CHAPTER FOURTEEN - TATE

I got up late and spent the rest of my morning trying to catch up with my admin duties. Over the past two weeks, since Kami and I had finally gone all the way, I had been so wrapped up in spending time with her that I’d neglected my agreement with Hazen.

I was trying to be a good friend and help they guy out, but I hated that I had to sit and spend time sending out messages to people I never intended to hold a real conversation with. My message box was overloaded, and the notifications were through the roof. I had to keep remembering to turn the stupid ping off

I felt bad keeping multiple secrets from Kami, but it wasn’t like I was spending time on the site trying to find a hookup. I had no interest in anyone but my Kami. She was the only woman for me. Our trip was planned for the upcoming weekend, and I couldn’t wait to have her all alone for the entire time.

I sent out my standard message to all the new women on the site and waited to get bombarded. Over the past weeks, the ladies had sent me everything from their numbers and addresses, to shots of them completely nude, and one woman wanted me to see just how good she was at blow jobs and sent a video of her sucking a huge black dildo. I had deleted them all and not responded more than “nice.” I didn’t want to encourage more of the behavior, which was funny, because the old me, before Kami, would have welcomed it, and then fucked them all.

It would stand to reason, that if I were getting loads of messages, then Kami was too. I’d tried to refrain from snooping over to her account to see what she’d been up to, if anything.

My window of opportunity was closing and I needed to produce an heir.

First, I needed to know for sure that she was as serious me as I was about her. I took a deep breath and hit her profile through my admin feature.

There were several messages from men who wanted nothing more than to fuck her and leave her, and a few from some of the new registers hoping to score attention. My blood raced when I saw that she had last been on just that morning and upon further inspection, she’d thanked one of the men for telling her what a knock out she was in her photo.

That wouldn’t have been so bad, but she’d told him “likewise” in regards to his own profile image. The guy was good-looking enough I supposed, and I could see why she might be interested if she weren’t seeing me.

Not yet. Not officially or exclusively. I would remedy that soon enough.

I decided to look closer into Michael Smith’s profile and found that he was already chatting up a few other women. Nothing too serious, nothing too perverted, but he had sent a photo of his cock upon request. I looked at the photo of a hand gripping a fat-headed, erect cock. “I’m bigger, Asshole.” Though not by much. I decided to flag him as ‘reported’ and put his account on a three-day suspension.

“Sorry, Asshole, but you’re not getting close to my girl.” And I damned sure didn’t want him sending her a cock pic. No. Fucking. Way.

I was just about to log off when I got a ping telling me about a message. I opened the file, and it was a response to my standard hello. It’s nice to see a handsome face here. How are you?

I didn’t know what to say, and at least the woman was polite and not perverted. I had to continue to play the part and I could at least be civil. I arrowed over the message box and prepared to type. I’m good; you’re not so bad yourself. Hope you’re having a wonderful day.

With that, I was about to log off, but then my phone rang. “Hello?” The number hadn’t been familiar.

“Hi, this is Steven Pratt from the local observatory. Your friend Kami Kendrick and I had a conversation down at the Loving Cup, and she told me that you’re a wonderfully talented astral photographer.”

I had met Steven Pratt way back when I first started, but he didn’t seem that interested.

“Hi, Steven. We’ve met, actually. It’s been some time ago, but I came down to the observatory and got a map from you. We talked a bit, but you were quite busy at the time planning an event.”

“Oh yes, I kind of remember that. You came in, and I was working on the yearly Galaxy Gala. It’s our largest charity event of the year. As a matter of fact, that’s why I’m calling. We’re going to need some images made into murals, and I’d like to use some of yours if you’re interested. Not only that, but I was hoping we could maybe feature your art in an exhibit the night before and during.”

“That would be great.”

“We’ll pay you for the prints we use for the murals, of course, and the cost of enlarging them, but I’d like to go over some of the shots and maybe our committee could choose four or so?”

Four photos selling would be awesome for my Dream Weavers project, but having my work on display would be even better. “So, Kami told you about me, huh?”

“Oh yeah, that girl’s probably your biggest fan. She was raving about you.”

“Yeah, she’s a great girl. So, when would you like to get together?” And just like that I was dropping down his name and number on the pad beside me and marking my calendar.

Once I got off the phone, I logged off my computer, not before noticing I had a few more hits from the woman, and turning off my notifications.

I was so excited about the exhibit and dying to see Kami, who I knew was at work, that I got up and threw on some jeans and a tee and headed out to the Loving Cup.

The place was busy, but most everyone was already seated with their coffee, sipping and chatting. I looked around and didn’t see Kami, but figured the cue of bells on the door would bring her out front. When it didn’t, I walked around to the side, near the restrooms, where I found her and her ex, Devin, arguing in the small hallway that led to the back.

“I know you were in there; I want my key!” Her head turned up as she finished her sentence and she grew wide-eyed seeing me step up behind Devin.

“I don’t like being accused. Why don’t you bitch at Rain or Aunt Helen and ask them what the fuck happened?” He turned around and saw me. “Oh, what did you do; call your rich prick boyfriend and tell him?”

I stiffened at the remark about my wealth, but let it go. I hadn’t told her about my money.

“You should leave.” I stepped around him and put my arm around Kami.

“Don’t fucking tell me what I should do. Your girl, here, she’s a fucking nut job. Good luck with her.” He turned his eyes back on Kami. “Have fun with your pretty rich boy, but you better watch him. I hear he spreads it around, and I don’t mean his money.”

I stepped up into his face as Kami tugged my arm. I could lay waste to the guy without a second thought. “Get the fuck out.” He laughed and turned to walk away.

“Don’t worry about that guy. Let’s get you back out front before someone has a caffeine withdrawal.”

She went around the back of the counter, and I met her out front, sitting on one of the small stools at the end of the bar. She went about helping the two customers that the other baristas hadn’t taken care of yet. Once things were back to normal, and everyone was happy and sipping again, she walked over to stand in front of me.

“So, are you going to tell me what that’s all about?” I placed my hand on hers. I hated to see her shaken by that asshole.

“Someone came into my apartment and had sex in my bed. I know it had to him.”

I made a face. “That’s sick. How could he get in?”

“He never returned my key when he moved out. He used to live with me there when we were together, which is another reason I’d like to move out and find a new place.”

I wanted to offer that she come and live with me, but since we’d been taking things slow, I knew I had to get past the next step first, and that was making things exclusive between us, officially.

“I don’t like him coming here, I don’t like him being in your apartment, or having access to it anytime he wants. You could be in there sleeping and have that asshole come in on you. I don’t trust him.”

“I don’t either, but he’s not giving me the key, and I’ve been dragging my feet on changing the locks because I was putting money into fixing the place up instead.”

“Look, I’m going to change the locks for you. I don’t want you to have to go through that anymore.”

“No, I couldn’t ask you to do that.”

“You’re not asking. I offered. And I’m not taking no for an answer.” I met her eyes. “You’re my girl. I want you safe.”

She lifted her chin. “Your girl, huh?”

“You know you are.” I smiled. “I want you to be. I know we’ve been careful to take things slow, and I know we’ve been waiting to put a label on things, but you’re my girl.”

Her eyes sparkled with tears, and she leaned across the counter and kissed me hard. “That’s all I’ve wanted.”

“I know we’re both on that site, but I don’t think there’s any reason to keep looking, do you? I mean, we are good and don’t need to, right?” I wanted her to agree.

“Of course. I’ll shut down my account. It’s not like I’ve used it since I met you.” I thought of the message she’d sent that man earlier in the morning.

“You haven’t been on at all?” I gave her a sidelong look, and she shrugged.

“I have had a few guys tell me I’m pretty, and I’ve thanked them, but it’s mostly perverts so, no, I don’t spend time there. You’re all I want, Tate.”

“I’m glad to hear that, baby. I feel the same way.” I breathed a sigh of relief that she had been honest and would delete her account.

“So what did you swing by for?”

“I got a call from the observatory. Seems someone is pimping my talent.” I chuckled.

“I may have bragged. Showed a few pictures of yours through Google.” She tilted her head to meet her shoulder.

“Yeah, well, because of that bragging, I just sold at least four mural sized shots and I’m going to have my very own exhibit at the Galaxy Gala sponsored by the observatory.

She let out a little squeal. “That’s amazing! I’m so happy for you.”

“I owe it to you. You did it. And to show my appreciation, I’m about to run out and buy us a brand new double sleeping bag.”

“How romantic.” She let out a breath, and I leaned in kissing her deeply.

“You haven’t seen the half of it.”