Cinderfella Pt. 03

"Disappointed? Did I pop your bubble? Am I a bad girl?"

"No. Just didn't expect it."

"Jamie Womack, you drive me to do things I've never done, but secretly wanted to."

"Glad I could help."

"Now, I want you to fuck me again," Lauren said with fire in her eyes.

However, it was at that moment they heard the car doors shut. Muted voices could be heard.

Jamie's eyes widened in fear. "Hope there's another way out."

"Follow me," Lauren said quickly, scooping up her clothes and grabbing a hand towel as they ran past the kitchenette to a rear door."

They were certain they'd made it out undetected, but didn't stop to verify it. Lauren led Jamie to the very back of their yard where it was the light was dimmest. Breathing heavily from their sudden exit and the sex, the pair used the cover of darkness to quickly dress and clean up as much as they could, before stealthily returning to Jamie's car. Once inside, he was visibly shaken. Lauren couldn't help but laugh.

Looking at her cock-eyed, Jamie asked, "What the hell is so funny?" There was obvious distress in his voice.

"I don't know. It just is. Eddie has never come home so early. Did you see anyone with him? Maybe he got lucky early."

"How nice for him." His tone was sharp. "No, I didn't see anyone with him. I didn't think it wise to take the time to look."

"Are you upset?" she deduced.

"I've never been in a situation like that."

"Really? You've never done anything . . . edgy . . . that you might have gotten caught?" Lauren asked with complete surprise.

"No," Jamie responded as though it was a foreign concept.

"Wow. You've lived a sheltered life." It wasn't an accusation.

"Just haven't had any reason to do anything . . . edgy."

"Oh, okay." Her voice softened. "Well then, I'm sorry about this. I really didn't expect my brother to come home so early." She leaned over and kissed him deeply. "I really care for you. I wouldn't intentionally do anything to upset you or distrust me. That's one reason it would be nice to go away to college together."

"I really care for you, too, and that's really strange for me because I've never felt like this with anyone before. Or at least, outside of the family. I've never gotten this close to anyone who wasn't family."

"Well, I'm really glad it's me you've wanted to get close to. Thank you for telling me that," Lauren said, truly touched. "I won't let you down."

* * *

Anyone who didn't know might have thought it was the social event of the season, but it was only a welcome party for Ford Enterprises' new chief legal counsel, Bradley Folse. Peter Ford, CEO, was known for his lavish parties and he didn't need much of an excuse to throw a fancy one. He was also something of a womanizer, although he had toned down since his wife ran off a while back with a man he had just appointed as vice president of accounting. However, when he saw Sally—who even Jamie had to admit looked stunning—he was instantly on the prowl.

The week leading up to the Saturday extravaganza was crazy following Monday's great escape. Everyone was in party preparation mode. Jamie and Sally got together a couple of times, but the twins strangely and suspiciously kept to themselves. They made no attempts to engage him, and he could only assume they were taking care of each other. It was even more surprising that Sally hadn't revealed hers and Jamie's trysts.

Jamie drove separately to the party because he and Lauren were going out afterward. Sally and the girls followed him closely so the four could enter together. Likewise, Lauren's family wanted her to ride with them so their family could also arrive as one. However, like Jamie, Eddie drove himself. If Jamie thought Sally was stunning, Lauren outshined her like the sun did the moon. Her short, white dress showed off her fabulous legs and its low-cut top revealed her perfectly rounded breasts and magnificent cleavage. He couldn't wait to hold her in his arms.

However, Jamie didn't see the twins' sneers not only over Lauren's appearance, but also the way he ogled over her. They held their breath when they saw Eddie, but if he recognized them, he didn't acknowledge them.

At the same time, the two families happened to greet Peter Ford and his playboy brother, Paul, who was also quite obvious in his attraction to Sally. But as senior brother and the top of the family corporate chain, Peter had first dibs on hugging Sally.

"I can't tell you how much we miss James around here," Peter said as though he needed to say something; however, he genuinely meant it.

"Thank you, Peter," Sally replied in kind. "We do, too."

"Have a drink with me later," Ford asked.

"Thank you, Peter, I'd love to."

"And you, young man," Ford said, turning to Jamie. "I hear you're following in his footsteps."

"Yes," Jamie acknowledged, wondering how he had heard that. Was something already going on between he and Sally? Jamie didn't really care, but it did have him thinking that if there was, and she still wanted to fuck him she was even more insatiable than he thought.

"Wish I'd known," Ford went on. "I would have encouraged you to attend my old alma mater in north state. They have an excellent law school."

"So, I've heard," Jamie said, throwing a quick glance at Lauren, whose somewhat shameful look suggested she might be the culprit.

"If you think you'd be interested, let me know. I've got some pull there. I could get you in this semester."

Trying his best to sound impressed, Jamie thanked Ford. Another glimpse at Lauren found her smirking.

"That's awfully nice of you, Peter, but we'd hate to have him leave us," Sally said.

"Everyone should go away to college for the experience," Peter countered. He then complimented the twins on their beauty with a reference to their mother, and following that, quickly turned to the Folses. "And now, our new head of legal, Bradley Folse. And notice I didn't say replacement. No one can replace James, only succeed him. And in that regard, Brad, I know you'll put your own unique stamp on the department." The two shook hands.

Folse introduced his family, and each shook hands with Ford.

Peter made a short comment to each as they shook hands, and to Lauren, he remarked, "And I understand you're following in your father's footsteps, as well?"

"Yes, sir," Lauren confirmed with her engaging smile.

Jamie could see Ford mentally undressing her.

"And you are interested in going to north state?"

"Yes, sir."

"Wonderful. I'll get working on that first thing on Monday. Let me know if you want in, too, Jamie, as long as I'm making a call."

"Thanks. I'll think about it."

"Everyone, enjoy yourselves. Sally, I'll be looking forward to our drink." Ford excused himself and walked away.

"So, it seems we're neighbors," Sally said to Brad and his wife.

"Yes," Folse said. "Let us formally introduce ourselves."

"No need," Sally politely said. "We caught the names with Peter. And I think you already know Jamie. And these are my daughters, Ella and Emma."

As more hand-shaking took place, the twins wondered if their names would stir Eddie's memory. But again, if so, he did not show any recognition. He did look them over pretty good, but said nothing other than a greeting.

* * *

Lauren had been anxious to meet Jamie's stepmother and stepsisters. They'd been living next door to one another for over two weeks and hadn't met. Jamie didn't talk about them much so she hadn't been certain what the exact nature of his relationship with them was. Since it might have been tenuous, she hadn't pressed to meet them. Now, Sally seemed nice, but Lauren couldn't decide if her remark to Mr. Ford about hating Jamie to leave them was genuine or just for show.

And then there were the twins. They seemed quite apprehensive in meeting Eddie, which was curious; and then their greeting to Lauren was fairly cold. She wasn't sure why, but if they were basically bitches, which is how they came across, it could explain why Jamie hadn't wanted them to meet.

A while later, once most of the guests had arrived, Peter Ford made a public recognition of Sally, Jamie and the twins, and a presentation of Bradley Folse as the new head of legal. Following that, the real party began. The bar was opened, food was served and a band played.

The second song was slow and Jamie immediately went to Lauren to dance. He really wasn't much of a dancer, but he desperately wanted to hold her and that was the only way he could. It was also the first time they were really alone.

"God, you look incredible tonight," Jamie complimented once his arms were around her.

Lauren was beaming. "You're pretty handsome yourself."

"All for you."

"As am I for you."

"So, you met my family," Jamie noted. "What did you think?"

"Your stepmom seemed nice," Lauren observed. "You stepsisters were—"

Lauren's tone of voice said it all, Jamie thought. "Bitchy?"

"Well . . ."

"It's okay. They've been acting strange lately. Don't know what's up with them. I'm sorry."

"Not your fault."

But Jamie decided to finally talk to them later. "How long do you think we need to stay?" Jamie asked, anxious to be alone with her.

"I don't know. A while longer. What do you have planned?"

"Nothing. Just want to be alone with you."

"So do I," Lauren agreed. "Wish we had someplace we could, you know, go to—"

"Yes, I know. But I can tell you one place we won't go: your brother's room."

"Why did you have a bad experience there?" Lauren joked. "I only remember the good part."

"The good part was good, wasn't it?"

"Why do you think I wish we had someplace we could go?"

When the song ended, the couple next to them approached—as people had been doing all evening.

"Where are you looking to go?" Mark Rome asked, having overheard.

"Oh, nothing," Jamie responded. "Just talking."

Mark nodded and then introduced himself. "And this is my stepsister, Kendall."

She was nearly as hot as Lauren, Jamie noted.

And Mark was nearly as handsome as Jamie, Lauren thought.

"Our parents are George and Donna Rome," Kendall explained. "They said you wanted to talk to us about college."

"Oh, yes," Lauren said. "I'm thinking about attending your school."

"We love it," Mark told them. "It's a big campus in a small college town. Kendall and I share an apartment and we've made some great friends."

"And it's nice to kinda be on our own," Kendall added. "No explaining to parents, if you know what I mean." She winked at Lauren as though exchanging some hidden message. "And the fact that you have a connection to Mr. Ford doesn't hurt either."

"From what I've read, and now heard," Lauren said, "I think I'd really like to go there, but I'm not sure I want to without Jamie."

Kendall nodded her understanding. "That's why I'm going there. Didn't want to be without Mark."

Lauren's eyes widened. "Oh! You two are—"

"Yes, we are," Mark confirmed. "And I know what you meant before about wishing you had someplace to go. You wouldn't have that problem up north."

"What's your hesitance, Jamie?" Kendall asked.

He shrugged. "I'm kinda comfortable living at home. Plus, my stepsisters go to college here and I'm familiar with the campus."

Mark and Kendall both nodded.

"After a couple of weeks on your own, you won't even remember home," Kendall said.

"Particularly if you have someone to share it all with," Mark said, putting his arm around Kendall and pulling her to him.

And that actually made a lot of sense to Jamie.

* * *

"Fuck! It's not bad enough she's got her claws into him now," Emma said to her sister as the two stood off to the side watching their stepbrother and his girlfriend. "Next, she's going to convince him to go away to college."

"I think you're right," Ella agreed. "It's time to act."

As the band launched into another slow song, the ever impulsive Emma did just that. She headed straight for Jamie. "Please dance with me," she asked in her most humble voice.

Of course, Jamie didn't want to. He glanced helplessly at Lauren, who shrugged, and then nodded as if to tell him to do it. Reluctantly, he let his step sister lead him back onto the dance floor.

Emma pressed her body as closely as she could—which did not escape Lauren's attention—and gradually led him away from Lauren, Kendall and Mark. As they slowly twirled, Jamie noticed Sally and Peter Ford sitting close together at a table in a dark corner. He was leaning close to her talking, ostensibly to be heard over the music, but the back of his hand was rubbing her crossed thigh exposed by her short dress. Somehow, Jamie was not surprised.

". . . get you to go upstate to college?" Emma was asking.

"What?"

"Are they trying to convince you to—"

"They were just outlining the benefits."

"Mom was right, Jamie," Emma repeated in her most affectionate voice. "We don't want you to go."

"And why is that? And why were you and Ella so cold to Lauren?" Jamie tried to keep his voice level.

Without letting go, Emma stepped back a bit while still dancing so she could look Jamie in the eye. "We don't want you to go and because we don't want you to be hurt."

"Why would you think I would be?"

"Did Lauren say we were cold to her?"

"Yes."

"Well, Jamie, it's because . . . I don't know any other way to tell you this. Just remember, we just don't want you to be hurt. This is your first real girlfriend and, well, I . . . I—"

"Will you just tell me?" Jamie implored.

"Just know that this is only to help you—"

"I heard you the first three times. What?" He was becoming very impatient.

"It's about Lauren—"

"Yeah, I figured that. Now, what?" Jamie demanded.

Emma took a dramatic deep breath. "She's fucking another guy."

Now, it was Jamie's turn to take an exasperated deep breath. "Seriously, that's your play?"

"My play?"

"Emma, I'm not as naive as you might think. I tell you I don't want to have sex and you retaliate with that?"

Emma grumbled. "I'm not making this up, Jamie. Confront her."

"How did you find this out?" Of course, Jamie didn't want to believe her. But no girl had ever taken to him as Lauren had, and that in itself had always been curious to him. Had he been so blinded by her beauty and so taken by her that he didn't see her making a fool of him? No. He didn't want to believe that. And neither did he want to confront her without proof. "Well?"

"Her brother told Ella and me."

"How do you know her brother?"

"He tried to pick us up in a bar," Emma revealed.

"What were you doing in a bar?" Jamie asked, though he wasn't sure he really cared.

"Our regular sex partner cut us off," she said bitterly.

Jamie shook his head in disbelief at what she was saying. "Go on."

"He was drunk," Emma explained, and then from here, she stretched the truth. "We introduced ourselves as his neighbors, mentioned that you were dating his sister. He kinda went off on her. It sounded like he was jealous of her because she was able to get guys—guys, plural—and he couldn't get girls. She got the boy next door, he had to go to bars to get a girl. He said she was already getting all the sex she could want and wondered why she needed more. I think it was probably just his drunkenness that made him say such bad things about his sister, but he swore it was true. I'm sure he doesn't even remember. He didn't even recognize Ella and me tonight." Emma put her hand on his shoulder in a comforting gesture. "I'm sorry, Jamie. I really hated to have to—"

Jamie held up his hand to halt her. He shook his head in anger and disbelief, and then turned around looking for Lauren. Seeing her, he headed for her.

* * *

It took no special powers to see that Jamie was upset about something, Lauren noticed as he approached her. She stepped up to meet him and he took her by the arm and led her off to an out-of-the-way corner.

"Jamie, what's wrong?" Lauren asked with deep concern.

"Are you fucking—" he used the word vehemently and it was a word he seldom uttered "—someone else?"

"What? Who told you that?"

"Are you?"

"Jamie, what's going on?"

"It's a simple yes or no question, Lauren."

"It's not simple, Jamie. It's complicated."

"No. You either are or you aren't."

"Who told you that, Jamie?" Lauren was insistent.

Okay. Maybe she deserved to know who her accuser was. "Your brother told my sisters."

"What?"

"You heard me. And since you're not denying it, I have to believe it's true."

"Jamie, please let me explain," Lauren pleaded, on the verge of tears.

"What can you possibly say except that you told me earlier this week you wouldn't let me down. Well, you know what? You just did." He turned quickly and stormed off.

"Jamie, wait!" Lauren called, but not too loudly because she didn't want to cause a scene. She didn't run after him for the same reason.

* * *

Emma kept her eyes on Jamie when he dashed away toward Lauren. She quietly moved off of the dance floor. She didn't want to be too obvious.

"Evidently, you told him," Ella deduced, stepping next to her sister.

"I did."

A few minutes later, they observed their stepbrother head for the exit at a brisk pace.

"I guess she admitted it," Ella remarked in disbelief.

"You sound surprised."

"I didn't totally believe Eddie."

"Well, now you know," Emma said. "Come on." She headed off after Jamie.

Ella followed looking around for their mother. Sally was still at the same table with Peter Ford, and the two seemed pretty cozy. Ella detoured over to them. She whispered into her mom's ear. "Can you get home? We're leaving with Jamie."

"What's going on?" Sally asked with major concern.

"Apparently, Lauren is fucking some other guy."

"Should I come too?"

"We've got this." Ella grinned and nodded toward Ford. "You enjoy yourself."

Outside, Ella caught up with Emma and they rushed to Jamie's car. He was just sitting in it, but started the engine when he saw his stepsisters approach. The twins managed to open doors—Emma in front, Ella in back—before he could drive off, which he did once they were in.

"I don't know whether to be pissed at you or thankful," he said angrily.

"Didn't want you to get hurt," Emma repeated.

"Better you found out now, rather than later," Ella added.

Jamie let out a heavy sigh and then drove off.

* * *

It was now Lauren's turn for a confrontation. She walked around looking for her brother.

Eddie had been eying the twins all evening and wondered why he had never seen these beautiful neighbors around. They were very attractive and he considered trying to strike up a conversation with them, but he never really got up the nerve to do so. As part of watching the girls, he saw their stepbrother walk away from his sister seemingly in annoyance. He then observed the stepsisters quickly follow.

Curiously, he headed for Lauren, but noticed her approaching him. "What happened?" Eddie asked when she was close enough to hear.

"What did you tell them?" Lauren angrily asked.

"Tell who what?"

"Jamie's stepsisters. You told them I was having sex with someone?"

Eddie was dumbfounded. "I've never met them before tonight and I haven't talked to them."

"Then why would they say you did?" Lauren demanded.

"I don't know, but I damn sure want to find out. Let's go."

Eddie and Lauren told their parents they were leaving, which confused them since they thought Lauren and Jamie were going out later. The children promised a full explanation later.