Mister Know It All by Amélie S. Duncan

Jasmine

Am I into hard-core?

“What are you thinking about?” Ford asked when we got into the car. Now he wanted to intrude into my mind?

“I’m thinking about how I can’t wait to see Soraya.”

I lied. Of course, I wanted to see Soraya and was looking forward to holding her baby, Lorenzo. But that wasn’t what was on my mind. I was still thinking about the kiss. He’d been unbelievably bold. Who kisses someone for the first time and touches their breasts? I mean, not over the shirt but under the bra. He jumped a bunch of bases. He’s dirty and probably kinky.If squeezing nipples is kink. No one had ever handled me that way. I moaned.Am I into hard-core? I never enjoyed hard-core porn or loved messy triangles. We were not in love. Correction: I don’t kiss unavailable men.

Didn’t I break up with Randall over cheating?

Was kissing Ford on his break causing him to cheat?

Ford didn’t seem to think so. But my conscience told me I was entangling myself in a sordid affair. Oh God, is that what Randall had told his extra? That we were on a break? What sort of fool was I?

Even if he was a strikingly handsome devil and probably a sex god in bed, I needed to stay as far away as possible from him. Hell, he wore me out and was way too alluring, which meant we couldn’t be friends.

The second Ford parked in front of Soraya and Graham’s brownstone, I was out of his car and standing by his trunk to carry my bags. Ford was slow to follow, refusing to hand over my bags, and carried them up to the front door himself.

I rang the doorbell and waited. When Soraya answered, I swear the woman never aged and was still one of the most beautiful women I had ever seen.

“Jasmine!” Soraya yelled, smiling. I used to think she looked like a fairy-tale princess when I was younger. She always had that magic about her—large brown eyes, defined cheekbones, a perfectly shaped bow for lips. Her bright pink hair was tied up in a bun, but her baby, Lorenzo, had a fistful in his little hand.

“Hi, cousin. Need help?” I asked, gently unclenching his small fist. “Hello, little fella. You look so cute in your overalls.” I kissed his chubby cheek.

Lorenzo cooed. His tiny feet kicked off one of his socks.

“I’ll get it.” I bent and retrieved the sock and placed it back on only for Lorenzo to kick it back off.

“Hello, Jasmine. Welcome,” Graham said and immediately took over, removing both of Lorenzo’s socks. He was in his suit, ready for work like Ford. He had a similar chiseled face, but his hair was dark, and his eyes a rich, deep brown. There was a softness in his face when he looked at Soraya with Lorenzo. He kissed her lips before taking him from her so she could hug me.

“Thank you both for having me here,” I said into Soraya’s shoulder.

“It’s great to see you. Let me show you your room. Are you hungry?” she asked.

“No,” I said and glanced back at Ford, who was watching me. He gave me a salacious smile.

“You know you probably have your hands full here. I have plenty of room if Jasmine wants to spend the summer at my place,” Ford announced, flooring me.

My mouth dropped open, and I shook my head rapidly from side to side, hard and fast enough to give myself a headache. “No, thanks. I’ll find a place as soon as I start looking.”

“Nonsense. We renovated the downstairs, and it functions as a garden apartment,” Soraya said. “You’re welcome to stay there.”

“Probably not suited for Jasmine’s summer plans. Does it have a separate entrance?” Ford asked, and I scowled at him.

“It does, actually,” Soraya said and glanced back and forth between the two of us.

My ears burned. “Ford doesn’t need to know about private entrances. If he comes over, he will visit you, not me.”

“Leave her alone,” Graham said. He handed Lorenzo to Soraya and motioned for Ford to follow him out of the living room.

Ford didn’t leave without sending me a lascivious grin, sending a zing straight to my clit. I shut my eyes and bit the inside of my cheek. He must’ve figured out how to turn me on and was using it as a weapon to mock me.

Lorenzo babbled loudly, and I reached for him to hold. “He’s so adorable.”

“Waaah,” he wailed.

“Do you want me to take him?” Soraya offered.

“No, I’ll win him over.” I sat down on the couch and bounced Lorenzo on my lap until he giggled.

Soraya then gave him to her nanny, Faye.

“How was Connecticut?” I asked.

“Busy. We’re trying to renovate a home for one of Graham’s great aunts. She’s not doing too well on her own at her home in South Jersey, but she doesn’t want to live in the city.”

“I guess it would be harder when you’re older navigating here. So far I love it.”

Soraya laughed. “Good. Let’s get you settled in. Follow me.”

I followed her downstairs for a mini-tour of the garden apartment.

“The bedroom is here.” She opened the room and showed me a queen-size bed and dresser. The living room had an L-shaped sectional for sitting and a flat-screen television. A small desk and dinette were in the dining room. I immediately took out my laptop and plugged in my cell phone.

“So now that we’re alone. What happened between you and Ford?” she asked.

“He kissed me. I mean, we kissed. It was . . . nothing.” I chewed on my lip.

She frowned. “Sounds like something. We didn’t think he’d try anything. I’m sorry.”

“No, It’s all right. I’m fine.” I stared down at my hands. “I don’t know. Ford was a great host. He showed me around and let me touch his geeky stuff.”

Images of Ford naked and pressing me up against his door came to mind. I pulled my hair to drape over my heated face. “Is the heat on? It’s hot in here.”

Soraya’s brows pulled together. “Is it? I’ll check.”

She stood and went over to the thermostat and pressed the button to lower the temperature, and I felt bad.

“Yeah. From what I’ve seen of Ford’s place, he has quite the collection. Graham calls him the savant of art-tech at work. He spends a lot of time alone or on his photography and was pretty broken up when his girlfriend Cecile left. He rarely smiles, and he’s so serious.”

“He was serious. Initially. But then I found out that he’s funny. At least he joked a lot with me. He’s also terribly opinionated and annoying.”

“So . . . you like him?” she asked, returning to sit next to me.

I shrugged.

“Yeah. I thought Ford could be your friend. But you know he and his girlfriend haven’t officially broken up?” she asked, raising a brow.

“Yes.” I cleared my throat. “He told me. They’re on a break . . .”

“Did he mention they broke up over a proposal?” Soraya asked, her voice rising an octave. “I’m not sure, but if so, he’s not really available, and I’m upset he made a move on you. We trusted him.”

“No. Really, it’s fine. I’m fine,” I stammered, my stomach knotted by the news.

Ford proposed marriage? He’s waiting for her and kissed me? What an asshole.

“I didn’t know about the proposal. But you don’t have to worry about it. I don’t plan to have anything else to do with Ford. I’m just away from Randall.”

She squeezed my hand. “I know it’s hard to find out someone you cared for cheated. How are you feeling?”

“I’m angry with myself. I should have dumped Randall when I snooped in his chats and found the cybersex. I just liked what we had going academically. He let me lecture in his classes, run the study groups, and work on articles he published.”

She frowned. “Did Randall give you credit for all this work? Did he tell his colleagues you helped to give you recommendations, to promote you, to network with other people?”

I hunched my shoulders. “No. Randall said I needed to get ‘seasoned.’”

Randall did give me experience in teaching, but everything had been on his terms to promote himself. I let him lead because he had the career I wanted. The one I thought I wanted.

“Your mom called,” she said. “She said you’re avoiding talking to her.”

“She only wants to make me feel bad. She thinks I’m blowing my chances to be the scholar she groomed me to be,” I half joked.

“I told her you’ll talk to her when you’re ready. This is your life, Jasmine. And I want you to have a pleasant summer. Not just full of work but fun too.”

I reached over and hugged her tight. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” she said and smiled at me. “Now, what would you like to do first?”

“I want a makeover. New hair, clothes, maybe a tattoo.” I admired the two feather tattoos on her right foot.

“Tattoos are forever, but we can definitely stop in at my friends’ Tig and Delia’s shop if you find something you like. I’ve taken time off, and Faye will be with us to help, so we can go shopping and get you all set up. We’ll take the subway, which is the easiest way to get around the city. It will be a lot of fun. In fact, there is someone I think you’d like. Tig said he’s a poet or something. We can stop in, and maybe you can see what you think.”

“I’m not interested in dating. I’m only interested in casual sex,” I said.

She laughed. “Slow down.”

I followed her upstairs and saw Ford at the door. He walked over to me, and my traitorous pulse raced with excitement.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

I crossed my arms and scowled at him. “What’s wrong is I thought you were different, and you’re not. Just wait for your girlfriend to return and stay away from me.”

I turned my back to him and walked out of the room. He didn’t try to stop or follow me. Ford was not only unavailable but he was also in love. No doubt, he had planned to use me to fill his time before returning to her, and I’d be left the fool, feeling used and stupid. No way. Soraya was right. My summer was up to me, and I wouldn’t waste my time entangled with men in dubious relationships, no matter how good-looking. I’ll get back on track with my summer, try new things, have an adventure, write an article, and have a wild affair with some lucky someone.

And forget about Ford’s manhandling because I never wanted to be the other woman. And I won’t let Ford Lingren make me that. Ever.