Scream For me

“I did but now I’m second-guessing it. I mean, a free luxury vacation where I’m also getting paid probably some ungodly amount of money to sometimes babysit? Plus, I love hanging out with Daisy so it’s not like it would be considered work. I’d be stupid not to, right?”

“I think you would be, but then again, you were the one who was wildly offended that he would make such an offer. Where did this come from?” “He didn’t offer, he demanded; that’s why I was frustrated. I didn’t appreciate his arrogance, like just because he has money he can tell me what to do. Anyway, that’s neither here nor there. His mother told me when she picked up Daisy yesterday that she was so happy I was coming on the trip and that Daisy would be thrilled.”

“Wait, so he told his daughter and family you’re coming when you specifically told him you aren’t? That’s kind of a shitty position to put you in.”

“Yeah, well, I guess he hasn’t told Daisy yet; he wants it to be a surprise which tells me he won’t tell her unless I do show up. Maybe his mom misheard what he said; maybe he told her that he invited me and I just hadn’t decided yet. I’m not sure. Either way, I think he’s trying to get to me, having his mother convince me to come.”

“Do you want to go or do you feel obligated now, like you’re letting Daisy down if you don’t?”

“At first yeah, but I know that she doesn’t have her hopes up since she has no idea I’ve been invited. Now, I think I do want to go.” I chew my bottom lip, the memory of Weston’s tongue slowly slipping past it rushing back.

“Hmm, any other reason you suddenly want to go?” Xana eyes me suspiciously. If there’s one thing she’s never wrong about it, it’s reading people, mainly me.

“Sooo about that,” and before I can finish the sentence, she gasps. “Calm down.” I laugh. “Help me find a swimsuit or two and when we go to lunch, I’ll tell you about something that’s transpired.”

“HE WANTS to do bad things to you? Oh. My. Gosh.” She leans across the table, her eyes as big as saucers before grabbing her napkin to fan herself. “Very bad things,” I correct her slowly.

“That has to be the hottest thing I have ever heard.” She takes a sip of her ice water. “Hot damn. Very bad things?” She giggles. “I’m going to make Ryan say that to me.”

“Yeah, it was shocking, to say the least.”

“So he kissed you, told you that, and then what?”

“He left.”

“You let him leave?” Her eyebrows shoot upward. “Girl, I would have climbed that man like a tree. No way he’d get out of my death grip.”

“I was stunned and honestly this is where I’m left confused. Did he say that to tease me or does he seriously not want to cross that line?”

“He wants to. He’s trying to tease you, seduce you. But that’s so much hotter than just hooking up. That’s the thing about older men-they don’t feel this need to just bed you and bail like the twentysomethings our age do. It’s an art to them at this point, especially the rich ones.”

“And you know this how?”

“You remember Mr. Daniels when we were in college-that rich guy who always came into the coffee shop I worked at?”

“Oh right, Trent Daniels’ dad. Yeah, I remember him.” I laugh, recalling that when Trent, one of our friend of a friend’s acquaintances found out that Xana went out with his dad, he almost lost his shit. “I thought you only hooked up with him like once?”

“It was a few times, but the point is, he wined and dined me. He took his time flirting and, flirting to fancy dinners. It was so much nicer than being tossed a beer at a frat party with a ‘you wanna, like, see my room or whatever?’ line and then getting berated if I said no.”Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“So why didn’t it become something more with Mr. Daniels?”

“Well, that’s the great thing about older rich men like him and Mr. Vaughn. They aren’t looking for long-term because they don’t need it. It’s like Leo DiCaprio; he can have a new girl any night of the week so why settle down?”

“Sounds kind of icky actually.” I scrunch up my face, thinking about Weston turning around and doing this to the next younger woman who crosses his path.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean that Mr. Vaughn is doing that. I’m just saying in general. I mean, neither of us saw him being a man-whore in any of the paparazzi photos we found online. Seems like he’s kept a low profile since his wife passed away.”

My stomach churns a little thinking about the headline I saw of him with the mystery blonde. I guess she isn’t a mystery anymore since he told me who she was. What I didn’t mention to him was that the paper stated that they were seen again, so clearly this isn’t the first time they’ve gone out… business-related or not.

“The question is, do you want anything to happen?”

“I do but I’m not sure it’s a good idea. I know it’s not. I’m pretty sure the school would not appreciate me sleeping with one of my students’ parents.”

“How would they even know?” I give her a look and she quickly realizes how. “Paparazzi… right. You know, even if you go with him as only a paid babysitter and nothing happens between you, people will assume it did anyway if pictures of you on his yacht are released.”

“Okay, it’s official, I’m not going.” I toss my napkin on the table. “Guess I can return the swimsuits then.”

“Wait, hold up. Is there potential for this to be something more? The school can’t tell you to not fall in love with a single parent who is available and pursuing you. Plus, you won’t be Daisy’s teacher forever. If you guys could keep it low-key for the rest of the school year, it’s worth it.”