The Babysitter (7 page)

Concentrate. This is what Dad said would happen. I would go early to Miami, get caught up in parties all summer, and be unprepared for school.

“Nice to meet both of you, but I'm busy. You two are good-looking and should have no problem convincing another lucky woman to spend an hour, taking pictures with you.” I opened the book back to the page I had it on. “But I am not that lucky woman. I am the unlucky one that has a shitload of pages to read. So have a good day. See you later. Bye. Peace. Adios.
A riva derchi
and all that good stuff.”

They exchanged glances and laughed.

Max sat down on my other side and raked his fingers through those blonde strands. “How do you think you're going to get rid of us?”

I tensed and wasn't sure I enjoyed being between them after he made a comment like that. “Well, there's a number of ways I can get rid of you. Have you ever experienced a lightening pain to your balls? My brother told me it hurt when I used my taser on him.”

Max shielded his groin with his hands. “Why would you do that to your poor brother?”

“Because he was doing something and I asked him to stop, but he wouldn’t.”

“And you just happened to have a taser around?”

“I like to keep weapons around me just in case the male species is readying itself to attack or aggravate me.”

Max chuckled. “I like you more and more.”

“Nice meeting you, Max, but your time is up. The point of my taser story is that if I'll burn my own brother's testicles, then I'll have no problem searing yours.” I returned to reading.

He raised his hand in the air, got up, and stood. “What do you think, brother? We've been searching all day. Either I didn't like the woman or you didn't. We both agree on this one, but she's more violent than I'm used to—”

More violent than he’s used too? Alrighty.

I waved my hand. “Excuse me. Feel free to finish this conversation somewhere else.”

Max ignored me. “Maybe it's a no-go for this part of the beach. Let's go up north.”

Whatever. Just leave.

“I say we find some way to convince her.” Frederick finally talked and his deep voice did naughty things to my insides. Some sort of enchanting accent laced each word. “I want her. She's perfect.”

I shouldn't have, but I risked a glance his way. My umbrella cast a shadow on his face. The shade gave a paranormal effect to those green eyes. They glowed a little in the darkness. Our gazes met and I couldn't tell how long we'd been staring at the other.

Max cleared his throat. “It looks like you're doing a good job of convincing her.”

Frederick formed his lips into a wicked grin. “What's your name?”

“If I tell you, will you leave?”

“That's not fair.”

“Why not?” I asked.

“I damn sure don't want to leave after sitting here next to you.”

It was my turn to laugh. “Do you both carry around a big book with really bad lines? No wait. Are you both the two guys that actually wrote the book? Am I sitting next to famous people?”

“We're famous, but not for books.” Frederick took my own book out of my hand, closed it, and lay the thick volume on the other side of him. “You see your phone over there?”

I picked it up. “You mean this one, the one I'll be using to call the cops in a few seconds?”

“Yes.” He had the nerve to lick his lips. “That phone is just one of the many things my parents make executive orders over.”

I considered that. “So your parents own AMD Tech?”

“No.” He shook his head. “They own the company that owns AMD. You probably never heard of them, but their—”

“Prism Corporation?” I leaned my head to the side.

His confidant expression faltered for a minute and then returned back as if he'd just adjusted a mask on his face. “So you've heard of Prism?”

“Yes, I think I'm going to practice Corporate Law after I graduate. Learning the top business guys in the world is something I'm interested in, sort of a hobby.”

“Sounds boring.” Max snapped a picture of Frederick and me.

I wagged my finger at him. “I didn't give you permission to take that picture of me.”

“Ignore him,” Frederick said. “So you're the type that never knows what you are going to do?”

“I have several things that I'm going to do right now.” I glared at him. “It may involve kidnapping. Let's hope your rich mommy and daddy don't mind you two missing.”

Frederick leaned in closer. “I wouldn't mind being lost in you.”

Heat entered my center, but I ignored it. My body sampled many men, ones just like him, rich, bratty guys that thought they ruled the world and could walk over a poor girl like me. Messing with one always gave me a bad taste in my mouth so I stayed away.

“Lost in me? Really?” I rolled my eyes. “Does that even work with women?”

“Trust me. It works.” He frowned. The expression still couldn't make him less gorgeous. I hated him for it.

“Are they drunk when you say it?” I asked. “And if you say something like, yes, drunk off of my awesomeness, then I'm going to vomit. There's only so much male bravado I can take, and with the both of you my body's flooding with it.”

Max snapped another image and winked. “Talking like that just makes us crazier for you, baby.”

“And this is where I move on guys.” I gathered my books into my bag, knowing that either I had to leave or this situation wouldn't improve. Besides, what type of idiot tries to study on South Beach? I figured I could people-watch in one of the top spots in the city while getting some significant reading done.

Not possible. Apparently, no one studies on South Beach. They do everything else here of course, but not studying.

“Wait. We can go.” Frederick got up and helped me pack. “You don't have to leave.”

“No. I probably won't get any reading done, anyway. You two were just the motivation I needed to escape.”

“I feel bad.” Frederick seized the bag from me and filled it up. “Let us take you to dinner tonight. I promise we'll leave now, just say yes to dinner.”

I scrunched up my face in confusion. “Now you both want to have dinner with me?”

They nodded.

“Why?” I asked.

“Why not?” Max took another image.

“What happened to your dire photo shoot?”

“It’s less dire,” Frederick said.

“What’s going on guys?” I glanced at Frederick and then at Max. “Something’s happening and I don’t think I should be a part of it. If you remember, I tend to keep weapons around for when the male species aggravates me.”

“It’s just dinner.” Frederick’s gaze lowered to my cleavage, which told me that he hoped I would be on the menu.

I stared up at Max. The same expression of lust was plastered all over his face, except his attention lay between my legs. I closed my thighs and breathed. Being ogled by men annoyed me. Being ogled by hot rich European brothers. . .well. . .fine it turned me on.

“And what will we be doing after dinner?” I asked. “How do I know you two aren’t crazy?”

“Do we look crazy?” Frederick countered.

I turned to Max because if I stared at Frederick any longer I would be saying yes to a lot more than dinner. Already I was stupidly reconsidering leaving the beach and remaining there with them. “Max, what’s your plan for me after dinner?”

“I’m not sure. Whatever serial killers do, I guess.” Max shrugged his shoulders.

“Not funny.”

Max chuckled. “We can do whatever you'd like or if you find you can't deal with either of us anymore, then we'll take you home. No problem at all.”

I shook my head. “If I go, then I'm meeting you there. I won't be picked up by two guys I don't know.”

“But you'll let two strangers buy you dinner?” Frederick smiled.

“Yes.” I rose and tried to pretend that I didn't catch their gazes to my hips and behind. My skin tingled with awareness. “Interrupting me while studying a boring topic is one thing. Inviting me to the most expensive restaurant in Miami is another thing. I’ll meet you there at eight tonight. Koti is the name by the way.”

“You're name?” Frederick quirked his brown eyebrows.

“No. Dawn's my name. Koti is the name of the restaurant that we'll meet at tonight.”

Frederick's jaw line twitched as if he was holding in laughter. “Okay. Any other instructions, Dawn?”

“Wear pink.” I took my now heavy bag from him. “I like my men in pink.”

“Very funny.” Max put that camera to his eye to take another picture.

I displayed my finger right as he snapped. “And another thing, you never told me why you two were famous.”

“I did.” Frederick nodded.

“No you didn't. You said your parents own Prism which is pretty impressive, but that’s your parents. What do you two do?”

Frederick tilted my way. He was close. So near that I could feel the gentle whisper of his breath against my skin. His cologne embraced and touched me like I'm sure the man could. “We're in the business of lust.”

I stepped back. “Well, too bad I'm already taken care of in that department.”

“Boyfriend?”

“No, but I have friends.”

He licked his lips again. I was really starting to detest the way his tongue's movements snared my attention to the point that I could never look away.

“I feel really bad for these friends, Dawn.”

“Why is that?” I asked.

“They'll be nothing once you and I become friends.”

My brain wasn’t intrigued, but my body reacted with warmth. It seemed that my flesh was willing to forgive Max and Frederick's bad lines just for the chance to see if they were all talk or not.

“Have a nice day, Frederick.” I slung my bag over my shoulder and turned away. “Nice meeting you, Max.”

Twenty feet into my defiant and hopefully sexy walk, I realized that I left my plastic smoothie cup, blanket, and rented umbrella back there with them. I glanced over my shoulder.

There they stood among my things, rock hard and pulsing with desire.

How the hell did I not start touching myself when they first came up to me? Oh yeah, I know. They opened their mouths like men do and said stupid things.

I decided not to go back to them and just head to the car. The blanket had been a four dollar deal at Goodwill, the bottle just one of many I filled with breakfast smoothies. As far as the umbrella, there'd already been a five-dollar charge for if I wanted to leave the thing there and not return it to the beach rental’s office.

A nine-dollar loss is not worth going back into the lions' den.

And they were lions, bad pick-up lines or not. They were the kings of their pack, rich, sexy, and utterly over-confidant. I was sure the photography line worked on many women, hoping to just get a few seconds in their presence. Maybe the guys shared the women or something. I could sit for hours thinking about the sensual things these two did to spend their days.

They’re odd, but hey, who am I too judge? Either way, they won't be sharing me, but they definitely will be splitting my bill.

Released on November 22, 2013

www.KenyaWright.com

“Sometimes it’s okay to kill, if you’re saving someone else in the process, Rainbow.” Dad wiped my tears from my face with bloody hands. “Go ahead, sweetheart. Do it for Daddy. Pull the trigger.”

And I did.

Eve and the Apple

Five years later.

I’d been washing blood off of my hands for five years. It was time to stop swimming through guilt and make a go at being normal.

Tonight I would lose my virginity to my best friend, Jude. He didn’t know and it didn’t matter. He was tan muscle wrapped around a sex fiend with blue eyes that made the Caribbean ocean jealous in spring. Even worse, he knew it. Once I’d joked that more women walked into his bedroom and spread their legs than at a women’s health center. He’d winked and proudly agreed.

Jude will say yes. Stop worrying.

The difficulty rested on me, and whether I could lock my heart and emotions into a steel cage where nothing could slip in or seep out while we shared the most significant moment of my life.

I can. No big deal, right?

Once summer was over, I would return to art school. He would go into the studio and produce his first album. Our lives would return back to normal, and neither one of us would regret tonight. Our friendship would remain intact.

“Don’t over-think this.” I crossed my fingers on both hands for added luck.

My driver, Thompson, drove the town car along the path between lush hedges manicured in the shape of musical notes and stopped the vehicle in front of Jude’s and his dad’s gray stoned mansion. I did a quick check in my compact mirror and realized my blue contacts still covered my eyes. “Shit.”

Jude hated the contacts as much as me. Mom didn’t demand I wear them. If I chose not to, then she would simply nag me about how much better I would’ve looked with the blue contacts on and how she wished I would take her suggestions. She claimed to like my actual hazel eyes but believed blue contacts complimented my caramel complexion, which seemed to be the only thing about me that pleased her. Her skin was dark like chocolate, but I believed she didn’t see the beauty in her skin like me. Regardless, I did whatever she said, since she paid the bills. I wore the blue contacts and straightened my naturally curly hair whenever I dealt with her. Hence, why those horrid blue things covered my eyes now. I’d just finished having a quick lunch with Mom before seeing her off to the airport.