Chapter 10
Peter
Honey was on my mind all night. Her curves, her smile, the cocky way she’d smiled at me in The Red Room.
There was no doubt about it.
I’d never met a woman like her in my whole life.
The next morning, I was shocked – but pleased – to see her name scrolling across my phone.
“Hello?”
“Peter, it’s me,” Honey said. She paused. “I…I need to speak with you.”
I cocked my head to the side and frowned. “Oh yeah?”
“Yes,” Honey said. “Do you think we could meet later?”
I chuckled. “How did your work go? Finished already?”
“Oh, it was fine,” Honey said. She sounded spacey and distracted. “Look, Peter, sorry if this is short notice, but I have a feeling you’ll want to hear what I have to say.”
“I’m sure I will,” I agreed. “How about tonight? You can come over here – around seven.”
“I’d rather go out, if that’s all right with you,” Honey said. “I’ve really been craving sushi. You know any good places?”
“Sure,” I said. I grinned. “How about Little Taipei?”
“I’ve never been,” Honey said.
“It’s great,” I said, closing my eyes and picturing the luxe sushi restaurant. “It’s in Manhattan. You want me to pick you up?”
I could tell by the flattered sound of Honey’s voice that she was blushing. “No, thank you,” she said. “I can meet you there.”
I smirked. “Excellent. See you at seven?”
“Sounds good.” Honey paused, clearing her throat. “And Peter?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m looking forward to it.” Honey’s voice was deep and sultry, and my cock twitched to attention in my pants. God, just the sound of her voice was enough to make me hard! I couldn’t stand it, I’d never felt like this about a woman before.
“Me, too,” I said, hoping my simple reply was enough to convey the powerful lust I felt building in my body.
When we hung up, I felt giddy and exhilarated, like a kid at recess. Whistling, I got to my feet and grabbed my laptop. I hadn’t done much work that morning – I’d been busy, thinking of Honey – and I realized I should at least go through my emails before getting ready for my date.
Just then, my phone buzzed again. I smirked. She just can’t stay away from me, I thought as I picked it up and slid open the call without looking at the screen.
“Back for more?” I joked.
“What?” The voice was much shriller and higher than Honey’s contralto. “Peter, what’s going on?”
I groaned. “Hi, Pamela,” I said. “What is it?”
“I want to speak to you,” Pamela said. She softened her voice. “It’s really important, Peter. Please, can I see you?”
“Okay,” I said, frowning and checking my watch. It was already half past two. If I wanted to hit the gym before meeting Honey, I’d have to hurry.
“Well, when are you free?” Pamela asked. Her voice was sweet, almost innocent.
“How about lunch tomorrow?” Pamela asked. “We can go to The Palm – I know it’s right by your office.”
I frowned. Something must be wrong, maybe she needs money or something, I thought. Pamela had never been so considerate before – every time she’d suggested going out in the past, it had been a restaurant of her choosing, some of them even an hour away from my office.
“What’s going on, Pamela?” I asked in a low voice. “What’s wrong?”
“Oh, nothing,” Pamela said. “See you tomorrow, Peter. I’ll make a reservation for one-thirty.”
I frowned. “Okay,” I said slowly. This better be good, I added silently.
“Bye, Peter,” Pamela said. She sounded much more cheerful than she had when I’d first answered the phone, and again, I wondered what she wanted. Then it hit me.
She wants to get back together.
I groaned and put my hand to my forehead, hanging up and sliding my phone into my pocket. There was no way I was going to start dating Pamela again. And it wasn’t just because of Honey, either. After spending some time away from Pamela, I’d come to realize that she was selfish and conniving.
So, what the hell was she going to ask of me?
I stayed in a bad mood for the rest of the day. When it was time to leave for Little Taipei, I wore my nicest suit. I tried to push Pamela out of my head, but she’d wormed in like a rotten piece of fruit. I couldn’t stop thinking about her society-bitch smile, the fake way she’d always laugh and toss her hair.
Seeing Honey was a fresh breath of air. She was waiting outside the restaurant, clad in a tight-fitting emerald green dress that set off her tan and dark hair. When she saw me, she smiled.
“Hi,” Honey said softly. She reached up on her tiptoes and pressed her petal-soft lips to my cheek.
“Hey, yourself,” I said, glancing over her body. “You look fantastic.”
Honey flushed. “Thank you,” she said. She bit her lip and flushed as I took her hand and led her inside.
After we were seated, I picked out an expensive bottle of sake. Honey seemed nervous, though – she kept fidgeting and squirming in her seat.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
Honey cleared her throat. “There isn’t anything wrong,” she said. She wet her lips with the tip of her pink tongue, and I felt another powerful wave of lust crashing over my head. I wonder what her mouth would feel like wrapped around my cock, I thought, narrowing my eyes and staring at Honey’s luscious mouth.
I laughed.
“What?”
“Nothing,” I said, shaking my head. “It’s just that you seemed nervous on the phone. And honestly, Honey, you seem nervous now.”
Honey licked her lips. “Well, I’ve just really been craving sushi,” she said slowly. “You know…because I don’t think I’ll be able to eat it for much longer.”
I blinked. “What?”
Honey flushed – a deep red that made her face look like a strawberry. “You can’t have sushi when you’re pregnant,” she said slowly. “I’m going to miss that a lot. And soft cheese,” she added, closing her eyes. Her flush deepened to a scarlet.
My jaw dropped. “Are you…are you…”
“Saying that I’ve reconsidered your proposal?” The color faded from Honey’s face and she looked smug and in-charge again.
“Well, yeah,” I said, still dumbfounded. “I can’t believe it!”
“I have a few terms,” Honey said. She took out a list and cleared her throat. “I want pictures of the child, every year.”
“Of course,” I said. “I’ll send more than that.”
“And I want all of my medical costs covered,” Honey said. “As well as the replacement salary I’d be making for the last five months of my pregnant.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Okay, sure,” I said. “No problem – but why?”
Honey bit her lip. “Because I’ll start to show around month four,” she said. “And I don’t want anyone at Baker & Sons to know I’m going to have a baby since I won’t be…” She trailed off.
“Keeping it?” I supplied.
Honey nodded. She looked almost shaken again. “Yeah,” Honey said. “I don’t want them to know.”
“Hell, take the whole year off, I don’t care,” I said. The initial shock was wearing off, and I couldn’t help but feel elated. “I can’t believe it!” Happiness and relief flooded my body, and I leapt to my feet, sweeping Honey into a passionate embrace and kissing her.
Honey melted in my arms. She wrapped her thin arms around my neck and pulled me close, kissing me deeply until people in Little Taipei began to cheer and shout.
Honey pulled away, flushing. “I just…please don’t make me regret this, Peter,” she said. “I know it might be crazy, but I think it’s what we have to do.”
I nodded. “I just can’t believe you said yes!” I exclaimed. “Honey, this is incredible.” I closed my eyes and sighed. I felt lighter than I’d felt in months.
Honey gave me a small, smug smile. “Thanks,” she said.
I took her hands and kissed them. Somehow, Honey’s decision made me feel even better than I thought it would. I couldn’t believe that she’d agreed to help me – especially after rebuffing me so harshly the first time I’d brought it up!
Now, more than ever, I wanted Honey. I wanted to strip her naked, to kiss every inch of her beautiful body, to hear her moan my name. To see her belly swell full with my child – our child! – and see Honey rocking an infant in her arms.
It took me a moment to realize that by the time the baby was born, it would be whisked away.
“And Peter?” Honey asked softly. “There’s one more thing.”
“What is it?” I asked. “You could probably ask for the moon, and I’d try to find a way to give it to you!”
Honey bit her lip. “I don’t want the baby to grow up like we did,” she said quietly. “I want you to be a good father – an involved father. I don’t want the baby thinking that its nanny is the parent, you know?”
I nodded. “I promise,” I said softly. “I won’t let that happen.”
Honey and I gorged ourselves on sushi. We drank three bottles of sake until I could barely stand up. At the end of the night, Honey and I staggered out of Little Taipei and collapsed in the back of my car. Renaldo drove us to my condo, and I’d barely taken my shoes off before falling into bed. I started snoring before my head hit the pillow.
In the morning, it was dark when I woke up. I had a throbbing headache, and I realized that I’d fallen asleep in my clothes. Shit, I thought, pushing the sheet away and climbing out of bed in my wrinkled suit.
Honey lay on her side, her dark hair falling over her brow. I reached out and stroked her head. Honey moaned and stretched in her sleep, but didn’t wake.
“Honey, I have to leave for work,” I whispered. My voice was jagged and harsh, and my head was pounding from all the sake I’d drunk.
Honey murmured and opened her eyes, smiling when she saw me. Then she closed her eyes and groaned.
“I feel awful,” Honey moaned. “My head is killing me.”
“I have to take a shower and leave for work, but there’s ibuprofen in the bathroom. Can I get you anything?”
Honey groaned and flopped back against the pillows. “No,” she muttered. “I’ll be okay.”
“You can stay here for as long as you like,” I said. “Just lock the door on the way out.”
Honey nodded. “Thank you,” she said. She looked so vulnerable and perfect just then that I wanted to sweep her into my arms, but I knew that I was already going to be late getting to the office.
I took a quick shower, then got dressed in a clean suit and ran a brush through my hair. When I got back to the bedroom, Honey was awake. She’d washed her face and pulled her hair back into a loose bun, but she still looked pale and puffy.
“I feel god awful,” Honey said, closing her eyes and groaning. “I can’t believe it, I have to work, too.”
“We’ll suffer in solidarity,” I said, smirking. “Come on, I’ll have Renaldo drop you off at Baker & Sons.”
Honey and I were quiet in the car. When Renaldo pulled up to her firm, Honey leaned in close and gave me a brief kiss on the lips.
“Thank you for last night,” she said. “I can’t wait to see you again.”
I grinned. “Me, either,” I said. “I’ll call you later.”
Honey gave me one last, lingering glance before turning on her heel and walking into her office. I smirked as I thought about what kind of attention she’d attract dressed like that – the emerald dress was barely wrinkled from her restless night, and it clung to her curves like a second skin.
When I got to my office, I could barely think about anything but Honey. I had Evangeline bring me coffee and a breakfast sandwich, then got to work reading my emails.
I’d been at work for almost three hours when my calendar pinged.
“Lunch with Pam – 1:30!”
I groaned, regretting the decision to meet with her. I felt so awful that all I wanted to do was lie down on the couch and nap off my hangover, but I knew Pamela would throw a fit if I canceled. Since I wasn’t in the mood to deal with her shit, I took another couple of aspirin and forced myself to meet her at the trendy restaurant across the street.
Pamela was at the table when I arrived. When she saw me, she smiled and got to her feet.
“You look nice,” I said. Pamela did look nice. She was wearing a smartly conservative grey suit and less makeup than usual.
Pamela smiled. “You look hungover,” she said. “I can practically smell it on you.”
“Late night,” I said drily.
The waiter appeared at the side of our table, and I ordered a mimosa and a savory waffle sandwich with bacon and avocado. When my drink came, I inhaled half.
“That feels better,” I said, setting the glass down on the table. “So, what did you want to talk about?”
“Oh, let’s not get to that right away,” Pamela said. She reached across the table and stroked my arm with a long-varnished fingernail.
“Cut the shit, Pamela,” I said. I frowned at her. “What did you want to tell me?”
Pamela’s expression changed. In a matter of seconds, she went from looking angelic and sweet to murderous and demonic.
“I knew you hadn’t changed,” Pamela said, narrowing her eyes and tossing her head. “I knew you’d always be the same selfish jerk.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Pamela, don’t be like this,” I said tiredly. “I’m exhausted, and part of me wanted to cancel just so I could get some freaking sleep.”
Pamela frowned. “Well, I have some very important news,” she said, sniffing the air. “But obviously, you don’t even want to hear it.”
Something about her words filled me with dread.
“Pamela,” I said slowly. “What do you have to say to me?”
Pamela giggled. “Oh, Peter,” she said. “I just hope you’ll be happy!”
I blinked at her. The dread building in my stomach turned to a block of cold ice, and I gripped the edge of the table.
“Peter, haven’t you guessed?” Pamela asked. “I’m pregnant!”
The words seemed to echo from all around, filling me with panic and anxiety and terror.
“What?” I asked dumbly.
Pamela batted her eyelashes at me. “Don’t make me repeat myself,” she said coyly. “Didn’t you wonder why I was only drinking orange juice.”
I wished I could melt into a puddle and disappear into the floor.
“That’s…that’s impossible,” I said, my mouth dry and papery. “We used protection, you were on the pill!”
Pamela shrugged and giggled. “I guess it failed,” she said brightly. “Come on, Peter! This is exactly what you want, a baby! You’ll get to inherit the company after all!”
“No,” I said, getting to my feet and shaking my head. “No, Pamela – this can’t possibly be happening.”
Pamela narrowed her eyes at me and glared. “Wait just a second, mister,” she said sternly. “This is your baby, and I expect you to take care of it! And me,” she said. “You can go ahead and give me that ring now,” she added modestly. “I’m sure I’ll love it.”
I was dumbfounded. All I could do was stare at Pamela as my heart thumped frantically in my chest. I couldn’t believe it – what the hell was wrong with her?
Honey’s face flashed in my mind, and I felt like crying. Instead, I balled my hands into fists and slammed one down on the table, hard enough to make the flatware and glasses tremble.
“Listen here,” I said. “This is a dirty trick, Pamela, I know you’re either lying, or the baby isn’t mine!”
Pamela’s nostrils flared. “Oh, Peter, you’re so naïve,” she said coldly. “Don’t be a fool. Of course, the baby is yours!”
“I don’t think it is,” I said, shaking my head. The truth was, I had no idea whether Pamela was lying or not. But all I knew was one thing: there was no way I wanted to marry her or have anything to do with her crazy lies.
“Oh, it is,” Pamela said. She got to her feet and smirked. “You have to take me back now, don’t you get it, Peter? Once your father hears about this, he simply won’t let you walk away from me!”
“Oh, no,” I said, shaking my head. “No, no, no, Pamela, there’s no fucking way we’re getting back together! That is final,” I growled, leaning in close and glaring at her.
To my horror, Pamela tossed her head and giggled. She was all angelic smiles now. “Peter, you have to take me back,” she said. “What do you think your father will say when I call him and tell him that you’ve knocked me up and left me? He’ll take the company away from you before you can say boo,” Pamela added smugly. “You know I’m right.”
“Fuck you,” I snarled, turning on my heel and storming out of the restaurant. As I walked into the street, my heart was pounding, and my palms were sweating.
What the hell was I going to do now?