Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 25663 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 128(@200wpm)___ 103(@250wpm)___ 86(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25663 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 128(@200wpm)___ 103(@250wpm)___ 86(@300wpm)
Vanessa nods but then plants her hands on her wide, sassy hips.
“Yeah, but does Countryside know what Joanna’s up to? Her underhanded tactics, not to mention the blatant sexual harassment? I mean, that woman was demanding oral from you just to put in a loan application from what I overheard! Who does that?”
I shake my head.
“I know, but I couldn’t see any way out because Joanna’s the district manager for Countryside. She’s the boss for our region, and there’s no one else I could turn to. At least, not without ruffling a lot of feathers.”
Vanessa arches her brow at me.
“Ruffling feathers? That’s a euphemistic way to put things. It looks more like you were being sexually assaulted, Gray. If I hadn’t stepped in, you would have been face first in what looked like a burned orange.”
I wince because Vanessa’s right. Joanna’s pussy didn’t look very good.
“I know, but I needed the money fast. I need the money immediately, in fact.”
“Oh, why didn’t you say so? It’s no problem,” Vanessa says while reaching for her phone. “Let me transfer the cash to you now. Let’s see… I have Thomas Builders’ bank account info already, which is helpful. Okay, they need additional authorization, so let me just wait for the code on my phone … ah, here it is. Okay, done!”
Then, I feel my cell vibrate in my pocket. Holy shit, did that really happen? Dumbfounded, I reach for my phone and pull it out to see that indeed, Vanessa just transferred three hundred thousand dollars into my business bank account. The money won’t be available until tomorrow, but that’s soon enough. I’ll be able to pay some outstanding bills first thing in the morning, and get that asshole Crenshaw off my back too. I hate that fucker. He owns a company that rents out porta-potties, and we use his services at our construction sites. But fuck! The asshole has been refusing to come and clean out those fucking fake toilets on the schedule we agreed to, citing my “failure to pay.” As a result, our porta-potties reek to high heaven at the moment, and I could wring his neck for it.
But the three hundred thousand is going to make things right. I just need to wait for the punch list on the Trinity Church project to be completed, and then we’ll be back in the black. Hell, I’ll even be able to pay back Vanessa and then some. Meanwhile, hope has broken through the clouds, and I can literally feel my blood pressure dropping as my heart rate returns to normal.
“Thank you, honey,” I murmur. “I had no idea you had this much cash at your fingertips. But I get it. It’s not for free. I’ll pay you back with interest. How about ten percent per month?”
Obviously, the interest I’ve offered is highway robbery, but hell, my stepdaughter deserves it. She’s taking a risk with me, and I appreciate her investment. She trills with laughter.
“Oh no, Gray. That’s not necessary. I don’t need more money at the moment because I have plenty. But I do want something else from you,” she says in a coy tone, wrapping a curl around one finger.
“Anything,” I growl. “Just name your price.”
“Well,” Vanessa giggles, wiggling her hips a bit. “I’ve wanted this one thing for so long—”
“It’s yours,” I say in a deep voice, my blue eyes intense. “You can’t imagine how much you’ve helped me, sweetheart. I’ll deliver whatever your heart desires.”
Her brown eyes light up, and she practically bounces on her toes then.
“Good! Because I have this annoying thing called my virginity still, and I’d love for you to pop my cherry, Gray. Pretty please? What do you think?”
I stare at the beautiful woman, hardly believing my ears. Say what? Is Vanessa serious? But evidently so, because she twirls around again, lifting the hem of her skirt with her hands so that it forms a pretty picture.
“Won’t you pop my cherry, Daddy?” she lilts. “I promise, it’ll be fun. You won’t regret it.”
The blood rushes into my ears because how can I agree to a such a sordid request? Yet my stepdaughter’s waiting, and I have to provide an answer.
3
Vanessa
“Absolutely not,” the man of the house rasps, his blue gaze so dark that it’s almost black. “I’m not popping your cherry. I’m not taking your virginity. We’re family, Vanessa! How can you even suggest such a thing?”
I roll my eyes saucily.
“We’re not really related,” I say. “You’re not my biological father, and you divorced Renata years ago. She’s off with that hippie pool boy now, and all they do is smoke from what I can tell.”
Gray glares at me.
“That might be true, but even if your mom’s stoned all the time, Renata would not be okay with her ex-husband making out with her daughter. No way, no how. Out of the question.”