Twisted Pursuits

For Alecia Pommels; my co-writer, editor, teacher and friend. Thank you for believing in me with a fervor that brimmed on insanity.

Darren,
at one point, had been the so called richest and hottest boy in school. He and Anna had been dating since her senior year at high school and his third year at college. Lauren had been out with them a few times on the rear weekends when she could get away from chores and her part time job at a wholesale outlet in her neighborhood. They never did classes together as the two girls were doing English Language and Literature and he being a fourth year student majoring in Information Technology.

“Anna you’re not dealing with the problem at all. You need to tell your parents and Darren.” Lauren said earnestly.

Anna seemed to give herself a mental shake, “You’re right Laur. I’m going to tell them as soon as possible. In fact I told Darren to meet me here for lunch”, she glanced at her watch, the extremity of her situation apparently momentarily forgotten, “Damn, he should be here any minute now. How do I look?” She inquired while she hurriedly straightened her snug fitted black uniform skirt and then pulled out her makeup kit from her Coach bag to check her appearance and began to frantically wipe her face and apply touches of makeup.

“Great”, Lauren answered truthfully as she watched the old confident and purposeful Anna resurface.

As tempos began to settle, Lauren was able to view her new workplace for the next four months starting officially the next day. Located on the outskirts of the town of Ocho Rios were The Plunkett’s Diner and Jerk Centre where they served everything from burgers to native dishes such as jerk chicken and pork.

They were sitting in a wooden gazebo with thatched roof and wooden structure a short distance from the other guest. The design was very simple; the floors were tiled with a bar situated in the centre and a contour at the back where orders were taken and the roof was thatched everywhere. The building was supported by a few sturdy wooden posts which were connected to lumbers that acted as barricades that were roughly waists length in height. Left of the bar, behind the serving contour was the bathrooms and on the right seemed to be some offices. The hard wood and thatched roof gave the building a rustic appearance. There were five other gazebos similar to the one they were in; each shrouded by shrubbery which gave them an inconspicuous air. She had never eaten here before as the prices were a bit out of her range but she decided to treat herself this once.

She sighed. One more year she promised herself and she would be out of college and if she was lucky she’d get a permanent teaching job and eventually move out. Currently Lauren lived with her aunts; Elizabeth whom most persons called Nana and Aunt Dorothy. They lived in a four bedroom house in Davis Town, a miniature community a few miles outside of Ocho Rios where Nana had a small grocery shop and she and Aunt Dorothy did a little farming as well.

The Nelson family had lived in Davis town since the community was just a route from the garden parish of St. Ann to the city of Kingston. Nana’s mother and father Ivy and George Nelson were farmers who moved from a neighboring community. They subsequently had three children, Nana, Dorothy and then Lauren’s mother twenty years later, when Ivy had thought her child bearing days long behind her.

Petrenia was the beauty of the family but from an early age it was noted that she was not a normal child. She began to walk and talk at the advanced age of two; much later than regular kids. However against her family’s worst fears, she grew into a beautiful and thankfully healthy young woman. It was said that Lauren had inherited her soft brown eyes, olive skin and shoulder length light brown hair. Her mother enjoyed cooking and sewing and had a passion for living life to the fullest and delighting in every minute of it.

She met and fell in love with Lauren’s father, David McKenzie, a pastor’s son and a teacher when she was twenty two. They courted for three months and then married, a year after which he decided to migrate to England; to live with the reverend’s sister, with plans to send for Petrenia within a year when he settled in. However two months after he'd left Petrenia discovered that she was pregnant. Seven months later Lauren was born; however Petrenia; already a frail being, had already had a rough pregnancy; caught Pneumonia shortly after her daughter’s birth and within three months she died.

Her father distraught with grief rushed home to bury his young wife who was scheduled to join him in England within two months of her death. He loved his daughter dearly but after being convinced by Nana and Aunt Dorothy that it was best, he went back to England with plans to take Lauren when she was three years old. However; within two years he died in a train wreck in London.

“Darren”, Anna’s anxious voice brought her back to the present to see Darren strutting over to them in knee length khaki shorts, Cotton t-shirt and slippers.

“Hi”, he said, his movie star features creasing into a smile to reveal a lone dimple in his left cheek.

“Hello” both girls said in unison as he sat facing them and motioned to a waiter.

He looked up quizzically and asked, “What are we eating”.

While they awaited their order Anna squeezed her hand and turned to Darren, “I have something to tell you”.

“Maybe I should leave”, Lauren said uncomfortable at the intimate turn of events.

“No”, Anna rebutted, “Stay, in case I lose my nerve”.

Darren’s grey eyes danced with amusement at Anna’s unusual flustering. After a few seconds and nothing
was said, his high forehead creased with concern.

“I’m pregnant” she blurted, her eyes averted to her lap as though to prevent anyone seeing the tears in her eyes.

His face went from shock to delight in mere seconds and in record time he was beside her, his long manicured fingers cupping her cheeks, all the while his eyes never leaving hers even as her face began to tremble and her eyes pooled with fresh tears.

“Are you sure, Ann”, he asked softly and she nodded.

His lips came down on hers tenderly and when he lifted his head he started touching her frantically, yet gently as if to ascertain that she was whole. Lauren turned her head away as a hot blush stole up her cheeks as she felt she was intruding on a very intimate moment.

She heard Darren asking if Anna was okay being at the restaurant and said he noticed she wasn’t eating much but he thought she was on some stupid diet. She wondered absently when she would find someone to look at her the way Darren was looking at Anna. Never, she thought bitterly, if Nana had anything to do with it. Even at twenty One Lauren was only allowed to go to church freely and had to be granted permission to go anywhere else; she couldn’t even talk to a boy twice without being ridiculed or treated to harsh words of men wanting to use and discard her.

While her eyes sought anywhere to be but on the couple next to her, she collided with the most beautiful pair of eyes she had ever seen. They were a shade lighter than hers with long fringed lashes, however as the sun shone on his face they seem to lighten to a becoming shade of hazel. Her eyes travelled the length of his oval face to his broad forehead down to his straight nose and full luscious lips. His rich complexion reminded her of the cocoa beans Nana set to dry to make hot chocolate tea. Her eyes openly caressed the contours of his face until she realized that he seemed to be doing the same to her.

She jumped and turned abruptly, just in time to see Darren hand two bills to the waiter as he turned to leave Lauren handed him hers with a smile.

The meal was served on black rectangular serving trays. Anna had ordered her favorite roast fish and crackers with a small serving of steamed vegetable. Darren was having jerk chicken and festival while Lauren was having Jerk Pork and festivals as well. Everything, except the bottled sodas, was served in neatly folded foil paper. All this should have her mouth watering but that wasn’t the case at all.

Her heart was beating so fast that she had to will herself to focus on the couple in front of her. Anna’s eyes drooped sleepily and Darren must have noticed too because he got up and pulled her gently to her feet as her head lolled sideways to his chest. Poor thing, Lauren thought, all this emotional strain must have worn her out.

“Lauren can you collect a bag at the counter to put these in”, he pointed to the food on the table, “I’m taking Anna home. Would you like me to drop you home too?”

“No I’m fine”, she said breathlessly, thinking of the stranger behind her.

“I think I’ll go take a taxi”, Lauren added walking towards the counter.

“Ok”, he muttered absently, his eyes never leaving Anna’s.

She tried her utmost not to turn and steer at the compelling features and beguiling hazel eyes that she most certainly felt on her back as she strode towards the exit and stepped out into the late Friday sunshine.

CHAPTER TWO

“LAUREN”, MRS. PLUNKETT CALLED “MR. MYLES
is at Gazebo number five, please attend to him. He’s an important customer.”

It had been a week since she had started her new job and still no sign of the mysterious stranger. Things had settled down with Anna; she had told her parents and though they had been upset at first; they were ecstatic about their first grandchild. Work was going well and she loved her new bosses, Mr. and Mrs. Plunkett who were returning residents from America.

She walked purposefully to the gazebo, not bothering to look up as she searched for her notepad to take their order.

All the pleasantries she had intended to exchange died on her lips as she came face to face with her week long enigma. He was wearing grey slacks today with a white long sleeved dressing shirt which was rolled up to his elbows. The lower half of his body was partially hidden below the table but the shirt showed telltale signs of a flat chest and muscular arms. 

She realized she was staring when five pairs of eyes focused on her. She schooled her features into a smile and spoke in her most charming tone, “Welcome gentlemen. My name is Lauren. What can I get you today?”

“You’re not, by chance, on the menu are you?” her mystery man leaned forward and muttered conspiratorially and the entire table burst out laughing.

Her face colored as his eyes skimmed the length of her with blatant male interest. She couldn’t imagine how she must look in her roomy grey slacks and bright red shirt with the Diner’s name and logo on the left breast.

She regained her comp
osure quickly and said sweetly, “fortunately not, we do not serve anything that cannot fit on our trays”.

Breathe; she told herself, this is something you’ve been doing all your life, fending off male interest that is. Smile.

“Well I might be able to remedy that”, he teased “just give me your cell number and I’ll prove it”, he added.

She was becoming annoyed as even though his tone was light; his eyes said he was dead serious. While her brain screamed to run and hide, her heart was intrigued causing goose bumps to rise on her skin and the tiny hairs at the back of her neck to stand out. She felt a sensual awakening as she stared at his full lips and wondered if they were as soft and tantalizing as they looked. She forcefully dragged her mind to the five men seated in front of her.

“Your order, Mr. Myles, I assume”, Lauren said to the epitome of her interest in her most commanding tone.

“Jordan”, he said
, giving a hearty laugh, “and I’ll have two beers and a hamburger with fries”. She tried to control her nervousness at his nearness as she took the orders from the other men at the table.

That done, she stormed off to the serving contour where Sandy, one of the other waitresses, was waiting for an order. That oaf, she fumed, ogling her as if she was stark naked. Well she had to be angry or face the fluttery feeling in her stomach.

“Please switch order with me”, Lauren begged the other woman.

“Gladly”, she replied trying and failing to contain her excitement, “Jordan is one of the richest men in the island. His parents own various buildings and luxury resorts on the north coast and just recently he started some Adventures and Tours business, plus he’s young and hot too”.

No wonder he had such a commanding presence Lauren thought. “Does he come here often?” Lauren heard herself ask, both dreading and anticipating the answer.

“Every Friday at around this time” Sandy said absently as she arranged the order and virtually floated away towards Jordan’s table in the farthest gazebo from the main building.

JORDAN WATCHED AS LAUREN SAUNTERED
across the floor to the serving contour, her hips swaying sensually in her oversized slacks. He felt his body throb to life and wondered what it was about her that instantly lit fire to his blood. She was beautiful, in an earthy way as she wore no makeup at all. Her face was heart shaped with soft brown eyes, a small nose and plump lips; with the bottom lip a delicious cherry color. She was about four inches shorter than his six foot with long shapely legs, high buttocks, wide hips, narrow waist and full breasts.

She had a beautiful body but he noted that she had a penchant for hiding it and wondered why. His mind travelled back to his first sight of her. She was wearing a uniform of one of the college’s in the area and it had been so lank on her form; it was simply ugly. Poor thing, he thought, she maybe living with a single parent and a dozen other siblings. It was at moments like these he was grateful for his parents’, Donna and Phillip, success and subsequently his own.

His face fell as he saw Lauren turn in the opposite direction of him and the other girl strutting over in his direction. She was an attractive young woman and she did everything to emphasize her feminine wiles; her blouse stretched over her breast until they spilled over the neckline while her skirt revealed more than it hid.

“How are you today, Mr. Myles?” she purred leaning forward as if to arrange the food on his tray until her breasts were inches from his face giving him an eyeful.

He shifted his face just in time to see Lauren eyeing them contemptuously. She turned abruptly as his eyes met hers and busied herself with some inane task at the contour.

“Good”, he answered neutrally, dismissing her as he turned his attention to his meal. After Lauren’s subtle sensuality he found this girl’s blatancy repelling. 

“Mr. Myles”, John, general manager for Myles’ Resorts and Spas said sounding annoyed.

“Yes. Excuse me
, what was that, I’m afraid I was out of it for awhile there”, Jordan answered.

“I said if you wanted another beer?” he repeated.

“Sure”, he answered.

He studied the men who were gathered around him. Although to an onlooker it would seem as if they were having a Friday evening beer, they were actually discussing business. Sitting to his right was John who was middle aged; following him were Michael and Daniel; his Marketing and Accounting managers at Myles' Adventures and Tours and his father’s chief Accountant, Harry and Realtor James. All of them, except John were in their mid thirties. Jordan was the youngest at the table at twenty seven. That however, did not sway his control over Myles' Industries as all who knew him knew that  he had an unparalleled knack for business, a backbone made of steel and  a wrath as dreadful as sin when unleashed.

“Gentlemen, shall we begin” Jordan said brusquely and for the next two hours they were immersed in intense discussions of stocks, bonds and profits, all the while his mind never leaving the woman milling about on the other side of the restaurant.

It was minutes past seven when the men started leaving; he on the other hand had other plans. At eight he noticed Lauren marching purposefully towards the door and he gathered his documents, placed them in his briefcase and rushed towards her.

“May I get that for you?” he asked pulling open the door before she could respond.

“Thank you”, she said stiffly and continued walking.

He held on to her hand and asked, “Would you like a lift someplace?”

She glanced at his hand and then his face with a scathing look and said, “Let. Go. Off.  My.
Hand”.

He looked down to where his fingers were curled over her wrist. What was happening to him, he thought appalled at his behavior, he hadn’t even realized that his hand had moved from his side until he came into contact with the warmth of her soft skin. It was as if he was attuned to her on a different level. This was madness his brain shrieked; it was as if it was the most normal thing in the world for him to touch her. He looked at her face in the partially lit parking lot and saw what he was feeling in her glazed brown eyes.

“For God’s sake; get in the car, you’ll have to go all the way up town to get a taxi” he said a little too roughly.

“I said you should let go off my hand”, she began to struggle against his grip.

He dropped her hand like a ton of bricks, her sudden movements reminding him that he had no right to be holding unto her.

She ran off even before his finger fully released her and he just stood there staring after her in shock. No one had ever spoken to him like that in all his adult years, especially a woman. They were always fawning over him; all with the intention of getting so
mething from him, whether it be his attention or his money.

He remembered the silken smoothness of her skin when he’d touched her and smiled with anticipation as he opened the front door of his slick new black Audi and sped away into the night.

LAUREN RETURNED TO WORK THE FOLLOWING DAY
to a pleasant surprise as Mrs. Plunkett shoved a bucket of white roses at her as soon as she entered the main staff area.

“This was delivered for you this morning promptly at ten when we opened”, the older woman said.

“Are you sure”’ Lauren sputtered taking the basket, voicing a question she already knew the answer to, “who is it from?”

“There’s a card attached. Don’t worry I didn’t read it”, she added when she saw Lauren’s face color with embarrassment.

“Thanks Mrs. P” she muttered nonplussed, walking towards her locker and fumbling for the card. Upon closer inspection she realized there was a single red rose among the clutter of white. The card read:

You are like a lily in a sea of orchids; I find your presence refreshing. Have dinner with me tonight as penance, on my part, for last night.

                                                                                                                              Jordan Myles
.

She felt a warm fuzzy feeling unfurling in the pit of her stomach and instantly stomped it down. What would Nana think? She had drilled in her the knowledge that all men were users and men like her father didn’t exist anymore. All men wanted was her body and as soon as they got it, she was just another notch on the bedpost. Well they wouldn’t even want hers, she comforted herself, because of the scruffy, oversized clothes Nana insisted she wear. Nana was old fashioned and believed a girl should wait until marriage and took great pains to get her point across to Lauren.

She remembered her high school crush Omar and the evening she had decided to stop for lunch with him after school; Nana had been livid. She trembled at the memory of Nana’s fist pummeling her face following her strap across her back and buttocks. Aunt Dorothy had tried to intervene, demanding to know if Nana was going to beat Lauren to death but one bark from Nana sent her scurrying off.

Two days after the bruises healed on her face Nana had dragged her off to school and after hunting down Omar, informed him in front of a sizable audience of students that he should stay clear of Lauren after which she warned her that no bastard child was going to be born in her house. Lauren was so humiliated that she endeavored to avoid Omar and all other males subsequently.

She gave herself a mental shake and placed the flowers in a tall glass she found in the back and placed it on the table in the staff area. Just then it dawned on her that Jordan would be here any minute now. Her breathing became shallow while she rummaged through her brain for an escape from her predicament. She had specifically switched shift with one of the other girls to avoid any chance he would try to see her today, not to mention working overtime yesterday to avoid him.

She couldn’t bear it; she was afraid if she saw him her resolve would crumble and she couldn’t have that, after all princes never marry plain orphans, no matter that he made her knees weak and her heart flutter. With that she went in search of Mrs. Plunkett; there must be something she could do around here that didn’t warrant her running into Jordan. She found her in her office where she seemed to be covered in paperwork.

“Mrs. Plunkett”, she began hesitantly, “I was wondering if there is anything else I could do so I wouldn’t have to go into the dining area”.

. “It’s him isn’t it” she didn’t need to call names, Lauren knew exactly who.

She opened her mouth to say no but Mrs. P’s soft eyes shone with motherly concern, something Lauren wasn’t used to and she felt herself nodding. She only had Nana and Aunt Dorothy and Nana believed that you should not spare the rod and spoil the child and any form of comfort was seen as just that and Aunt Dorothy was not known to stir her ire. There was grandpa Mack, her father’s father but he had  lived in England ever since her father’s death and even though he paid her college tuition, sent money to Nana to take care of Lauren and called a
nd talked to her at least once per week; it just wasn’t the same as being there.

“Mr. Myles was here today and he specifically requested that you serve his meal”, Lauren stared at her flabbergasted then blushed with embarrassment as Mrs. P went on, “although I cannot see why, those clothes you wear are a sight for sore eyes”.

“Don’t get me wrong Lauren, you are a beautiful girl, but those clothes”, she shook her head sadly, “won’t do at all”.

Lauren thought of her present attire which was her familiar roomy skirt that by the looks of it had, had its fair share of wear and the Diner’s shirt that everyone who worked there wore. It’s not like it was her fault, according to Nana there just was never enough money plus they had to save for a rainy day.