She takes this at face value, probably because Jim looks more rugged than most men. And once we’re out in the fresh air, she’s laughing again.
I know that I need to come clean about the unveiling party, but these moments mean so much to me. Ruining this is not the move.
She throws her arms around my neck. “Thank you for everything.”
I’ll tell her everything tomorrow.
Right after I take her to bed with me.
Ali
I’m a little tipsy. A little out of control. But I’ve never felt better in my life.
Not when I was living in Chicago. Not when I was younger and more carefree.
Marc has shown me a side of him I never knew existed. A part of him that’s shared with only a few people in his life. He shared his hardest moments with me, and I helped him realize they were his greatest triumphs. It was important learning about his history, but most important is where his heart aligns.
He’s not a liar like the other men. He’s completely honest.
I trust him.
And that’s why, as the driver speeds us around in the limousine, I decide that it’s time to fully let go of my hesitance and give him everything. Every inch of skin hidden underneath this dress.
Crawling on his lap, I check the clock. It’s only nine, and I don’t have class tomorrow…
“This was the best night,” I say.
“But wait,” he says, imitating those old commercials that were always on late night TV. “There’s more.”
I straddle him, pinning his hands above his head. “How could there be more?”
“There’s always more with me,” he says.
“Does that get you into trouble?”
He grins. “Always.”
The driver veers into the right lane, exiting the freeway without a moment to lose. I don’t recognize the exit, so I imagine it must be something pretty cool. I lift my head and glance as a row of neon lights appear. It’s one of those themed hotels, the kind that spells out S-E-X. I’ve stayed away from these places for good reason.
Tonight, there’s no good reason. I’m here for him. And even though it’s the cheesiest, sleaziest, slobberiest spot a man could take a woman, it feels like the perfect place to be.
The driver pulls into the parking lot. I’ve got my eyes fixed on the neon red and white sign. “Candy Cane Lane,” I whisper, lips arched. “What would Sammy think if she knew her dad came here?”
He pushes forward, reaching just far enough to grab the bottle of champagne. He holds it to my lips, and I take a sip. “That reminds me. I need to call the sitter. Hold tight, okay?”
“Of course,” I say.
He grabs his phone, looking remorseful. “I promise, it’ll just take a few seconds. Just… stay there. Keep acting sexy.”
Keep acting sexy? Don’t mind if I do.
I lean back against the leather seat, feeling like a doll in a cabbage patch. My dress is starting to get to me, so I reach to unzip the back. The zipper is stuck.
Marc’s got his trigger finger on the dial. He smiles as soon as a voice responds. “Everything good over there? How’s my Sammy?”
The sitter must have replied with something that seems positive because Marc is laughing pretty hard.
Meanwhile, I’m overheated, still trying to get out of this dress. For the life of me, I can’t get out. With one leg propped in the air, I jerk my wrist to get the zipper down. It’s just enough force to send my head flying back against the window. It’s not loud enough to excite Marc, but it definitely stuns me for a couple of seconds.
Marc turns toward the window. “Well, she’ll just have to get over it. Tell Sammy I’ll be home tomorrow,” he says, completely ignoring the fact that my lingerie is now showing.
I blow my bangs out of my eyes and wait for Marc to be done. Another minute passes. He’s chatting up that sitter, giving her a checklist the size of Texas. What do I have to do to get his attention?
“Okay, fine. If Sammy’s not going to leave you alone, I’ll talk to her. Put her on the phone,” he says.
With the back of my dress unzipped, I can breathe easier. I push it down. All the way onto the floor, completely exposing my red lingerie. My dress looks like a dead animal on the floor. Is this sexy?
Suddenly, I feel very cold. My nipples are hard enough to cut diamonds, and my butt is covered in goosebumps. This isn’t like me. I’ve never felt all that comfortable in my own skin, but Marc makes me want to take leaps. Ever since I met him, I’ve dove head first into a lot new territory.
This is the shiny version of Ali Greenwald. The new version men can’t get enough of. Sexy, curvy, and unafraid to say what she wants to say. To do the things she wants to do. She’s the woman every man wants.
I cough to get his attention. It doesn’t work very well, though.
“Sammy, sweetie. We talked about this. Daddy has some business to take care of tonight,” he says.
As the words fall from his lips, he turns. The red lingerie is like a painted bullseye to men, and his eyes behave no different. He starts to lower the phone, despite Sammy’s voice echoing out from the receiver.
If we want this to work, there are sacrifices we’ll have to make. I never imagined I would fall for someone fifteen years older than me. I never thought he’d come with a child. Some women might have a hard time accepting their man isn’t one-hundred percent focused on them. But without Sammy in the picture, I wouldn’t have seen that other side. He’d just be a man who tried too hard to get my number.
“Sammy, I love you. But daddy needs to go now,” he says. He pauses for the sitter’s response. “It’s okay, Stacey, but I
