Be My Temptation (Temptation #2) (4 page)

Brock nodded. “Sure.” He was putting on his coat when he heard a beep deep within his desk. At first he dismissed it as his imagination. Then, realizing what it was, he knew he’d lose his mind if he didn’t check his prepaid phone. “I just remembered I have something I need to do. How about lunch tomorrow? I’ll head down your way.”

Tyler shrugged. “Tomorrow works. Hey, good luck with Kate. I mean it.”

“I know you do.”

As soon as Tyler was gone, Brock whipped open his desk drawer and pulled out the phone. It was on, which was strange, but since he had checked it recently he figured he must have left it that way by accident. It still had a charge.

And one new message.

Brock dropped into his chair with the phone still in his hand.

One new message from Kate to Mr. Elf.

Why would Kate contact me—him—now?

He opened his messages and read her text:

Mr. Elf, I have a problem, and I need your advice.

Fuck.

“What if he doesn’t answer?” Kate asked from her seat at the island in Angie’s kitchen.

Angie had her back to Kate while she washed out baby bottles in the sink. “He’ll answer.”

Kate put the phone down on the counter in front of her and stood. “We haven’t used the phones in over a month. He might have forgotten he even has it.”

Angie turned, wiping her hands on a towel beside her. “The phone was charged when you found it, right?”

“Yes.”

“That means he’s still checking it. What phone do you know that would hold a charge for a month?”

Kate sighed and sat back down. “None. Mine was dead. I can’t believe I dug it out of the trash—for what? What are we doing, Angie? What do we hope to get out of this?”

“If you don’t know, then you need to think this through. I thought we were going to have some harmless fun with him. What are you planning?”

“I don’t know. Part of me wants to throw this phone away for good this time and never talk to either of them again—to pretend none of this happened.”

“You can do that. It’ll be awkward at first, but denial is a well-populated place. I’ve met many people who live there.”

“But whenever I think about never seeing Brock again I get really sad. I don’t want to lose him. I want him to fix this. I want to trust him again.”

“So, this is about getting him to prove himself?”

Kate met her friend’s eyes. “Yes, I guess that’s what I’m hoping will happen. That and . . . I’d like to make him squirm a little before I tell him I know what he did.”

Angie smiled. “I like the squirm part. Mike and I came up with some fun ways to do it.”

“You told Mike? You swore you wouldn’t tell anyone.”

“It’s just Mike. Plus, oh, my God, thank you. We were laughing like kids last night when I told him your story. It didn’t matter that we were both exhausted—we had the best night together. Talking about what you did with your Mr. Elf gave Mike a few ideas. He said he’s going shopping today after work. Toy shopping. I may have to take you up on that offer to babysit after all. It was wonderful, Kate. Really wonderful.”

Kate wanted to be upset with her friend, but the sincere gratitude on Angie’s face made that difficult. “I’m glad something good came out of this.”

“Of course Mike started off saying we should sympathize with Brock. He thinks Brock really loves you. It’s amazing, though, how good sex can sway a man’s loyalty. Mike is totally on our team now.”

“We have teams?” Kate’s eyes rounded.

Angie raised both hands as if shaking invisible pom-poms and said, “Go, Team Kate.”

Kate closed her eyes and covered them with one hand. “Maybe we shouldn’t do this.” Just then the prepaid phone beeped, announcing an incoming message. Kate’s eyes flew open and her mouth rounded with shock.

Angie rushed over to the counter. “What are you waiting for? Check it.”

“Do you think he knows that I know?”

“How would he?”

“I was upset when I left his office. His sister might have said something.”

“There’s only one way to find out, Kate. You’re killing me. The twins are going to wake up soon. Check the damn message.”

Kate picked up the phone and opened the messages folder.

I thought you had made your choice, Kate. Having second thoughts?

Kate held out the phone to show Angie the text. “How do I answer?”

Angie pursed her lips. “Remember, you’re actually talking to Brock. So, make sure whatever you say is what you want him to hear. He’s listening, Kate. Tell him how you feel.”

Kate texted:
Brock said he loves me.

That was soon.

Yes. Too soon. I don’t believe him.

Sounds like something you should discuss with him and not me.

I can’t ask him if he loves me. He’ll simply say yes. Even if he doesn’t. People lie. All my ex-husband did was lie to me. He said he loved me, too, but he didn’t. Those three words don’t mean as much to me as they used to.

Do you love him?

I don’t know. Sometimes I think I do. Sometimes I get scared and never want to see him again. It would be different if I believed he really loved me. How do I find out the truth?

They say love is a leap of faith.

People who say that haven’t crashed and burned. Fuck leaping. I want proof.

Angie bent so she was shoulder to shoulder with Kate. She gave Kate a thumbs-up. “You tell him, Kate.”

What would you consider proof?

There are areas of our relationship that I’m not entirely happy with. If I told him what they were, do you think he would change for me?

A man who loves you would at least try.

Even if it’s about how he is in the bedroom?

Angie whistled as she read what Kate was typing. “You’re good. I would have told him that nothing short of a cock piercing would prove he loved me, but this is sheer genius.” When Kate looked up from her phone in surprise, Angie continued, “Don’t let me break your stride. You’re doing fine. Piercings take too long to heal, anyway. This is awesome. Hit him where it hurts—his performance pride.”

You’re not happy with the sex you’ve been having?

Kate hesitated. She’d never been one who sought revenge or who would ever intentionally make another person suffer in any way. But even though Brock’s game had ended up helping her, he’d had just a little too much fun at her expense. She remembered how he’d pushed her to call him Master. How he’d punished her for not obeying him without question. Oh, yes, he deserved to squirm a bit before she broke it to him that she knew the truth.

It was fun at first. It’s just getting old. We’re always talking about fantasies and trying to live them out. I want to have nice, normal sex once in a while. How do I tell him that?

I’m not a sex therapist, Kate, but the easiest way would be to tell him.

I can’t talk to him like I talk to you. I know it doesn’t make sense, but I trust you.

You’re right, it doesn’t. I could be anyone.

Maybe it’s because I don’t consider you real that I feel like I can be myself with you. I can tell you anything. Will you help me figure out if he loves me?

Does this mean our game is on again? Are you looking for a Master?

Angie burst out laughing. “You have to give him credit for asking. He’s definitely a boundary pusher. Set him straight, Kate.”

Oh, I will.
Kate texted:
No. But I will describe how it goes with him. In hot, graphic detail. If you help me.

You’re playing a dangerous game, Kate.

You’re the one who taught me to enjoy games, Mr. Elf. Are you in or not?

There was a long pause before he answered:
I’m in.

Kate turned the phone off. Her hands were shaking, but she was smiling. “Let him stew on that until I text him tomorrow, right?”

Angie grinned in approval. “I love it. Have you talked to him today? I mean, as Brock?”

“No. He’s been calling, but I didn’t answer because I didn’t know what to say. Do you think I should contact him now?”

Angie shook her head and leaned back against the counter behind her. “You are way too nice, Kate. If you aren’t going to let him sweat a little over this, you might as well tell him everything now.”

Kate chewed her bottom lip. “I didn’t think this would be so hard. I feel guilty already.”

Angie handed Kate the prepaid phone. “Then throw the phone back in the trash and end the game now. Go confess and talk it out like mature adults.”

Kate weighed the phone in her hand. “I should.”

“But?”

“It’s kind of exciting to be talking to Mr. Elf again—even more now that I know he’s Brock.” Kate shook her head in confusion. “Does that even make sense? I mean, is there any way this can end well?”

Angie shrugged. “What’s the worst-case scenario? He finds out? How can he be upset when he did the same thing to you? The way I see it, worst case: He can’t take what he dishes out, and then he’s not the guy for you. Best case: You put him through his paces, and he comes out a better man for it, and one you trust again.”

“I have a feeling you could sell legs to a centipede,” Kate said, smiling reluctantly.

Angie smiled back. “I wasn’t always knee-deep in diapers, you know. I left behind a marketing career for all this.” She waved her arms around her.

“Are you happy, Angie?”

Suddenly serious, Angie nodded. “Yes. I gripe. I miss my friends at work. But this is important. Mike says if I want to go back to work he’ll figure something out with his schedule. The boys are growing so fast—I know we’ll come to that soon enough. But for now, I want to be here with them. How about you?”

Kate traced the edge of the table with one hand. “I feel like I’ve been in limbo for too long. I waited for my mother to pass. Waited for my divorce papers to come in. Now I’m waiting to find out how Brock really feels about me. Meanwhile, I’m doing nothing.”

Angie walked over and put a hand on Kate’s shoulder. “You realize Brock can’t make you happy, right? No one can. Find a goal outside of him and do something to work toward it every day. That way, no matter how this turns out, you’ll be okay.”

Kate stood up and hugged Angie. “Tell Mike I’ll babysit the boys the entire weekend.”

Angie hopped in her embrace. “Are you serious? I thought you and Brock were going away to the Cape.”

Kate shot her a huge smile. “I’ll tell him I want to see how he is with children. A weekend with your kids sounds like a perfect test.”

“Have I created a monster?”

“Do you want a babysitter?”

“I’m shutting up now before you change your mind. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”

***

Waiting for his crew to leave for the day was excruciating. Brock wanted to cut his day short and hightail it to Kate’s house, but he didn’t want to let on that he knew anything. If Kate was confused enough to be reaching out to a man she didn’t know, he wanted to make sure he played the situation right.

He hadn’t lost her yet, and he had no intention of doing that now. As he was closing up his office, Linda met him just outside the trailer.

“Did you talk to Kate yet?”

He shook his head and started walking toward the parking lot with his sister. “I’m heading over there now to do just that.”

“Did I tell you that she—?”

Brock stopped. “Lin, I love you, but I don’t want to talk about Kate with you. Let me handle it, okay?”

“I just thought you should know—”

“Linda, it’s been a long couple of days, but there is nothing you can do to make this easier. Kate and I need to figure this out ourselves. You can help me by not getting involved, understand? Don’t call her trying to smooth things over. Don’t talk to your friends about her. Let this play out. Can you do that for me?”

Linda didn’t look happy about it, but she agreed. “I just want you to know I care.”

Brock gave his sister a kiss on the side of her head, then a mock punch to the arm. “I know you do. Trust me, though, I’ve got this.”

A short time later, Brock repeated those words to himself as he rang Kate’s doorbell. “I’ve got this.”

Kate opened the door about a foot and said, “Sorry I didn’t answer your calls.”

“I missed you, Kate.” Kate opened the door the rest of the way. She was dressed in jeans and a T-shirt with her hair tied back in a neat ponytail. He’d never seen her more beautiful, but he didn’t say that. He waited for her to speak first.

“I needed time to figure out a few things.”

“And have you?”

“I think so. But there are things we need to talk about, Brock.”

“That’s why I’m here. I’ll listen as long as you want to talk. Although it might be easier inside where it’s not as frigidly cold.”

Kate backed up to allow him in. “Sorry. Come on in.”

Brock followed her to the living room. She sat in a single chair. Brock chose the couch next to it. She looked nervous. He was tempted to pull her into his arms and kiss her until she stopped worrying, but he didn’t want to push her. She said she couldn’t speak to him as easily as she could speak to Mr. Elf, and he wanted to change that. “You can tell me anything, Kate. I’m not going anywhere. Not unless you tell me to.”