Page 13 of Obsessed with my Guardian

She squeals. “I’m so excited for you. You’ll have to tell me every dirty detail afterward.”

“No thanks.” I lift my hand in denial.

A thrill of excitement runs through me. Tori is a great oversharer, but if I’m lucky enough to sleep with Reed, I want to keep every dirty detail to myself.

8

Reed

“Hey man,”Brooks says at the other end of the line. “How have you been?”

I turn on the engine of my car. I should have let it go to my voicemail, but I can’t ignore Brooks’ calls. He’s the founder of Sugar & Silk, the groundbreaking sugar baby agency I’m now a part of. When I became a partner a few months back, Denis was on his deathbed. I told the other partners I’d get up-to-speed remotely but needed a few months to get my things in order before working there full-time, and they were very accommodating. But they won’t wait forever, especially since Beck, the marketing director, needs more help with marketing. “Good. Busy.”

“I can imagine. I haven’t had a chance to catch up with you. Is everything okay?”

“Yes. In three weeks, I’ll be finished with Work 4Fitness and finally able to be more hands-on at Sugar & Silk.”

“Great. Sara also is throwing a party next weekend, and I wanted to invite you.”

Sara. His wife. Brooks married a much younger woman. If anyone, he can relate to what I’m going through. “That’s great. I’ll look forward to it. Also…” I sigh and fix my sunglasses on my face. “About your wife…”

“What about her?” he asks, his voice tight.

I swallow. I don’t want him to think I’m fantasizing about his wife, as pretty as Sara is. So now I can’t backpedal from asking him for advice. “Well, you’re much older than her… was it difficult for you?”

He sighs into the phone, and I almost second guess asking him that question. We’re not that close. But before I say anything, he replies, “Yes and no. Not necessarily because of her age, but because of her dad.”

Tell me about it. Denis being gone doesn’t make things easier. If anything, it makes them harder. I can’t work for his approval of me dating his daughter. I won’t ever have it. There is no chance of explaining it to him. “Were you two good friends?”

He barks a laugh. “No. I hated his guts. For reasons that don’t matter now. Why?”

If Denis had been a sleazeball or if I hated him, my life would be so much easier now. He was the opposite, though. Helped me a great deal in my career and taught me a lot. Nostalgia spreads across my chest. “Well, because there’s someone I care for… but I was very attached to her dad.”

“That’s Denis you’re talking about, right?”

I focus on the road ahead. Cars merge in front of mine on the highway, and I tap the gas pedal to pick up my speed. “Yes.”

“What are your intentions with his daughter?”

“I promised him I’d take care of her. And I doubt he thought by that I meant sleeping with her,” I say, cutting to the chase. I haven’t slept with her. Yet. But the sentiment is the same. I hold onto the steering wheel harder than necessary, my shoulders rigid.

He chuckles. “No, I don’t think so. Though… what doesshewant?”

“I thought she wanted me. She did. Now, I’m not sure. The whole thing is senseless anyway.”

“You wouldn’t tell me about it if it was that senseless.”

Good point. I usually don’t talk about deep stuff with male friends or business partners. I prefer to keep it superficial. Though I’ve met Brooks several times before, our interactions were mostly about business, and we discussed projections and numbers for Sugar & Silk. “Yes, you’re right, but I don’t want to hurt her.”

“Then don’t.”

His words echo in my ears as I exit the highway. Intrusive thoughts flood my brain as I drive closer to her home, the home I’ve been coming to for the past few months. What if I sleep with her? No. My plan is to get this Jayden kid out of the way and drill some sense into her—sense, not my cock.

I get out of the car and glance at my phone—5:50 p.m.

Great. I want to arrive before this guy does, to show him who’s boss. It isn’t my home, it’s hers. But my opinion should still count. And if she thinks she can lose her virginity to the first loser who comes along, she’s got another think coming.

I’ll end this date and have the guy out of sight as soon as possible.

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