Breaking Into the Business (24 page)

About
half an hour after I first lay down, my bedroom door opened. Greg slipped
inside and I could tell from the moonlight coming through my window that he was
shirtless. I could make out the definition of his chest and abs, and immediately
I felt intense arousal.

However,
I couldn’t do this. My children were upstairs, and if the other men found out
about this, there would definitely be problems.

“What
are you doing?” I whispered.

“Coming
to check on you.”

“I’m
fine. Now go.”

He
didn’t pay any attention to what I said. Instead, he slipped into the bed next
to me and nudged up close to me. With his left hand, he gripped the side of my
face and pulled me closer to him.

Our
lips met and we kissed with a forbidden passion. As he brought his body against
mine, I could feel his hardness pressing up against my leg, and I fought the
urge to slip my hand down his sweat pants.

I
don’t know how I did it, but I managed to muster just enough self-control to
stop.

“You
have to leave,” I said.

“Why?”

“Because,
this isn’t right.”

“You’re
saying you don’t want to?”

“No,
I want to more than anything. But there are so many reasons that we can’t do
this right now.”

“Would
you rather I send Derrick in here?”

I
sat up in bed while pushing him away at the same time.

“You
arrogant asshole,” I said quickly. “Next time you talk to me, check your ego at
the damn door.”

“I’m
only kidding.”

“There’s
always some truth to humor. I don’t want Derrick, and even if I did, I still
wouldn’t sleep with him. He’s now an employee of a company that I’m running,
just like you are. I really wish you would exercise even half the discipline
that I am.”

“But
I enjoy my time with you.”

“And
I do, too. But that doesn’t mean that we can give in to these feelings. I put
everything I am on the line to succeed in this business because I need the
money. As much as I want to sleep with you again, the risk of discovery is just
too great.”

“How
about one last time?” Greg asked, and I could see through the light that he was
smiling.

“No,”
I said, pushing him further away.

“Okay,”
he said. “I understand your point and see that you’re not budging.”

“Thank
you, Greg.”

“Do
you want me to hold you until you sleep?”

I
hadn’t realized before how vulnerable I felt until just then. With all that was
going on, I felt the need to be close to someone.

“Sure,”
I said. “But you can’t stay too long. I don’t want anyone to grow suspicious.”

“I
promise,” he said.

This
time, he didn’t try to kiss me. Instead, he lay down on the bed and pulled me
in close. I nuzzled up to him, placing my hand on his chest so that I could
feel the comfort of the regular beat of his heart.

The next
thing I was aware of was the light from the sun peeking into my bedroom. I woke
with a start and the first thing I did was look down at the bed next to me.
Greg had left at some point while I was asleep. I could still see the
indentation in the mattress and sheets where he had lain.

When
I walked into the kitchen, I saw Mike behind the stove working away. He smiled
and waved at me when I entered.

Jake
and Mallory were seated around the kitchen table, upon which there were several
empty plates stacked up in the center.

“What’s
going on?” I asked.

“Mike’s
making us breakfast,” Mallory said.

I
wanted to faint. The first meeting between the kids and the guys was something
that I wanted to facilitate. I had planned this elaborate way that I could ease
Jake and Mallory into the situation, but apparently, I didn’t wake up quick
enough. It was unlike the kids to get downstairs so fast, and usually they
weren’t ready until right up to the time that we were supposed to leave.

Derrick
and Ben appeared shortly after from the guest room and joined us at the table.

“What
are you making?” I asked Mike.

“I
figured I’d make some omelets,” Mike said. “It’s a recipe that my grandmother
taught me.”

“What
makes them special?”

“I
can’t tell you,” Mike smiled. “It’s a secret.”

“Well,
I’m excited,” I said as I sat down next to my daughter.

“Hey,
Derrick, can you do a favor for me?” Mike asked. “Go get Ray and Greg from
outside so that they can eat. I think we’ll be okay for a few minutes without
someone keeping guard.”

“Are
you sure?” Derrick asked.

“Positive,”
he said.

I
was impressed with the leadership role that Mike seemed to take with this whole
situation. Nobody had nominated him to that position, but he had taken it
nonetheless.

When
Greg walked into the kitchen, I tried to avoid eye contact with him. That was hard,
because I could feel his gaze drilling a hole into the back of my head. When I
turned slightly, I could see that my premonition was right.

The
meal was more than a little uncomfortable. The kids seemed slightly nervous, because
they spent the entire breakfast watching the guys. The guys were completely
unsure of what to say in front of the kids, because the two things that linked
us altogether, the business and my stalker, were both subjects that I had
requested not be discussed in front of Jake or Mallory.

When
we were finished eating, Ben volunteered to take care of the dishes since I had
to leave immediately to take the kids to school.

“Hey,
kids,” Mike said. “Go with Ray to the garage so that I can talk to your mom in
private for a minute.”

“Okay,”
Jake nodded and pulled his sister with him to follow Ray to the garage.

Mike
waited until they were gone before speaking.

“Okay,
we have the plan worked out,” he said. “The only thing we’re waiting on is to
find out if your sister agrees to take them. If she agrees to it, have her come
to your house and pull into the garage at four o’clock today. After you talk to
her, let us know.”

“Got
it,” I said.

“Greg
is going to go with you,” Mike said. “We figured that you need at least one of
us on hand in case something happens.”

I
tried my best not to react.

After
thanking Mike and the guys, Greg and I went out to the garage to find the kids
waiting next to the car for us. The drive to school was uneventful and I tried
to think of something reassuring to say to them before I dropped them off.

As
I pulled into the drop off lane, I realized that I was about to send them on
their way and wouldn’t see them for another seven hours. The possibility that
something bad could happen to them suddenly dawned on me.

As
the car came to a stop, I turned around in my seat to face them. “Keep your
cell phones on and on you at all times. If you see anyone that looks out of the
ordinary or feel threatened in any way, go to a teacher and call me as soon as
possible.”

“Do
you think anything will happen?” Jake asked.

“I
don’t think so, but I want you both to be prepared.”

They
both nodded and got out of the car and took off towards their class. As I
watched them leave, a car behind me honked. I didn’t pay them much attention
and continued watching them. I wanted to make certain that they made it inside
safely.

“It’s
okay,” Greg said, putting his hand on my arm.

“I
know,” I said. “I just hate this.”

“They’re
going to be fine,” he assured me. “Now you better pull forward or I’m afraid
the lady behind us is going use her car to push us out of the way.”

I
did just as he said and started the vehicle forward. What I wanted to do was
turn around, go back into the school, and sit with my kids all day to make sure
that they were okay.

We
still had two hours until we were supposed to meet my sister, so we drove back
to the house. I almost forgot about the actual business until my new work cell
phone rang. Once I had booked that client, my cell phone rang again.

“The
Madam of Suburbia,” I said, greeting the second caller.

“Yes,
I’m calling to inquire about your services,” the woman said.

Something
about her voice was so familiar. I couldn’t quite place it, but her identity
was on the tip of my tongue.

“Yes,
what are you interested in?”

“I
thought I already said. Your services,” she said forcefully, the irritation was
evident in her tone.

“I
understand,” I replied. “We have a variety of companions for you. What sort of
companion were you interested in.”

“I
just want a hot one,” she replied. “I mean one that’s got those big chest
muscles and a stomach I can wash my clothes on.”

It
was obvious what she was looking for. But the way she said ‘can’ really struck
me. He tone was a little on the nasally side, and it was that fact I honed in
on while trying to recognize her voice.

“All
of our men are good looking,” I said. “Can you narrow down just what precisely
you find most attractive about a man?”

“Honey,
I don’t really care as long as he’s good looking.”

There
it was. I could only remember one person that said the word ‘honey’ just like
that. Dixie Tittle lived four doors down from me and now she was on the phone
trying to hire a gigolo. I wanted to burst out laughing, but I had to contain
myself.

She
was one of those women who looked like she had been pretty once. But that was
before all of the booze, the cigarettes, and the two husbands. She still tried
to take care of herself by dressing nice, but she had let her health go to a
large degree and even though she was only in her mid-forties, she looked at
least ten years older. If anyone needed the Madam, Dixie did.

“I’ve
got just the man for you,” I said. “When would you like to schedule the
session?”

“I’m
not doing anything right now,” she said.

I
was a little taken aback at her urgency. It was strange to think that I could
actually have one of the guys over there in two minutes or less, but I couldn’t
do that for fear Dixie would become suspicious.

“I
can have a guy there in thirty minutes,” I said finally. “How long would you
like to book him for?”

“How
about four hours?”

“That’s
a long time. Most people book for one or two hours.”

“Does
it really matter?” she asked abrasively. “I asked for four hours and will pay
for four hours.”

“I
guess you’re right. I apologize.”

“Honey,
you need to work on your phone etiquette.”

I
smiled. She was right; I certainly needed to work on my phone skills.

“He’ll
be there in thirty minutes. We accept cash only and he will pick up the payment
once he arrives.”

“Do
you need to know the address?”

Oh
crap, I thought. I already knew the women’s address, but she didn’t know I
knew. How awkward would that be if I sent him over there without having asked
her for the address?

“Yes,
I was about to ask for that. May I get your address?”

She
gave me the address and then hung up the phone. I had written it on a sheet of
paper, and when I set my work phone down, I looked up to see Ben and Mike
staring at me with smiles on their face.

“Are
you that uncomfortable on every phone conversation?” Ben asked as he pushed his
glasses up further on his nose.

“No,
that particular one was especially excruciating. She happens to be the lady
that lives down the street.”

I
reached up and handed the note to Mike.

“Is
this one mine?” he asked.

“Yes,”
I said.

“Why
me?”

“This
lady hasn’t had a man in a while,” I said. “And she is particularly … I’m not
sure how to say it nicely.”

“Just
say it. We’re all adults.”

“She
is particularly horny. She’s a strange case. I think the best thing for her
right now is that she needs a man who can really get into it.”

“You
mean as in rough?” he asked.

“Maybe
not rough as in hitting, but definitely don’t hold back.”

Mike
laughed. “I think I understand your meaning. I got it. So I’ve got to be there
in thirty minutes?”

“Yeah,
I figured that was okay. I know we have all of this going on, but we can’t stop
the business. You’ll just be down the street and you’ll be done about the time
we get back from meeting my sister.”

“We
can make this work,” Mike agreed. “You and the kids won’t be here at the house,
so there’s not much risk of something happening. That will leave Ray, Ben, and Derrick
here to guard.”