Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 59022 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 295(@200wpm)___ 236(@250wpm)___ 197(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59022 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 295(@200wpm)___ 236(@250wpm)___ 197(@300wpm)
Stetson
Yes, they really are.
Is he flirting or is he comparing me to a donkey now? Self-inflicted. Abort, Abort! I can feel the blush stain my cheeks. I need to redirect… fast!
Me
Your clause isn’t very cute.
Stetson
Don’t hurt my feelings, Charlie.
Me
Do you have any?
Stetson
Bags of them. Don’t worry though, I’m used to carrying heavy things.
Me
Cute.
Stetson
We’ve already established that you are. Sexy too.
Well… good… then.
Fuck.
Focus!
Me
Seriously though, serious adult non-fantasy-Only-Fans talk, what’s the deal with your clause? Do you have some deep, dark family secret I should know about, or I guess according to the Clause, shouldn’t know about… or you’re afraid I’ll reveal?
He takes a moment to reply.
Stetson
Nothing too dark. I promise.
Me
Then why do I have to sign something?
Stetson
Without the clause there can be no effect. Family motto.
Of course it is.
Me
Convenient.
Stetson
Sometimes… there’s a great weight that comes with all of this… responsibility.
I allow his words to sink in. Yes, I guess there is inevitably a great weight with having all the privilege he clearly enjoys and the heavy burdens that come along with it. I joke, but just because a person’s rich doesn’t mean problems immediately evaporate. If anything, they just get more complicated when you realize the people around you might be there to destroy you or to take advantage of you. Nothing in this world is free and pain doesn’t discriminate.
Stetson
Will you sign it, Charlie?
Something about the way he says my name in the text makes me pause. It’s not necessary, it’s almost old school as if he were speaking to my face or writing me a letter not a text. He’s being purposefully respectful and acknowledging who I am and what this is. I’m not reading into that.
Me
You’re asking me to blindly agree to what I don’t even know I’m agreeing to. You purposefully left out a lot of details.
Stetson
Yes.
Me
I’ve made a lot of concessions over the years and the red flags haven’t been blowing as hard as yours.
Stetson
I like to blow.
Me
Are you being cute now?
Stetson
Just honest, thought you liked honesty?
I sigh and don’t respond back, at least not yet.
I nearly drop my phone when it starts ringing.
“It’s Stetson!” I announce to the pillows, awesome, at this rate I’m going to start talking to the walls.
I take a quick breath and answer it.
“Hi.”
I inwardly cringe.
“Hey,” His low voice cracks. “Am I making you nervous?”
Oh. Dear. God. My jaw drops. “Um, define nervous?”
“Mmmmm,” why the hell does it sound like he just took a bite of chocolate and still tastes it on his tongue? “Am I making you feel uncomfortable? Hot? Bothered? All of the above?”
“Option D, all of the above, then again I never was good at multiple choice.”
He laughs. “That’s why you always choose them all.”
“Yeah.” I lick my dry lips and sit down onto my bed nearly missing it and landing on my ass on the ground. “So, this clause, can you explain more or is it more or less a trust me sort of adventure?”
“It’s a trust me adventure but I promise you’ll always be safe in every circumstance.”
“Will there be a lot of those? Circumstances?”
“Damn, I sure hope so, it is Christmas and I’ve been… good.”
“Interesting, I’d think this is the part where you say you’ve been naughty not nice.”
He laughs, a full-on belly laugh. “Oh well, that’s all part of the clause too, apparently, I have to have the perfect balance of both, crazy right? It’s a family trait, how about this…”
I swear I hold my breath. “I’m waiting.”
“Take off your clothes.”
“E-excuse me?”
“Take them off and climb into bed. Trust me.”
“But you want me to get naked and—”
“—you’re alone, right? And getting ready for bed. Trust me.”
I put him on speaker. “Fine, I’ll trust you.” I start taking off my top.
“Use it as my bedtime story.” He whispers. “Narrate what you’re doing, you start talking and I’ll ask questions, alright?”
This is crazy. “Alright.” I gulp. “I’m taking off my shirt and hanging it.”
“Nice.” He chuckles.
Cold air bites at my naked body. “I’m walking over to the bed.”
“No underwear?”
“Sorry, I didn’t wear them.”
He hisses out a curse. “Naughty.”
I smile down at the phone and hop into bed. “Alright, I’m in bed. I slid between the silk sheets.”
“Are they cold?”
“Very.”
“I’d warm them if I was there.”
“Now who’s nice?”
“After I had my way with you on them first.”
“Naughty.”
“You have no idea what I’m capable of…” he whispers. “Now, imagine, signing that clause is doing exactly what you did just now, trusting me just enough but staying in control, a little naughty, a little nice, a lot of adventure and at the end of the day or evening,” he sighs. “Whether it’s me or my voice—I’ll be there and isn’t that what you’ve always wanted Charlie? Someone to be there. To see you for you?”
My eyes suddenly burn with tears. “How did you—I don’t know what to say, I, um, I—”