Short Stories - Romance

#6 - Genius Move

I was behaving like a bloody teenager who’d just gotten his first feel of a girl's boobs.

“They happen to be a fine pair of boobs if you ask me.” My own damn mind was quick to point out.

“I'm not asking!” I glared while trying and failing terribly not to think of them and how delicious those taut beauties had felt hard pressed against my chest. Not even our set of clothing that separated me and Linda was enough for me not to notice. Thanks to my damn curiosity.

Waking her up, I’d given into my urges and caressed her face and God! It was so much more than I had expected. Supple and so soft it had made me want to run my fingers over the rest of her body so I could see if it was just as soft. Of course I should have known that dreams and reality tended to entangle at some point.

And who the hell was Chad? Just the name and how it’d rolled out of her sleepy mouth had me wanting to punch the guy. Which brought me to my second problem. I was way in over my head with this one.

No matter how everything had started out, it had only taken me a few hours for me to want a total stranger more than I had ever wanted anyone else. But maybe that was not the most shocking thing. The shocker happened to be the fact that I was doing it without the guilt that had assaulted me all these past months getting in the way. That and the fact that I'd let my guard down and let that stranger see what no one else knew about me.

"Dad, how many witnesses do I need?" My son’s determination to close this deal as he had called it, made me smile and effectively kept me from cursing.

"Just one, buddy." I answered, eyes going to the other two figures currently present in my home office. Owen was in and had caught on to the situation quickly and was glad to play along while Linda was beautifully pursing her lips whenever Liam was not looking. I could only imagine what profanities she wanted to hurl at me for being forced to do this.

"Okay then." With brows knitted together, Liam carefully appended his made up signature, making me wonder if that is how he’d seen me do it. "Here you go, uncle Owen.” The boy beamed as if he’d just landed a lucrative contract. I couldn’t be prouder of his demeanour. Giving one more hug to Linda and the easiest grin I had seen on my son’s face in months, Liam bolted out of my office, the whole scene leaving me promising myself to keep whatever had brought him back to me. My eyes fell on Linda, heart skipping a beat at the sight of her. So unlike me!

"I will be filing this." Owen broke the silence that had settled over the room with my son gone. Equally with a big grin on his lips, he opened his brief case and dropped the signed contract in it.

"You seriously are going to take a contract made by a ten year old boy?" Linda huffed. She wasn't fuming at least, but I could tell she wasn't thrilled by the situation either. Although she wasn't about to crush Liam's efforts and expectation. I would be kissing that boy for his genius move that had made keeping her here easier.

“It's binding and since he's an Easton, which makes him my client, and since I'm bound to represent the entire clan, then yes.” Owen took on his professional tone, but for someone who’d known him as I did, I could tell it was all for the spectacle of it. Something I knew he was thoroughly enjoying.

“Will you say something here?” Linda turned to me for support, but I totally agreed with my son. If that's what it would take to have Liam back, I wasn't going to change a damn thing.

“Owen is right.” I said, standing up. “But if it bother’s you that much, there is a more grown up version of it–”

“You know that’s not the point.” Linda slumped in my office’s couch, hand squeezing her temple. I’d noticed that to be a cute habit of hers which had nothing to do with an actual headache.

“Or you could easily tell him that you can’t–”

“You know I can’t do that!” Eyes blazed at me as if I’d just suggested that she murder someone. That she’d care that much for my son’s feelings had me putting a big fat check mark against her name in my head, or was that in my heart? “Air– I need air.” She bolted just like Liam had and I was a step into running after her when Owen stepped in front of me.”

“I’m pretty sure she’s running away from you.”

“Still–”

“Let her figure it out.” Owen cut me off, much to my annoyance. I needed to make sure she was okay. “I’m more interested in you, so lets talk about you.” All mischief gone, Owen gave me one of those serious looks he’d don when he expected a confession out of me.

“There is nothing to talk about.”

“She’s hot.” I glared at Owen’s observation. “Oh don’t tell me you haven’t noticed it, Father Ethan.” My best friend teased, but I was not about to admit to anything. Not even to the fact that I found Linda’s own unawareness of how hot she was equally hot too.

“Why don’t you just do your job?”

“I am doing my job.” Owen sat down and propped his feet up on my couch. “I think I finally found the right candidate.”

“Good for you, bachelor hood no longer looks good on you.” I mumbled, even when I hated what I was actually insinuating.

“Don’t get your pants in a twist, Easton, she’s not my type. Hot, but still not my type.” Owen grinned, obviously having seen through my mask. “You on the other hand–”

“She’s not my type eith–” My words died on my tongue when I caught sight of Linda down below. Of all the places she could have chosen around the mansion to get air, the pool right below my office was where she’d found herself. Moving closer to my office’s open window, I let my eyes linger and feast on her figure as she circled the edge of the pool. She’d discarded her shoes and hoody somewhere, leaving her appearing so beautiful and carefree even when she seemed to be deep in thought. And before I realized, I found myself thinking of her as a regular sight down there. A soothing presence I could always look forward to seeing while I worked up here. Someone I could rush down the stairs to when I got that brilliant business idea. She would be a breath of fresh air!

“You were saying?” Sounding amused, Owen patted my back, the impact snapping me out of that inappropriate fantasy and bringing all the guilt rushing in.

“She’s not Megan.” I hissed, yet more to myself than my best friend.