Mister Know It All by Amélie S. Duncan

FORD

Moon goddess

“Don’t fuck Jasmine,” Graham said when I answered the call.

I liked that about Graham. He got right to the point. He also knew Jasmine was just my type. She had a sweetness I’d love to spoil. A curiosity I’d love to explore. A beauty that charmed my muse. Although he had me curious.

“She’s a grown woman and can make up her own mind. Besides, as she put it, if it’s not me, it’ll be someone else.”

“Jasmine said that to you? Was she drunk?” Graham asked, and I could hear the surprise in his voice. I supposed he’d been sold the sheltered bookworm story by Soraya. That was a part of her. But we were all layered in many tones and shapes. One of Jasmine’s was scorned and thought sex would make her feel desirable again.

“She pretended to be,” I said, glancing over at the stairs.

The way Jasmine rushed up the steps clued me in that she was sober and fleeing. I doubt she was fully intoxicated the whole night. She tried to use her one drink as an excuse for what she really wanted to do. The very reason I didn’t spend time with anyone drunk. Some think it’s the magic wand to cleanse their souls without the consequences. I detested nothing more than, “I only said or did that because I was drinking.” My mom used that excuse enough to last a lifetime. Speaking of her conjured a text notification on my phone from her at an Alcoholic Anonymous meeting. She’d have to wait for the thumbs-up emoji she craved for finally doing the right thing.

Jasmine tried to use her intoxication as an excuse to show off her body and proposition me for sex. She thought squeezing her breasts in an oversized T-shirt and pushing out her ass in a corduroy flower skirt was a turn-on. Adorably clueless. She didn’t realize what enticed me was the way she blushed or trembled when I looked at her. The surprise in her eyes when her nipples tightened. The charge to her skin at the slightest touch. That was what I found arousing. Oh, yes. I would enjoy thoroughly scandalizing her. But that wasn’t what Graham wanted to hear. He wanted me to agree with him so he could relax and tell Soraya everything was fine.

“You don’t have to worry. I scared Jasmine off already.”

Jasmine looked sick when I said I’d have sex with her while I waited for Cecile. I hadn’t lied. Cecile and I had left our relationship open, but only because she knew I found sex without passion meaningless. That was something I learned over time. Jasmine obviously hadn’t yet. She was hell-bent on a vengeful rebound. I’d never agree to that.

“Good,” Graham said. “Jasmine called out of the blue, and Soraya didn’t want to let her down. She felt bad for not visiting and inviting her down to visit more. She had a big breakup from some windbag professor.”

“The curved pipe guy.”

“She told you?”

“Not much. But I am curious. Do you have something for Jasmine to do here?”

“She was a teaching assistant, and she’s good at research. I’ll have her do research on the companies we’re considering acquiring or put her to work in the hospitality and morale department. I could also have her help with Margot’s retirement party. No one has any idea what to do with her, and lunch seems unfair for someone so dedicated.”

Margot was Cruella’s twin sister. She wouldn’t want a party. “Sounds perfect.”

“I don’t plan to keep Jasmine so busy that she can’t feel like she’s on vacation. Soraya says Jasmine was homeschooled and skipped a couple of grades when her parents finally agreed to send her to school. Her parents treated her like some lab experiment. Even her vacations had homework.”

“That’s awful,” I said. I shouldn’t have teased Jasmine about being an overachiever. She didn’t have a choice.

“Anyway, glad to hear she’s fine. See you tomorrow morning, and I owe you.” He hung up.

I was about to put my phone away, but I needed to check in with Blair about her doctor’s appointment today. Friends for over fifteen years, she was my confidant. And in recent years, we’d been to hell and back. Or rather, she had.

“You don’t need to check up on me, Ford. The bodyguard you sent never left my side. I appreciate the fuss, but I do want to get back to some sense of normalcy.”

I bit my tongue to avoid pointing out the months she spent afraid to leave her house after the physical attack. Blair was on her way to becoming a top model until someone she met decided he wouldn’t take no for an answer. She lost an eye in the attack and suffered from broken bones so severe she still had a limp. After four years, she was still having reconstructive surgeries.

“Fine. Can I at least hear about the results?”

“The titanium in my jaw will have to be replaced again. I’m okay with that and more… By the way, your dad says hello and said you can come see him.”

I clenched my jaw. “The only thing my dad can do is continue your surgery.”

“Okay, if that’s what you want to do,” Blair said in a voice I knew meant she disagreed with me.

“On another subject. Swimming was strengthening my legs. Can I come over and use your pool?”

“Tomorrow. I have someone staying over tonight.”

“An overnight stay? The sky isn’t falling, or is there something wrong with Uber?”

“Ha-ha,” I said, turning off the music and lights downstairs. “I have a visitor, one of Soraya’s cousins.”

“Is she pretty?” she asked.

“Yes, but clueless. Jasmine has some hedonistic revenge plan for the summer after a breakup.”

Blair laughed. “I can understand that. After every end of a relationship I’ve had, I’d considered experimenting. It’s natural.”

“It’s irresponsible and dangerous,” I said, taking the back stairs to the roof.

“Oh, come on, Ford. What happened to me wasn’t normal. I was stalked. I ignored it and should have done things differently. Most people are good.”

“Yes, I know, but Jasmine is too innocent for NYC. I don’t even know why Graham agreed to bring her to the office with all the vultures.”

“Including you. You seem interested in Jasmine, or you wouldn’t care. Why not put yourself in the running? Neither of you is searching for a relationship. You’re… alone right now. She’s been gone for months.”

I tensed, and the line went quiet. Here we go again. Blair didn’t agree with the idea of a break. But I agreed to it. I believed Cecile would come back once her physical and mental health therapy were done. I promised her time, and I wouldn’t go back on my word.

“Jasmine should go with her plan. Some things you need to learn.”

I didn’t like or agree with what I told Blair. Jasmine would only end up feeling used. And I already wanted to stop her, which means I was already too involved. Too tempted. The best thing to do was drop her off tomorrow and stay clear of her.

“Remember, the same applies to me too, Ford.”

“I know, and when the guy asks you out, he gets a background check, an interview, and then you can date him in public. Good night.”

The private pool on the roof of the penthouse was the reason I took this place. It was perfect for the summer. I stripped down and jumped in. The only time I fully relaxed. I hadn’t brought Cecile here. It was still being renovated to bring in a ramp to make it easier for her after her car accident. That was before I knew how she’d use her disability against me. As if my wanting to care for her was oppressive. Even after I forgave her for her betrayal before the accident.

I freestyled a few laps before climbing out and went straight to my bedroom to shower. I was about to rinse off when I heard the alarm go off.

Cinching a towel on my waist, I rushed out of my room toward the noise. The red light flashing through the windows alerted me it was coming from the greenhouse. I opened the glass doors of the living room and flew down the flight of stairs. When I reached the platform, I found Jasmine barefooted in a tank top and shorts with her phone in hand, standing before the flashing light.

“I just wanted to see the moon and mark a memorable…oh my God, you’re naked.”

My towel had dropped. “So, I am.”

I went to the box on the door to enter the code. “If I’d known you wanted to come out here tonight, I’d have given it to you.”

“Now, the towel.” She hid her eyes.

“If a naked man embarrasses you, you’re going to have some trouble with that fling.”

“I hadn’t expected it. I mean, I know this is your place. I was just caught off guard. I’m comfortable with nudity. My parents had a nudist workshop once. Although a lot of them were older. And not men like you, with bodies . . .”

I secured the towel back in place. “They didn’t have bodies? Odd. The code is 0b11100.”

“It’s binary,” she repeated. “And what I meant was that they had bodies, but not like yours. What does the code mean?”

“Twenty-eight, my age,” I added. “But it shouldn’t go off anymore.”

I turned on the lights, and we stepped inside the glass and wood enclosure. I pointed out the fruit and Japanese maple trees, hydrangea, iris, ivy, and wisteria vines. I had some lamb’s ear perennials too.

She touched one of the wood frames, making up the pergola. “This is modified wood.”

“Yes. The tropical wood was my first choice, but I wanted to make it more eco-friendly.”

“My parents use modified wood on the farm,” she murmured.

I turned on a waterfall that runs the length of the pergola. Jasmine went instantly to the oval grass in the house. New white rose petals had fallen down from the canopy. At one time, I’d poured them over Cecile’s naked body. Jasmine picked them up, and I hesitated. My mind fought me to stop her, but then she threw them in the air, and they rained down like the waterfall. She moved in a circle under the moon. It captivated me, and I could not keep my eyes off her.

“Wow, it’s beautiful.”

“Yes.” You are.

Jasmine lay down on the grass. Her long, raven curls draped over her shoulders. She only had on the shirt and shorts. Her tanned skin glowed under the lights. My blood surged, and I could feel my cock stir. I didn’t want to make her uncomfortable. I had to leave.

“Stay out as long as you like.”

“Will you join me, Ford? You can if you put on shorts. It’s a beautiful night.”

Jasmine rolled over on her stomach, and I could see the swell of her breasts over the top of her tank top. I’d enjoy pulling it off her and sucking on them, but I wouldn’t want to stop there.

“Another time,” I said and smiled at the frown.

I did the right thing, needing to find peace. She had no idea how sexy she was, and that made her dangerous.

Once back in my room—away from temptation—I gripped my cock and closed my eyes, picturing Jasmine lying like a moon goddess in the night.

Thank God she was only here for one night.