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JEN

I’M NOT SUREI’ve ever been stunned into silence by mere words.Stepmother?What does one say that’s appropriate to that? ‘Congratulations, now you have your very own MILF?’ Or would that be SMILF? I tried to hold back the shudder at the idea.

“How the hell did that come about?” I must be twisted, but this was better than most soap operas and my curiosity was overwhelming.

Tyler poured himself more Scotch and held up the wine bottle in a silent question. I shook my head.

He finally settled on the couch. “Oh, it was quite eventful. My dad was completely enamored with her. I guess having a woman about half your age willing to have sex with you is a pretty powerful motivator to make it permanent. They announced it during dinner one evening. Actually, it was over dessert. I had only just taken a mouthful of the strawberry shortcake when she told me herself. The same dessert, I might add, that was topped with the whipped cream that only an hour earlier she had suggested she show me just how creative she could be with it.” He glanced at me. “I’m sure you get that none of her suggestions had anything to do with dessert.”

“Let me guess. You were to be the main course,” I snickered. “You are kind of yummy, you know.” Judging by his frown, he obviously thought I should be outraged. “Oh, I’m sorry, baby. She is a sick little slut puppy, but why didn’t you just tell your dad?”

“You haven’t met my dad,” he snorted. “It’s hard to tell him anything, especially if he doesn’t want to hear it. But I thought I owed it to him to try to talk him out of it. I told him I thought she was too young, that I’d seen her flirt and proposition other men. Then I tried to hit him where I thought it would hurt the worst, that she was only after his money. I even tried to tell him the truth that she’d tried to slip into my bed.”

“And he didn’t listen to you?”

Tyler made a strange noise, half snort, half choking sound. “Hardly. We were never very close, so he didn’t take anything I said seriously; more like he accused me of being jealous. He said I was too much like my mother and didn’t know how to make time for a relationship, that I was too caught up in doing what I wanted no matter who got hurt in the process. This,” he scoffed, “coming from the man who was married to his work. I decided then and there that my trips home would be much less frequent. Fortunately, they did a destination wedding, and I used my schedule as an excuse to not go. They didn’t ask but once anyway, and with no enthusiasm, so I don’t think my absence was missed.”

“And now?”

“Now I go to amandatoryfamily dinner once a month, unless I can get out of it. Stepmommy complained to daddy that I didn’t like her and was avoiding her, so this is his way of pacifying her. Trust me, it isn’t because he wants to spend time with me.

“So why don’t you just ignore the summons?”

“I don’t know,” he sighed. “I guess there’s still a part of me that wants to get along with my father. That and he paid the bill for my education, so he uses that as manipulation. I also want to keep an eye on the house and on Natalie; make sure she isn’t doing something to hurt my dad behind his back. But it’s a lot of work to avoid being alone with her.”

“Wow, Tyler. That’s pretty messed up. I’m surprised your dad paid for your schooling if things were that strained between you.”

“Bragging rights. It always sounds good to say, ‘my son is a doctor,’ in his circles. And he was not so secretly relieved when I didn’t become a musician.”

“So why is Natalie still calling you?”

“It’s the monthly dinner notification. She won’t quit until she gets me to answer. She’s not good at taking ‘no’ for an answer,” he answered dryly. “Lots of family drama, huh?” he said.

“What if I went with you to the dinner? You know, acted like a kind of buffer. Maybe she’d take the hint that you’re off the market and leave you alone.”

“Shit, Jen, I’m trying to win you over, not send you packing,” he laughed.

I joined his laughter. “I’m not going to go running over this. I promised you I wouldn’t. This is me, trying to support you, so suck it up and let me do it. Besides, I’ve never actually met a cougar.”

He snorted. “How can I say ‘no’ to such an eloquently made offer?”

“There, you see? I have something in common with her already,” I laughed.

“What’s that?” he asked, his face twisted with worry.

“We can both get our man to say ‘yes,’” I declared triumphantly. He rolled his eyes at me, but before he could respond his phone rang. This time, he answered it. “What can I do for you, Natalie?”

I could hear her sickening sweet tone as she invited her stepson for a meal the following night. “I can’t wait until you come tomorrow, Tyler. I’m fixing all your favorites.”Ugh! Her voice just sounded so slow and husky I could imagine red satin sheets and throbbing porn music in the background. Could she be any more obvious?I could see Tyler’s temple throb ever so slightly as he listened to her ramble on about the time and how long it had been since he’d been home, and how excited she was to see him. “Yes, I’ll be there, but I won’t be staying long. Oh, and I’ll be bringing someone. ” He pushed the end button before she could respond. “All set,” he told me. “Are you sure you’re willing to put yourself through this unnecessary torture?”

“I’m pretty sure I can handle myself around her. Trust me.” I was almost looking forward to it; I couldn’t wait to see her face when Tyler showed up with a date!

“Okay then. Let’s watch a movie or something and relax the rest of the evening. I’d say it’s been quite a day, wouldn’t you?”

It had been. I was exhausted, and yet energized at the same time. It had been draining reliving the experience of Mark. But Tyler had managed to turn the day completely around. Even Natalie hadn’t been able to ruin it, instead without knowing it, she’d forced Tyler to open up to me, and I was pleased he did so. I was even more thrilled that he still wanted me, but was willing to wait until he knew it wasn’t a kneejerk reaction on my part. I didn’t blame him. I’d run out on him too many times in the past.

The movie ended, and we both yawned at the same time. Catching each other’s gaping mouths set off a whole new set of giggles and snorts. “Come on, kitten. It’s time to put this day to bed.”

I waited while he shut down the house, and hand in hand we ascended the stairs. He walked past his room and stopped outside my door. “Good night, sweet Jen. You’re an amazingly strong woman.” He bent his head and captured my mouth in a sweet kiss, enough passion to remind me he wanted me, but not enough vigor he couldn’t stop. He slowly pulled back. “Don’t forget to dream big, kitten.” He walked back to his door and paused to look at me once more before he disappeared into his room and shut the door.

It took everything I had not to run after him and knock down his door. I hope he knew that my dreams didn’t need to be all that big anymore; they just needed to be about him.