1st (Love For Sale) by Michelle Hughes

He seemed to be placating me with his question, the smirk on his sexy face telling me my needs weren’t really part of the equation.
    The smart ass in me wanted to give him a dialogue expressing what mattered to me.  The truth was I didn’t have a damn clue at the moment. “I don’t know. I guess I’d need to think about it.”  In my mind, I couldn’t have given a lamer response.
    “That would be a problem, because if you were mine I’d never want you to think about what pleased you.  I’d consider it my duty to make sure those needs were met before you even knew you had them.”
    Didn’t that just throw everything up in the air?  On the one hand, he’d basically said he’d fulfill all my needs, but also that he’d tell me what I should find pleasing?  Who in their right mind could live with a situation like that?  “I’d think you must have an astounding ego to feel like you knew what would please me.”
    “We’ve already been through that.  Reading you is like an open book, kitten.  I could make you purr without even trying.” He chuckled deeply and relaxed back in the oversized chair.
    The reality of his words made me want to hit him.  Yes, he’d been able to get me off, but rubbing it in my face wasn’t exactly nice.  “People don’t live only for sexual gratification, smart ass.” He really was too cocky.
    “Watch your language, kitten, or I might have you declawed.”  He raised a perfectly arched eyebrow, and the seriousness on his face told me he wasn’t above proving his point.  When I didn’t give a comeback his expression relaxed.  Making a steeple with his long fingers, he pressed them against his full lips.  “I wonder if I could tame you enough to make this work without fucking you up completely.”  Again, he didn’t seem to be asking me a question.  “I wish you had much more experience.”
    “Sorry I’m not a whore.” What kind of man wanted a woman who’d screwed the world?  This conversation was really strange, and from the way he was talking, I didn’t need to be present at all.
    “That word doesn’t appeal to me.  A woman who enjoys her sexuality should be embraced, not disrespected.  There’s nothing wrong with fulfilling your appetites.”
    “I think we’ll just agree to disagree.  Everyone should have limits.  People just can’t go around doing whatever they want because it feels good.  Think about all the unplanned pregnancies and diseases.  I mean, a little restraint goes a long way.” 
    “What people should have is control, kitten.  Add to that common sense, a sense of responsibility, and the ability to enjoy the things they want while using their brain.”  I discovered another thing about Seth as he spoke.  He didn’t mind a debate as long as it wasn’t full of angst.
    “I guess if a person is being safe, then I could go along with that.  That’s not something you see often, though.  People tend to follow their desires without preparing for the consequences.” I’d grown up in the foster system, so I knew firsthand what those consequences meant to children like me.
    We talked for the next hour about our lives, and it oddly enough didn’t revolve around sex.  He told me about his company, and how he’d taken over the business from his father, and his father from his grandfather.  Seth was born into money but had expanded the business globally.
    I explained about my time in foster care, and my friendship with McKayla, and even about my dreams for the future.  It was insightful seeing inside of his world and how very different our lives had been.  For the first time since meeting him, he was more human and not just some billionaire playboy looking for a good time.
    “Had things been reversed, I’d see you being very successful in your life.” Seth seemed impressed by what I considered my struggle to rise above what I was born into.  “I could help you fulfill those dreams.”
    “I’m not looking for a handout.