With These Four Rings - Book Five: Wedding Bonus (Billionaire Brides of Granite Falls 5) (22 page)

Jason eased down on the edge of the sofa and placed his hands on his knees. “I don’t want you to get mad. You have to promise,” he said staring uncertainly at Bryce.

Oh boy
. Bryce tried hard not to let his alarm show. How bad could it be? Jason was a straight-A, sensible and responsible teenager who never got into trouble. He was a saint compared to Bryce when he was that age. “Okay. I promise not to get mad.”

“How old were you when you had your first kiss?”

Bryce narrowed his eyes. “Umm… Why do you ask?”

“Because I kissed a girl.”

“And who’s this girl you kissed?” Bryce asked cautiously.
Please don’t let it be Precious
. He didn’t want to have this conversation with Erik.

“Precious.”

Damn!
Bryce closed his eyes for a second as a vision of some future fourteen-year-old-boy kissing one of his twelve-year-old-daughters flashed across his mind. He didn’t like it. Not one bit. He inhaled a deep breath of composure. “So, when and where did this kiss take place?”

“Yesterday. In her kitchen. Aunt Michelle had invited me for a pizza dinner.” He shrugged. “And then after she and Catherine left—that’s when it happened.”

At least they weren’t secluded in her bedroom or in some closet groping each other. “Who initiated the kiss?”

“She did.”

“Oh sure, blame her.” Bryce threw his hands in the air.

“It’s true, Dad. She said she missed me when I was away at camp and it was a welcome home kiss.”

“Was it the first time?”

Jason nodded.

Bryce stared him full in the eyes, daring him to lie. “Was there tongue involved?”

“A little.”

“There was either tongue, or no tongue. There’s never a
little
tongue.”

Jason wiggled on the sofa and scratched his head. “Okay, yeah, there was tongue involved.”

Bryce swore inwardly as that vision of his own daughters with some horny teenage boy’s tongue jammed down one of their throats flashed across his mind again. He hadn’t even realized he was balling his fists until the pressure of his nails digging into his palms sent a pain signal to his brain. “And then what happened?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing? Then why are you confessing as if you were caught with your hand in the cookie jar? I don’t think I ever discussed my first kiss with either of my parents, and I’m sure the girl I kissed never told hers. Why are you telling me?”

Jason dropped his head and stared at the floor. “Aunt Michelle caught us. She made us promise that I would tell you, and Precious would tell Uncle Erik. She said we couldn’t talk to each other until we talked with our dads.”

“Ahh! You need a get-me-out-of-jail pass.” Bryce shot up from the sofa and strode to the sliding doors overlooking downtown Granite Falls.
Damn it
! With Sarah’s passing, Bryce was certain that a conversation with his daughter about her first kiss was not what Erik needed on his return home when he had a funeral to plan.

Jason followed behind him. “You promised you wouldn’t get mad, Dad.”

“I’m not mad. I’m…I’m concerned. You’re becoming a young man. It’s natural for you to want to kiss girls.” He was glad his son had told him, even if he was forced into it. “So, how was it?” he asked, to hopefully encourage him to seek his advice in the future.

Jason grinned. “It was cool. I wanted Precious to be the first girl I kissed.”

How many girls did he intend to kiss
? Bryce wondered. He placed his hands on Jason’s shoulders in the same way he’d placed them on Eli’s this morning when they were discussing penis sizes. What was this, talk-to-my-sons-about-sex day? Kaya was right. The questions never stopped. They just got different. Bryce had yet to decide which phase he liked less.

“Listen, Jason, I know your mother talked to you about sex before she died, but do you need a refresher course?”

“No. I’m cool. I know everything about sex.”

Bryce laughed. “Maybe you can teach me a thing or two. I’m thirty…something, been married twice, and fathered two children, and I still don’t know everything about sex.”

Jason stared up at him, his brows furrowed in confusion and disbelief. “You don’t?”

“Sex is complicated, and the older you get the more complicated it becomes, and the more you learn about it, the more you realize that you don’t know much about it.”

His frown deepened. “Why? Why is it so complicated? It’s just an act.”

“Ah, son, sex is much more than an act. It’s simple for those who just treat it as physical. But good sex, the best sex is spiritual, physiological, and emotional.”
And extremely religious
he thought as he had flashbacks of making love with Kaya to “Religious” last night. The woman had him flat on his back, thrashing about on the mattress, and talking in tongues. “And that’s just some of the factors that make sex complicated,” he told Jason.

“I don’t get it.”

“I didn’t at your age, either. Boys your age are hung up on the physical aspects of sex. Blame it on your raging hormones.”

“It’s not just about hormones with Precious. I like her a lot. Ever since we were kids.”

“You’re still kids. And you better remember that!” Bryce wagged a finger in his face. “You are always to treat her with respect. Treat all girls with respect, for that matter.”

“I know, Dad. My mom already talked to me about that.”

“Precious is Uncle Erik’s daughter, and if you disrespect her, he will come after you. I won’t blame him. That’s his little girl. No matter how old she gets, she will always be his baby. It’s the same way I feel about your sisters. What would you do if some guy hurts one of them?”

“I would punch his face in.” Jason slammed a fist into his palm. “I’d break his nose.”

“Remember that, because it’s exactly what Erik
will
do to you if you compromise his daughter’s character in any way. Don’t be in a hurry to get into sex with Precious, or any other girl. You’re both too young. You both know what sex is and where babies come from, so neither of you can say you didn’t know what you were doing. That’s not gonna fly. Not with me, and certainly not with Erik.”

“I get it.” He grinned like the silly, horny teenager he was. “Can I call Precious now since we’ve talked?”

“Absolutely not. Michelle’s order still stands. You are not to contact her until I know for sure that she’s spoken with her father, after which, Erik and I will talk, and depending on how he wants to handle it, we’ll sit down with you and Precious. We need to establish a set of guidelines for both of you to follow.”

“What kind of guidelines?”

“Like no fondling of her breasts,” Bryce said, deciding not to be delicate about it. “No touching or rubbing together of each other’s private parts, no kissing any parts of her body, except for her forehead and her cheeks. And definitely no tonguing. It’ll just lead to situations you won’t be able to control.”

Jason gave him a
then what’s the point
kind of look.

“Those are the same kinds of guidelines I’d set for any boy who becomes interested in your sisters when they get older. And if he broke them, I’d break his arms and legs.” Bryce knew damned well that he wouldn’t be setting parameters; he’d be enacting prohibitions. “If Erik decides that he doesn’t want his daughter dating until she’s older, you will stay away from her, or I will ship you off to an all-boys boarding school in Europe. And I swear the only females you’ll see for the next four years will be your grandmother, your mother, and your sisters. Got that?”

Jason stared at him, fear, stark and vivid glittering in his eyes. “Yes…yes, Dad,” he said in a tremulous voice. “I—I got it.”

Bryce pulled him into his arms, a smug smile spreading his lips. Their family vacation to the South Pacific next week couldn’t have been planned at a better time. It would give Jason and Precious breathing room that they clearly needed. He was also going to sit him down and give him some serious advice about protection. It was always better to be safe than sorry. “You know I only have your best interest at heart, right?” He stared at him. “I’m saving you from yourself.”

Jason laced his hands around Bryce’s waist. “I know. It’s what my real dad would have done. I love you. Thanks for being my dad.”

“I love you, too, son. Undeniably, so.”

* * *

LaCrosse Estate: Simultaneously…

Erik floated on cloud nine as he lounged on the balcony off his master bedroom suite and took in the sights of mini yachts sailing up and down Crystal Lake in the far distance.

He gave in to the contented smile of happiness bubbling inside him. He and Michelle had spent most of the morning in bed, just reconnecting—body, mind, and spirit. Then in the early afternoon, they’d taken a page from Adam and Tashi’s book of love and done some naked couples yoga, after which they’d enjoyed a couples’ massage, administered by two of the most highly skilled masseuses from the country club.

Michelle had pre-booked the sessions for tomorrow, the day he was set to come home, and so she had to pull some strings to get their schedules rearranged. Bless her dear heart. This was just the kind of welcome home Erik needed, even though it had been marred with news about Sarah’s passing,
and
Jabari’s, too.

After their massages, he and Michelle had spent some quality time with Fiona before Michelle headed into town to meet the other wives and Desire. He was glad Bryce had agreed to the change in wedding planners. The pressure was off, at least that pressure. Before she left Michelle had insisted that he speak with Precious before the day was out. He’d instructed the staff to send her to him when she returned from her volleyball practice.

A tender smile settled on Erik’s lips as his mind shifted to his oldest daughter. She was blossoming into such a beautiful, cultured, well-mannered young lady, and he couldn’t be more proud of her. Her mother would have been pleased at the way she carried herself. She would have been as proud of her as her grandmother had been.

Erik took a sip of his Scotch. Telling Precious about her grandmother wasn’t something he was looking forward to. The poor kid had only really known her for three years and she’d been looking forward to spending more time with her in the future, but as fate would have it, that hope was lost. Memories were all Precious now had from her mother’s side of her family. Erik hoped that his decision to put Sarah on the drug that ultimately shortened her life was worth it. He trusted that Precious would understand the concept of quality of life versus longevity.

Speak of the angel, Erik thought as he heard Precious calling out to him from the sitting room of his master suite.

“Out here, sweetheart.”

She sauntered out onto the balcony, still wearing her red and white volleyball uniform. Her long brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and her natural flawless skin glittered in the rays of afternoon sun streaming through the tree branches. He hadn’t yet given her the okay to wear makeup, and as far as he knew she wasn’t sneaking around behind his back and putting it on like girls her age sometimes did.

“Hi, Dad.” She came over and gave him a peck on the cheek, then stood back and stared down at him. “Grandma Hayes said you wanted to see me.”

“You could have showered and changed.” Erik frowned at the hint of apprehension in her voice and eyes.

“Do I smell?” She sat down on the edge of the lounge across from him and sniffed her armpits.

Erik chuckled as he sat up and placed his bare feet on the cool tiles. “No, Precious, you don’t smell. I just thought you’d want to be more comfortable as we talked.”

“Grandma said you wanted to see me right away, so…” She shrugged, pulled her gaze away from his, and focused on the hot tub a few yards away.

Erik watched as she slid her hands under her thighs, then pulled them out and crossed her arms over her stomach, before fidgeting on the seat. Alarm bells went off in his head as he experienced the same uneasiness he’d had that morning at the eye-exchange between Precious and Michelle at the breakfast table.

He’d called Precious to tell her about her grandmother’s death, but the way his daughter was behaving, and the fact that Michelle had insisted that they talk today, warned Erik that something else was going on. Precious’ restlessness couldn’t be about Sarah since she wasn’t yet privy to that information.

Oh boy
. Erik cleared his throat, drawing his daughter’s attention back to him. “Is there something you need to tell me, Precious?”

She turned her head and gazed at him with her big brown eyes. “I guess Mom told you.”

He was right
. It wasn’t about Sarah. “Told me what?” he asked quietly.

She slid her hands under her thighs again. “About me and Jason.”

“What about you and Jason?”

She caught her lower lip between her teeth and stared at him as if trying to figure out if he already knew whatever it was she thought he knew and was waiting for her to confess, or if she should just let the whole cat out of the bag since its head was already poking out.

“Mom hasn’t told me anything about you and Jason,” Erik said as a way to give her the choice to come clean.

“Oh, man.” She shook her fist in the air. “I thought that’s why you wanted to see me. She said I had to tell you myself, but I thought she’d let it slip.”