Chapter 6

AFTER TAKING A TRAIN TO the other side of town and stopping at her regular street vendor, Dawn sipped her cup of latte as she walked the two blocks to work.

When she arrived at her desk, she took out her phone, connected it to her computer, and dove straight into answering a few emails.

Dawn worked at the consultation department in one of the rookie companies in Newburg and her position as a canvasser was certainly not her dream job but it was worth the while.

You'd think that marrying a millionaire would make her a sturdy housewife but she loved to work and sitting home all day made her feel more of a liability than an actual wife.

"I don't get why you work so hard" Becky, her best friend who had stepped in just a few minutes after her, chipped in, her bristly oil silk hair coming to sight as she spun around her chair with a pen between her teeth.

"I get paid to work" Dawn pointed out, turning her attention away from her best friend and back to her computer.

"You're married to a billionaire, you should be in luxury right now, not working your butt off for fifty thousand bucks every month"

"Millionaire" she corrected "David is a millionaire and keep your voice down will you"

Becky shrugged and spun her chair around "Millionaire, billionaire it all sounds the same to me. My point is, if I was married to a millionaire I'd be in the Bahamas right now, sitting on the beach and getting my spa treatment done"

"And that explains why you're still a single mother"

"Sorry to burst your bubbles but I actually enjoy being single. Way better than having one man and dealing with mother-in-law stress" she chuckled.

Dawn sighed. Suddenly reminded of Amanda. "Speaking of mother-in-laws. Amanda is in town"

Her brows jumped up with interest. "Amanda the green witch?"

"Yes, Amanda the green witch and now I'm supposed to attend this charity event and try to get along with her. I still can't believe I'm doing this. I mean, how am I supposed to pretend like she didn't try to set up a blind date for David or like she didn't almost insect spray my face mistaking me for a bug"

Becky stifled her laughter. "That last part was funny though" she giggled and Dawn sent her a dark look.

"Okay, okay, you need to calm down and just breathe, it's clear she's just overprotective and doesn't want someone ripping off her son's wealth"

"Do I look like a gold digger? Everything I own I worked for it"

"You don't really have to like her, it's only for tonight just get along for David's sake okay"

"Now you sound like David" she rolled her eyes, turning back to her computer and aggressively thumping on the keyboard"

"Come on Dawn. Just do what you do best. Smile, nod, and pretend like she doesn't exist"

Dawn turned and before she could say anything else, Gorge, the HR manager walked by, no doubt wanting to stick his nose in what was assuredly not his business.

"Why is it that you ladies do nothing but gossip and talk"

"Morning Gorge" Dawn greeted.

"What's so great about the morning" he snorted, perching on the edge of her desk "you, Dawn, I need a favor" he slapped a pile of paperwork on her desk.

"I need you to sort the stock market ratings and send it to the fax machine."

"Me?" She blinked, her brows creasing.

"I believe I don't have water in my mouth" his voice held a hint of annoyance. "Do it before lunch break or you'll work extra hours"

"I can do it if she doesn't want to" Becky chimed in, rotating her pen in my mouth.

Gorge turned to her and then turned back to Dawn. "You do it. You seem to be the only sane one in this building, excluding me of course"

"Hurtful" Becky faked a pout and rolled back to her side of the office.

"I'll do it" Dawn smiled.

"Great! I'll be expecting it soon" he said and walked away.

Dawn looked down at the paperwork.

She sighed.

This was going to be hectic.

***

AFTER A BUSY DAY AT WORK, Dawn returned home and took a few minutes to mentally prepare herself before getting dressed.

She had disappeared into the bathroom, waxed her legs even if it was excruciatingly painful, sorted out her dress, redid her hair into a French bun, and now, standing against the full-length mirror, she ran her hands down her smooth curves, examining the tight fitted dress she had on - courtesy of her dear friend, Becky who insisted she dressed like Roxy the stripper.

The royal blue halter gown glittered, exposing a huge amount of skin as it dipped low on the back. It was the most expensive dress she'd ever owned and David had gotten it for her for this special occasion.

She turned to the side and nodded her head impressively. The dress hugged her every curve and showed off the perfect amount of skin to be sexy without tilting to slutty. It was perfect.

David whistled his way out of the bathroom and stopped short when his eyes drifted off to his wife and for a split second, he watched, his eyes sweeping from her face down to her legs as she bent over the contour table and fixed her diamond earrings on.

Now that he thought about it, she did look a little fuller around the hips and buttocks. Dawn wasn't skinny and certainly not on the plus-size either, it was safe to say she was between the latter, what the magazines dubbed 'Thic'.

Spotting his stare from the rear view of the mirror made Dawn turn and smile nervously.

"How do I look?" She asked, biting her lip slightly. Unlike David, who had this self-assurance of knowing his place at the top of the food chain, she was a nervous wreck with a lot of insecurities but whatever doubt she had all seemed to fully erase when he hugged her from behind and kissed her shoulders.

"Beautiful," he said, kissing her again. "Absolutely gorgeous"

"The dress is incredible, isn't it?"

"It's not the dress, Dawn. It's the woman wearing it. I must be the luckiest man in the world to have a woman this stunning sharing a house with me"

"Don't flatter me David" she chuckled, turning around to face him.

"I can't help it. No one should be this tempting"

She wrapped her arm around his neck and gave him a small smile. "Humor me"

"Honestly Dawn, you are beautiful, so beautiful that I had to shut off my porn because none of the girls in it were as sexy as you" His voice was gravelly, and his mouth nibbled its way up to her ear. He was up to something. She had spent a lot of time with him to know that his sweet whispers of nothing only led to one thing.

"Is that suppose to make me feel better?"

His lips went to her neck as his arms banded around her waist and locked them behind her back."Well yes." He sucked lightly.

"David" She choked, swallowing back a moan "David, we shouldn't keep your parents waiting"

"A few minutes will do them no harm" he purred, lifting her on the counter. "Now," His hand caressed its way down her body, landing on her bare thigh.

He spoke directly into her ear as he nudged her legs open. "Spread your legs for me. I want to bury my face between your legs"

***

THEY PULLED UP AT THE function and Dawn hopped down, pressing down her dress as quickly as she could.

"Great" she flipped her hair back "I went from looking like Princess Sophie to Harley Quinn"

David chuckled. "I think Harley Quinn is quite sexy"

Dawn turned around to glare at him, however, she couldn't stay mad for long for she had to admit that she missed him and longed for his kisses. He just had a better at letting his feelings out.

"Next time, just don't it"

He shrugged simply "I'm sorry but when it comes to you I seem to always lose control"

Dawn parted her lips but pressed it back shot and sighed. "Let's just go before your mother rains hell on both of us"

David chuckled and stretched out his arms for her to take. "Shall we?"

When they arrived at the entrance of the building that looked like it could house a tower of giraffes, a petite-looking French woman in her late 50s who was presumed to be David's mother approached them. "You're late!' She snapped - her elegant nightdress and flamboyant accessories glittering in the flashing camera light

"We ran into some little difficulties mother" David explained, pulling her into a hug and kissing her cheek out of courtesy.

"If I didn't miss you so much, I would've scolded you more" she basked in his warmth.

"I missed you too mother" David cooed.

"You don't call, you don't visit, I believe to think that I raised you better than this " she queried, pulling away lightly and rearranging her leopard patterned scarf around her throat.

"I've been busy mother" and he was.

"As long as you're healthy I'm good"

Dawn stepped forward, clearing her throat softly before speaking.

"Hi Mrs. Amanda, it's so nice to see you again" she greeted, flashing a half-smile.

Amanda turned, her tight smile more spite than sweet. "You came," she said dryly, returning her gaze to David "I thought your father made it clear that strangers weren't needed here"

David sighed. "She's my wife, mother, not a stranger" he stated, feeling the need to defend her but Dawn didn't mind, she was used to it and frankly, she didn't want to be here either.

"Well if you say so" Amanda sighed dramatically "Your father is in his study, I advise you don't waste any more of his time"

"Alright mother" he kissed her cheeks and then turned to Dawn."I'll be back before you know it"

"Okay," she said, looking a bit wary of him leaving her alone.

He pulled her closer to his side and whispered in her ears. "I love you more than anyone in this room" He kissed her temple and Dawn smiled, watching him disappear into the crowd whilst leaving the two women to an awkward moment of premeditated silence.

"Lovely party" Dawn commented internationally, trying to break the rather awkward silence.

"It's a function" Amanda corrected pointedly, looking at everyone else but her.

"Oh, lovely function"

"Don't try too hard Dawn. It doesn't suit you" She snorted and walked away.

Dawn sighed. This was definitely going to be one long uncomfortable event.