Chapter 1

Accept for commenting about Ben’s car being a ‘a piece of shit’, the teen sitting in the passenger seat next to him hadn’t spoken. It wasn’t that Ben hadn’t tried to start up a conversation.

“I see you have the new iPhone. Did your dad get you that?”

No response.

His dad was Frederick William Parker III, owner of Parker Tech Inc. A well-known name here in town. Known as Bill to his friends at the country club and as Mr. Parker to everyone else. But it was Mr. Parker himself, who moments earlier, had bestowed on Ben his only son.

“Stevens. I need you to watch my son this weekend. No one else can handle him and I sure can’t leave him alone. For some reason, he has warmed up to your wife.”

Of course, Ben was only too eager to step up. You see, as anyone in the building could tell you, Ben was a brown-noser extraordinaire. He was constantly tripping over himself trying to please the boss.

As Ben merged onto the freeway, he thought he had better call his wife. To give her a heads-up. He got as far as pulling her up on his phone.

“You calling your wife?”

He talked! Ben saw this as progress. But then, “Tell her to wear something sexy. Lots of cleavage. Lose the bra.”

Ben decided against calling his wife and hung up. He looked over to his passenger, “How about we surprise her.” Ben tried to force a smile.

Lisa Stevens had a chance meeting with young Frederick William Parker IV earlier that week. She was at her husband’s place of work to drop off a clean shirt. Ben had spilled strawberry soda on himself earlier in the day.

While the boy may have ‘warmed up’ to his wife, the feelings were far from mutual. Lisa had found the boy to be ‘creepy’, the way he stared at her. She had told her husband as much that night after he had gotten home.

Ben knew that his wife would not be happy to have this teenager in her home. He sure would not mention his recent comments. But, Ben needed to impress his boss and taking care of his kid would do that. Once he explained things to his wife, he had full confidence that she would make this work.

While Freddie was all gloom and doom in the car ride home, he was Mr. Friendly once they walked into the house.

“Lisa! How ya doin’. Thanks for letting me crash here.”

Freddie reached out his hand to her and, after some hesitation, she reciprocated. Except as soon as she did, he pulled her in for a big hug. She was nine years his senior, but Freddie was much taller than her 5’6 frame. And he outweighed her by at least fifty pounds.

When Lisa finally pried herself out of his grip, she let out a gasp. Ben didn’t have to guess why she gasped. He had seen what Freddie had done. The teen gave his wife’s right breast a quick squeeze when they pulled apart.

Lisa’s face had turned bright red as she looked to her husband for support. For his part, Ben quickly looked away and pretended he hadn’t noticed.

Lisa stared at her husband in disbelief. She wanted him to put this kid in his place. When she saw that wasn’t going to happen, she rolled her eyes as she turned to go to the kitchen.

Ben looked at Freddie. He knew what he had done and he knew Ben had seen him do it. He thought of saying something, but then decided not.