His Reason, Her Choice (7 page)

“That’s good.” He kept moving. She frowned.

“I’ve never done it before. So far, I’m a little shaky with the balancing thing, but I’ll get better. I can’t believe they’re accepting my no weekends thing so far.”

He still didn’t say much.

“Are you sulking?”

In the kitchen, he opened the refrigerator and grabbed an apple. He bit it before speaking around the bite. “No, I’m not. Just a lot on my mind.”

She studied his face. He seemed pleasant enough, but she also heard the distance and felt the coolness. “If you want... Um, we can switch back to me sleeping in the spare room. It’s not fair for you to be put out of your own room.”

“I haven’t been put out.” The statement was flat, uninterested.

“Then you can come back.”

He walked past her and stopped at the girls’ room. “Ladies, are you ready?”

Joy blinked. What did he think he was doing?

Nicolette bounded from her room and her wrapped her arms around Russ’s legs while smiling up at him. “I’m ready, Russ. Come see.”

Denita followed her sister in the hall, but she didn’t hug Russ. Joy narrowed her eyes at her older daughter. She did appear hopeful for something. Russ laid a light hand on Denita’s head, and she didn’t protest. The three of them walked across the hall to the bathroom, and he opened the door.

Curious, Joy peeked around his arm. She gaped at the clean bathroom. Well, clean for her girls. There wasn’t one toy lying on the floor, in the sink, or in the tub. Towels were on the wrack or in the laundry basket. The toothpaste top had been replaced on the tube, and toothbrushes were in the cup rather than scattered about. There wasn’t even a glob of paste staining the sink’s bowl or the counter.

“What in the world?” Joy exclaimed. “Where am I?”

“Hmm.” Russ rubbed his jaw. “I think maybe...”

Nicolette jumped up and down. She squeezed her eyes shut and crossed her fingers. “Ice cream, ice cream,” she chanted.

Joy laughed.

“Yes, this job is worth ice cream,” Russ announced, and both Joy’s daughters cheered. Russ turned to her. “Is it okay if we take them to get ice cream? I’ll come back and clean the bathroom more thoroughly, but I think they did a great job.”

“You’re asking me now, after you already told them? That’s playing dirty.”

He grinned. Her heart warmed a little toward him. He was a natural charmer, and she couldn’t seriously deny his affect on her. Three sets of eyes looked at her with hope, and Joy sighed.

“Fine, we get ice cream.”

“Yay!” Nicolette fired off her choices as she ran to put her shoes on. Denita followed to put hers on as well. Russ sat on the edge of the couch, arms folded as he waited for the girls. Joy watched him from the corner of her eye. He was good with the kids, so patient and kind. They responded to him like they had never done with Isaac. Was it his personality? She wasn’t sure. She didn’t know what to think or do for the time being.

J
oy opened her eyes to a dark room and a cold bed. She had told Russ they could switch rooms, but he never came back. Not being sure of anything was driving her nuts, and every time she broached the subject, he shut her down. Surely he didn’t want to continue on like this.

She was making more money but not enough to get her own place and pay for daycare. Maybe if they got a studio and all slept in the same bed.
And if I work weekends to cover daycare.
She rolled over. Her boss had said something to her just the day before about the weekend. The others were complaining, said it was unfair. Why the hell did he hire her if he was just going to start pressuring her later?

For a moment, she thought of writing, but that still felt like an impossible dream. She had sat down to Russ’s laptop, which he had given her permission to use. For an entire hour she had stared at a blank page too scared to punch a single key.

Something had to give. She climbed out of bed and grabbed her robe, then belted it lightly. A quick peek into the girls’ room showed they were asleep. Nicolette had kicked her covers off, so Joy slipped them back on. She kissed Denita’s head, lingering with her nose pressed close to her baby, knowing Denita wouldn’t allow it when she woke up.

She continued on to the spare room. Russ had closed the door, and she hesitated to check to see if he locked it. Steeling herself, she reached for the knob and turned. The door gave with ease, and she pushed it inward. Sticking her head around the edge, she scanned the room and found him lying on the bed, sheets piled on the floor.

No turning back now.

She went in and shut and locked the door. Her robe pooled on the floor without sound. She crossed to the bed and climbed on. The shifting of the weight jostled him, and he opened his eyes. Her heartbeat kicked up like a thousand thumps, and she swallowed.

Joy ran her hand over his thigh. The muscles tensed beneath her touch. When he didn’t say anything, she took courage and ran her hand higher to his hip. Then she faltered and went for his belly. Russ’s skin was so smooth and taut. He was warm, and the scent of his soap teased her nose.

Joy straddled his hips and felt the hardening of his shaft. She reached for it, but he caught her fingers and held them away.

“Why are you here, Joy?”

“I’m... It’s obvious why, or I’m not doing it right!”

He turned her hand over and threaded his fingers through hers. “You’re here because you want me to let you stay.”

Her stomach knotted.

“I wasn’t going to ask you to leave.”

“If I hold back the cootchie?”

He smirked then grew serious. “This is different than I imagined.”

“I don’t know what you mean by that.” She leaned forward a little, and his dick pressed against her opening. All she had to do was rear back, and he would slide inside her. His gaze said don’t do it, but as hard as he was, he wanted it bad.

“I never intended to make you feel like a prostitute, or I guess the proper term in this case would be a mistress.”

“But that’s exactly what you offered. That’s what I am. Maybe not a prostitute, but a mistress. The job comes with benefits.”

“Joy.”

“Is it too heavy for your conscience, Russ?” Her tone held bitterness. She came down onto him, and his dick pierced her wetness and sank deep. He released her hand in an instant and grasped her waist. She watched in fascination as his eyelids grew heavy, and he shut his eyes.

“I don’t want you like this,” he murmured, but he raised his hips to pump into her.

“Too bad,” she growled. “I want to stay with you.”

His eyes opened.

“I like your house. I like the comfort and the fact that every cent I make I get to keep.”

His gaze turned flat. She continued on despite his reaction but lowered her voice.

“I like how you treat my kids even though it confuses the hell out of me. I like—”

He pumped hard into her and tightened his hold. She began to grind onto his shaft and leaned forward a little more so his pelvis scraped her bud, stimulating it. She moaned and dipped her chin to her chest.

“You don’t make me feel sick when you touch me.” A small cry erupted from her throat. She orgasmed.

Russ sat up, keeping her on his lap. His arm encircled her waist, and he grasped her neck in a gentle but firm hold. He kissed her roughly, stealing her breath. When he released her mouth, she was dizzy with lust.

“What did you mean by that?” he asked.

“W-what?” She couldn’t follow his words. Another climax was already coming. Her body responded to him insanely fast, and the fact that they hadn’t had sex in a few days with the worry it might not ever happen made it more intense.

He seemed to get lost in the pleasure as well as he crushed her to him and bounced her on his lap. Joy had to hold onto his shoulders while he took her so roughly. His lips touched the base of her throat, and he sucked hard then licked the spot. She shuddered in pleasure and pain, wanting more.

Russ tangled fingers in her hair. “You shouldn’t have come in here, Joy. I’m not letting you leave.”

A tremor raced over her skin at the anger in his tone. How could a man be so gentle with her girls, but rough and take charge in bed? He turned her on so much, which made his reasons for putting her in this position worse.

Russ pulled out of her and flipped her around so she faced away from him. He placed a heavy hand against her back and pushed. She climbed onto her knees, and before she could draw a breath, he entered her once again.

She arched her back to take every inch of his dick, loving the way it sliced into her heat. He pounded fast and hard, and sometimes he held himself inside and ground against her ass. She shook and moaned, struggling to keep control. Russ sagged across her back, and she felt the pulse as he exploded.

“Damn, I love coming in you.”

He kissed her back and pushed her flat to lie on top of her. His fingers found hers and linked together. A touch of his lips on her cheek made her turn her head to have her mouth claimed. He buried his tongue inside her mouth and stole her ability to think.

T
he next morning, Joy woke in Russ’s bed. She couldn’t remember going back to the room, but when she touched his side of the bed, it was warm. He’d slept beside her. She showered and winced at the soreness between her legs. They had gotten pretty wild, and Russ had wanted to go a couple more rounds with rest in between. She probably slept only three hours total. After she threw on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt with no bra, she walked barefoot out to the front of the house. Her footsteps faltered at sight of the older white man who stood stiffly by the patio doors and the older white woman who sat on the living room couch listening to Denita tell her every detail of their lives.

“So Mommy sleeps in Russ’s room, and we sleep in our room. You can sleep in the other room if Mommy and Russ don’t fight anymore.”

Joy’s jaw dropped before she could pull herself together. “Denita Griffin, shut your mouth and stop telling my business! Where’s Russ?”

Nicolette ran into the room holding several dolls. “Good morning, Mommy.” She paused for a kiss from Joy but then ran on to the older woman. “See? This is Jade, and this is Kendra...”

“She doesn’t care about your dolls, Nico.”

“Don’t call me Nico!”

Joy rubbed her head. “Hello? Am I invisible?”

The older woman patted Denita’s shoulder and tweaked Nicolette’s cheeks. She smiled at Joy and stood. “Good morning, I’m Gloria Fielding, Russ’s mother. This is my husband Russell.” The older man didn’t stir from the outside view.

Joy’s jaw slackened for the second time. “You’re his parents? Oh...boy.”

The woman’s gaze dropped to Joy’s chest, but she didn’t stop smiling. “Sweetheart, don’t you wear bras?”

Joy let out a small squeak and crossed her arms over her chest. “Yes, excuse me a minute.”

She jetted from the room, embarrassed. By the time she returned, Russ was walking through the front door. From the lack of surprise on his face, Joy assumed he’d already known his parents were there and didn’t warn her.

“Russ, I just met your parents. Who knew they were coming?” She infused her words with meaning.

He cast her an apologetic look. “Yeah, who knew? Mom, Dad, this is Joy, my—”

“Mistress?” his father interrupted and turned at last from the window. The old man’s eyes were just as chocolate brown as Russ’s but without the friendly light to make him approachable.

Joy glared at Russ, but he shook his head imperceptibly. His mouth tightened. “I don’t know why you’ve come to my house with that accusation, Dad, but you owe me and Joy an apology. Mom, here’s your prescription.”

He handed his mother a bag, and she took it and thanked him before returning to the couch. For some reason, both Denita and Nicolette had latched onto the woman and sat beside her on the couch. Joy blinked at them in disbelief. Maybe Gloria gave off a Russ vibe.

“I heard everything from this young lady,” Russell said, gesturing toward Denita.

Joy’s hackles rose. “Denita and Nicolette, go to your room until I call you.”

“Mommy,”
was the whiny response from both.

“What?” Joy folded her arms, and the two girls popped to their feet.

“Yes, ma’am.” They ran off, and Joy spun to face Russell. “Denita’s smart for a six-year-old, but I’m pretty sure she didn’t call me a mistress.”

The older man frowned. “Of course not. I defined what she told me, that is that my son pays for everything and buys them and you anything you want. Since it’s also apparent you live here, I concluded for myself what you are.”

“A gold-digger. That’s in essence what you’re saying, right?”

“There’s no need to get up in arms, Miss...”

Russ strode over to her and wrapped an arm about Joy’s waist. He drew her to his side despite how she much she tried to get away. “And
I
said, you’re wrong, Dad. Joy is my girlfriend. I take care of her and the girls because I love Joy.”

Joy froze. He made it worse. These people wouldn’t like her any better because he lied about their relationship and his feelings.

“Well there,” Gloria chirped. “See, Russell dear? You were wrong.”

Joy looked at her in surprise.

Russell seemed less than convinced. “I’ll apologize if I
am
wrong.”

“What are you trying to say?” Joy snapped. She tried to step nearer to him, but Russ wouldn’t let go. She glared at her lover, but he ignored her. In frustration, she turned back to his dad. “If you have something to say, just say it.”

Russell’s hair was stark white, and as he moved closer to them, she noticed the wrinkles around his eyes and the smile ones around his mouth. So he didn’t always frown like he did right now. “I know my son, and it’s pretty obvious he cares about you a great deal. On the other hand, I don’t know
you
at all. You could be the type of person who uses him for what he can give you. I wouldn’t be the man I am today if I skipped along in ignorance of the fact that there are predatory people in the world.”

Joy fell silent. As pissed off as she was because he was talking about her, what he said made sense. That didn’t stop her from disliking the man on the spot.