Chapter 1
Carl Peterson was aforty-five-year-old professional. He started a plumbing business directly after college with money he’d inherited from his adoptive parents. His parents were both deceased. Being well in their seventies, they were already up in age at the time of his adoption. It was unusual for an adoption of that sort to even be considered, but Carl had been abandoned on the steps of a firehouse, and Mrs. Peterson was called upon to provide temporary care for the child.
Carl’s biological mother was a well-known junkie, but she was expected to come back and claim her son. However, months went by without Carl’s mother’s return. The Petersons decided to formally take custody and adopt him. Thus, Mr. and Mrs. Peterson—him a retired judge and she a former educator—were deemed the most suitable placement for Carl.
As Carl grew older, he and his father collaborated on plumbing projects for the community. The elder Mr. Peterson often reiterated the phrase, “A good man isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty.” Tragically, he succumbed to cancer at the remarkable age of ninety-seven. Carl graduated from college shortly after, only to lose his mother to grief following the passing of his father. Within a mere six-month period, Carl mourned the loss of both his parents.
After being left alone in the world, Carl found placement with his best friend, Brian Winters, who had married his high school sweetheart, Sade. They welcomed Carl into their family of four, which included twins named Jayel and Jaylen. With the Winters, Carl discovered a newfound sense of belonging. Then tragedy struck.
The Winters family suffered a devastating loss on September 11, 2001. Sade and Jaylen tragically perished in the collapse of the Twin Towers. The loss of the family’s mother and twin brother at such a young age deeply affected the surviving members of the family, and all three responded differently.
Brian turned to the bottle for comfort. Little Jayel retreated inwardly like a tortoise in its shell. Carl busied himself with work. There was no telling how things would have turned out for any of them if fate hadn’t intervened.
Carl won a substantial lawsuit. His then-girlfriend Adele Clove accompanied him to the Winters’s home to share the good news. But when they arrived, Carl and Adele stumbled upon a distressing scene.
Brian was lying face down, unconscious and bleeding from the side of his face. Eight-year-old Jayel was drowning and struggling to get out of the pool. With swift action, Carl leaped into the pool and effortlessly rescued Jayel, but witnessing the terror in Jayel’s eyes and feeling her trembling body left him overwhelmed with guilt. As adults, they had failed to protect the vulnerable child.
At that moment, Carl silently swore to never leave her side. He vowed to always shield and nurture her.
In the following years, Carl became a guiding figure for Jayel, mentoring her through life’s many challenges. Then, fate played another role in Brian’s accident. As a nurse, Adele provided care for him. The two fell in love and later married. The bond between Carl and Jayel deepened through their shared fear of abandonment from the loss of a parent and partner.
Over the next ten years, Carl and Jayel were as close as two best friends. Carl never imagined a day would come, nor did he expect that his affection for the girl would evolve into desire. But on the night of her graduation party, with the looming clouds hinting at an impending downpour, Carl felt a shift within his heart. It was then he was aware that his feelings were pulling him toward her.
Jayel looked breathtaking in a vibrant red dress that beautifully highlighted her figure. The curves of her bust elegantly spilled over the strapless bodice, while her slender waistline drew Carl’s gaze. Walking side by side, his arm wrapped around her smoothly. Jayel’s long, well-defined legs, bronzed and toned, were showcased from the knees down. Her ensemble was completed by red high-heeled shoes that adorned her dainty feet, giving her a height that almost matched his own.
A mesmerizing slow-motion effect of the wind released Jayel’s hair from the pins that held it in an updo, and Carl was captivated. Her hair tumbled freely over her shoulders, framing her high cheekbones in a cascade of locks. The fragrance of her perfume wafted to his nostrils on the gentle breeze. Carl thought her to be the loveliest sight he had ever beheld. At that moment, he marveled that his brilliant protégé had evolved into a stunning and desirable woman.
When the heavens opened with a crackle of lightning and raindrops started to fall, Carl shielded her from behind. She shivered, and he moved closer to cover her from the chilly breeze. While protecting her from the elements, Carl felt another shift. Jayel pivoted her body toward his, and something snapped within him—Carl lost his grip on sanity.
Under the protective covering of the gazebo, he drew her into him, and their lips met in a kiss. The kiss transcended the simplicity of his intentions, transcended the very boundaries of an ordinary experience. It brimmed with a passion that rivaled the verses of the greatest poets. At that moment, their kiss took on a life of its own, becoming a powerful force that enveloped them both.
Carl let his mind wander into forbidden territory, giving in to impulses he would normally resist. While he kissed her, he imagined Jayel stooping before him, her body completely exposed. The sight of her firm breasts with peaked nipples made his mouth water. With a sense of desire, he reached out to gently cup her fullness, he sucked on a peaked nipple. Jayel’s sigh of pleasure fueled his actions further. Unrestrained in his imagination, he then moved his fingers to explore the intimate area of her vagina, finding her already wet and eager for more.
“Take him out, Jayel,” Carl instructed.
Jayel swiftly undid his belt and unzipped his pants, her hands slipping inside his briefs to caress him. Overwhelmed by desire, Carl spun Jayel around, lifting her dress to reveal a surprise—she was wearing a G-string. Just the way he’d often imagined she would. Carl pushed it aside and entered her with a sense of urgency, fucking her hard.
Hearing Jayel breathe his name broke the spell of Carl’s fantasy. He felt her statuesque body practically sealed to his own. His manhood strained his trousers, pressed against her thigh, brought him shame.
“Oh God!” Carl shuddered.
Reality struck him like a bolt of lightning—this was entirely inappropriate. He was horrified by his actions. Carl understood the gravity of the situation and quickly took a step back from her. The gift he had planned to offer her for graduation was shares in his company, not his physical advances.
Jayel would soon be departing for college and starting her life with a person suitable for her. Carl felt bittersweet regarding Jayel’s boy wonder. Tyson Gibson was a swim jock with Olympic aspersions. It was good that his God-daughter found a love for herself, but if Carl were to be honest... he was jealous. Especially when Jayel changed the course of her career goals for Ty’s benefit. Carl was infuriated that she valued him more than Ty seemed to value her. It was his sign that he needed to back the fuck off.
* * *
Nine months later...
Carl continued to lament over Jayel’s decision to marry and attend college not exactly with Ty but for Ty. Carl had kept himself busy, he’d even taken a few lovers, but life without her was bland. The women he entertained himself with had no flavor by comparison. His current companion was a sophisticated woman of means and resources but to Carl, Carol was dull.
Fate continued to play in their lives, this time again for Carl’s benefit. Brian gave him a call to action by informing him of his Goddaughter’s distress. Jayel was motivated to come home, but she couldn’t return on her own. Carl jumped at the opportunity to adorn his suit of armor.
Brian was enthusiastic about sharing the news with Carl regarding Jayel’s upcoming return in the summer. He mentioned a dinner he had arranged for the night following her arrival, with just the four of them, reminiscent of old times. Brian was not privy to the specifics of Jayel’s return, only aware that his daughter was greatly upset with Ty. It appeared that an incident had occurred, one that Jayel was reluctant to discuss. Adele wholeheartedly supported Jayel’s decision to come back home, and without hesitation, Carl aligned himself with their wishes.
Brian asked Carl if he could use his plane for Jayel’s transportation. Without delay, Carl organized for his jet to be readied to bring Jayel home. His only sorrow was that due to their previous unfortunate separation, he wouldn’t be able to accompany and bring her back himself.
“She’ll be so happy to see you. I know she misses you,” Brian said.
Carl was uncertain. Jayel might hold some resentment toward him for how he had broken his promise and left her behind, even if it was the right decision to make. Carl acknowledged that he had mishandled the situation. He could only hope that Jayel had found it in her heart to forgive him. Rather than expressing his concerns to Brian, Carl chose to remain silent.
“Sounds wonderful, Brian. I look forward to seeing her as well.” Carl hung up the phone and sarcastically thought, Great! Fan-fucking-tastic.
Brian immediately phoned back. As an afterthought, he added, “Oh yeah, maybe ring the bell in the morning instead of using the code. Jayel was extremely upset last night. We don’t want to startle her.”
“Good idea, buddy,” Carl replied.
Then, they disconnected the call again. Carl was already preoccupied with the erection growing in his pants.