As it turned out, Greer's brain battle concerning sex had been for nothing. Jackson didn't touch her again. Not a single time. No palm kissing. Hair twirling. Leg against leg. Zero. Nada. Zilch. Bastard.

Once he helped get Emma in bed, he'd said goodnight and left without as much as a peck on the cheek. Greer couldn't figure him out. One minute he promised all sorts of things, and the next stayed as far away as possible. Well, two could play that game. At least when she teased, she followed through. So what if she tortured him a bit at his office? Wasn't like she'd given him a case of blue balls. She wondered about the name for the female version, because she had it. Pink balls? No. Had to be a woman part. Pink ovaries? No. More localized than that. She forced her legs together.

Flopping onto her back, she stared at the ceiling fan. The dim light in the room caused the rotation to look like birds circling overhead. Dizzy from the movement, she squeezed eyes tight. She had enough stress over the impending court battle and didn't need any drama from him. He needed to deliver on promises. Especially the dirty kind.

She glanced at the clock. Five. Too early to get up, but she had readings to do, so might as well make use of her insomnia. She rolled out of bed, sat on the edge, and recalled Jackson's secretary and how she'd looked at Greer. By now, probably the whole Bellefonte clan knew about the weird girl showing up at the office. She disliked being judged. Maybe that's why he'd turned cold toward her. Realized what a misfit she'd be. Fine. She didn't have to dump him, he'd taken care of that. Forcing one foot in front of the other, she dragged her tired body into the bathroom and started the shower. When she finished, she checked her phone and found a text from Mr. Mooney. His recommended S.O.B. wanted to meet after lunch.

She'd need a sitter for Emma, but shouldn't call at this hour. Not everyone in the world woke this early. Only geriatrics and sexually frustrated women. After blow drying her hair, she gathered it to the top of her head and twisted the strands into a bun. Wouldn't bother with makeup. Just some moisturizer and lip gloss. Changes needed to go deeper than hippie. Delve into organic. No more wild hairdos. Crazy colors. Tattoos. Nope. It was time for her to become someone other than Evergreen Starkey.

Standing inside the closet, she studied the choices and pulled two items from the rack. Black jeans. White cotton shirt. Nobody could find fault with such a classic garb. From now until she went before a judge, she'd fit in with the rest of the world, because it expected certain things from a woman who had the responsibility of raising a child. It'd be different if she were Emma's mother, but replacements were held to a higher standard.

Ready for the day, she ambled to the kitchen for toast and coffee, then powered up her computer and began the first draw.

By ten, she'd finished all the readings she'd neglected for the past few days. It'd been weeks since she'd had such a clean slate. She took a moment to send a quick text to the babysitter, and went back for a third cup of brew.

From behind, two arms wrapped around her waist. She smiled, already used to Emma's early morning hugs. "Hey, baby."

"I had fun yesterday. Father Jackson is so nice." Mordecai and Medusa twined around Emma's feet, so she let go of Greer and picked them up.

"I did too. Come over here and let's talk a minute." Greer stepped to the dining table and Emma took the seat across from her. "Jackson isn't really a minister. I called him Padre and Father and all those names to be silly. It was my way of teasing him. Maybe you should call him Mr. Jackson."

"Can I call him padre?"

Greer took a deep breath. She wondered if Emma knew the word meant father. If she did, was this her way of getting a dad back into her life? At least a surrogate? She'd latched onto him as if he was more than a friend. While Greer struggled to make the right decisions and watch out for Emma, it was second nature to him. Everything was easy for him. "A good choice. Now, how about French toast?"

"With honey?"

"Yep."

"Can I have chocolate milk?"

"Coming right up."

A few minutes later, Greer set the plate on the table, and reclaimed her seat. "I have a meeting this afternoon, so Amy is taking you to the movie. After breakfast, you need to take a bath, and brush your teeth."

"Yes Ma'am." Emma drizzled more honey. "Your hair looks like you have a donut hole on top of your head."

Greer smoothed it. "Yeah. I didn't feel like messing with it today. You finish up and I'll go fill the tub. Be right back."

*

Jackson tried not to be pissed at Greer, but couldn't help it. He'd given his best effort in the flirtation department, and she'd rejected his advances. She referred to the office sex as fun. Shit. It was more than entertainment. At least for him. The only word choice worse would have been cool. She acted as if it meant nothing. Maybe it didn't. Maybe it never would. But he wasn't ready to give up. Not yet.

He understood her concern with the Collin's dilemma, but he could help, if she'd let him. He had ideas that could work. If Evan was such a player, it stood to reason old man Collins might have past affairs he wouldn't want made public. Kids learn by example.

But Greer hadn't turned to Jackson for help and that hurt. As hard as he worked to stay in her life, she worked just as hard to push him out. He couldn't let that happen. He wouldn't.

*

Even with her hair fashioned into a messy knot, Greer must have looked frazzled because when Amy picked up Emma, she said they wouldn't return until around eight o'clock. Following the movie and park, they'd attend a birthday party for Amy's niece.

Greer stared into the bathroom mirror. Yep. She looked weary with good reason. Determined to shake off the gloom and doom, she went to the kitchen to finish the bread she'd started earlier. She took the dough from the bowl to punch it down. Punch! Grammy Collins. Punch! Gramps Collins. Punch! Punch! Punch!

She'd never been a violent person, but damn if she didn't want to sock the Collins in the face. Knock sense into them. They would not be better for Emma. As grandparents they were great, but to raise a child at their ages was poor judgment. They didn't have a clue what challenges faced kids today. The peer pressure. Bullying. Self-esteem. Drugs. The list was endless. And what about social media? She bet neither of them knew what a tweet was. Even if they understood, what about their energy level? Would they feel like attending all the school events ahead of them?

Who was she kidding? They'd pay someone to take care of all those things. They'd send her to private school and go on with their lives as before. No meals together. Punch! Grammy. No help with homework. Punch! Gramps. Only visits at holidays. Punch! Punch!

She gathered the soft dough in her hands and hoped she'd not killed it. Dividing it into three equal portions, she shaped each one into a rope, braided them, and put them in a loaf pan to rise again.

By the time Mr. Mooney knocked on the backdoor, Greer had put the bread in the oven. The mean S.O.B. wasn't what she expected. She'd imagined a guy named Vinnie the size of a tree. Instead, Mr. Mooney introduced Harold, tall, thin, and pasty.

Once seated at the table, Harold pulled the documents from his pocket. "Allen tells me they sent pictures."

"Yes, sir." Greer slid the stack toward him and he flipped through them.

"I need to ask some personal questions, but don't take them personally. Understand?"

She nodded.

"You ever have sex with any of these guys here while the kid was home?"

"No. I've never..."

He held up his hand. "I don't need details. You ever charge any of them?"

"No!"

"Good. Now, the way I see it, the plaintiffs want one main thing."

"Yeah. Emma."

"Not so much. They want her to remain in Fairhope. They have it written in the complaint. You can't leave town with her until this is settled, so that's your bargaining chip. Agree to stay with unlimited visitation, and the lawsuit goes away."

"So they're basically blackmailing me. I get to keep her if I do what they say. Suppose I agree, but later decide to spend the summer in Atlanta. What then? Another lawsuit? Or is that in the original document? Do they have limits on everything I do until she graduates?"

"No guarantee. They can step in anytime and bring another suit."

Greer ran a hand over her face. "This is unreal. They'll be watching me. Gathering information. Every man I meet. Every date I have. Every move I make. Just in case they need it. I can't live that way. I'll just have to fight it and hope for the best."

Mr. Mooney patted her arm. "Harold has a plan. He needed to be sure about what you wanted. And now that he knows, he can fix this for you."

"You can?"

"I'm already digging into their financials. I understand they're out of the country right now. Is that right?"

"Yes. Due back next week."

"Okay. When they get back, they'll want to see the girl. Let them and don't even bring up the lawsuit. Once I'm done, you'll know everything from how much money they have in their accounts to when they take a crap. We'll find some leverage."

The two men left the way they came in and Greer felt better in spite of the looming litigation. She just wished she could be as positive as Harold everything would work out. All she could do was trust him.

She removed the bread from the oven and placed it on the cooling rack. Now what? Caught up with her readings, she had leisure time. Still hours before Emma returned, she should watch a movie. As she searched for the remote, the doorbell rang. Peering through the peephole, Jackson stood on the porch. Her heart quickened. She yanked the door open. "Hey. What are you doing?"

"I thought I might take you and Emma for ice cream."

"She's not here. Gone to the movie."

He glanced around the room, then let his eyes settle on the bun. "So, you're here alone?"

"Ye—es. Why?"

He stepped inside, kicked the door closed, and grabbed Greer. He covered her mouth, twirled her around and backed her to the wall.

The movement so quick, she had no time to resist. Not that she wanted to. His mouth was hot and wet on hers, and she couldn't think of anything but his tongue and what it was doing. When he finally let her come up for air, she sucked in a breath and released it in a slow steady stream.

He only gave her second to recover and claimed her again. This time, she clutched his shirt to pull him closer.

He deepened the kiss and his hands were everywhere. Up her shirt. Cupping her ass. Undoing her bun. He moved away and whispered against her mouth. "Please don't ever wear your hair like this again."

"I'm reinventing myself."

"Into what? A Pilgrim?" He chuckled but recovered quickly.

Greer stiffened. "We shouldn't do this. It'll just be more ammunition for the Collins."

"Emma's not here. They can't dictate what you do when she's gone."

"Oh really? According to the lawsuit, they can."

"Come on." He led the way to her room. Kissed her. Long, slow, sweet, and her heart raced. "You drive me crazy." He guided her hand south.

[[WARNING: MATURE THEMES AHEAD]]

God, he was hard. Stone hard. She unbuttoned his jeans, slid his zipper down, and wrapped her fingers around the length of him.

He groaned. "Damn, Greer." He kissed her again, tangling his tongue with hers, and she stroked him, slow and smooth.

Blood heated. Pulse pounded. Heart raced. No need to be shy about what she wanted. Using her free hand, she tugged his Levi's, inching them down little by little and then eased him out of his boxers, all the while still stroking him with a steady rhythm.

He pulled her hand free. "I want to come inside you and if you keep doing that, I won't last long enough."

She didn't wait for him to help, she removed shoes, pants, shirt, and stood before him in lace panties and bra. While she'd gotten naked, he'd done the same. She stepped back to look at him. He was magnificent. Broad shoulders, taut skin, flat belly, and rigid penis jutting out like pointing the way to the Promise Land. And she hoped he kept all the promises he'd made yesterday. Heat pooled low, and an unbearable ache only he could relieve, settled between her legs.

*

He reached out and folded her into his chest, slid his hands up her back and released the hooks on her bra. She edged back just enough to let the pink lace fall to the floor. He gazed down at her. She had beautiful tits. Rosy nipples stiffened into sharp points just begging to be licked. He lowered his head, covered one sweet peak with his lips.

She whispered his name. He moved to the other side. That must have been what she wanted because she raked fingers through his hair and held him in place. When she loosened her hold that told him she was ready for the next step and he was happy to oblige. He slipped his hands to caress her lace covered ass. The last barrier between him and what he wanted. Or he should say what they both wanted.

Apparently, he wasn't moving fast enough, because she hooked her thumbs in the waist of the bikinis and shimmed out of them. Now it was his turn to get a good look at her and she exceeded every fantasy he'd had, and God knew he'd had plenty. He'd dreamed of her naked. Especially after her office visit.

She turned her back to him and that's when he saw the tattoo. Damn. He lifted her hair and kissed the ink, then continued to her waist. She shivered against him. Then she walked to the bed taking him with her. When she reached the edge, she sat, and he stood between her widespread legs. She took his shaft into her hand again, licked the tip, and he thought he'd come undone. If she took him into her mouth, he wouldn't be able to hold back, and he wanted to pleasure her first.

Gently pushing her down on the mattress, he knelt between her knees, then kissed his way up her thigh, and she moaned. When he got to her groin, he stopped, blew a hot, steady breath from one side to the other, then looped her legs over his shoulders. "I think it's time I earned the right to call you Rosebud, don't you?"

She clutched the comforter with both hands. "Oh God, yes."

He lowered his head. Stroked her with his tongue. She moved against him and before he got the chance to show her his vast skills, she arched, and writhed with an orgasm. When the siege ended, she scooted back giving him room to crawl on top.

He hovered above her and couldn't help but smile when she positioned the head of his penis against the rosebud. At first she rubbed slowly, then faster. Her lips parted as breath came in gasps. Her head lolled back. Damn, she's going to climax again. When it happened, she shoved his cock deep inside her. Slick and hot, she convulsed around him as if to wring him dry. Every inch of his flesh caught fire. His stomach clenched into a knot. His balls drew tight and high.

[[MATURE THEMES OVER]]

She placed a hand on his cheek. "You've got to make a promise."

He stared into her beautiful face and would vow anything because nothing felt better than being inside her.

"Tell me you won't love me."

The words stabbed his heart like a saber. That was the one thing he couldn't do. He already loved her. So much so, when he was with her, he couldn't breathe.

He went still. "You picked a hell of a time to make demands." He rolled off her.

"You can't have feelings for me, Jackson. That won't change anything. I'm still leaving, so we need to be clear. This is just sex." She covered herself with the comforter. "My life is already complicated. Don't make it worse."

He stood and grabbed his boxers and pants. "Know what, Greer? You'll end up old and alone because of your warped idea of happily-ever-after. You think it should be happily forever. Well, I've got news for you." He buttoned his pants and jerked his shirt over his head. "It's impossible to be happy 24-7. Hell, I don't even like myself every minute." He picked up his shoes and socks and held them. "Shit happens. Bad shit that makes us unhappy. We make mistakes. We say things we don't mean. But if two people love each other, they get through those hard times. You're concentrating on the ever part, when you need to focus on the after." He set his shoes on the bed, then sat next to her and looped his arm around her shoulders. "Don't you get it? It's when you commit and stay together after to find happy again."

She shrugged away. "Just stop, I..."

He jumped to his feet. "No. You stop. Stop thinking there's no such thing as a fairy tale ending, because there is. My brother has it. Mom and dad have it. And I want the same thing."

"What do you mean?"

"According to your instructions, I'm not allowed to say what I mean...or feel. So you figure it out."

The muscle in his jaw jutted in and out. "Want a fuck buddy? Then keep finding the Andreas' of the world." He moved to the doorway and stopped. "But if you're willing to take a chance, then I'm your man. And I promise you, I'm worth the risk. When you decide, let me know."

Then he turned and disappeared down the hallway.

----------------------------

Ah, Greer. Always the pessimist (though I can agree with her, I am the pessimist in my friends).

Hope you enjoyed! Just a few more chapters left!

x zuz