Chapter Five
By the time their third date rolled around, Charlotte assured Ella it was time. Tonight they would have sex. The next phase of the plan would be put into action. They’d have sex and she’d get pregnant. Supposedly.
“He’ll probably use a condom, even if you tell him you’re on birth control,” Charlotte warned when they spoke on the phone about it. “He likes to play it safe. Maybe tell him you’re not on birth control. That way, only the condom has to have supposedly failed. If both have to fail, it becomes less believable, you know?”
“You’ve put a lot of thought into this.”
“Well, I considered getting pregnant myself. But I was holding out to see if he’d propose. I was on birth control the whole time. Once, the condom came off and he said, ‘Well, good thing you’re on birth control as a backup.’ He pays attention to that sort of thing.”
“Sure,” Ella said. “I’m sure he doesn’t want someone, oh, you know, getting pregnant to trap him.”
Charlotte huffed. “Who would do such a thing?” she asked, in a dramatic voice. “The nerve of some people.”
“Right,” Ella said.
She wasn’t feeling good about this anymore. She didn’t want to trick him. Her only relief was in knowing she wasn’t really going to be pregnant. And she wasn’t trying to trap him, just present the illusion of it, which really wasn’t much better in the end. At least she wasn’t involving a real child.
“He deserves it,” Charlotte said. “You’ll have to take a photo of his face when you tell him so I can see it.”
“I’ll try.”
“I hope he chokes on his food. Maybe you should tell him over dinner so he does. What a selfish bastard. I bet his whole fortune will flash before his eyes when you tell him.”
“Probably.”
“What’s wrong? You sound distracted.”
“I am, I guess.” Ella didn’t want to tell her friend that she was uncomfortable bashing Jesse. A little ping went off in her chest every time Charlotte said something bad about him. And since the night they had broken up, there had been plenty. It seemed every conversation was full of the reasons why Jesse was so horrible. The problem was, Ella hadn’t seen evidence of any of them.
“Oh no. Don’t tell me you’re starting to have feelings for him.”
“No, it’s just… Okay, I get that you’re hurt and everything. I do. And I’m sorry about it, but do you have to trash the guy constantly? He did take you out a lot and buy you nice things.”
“Maybe you’ve been spending too much time with him. You’re starting to sound just like a spoiled rich brat yourself.”
“No, I’m just pointing out the facts. He doesn’t owe you anything, just because he happens to be rich and you’re not.”
“Oh right. I didn’t just give him six months of my life or anything.”
“Didn’t he give you the same?”
“Whose side are you on, Ella?”
“Yours. Of course, yours. I’m just saying—”
“What are you saying? Let’s hear it. Please. I’m dying.”
Ella let out a sigh. “He doesn’t seem like that much of an asshole to me, honestly.”
“I knew it! You do have feelings for him! What the hell? You’re supposed to be doing this for me, not to snag him for yourself.”
“That’s not what I’m doing. I’ve dropped everything and become a dog walker. I’ve gone out on dates and lied and pretended to be someone I’m not. I’ve hidden my real appearance to be more attractive, and now I’m about to have sex with a guy I don’t love so that I can lie more and tell him I’m pregnant. And I’m doing this all for you. All of it. I think you could be a little more grateful.”
“Well, gee, don’t let me force you to do anything you don’t want to do. It sounds to me like you’re quite enjoying your time with him.”
“It hasn’t been horrible.”
“I can’t believe you!” Charlotte growled into the phone, then shouted as loud as she could, “Some best friend you are!” Then she hung up.
Ella sat down, fumed for a few minutes, then teared up. She didn’t want to be fighting with Charlotte. And she really wasn’t sure about this whole sleeping with Jesse thing. She wanted to. But she wanted to do it for the right reasons.
She went to bed but didn’t sleep well. She tossed and turned, parts of her fight with Charlotte coming back to her, mixed with conversations with Jesse. In the morning, she felt like she needed another several hours of sleep.
By the time they were on their date, she still hadn’t decided whether or not to sleep with Jesse. But they had wine with dinner and she let herself drink several glasses. When he walked her to her door and kissed her, she made a decision, possibly due to the wine, but more likely due to the way he held her and pressed against her. Her body was warm at his touch and she was turned on by him.
“Do you…” She looked up at him, tilting her head down as she did to look through her lashes. “Do you maybe want to come inside?”
His mouth spread into a slow smile. “I do. Or maybe. Would you rather come to my place? You could get a few things while we’re here.”
“Perfect.” She ran inside and threw some things in an overnight bag. A change of clothes, her makeup, a toothbrush.
She locked up her house again and got back into his car. As he drove, she reached her hand over and ran it up and down his thigh. She pressed it into his groin, where he was already hard. He made a soft moan in response.
By the time they got to his place, they were both revved up and ready. They kissed as they went through the door, and barely made it upstairs and into his massive room. Jesse picked her up and threw her on the bed, then climbed on top of her.
He kissed down her neck and along the low-cut neckline of her dress, sliding his hand easily under the skirt of the knee-length red dress. She rolled over so he could unzip her, and he slipped the dress over her shoulders. She kicked it off and pulled off his shirt. He took off his pants and resumed kissing her as they pressed their bodies together, wearing just underwear.
But that didn’t last long. She was soaking her panties and when he reached down to rub her, he felt the wetness. He tore her panties from her and his boxers landed beside them. He reached over to the bedside table, just like Charlotte had said he would. He put a condom on and pushed into her with no hesitation.
She cried out in pleasure when he entered her and her back rose with the feeling. He moved methodically, slow and steady, moving in circles to hit every sensitive part of her insides. She felt dizzy with the delicious sensation of it.
He looked into her eyes in a way that made her feel cared for, like he truly wanted her and liked her. She had to look away. It was all a ruse. He only desired her and had feelings for her because she’d made him. Would he be inside her right now if she hadn’t cast spells on him?
Her attention was quickly drawn back to Jesse as he sped up and thrust into her harder. “I’m close,” he groaned. “Are you?”
She nodded and, as he went even faster and harder, she felt the orgasm build and break free. She cried out as he did until they were both left panting in each other’s arms.