Stella, let’s go!” Isabella pulled on my arm.
I loved seeing her get so excited. We’d set up a studio
in the guest house by the pool, and now each Thursday
afternoon became a ritual to buy more paints, brushes,
and canvas.
I shoved my phone into my purse and took Isabella’s
hand, letting her lead me out the front door.
My red sports car that Gavin had purchased for me
was a blast to drive, and even though I’d pouted when
returning my Kia to the lot, I hadn’t thought about it even
once since.
“Are you and my dad getting married?” Isabella asked.
“Izzy!” I shrieked, shocked at such a question.
She hadn’t really asked much about her father and
my relationship, and for me, that was best. “I don’t know
about marriage,” I said quickly.
“You don’t love him?” she asked.
“Of course I do. Your father is an amazing man,” I
said, fulfilling section 7B in my contract: always tell the
child you love each other, make her feel secure in your
relationship.
“Is it because he’s older?” she asked, thumbing
through the radio stations from the passenger seat of my
car.
“No,” I laughed.
“He works out a lot. He’s in better shape than most
twenty-year-olds,” she insisted.
My tongue slid across my bottom lip as I remembered
his naked body in the bathroom. He was muscular,
toned, and tan. His legs were thick and powerful, his
thighs looked as though they were made of steel. What
hung between them, his half-hard cock, was larger than
most I’d seen fully erect. There was nothing wrong with
Gavin Bellefonte’s body. Maybe he wasn’t pleased with
my body. My breasts were small, my hips wide, but he
had obviously been aroused in that moment.
There were no pictures of other women anywhere in
the house, not even stuffed into the back of his closet.
Yes, I snooped. I wondered about Isabella’s mother, who
she was, what she looked like. What type of women did
Gavin Bellefonte like?
“Why all the questions?” I asked, pulling into the
specialty art store.
“I like you. You’re not like the others,” she said, and
then quickly climbed out of the car.
I was stunned for a moment. ‘Not like the others.’
What others? What were the others like?
My contract restricted me from asking Isabella
anything about her mother, or other women that were in
her life. If she offered, I of course could not be held
liable, but I was not to ask.
It was killing me not to ask as Izzy bounced around
the store. She picked out a few new paint brushes and
several new oil paints before gripping my hand in hers.
“Thank you,” she said softly.
I fought back tears of joy as I stared into her bright
blue eyes. “For what?” I mumbled.
“For moving here. I hope you never leave. That’s why I
want you to get married,” she smiled.
Wow. Just wow!
“Thank you for allowing me to stay,” I said sweetly.
“Promise me you won’t leave,” she insisted sternly.
My heart filled with panic. That was a promise I
couldn’t make. It wasn’t like I was living a fairy tale; this
was a business contract, and it would most certainly end.
I took a deep breath. She would be eighteen once the
contract ended, then I could continue to be in her life if
we both so chose. It wouldn’t matter if I wasn’t with her
father then, right?
“I promise,” I said softly.
I dressed for our first family date. My mind continued
to go over and over the conversation Isabella and I had
earlier that day. Should I have promised her that?
“You look stunning,” Gavin said, wrapping his arms
around my waist.
I clasped my earring and let my hands drop to his. My
eyes lingered on our image as I stood in front of the large
mirror. We really did make a beautiful couple.
This was as affectionate as he’d been in weeks, at
least with Izzy not around. My body melted into his,
goosebumps formed on my skin, and I could feel my
heart swelling in my chest as I took in our image.
“Just warming up for tonight,” he whispered in my ear
before kissing my neck.
“Of course,” I said quickly, feeling foolish for thinking it
was anything more.
“Izzy, you should really try the duck,” I insisted as we
were handed menus.
“Izzy?” Gavin asked with his tone disapproving.
“I love it,” Isabella blurted out.
“I’m sorry. We use it when she signs her paintings,” I
explained.
“I think it’s cool,” Isabella said proudly.
“Isabella is a beautiful name. I spent months coming
up with the perfect name for the most perfect girl,” Gavin
said.
Isabella smiled and reached her hand across the table
to clasp her father’s. “And it is the most perfect name,
because it can be turned into Izzy whenever I want to be
cool,” she laughed.
“Isabella isn’t cool?” he asked.
“No,” she scoffed, wrinkling her nose in my direction.
“I suppose you think that’s true, as well?” he asked
me.
I fought back my laughter. His stern face was so tight I
thought his skin would rip right off if he moved. “I think
both names are beautiful, because they belong to the
most beautiful girl in the world,” I said, smiling at Izzy.
“I can see when I’m outnumbered,” Gavin laughed.
I loved watching him with Izzy. The way he looked at
her, you’d think he thought she hung the moon. He was
loving, sweet, and very patient with her, even when she
was acting like a typical ten-year-old girl.
“I can’t thank you enough,” Gavin said as we drove
him that night.
Izzy had fallen asleep in the back seat, her belly full,
and her patience gone from sitting in the boring
restaurant.
“I’m just doing what you asked,” I said softly.
“No. You are special. The way you are with Isabella…
Izzy, it’s exactly what she needs,” he said, squeezing my
hand.
He insisted on carrying Izzy to bed, even though I saw
her eyes open and knew she was awake. He whispered
for me to meet him in bed, and the smile he gave me
made me realize he was planning on joining me for the
first time, not sneaking in after I’d fallen asleep.
My heart raced as I entered our bedroom alone. I
searched through my drawers, looking for the sexy
nightie I’d bought when I thought Gavin would be
expecting sex. It had been shoved into the back, almost
so far I couldn’t find it once I realized he was obviously
not interested in me in that way. Now he was—or was
he? I wasn’t sure if he was planning on having sex or not,
but I was planning on being ready.
I locked myself in the bathroom, quickly undressing
and tossing my clothes into the hamper. I sprayed
perfume on the back of my neck, slathered my skin in
lotion, and checked my makeup before slipping into the
slinky, blue nightie. It wasn’t trashy, but instead tastefully
seductive.
I heard the bedroom door close, and then Gavin call
out to me. “I’ll be out in a minute,” I yelled through the
door.
In the mirror, my image was stunning. The nighty was
short, showing off my tan legs, and low cut to expose
what little cleavage I did have. I ran my fingers through
my hair, mussing it a bit before finally opening the door.
“Wow,” Gavin gasped, sliding his tie from around his
neck.
I tried to act coy, as if I wasn’t trying to get his
attention. “I picked this up last week; I thought I’d start
sleeping in something other than sleep pants,” I smiled,
lying about the length of time the garment had been
stuffed into my drawer.
“It suits you,” he said sweetly, unbuttoning his shirt
slowly.
I moved toward the bed, watching him as he watched
me. My hands smoothed out the case on the pillow and
then pulled at the comforter to expose the expensive
sheets.
My eyes lingered on Gavin, his chest exposed, and
his hands on his belt. “Should I?” he asked nervously,
motioning toward the bathroom.
I shook my head slowly, smiling in his direction.
His lips curled into a crooked smile as his hand ripped
open his belt and pants. I watched him slide his slacks
past his thick thighs, and then stand before me in just his
boxer briefs.
The outline of his cock was evident in the thin
material, and looked to be harder than I’d seen before.
My mouth watered as he slipped them away from his
flesh, exposing the most impressive cock I’d ever seen.
“Wow,” I said, giggling, and then pushing my face into
the comforter.
He grinned, obviously proud, and then pounced onto
the bed toward me.
“I take it you’ve warmed up to me,” he said softly.
His blue eyes penetrated through my soul, rocking me
at my core. Oh, I’d warmed up to him, all right.
He slid under the thin sheet and pushed his body
toward mine. I could feel the heat radiating from his flesh
as he gripped me with his strong arms and pulled me
close to him. “You smell nice,” he whispered.
I wanted to say thank you, but as his hand gripped at
my ass cheek, spreading it apart enough to tug at my
pussy, all that escaped my lips was a deep sigh.
“I love that ass,” he growled, squeezing my cheek
tight in his hand.
His mouth pressed into my neck; my head fell back
and enjoyed the sensation of his lips and tongue against
my delicate flesh.
My nightgown pushed up past my hips as his hand
moved between my legs. “No panties?” he asked,
sounding both pleased and surprised.
I giggled as he pushed the gown further up my body,
until it finally rolled over my head and onto the floor.
He jerked back the blankets and the sheet, exposing
my now naked body to the well-lit room. He raised to his
knees, his cock dangling over me as he let his eyes fuck
me with intensity. “Open your legs,” he demanded, his
tone deep and strong.
I didn’t hesitate, opening my legs to please him.
His fingers slowly ran up my leg and then played with
the swollen flesh between my legs as I let out a moan.
He separated my plump pussy lips with two fingers, while
one slid at my entrance, playfully working on the juices
resting inside my hole.
“You are beautiful,” he whispered, sliding his finger
into my body.
My body arched toward his hand, as if to beg him to
fuck me deeper.
He pulled out his finger slowly, sucking the juices from
his own flesh. “You taste as amazing as you smell,” he
whispered. “Roll over.”
I wanted to watch, to see him, to be able to reach out
and touch him, but I didn’t argue. I rolled to my stomach,
covering the pussy he’d said was so beautiful, and my
small tits he hadn’t touched. His hands rubbed my ass
cheeks, first softly, then with more aggression. He pulled
them apart, spreading me open, and let one finger glide
through my cheeks to tease my tight opening.
There was something erotic about not being able to
see his face, to watch his hands to know what he’d do
next.
His hands reached through my legs, pulling me
upward until my ass was high in the air. He gently
slapped at my thighs until I obliged him by opening my
legs wide enough that my pussy spread before him.
“That’s perfect,” he whispered.
His hand slid up my back, stopping at my neck. He
gripped my hair, tugging gently, but with enough force to
pull my head back into my shoulders. “Do you want to
taste me?” he asked.
My mouth watered. I did. “Yes,” I gasped.
He positioned himself in front of me on his knees. His
hand gripped my hair, holding my head up and moving
my mouth toward his rock-hard cock. I lifted myself up to
reach him, on all fours, and realized the large mirror was
just behind me. I knew as I looked at his eyes that they
were lingering on the image of my pussy’s reflection.
His back pushed against the headboard, his back
arched, and his cock rested at my lips. I worked up
saliva, knowing taking this large piece of meat into my
throat was going to be more than a challenge.
My lips parted, clasping around his flesh. He didn’t
thrust toward me, he didn’t move. He let me work my
mouth over his swollen head and down his shaft at my
own pace.
His deep moans made my pussy ache, and each time
I watched him looking toward the mirror, I throbbed with
pleasure. I loved that he was so aggressive, so in tune
with what he wanted.
My mouth worked slowly down his shaft, eventually
taking him deep into my throat as he let out a pleased
moan.
I lifted myself with one hand, releasing my other from
beneath me to his balls. They felt warm in the palm of my
hand as they tightened toward his body. Another moan
let me know he was pleased. His hand gently tugged at
my hair, guiding his cock deeper into my throat with a
swifter rhythm. My lips tightened around him, my cheeks
rolled toward his flesh as I sucked hard to swallow him.
My pussy throbbed with excitement as I felt him slide
further down my throat. His moans grew deeper, and
more frequent, and soon he was throbbing between my
lips with the threat of exploding his cum looming in my
mind. I’d never swallowed before, never been asked to. I
wasn’t sure why, but I wanted to taste him, to feel the
warmth of his excitement flowing down my throat. “I’m
going to cum,” he whispered, pulling his cock from the
security of my tight lips.
I gripped his balls, pulled him closer to me, refusing to
let up my suction against his throbbing flesh. I heard him
sigh, what sounded like ‘fuck’ as his thrusting stopped,
and his cock exploded into my mouth.
He pulled out slowly as he continued to throb, giving
me a chance to swallow the warm juices of his pleasure.
“Fuck,” he gasped, leaning back against the
headboard.
His cock looked tired, exhausted really, and I instantly
felt I deprived myself of feeling him inside of me, or
possibly of relieving the sexual tension I’d incurred during
this foreplay.
He grinned. “Your turn,” he growled.
I wiped my mouth and fell to the mattress, letting my
ass lower and disappear from his view in the mirror.
“Oh, no. Get that ass back in the air,” he ordered.
My pussy was already throbbing, my nipples so tight
they felt as though they’d explode. He lifted my chin,
leaned down and kissed me softly on the lips before
moving behind me on the bed.
I found out quickly that an older man had far more
experience pleasing a woman than a younger one. His
fingers teased me, playfully pulling my juices from where
they rested at my entrance. His tongue slid between my
lips, lapping up my juices as I moaned into the soft pillow
beneath my head.
“You like that?” he whispered.
“Yes,” I squealed.
His finger pushed inside of me, fucking me with a
quick rhythm. My body rocked toward him, pushing him
deeper and deeper into me as his mouth wrapped
around my swollen clit.
“Come for me, baby,” he whispered, pulling his lips
from my flesh only for a second.
It was as if his words were a direct order to my body.
The throbbing quickly grew, the pulsating increased, and
as my moans became louder and louder with every wild
sensation he delivered, my body shook with a wild
tremble as my orgasm unleashed onto his hand, his lips,
his tongue.
“Oh, yeah,” he gasped, working his finger slowly from
my body, and giving my clit one last tug with his lips.
My legs were quivering as he gave my ass a playful
slap on the cheek. I felt him lift from the mattress, and
then saw him pull open the drawer of the nightstand
beside the bed. He was rock hard again already. He
reached in the drawer, pulled out a foil package, ripped
open the top, and pulled out a condom. I couldn’t wait for
the sensation of him burying his cock deep between my
legs. My body began to rock back and forth in excitement
as he moved his hand slowly down my back, stopping at
the arch above my ass.
“Are you ready?” he asked softly.
My ass was still in the air, but my hands had released,
letting my face fall into the pillow below. “Yes,” I gasped.
“Roll over,” he whispered.
I let my legs fall to the mattress, and then slowly
rolled over to my back. Gavin climbed onto the bed,
pinning me between his arms as he mounted my
quivering body.
His eyes looked into mine with a hunger, and with a
strange compassion that made my heart race.
He reached between my legs, positioning himself at
my entrance, and then let out a soft sigh. “I’ve wanted
this since I laid eyes on you,” he whispered in my ear.
His cock spread my lips as it entered my tight hole. He
filled me with a satisfaction I’d never experienced, slowly
working himself all the way into my already throbbing
pussy.
“Me too,” I admitted softly as his mouth pressed
against my neck.
His hips rocked with precision and grace, his body
glided onto mine, and as his lips lowered to mine, I
melted.
My tongue entangled with his, the sweetness of my
own juices mixed with his cum, creating a deliciously
erotic flavor in my mouth. He was gentle, sensual, and so
romantic as he kept his tongue rolling in the same rhythm
as his cock.
Waves of pleasure crashed through my body. My
nipples burned, my clit ached, and as my nails dug into
Gavin’s back, I knew I couldn’t hold it back.
I rocked my hips toward him, panting hard as I pulled
from his kiss, and then the moans started, first soft and
agonizing, then louder and filled with extreme pleasure.
Gavin’s strong arms wrapped around me, pulling me
toward him and away from the mattress until my legs
straddled around his waist and I was sitting in his lap. His
cock buried deeper into my body as his hands lifted and
lowered me onto his member.
His eyes glued to mine, locking me into a trance-like
state as he began to throb inside of me. My arms
wrapped around his shoulders loosely, and my body fell
limp. He growled. His tone was deep and masculine as
he pulled me in close to his hard chest.
As his body relaxed, his grip loosened on my body,
allowing me to fall back onto the soft mattress. His lips
were still parted, and his eyes still filled with that strange
look. “You’re perfect,” he whispered, wiping the sweaty
hair from my forehead and away from my face.
My heart swelled in my chest, and I knew that it
wouldn’t be able to hold back for eight more years. I
wasn’t sure I was capable of eight more days.
Chapter Four
Gavin
My world was flipped upside down, upside fucking
down. Stella was more than I’d bargained for, and not just
in the sack. There was something about her, something
that made me feel like we were truly dating.
I knew it wasn’t good to mix business with pleasure,
so I turned down appearances at several upcoming
events. We were good together, not just the two of us,
but as a family, and it scared the hell outta me.
“My dad’s coming into town for a couple days,” Stella
announced.
“Oh, yeah?” I asked, not sure what she was getting at
with her announcement.
“I usually have him stay with me,” she said, her
tongue peeking out between her tightened lips.
“Well, then he should stay with you,” I agreed.
Her smile melted my heart. I lived for that smile. I
wanted to make Stella happy, all the time. That wasn’t in
the contract. Her job was to make Isabella happy, and
me, but nowhere did it say I would spend my days, and
my nights, thinking of how I could make Stella smile.
She moved across the kitchen, her arms gripping me
tightly as her lips pressed into my neck. She’d only been
here a few months, but already it felt like she’d always
been here, like she belonged.
My hands gripped her tight ass, squeezing her flesh
until she let out a squeal. “When will he be here?” I
asked.
“Tomorrow morning,” she replied happily.
“I’ve gotta get to the office. Don’t wait up,” I said
quickly, pulling from her embrace.
Her bottom lip pushed outward as she tilted her head
to the side.
I didn’t have to go, but I needed to. We’d been too
close. Way too close. Her father coming meant more
public affection, and more confusion, for both of us.
“Trouble in paradise?” Stephanie’s voice shook me.
“What are you doing here on a weekend?” I asked.
Her pouty red lips puckered, and her fake eyelashes
batted in my direction. “Thought I’d come in for some
product testing,” she purred. “You wanna help me?”
“No. I’ve just got to catch up on a few things,” I said
quickly.
“Have you fallen for this girl?” she asked.
I watched her as she shook her head slowly, and then
slid her tongue across her bottom lip. “What are you
talking about?” I asked.
“You just seem different with her,” she pouted.
“My personal life is my business,” I scowled.
I regretted ever telling Stephanie about my plan to
hire a contract girlfriend over drinks so many years ago.
She’d never forgotten it, and obviously was still
determined to prove it was wrong. “You need true love,”
she said, pushing her hands to her hips.
“I have everything I need, and so does Isabella,” I
snapped.
She sighed and then moved toward me. Her scent
was sweet, quickly reminding me of Stella’s hint of vanilla
perfume. I gripped her arms, refusing to let her get a hold
of me as she intended.
“You sure you don’t wanna help me try out our new
product line?” she whispered.
“I’m sure,” I hissed, and then left her standing in the
front office alone.
I brought my work home, not that I really had anything
pressing to do. I needed to stay in my office, and away
from Stella, at least for a while. Stephanie was right to be
jealous. I was acting different with Stella. I hadn’t fallen
for her, though; that was impossible. I hired her to play a
part, and she just happened to play it very well. If, in fact,
she was playing at all.
Stella’s dad arrived the next morning, a tall,
handsome, and very charismatic man. It was obvious he
didn’t have money, with his department-store button-up
dress shirt and his heavily creased slacks. He was
impressed by the house, by Isabella, but not so much by
me.
“I know something isn’t right,” he said when he got me
alone.
“Excuse me?” I asked.
“Something isn’t right about this relationship. I’m not
sure what it is, but you best not hurt my baby girl,” he
warned.
He wasn’t a big man, even though tall. His arms were
lanky, his demeanor otherwise mild, but it was obvious he
would fight for his daughter’s happiness.
Part of the contract stated that even Stella’s family
couldn’t know about the arrangement. So, I did what I
had to do. I lied. “I can assure you, I’m very much in love
with your daughter. She is the most amazing woman I’d
ever met, and Isabella adores her,” I convinced him.
The funny thing was, the more I convinced him of
what I thought wasn’t true, the more I needed to convince
myself that it wasn’t.
By the time he left, he’d finally felt as though I was the
best thing for his daughter. “As much as you love your
daughter, and would do anything for her, I love mine just
as much,” he said as he left. He winked, slapped me on
the shoulder, and then pulled me in for a tight embrace.
“I think he really liked you,” Stella gushed as her
father drove off.
I closed the door, gave her a crooked smile, and
shrugged. “He liked me about as well as he could for
someone fucking his little girl,” I laughed.
Her hands reached between my legs, rubbing the
denim against my flesh. I tried to pull away, make an
excuse I needed to work, but the friction worked quickly
to create an erection.
“Ahhh, so you are excited,” she teased, pulling at the
button on my jeans.
“Isabella,” I whispered, knowing she was home,
somewhere.
“She’s painting,” Stella whispered in my ear, and then
let her tongue flick at my lobe. She sucked the soft flesh
of my ear into her mouth, tugging it between her lips. The
sensation mocked what I knew she was about to do to my
cock, causing me to be rendered helpless, and at her
mercy.
She pushed me into my office, her hands tugging at
my jeans until my cock was unleashed. Her lips were so
sweet, so sensual, that as soon as they wrapped around
me, I began to throb.
My backside rested against my desk as Stella lowered
in front of me. Her mouth worked my hard flesh into her
mouth, and then gently down her throat. I loved how she
held my balls, caressing them gently with her fingers
while her cheeks sucked against my flesh. I gripped her
hair, rolling it between my fingers, and pulled her hard
onto my erection.
“Fuck,” I moaned as she kept up with my hips
thrusting toward her, and my hand pulling myself deeper
and deeper down her throat with that wad of tangled hair.
Within minutes, my cock throbbed, my balls drew up
toward my body, and the sweet release of my cum
exploded into her throat.
That look she gave me, a half smile, and a seductive
glance, it drove me wild. She loved pleasing me, it was
obvious, and that was more than just a turn on. It was
endearing.
Chapter Five
Stella
“Stephanie came by today,” I mentioned as
nonchalantly as I possibly could.
The woman that showed up at Gavin’s doorstep was
not only sophisticated, but also extremely attractive. This
was who Gavin sent to help me prepare for our first night
out. I knew he was trying to make me, well, less like me,
but upon seeing Stephanie, I’d wondered if he was trying
to make me more like her.
“Really?” he asked.
He appeared nervous, like her stopping by was
disturbing in some way.
“Yes. She said she wanted to check on me, and make
sure things were working out,” I told him, fishing for a
new reaction.
“She had no reason to involve herself,” he snapped.
“Involve herself? Does she know?” I asked.
I wasn’t sure why, but the idea of Stephanie knowing I
wasn’t really Gavin’s girlfriend bugged me.
“No,” he said quickly.
“She mentioned something I found strange,” I added.
Gavin leaned against the kitchen counter. He held the
large bowl of popcorn I’d just popped, and I knew
Isabella was waiting for us in the family room for movie
night. I hated bothering him with my insecurities, but I
couldn’t hold back for another two hours when Isabella
gone to bed.
“What did she say?” he asked, almost as though he
was ready for a fight.
“She asked if I was enjoying all the products you bring
home,” I said slowly.
Gavin laughed, then scooped up a handful of popcorn
and tossed it in his mouth.
“You make birth control products, right?” I asked.
He laughed again. “Well, that was a joke.”
I was confused. A joke?
“I’ll explain after the movie,” he said softly.
“C’mon!” Isabella called from the other room.
I rolled my eyes, tasting my defeat. Gavin wasn’t
going to budge from his proposal. I’d have to wait until
after the movie to find out what he called a joke, and why.
Isabelle chose Home as our family-night movie. Even
though it was animated, it still made me cry. Gavin held
me in his arms throughout the entire movie, kissing me
on the cheek softly whenever he thought Isabella was
paying attention.
I thought about Stephanie, how she acted like she
knew about our arrangement, and how Gavin laughed
when I mentioned his company making birth control
products. I felt uneasy, like I wasn’t being told the truth.
With such an iron-clad contract, and so many rules I had
to adhere to, the thought of Gavin making me out to be a
joke not only infuriated me, it hurt.
“Goodnight,” Isabella leaned in and kissed me on my
cheek, and then did the same to her dad.
“You want me to tuck you in?” I asked.
“No, thank you,” she replied, already yawning as she
walked out of the room.
“C’mon,” Gavin said, standing and extending his hand
to me.
I took it, let him pull me to my feet, and then gave him
little attention as he tried to lean in to kiss me.
“Wow. What’s wrong with you?” he asked.
“I’m just confused. I don’t like feeling like, or looking
like, a fool,” I snapped.
“Who’s made you out to be a fool?” he asked, the
charm in his voice dripping like honey from his lips.
“Stephanie, you, I don’t know,” I said, fighting back
tears starting in my eyes.
“Relax. You’re not a fool,” Gavin said, squeezing me
tightly in his arms.
The scent of his cologne mixed with his natural
testosterone made me melt into him.
“Are you sure she doesn’t know?” I asked. “She acted
very catty. It was almost as if she were jealous,” I pouted.
“Stephanie is a very vindictive and catty woman,”
Gavin said with a chuckle.
“But she doesn’t know?” I pushed.
Gavin sighed and gently pulled me from his chest. His
blue eyes looked troubled, and I knew I wasn’t going to
like what he had to say next.
I listened as he told me about mentioning to
Stephanie his plan to hire a girlfriend and nanny all in
one. He admitted that she’d come on to him, and that’s
what started the discussion. She had laughed at the
idea, telling him it would never work. And yes, she had
hinted recently to him that she felt this was an
arrangement, just like the one he concocted that night in
the bar.
It was a relief to hear him tell me the truth, but the
truth made me uneasy. What if she did know? Who would
she tell? Would it all be over between me and Gavin once
it was no longer a secret?
“Thank you for being honest,” I said.
“I have nothing to hide,” he said.
I knew that wasn’t true; there was plenty to hide. I
wasn’t allowed to ask about Isabella’s mother, or any
previous women. I knew nothing about his past. It was all
one giant secret.
“What about the business? What is a joke?” I asked.
Gavin gripped my hand, pulled me from my spot, and
led me up the stairs. He didn’t answer my question. He
only grinned when he looked at me, and then winked as
he pushed open our bedroom doors.
“Gavin, I’m confused,” I admitted, wondering if he just
didn’t plan to answer.
“Get undressed, and lay on the bed,” he ordered.
Something about the way he demanded things of me
turned me on, but right then, I felt a little degraded by his
insistence. “No. Tell me what the joke is about,” I
demanded myself.
“I plan to. But I need you undressed and on the bed,”
he grinned.
I slipped out of my shorts, and then lifted my tank top
over my head. My pussy pulsated as I stood naked in
front of Gavin, even though he’d seen my body so many
times before. He’d explored every inch, opened me to
view as intimately as he could, but each time I
undressed, and his eyes fell on me, the arousal rolled
through my body like violent thunder.
“On the bed,” he ordered.
I sat on the edge of the bed, and wiggled myself onto
the center. “Close your eyes,” he instructed.
It felt silly, although erotic, laying there with my eyes
closed, nude on the bed. I had no idea what any of this
had to do with his company, or the joke, or birth control
for that matter.
I heard him moving things around in his closet,
drawers opening, closing, and then his presence was
apparent near the bed. “Keep ‘em closed,” he ordered.
His hands pressed onto my thighs, squeezing as he
opened my legs. Something touched me between my
legs, something cold. I opened my eyes, lifted up, and
looked between my legs.
A large dildo was in Gavin’s hand, one that resembled
his own cock, but painted bright pink. “What’s that?” I
asked.
“Stella. I know you’re young, but surely you know
what a dildo is,” he laughed.
I’d used one once, maybe twice that I’d admit to, but I
was still confused.
“I know what it is, but why do you have it?” I asked.
“This is the joke. Birth control,” he laughed.
I reached between my legs, pulled the large dildo
from his hands, and inspected it closely. “This is you,” I
squealed.
He laughed.
“Seriously. Is this you?” I asked.
He grinned, nodded, and then stood to open his
pants. His cock fell out, displaying the uncanny
resemblance. “How?” I asked.
“I make sex toys. This was the first dildo in my line,”
he explained.
“You molded your own dick?” I asked, both excitement
and shock rolling through my brain.
“It’s all about pleasing the customer,” he chuckled.
I fell back onto the mattress, my head pressing
against the soft pillow as I let out a laugh. “You wanna try
it?” he asked.
“Why would I need that when I have the real thing?” I
asked, trying to hide the fact I was really turned on.
My hand stroked against the toy. I was amazed at how
real it felt, how it felt just like Gavin.
“I have others,” he said, lifting a box from the floor to
the bed.
I peeked into the large box at a variety of dildos,
vibrators, feathers, and a few items I didn’t recognize.
“Pick anything you want,” he offered.
I didn’t release my grip on the pink one he’d brought
out. “I think I’ll try this one,” I said with a smirk.
“That’s my girl,” he grinned.
I opened my legs, let Gavin’s mouth work my juices
into high gear, and then let Gavin fuck me with his twin
toy cock. It felt just like Gavin, without the intimacy of his
body pressing against mine.
I was tense at first with him between my legs,
masturbating me with a toy, even if it was one molded to
resemble him.
He fucked me harder, and faster, and then slow and
gentle. My pussy throbbed, swelling around it as his
mouth lowered to my clit. Holy fuck! Gavin’s cock inside
of me, and his mouth on my clit, now that’s something I
thought I’d never experience.
I exploded, my pussy gripping tightly onto the toy,
pulling it back inside of me as Gavin tried to slide it out.
“Yeah, you like that,” he whispered, finally releasing
his toy from between my legs.
My body trembled as my orgasm continued to roll
through, the after quake causing me to twitch from even
the slightest touch. “You wanna try another one?” he
asked.
“Yes,” I gasped.
Gavin pulled the toys from the box, each one a
different size and shape. “Were these all molded from
real men?” I asked.
“Yes, ma’am. You’ll be fucking the entire college
football team tonight,” he teased.
Each one, Gavin slowly inserted between my legs,
asking me how it felt. Some were better than others, but
none compared to his. I lifted up, and let my knees fall to
the side of my body so I could watch as he fucked me
with each one.
I came three times, each time more wildly than the
last. My pleasure seemed to please Gavin. His cock was
rock hard, and even though I’d taken a couple strokes
from at least a dozen of his toys, I was ready for the
warm flesh of his cock.
“So, why didn’t you tell me what your company
made?” I asked once Gavin calmed down from his
orgasm.
“I didn’t want you to think I was some sort of pervert,”
he admitted.
I laughed. The things he’d just done to me—well,
maybe he wasn’t a pervert, but he was certainly a freak.
“And you’re not worried I’ll think that now?” I laughed.
“Hey, you’re the one who just fucked an entire football
team, so I’d say my image is safe with you,” he teased.
I slapped at his chest playfully, causing him to roll
toward me, clamping me into his arms. We both paused,
staring into each other’s eyes. I wondered if he was
fighting back the same words I struggled to keep to
myself in that moment.
Chapter Six
Gavin
The sun blasted through the sky, warming the air until
it was almost intolerable. Isabella decided it was to be a
pool day, and since my work was caught up, I didn’t
object.
“You can’t wear that,” I grabbed Stella by the waist.
The yellow bikini clung to her body, barely covering
the parts I’d dreamed about licking at night. All I could
focus on was that sweet curve from her pelvic bone, the
arch above her ass, and that crevice between her thigh
and pussy. Fuck!
“Why?” she asked, her face filled with disappointment.
“My dick will be hard, and this is a family swim,” I
teased, letting my tongue trace the outline of her neck.
“See? It’s already trying to jump out and get ya,” I
laughed, stepping back for her to acknowledge the tent
created in my shorts.
“What am I supposed to wear?” she asked, rolling her
eyes at my obvious affliction.
“A scuba suit would be good. No, those are so tight
and slick. What about a muumuu?” I teased.
“You’re gonna just have to get over it,” she laughed,
grabbing her sunglasses, and heading out the bedroom
door.
I stayed upstairs for a moment, mainly to relieve my
poor cock from all the extra blood it had been burdened
with. When I felt good enough to face Stella and Isabella,
I made my way down the stairs.
I stopped in the path of the outdoor patio doors, just
watching the two women in my life for a moment. Isabella
was smacking at a beach ball while Stella worked on
blowing it up. They laughed, smiled, and seemed to be
having a great time. That wasn’t playing a part. There
was no way Stella was pretending with Isabella. Was she
not pretending with me?
The doorbell rang as I started toward the back door,
pulling me away. I walked to the front, opened the door,
and was face-to-face with my worst nightmare.
“Caroline?” I asked, staring at the woman who had
given birth to Isabella.
“Long time no see, Gavin,” she slurred as she spoke.
Her eyes were blood shot, but wide and wired, and
the beautiful blonde hair she’d given Isabella was ratty
and wild.
“What are you doing here?” I snapped, not willing for
my daughter to come face-to-face with this nightmare.
“What? A mother can’t come by to see her daughter?”
she asked.
“You’re not her mother,” I snapped.
“No. I’m not. You hire women to pretend to be,” she
laughed.
My heart raced, my fists clenched as they pushed to
my side. I wanted to slam the door on her face, but I
knew she’d cause a scene if I did.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I scoffed.
“Oh, I think you know exactly what I’m talking about,”
she said.
Her hands were fidgeting, pulling at her hair, wiping
her nose, and scratching at her arms. It was obvious she
was high, probably desperate. Whoever told her about
my arrangement had given her leverage, and she wasn’t
going to leave until she got what she wanted.
“What do you want?” I asked.
“You know I’ve been struggling. Not having Isabella in
my life has been hard. Real hard,” she whined.
“Caroline, we both know that Isabella means nothing
to you. This is who you were when I met you, and this is
who’ll you’ll stay. Isabella had nothing to do with that,” I
scolded.
“I would hate to see how upset she’d be to know you
lie to her every day,” she hissed.
My fists clenched even tighter. I felt my body
twitching, trying hard not to attack the parasite in my
doorway. “How much?” I asked.
“Fifty thousand,” she said, suddenly very coherent,
and no longer upset or filled with self-pity.
“Fine. Then you leave, and you don’t come back,” I
snapped.
“That isn’t going to last forever,” she said, smirking to
show off her missing front tooth.
“Stay there,” I demanded, and then shut the door.
Isabella and Stella were still outside, blowing up
another raft, this time as a team. I opened the drawer to
my desk in my office and pulled out my checkbook and a
pen.
Back at the door, Caroline leaned against the house,
looking as if she’d just nodded off. “Here is fifty thousand
now, and an address,” I instructed as I wrote out the
check.
She gripped it tightly, but I wouldn’t release it. “Go to
that address Monday morning at noon and another fifty
thousand will be waiting. But you’ll be asked to sign
papers stating you’ll never contact myself, or Isabella, or
anyone in my personal, private, or business life again,” I
warned. “I mean it, Caroline.” I let go of the check.
“I’ll see you Monday. Have fun with your paid whore,”
she laughed as I slammed the door.
The back patio door opened and Isabella and Stella
both came inside. “What’s taking you so long?” Isabella
asked.
I watched Stella’s eyes on the front door. It was
obvious she knew someone had been there. “I’m
coming,” I assured Isabella.
“Who was that?” Stella asked.
“No one,” I insisted, and then leaned in for a kiss.
Isabella grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the
pool. Stella laughed as she watched the small girl tug me
around like a rag doll.
I tried to have a good time, but all I could think about
was Caroline’s threat. Who told her about my
agreements, and why? I knew I’d have my attorney
question her Monday, refusing to turn over the money
without a name. Maybe I’d offer her more to come clean,
whatever it took. I needed to kill this at the source.
The thought of Isabella finding out made me sick. I
couldn’t bear the thought of her feeling Stella’s
relationship with her was bought and paid for, and not
genuine. I knew it was genuine; anyone with eyes could
see that.
Chapter Seven
Stella
I pulled up to the house after taking Isabella to school
and a blonde woman was sitting on the front steps.
She stared right at me, smiled with missing teeth, and
even waved. Her clothes were raggedy, and her hair
mangy. I was afraid to get out of the car.
I reached into my purse for my phone, ready to call
Gavin when she got up. She walked toward the car,
flipping a cigarette into the bushes near the drive. “Are
you Stella?” she asked, loud enough to hear through my
closed window.
I opened the door, got out, and stood close enough to
this woman who knew my name to smell the lack of
bathing oozing from her skin.
“Can I help you?” I asked.
“Yeah. I was supposed to be downtown by noon, but I
don’t have a ride,” she explained as if it would mean
something to me.
“I don’t see what that has to do with me?” I asked.
“Oh. You sound so proper and shit,” she laughed. “I
know you. You came from nothing, just like me. Your
daddy’s gambling debts lost your childhood home, now
he lives in a rundown shack, and you… well you, you’re a
high-priced hooker,” she snorted.
My heart raced. Who was this woman? Why did she
know me, or anything about me? A hooker?
“Excuse me,” I moved past her, still reaching for my
phone.
“Who you gonna call? Gavin? Good, tell him to bring
me my other fifty thousand,” she griped.
I turned. “Who are you?” I asked.
“Isabella’s mother. Caroline. Nice to meet you,” she
smirked, extending her dirty hand to me.
I could see the track marks in her arms and almost
smell the hepatitis C on her.
“I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I
said.
She laughed, pulled her hand back and wiped her
nose.
“I know you do. Your little arrangement here; Gavin’s
paying me to keep my mouth shut,” she explained.
Her words slurred at times, and others they were
clear. I knew she had to be high, but she had too much
information to be delirious. “He’s paying you?” I asked.
“Yeah. I’m supposed to meet him to get the other fifty
grand. Just give me a ride there, and I’ll be outta both
your hairs. You can go on playin’ pretend, and Isabella
won’t have to know daddy hires hookers to play mommy
to her,” she hissed.
Her breath was rancid, like an old foot, dog’s dirty ass,
and copper. I turned away, taking in a deep breath of
fresh air while absorbing what she was saying. If she
knew, others probably did, as well. I looked like a fool.
“Why would you hurt your own daughter like that?” I
asked, trying to appeal to her maternal side.
“Daughter? Ha! I don’t have a daughter. That man
took her from me, leaving me with nothin’. Far as I’m
concerned, he’s already ruined her, she ain’t no daughter
of mine,” she snorted.
“No matter what, she’s still your baby. You surely don’t
want to destroy her trust in people. I love Isabella, no one
is paying me to do that,” I scowled.
“You’ll be gone soon enough, just like the rest of ‘em,”
she snarled.
“The rest of them?” I asked, not sure why I even
entertained a conversation with this heathen.
“Yeah. Oh, you thought you were the first? That’s rich.
No, sweetie, there’s been over a dozen high-priced
hookers in that mans’ bed. That little girl is used to
having people disappear from her life, starting with her
own mother,” she hissed.
I dialed Gavin’s number. It rang while I fought back
tears. “Hello?” he answered.
“Where are you?” I asked.
“I’m at the office,” he said calmly.
“There’s someone here claiming to be Isabella’s
mother,” I explained.
Caroline waved her hands in the air above her head,
wiggled her hips, and mocked me while pretending to
talk on an imaginary phone.
“I’ll be right there,” he said quickly, hanging up the
phone.
“He’s on his way,” I informed her.
“Are you fucking him yet?” she asked, her eyes wild
and red.
I ignored her, thumbing through my phone to keep my
eye contact from her.
“Yeah. We started fucking. I thought he loved me;
hell, I loved him. When I got knocked up, he was so
damn happy, but then right after she was born, he tossed
me out, had lawyers draw up papers to get rid of me for
good,” she said.
Her speech was growing slower, and harder to
understand. “I didn’t have anything. He paid me to go
away. I had to survive,” she whined.
I watched her sit on the steps, push her head into her
hands, and then wobble back and forth as she struggled
to stay awake.
Gavin pulled up with another car following him, whom
he introduced as his attorney, Greg Clark, when they got
out. Caroline started yelling about money, suddenly no
longer tired, and the attorney pulled out papers for her to
sign.
“I need a name,” Gavin ordered her. “Who told you
about the arrangements?” he insisted.
“I was an arrangement,” she snapped.
He laughed. “No. You were never an arrangement;
you were a damn mess from day one,” he yelled.
I’d never seen him angry before. He seemed different
from the man I’d fallen for. My stomach ached at the
admittance of my feelings for this man. I didn’t even know
him, not really. I thought I did, but now, this, her, and the
others, it was all too much to absorb.
“I don’t have to give you nothing,” Caroline growled,
spitting on the ground toward Gavin’s feet.
“If you want this money, you do,” he instructed.
“I just need help,” she started to cry.
“And I’ll help you, but you have to help me,” he
pleaded with the cracked-out woman he’d brought a child
into this world with.
“I hadn’t thought about you or Isabella in a long time,
a long, lung, tume,” her speech started to slur again.
“Okay. Well, why now?” he asked, offering her more
compassion than before.
As I watched him wrap his arm around the woman, I
knew he had the heart I’d fallen in love with. He was kind,
he was compassionate, but I still didn’t know if I could
trust him.
“She came to my apartment, told me how much
money you have, and that you just throw it away on
whores,” she said clear as a bell.
“Who came to your apartment?” he asked.
“Stephanie somebody; she told me what you were
doing. She told me that I deserved something. After all, I
gave you the daughter you are tryin’ so hard to protect,”
she dropped to her knees on the driveway, her head in
her hands, and sobbed.
Gavin was furious, that was evident. I watched as he
walked away, shoving his own head in his hands, and
then take a punch at his shiny black Porsche. “Fuck!” he
called out before turning back around.
He shoved his hands into his pockets and bit down on
his bottom lip. “She’s wrong. She made it up to hurt me;
she’s jealous, you understand?” he spoke loudly to the
sobbing woman. “You sign these papers, get your cash,
and never return, you hear me?” he yelled.
“Fine!” Caroline yelled back, standing to her feet.
The tears were gone, her emotions intact. She was
good. I couldn’t help but wonder if she was the original
actress in Gavin’s world, and I was… what, the twelfth?
The thirtieth?
The lawyer managed to get the woman to sign the
papers. He explained to her, in a much calmer voice, that
she would be charged with slander if she even spoke
Gavin’s name. He was rich, and powerful. Maybe he did
destroy this woman and steal her child.
The lawyer packed Caroline into his car and agreed to
take her home, wherever that was. Gavin turned to me
once they were gone, his eyes wide and his mouth
parted. I knew he didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know if
I knew what to say in that moment. There was so much.
“How many others have there been?” I asked.
He hesitated. I watched as his eyes shifted from mine
to the ground. His hands pushed deep into his pockets,
and he swayed back and forth as if pacing would help
him find an answer. “The truth. It’s simple if you just tell
me the truth,” I demanded.
“There were others,” he admitted.
“How many?” I asked, tears welling up in my eyes.
“Five,” he said softly.
“And Caroline?” I asked.
“No. Of course not,” he insisted.
I turned, pushing my way into the front door of Gavin’s
house, his whore house. “Stella, it’s not what you think,”
he yelled out.
I ran up the stairs to his bedroom, and grabbed the
old suitcase I’d came with, slamming it on the bed. “I’m
leaving,” I said.
I shoved my clothes into the bag and then grabbed
my large duffle of personal items and keepsakes that had
never been unpacked. “Don’t leave,” Gavin pleaded,
gripping my arm and spinning me toward him.
His eyes were wide and filled with pain. My heart
ached for him. I wanted nothing more than to fall into his
arms, let him tell me it’s all okay, but I knew I couldn’t.
He’d lied. He was probably lying now. “What difference
does it make if I leave? You’ll have a new one hired by
the end of the week,” I snapped, pulling my arm from his
grip.
I gripped my bag and stormed from the room. Gavin
pleaded with me until I slammed my driver’s door shut.
He stepped back as I pulled from the drive, and my tears
flooded my eyes as I made the left to Tiffany’s house. I
had nowhere else to go. I was in the car he gave me,
using whore money that I didn’t want, and all I could
think was, why had I been so foolish?
Chapter Eight
Gavin
It was bittersweet, firing Stephanie. She’d been an
excellent employee, and an amazing assistant. I knew
she’d be impossible to replace. I couldn’t believe she’d
betrayed me the way she had, and just like Caroline, she
was given papers to sign that prohibited her from
mentioning my name, or my company’s name. I added
Stella’s name and Caroline’s into the order, just for
assurance.
The look on Isabella’s face when I told her Stella had
left broke my heart. She’d written her a sweet note,
explaining she had to help her father, and wasn’t sure if
she’d ever return. I appreciated her protecting Isabella
from the truth, but the problem was, she didn’t know the
entire truth herself.
“I’m going to the studio,” Isabella announced, or Izzy,
as she now liked to be called.
“Paint me a masterpiece,” I smiled.
“Daddy?” she asked, stopping at my desk with a
sullen look.
“Yes, dear?” I looked up into the bluest eyes I’d ever
seen.
“Is Stella coming back?” she asked softly.
“I don’t know,” I admitted, swallowing hard to evacuate
the lump growing in my throat.
“I miss her,” she said sadly as her chin dropped to her
chest.
“I do, too,” I replied.
“Can’t you go after her?” she asked.
Her eyes were wide with hope. It broke me in half to
kill that hope. “I can’t,” I said.
“Why not?” she pushed.
“She has things she needs to take care of,” I
answered, hoping that would be the end of this
discussion.
No such luck; Izzy was a fighter. I’d never seen her
grow so attached to anyone before. The other women, or
hired whores as Stella called them, they never bonded
with Isabella. I hated to see her lose someone she loved,
someone who loved her.
“You could bring her father here, and then she could
help him, and wouldn’t have to leave,” she insisted.
“I don’t think it’s that simple,” I said calmly.
“You never try!” she yelled.
She’d never raised her voice to me before. My heart
raced, my bottom lip trembled, and my body started to
shake as her bright-blue eyes welled up with tears. “If
you loved her, you’d make her come back,” she sobbed.
I pulled her in close to my chest for a tight embrace.
Her little body was limp in my arms, shaking from her
loud sobs. “I do love her,” I whispered.
My hand smoothed over her silky blonde hair as she
started to calm down. Her eyes were so bright from the
tears they weakened my knees just to look into them. “I
miss her too,” I said softly.
“Then fix this,” she pouted.
“I will do my best,” I offered up a forced smile, and
then winked in her direction.
She giggled. “I’m sorry,” she said.
“Oh. Don’t you worry about me, I’m tough. You have a
right to be upset,” I assured her, and then patted her on
the back.
She picked up her paint supplies and smiled as she
turned to walk away. The lump in my throat had grown so
wide, I could barely swallow. My eyes burnt, my chest
ached, and my mind was reeling as it struggled to come
up with a fix.
The doorbell rang, pulling me from my sulking. I
rushed to open it, hopeful for a split second that it could
be Stella. Instead, I was met with Greg Clark standing in
the doorway, his potbelly pushing out several inches from
his belt line, and the little hair he had left blowing wildly
in the wind. “Greg, to what do I owe this pleasure?” I
said, hoping the look of disappointment wasn’t too
apparent on my face.
“I’m just making a friendly check-in house call,” he
said, making his way through the doorway and into my
house.
I wasn’t in the mood for company, but I couldn’t be
rude. This man had looked out for my best interests for
years, protecting not only me, but my daughter as well.
“Come in. Can I get you a drink?” I asked.
“No. I won’t take up too much of your time,” he
promised.
Knowing Greg, I knew that wasn’t true. He was longwinded, and it seemed to take him forever to get to the
point. This was not the day I wanted to be stuck listening
to him. Not today.
“I’ve been worried about you, Gavin,” he said, getting
right to the point, and shocking me.
“Worried about me?” I laughed.
“Yes. It’s been three weeks since Stella left, since you
fired Stephanie, and you haven’t reached out to me about
replacing either,” he said sternly.
“I don’t think I plan to,” I said.
“You need an assistant, and Isabella still needs a
mother, unless something’s changed. Did you find
someone suitable outside of the contract?” he asked.
I couldn’t tell if his tone was serious or sarcastic. “No.
I’ve not found anyone,” I said.
“Then we need to get to work,” he said, his eyes
widening with excitement.
“I don’t think that’s such a great idea,” I admitted. He
tilted his head as he stared at me. “Things just… didn’t
go as planned,” I added. “I have Martin prepared to take
over Stephanie’s position. He isn’t as nice to look at, but
he’s just as smart.”
“Great. That’s great,” Greg said.
“As far as Isabelle, I can’t do this to her again,” I
sighed.
“What do you mean?” he asked.
I knew he didn’t get it; hell, I didn’t get it myself. I’d
had several other women in and out of Isabella’s life, but
they weren’t Stella. She was different, not just for
Isabella, but for me as well. Greg had worked the
contract to ensure that I’d get a richer, more fulfilling
experience than the other times. Maybe he’d worked it
too well.
“I don’t want her to get that close to someone again,
just to be abandoned and hurt,” I said, my voice starting
to shake.
“Well. If it’s Stella she wants, she’s still under
obligation by the contract. I spoke to her attorney, Tiffany,
and she is staying with her for the time being. I can send
an order for her to return with the threat of a lawsuit for
breach of contract,” he suggested.
I sighed and pushed my head in my hands. “I don’t
want her to be here if she doesn’t want to be,” I said.
“It’s a job; why does it matter what she wants?” he
asked.
I lifted my head from my hands and let my eyes linger
on his.
“Oh. You developed feelings for this woman,” he said
quietly.
“I did,” I admitted for the first time aloud.
“You created this contract to give Isabella what she
deserved, right?” he asked.
I nodded.
“And without the feelings, the connection, it didn’t
work. So, you found someone who you and she both
connected with, both developed true feelings for. Maybe
the contract is unnecessary,” he said.
I stared into my attorney’s beady, dark eyes. He was
well over fifty, married thirty years to the same woman,
and appeared happy. “The contract kept things from
getting messy,” I said.
He laughed. “Yes, and how did that work out for you?”
he chuckled. “Look. Life is messy. If there is no love,
sure, there’s no mess. But without love, there’s no life.”
They were wise words from a wise man. He was right.
“Thanks for coming, Greg,” I said, patting him on his
wide back.
“You’re running me off, eh?” he teased, standing with
a loud grunt.
“Yes. I made a promise to my little girl tonight, and
you just helped me figure out how to keep that promise,”
I smiled.
“Well. I don’t know what I did, but I’m glad to hear
Isabella won’t be let down,” he returned the pat to my
back, and then waddled toward the door.
“How’s Marge?” I asked, knowing he and his wife had
a big anniversary coming up soon.
“She’s a nag. Won’t let me have salt, lunchmeat, and
even took my bacon away. Says she wants me to live
longer or something. I figured she’d be sick of me by
now,” he joked.
I laughed. I knew how much he loved his wife, and
even while trying to tease her, he couldn’t help but smile.
That twinkle in his eye was love. “Has it been a messy
thirty years?” I asked lovingly.
He turned at the door and smiled. “I wear rubber
boots most of the time just to keep my shoes clean,” he
laughed.
“Thanks, Greg,” I said.
“Anytime,” he said, and then he left, leaving me to
work on keeping my promise to Isabella. I was going to fix
this.
Chapter Nine
Stella
“Greg Clark called my office this morning,” Tiffany
announced as she sipped on her glass of wine.
“Isn’t that Gavin’s attorney?” I asked.
“Yes. He wanted to know how to get in touch with you.
I let him know you were staying with me,” she leaned
back in her chair, slid her finger along the stem of her
wine glass, and waited for my reaction.
“Why does he need to know where I am?” I snapped.
She laughed. “Sweetie, you did sign an iron-clad
contract for eight years,” she informed me.
I pushed my wine glass toward the center of the table
and pushed my head into my hands. “Can he make me
go back?” I asked.
“They can sue for breach of contract if you don’t,” her
voice was filled with concern.
“They can have all the money back. I don’t want it,” I
sighed.
“Have you spent any of it?” she asked.
I shook my head. I’d still been driving the little red
sports car, but only because Gavin had me return mine.
The allowances that I was given for incidentals covered
any expenses I’d had and allowed me to save some of
that money as well. “It’s all in my account,” I said.
“I’m sure we could work something out, if they intend
to sue, that is,” she stated.
“I feel so bad for Isabella. I just want to see her,” I
sulked.
“You know you can’t do that. You handled leaving with
her as best you could,” Tiffany smiled warmly.
I didn’t feel as though I’d handled it well at all. Telling
her that I was taking care of my father, that I didn’t know
if I was coming back. What was that? The poor girl. She
must feel abandoned. “After all those women came in and
out of her life, and her own mother pushed out of her life,
I hate that I continued the pattern for her,” I whined.
“I’m truly sorry that I pushed you toward signing that
contract,” Tiffany said, finishing her glass of wine.
“You didn’t. My mind was made up before I called you.
Otherwise, I wouldn’t have called you at all,” I admitted.
“I told you not to let your feelings get involved, for him,
or the girl,” she sighed.
“I know,” I pushed my head back into my hands.
All I wanted to do was sleep, and hopefully for long
enough that when I awoke, I’d have forgotten all about
Gavin and Izzy.
Tiffany had been in and out, each time trying to get
me on my feet. I’d grumble at her, pulling the blankets
back over my head, and refuse to get up. I knew it’d been
at least two days that I wallowed in that bed. I still hadn’t
forgotten; if anything, I was missing them both more.
“Get up!” Tiffany yelled, flipping on the guest room
light. It had become my haven, my place for seclusion
that had depression thick in the air.
“I was up earlier,” I argued, knowing it was only to
grab a container of ice cream and get back into the bed.
“I have a letter here from Greg Clark. It’s thick,” she
said, waving a white envelope in her hand.
I sat up, stared at the letter with remorse, anger, and
fear in my gut. Fuck! What if they are forcing me to go
back there?
“Have you read it?” I asked, propping myself up
against the headboard of the bed.
“No. I wanted to wait until I was with you,” she said.
She moved toward the bed, taking a seat on the edge.
I was embarrassed by the stench I’d created with empty
food containers, snotty tissues, and lack of showering.
“Open it,” I insisted.
Her eyes were filled with compassion as her finger slid
across the flap of the envelope, her sharp nails slicing
through the paper with ease. The sound was eerie,
causing my skin to feel as though it were crawling.
I watched her carefully as she pulled the thick, folded
letter from inside. She unfolded it and read it, her
expression blank as she studied the words. It was killing
me. “What does it say?” I barked.
Tiffany pushed the paper away from her eyes, lying in
on the bed near my feet. “You’re off the hook,” she
sighed.
A strange mixture of relief and disappointment fell over
me as she spoke. I was off the hook. I didn’t have to go
back. I’d never have to see Gavin Bellefonte or his
daughter Izzy again.
“There is a stipulation,” she said slowly.
My heart raced. “The car?” I asked, knowing it wasn’t
mine to keep all along.
“No. You are not required to give back the car, or the
money. In fact, you are being compensated for the
remainder of the first year of your contract,” she said.
“What’s the stipulation?” I asked.
“You have to attend a meeting with Mr. Clark, and his
client. You will be given papers to sign releasing you from
the contract, and from what I understood from the letter,
you’ll also be given all former contracts to review,” she
said.
My mouth fell open. I was in awe. It was hard enough
to believe that Gavin wasn’t asking for reimbursement,
although why should he? He was the one who’d fucked
this up, not me. My head was spinning with guilt, anger,
confusion, and pain. “If I don’t go to the meeting?” I
asked.
“There was no threat that I noticed. But once you do
not show on the date required, there could be further
action brought against you,” Tiffany warned.
“When is it?” I asked.
“Monday morning,” she replied.
“That’s too soon,” I exclaimed.
“We don’t have anything to prepare. It will be quick
and simple. You sign, we leave,” she stated.
“What former contracts am I supposed to review?” I
asked, pushing the blankets away from my body.
“There is a letter in here from Gavin addressed to you;
maybe that’ll explain what that means.” She picked up
the letter, stuffed it back into the envelope, and handed it
to me.
My hand was shaking as I gripped the thickly stuffed
envelope. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to read the letter from
Gavin. What could it possibly say?
“I’ll leave you alone,” Tiffany stood from the bed,
patted my foot, and then walked out, shutting the door
behind her.
I held the envelope close to my chest, staring up at
the ceiling as if it would give me the answers I needed.
This was hard, too hard. My heart was breaking already,
seeing Gavin was only going to make it harder.
I stuffed the envelope into the nightstand drawer and
walked into the bathroom. I needed a shower, for more
than one reason. I was hopeful that the warm water
would not only wash away my stench, but would also
give me a clear head.
Water blasted onto my face and then poured down my
body. As the strong streams of water flicked at my
nipples, a familiar sensation worked up between my legs.
I covered my face with my hands, letting the water roll
between my fingers as I tried not to smile. I couldn’t stop
thinking about Gavin, and how good he made me feel.
Why did I even leave? It was just a job; that’s all, right?
My eyes closed, imagining his wild grin. The water felt
like his hands, softly caressing me as it slid down my
hips. It felt like his tongue, as it flicked at my skin, teasing
it as it tightened.
For a moment, I could smell him, taste him, and truly
feel him. Goddamn, I missed him!
I walked around with the letter for the next two days,
never reading it, but wanting to. The envelope was
tattered, and the papers inside crinkled from how many
times I unfolded it, and then quickly folded it back, just to
stuff it back into its envelope.
My feelings were still too strong. I’d told Tiffany how
much I’d missed him, and that I knew I had fallen in love
with him. She agreed that reading the letter would only
complicate things if I couldn’t read it without emotion. I
couldn’t.
“We leave in thirty minutes,” Tiffany announced,
peeking around the half-open guest room door.
“Okay,” I replied.
I sat on the edge of the bed, holding the envelope that
contained Gavin’s letter. I couldn’t show up to the
meeting without having read it, so I took it out. I unfolded
the papers, and shuffled through them until I found the
letter handwritten by Gavin and addressed to me.
Dearest Stella,
I understand how things must’ve looked to you, but I
wanted to at least let you hear my side. Yes, Caroline is
Isabella’s mother. She was a stripper, but working in a
coffee shop when I met her. She was a wildly energetic
woman: smart, beautiful, and fearless. I loved her, I truly
did. She was never a contract, but is the reason I started
using them.
Her drug habit was well-hidden, at least for the first two
months we dated. When I found out about her addiction, I
placed her in rehab, and did everything I could to help her.
She informed me she was pregnant, and at first, I was
happy. I thought I’d finally found my chance at a family.
What I didn’t know, was Caroline wasn’t clean, and fear
that she’d hurt my child gravely concerned me. I took her
in, hired a nurse to sit with her every day. She was under
watch, ensuring she didn’t do anything to hurt herself, or
Isabella. I thought my tactics had worked, and that she
was finally clean, willing to be a mother to this beautiful
little girl she’d just brought into the world. I couldn’t have
been more wrong.
The first year of Isabella’s life involved finding her
mother overdosed seven times, being left with strangers
in a crack house while her mother scored more drugs, and
being left in a department store because her mother was
so high, she’d forgotten she’d had her with her on the trip.
I paid her off, giving her enough money to set herself
up for life, and offered her the finest rehab treatment
center that money could buy. In exchange, she signed
Isabella over to me, relinquishing all her parental rights.
That was her choice, and I made sure she was sober
when she made it, even testing her at the hearing.
She wanted that money bad enough to stay clean to
pass the test, but she couldn’t do that for her daughter.
As for the contracts, after my experience, I wanted
nothing to do with love. I did, however, want Isabella to
grow up in a healthy, loving home, with a mother and a
father.
The meeting will provide you with all the former
contracts to review. You can read through them and see
for yourself what each contract entailed. I can assure you,
yours was the only one that was so involved, and so
intimate.
This may have been a mistake on my part, creating a
more intimate setting, but the other times were cold, stale,
and felt like a business transaction. I wanted something
more, but I got much more than I ever expected.
I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me.
Gavin Bellefonte
P.S. Izzy’s been missing you something terrible, and
would love to still see you. I will do whatever you want,
including never contacting you again if I have to. But as
far as Izzy is concerned, if you would still like a
relationship with her, I won’t stand in your way.
“Let’s go,” Tiffany said, pushing open the door.
Tears flooded my eyes, falling quickly to my cheeks. I
let out a sob as I let the letter drop from hands onto the
mattress. “Are you okay?” she asked, rushing to my side.
“I just read his letter,” I sniffled.
She shook her head and gave me a look filled with
empathy. “Sweetie. Why?” she asked.
I picked up the letter, held it to my chest and sighed.
“It was beautiful,” I admitted.
“We’re going to be late,” she said, motioning me
toward the door. “We’ll talk in the car,” she added quickly.
The ride there, I filled her in on what Gavin had
written. “So, you think that is all true?” she asked.
“I don’t think he has any reason to lie,” I replied.
She nodded, and then smiled in my direction. She
found a parking spot in the large garage and then
gripped her briefcase tightly by her side. “You ready for
this?” she asked.
I nodded. I’d never been more ready for anything in
my life. I suddenly couldn’t wait to see Gavin. I didn’t
need the other contracts to know he was an honest man,
a good man. He wanted only what was best for his
daughter, whatever he done before me was just that,
before me. I felt foolish for getting so upset before. But
one thing I did know was I couldn’t go back to playing
house with him and Isabella.
“Good morning,” a tall, slender, red-headed woman
greeted us as we entered the pale, brick building with the
sign ‘Clark & Harris’ on the door.
“Mr. Clark will be right with you. Can I get you coffee
or juice?” she asked.
Tiffany shook her head and then quickly looked
toward my direction. I shook my head as well, offering a
smile to the woman who quickly disappeared to the back
office.
My heart skipped a beat when Mr. Clark entered the
waiting room. The last time I saw him, he was driving off
with Caroline in his car. I wondered where he’d dumped
her that day. After reading Gavin’s letter, I knew it didn’t
matter.
“Good morning, ladies. Thank you for coming,” he
said, motioning down the hall where several wooden
doors led to what I suspected were meeting rooms. I
wondered which one Gavin was behind. My hands
started to sweat, and a lump in my throat grew quickly,
making it tough to swallow.
“Can I get some water?” I asked the red-headed
woman as she opened the last door on the left and
motioned us inside.
“Of course,” she smiled, and took off to retrieve it.
Gavin stood when we entered, his eyes locked onto
mine. He smiled, just barely. It was obvious he was
nervous, but just as excited to see me, as I was him.
“We’ll make this short and sweet. I know you have a
busy schedule,” Mr. Clark spoke directly to Tiffany.
“Thank you,” she said, pulling out a chair on the
opposite side of the table as Gavin.
He waited for me to pull out my chair and sit before he
took his own. He stared at me, smiling, and his blue eyes
penetrating through my soul like hot knives.
I didn’t speak, but I could feel my cheeks burning as
they started to blush, and my lips curling into a smile
against my control.
Mr. Clark looked at me, smiled, and then looked at
Gavin. “You two okay?” he laughed.
I didn’t respond. I couldn’t take my eyes off of him.
“Here are copies of all former contracts, including the
legal documentation between Mr. Bellefonte and Caroline
Grace,” Mr. Clark said, pushing a stack of papers in a
white file folder toward me.
“I don’t need these,” I said softly.
“They are yours to keep, to do whatever you wish,” he
added with a smile.
“I want you to know everything,” Gavin said, his voice
so deep and sexy it vibrated my entire body.
“If you sign this, all monetary gain will be kept intact,
as well as release of the remainder of the year’s
promised earnings, and the contract will be void,” he
said, sliding myself, and Tiffany a copy of the same
paper.
“I don’t want the money,” I insisted, to which Tiffany
gave me a warning glare.
“We are not going to waste any more time drawing up
new papers. Sign it, and if you don’t want it, just give it
back,” she said with a smile.
I reached for the pen, quickly scribbling my name
where it stated. I pushed the paper back toward Mr.
Clark, who quickly pushed it back toward Gavin. I
watched as he signed. “I won’t take it back,” he smirked.
God, that smirk. It drove me wild.
“Okay. That’s it,” Mr. Clark said, standing from his
seat.
I slid my chair back, stood, and watched as Gavin did
the same. My gut ached at the thought of leaving. I
wanted to rush into his arms, to tell him I loved him.
“Can I buy you breakfast?” Gavin asked.
His voice melted me, weakening my knees, and
sending butterflies into my stomach.
“Yes,” I agreed, quickly, too quickly.
Tiffany and Gavin’s attorney shared a glance, and a
smile as they both shook their heads. Gavin reached for
my hand, intertwining his fingers between mine, and
winked.
“You look beautiful,” he whispered as we walked out
the door.
I smiled, feeling that familiar tingle between my legs,
given easily with just the sound of his voice. I thought to
myself, If only he’d seen me two days ago.
I wasn’t hungry, so I ordered coffee while Gavin
worked on a stack of pancakes. “So, what do we do
now?” he asked.
I knew we couldn’t go back to the way things had
been. I loved him. I couldn’t pretend with him anymore;
that’s all I knew.
“I don’t know. What should we do now?” I asked softly.
He reached across the table, taking my hands in his.
“Stella Griffin, I have a proposal,” he smirked.
My heart raced as his eyes pierced into mine. His lips
curled into that sexy, crooked smile I loved so much, and
a deep sigh escaped from his throat.
“This is territory I’m not familiar with, not comfortable
with. But how would you feel about coming back home,
as my girlfriend,” he said.
His eyes locked onto me hard. I could almost taste the
fear coming off of him.
“I can’t go back to pretending,” I whispered.
“I don’t want you to pretend. I don’t want to pretend. I
love you, Stella,” he said, his voice starting to shake.
“So, no contracts?” I asked.
“No,” he said.
“What if it gets messy?” I asked, remembering what
he told me about real relationships, and why he didn’t
want one.
“A wise man once told me that life is messy, love is
messy, and without love, there is no life,” he said.
“What about Isabella?” I asked.
“Izzy’s done nothing but whine about you coming
back home since the day you left,” he said.
“I love you, too, Gavin Bellefonte. Yes, I’ll come back
home,” I gushed as he slid from his side of the booth and
into mine.
His arms wrapped around me, squeezing me tightly. It
felt so good to have his lips on mine once again. I never
wanted them to leave me again.
Epilogue
Stella
Life had been a dream, truly a dream, for the last four
years. Izzy was fourteen. Her blonde hair fell past her
shoulders, and her bright-blue eyes lit up the entire
church as she walked down the aisle in her blue
bridesmaid gown.
She looked over her shoulder, winking at me as she
started her walk toward her father. He was so handsome.
He wore a grey tuxedo with a blue vest, and even though
we were both ready for this day, you could see the
anxiety oozing from his skin.
The music played, and I took my first steps toward the
rest of my life. It was a day like no other, and as long as I
live, I’ll never forget it.
“I now pronounce you, husband and wife. You may
now kiss the bride,” the preacher announced proudly.
Any sign of nervousness on Gavin Bellefonte fell away
like cracked ice to the floor on a hot day once those
words were spoken. He scooped me into his arms, lifting
me from my feet. I shrieked with excitement from the
swiftness and power of his movement. He stared into my
eyes with that strange compassion I’d recognized when I
was still just pretending. It wasn’t compassion: it was
love. No more pretending.
“I love you, Mr. Bellefonte,” I whispered.
“I love you, Mrs. Bellefonte,” I replied softly.
His lips met mine, for the first time as man and wife,
and in front of everyone that mattered in our lives.
Izzy rushed toward us, wrapping her arms around us
both, and squeezing tightly. “I’m so happy,” she sighed.
I was, too. I’d never been happier in my entire life.
Yes, that was a day I’d never forget. The reception
was beautiful, and we were greeted by family and
friends, all saying they’d never seen a happier couple.
Gavin was still grinning from ear to ear on the limo ride to
our hotel. One night, and then we’d take off for
Barcelona, where I’d finally experience all the things I’d
pretended to before.
Gavin pushed open the hotel door, scooped me back
into his arms, and smiled before walking me through the
threshold.
That sexy smirk of his returned, and within seconds, I
was tossed into the air and let loose to fall onto the
mattress. I shrilled with fear and excitement as I bounced
on my back from the force.
“I’m gonna do bad things to you, Mrs. Bellefonte,” he
teased, his grin growing as quickly as his cock.
I giggled, crossing my legs and pushing my hand to
my mouth as if I were scared.
He stripped out of his jacket, slowly removed his tie,
and then unbuttoned his shirt with his eyes locked onto
mine. I watched, excited to see the flesh he’d hidden
behind the thin material of the dress shirt. “You want to
see it all, don’t ya, dirty girl?” he teased.
I nodded and grinned.
“Okay. Prepare yourself,” he smiled.
His hands gripped his belt, sliding it through the
loops, and onto the floor. One quick motion opened his
slacks, and with a quick push, they were around his
ankles. He kicked his dress shoes off into the corner, and
then stepped out of his pants.
I could see his cock hardening beneath the material of
his briefs. His thumbs rested at the top of the waistband,
teasing me by pulling it down, and then stopping to grin.
“You want it?” he asked.
“I do,” I said.
“Ohhhh. You do?” he teased, pulling them down and
exposing his rock-hard cock.
My pussy was wet somewhere underneath the piles of
ruffles and lace of my dress. Gavin, my husband, stood
at the edge of the bed, his hands on his hips, and his
cock hard and ready for action.
“I need to get out of this dress,” I giggled.
“Oh, no. The dress stays on,” he ordered.
My nipples pushed against the lace of my dress as my
breasts swelled in anticipation. Gavin’s hand slid to my
ankle, and then slowly slithered up my leg. I moaned as
he touched me, and let out a sigh once he reached the
wet spot between my legs.
“You’re excited,” he announced.
I shoved my pinky nail into my mouth and bit down as
I nodded with a smile.
“Roll over,” he demanded.
I quickly rolled to my knees, pushing my body up with
my hands and aiming my ass in his direction. My dress
was full, and as Gavin worked to push the ruffles over my
hips, and expose the flesh he’d been craving, I quivered
with excitement.
A slap to my flesh let me know he’d made his journey.
His thumb slid between my thong and my flesh, and a
quick tug back and forth created friction against my clit
that sent another moan rolling from my throat.
He teased me a bit before finally removing the panties
that stood between my warm pussy and his erection.
He pulled on my hips, drawing me back toward the
edge of the bed. His hand pushed on my lower back,
pushing my backside lower and lower, until finally his
cock rested between my legs.
My dress rolled up my back and over my head,
creating a little hideaway for me to barricade into as my
new husband pounded into my flesh, spreading me wide
open, and exploring me deeper than he’d ever managed
before.
Moans filled the hotel room quickly as my orgasm
reached its climax, again and again. I wanted to see his
eyes, to watch the expression on his face as he finally
reached his climax. I climbed out from under my dress
and lifted my body up from the mattress, causing him to
crawl onto the bed to stay attached.
I laughed as he gripped my hips and tried to grind me
back toward the mattress. I bucked against him, sending
his cock deeper into my body, and causing more
pleasure than expected.
“Are you ready to cum?” I whispered, feeling his
member throbbing inside of me.
“Yes,” he gasped, pulling my hips hard and fast
toward him.
I quickly pulled away, leaving his erection without the
comfort of my warm pussy. I rolled over, pushing my
dress up and over my hips as he stared at me in
disbelief. When I finally found the end to my dress, and
my legs fell open, his eyes lingered on the place he’d
been playing, and a smile worked onto his face.
“Delicious,” he said, pushing his mouth to my swollen
lips, sucking them into his mouth along with my juices.
I came again while his fingers and tongue played
between my legs, and then finally pulled him onto me.
“This is what I wanted,” I whispered as he entered me
once again.
Our eyes locked, and our hips rocked together with
one smooth rhythm, bringing each other to orgasm in
unison. “Looks like we just sealed the deal on our final
contract,” he whispered, leaning down to kiss my lips.
The End
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents
are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are
not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead,
actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2017 Ivy Jordan