Indecent Proposal (Tangled Web #3) Read online

  Indecent Proposal:

  Book III of the Tangled Web Series

  Reine Creole

  Copyright © 2018 L. Bhoolai

  All rights reserved.

  ISBN: 1727154282

  DEDICATION

  This book is dedicated to my friends, family and fans. Your continued support is astounding. I am forever grateful.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  The Wonderful People that helped me get Book III: Indecent Proposal to print... My daughter, the artist and future animator, Simone Bhoolai. Thank you for all your hard work on the cover and for putting up with my constant pursuit of perfection. You rock young lady; your future is so bright and I love you to pieces. Annette Clark, editor numero uno. Thank you for helping me put my thoughts into words that make sense and flow flawlessly. I will not forget all of the time you’ve given me. Gregory and Martina Ciers, co-editors number two and three. Your input has been invaluable and when I hit the big time we’re all going on a long vacay. I love you guys and thank you for supporting my dream.

  1. Busy

  *Jacinda*

  The stars at the lake were bright tonight. While lying across Jaxon’s naked body, I listened to his heartbeat as he held my ass in one hand and a handful of hair in the other. It was now the end of August and we had just celebrated our second anniversary with a trip to Greece. Since we returned, I had been preoccupied with Whitley and trying to get ready for medical school; while Jax worked almost sixteen hours a day between the office and the ranch. We rarely saw each other anymore. So, we were trying to take this moment, however brief, to ourselves.

  "I feel like I haven't seen you in weeks. How long has it been since we've made love?" he asked stroking my hair.

  "If you have to ask, it's been too long." I replied snuggling into him.

  "I'm sorry. I know my work hours are insane. I’m trying to get it under control."

  "I know, just try to remember that you have Vivi, Colt and Matthew to help you. You only have to ask them."

  "It's my responsibility, babe. Gramp wants me to run the company." He sighed.

  "Then let Colt run the ranch."

  "I love the ranch. I can't give it up. You know this is where my heart is," he said lifting his head to look down on me. "Besides you and Bee are here. Everything I love is here and this is where I want to be."

  "Well stay home and run the ranch. You have executives that can run Worthington Oil. You don't have to be there every day."

  "I do until I learn everything there is to know about it. I have to keep an eye on my family's money. Those boys would rob me blind if they caught me slipping. Gramps may not spend every day at the office but believe me; he knows everything that's going on there. And he knows where every dime is being spent. I'm learning the game from the best."

  "I have no doubts about that. Montgomery Worthington is a shrewd business man," I said kissing his chest.

  "I promise, as soon as I feel like I’m on top of things, I'll be home, on the ranch, with you and Whitley. I miss you both so much," he said looking into my eyes.

  I crawled up his body and kissed him gently.

  "I love you," I whispered.

  "I love you too. And thanks for understanding how much this means to me. I just can't leave my company, our children's company, in someone else's hands."

  "I know."

  "Then you should also know that things are going to get worse when you start med school. You'll be gone during the day and I'll be getting home late. Whit will be with Zoya all day," he said rubbing his forehead. "Not exactly how we wanted things is it?"

  "We'll work it out. My classes are only three days a week right now. I’m going to try and keep it that way for as long as possible."

  "I know but she's used to having one of us around all the time. I don't know how she'll take us both being out of the house." He said.

  "She loves Zoya. She'll be okay."

  "When she cries for me in the morning, it feels like my heart is breaking."

  "She cries because you’ve spoiled her, Jaxon. I told you not to," I said shaking my head.

  "That's like telling me not to breathe." He smiled.

  "She's rotten, it’s your fault, and you know it." I laughed.

  "Okay, so I'm guilty of spoiling my baby, sue me. I'm entitled to it, and she deserves it. I'm going to spoil the next one too." He laughed wiggling his eyebrows at me.

  "Next one?" I squint at him.

  "Yep, so when are we gonna start working on that?" He smirked. "Bee's almost two you know?"

  "I know. But it's going to be hard enough with my schooling and you working all the time. I love Zoya, she’s great, but I don’t want her raising our children."

  "Well I don't think we want to wait too much longer. It’ll be like starting all over."

  "Jaxon…"

  "Alright, I won't push. I'm just saying…" he said holding his hands up.

  "I'll stop taking my pills when I’m ready, okay?"

  "Okay," he said kissing me. "Just don’t make me wait too much longer?"

  "Jaxon!" I rolled my eyes.

  "Okay, okay."

  "Why are you so eager to knock me up?"

  "I mean, I like practicing…” He smiled, and I slapped his chest. "Come on, you know I want a lot of kids. I thought you did too."

  "I do but I have to finish school. It's really important to me."

  "Then you will finish."

  "Not if I'm pregnant every two years."

  "So next time we'll wait like three years." He grinned.

  I laughed and climbed on top of him. He smiled and grabbed my hips. I leaned into him and kissed him slowly. He ran his hands up my back to my hair and deepened the kiss. I accepted his tongue gratefully, sucking and kissing it.

  "How much time do we have?" I moaned into his mouth.

  "All night if you want," he moaned back. "I'm sure Mom and Zoya don't mind having Whitley."

  I loved camping out with Jax. He always made it special and romantic. And it reminded me of the night in the cave, the night we made Whitley.

  "All night sounds good to me."

  "I thought it would." He smiled.

  "Can we go inside the tent this time though? I think Beau is watching us."

  Jax laughed a deep throaty laugh.

  "Well he was!" I frowned.

  "He’s just jealous. You really are magnificent when you ride. It's one of the most beautiful things I've ever witnessed." He teased.

  I felt my face heat up. "So you say."

  "Because it's true," he said flipping us over.

  "Well he stares and it makes me uncomfortable."

  "He's not watching us. You’re just loud and it’s probably scaring him. Besides, I like being out in the open like this." He smiled. "I like the feel of your warmth around me while the wind blows off the lake."

  He kissed my neck and quickly made his way down my body. I found myself no longer caring where we were, as long as we were together when I felt his big hands grip my ass and his mouth on me. We spent most of the night making love on the blanket outside of the tent. Sometime during the night, we managed to crawl inside and pass out.

  0**************0

  I woke the next morning without Jax next to me, which meant he was already in the lake. I grabbed a few towels and headed toward the water. I saw Jax doing a few laps and picked up my speed. When I hit the wood of the pier I dropped the towels and dove in. I came up a few feet away from him.

  "You're like a goddamn shark."

  I laughed and swam the next few feet to him. He wrapped his arm around me and I let him pull me closer.

  “Last night was great." he said. "I really needed it…and you."

/>   "Me too," I assured him.

  "So how about we do a few laps then head out."

  "Sounds good to me," I said stealing a kiss.

  We did our laps then threw on some clothes. I helped Jax pack up the tent, blankets and gear. While he tied everything to Beau I put out the campfire.

  He mounted the stallion and held his hand out for me. I climbed on behind him and snuggled into his warm back. I wrapped one of my hands around his waist and he held the other in his. He kept bringing my hand to his mouth to kiss and I smiled. I loved him so much and I wanted to make him as happy as he made me.

  I decided right then, in that very second that I would give him what he wanted and have another baby. We could make it work. I could go to school while I was pregnant this time. I just wouldn't take such a long break afterward. I would have to rely on Zoya more, but I'm sure she wouldn't mind. It would be hard, but Jax was right. I didn't want to wait until school was over to have another baby. Whitley would be six by then.

  When I looked up and we were entering the stables. Jax jumped down then lifted me off the stallion. The stable hand, Georgie, came over and took Beau by the reins.

  "I'll take care of him, Mr. Worthington."

  "Thanks Georgie," Jax said.

  “Sure."

  0*****************0

  "Daddy, daddy!" Whitley smiled from her booster seat.

  "How's daddy's little honeybee?" Jax smiled unbuckling and scooping her up. I loved watching them. He was so good with her.

  "Kisses," she laughed. Jax attacked her cheeks and neck.

  "No itchy face!" She grimaced pushing him back.

  "Sorry Bee, daddy hasn't shaved yet." He laughed.

  He grabbed a sausage link off her plate and put it in his mouth.

  "Mine!" She yelled trying to grab the meat from Jax's mouth.

  "Share, Whitley." I warned.

  Jax laughed.

  "Go give mommy some suga'," he said standing Whitley up.

  She half waddled, half ran her way to me. I took her in my arms and kissed her.

  "Morning baby, did you have fun with Grandma and Zoya?"

  She nodded.

  "My Oya made cookies."

  Oya was the name she gave Zoya since she still couldn't say her name right.

  "Did you tell Zoya thank you?"

  "Yep."

  "Yes," I corrected. The child was country like her father.

  "Yessss..." she mocked and Jax smiled.

  He had already made himself a plate and was sitting at the table eating. I handed Whit to him and went to make myself a plate. He was feeding Whit off his plate when I sat down and Vivi walked in.

  "Good morning, guys. How was your camping trip?" She smirked.

  We looked at each other and smiled.

  "Great," we said in unison.

  "Well that's good. Maybe Jax won't be so cranky this week." Vivi smiled.

  "Why, he finally got laid?" TJ asked coming into the kitchen.

  "Fuck the both of you." Jax laughed.

  "Jax! Jesus your mouth!" I yelled at him, motioning to Whit.

  "Sorry…my bad," he said covering Whit's ears.

  I shook my head.

  "Well it’s too late now, you better be glad your mother didn't hear you."

  "Daddy's sorry, Bee," he said kissing the back of her head.

  "Tee Tee!" Whit called reaching for TJ.

  He came over to Jax and took Whit in his arms.

  "Good morning, beautiful. How's my girlfriend?" He smiled at her, kissing her cheeks and she giggled.

  I looked at Vivi.

  "So, you got everything ready for the wedding?" I smiled.

  Kobe had proposed to her at Whitley's first birthday party back in January. It was really cute. He gave Whit the ring and told her to go and give it to Auntie Vivi. When Vivian asked her where she found it. Whit turned around and pointed to Kobe. He smiled and said, ‘You did good stink.’ Vivi looked at Kobe confused until he dropped to one knee. It was perfect.

  Vivi admired her ring and smiled.

  "Yes, just two more months and I'll be Vivian Wolfe. Can you believe it?"

  "I can, and it's about time." I smiled.

  "You got that right!" Vivi agreed.

  "Well I think I'm going to head home. I need a shower and Whit needs a bath."

  "Go on home and take a bath. I'll bring Whit with me when I come. By then she'll be ready for her nap and we can bathe and put her to bed," Jax said.

  "You sure?"

  "Yeah, go ahead and relax a little bit. We'll be home in a few."

  "Alright," I said kissing his greasy sausage lips.

  0************************0

  I turned on the water in the tub then went to my vanity. Opening the drawer, I grabbed my birth control pills. I stared at the package a long time rethinking my decision. I did okay when I was finishing up my Bachelors. Everything ran surprisingly smooth with Zoya there to pick up the slack. She was really good with Whitley and Whit loved her Oya. We can do this, I thought tossing the pills in the trashcan. Everything would turn out just fine.

  I had just settled into the bathtub when my phone started to ring.

  I cursed as I climbed out the tub to retrieve it. Water was dripping all over the floor as I made my way to the nightstand.

  "Hello!" I grumbled into the phone.

  "Hey, what's wrong with you?" The smooth voice asked.

  "I was in the tub and the phone was in the bedroom. Now there’s water all over the floor…"

  "You want to call me back?"

  "No, it's okay. How are you? You haven't called in a few days."

  "It's been a rough week," he said huffing.

  "You want to talk about it?" I asked as I climbed back into the tub.

  "No, not really," he said sighing and I could picture him rubbing the bridge of his nose or his forehead.

  "Okay but if you…"

  "You know what? I don't fucking get you women." He interrupted.

  "Excuse me…" I laughed.

  "You're all confusing as hell!"

  "Ashton, you're not making any sense."

  "It's Beth, she's driving me crazy. I honestly don't know what runs through that brain of hers sometimes."

  "Care to elaborate?" I encouraged.

  I was used to Ashton complaining about Bethany. I just listened and tried to give unbiased advice. I honestly didn't understand why he stayed with her. No one knew Ashton better than me and she was all wrong for him. I knew this, Ashton knew this, but he had decided to keep her around anyway.

  After Ali and Max's wedding she promised to chill out and accept our friendship. And she did a great job of pretending like she had. But it was all a front and I didn't have the heart to tell Ashton that she was a phony bitch. I didn't want him to be alone again. And despite everything she did love him in her own twisted way. I could deal with the evil eye and the nasty sneers she made at me while we were at family functions and she thought no one was looking. I could endure and I would, for him.

  "She wants to have a baby, Cin," he said after a long silence.

  I sat up in the tub and felt my heart stop. She wanted to have his baby? A surge of jealousy ran through me and I closed my eyes to calm myself before I spoke again.

  "Really?" was all I could muster.

  "Yeah."

  I swallowed.

  "Well…what did you…say to her?"

  "What the hell do you say to that? I think she's crazy to even want that with me considering our situation. But she says her biological clock is ticking and blah, blah, blah, but she's only twenty-nine."

  "Oh."

  "I just told you that Beth wants me to knock her up and that's all you have to say?" He sounded frustrated.

  "What am I supposed to say? Am I supposed to tell you not to do it? I can't do that. It’s your life and I know you want kids. You’ve been with her for like two years now and maybe…"

  "I'm not ready and she's not the woman I want to have my children. I
don't love her."

  "Shouldn't you be telling her this? It sounds to me like you've made a decision about it."

  "I guess I have. But she may call things off when I tell her."

  "She loves you. In her own weird little way. You know that, right?" I asked.

  "Change the subject," he said softly.

  Ashton didn't like talking about the 'L' word and Bethany in the same conversation.

  "Okay…how's Ali and Max?"

  "Bad choice." He sighed.

  "Why?"

  "Because Ali isn't pregnant and she's driving us all insane about it. Did you know that she made Max go to a doctor to make sure all their shit was working right?"

  "And?"

  "And they're both fine, but you know how she is. Once she gets something in that pretty little head of hers, she runs wild with it. The doctor told her to chill out, that it would happen when it was supposed to and that she’s making it worse with the stressing. She’s not hearing any of that and now she wants to start fertility treatments. Max is freaking out because he doesn't want her pumping herself full of hormones. It's a mess. You really need to call her."

  "I'll call her today."

  "Good, talk some sense into her. So, you ready for school?"

  "Yeah, I'm excited and little nervous." I smiled.

  "You'll do well. School has always been your thing."

  "Yeah, too bad you can't be a professional student and get paid for it."

  "That'll never happen. College is big business, Love. Where else can you go and pay tons of money to be fucked, and left totally unsatisfied? You get no happy ending, sometimes no degree and you’re left in debt up to your eyeballs?" He chuckled, and I laughed.

  "Speaking of college, are you ready for year two?"

  "Yeah, bring it on." I could hear the smile in his voice.

  "And Max, how's his master’s coming along?"

  "He's doing well, just stressed about the baby situation. You know, I never pictured my brother as the scholarly type."

  "Why not? Max was the only football player with a solid 'A' average."

  "True, but he was always goofing off and he never studied."

  "Neither did you." I laughed.