CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO #2
“Whatever. I can make it, if you don’t want to.”
“We could make it together, I guess.”
***
Later, we sat at the table, eating the omelets we’d made together. “I’m surprised you can cook,” I said, between bites.
“Why?”
I waved my fork in the air. “I don’t know. You’re this rich doctor who grew up privileged. I wouldn’t think you ever learned how to do any of that.”
He grinned as he set his glass of orange juice down. “You know who taught me to cook?”
“I’m guessing it wasn’t your mother.”
He laughed. “No, definitely not my mom. It was three people—my nonna, our cook, and the Salazar’s cook.”
“You spent a lot of time with them growing up?”
“Yes. I spent a lot of holidays with them. So did Byron and Reynolds. Anyway, they all taught me a lot about cooking, and then when I became a doctor I wanted to eat healthily. I didn’t want to be one of these single men who ordered in from restaurants all the time.
I do have a part-time cook, but I enjoy doing some of my own cooking. ”
“I like that. And I hate to admit it, but your omelet is better than mine.”
He looked very proud of himself. “Of course it is. I’m excellent at everything I do.” I rolled my eyes, but he grinned when he said it, letting me know he was aware that he was being ridiculous.
“Okay,” he said, wiping his hands and pulling out the manila envelope with the contract Carmen had printed out for him.
“I’ve looked over all of this and signed it.
But I had some questions for you. I’ll be purchasing and furnishing a house or condo, whichever you’d like, a car, giving you a black AmEx for the span of our time together, paying off any and all student loans, and anything else I deem necessary in the way of gifts while we’re together.
Does that fit what you thought you were signing up for? ”
I nodded, face flushed. I got embarrassed talking about this stuff.
He reached across the table and lifted my chin gently. “I don’t ask you this to make you feel bad about it. I’m just making sure that you get everything you’re supposed to get.”
“That’s what I talked with Carmen about, yes. I don’t need a new car. Mine is fine, but I’d like it to be paid off.”
He looked at me. “You’re talking about your Honda, right?”
I nodded.
“If you could have any car in the world, what would it be?”
I shook my head with a smile. “One that’s paid off.”
“That’s zero fun. Come on. Tell me.”
“Fine. I like those MINI Coopers.”
He grinned. “You would look perfect in one of those, baby. We’ll get one today.”
My mouth dropped open. “That’s really not necessary…”
“Okay. Next section. I’ll be taking you to several society functions.
However, there could be times when I have to take a different woman to a gala or ball if my parents will be in attendance.
” He looked uncomfortable, knowing how I felt about this already.
“My parents are… traditional, old school, and Italian. One of the ways I escaped going into the family business was by being bad at it and by being really fucking smart. Thank goodness. But I still feel that I owe them some things because of not going into the business. One of those things is that they want to see me settled down with an Italian girl of their choosing, or at least someone from an upstanding wealthy family.”
I nodded, understanding a little better why he’d been so set on having a society woman on his arm at the endless functions he was required to attend.
“I don’t want it to hurt your feelings if that happens. I did see in your contract that you don’t want me to sleep with anyone else during the four months we’re together. If I do take another woman to a function during that stretch of time, I won’t fuck her. Just so we’re clear.”
I nodded.
“But you’re not going to fuck anyone else, either.”
“Right,” I agreed, trying to hide a smile.
“What’s that for?” He pointed at my face. “Why are you smiling?”
“I’ve only slept with three people in my life, and you’re one of them. That’s it. I wasn’t planning on branching out to add lots of other guys during this four month stretch of time.”
“Three people?” His eyebrows shot up.
“Yes.” I didn’t want to tell him that Nico Salazar was one of the people. I had a feeling that wouldn’t go over well at all.
“But I noticed on your sexual survey that you wouldn’t mind sleeping with two men at one time. Is that true?”
My face turned red. “It’s something I’m not opposed to.”
He smirked at me. “We can probably make that happen. I want to choose the guy, though.”
I made a face. “I don’t know about that. What if you chose… like the night watchman at the hospital?”
“Oh my God. Creepy Dale?” He looked disturbed. “Why would I choose Creepy Dale?”
“I don’t know. I just don’t know if I’m fine with it being someone of your choosing completely. Like, don’t I get veto power?”
“Of course you do!” He was offended. “What do you think I’m just going to bring some rando in and be like ‘get naked, Jelly, we’re about to have a three-way?’”
I giggled. “No, I guess not.”
“We can get that worked out another time. But you’re down for pretty much anything sexually, huh?”
“Yeah, I guess. Why are you into something weird?”
He chuckled. “Not weird, no. I’d like to tie you up and have you at my mercy, though.”
I laughed. He didn’t. “Oh, you’re not kidding.”
“Not even a little bit.”
“Okay, then. Yeah, well, that’s fine, I’m sure.”
“Have you done that before?” His eyes burned across the table.
“No.”
He looked pleased. “I’d love to be your first.”
“You will be,” I said softly.
“And condoms…”
“I’m on the pill and clean. I think Carmen included that in the report.”
“She did. I’m clean as well; they test us monthly as members of Cayenne even though we’re required to wear condoms.”
“So, no condoms necessary.”
“Good.” He stared at me, then seemed to come to himself.
“Great. I guess all that’s left to talk about from the contract is work.
When we’re at work during your internship, I think we should appear to have a professional relationship only.
I know that we could technically date because we’re going to be in different departments, but I think it’s best if we don’t do that. ”
“I agree.”
“Oh, and I’d like to stay here with you most nights if that’s, okay. I’ll stay at my place if I’m going to be really late getting in from a shift at the hospital, but other than that, I’d like to be here.”
“I’d like that,” I admitted, and he smiled.
“Did you have anything else you wanted to discuss from the contract?”
I shook my head. “No. That about covers it.”
“Great. What would you like to do today?”
“I… don’t know. I don’t usually have time off.
I either have class, work at the hospital, or work at Sugar.
I don’t even know what to do with myself.
Class is over except for the internship, I can’t work at the hospital while I do my internship rotation hours, and, of course, my time at Sugar is over because of this. ” I gestured between the two of us.
“That part makes me a bit sad,” he said. “I won’t know what to do with myself when I don’t see you every day when the four months is up.”
“What about at the hospital? You have to know I’m planning on getting a job there after graduation.”
He gave me a sly grin, eyes twinkling. “Well, but see, you’ll be all covered up then. Not like your uniform at Sugar at all.”
I shook my head not really knowing how to respond to him.
“So, no ideas for the day, huh?” I shook my head again.
“Luckily for you, I have a few.” He stood up and held out his hand to help me up, though it was completely unnecessary.
I wasn’t used to someone being so caring, so gentlemanly.
We took our plates to scrape off and put in the sink.
“Why don’t you go get ready, and I’ll do the dishes? ”
I stared at him. He cooked? Did dishes? Who was this man? “What should I wear?”
“Swimsuit and coverup.”
“Isn’t it a little chilly?”
He gave me a look. “It hit the nineties last week. I think we’re safe.”
He had a point. I hurried to my room to get ready and pack a beach bag.