Scream For me

AARON

Ben was so excited to go with Carol and Jack. It made me feel a little better that I had to work this week. Ben didn’t even know that I would have to do that. He just saw it as a big treat that he got to go with Alex and spend a few days there. I never usually let him stay over at their place for so long.

“Are you sure you’re going to be okay?” I asked when I hugged him goodbye.

“Of course, Dad.”

“You know I’m just a phone call away.”

“I know, I know,” Ben said in a sing-song voice. “You’re always there,

Dad. I can come home anytime and call you anytime.” I smiled. “Good. I’m glad you know that.” “Can we go now?” Ben asked.

I laughed and stood. “Yeah, sure.”

“We’ll take good care of him,” Carol said.

“I know. I’m just worried.”

“It’s a parenting thing,” Carol said knowingly. “We’ll make sure to call daily so you can ease your troubled mind, okay? Really, it’s a huge help for us to have company for Alex.”

I nodded and shook Jack’s hand when my friend came to me.

“Thanks again,” I said.

“You just do what you need to do,” Jack said, and I watched them get into their SUV and drive away. Ben waved at me through the back window before he sat down.

When I turned back into the house, Jade waited for me.

Her hair looked good pulled back into a ponytail, and she wore a cream turtleneck top that made her glow.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

I cleared my throat and looked away. I couldn’t stop staring at her. If I didn’t cut it out, she would think I was a creep.

“I can go pack my bags,” she said.

I frowned. “What?”

She hesitated. “I figured if you don’t need me here with Ben, I should go back…”

I shook my head as she talked, and her voice trailed off.

“There’s no reason to send you packing. You’re here now, and just because Ben isn’t doesn’t mean I won’t pay you for your time.”

She blinked at me. “Really?”

“Of course, you made an effort to come. You can…relax. Take some time off. I have a few things I need to take care of.” I glanced at my watch. Time was already ticking, and I was relieved Ben wasn’t here. I’d felt guilty about having to work since the moment Richard had twisted my arm.

I groaned inwardly.

What a Dick.

“You’re welcome to take the car, head out, and explore if you want,” I offered.

Jade shook her head slowly. “I have a few things I want to take care of if that’s okay.”

“Of course,” I said. “You’re free to do whatever you want. I only have one request.”

“Yeah?” She looked unsure.

“I’m going to a really great restaurant for dinner tonight. You can’t miss out on this place when you’re in Aspen. Come with me.”

A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth, and she glanced away for a moment.

“Do you think that’s a good idea?”

“Do I think it’s a good idea for you come to the best restaurant in the northern hemisphere with me? Absolutely.” I knew what she meant, but we were just going to have dinner as two individuals who spent time together. I wanted to get to know her better.

A smile spread across her face, lighting up her features like a sunrise.

“Okay,” she said.

“Yeah?”

She nodded, still smiling. “Sure.”

“Good.” I felt a sense of accomplishment. I was going to dinner with a pretty girl. A very pretty girl. God, she made me feel all kinds of things I wasn’t supposed to feel, but I would be good and keep those feelings at bay.

“I’ll be done by six.”

“I’ll make sure I am, too.”

What did she have to do? I wondered what it could be, but I didn’t ask. Time pressed on me, and I had to take care of the paperwork Richard needed so I could relax and breathe.

I walked to my officeI hated that even my holiday home had to have an office in it, but with high-profile clients who invested all their money with me, making me a rich man in the process, I had to be at their every beck and call.

I sat down and started working. I was painfully aware of Jade and the fact that she was so closejust a few rooms away. I forced myself not to think about her.

I brought her here. I could at least try to control myself.

I grunted and shook my head at myself, forcing myself to focus on my work. I was better than thisI never got this swept up by a woman. Women just didn’t do that for me. I wasn’t the type of man who dated. Sure, I fucked around now and then, but I mostly focused on work and Ben.

Jade was different, though.

I had to firmly push her out of my mind so that I could focus on work, and I threw myself into it to get it done.

Halfway through, a news bulletin popped up on my screen, breaking my attention. I read the words at least three times.

Weather warning: severe snowstorms predicted. Stay indoors, stay warm.

I frowned. It wasn’t the time of the year for snowstorms. They usually happened during winter. What was going on?

When I glanced out of the window, the clouds had gathered where it had been blue skies earlier, and the clouds had a strange pinkness to them that predicted snow. Snow clouds were different from rain clouds. They carried a sort of ominous promise to them.

I shivered despite the warm temperatures inside the house. I wasn’t cold at allit was the reason I hadn’t realized the weather had changed so drastically outside until the bulletin had popped up.

The wind whipped through the trees outside, and they tugged at their roots, bending and creaking in submission. Dust and small debris blew around, promising something bigger that would follow in its wake.

When I picked up the phone to call Carol, she answered almost right away.

“I was expecting your call when I got the warning,” she said.

“It looks like crap out there,” I said.

“Yeah, Jack headed out to the store to grab some supplies. Are you guys ready for it?”

“I think so,” I said. “I’ll have to double check but I’m sure we have all we need. Is Ben okay?”

“He’s perfectly fine. Would you rather him home with you during all of this?”

A part of me wanted to say yesI wanted my son where I could see that he was okay, but that was my parental paranoia speaking.

“How does he feel about it?” I asked instead.

“He’s excited about being snowed in with Alex,” Carol laughed.

“They’re talking about blanket forts and roasting marshmallows.”

I chuckled. “It doesn’t sound like he’s worried at all.”

“He’s not, and you don’t have to be, either. I can still bring him to you if it’s what you want…”

“It’s okay,” I said. “We’ll see how things go. I don’t think it will go as far as being snowed in, and we can always reevaluate.”

“I’ll keep you updated,” Carol said, and I could hear the smile in her voice. We ended the call, and I sat back in my chair, taking a slow breath.

Jade appeared at my office door about an hour later.

“Hey,” I said, looking up from my screen. The office had gotten darker without me realizing it, and Jade had put on an oversized sweater. It worked with her leggings, slimming her legs and making her look taller. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, fine. I wanted to stretch my limbs after sitting for so long, maybe go for a walk, but the weather isn’t what it was earlier.”

I shook my head. “No, it’s pretty bad out there.” When I turned my head to the window, I realized snow had started to fall.

“They’re saying we should stay indoors,” Jade said.

“Really?”

She nodded. “We might have to miss out on that great restaurant.” “Well…that sucks,” I said.

Jade giggled. “You sound like Ben.”

I grinned. “Yeah?” She nodded.

“We’ll have to go to plan B. I’ll have to cook us something.” “You can cook?” Jade asked, surprised.

“Don’t I look like I can cook?”

“Well, no. I usually do something simple for you guys before I go, and you pick up food from that place down the road every week…” her voice trailed off when she realized what she said.

“How do you know I pick food up every week?” I asked.

“I…” she blushed hard, her cheeks turning pink. It was adorable. “My friend works at Skylark. She’s the head chef there.”

“What?”

“We talk about you sometimes when I’m there, and you come in. I wasn’t trying to be weird or anything.” She blushed even harder.

“Your best friend is the woman responsible for the food I get every week?” I asked, incredulous.

Jade nodded.

“She’s a culinary genius,” I said.

Jade laughed when I said that and nodded. She relaxed a little when I didn’t shit all over her for keeping an eye on my movements. It was kind of cute that she knew who I was and where I got my food. Should it have been creepy? I wasn’t sure, but it wasn’t.

“Okay, well, I’m sick of work, so let’s get cooking,” I said and pushed away from my desk.

“Just because I’m best friends with a chef, doesn’t mean I know anything about cooking.”

I laughed and walked to her. “That’s okay. We’ll figure something out.” I gestured for her to walk to the kitchen first, and I couldn’t help but glance down at her ass while she walked.

She was so fucking hot, it was hard not to stare, but she was other things, too. Sweet and kind and funny. I hadn’t seen that part of her until now along with her looks, that made her a hell of a package.

Focus, I scolded myself. She works for you. I nodded at myself.

But she’s off duty, the small voice at the back of my mind added.