Small Town Secrets: A Forbidden Romance Read online

  “You look nice, Lacy,” says Charlie formally, assessing my body. I hope Howie takes it as an artistic once-over, and not the male / female kind of once-over.

  Howard just laughs.

  “Now Charlie. You wouldn’t be making eyes at my Lacy now, would you?” he says. I shoot Charlie a nervous look. Doesn’t he remember our agreement?

  “Of course not. It’s just that-”

  “What?” asks Howie.

  “It’s just that I’ve never seen her look so pretty as she does right now.”

  Fuck Charlie! I feel my cheeks go hot. Howie cocks his head to the right and looks confused.

  “You mean, from the last time you saw her? During the first painting session?”

  I can feel tears welling up in my eyes. The tension between the two men is mounting.

  Charlie is falling over himself trying to make amends.

  “Yes,” he speaks quickly. “Since the first painting session. I’ve never seen her look so pretty. Because we’ve never met before.”

  Oh god, he’s only making it worse. What a bumbling fool. But it’s too late because Howie has a frown on his face.

  “Look, we’re friends here,” says my man. “And I respect you, and your new career path, but listen. If you make even one more comment about the way Lacy looks, if you even look at her with the slightest hint of interest, I’ll-”

  I can’t stand it anymore. I leap up and run down the hallway and to the staircase. I run up the stair case and to the luxury rooftop patio. I look out over the city as I press myself into the rail. God I’ve never been so high up before. I’ve never seen such an incredible view. All of this, at my fingertips. And I’ve almost ruined it by letting Howie be tricked! I should have told him the moment Charlie got here that we used to date.

  I’m in too deep! I’m in way too deep!

  I let out a frustrated scream that nobody below can hear. There’s only one person in this world who really cares and understands, and that’s Aunt Margaret. I run back down the staircases, to the elevator and down to the curb. I catch a taxi all the way to the Lower East Side. I need my Aunt right now … because this situation just became toxic.

  CHAPTER 14

  HOWIE

  Lacy bolts out of the living room and I’m left standing with the painter. Did he do what I think he just did? Did he make a pass at her?

  “I won’t do it again Howie. I’m sorry, it’s just that, she’s so beautiful.”

  I scowl at the man. What the hell is going on? There’s some weird vibes in the room, and I need to understand what’s happening. Besides, what right does he have to come in here and talk about Lacy’s beauty? That’s just not right. I understand he’s a painter and all, and he has to be engaged by the subject of his art, but goddamn. Something about Charlie Baker’s comments disturb me to my core.

  And what the hell is going on with my girl? She ran out of the room like there was a bee in her bonnet. Lacy’s not like that usually. My female can get hot and bothered, but it’s generally in the bedroom, and not because of some comments from a seedy artist.

  So I turn towards Charlie with a suspicious look.

  “What the hell is your problem?” I grunt. Memories of when he was just a cadet run through my mind. I remember helping him tie his bootstraps in basic training. I remember him going from a little twerp from New Jersey to a full grown man with ripped muscles and an attitude.

  The muscles were still there, but the attitude’s gone.

  “You know what happened to me Howie,” he whispers with tears in his eyes. “You know more than anyone else in the world.”

  That’s when we say it at the same time.

  “Car Bomb. Afghanistan. 2007.”

  He lifts up his smock and shows me the deep wound on his right forearm. I lift up my pant leg and show him the place where the metal almost sliced my leg off.

  “She’s the only thing I ever cared about Howie,” says Charlie.

  I’m dumbstruck. What are we talking about?

  “I’m sorry, who?”

  Charlie shakes his head.

  “She’s the only thing that ever got me through the pain.” He looks like he’s going to cry.

  I shoot him a confused look.

  “Do you mean Lacy? You’ve only known each other for one day, so you’re over your head man. You didn’t know her back then. Goddamn Charlie, the war really fucked you up, didn’t it?” I pat him on the back. “Look, take a deep breath and calm down. Stay here while I go and get Lacy. We’ll work this out.”

  But Lacy’s nowhere to be found. I check the Jungle Room, the rooftop, and even my study. But there’s no trace of the beautiful girl. Where the hell is my princess?

  Charlie looks at me from the white leather couch when I re-enter the studio.

  “I’m sorry,” I say formally. “I have no idea where she is right now. We’ll have to cancel today’s portrait session and continue some other time.”

  Charlie’s silent for a moment before speaking.

  “She’s probably at her Aunt Margaret’s,” he says.

  I stop cold in my tracks.

  “What did you just say?”

  “She’s probably at Margaret’s,” he repeats again tiredly. Fuck. How much did Lacy tell Charlie about her life? This doesn’t make any sense.

  But suddenly, the clouds part and I have a flash of insight. Holy shit, they know each other from before. Somehow my girl and this loser artist were entangled in some manner. Shit. Fuck. Shit.

  “What the hell Charlie?”

  “I’m just telling the truth. That’s where she always went when we had fights.”

  “What the fuck Charlie. What the FUCK is going on here?”

  “Nothing,” he shakes his head sadly. “I’m just a painter now.”

  I hurl my fist at a lamp, which falls to the floor and breaks. I’m sorely tempted to punch the wall except that these walls have aluminum plate behind the woodwork.

  “Are you two sleeping together? Tell me right now you mother fucker!”

  “No.”

  “Say it again! Did you put your cock in her mouth? Her pussy? You tell me.”

  “No, we were waiting until marriage.”

  That makes me even angrier, my temperature shooting through the roof.

  “What the fuck Charlie! Don’t fuck with me!”

  I’m fuming. I see my old squad mate sitting there in front of me, still as a rock. There’s no light in his eyes whatsoever. Fuck, I can’t think about this right now because all I can see in my mind’s eye is Lacy. Lacy is somewhere far from me. The pain shoots a knife through my heart. My heart is all hers.

  Fuck, Charlie’s right anyway. She is probably at Margaret’s. I throw a glass cup on the marble and storm out of the living room. I’m on a mission now. I haven’t felt this much urgency since my days overseas. So without any hesitation, I hop into my Maserati and speed through New York City like the world was about to end. When I see Aunt Margaret’s apartment, I’m amazed. She’s had the whole front of it painted like a rainbow. There are whimsical flowers and animals dancing over the brick in a glorious mural. It should look awful, but it’s actually quite charming.

  But I’m not in the mood for charming. I’m in the mood for answers.

  I burst through the front doors, and run up the stairs as if my life depended on it. The air in my chest is tight, and I feel like I’m about to lose someone again. I’m transported back to that day when I carried my dead mother to the hospital on quaking knees. Before I enter Margaret’s flat, a prayer escapes my lips.

  Please God. Don’t let it be too late this time.

  I open the door. There, on the Victorian tapestry couch is Aunt Margaret, and she’s holding my Lacy in her arms. The blonde girl is crying, absolutely sobbing into her aunt’s breast.

  “Lacy,” I say, my heart thumping like a drum. I come down next to her and kneel. I look up in Margaret’s eyes. She nods to me.

  “Lacy baby. Tell me what’s wrong. Was it Char
lie Baker? Did he scare you?”

  “Howie darling,” says Margaret gently. “Charlie Baker is the man Lacy has been running from. That’s her ex-boyfriend.”

  The words cut me like a thousand tiny knives. Oh my god.

  “But- but- Lacy? Oh my god. It all makes sense. Lacy, how did he come into our home?”

  Lacy heaves a sob onto her aunt’s velvet coated chest, and it’s Margaret who answers instead.

  “Your butler hired him Howie. It’s nobody’s fault. It was an honest mistake. Lacy feels terrible about it.”

  Lacy lifts up her eyes and meets mine.

  “Baby, I would have never done anything to hurt you,” she mewls. “I don’t know why I didn’t tell you before we left for Italy. I just thought we could sweep it under the rug. I never wanted to remember him ever again.”

  “Lacy, oh my beautiful girl,” I murmur. I run my hand over her beautiful leg. “You didn’t have to be afraid of telling me the truth.”

  But Lacy’s inconsolable.

  “I lied to you,” she whispers, unable to meet my eyes. “I should have told you about Charlie when we did that first session, but I don’t know what came over me. I’m sorry for not telling you right away.”

  I frown for a moment.

  “That was wrong,” I say smoothly. “I would have appreciated knowing but it’s no big deal, darling. Even Charlie told me that nothing’s happened between you two.”

  “He did?” she raises her head, eyes wide and blinking. “He said that?”

  I nod.

  “Why, did you expect him to say something different?”

  Slowly, Lacey nods.

  “Yes. I thought that he’d make something up because back when we dated, Charlie was a different person. He used to make me feel worthless by saying things like “You need to lose weight,” or “You need to sex it up.” It was a bad time.”

  My mouth immediately frowns when I hear any other man making comments about my woman’s looks, even if it was years ago. But I take a deep breath and get my bearings.

  “It’s fine,” I say in a calm voice. “It was a long time ago, and I know you don’t feel anything for him now.”

  “I don’t!” Lacy cries, flying into my arms now and burrowing her head against my chest. “Because I love you, Howard Bates. You’re the only man for me, and I was so afraid of losing you.”

  Suddenly, I realize what a tough life Lacy has had. She’s had no real rock to depend on. Although her Aunt Margaret provides emotional support, the woman’s also somewhat ditzy, even in her old age. So Lacy’s never had anyone, and she was afraid that I was going to take off at the first sign of trouble as well.

  But I’m not that man. Once you’ve been in a foxhole as a firefight rages up above, it takes more than a slovenly ex to scare me away. So I hold her tight, pressing my lips against that blonde head.

  “I love you too Lacy. And I’ll never let you go, I promise.”

  With those words, the blonde turns my way and smiles tremulously.

  “Do you promise, Mr. Bates? Forever and ever?”

  I nod solemnly.

  “Absolutely sweetheart, because you’re my one and only.”

  Because with that, our vows are said. The most meaningful words that we’ll ever speak take place while we’re crouched on the floor of her aunt’s apartment, and not in some fancy restaurant or ballroom. Instead, I know the value of the girl before me … because Lacy started as my maid, but now she’s the my world, my life, and my heart.

  EPILOGUE

  LACY

  When we come back to the penthouse, I confess everything.

  “I couldn’t tell you it was him because I knew you’d fire him. He just needs the money so he can start a new life as a painter and finally let me go.”

  “You respect him Lacy. That’s good.”

  “But I don’t want him to touch me, or love me at all.”

  “I understand Lacy. Look. We’re going to pay him what we would have if he did the paintings. But he’s not going to be around anymore.”

  “Oh really Howie? Thank you!”

  “It’s just you and me now honey.”

  We walk into the kitchen and there’s Albie. She’s smiling.

  “And guess what Albie was up to, this whole time we have been living together?”

  Albie smiles and pulls a cord dangling from the wall. A curtain falls and on display are twenty portraits of me, in all different positions and dresses. There were even a couple sexy portraits with me holding whips and wearing lingerie.

  “Albie! You’re such an incredible artist! Who knew!” Albie smiles, and raises a glass of limoncello. She was the artist all along.

  “Now come with me upstairs. We’ve got a date on the rooftop.” Says Howie.

  The sun is shining as we sit together at our table overlooking the city. The wind blows my designer clothes in soft brushes of heat.

  “I love you Lacy.” Says Howie. Oh he looks so nice in his white linen suit. His blue eyes sparkle with truth. I know under that shirt is the most gorgeous abdomen I’ve ever seen, and below that, a true and magical heart.

  “I love you Howie.”

  I can’t believe this is happening. Howie stands up and lowers himself. To one knee.

  “I had Margaret working on a little something in her jewelry studio, you know, while we were in Italy.”

  My heart is thumping wildly in my chest. This can’t be real!!!!!

  “Lacy,” he takes out a red velvet box. “Will you marry me?”

  I smile a thousand times! The ring is perfect. It’s got a green stone. Margaret’s favorite color. But the gold band is as strong and sturdy as Howie Bates’ monster cock. Oh my god! I really am Cinderella!

  “Yes Howie. Yes!”

  “Say that a little louder!”

  “Yes Howie. Oh my god!”

  He lifts me up and pulls my leggings down. He slips the ring on my finger. Next thing I know we’re on the chaise longue. His beautiful penis bumps deep against my cervix. My silky girl juices gush as we thrust and thrust.

  “I want to sink my seed in there real deep princess, so we can seed you. So you can be mine forever.”

  “Yes Howie! Oh yes!”

  We come and I’m screaming. This is the happiest moment of my life, and the best part is, I get to be this happy forever.

  THE END

  The President and the Starlet

  ~A Forbidden Romance~

  © 2018

  By Cassandra Dee and Kendall Blake

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  ABOUT THIS BOOK

  The President and the Starlet: A Forbidden Romance

  I’m a feature dancer.

  He’s the leader of the free world.

  Is it a match made in heaven?

  Susie Hemphill’s trying to make ends meet working at a seedy joint on weekends while going to school at the same time. The Pink Flamingo’s not her ideal employer, but when she catches a glimpse of a dark man in the back one night, her pulse races. Could this alpha male be the man of her dreams?

  Thomas Burke sometimes hits up local bars on the downlow as a way to unwind. After all, as President of the United States, it’s not easy to get away from the unrelenting eye of the public. But when he sees the beautiful Susie, everything changes because Tom will do anything to possess the curvy dancer … even if that means giving up the Presidential Suite!

  CHAPTER ONE

  Susie

  I’ve done some things I’m not proud of, and this is one of them. Because if the folks from my hometown of Littleton, Kansas knew what I do to make ends meet, they would die. Heck, if I knew what had become of me, I’d die.

  Because I’m an exotic dancer at the Pink Flaming in Midtown Manhattan, flaunting my assets for gentlemen who walk through the door. It’s a long way to fall for someone who was once Homecoming
Queen as well as class president, but real life isn’t a fairy tale. And I learned that the hard way on my first day in the city.

  “Hey chica,” leered Chester, my new landlord. “You got that deposit in cash?”

  I looked at the overweight man with puzzlement.

  “Um, I thought my broker already gave you my deposit?” was my meek reply. “I gave her a thousand dollars which I thought she forwarded to you.”

  Chester shook his head slowly with a sad frown, but his eyes were secretly happy.

  “No, Cheryl never paid me anything,” he said. “We gave you the key to the apartment as a courtesy but chica, we need that one thousand pronto. In cash would be best, if you know what I mean,” he intimated, rubbing his forefinger and thumb together in the timeless meaning of money.

  I flushed.

  “No, there’s been some mistake,” were my quick words. “I definitely gave Cheryl the money, and she told me she was giving it to you. There’s a mix-up somehow. Just let me get on the phone and clear it up. I’ll have it to you in no time.”