Love in the Balance Ch. 07

Hey guys, here's Chapter 07! I hope you enjoy it. Sorry this took so long, but I've been rethinking some things. I still have more written and am hoping Chapter 08 will quickly follow. I like the idea of The Gang of Eight all being main characters and I'm trying to put more plot in my stories. So, for this chapter, if you're hoping for nothing but 'insert tab A into slot B' you might not like this chapter!

Comments and feedback are always appreciated! I read every single one. Also, please let me know if you spot any mistakes. Errors bug me, and I make sure to upload revised editions whenever I find any. Please note that this story is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to any real person is purely coincidental. As always, this is a world without STI's, and everyone involved in sexual activity is at least eighteen years old.

-Witty

~Friday June 06, 2025~

"Steven, did you get the email from HR?" Megan asked, poking her head into his office just before lunch.

"About the bookkeeper job posting?" he replied, looking over at Megan.

"Yeah, that's the one," she nodded. "Thoughts?"

"Well, we can't hire all six thousand people who applied," Steven laughed.

"No shit," Megan rolled her eyes.

"Well, what do you want me to say about it?" he frowned. "Hiring bookkeepers has nothing to do with me. Or you, really."

"Making budget recommendations does," she argued. "A lot of the applicants aren't qualified, but there are some really great candidates. I'm thinking of hiring more than we originally planned."

"You've already hired quite a few people," he pointed out.

"Yes, and we found work for all of them," she countered. "Marketing and advertising is going great and we keep getting more and more clients. We need to hire. My question is, can we realistically afford to hire even more than we planned? If so, how many do you think?"

"I'll run some numbers and get you an answer," Steven promised.

"Thanks," Megan nodded and left.

Steven was pleasantly surprised that there was absolutely no awkwardness between him and Megan. He smiled when he remembered having breakfast on Sunday morning with her and her son, Carter. The little boy was not shy at all, quite curious to meet the new person.

Megan and Steven were friendly at work, but nothing sexual had happened since their one encounter. Steven did find himself looking at her longingly from time to time; her butt, her cleavage, even her daily braids were enticing. He hoped he wasn't crazy when he thought he caught her checking him out as well.

Their working relationship hadn't been impacted one bit. They had only needed two meetings during the week, but both were very productive. Megan was an amazing leader; she was great at delegating and easily able to help every employee succeed. She was still new to having full control and occasionally focused on small details that were beneath her, but she was learning.

Jane still hadn't had her second date with Logan Barrett. She was determined to make sure he understood that things were very casual between them. As a result, she didn't want to go out with him two weekends in a row. Jane would be spending the weekend with her younger sister and had decided to work from home on Friday.

Leslie was working from home more often in order to deal with symptoms from her pregnancy. She was a skinny girl, so even the few pounds she'd put on was a lot for her. Additionally, Leslie was still having morning sickness and no one wanted to run to the bathroom to throw up at the office.

Sienna and Theo were both nervous about their date and also decided to work remotely. Neither of them had ever expressed any romantic interest in each other, so the entire group was curious about how the date would go. Noah stayed home as well since he wouldn't have his partner-in-crime at the office. Camilla was a social girl, so she had come into the office.

"Do you know what Theo has planned for tonight?" Camilla asked Steven while they took their break together.

"No idea," Steven shook his head. "Noah gave him some pointers on not being an ass, but they didn't discuss the date itself."

"It's fucking weird that they're going out," she grunted as the two of them sat down in the break room.

"Why's that?" he questioned.

"Sienna's said before that Theo annoys the shit out of her," Camilla explained, "and other than inappropriate comments and leering, he's never really seemed interested."

"Theo had a wake up call recently," Steven reasoned. "Now that he's actually being himself, he and Sienna are becoming much better friends. All that's left is for them to figure out if there's any chemistry."

"Still fucking weird," she grunted.

"Why, because they're both part of the group?" he challenged with a raised brow.

"No, you and Jane already created that precedent," Camilla replied. "And fucked things up royally, I might add."

"Thanks," Steven rolled his eyes.

"It's weird because it's coming out of nowhere," she said. "I just can't see why Sienna all of a sudden might be interested in him. I get why Theo's interested; Seinna's fucking hot and she's been paying him more attention."

"So, your concern is that Theo isn't desirable?" he frowned. "Isn't that for Sienna to decide?"

"I guess," Camilla sighed. "At least he's smart enough to go to her place and pick her up. Even if they're just using the subway, he should be escorting her."

"He's older than her and has to meet her parents," Steven added. "I don't envy him there."

"Oh, please," the Latina waved off his concern. "Sienna's parents are cool. It's not like her dad is gonna show Theo his shotgun collection."

Steven just chuckled as he and Camilla took out their lunches. Camilla set her healthy meal up as well so she could to take a picture for social media. She then snapped an image of her face before posting both pictures. Steven watched her in bemusement as he took a bite of his sandwich.

"I thought you just dealt with women's beauty products?" he asked.

"Being an influencer is so much more than just the one thing you focus on," Camilla explained excitedly, clearly happy to talk about her new side hustle. "Yeah, I review nail polish and skin care products, but I also talk about my day and give them insights into my life."

"I can see why you would enjoy that," Steven commented.

"Because I'm an attention whore?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yup," he nodded.

"Was that a smart thing to say to a girl?" Camilla inquired.

"We're never gonna sleep together so it doesn't matter," Steven reasoned, popping a chip into his mouth.

"You don't know that!" she exclaimed.

"Do you want to sleep with me?" he asked plainly.

"Not after you called me an attention whore!" Camilla glared at him.

"I never used those words, I just agreed with you," Steven argued.

"Well, you shouldn't have agreed," she pouted cutely. "You just ruined your chances."

"Did you want to sleep with me before today?" he smirked.

"Not especially, but I hadn't ruled it out," Camilla shrugged. "You would have been my first choice in the group."

"Is that so?" Steven grinned happily.

"Yeah, but you just blew it. Sucks to be you," she playfully stuck out her tongue.

"Megan has Nolan Reed's contact information," he responded.

"Fine, I'll suck you off in the supply closet," Camilla sighed. "Just make sure to tell Nolan I'm hot and will do literally anything."

"If you'll do anything, why do I only get a blowjob?" Steven gave her a flat look.

"It's a down payment," she shrugged. "You'll get more after I get to curl up in Nolan Reed's chest hair."

"What if, for some strange reason, he wants a monogamous relationship with you?" he questioned.

"First off, of course he would want to be monogamous with me, I'm more woman than most men can handle," Camilla scrunched her nose. "Second, well, that's your loss."

"Somehow, I think I'll survive," Steven shook his head ruefully.

"Ass," she grunted. "I don't understand what Megan sees in you."

"We're not dating!" he argued.

"Right," Camilla snorted. "A single mother let you sleep in the same house with her and her son. She trusts you."

"Yeah, we're friends," Steven countered. "I never said she didn't trust me, I said we aren't dating. I did sleep in the guest room."

"Probably only because she didn't want her son to think she shared a bed with a guy," she reasoned. "Her kid's, what, seven?"

"Six," he corrected.

"I'm just saying, Megan's one hot bitch," Camilla winked. "And she's the daughter of the eighth richest person in the world. You should get yourself a piece of that while you still have a chance."

"I don't have a chance," he grunted.

"Yeah, you do," the Latina giggled.

Steven hadn't told anyone that he'd had sex with Megan Bauer. It wasn't any of their business. He admitted he spent the night, but was completely honest when he said he slept in the guest room. Thankfully, the teasing wasn't too bad. Camilla continued the teasing for the rest of break while replying to messages from her fans. Steven got revenge by suggesting Camilla would have a lot more fans if she posted nudes as well.

Noah and Theo were both in their living room, typing away on their work laptops. They each had multiple clients they had to enter transactions for, easily consuming the entire workday. Theo shut his laptop as soon as 5:00PM hit and then got to his feet.

"Someone anxious?" Noah suggested.

"Of course I'm anxious!" Theo snapped, pacing nervously.

"Just relax, man," Noah said quietly. "It's Sienna, you know her."

"Yeah, and the problem is that she knows me," Theo responded.

"She knows you and still agreed to go out with you for free, you're fine," Noah reasoned.

"What if she only agreed so she can say we tried it and there's nothing between us?" Theo suggested. "She might just be hoping this will end my crush."

"Huh, I hadn't thought of that," Noah mused.

"Fuuuuuck!" Theo whined, grabbing his head in both hands.

"Look, it might not work out," Noah sighed. "I can't promise anything good will happen. You can't force an attraction. Just remember, you and Sienna are better friends now that you're not trying so hard to be funny and crude. Be yourself and see what happens."

"Fuck, I'm so nervous!" Theo groaned.

"Don't think about it, you're as prepared as you can be," Noah instructed.

"Right, okay," Theo nodded, heading for the front door of their apartment.

"Theo!" Noah called out.

"Yeah?" Theo frowned, turning his head.

"Pants," Noah advised.

"Oh, right!" Theo gasped, looking down at the lounge pants he was wearing.

Theo Caldwell was twenty-six years old and stood a couple inches below six feet. That put him at ten inches taller than Sienna. The wise-cracking guy was carrying a few extra pounds and had a round face. His hair was brown and he had hazel eyes. He changed into khakis and a blue button-down, his fingers shaking as he fastened the buttons.

Grabbing everything he needed, Theo rushed out the door as Noah wished him luck. He rode the subway to the right stop and only got lost twice trying to find the right building. Taking a few deep breaths he found the correct number and rang the buzzer by the entrance.

"Can I help you?" a male voice came through the speaker.

"I'm Theo, Theodore," Theo mumbled. "Caldwell. Theodore Caldwell. You can call me Theo, ah, I'm here to pick up Sienna."

"Come on up, Theo," the male voice replied right before the sound of the door unlocking.

Theo walked into the building and took the elevator up to the right floor. He nervously knocked on the door and only had to wait a few seconds for it to open. Sienna's father was a short man, slightly shorter than Steven. He had a friendly smile as he held the door open and gestured for Theo to come in.

"I-I brought these," Theo stammered, holding out the flowers he brought.

"For me? You shouldn't have!" Sienna's Dad exclaimed, laughing at Theo's horror. "No need to be nervous, I'm nice. Please, come in."

Theo was shown into the living room where he met Sienna's mother. She was short, too, so Sienna barely being five feet tall suddenly made a lot of sense. Both of Sienna's parents yelled for the redhead to come out of her room because her date had arrived.

Sienna appeared and Theo audibly gasped. Sure, she was only wearing jean shorts and a red v-neck top, but she looked flawless to Theo. Her auburn hair was unbounded, flowing freely down her back. Her bright green eyes lit up when she saw him, a smile crossing her face.

"Hi, Theo," Sienna said.

"H-hi," he mumbled, holding out the yellow flowers. "I brought you these."

"Daffodils?" Sienna asked, approaching him to take the bouquet.

"Daffodils are the flower of Wales," Theo explained. "You said you were proud of being Welsh."

"That's so thoughtful!" Sienna's Mom announced, rushing up to her daughter. "Let's go put these in water."

Sienna and her mother headed into the kitchen while Theo sat on the couch. Her father was in the armchair and started asking questions. Sienna's parents knew about The Gang of Eight, so her father was already aware of him. Of course, a friendship was not the same as a romantic date.

It was a bit of an interrogation, but her father was really nice about it. He asked Theo about the friend group, about Theo's education and his job at Sphinx. The two guys could hear the women giggling from the kitchen, and Sienna's father told him that was definitely a good sign.

Saying goodbye to her parents, Sienna left with Theo after placing the daffodils in her bedroom. The two of them took the subway to the restaurant Theo had picked out. He was both nervous and excited, sitting at the table and browsing the menu with Sienna across from him.

"Stop being nervous, it's just me," Sienna giggled. "Be yourself and you'll be fine."

"That hasn't worked out so well for me in the past," Theo sighed.

"Oh, stop," she admonished. "Constant inappropriate comments isn't you. You've been working on yourself and it shows!"

"Thank you," he smiled. "I guess I was just worried since you never seemed to like me."

"I didn't, I tolerated you," Sienna admitted. "Then things got better and I realized we're good friends. You asking me out was unexpected, but I'm happy to see if there's a connection between us. So, let's have a nice time and we'll find out!"

"I'll do my best," Theo nodded and then smirked. "The guys have already sent texts asking how its going."

"I probably have about fifty from the girls," the redhead replied. "Girls love the details a lot more than guys do."

"Fifty? We just sat down!" Theo laughed.

"Yeah, they need to cool it," Sienna agreed. "I can't judge though, you should have seen my reaction to Logan asking out Jane."

"Steven is handling that one surprisingly well," he commented.

"I know, but I worry things will get worse after Jane goes on another date with him," she said.

"I'm worried, too," Theo admitted. "Although, right now I'm just happy to be on a date with you."

"Sneaking in a compliment, smart," Sienna nodded.

The waiter soon arrived to take their order and then the two of them resumed their discussion. They talked about various topics and Theo was hopeful when he realized Sienna was laughing a lot, seeming to enjoy his company. The conversation even continued while they ate, the two of them taking so long to get to their food that it had started to get cold.

"I thought maybe we could catch a movie now?" Theo offered after paying for the meal.

"We can if you want, but that's a little impersonal," Sienna replied, a small blush on her face. "I'm having a nice time and I'd like to keep talking."

"Walk around Central Park?" he suggested.

"Oh, that sounds perfect!" she grinned.

Central Park wasn't far from the restaurant and they were soon walking through one of the most famous parks in the country. Theo and Sienna continued talking, telling each other about their childhoods. Glancing over at her, Theo loved the way the wind tousled Sienna's hair.

Feeling bold, Theo decided to take a chance. Reaching out, he grasped Sienna's hand hoping she wouldn't pull away. His face lit up when she laced their fingers and kept walking. Birds were flying overhead, the sun was out, and it was a wonderful evening.

It was going to start getting dark soon, so the crowds were dying down. Sienna and Theo found a bench to sit down on that was semi-private. Theo was thrilled when Sienna sat so close to him that their hips were touching. He was so used to things going wrong, to being called a loser, that what was happening felt like something from a different person's life.

"Thank you for coming tonight," Theo suddenly said. "You didn't have to."

"Thank you for asking me, this is really fun," Sienna blushed slightly.

"Why does it seem like you're the nervous one right now?" he smirked.

"Maybe because I am," she laughed lightly, taking his hand again..

"Why are you nervous?" Theo frowned, gripping her hand. "I'm the one with the history of bad dates."

"I really don't have much of a dating history, Theo," Sienna explained. "Only a couple of guys have met my parents. And now, well, maybe I'm feeling the spark. And maybe it's making me a little nervous. And tingly. And excited."

"Tingly?" he asked in surprise.

"Don't even think about making it dirty," she teased, playfully swatting his shoulder.

"I won't, I won't!" Theo gasped. "I just didn't think you could actually like me."

"We need to work on that confidence," Sienna told him. "Pro tip, girls love confidence."

"Not sure how to do that," he laughed.

"Maybe this will help," the redhead whispered.

Theo looked at her in confusion, his eyes widening as she reached out and cupped his cheek. Leaning up, Sienna pressed her lips against his. It wasn't their first kiss. That had been at New Year's at the insistence of the rest of the group. A few awkward pecks to honor the tradition.

This kiss was very, very different. Sienna lightly caressed his cheek as she softly kissed him. She released his hand and ran her fingers along his chest as he reached out and gripped her bare thigh. It only took a couple minutes for Sienna's tongue to get involved, pushing into his mouth to run along his tongue.

"Wow," Theo mumbled when Sienna broke the kiss and smiled softly.

"How was that?" she asked.

"Wow," he repeated. "Just, wow."

"Good," Sienna giggled.

"I, ah, I hope you enjoyed it, too," Theo asked nervously.

"I did," she nodded, tilting her head to give him a considering look. "You're a surprisingly good kisser. Are you secretly a player?"

"No, that's Noah and it's not a secret," he laughed, taking the initiative by leaning forward and pecking her lips.

"Mm, there was a bit of confidence," Sienna said in response to the kiss. "I like it!"

"You'll love this," Theo declared, grabbing the back of Sienna's head and kissing her passionately.

Sienna gasped against Theo's lips before giggling and happily accepting the kiss. She scooted closer to him as they made out, her breasts pressing against his chest. A small moan escaped her lips as her passion grew. It was obvious they were both into it and it was several minutes before they reluctantly separated.

"I don't have sex on the first date," she blushed, looking into his eyes as she bit her lip.

"I wasn't expecting sex!" Theo quickly insisted. "I wasn't expecting to get to kiss you. I WAS expecting to say something stupid and ruin this. Or you'd say there's no spark and we should just be friends."

"You've managed so far," she laughed. "You haven't even been looking at my cleavage. I just didn't want to get your hopes up for some action."

"I'm not hard!" he exclaimed stupidly. "I mean, um, ah..."

"Yeah, you kind of are," Sienna teased, looking down at his crotch.

"So close on not saying something stupid," Theo sighed.

"You didn't blow it," she told him, pecking his lips. Then she pointed toward his crotch. "But, I'm not blowing that tonight."

"I'd like it to be known that you're making the inappropriate jokes this time," Theo stated clearly.

"They're not always wrong, you just need to learn that there's a time and a place," Sienna explained.

"I have a lot of trouble with that," he admitted, suddenly looking extremely nervous.

"I know, but you'll get there," she said.

"It's just that worrying about every word is exhausting," Theo sighed. "I just keep waiting for the one that will make you think I'm a freak. Just like what always happens."

"Theo, you need to stop with the self-depreciating comments," she told him. "Girls don't like it, it just sounds pathetic. And before you get upset, no, you're not pathetic. Not at all. I'm just saying that a girl wants to enjoy her time with you. Be friendly and be yourself. Don't talk about how much you suck. Otherwise the ladies won't be sucking anything of yours."

"That was clever," Theo chuckled before his face fell again. He was rocking slightly like he sometimes did when he was nervous.

"I'm just trying to point out that a girl wants to feel special," Sienna explained, leaning forward to peck his lips. "I want to feel like you'd pick me over anyone else in the world. When you talk about how much trouble you have with girls, it makes me feel like you'd take anyone. That makes me feel less special, make sense?"

"You are special," he looked at her in wonder. "And there's no one else I'd rather be here with."

"See? You're learning!" she grinned happily.

"C-can I tell you something?" Theo swallowed weakly.

"Of course," she nodded.

"This isn't easy to say..." he trailed off.

"Just say it," Sienna suggested. "I understand it can be tough to find the right words. You can start by telling me how smart I am, how beautiful. Words like 'goddess' or 'angel' wouldn't hurt."

"You are all those things, but this isn't about you," Theo smiled softly.

"I know, I'm just being a brat," she winked. "I'm a redhead, it's my job."

"I thought you were the Red Dragon?" he teased.

"Watch it, buddy. We aren't that close yet," Sienna stuck out her tongue. "Now stop putting it off; tell me!"

"I'm autistic," Theo announced, looking away to avoid seeing her reaction.

"You are?" Sienna asked in surprise. "Wait. That really came out of nowhere."

"Sorry, I didn't know how else to tell you," he shrugged.

"How do none of us know that? Or does everyone but me know?" she questioned.

"You're the only one who knows," Theo answered. "Not even Noah knows. I truly believe it's not a disorder and is just a subset of the human experience. Still, people judge. I was diagnosed in elementary school. I just kept it to myself. It was really tough to hide it from him in college, fortunately he doesn't know how to recognize the symptoms."

"It kind of explains why you have trouble socially," she responded, reaching out to take his hand.

"Yeah, ah, school was a lot harder than I implied when I told you about my childhood," he winced. "It's a lot, but maybe something to cover another time."

"I'll be happy to listen," Sienna promised, kissing his cheek.

"Thank you," Theo said sincerely. "Even if we end up just staying friends, I want you to know that I love having you in my life."

"Now, that right there was the perfect thing to say," she grinned, her green eyes sparkling.

"It had to happen eventually," he laughed.

"You shouldn't hide it from us." Sienna told him. "Other people have it, and everyone who does should know it's nothing to be ashamed of. None of us will judge you. The others will be really supportive. Or they'll have to deal with me."

"You short redheads really are terrifying," Theo teased.

"Yes, everyone should fear us," she nodded seriously.

"You're probably right, but I worry," he admitted. "I worry about them judging me or treating me differently."

"Well, the others won't find out from me," Sienna promised. "Not until you're ready."

"Thank you," Theo whispered, his anxiety returning. "C-can I see you again?"

"We work together and have the same friend group, you see me all the time," she winked.

"You know what I meant," he laughed.

"Of course I did," Sienna grinned. "And yeah, I think we should do something like this again."

~Wednesday June 11, 2025~

"What are you still doing here?" Megan asked from the door to Steven's office, making him jump.

"My job?" he offered, looking up from his desk with a smirk. "You don't pay me to look good."

"Nah, I get that for free," she teased, her heels clacking on the floor as she made her way over to his desk. "I was trying to point out that it's almost 8:00PM and you're still working. Did you even eat dinner?"

"I had a late lunch," Steven shrugged as she leaned forward and placed her hand son his desk so she could look at him with those piercing blue-gray eyes. "Did you eat dinner?"

"No, but we're not talking about me," Megan giggled.

As per usual, Megan looked like she just walked off the cover of a business fashion magazine. Her heels put her at just over six feet tall, her figure was amazing, and her face was gorgeous. Those blue-gray eyes sparkled with intelligence while also possessing a cold ruthlessness that ensured no one would ever underestimate her.

Megan's outfit would be considered business casual; it was both professional and accentuated her beauty. She wore light gray pants that hugged her butt and made it clear most of her height was due to those endless legs. Her top was a purple long sleeve office blouse with a pleated tie neck. Megan had her raven locks in a pull-through braid that fell to her butt and looked extremely complicated. Compared to Megan, Steven felt like he was woefully under-dressed in tan slacks and a maroon button-down.

"Hey, you're here just as late as I am," he pointed out.

"I own the company," she reasoned.

"Your dad owns the company," Steven corrected with a mischievous grin. "You're just a nepo baby."

"Oh!" Megan gasped and giggled while playfully swatting his shoulder. "Someone's in a cheeky mood!"

"I am slaving away so you can buy another yacht," he smirked, his face heating up as he realized how close she was.

"I thought I wasn't an owner?" she teased, sticking out her tongue as she moved even more into his personal space. "Is that how it is, I put out and you lose all respect for me?"

Steven swallowed weakly as he looked at Megan, who had leaned further forward so her face was inches from his. It was the first time Megan directly referenced the fact that the two of them had sex and Steven was surprised. They had continued to flirt quite a bit, but she didn't say anything about their one time together. If she was willing to be flirty, he was happy to return the favor.

"Bold of you to assume I respected you in the first place," Steven replied smoothly. "Could you back up a few steps so I have enough blood in my brain to think?"

"Fresh!" Megan laughed, shocking him by darting forward and pecking his lips before turning and sitting on his desk. "Talk to me; why are you here so late?"

"I'm working!" he exclaimed in exasperation. "Why are you so convinced something's wrong?"

"Hm, interesting," she mused, smacking her lips. "I didn't ask you what's wrong."

"You implied it," Steven grunted, pointedly turning away from Megan to look at his monitor.

"That was pathetic," Megan snorted, gripping the edge of the desk while watching him type.

"I'm pathetic?" he challenged. "You could be sitting in your hot tub with a glass of wine or spending time with your son. Instead, Carter's stuck with the nanny while you're stuck with me."

"First off, Carter's with Nell," she made a cute face. "Second, I'm not stuck with you. You're my friend."

"Why is Nell watching Carter?" Steven wondered, glancing over at Megan. "And, thank you. You're a good friend."

"I told Nell I wanted to work late to finish a report for my father," Megan answered. "She offered. I think they're playing trains."

"Oh, that sounds fun," he replied.

"Did you like trains as a kid?" she inquired.

"Eh, not really," Steven shook his head. "I was really into dinosaurs."

"It's always one or the other with little boys, isn't it?" Megan teased.

"Or trucks, I think," he said as he thought back. "My sister made me play with dolls quite a bit."

"Carter loves trucks, but he doesn't have a sister to make him play with dolls," she responded.

"I liked spending time with Julianne, she really didn't make me," Steven smirked. "I shouldn't have said she did."

"I can't imagine what it was like when you lost her." Megan looked at him sadly.

"That was a rough time," he winced. "I miss her every day."

"Sorry for pressuring you to talk, I shouldn't have done that," she sighed after glancing at the framed picture of Steven's sister.

"There's really nothing to talk about, I just got caught up in work," Steven smiled. "I did hope I'd end up marrying Jane and it sucks accepting that it's never gonna happen."

"Oh, so there is something to talk about, okay," Megan grinned victoriously. "What happened to you two dating other people until you were ready to date each other again?"

"Let's face it, that's just something people say to cushion the blow," he reasoned. "Maybe it'll happen, but I assume it won't."

"Probably a practical way to look at it," she agreed.

"I guess I'm just thinking about my future," Steven continued. "I'm almost thirty. I like my job and I'm not sure if I want to climb higher. I think I might."

"Shall I bend over so you can kiss my ass?" Megan offered with a laugh. "If you want a promotion, I'll expect some serious butt-kissing. Oh, and you remember how I like my morning coffee, right?"

"It's a great ass, but I'm not getting you coffee," he snorted, shaking his head. "The kissing, maybe. But, yeah, the future. I want to get married and have kids. Maybe have a nice house with a yard instead of just a condo. I can't really plan for meeting someone and I'm not one for dating apps."

"So, you're here losing yourself in your job?" she asked.

"Pretty much," Steven acknowledged. "I'm a financial analyst, so I've been analyzing our finances."

"Right, that's what you do here," Megan said in mock surprise, snapping her fingers before pointing toward him. "And here I was thinking your job was to be the short guy who moped around."

"I don't mope!" he gasped, looking at her with an offended expression.

"Don't dish it out if you can't take it, buddy," she stuck out her tongue again.

"In that case, shall I bring up the guy you spent one weekend with who you are still hung up on?" Steven asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You think I'm hung up on Steven Thomson?" Megan questioned, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I do, yes," he nodded.

"I may not date, but I am not hung up on a guy from years ago," Megan insisted.

"Didn't you party all the way through Europe to get over him?" he countered.

"Maybe, but that was years ago," she argued. "And I stopped the wild sex after I came back to the states."

"I seem to remember you and I doing something pretty wild," Steven smirked.

"Please, you didn't even get my shirt off," Megan teased.

"The greatest regret of my life," he sighed dramatically.

"Understandable," she nodded approvingly. "I've got great tits."

"Yeah, I know," Steven agreed before his eyes widened and he looked at Megan in embarrassment.

"Relax, I already know you watched it," Megan smirked before biting her lower lip as a small pink blush colored her cheeks. "Steven, ah, did you, you know, play with yourself when you watched it?"

"I-I may have," he reluctantly admitted.

"What part made you cum?" she inquired, her lips slightly parted as she looked at him lustfully.

"When, ah, well, when he was, you know, behind you," Steven said, looking up at Megan while she sat on his desk.

"Tell me," Megan instructed in a throaty voice, her eyes heavy. "Tell me how you liked watching me get fucked from behind."

"I loved your body," he whispered, his pants feeling tight as he remembered how amazing Megan looked naked. "The way you jerked forward on each thrust, the look on your face."

"Keep going," she said, rubbing her thighs together.

"You have the sexiest moans," Steven told her, his confidence growing. "I loved watching your big tits bounce around. The sight made me cum. I really do wish I had gotten to see them in person."

"Do you know my biggest regret from that night?" Megan asked.

"No, what?" he wondered, his eyes devouring her body. Sure, she was completely covered, but he could still admire her long legs and the swell of her large breasts.

"I regret that I never got to suck that big, beautiful cock," she looked at him with arousal. "It felt so good inside me, but I never really got a look at it."

"I bet your mouth feels amazing," Steven whispered.

"You do seem stressed, and an orgasm is amazing for stress," Megan mused.

Before Steven could respond, Megan hopped off the desk and rushed over to the office door. Steven pulled his chair back and turned it so he could watch the gorgeous businesswoman. Shutting the door, she made her way back to the desk, nearly stumbling in her heels.

"Megan- hrmph!" he grunted when Megan leaned over his chair, grabbed his face in both hands, and kissed him.

The gorgeous heiress was wasting no time, her tongue probing his mouth almost immediately. Steven was as aroused as Megan and his hands immediately found her breasts, massaging the large mounds from outside her purple top. Megan moaned into his mouth, her fingers clenching his face as she felt the soft hair of his beard against her skin.

Breaking the kiss, Megan trailed her lips along his cheek before her hot breath reached his ear. She playfully nibbled on his ear before kissing to his neck. Pulling back, she gave him a seductive smile as she sank to her knees while running her hands down his chest.

Neither of them spoke as Megan worked to unbutton Steven's pants, her eyes never leaving his. He lifted his ass so she could yank his slacks and boxer briefs down to his knees. Finally looking down, Megan moaned in longing as she reached out and wrapped her fingers around his thickness.

"Fuck, this is a great cock," Megan breathed, admiring his cock while giving him a handjob.

"All yours, babe," Steven smirked as he enjoyed the sight of the raven-haired beauty on her knees.

"Mm, lucky Megan," she purred, her left hand reaching up to massage his balls while her right continued to stroke him. The sexy woman looked up at Steven with those blue-gray eyes. "Can I please suck it, sir?"

"You may," he nodded, his hands resting on the armrests of his desk chair.

Megan Bauer gave him a winning smile before she got to work. Rather than immediately taking him in her mouth, Megan first planted an affectionate kiss on his tip. She then pressed her face to his dick before taking one long lick from base to mushroom head. Gripping his base, she breathed on his cock before finally surrounding his tip with her warm, wet mouth.

"Mm," Megan hummed happily when she felt his manhood between her lips.

"Holy shit!" Steven gasped at the same time.

Giggling around his cock, Megan slid down his length so she could take several inches into her mouth. Her tongue lashed the underside of his cock as she closed her eyes to enjoy the feeling of a hard dick in her mouth. It had been so long since she had given head and Megan intended to enjoy this as much as Steven. Well, almost as much as Steven.

With her left hand still cradling his balls, Megan began the familiar bobbing motions of a blowjob. Her cheeks caved in as she sucked his cock, drool running from her lips and down his length. Light sucking and slurping sounds filled the air, mixed with Steven's groans of pleasure.

"Glug! Glug! Glug! Glug!" Megan gurgled, her mead moving up and down in his lap. She kept taking him deeper, relishing the feel and taste of his throbbing manhood. "Gak! Glug! Glug! Hurk! Gak!"

"That feels so good," he hissed when Megan completed the deepthroat, her lips stretched around his base.

Megan moaned passionately, causing vibrations in her throat that massaged Steven's length. His hands went to the top of her head, his fingers clenching as he enjoyed the amazing sensations. By breathing through her nose, Megan was able to hold the deepthroat for almost a minute before she was finally forced to pull off him.

"Sorry, I need to catch my breath," she gasped while jacking him off.

"No need to apologize," he laughed, reaching down to caress her face.

"It's been a long time since I've done that," Megan coughed lightly.

"You're amazing," Steven commented.

Blowing him a quick kiss, Megan smirked and lowered her head so she could playfully lick his tip. She then lifted his cock and swooped her head in so she could take first one ball, then the other, into her mouth. Her hand rapidly stroked him while her dancing tongue stimulated his balls.

After sucking on Steven's nuts for a minute, Megan took him back in her mouth and gave him a couple quick sucks. Holding his base in her hand, she kept just the tip between her lips as her tongue rapidly circled his mushroom head. Then she pulled off him, opened her mouth, and stuck out her tongue.

"AH!" Megan moaned as she slapped his tip on her outstretched tongue.

"That might just be the sexiest thing I've ever seen," he smirked, reaching out to squeeze a boob from outside Megan's adorable purple top.

Grinning proudly, Megan opened wide and inhaled half his length in one big gulp. Resting her hands on his thighs, she resumed bobbing her head. Megan's long braid was hanging down her back and Steven loved watching her head moving up and down in his lap.

Megan gave head on her knees for a couple more minutes before her lust finally overwhelmed her. Steven smirked as he watched Megan struggle to unbutton her pants while blowing him. It took some maneuvering, but she was eventually able to push her gray business pants down to her knees along with her panties.

"Mm, mm, mm," she hummed, sucking him hard while reaching between her legs to play with her pussy.

"This is even better than I imagined," Steven whispered.

Steven wrapped Megan's long braid around his hand so he could guide her movements, encouraging her to bob her head faster. Her moans grew faster and more desperate as she jilled off while going down on him. She was so wet it only took a few minutes before she shuddered and gasped around Steven's thick shaft.

"Glug! Glug! Ungh! Hrmph! Gak!" Megan groaned as she took his entire length, holding him in her throat while she came on her fingers.

Having an orgasm really drove Megan wild and she shoved two fingers up her twat while thickly begging Steven to fuck her face. Holding her head in both hands, Steven began rapidly pulling her along his cock while bucking his hips. Megan came a second time on her fingers while Steven was using her mouth as if it were a pussy.

"I'm getting close," he warned, moving Megan's head much slower so he could enjoy the sensations. "Oh God, your mouth feels so good."

"Mm, I want you to cum," Megan purred, pulling off Steven so she could jack him off while looking up at him. "I want to taste it, I wanna feel it in my mouth. Oh, I wanna swallow your cum!"

"Megan!" Steven gasped, his breathing heavily.

"You're gonna fuck my face," Megan declared, popping his head in her mouth and giving it a couple sucks. "And you're gonna cum in my mouth," she continued before taking half his length down her throat and humming softly. "Then I'll show you your cum," she explained, darting in and bobbing her head on him. "And I'll swallow it all. Sound good?"

"Y-yes," he nodded rapidly.

"Great!" Megan grinned. "Now, hurry up and start fucking my slutty face. I want cum!"

Steven needed no more encouragement than that, and he happily grabbed Megan's head and shoved his cock in her mouth. Megan placed her hands behind her back and let him use her mouth, making the sexiest gagging and gurgling sounds as he fucked her face. He was completely overwhelmed by the erotic scene; the confident heiress on her knees, her long braid down her back, and the way she happily choked on his dick.

"Oh fuck, I'm gonna, ah! Oh, God! FUCK!" Steven groaned, his leg shaking as his fingers clenched at Megan's head.

"Hurk!" Megan coughed, a wet gurgling noise escaping her lips as her cheeks filled with semen. "Gak! Gak!"

The pleasure was indescribable, Steven felt like he was going to black out as cum exploded from his tip. Megan just kept sucking, even after Steven gave one final shudder and the last few drops trickled out. He released Megan's head as he leaned back against his desk chair and gasped for breath.

"Wow. Oh, wow," Steven moaned weakly as the sexy businesswoman bobbed her head on him a few final times while her tongue swirled his semen around her mouth.

"Ah!" Megan cooed after slipping her mouth off him.

Steven weakly lifted his head so he could look down at Megan. She was on her knees with her pants and panties pulled down. Her large breasts were still covered by her purple shirt, and the pleated tie was surprisingly sexy. Megan's long braid ran down her back and her blue-gray eyes sparkled as she kept her mouth open, showing Steven the cum on her tongue. She gave him a cute wink before closing her mouth and deliberately swallowing. Finally, she showed him her empty mouth.

"All gone!" she giggled cutely.

"Wow," he repeated, unable to think of anything more profound to say.

"I'll take that as a compliment," Megan smirked before leaning forward and kissing his tip.

"You should," Steven panted. "You definitely should."

He looked like he was in shock, which wasn't far from the truth. Megan Bauer had just given him a blowjob and swallowed his cum. The heiress, the confident businesswoman, the intimidating goddess who was next in line to inherit Bauer International Holdings. She had just been on her knees sucking his dick.

Panting heavily, Steven didn't move as Megan got to her feet. His eyes glanced down to admire her clean-shaven pubic mound. He even saw a flash of her pink pussy when Megan pulled up her pants and underwear. She took a minute to fix her clothes and make sure she was presentable.

"You might wanna put that thing away," Megan laughed while eyeing his limp penis. "You know, in case someone comes in and sees you with your dick out."

"Uh, I think we're the only ones still here," Steven stammered as he pulled up his pants. "I hope."

"Yeah, you're right. We're the only idiots still working at 8:00PM," Megan mused. "We both skipped dinner; how about we grab something to eat? My treat?"

"Shouldn't I be buying you dinner after what we just did?" he teased.

"No, you should be declaring your undying love after what we just did," she rolled her eyes. "Now, c'mon, I'm hungry. Your cum was a nice appetizer, but I need something more substantial."

"What were you thinking for food?" he wondered.

"Hm," Megan mused, grabbing Steven's bottle of water and downing several big gulps. "You're stressed, I'm stressed, there's really only one solution; I think it's a fast food kind of evening."

"Burger and fries?" he smirked.

"Maybe, maybe," she giggled. "I also kind of want chicken nuggets. Oh, and cheese fries!"

"Fine, let's get you your disgusting, greasy food," Steven smiled.

Megan went back to her office so they could both shut down their computers for the day. Steven was ready first and headed into Megan's office where he found her having a video chat with her son. Nell and Carter waved to Steven before Megan wished her son goodnight and blew him a kiss.

Less than an hour later, the two friends were sitting in Megan's red sports car with a couple of fast food bags and two sodas. The expensive car was parked at the cheap restaurant, turning quite a few heads. Megan eagerly went through the first bag and extracted her bacon cheeseburger.

"Mm, I love greasy food after a good orgasm," Megan said through a mouthful of burger.

"Don't talk with your mouth full," Steven admonished as he took out his food.

"Fuck you," she thickly replied before swallowing a bite. She then took a sip of her soda to wash it down. "Just for that, I'm not gonna make a dirty comment about my mouth being stuffed."

"Oh darn," he sighed theatrically, "whatever will I do?"

"Never get your dick sucked again, that's for damn sure," Megan grumbled, reaching for some fries.

Steven and Megan continued chatting as they ate their cheap meal. They discussed work, Steven's friends, and Megan's son. There was quite a bit of flirting as they finished their burgers and moved on to the spicy chicken nuggets. Megan even fed Steven one while giggling. He returned the favor by putting a few cheese fries on a fork and offering it to her.

"You know what I just realized?" Steven asked.

"It's gonna take a lot of steps to work off these calories?" she suggested before taking a bite of a spicy nugget.

"Shit, I hadn't thought of that," he sighed. "We don't all have our own private gym."

"Does your building have a gym?" Megan questioned.

"No," Steven grumbled. "I have to walk down the street if I wanna work out."

"Poor baby," she gave him a cute pout. "Tell you what, you can work out at my place if you'll give me a relaxing foot rub after."

"I don't wanna touch your stinky feet!" he exclaimed, looking at Megan in horror. "I'm just glad you don't want fast food very often."

"My feet don't smell!" Megan gasped, playfully throwing a fry at him. "And now you owe me a full cleaning."

"You threw the fry!" Steven argued, tossing it back in the bag. "I'm not paying to have this overpriced piece of crap cleaned."

"Piece of crap? This car is fucking sexy!" she insisted.

"Does that mean you'll bend over the hood for me?" he waggled his eyebrows.

"Steven!" Megan gasped, looking at him with wide eyes.

"Yes?" Steven asked innocently.

"You're getting ballsy," she observed.

"Well, don't expect it to last," he laughed. "Tomorrow will be back to normal."

"In that case, I shall take full advantage of tonight!" Megan announced. "But, we got way off topic. Tell me what you realized, big guy!"

"You said your biggest regret from our night together was not giving me head," Steven smirked. "We did that. I never got to resolve my one regret; I still haven't seen them."

"Oh, you are very bold, sir. Very bold, indeed," she giggled. "Well, I'm not just gonna whip 'em out for ya right here."

"I did get you dinner," he pointed out.

"I drove and paid; I got you dinner!" Megan countered. "By your reasoning, you should pull your cock out and swing it around for me."

"I promise, no one wants to see that," Steven laughed.

"You may be underestimating just how dirty of a girl I am," she winked, popping a fry in her mouth.

Half of the fry was sticking out of Megan's mouth and she gave him a suggestive look. Taking the hint, Steven leaned in and ate the other half of the fry while pressing his lips against hers. The two of them started laughing as they kissed, Steven's hand reaching up to cup her face.

They kissed for a few minutes before finishing up their meal while talking. Steven was really amazed by how great a friend Megan was. It was obvious that there was an attraction, but he understood her just wanting to be friends. Friends with the occasional benefits. He wasn't rich, he didn't run in the same circles. And he never would.

"I really wasn't expecting anything to happen again, you know," he admitted, returning to the car after throwing out the empty bags and sodas.

"Wha- oh!" she nodded. "Right, sexy fun times."

"It was fun," Steven agreed. "But, ah, I know we're still just friends and I'm not going to make things weird between us."

"I do like you, you know?" Megan bit her lower lip nervously. "I just, well, I'm not very good at dating. And I know you are still a little hung up on Jane and I don't wanna be the rebound. Sorry for rambling, but you can be quite judgmental about rich people and I know it's justified. It's just, me not pushing for more has nothing to do with status or any stupid shit like that."

"That's nice to hear, thank you," he nodded, not sure he completely believed her. "You have been a great friend and I appreciate it."

"Thank you for being comfortable enough to talk to me about, well, everything," she smiled.

"You're a surprisingly good listener," Steven told her.

"The word 'surprisingly' was unnecessary," Megan glared at him.

"No, it wasn't," he teased. "You're rich, you're supposed to be self-centered. It's weird that you're not. Nell is nice, too."

"Nell actually told me she's jealous," she smirked. "Jealous that I have a male friend who actually listens, who doesn't see me as a hot body to stick his dick in."

"I guess Nell doesn't realize how much hell I give you over your social status," Steven chuckled.

"You call me rich and privileged, I make fun of how short you are; it just works," Megan stuck out her tongue.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm short. Whatever," he grumbled.

"You know, you are the first guy I've really been friends with," she said, turning surprisingly serious. "Every other guy either wanted my money, or wanted to progress in his career, or just wanted a trophy fuck."

"I'm sorry," Steven replied sincerely. "I'm sorry I judged you just for being wealthy. I stand by my views on wealth hoarding, but I acknowledge you don't have a perfect life. Never knowing who your real friends are must be tough."

"Yeah, even other rich kids saw me as a prize," Megan sighed. "Lots of pranks, even in private school. I wasn't bullied or anything, I learned how to stand up for myself too fucking fast for that. Still, we found ways to be horrible to each other. When we got older and started dating? It was rough."

"I'm sorry," he looked at her with concern.

"It wasn't fun going to school on Monday to find out the debate team captain was bragging about fucking Megan Bauer up the ass." she bit her lower lip. "I thought he was nice enough, but I wasn't ready to do it with him. We were eighteen and seniors, I'd given him quite a few blowjobs. He convinced me anal didn't count. Then he bragged to all his buddies."

"Fucking asshole," he commented, taking her hand. "You deserve better."

"Sad thing is, I found better," she mumbled softly. "I knew he was special and I acted like an idiot. I'm glad he got my cherry, but I'm ashamed that I didn't stick around. Things might have been different."

"You had plans to go to Europe for the summer, you couldn't just cancel," Steven reasoned. "I mean, you could have stayed in touch, but he probably could have, too. And you have a pretty good excuse; you got pregnant with Carter in Europe."

"Steven, if I was pregnant with your baby would you want to know?" Megan suddenly asked.

"What?! Wait, you're not, are you...?" his mind started racing as he tried to remember how long ago they had slept together. Steven only relaxed when she started giggling.

"Wow, I suck at providing context, don't I?" she laughed as his face changed colors. "No, we're good. I'm on the pill. No worries, lover boy."

"You were talking about Carter's father," Steven said stupidly.

"There ya go!" Megan grinned, squeezing his hand. "Breathe. You didn't knock me up. It's all good."

"Andre Durand doesn't know he has a son," he stated, changing the subject slightly. He didn't want Megan to realize part of him was ecstatic at the thought he might become a father.

"And what makes you think Andre is Carter's father?" she questioned with a raised brow.

"Educated guess," Steven shrugged.

"Do tell," Megan prodded gently.

"Well, you said you got pregnant in Europe, so it's not Steven Thomson," he began carefully, finding the courage to continue when he saw Megan was watching him and smiling. "There was the cricket player in London and Andre in France. I don't know how many others, so I guessed Andre because I think you spent the most time with him."

"Why Steven, are you trying to figure out my body count?" she waggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"No!" Steven quickly exclaimed. "You asked why I thought Andre was the father, I was just answering the question!"

"Breathe, relax. Deep breaths. I'm not upset," Megan laughed, surprising him by lifting their entwined hands so she could kiss the back of his hand. "You're so easy to wind up."

"Sorry for finding you intimidating," he rolled his eyes before pulling their hands toward him, allowing Steven to kiss the back of Megan's hand.

"You should, I'm scary," she nodded approvingly before her smile faded. "Carter's dad doesn't know he has a son. I know that was unfair of me, to both Carter and his father."

"Does Carter ask about his father?" Steven asked.

"He did a couple times a few years ago and I just told him that I loved him enough for two parents," Megan sighed. "He did just ask me again recently why he doesn't have a dad. And it got me feeling guilty. Plus, his father is such an amazing man who would do anything to be a part of his child's life. Keeping that from him is wrong of me."

"You lied to me when you said you got pregnant in Europe, didn't you?" he questioned, realization dawning on him.

"I did," she confirmed, shaking slightly as she squeezed his hand. "I lied to everyone; you, my dad, Nell. I fudged some dates, made it seem like Carter was early. He wasn't early. He was actually born on my due date."

"Steven Thomson's the father," he stated. It wasn't a question.

"Yes," Megan answered, her voice barely above a whisper as tears formed in her eyes.

"What happened?" Steven asked, knowing Megan needed to talk about it.

"I, I, I dumped the loser who bragged about how far he got with me," she let out a breath. "I was still mad at Nell for fucking my father a few months previously. I had just graduated high school and had my father's expectations to live up to."

"You were alone," he interpreted her meaning.

"I was," she nodded, tears running down her cheeks. "I was alone and I was known for being this hard-ass who kept everyone at arm's length. Dad took me to California and I ended up meeting Steven Thomson. I had done some research about him, but I didn't really care too much."

"Then what happened?" Steven questioned.

"I could see he was a lot like me in some ways," Megan explained. "To the world, someone strong and always in control. Someone powerful who couldn't be hurt. Yet, someone who was hurting a lot. I felt a connection with him. He had lost his wife and not moved on, I helped him do that. He helped me feel what a real connection was like."

"And he was your first," he said.

"Yeah," she responded. "I saw so much meaningless sex, so much of using women as playthings or just not caring. I wanted Steven Thomson to be the one I remembered for the rest of my life."

"Sounds like you got what you wanted there," Steven Martucci pointed out.

"I did," Megan smirked, releasing his hand to wipe away her tears. "He was gonna cum and he even mentioned a condom. I didn't want my first time ruined by anything between us or even by him pulling out and cumming on my stomach. I lied and told him I had it covered."

"So, he assumed you were on the pill," he finished for her. "Then you disappeared and he heard about your wild summer. It wasn't hard to make him believe you got lazy with your pills while going wild in Europe."

"Exactly," she responded, the tears still flowing. "My father doesn't know I fucked Steven Thomson. Only Nell knows I slept with him, but I lied to her about the date of conception."

"Thank you for being comfortable enough to tell me," Steven whispered, reaching out to lightly caress her cheek. "I know that wasn't easy for you."

"I had to tell someone. I had to. I've been holding it in for too long," she said, partly to herself. "I didn't want to tell Nell after all these years and I sure as shit wasn't confiding in my father."

"I know I've suggested this before, but you could reach out to Steven Thomson," he pointed out. "Not to tell him just yet, but just to reconnect. Maybe you could tell him in the future?"

"I'll think about it," Megan promised, turning her head to kiss his hand.

"The pregnancy must have been emotionally challenging," Steven commented.

"Oh, you have no idea," she snorted. "I almost called Steven Thomson about a million times. I remember one time Nell and I were in Finland and I made her go find me spicy chicken wings at three in the morning. She was not happy."

"Pregnancy cravings while traipsing through Europe? Sounds fun," he laughed.

"Yeah, but I didn't start showing until later. I was lucky online classes were a thing, that saved time," Megan explained. "I actually didn't lose much time at all from school."

"That's dedication," Steven smiled.

"Having a nanny helped," she replied.

"Having Steven would have probably helped more," he said delicately. "Not that I'm judging you, I just want to help."

"I understand, and you're right," Megan said. "Fuck, my dad couldn't even be bothered to leave a board meeting to come to the hospital. It was just Nell with me."

"I'm sorry," Steven winced.

"Dad was so happy to have a grandson, an heir," she continued. "But, he was not happy I wasn't married. Carter having our last name helped a bit. Dad was so pissed off at me over that summer. It was always hard to get respect, but that sex tape made it worse. Fuck, it just seemed like something rebellious at the time."

"Nothing disappears from the internet," he observed. "Still, you do a great job at getting respect. Everyone is in awe of you at Sphinx, and I saw that even those entitled assholes at the charity event were afraid of you."

"They'd better be," Megan declared before sighing again. "I'm so much more reserved now, but no one would know with how slutty I was on camera. I guess it's true that the dildo of consequences rarely arrives lubed."

"Very true," Steven agreed.

"Laying in that hospital bed, I was emotional and crying and I almost told Nell who the father was, but I didn't," she rambled, the tears flowing freely. "I was going to call Steven. I was! But everything was so scary. The contractions were getting worse and I was so terrified. Next thing I knew the doctor was telling me to push and I was screaming and grunting.

"Then Carter was on my chest and he was crying and I was sobbing. He was so gross and so beautiful. Time just kept passing and I couldn't do it. I couldn't tell Nell, I couldn't. I wanted to call him, I wanted him to be there and to meet his son. I just, I just... I don't know! I was afraid he'd just think I had been a trophy fuck, too."

"I don't know the guy, but I can promise he would not have thought that," he stated firmly, taking her face in both hands as he looked at her intently. "You're too smart to pick a guy like that."

"Eh, there were a couple of not so great choices in there," Megan winced.

"Well, I never said you were perfect," Steven chuckled. "But you were smart enough to be friends with me, so that's saying something."

"Oh, shut up," she rolled her eyes, smiling in spite of herself.

"Seriously, though, you're amazing," he whispered. "You're amazing, Megan. And you're just getting started."

"I love that little boy so fucking much and I love Steven, both for helping create Carter and for the man he is," Megan finally admitted she was still hung up on him. "I'm horrible and I know I'm a bitch for keeping the truth from them both, but after all this time? Fuck, it's just too much. I meant what I said to Carter. I love him so, so much; enough for two parents! Sure, I have a nanny but I always find time for him. Tonight was a rare exception."

"I know you're a great mother. I've seen how you look at him, and how he responds to you. I'm sure the other Steven would be amazed at how great a job you are doing," Steven told her. Then he smiled evilly. "He might ask for some child support, though."

"You're an asshole," Megan giggled. "And Steven Thomson's net worth is probably higher than mine."

"Seriously?" Steven questioned.

"My dad is the eighth richest person in the world, not me," she rolled her eyes. "I have my own assets, my own stocks. But, most of it is in my dad's name."

"I was just trying to be funny," he pointed out.

"Good job lightening the mood, jackass," Megan smirked, her blue-gray eyes looking at him affectionately as she stroked his cheek. She cringed at the time on her watch. "Sadly, I think we should probably head out. We both have to work tomorrow."

"Think you can give this peasant a ride home?" Steven asked.

"I suppose," she sighed theatrically. "Just don't forget to tip your driver."

"Oh, I'll give you more than the tip," he laughed as she playfully rolled her eyes.