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Jessica moaned so loudly that, at any other time, she would have been embarrassed. But not today. Today, she screamed and shouted Brent’s name, reveling in the inferno of fulfillment rushing over her. When she opened her eyes, however, Jessica found herself in her darkened bedroom, still nestled deeply under her comforter. Breathing hard, she pushed her hair back from her face.
Oh man.
She’d never had a dream that erotic before, let alone about her boss. Shit. Now she’d have to do the best she could to push those feelings away. To be professional. She was doing this for Cara, for a girl who had a hard enough life as it was. She couldn’t forget that, and she definitely couldn’t forget that Brent Sanderson would always be off-limits. After all, there was no way she could ever have a real-life affair with a man her father worked with. Hell, with a man who was pretty good friends with her dad.
No.
She’d just have to ignore the feelings welling up inside of her and shove them – no matter how hard it was – to the back of her mind. It was the best and only way to be, no matter how he made her feel.
And no matter what she wanted deep down in her soul.
***
Jessica reported to the estate early, and she was glad she did. Even though Cara’s school didn’t actually get out until 3:00 p.m. and, with the thick San Diego traffic, her charge wouldn’t be home until around almost 4:00, Cara was back by 2:30 anyway. Jessica had been in the middle of getting a tour of the mansion from Cecile when the stomp of feet rang out across the main hallway. Turning, Jessica spied Cara trying to rush up the stairs. Confused, she hurried to catch up with the young girl and ended up following her through the labyrinthine halls until sliding into Cara’s room.
“Hey,” Jessica said, placing a hand on Cara’s shoulder. The girl had flung herself on the bed and had a pillow over her head. “Does your dad know you’re home this early?”
Cara shook her head, causing the pillow to undulate over her face. A muffled “Yes” was Jessica’s only answer.
“Cara,” she said, stroking her shoulder. “Did something happen at school today?” At first, the pillow didn’t even move, no nod or shake of Cara’s head underneath came from it. Finally, very worried, Jessica reached for the pillow. “Honey, did someone hurt you? Did you get into a fight? I just need to make sure you’re okay, please?”
Cara held onto the pillow for a bit but finally relented, and Jessica almost fell backward with the sudden release. The girl sat up, and tears streamed down her cheeks from red, swollen eyes. A thick wad of chewing gum twisted the longer strands of her uneven bob on the right side until it was just a rat’s nest of hair and pink glop.
“I don’t want another haircut!”
Jessica forced herself to smile, even though she wished she could march down to that school herself and tell those little monsters to knock it all off. Or pop them in their snotty noses. Maybe the older Mr. Sanderson’s idea about just ruining their parents wasn’t completely wrong; obviously, they’d raised their girls to be total bullies. Of course, that wasn’t exactly the answer, but the girls needed to get their issues straightened out and stop being so mean. Not that it ever worked that way; Jessica knew that from experience.
“Honey, did you know that peanut butter can fix this?”
Cara’s eyes went wide with hope and disbelief, and she sniffed and wiped her puffy eyes with one hand. “Daddy said over the phone I’d have to probably get another haircut. My driver said so, too.”
Jessica filed away her awe (that the family was so rich they had a personal valet) for another time. Some things were just so surreal. Sitting down next to Cara, she gathered the girl in her arms. “Look, sometimes dads don’t know all the hair tricks. It’s not so bad. We get some peanut butter in there, and I know it sounds nuts, but it’ll get the gum to loosen up, and you’ll be able to get it all out. If you want, I’ll have Cecile bring some up, and we’ll do it at your bathroom sink. It’ll come out. Promise.”
“Hope so. It’s all so unfair. Bobby Farmer said he liked my haircut and then Missy, who’s the meanest girl in my grade, decided that shoving gum in my hair at lunch would be funny.” Cara sighed. “I’m not laughing, and I don’t even care if Bobby likes my hair!”
Jessica squeezed her shoulders. “It’s okay. Sometimes, girls like that can only feel better about themselves by dragging other people down.”
“She’s already captain of the field hockey and the lacrosse teams, and she’s every teacher’s favorite ‘cause her dad’s a senator, and they suck up to her. It’s just… She doesn’t have to do this to me.”
