Chapter 16

~Saturday August 02, 2025~

“Mommy!” Carter’s voice called out from the hallway as he knocked on the door. “Mommy, are you up?”

“Shit!” Megan hissed, shooting up in bed. She immediately reached over and shook Steven’s shoulder. “Shit, we overslept!”

“Huh, what?” Steven mumbled, slowly waking up and lifting to his elbows. Glancing over, he got a good look at Megan’s bare boobs, rendering him mute. “Uh...”

“Focus!” Megan whispered urgently. “You were supposed to set an alarm!”

“Mommy?” Carter knocked again, trying to turn the knob and discovering the door was locked.

“I’ll be right there, honey,” Megan called out.

“We must have slept through the alarm,” Steven reasoned groggily.

“Yeah, no kidding,” Megan grumbled. “Ah, quick, get under the bed!”

“Under the...?” Steven frowned.

“Just do it!” Megan hissed, tossing the covers off their naked bodies.

“O-okay,” Steven sighed, rolling off the bed with a complete lack of grace and sliding under it. “This is not comfortable.”

Ignoring Steven, Megan got out of bed and started tossing their clothes in the corner of the room. Carter knocked again, causing Megan to rush around the room, her boobs bouncing wildly as she removed any evidence from the previous night. Then the heiress slipped on a long robe so she was fully covered before heading to the door and opening it a crack.

“Good morning, sweetie,” Megan smiled, reaching out to hold the back of her son’s head as she leaned out and kissed his forehead.

“Are you okay, Mommy?” Carter asked, looking up at his mother with concern in his blue-gray eyes.

“I’m fine, I just overslept,” she replied, tousling his hair. “Why don’t you go downstairs while I get dressed? I’ll come down and make breakfast.”

“Okay!” Carter nodded, turning and rushing away.

“Remember to wash your hands!” Megan called after him. “And no whoopee cushions on the seats!”

“Can I come out now?” Steven groaned from under the bed when Megan shut the door.

“Yeah, you’re good,” Megan confirmed, removing her robe.

“Ow, my balls,” he winced as he shimmied out from under the bed and got to his feet. “Why couldn’t I have hid in the bathroom?”

“Huh. That would have been more comfortable, wouldn’t it?” Megan mused, snatching her bra up off the floor.

“Yeah, it would have,” Steven grumbled while watching Megan put away her huge boobs. “My balls got squished.”

“Poor, baby,” the heiress smiled warmly at Steven, taking any sting from the statement. “I’ll kiss them and make them better later.”

“That would be acceptable,” Steven nodded slowly.

“Gee, thanks,” Megan giggled. She placed her hands on her hips, giving him an even stare as she stood in just a bra. “Are you gonna get dressed?”

“Fuck,” he exclaimed softly, finding the view of Megan incredibly sexy. Her bra-clad breasts were perfect, and his eyes trailed down her flat stomach to her pubic mound.

“Staying naked?” Megan asked, sashaying over to him with those long, long legs. “As much as I’d love to watch you swing your cock around for me, we have to get downstairs.”

“It’s not my fault you look as good as you do,” Steven replied, his eyes flicking up to stare into Megan’s.

“You are certainly good for a woman’s ego, darling,” Megan said, kissing his cheek affectionately.

“So, do I sneak out the back door, or how are we explaining me here?” Steven asked, grabbing his boxer briefs off the floor.

“We’re on the fourth floor, dummy,” she laughed. “You can put it in my backdoor later, if you’d like, but for now we’ll just make Carter think you slept in the guest room.”

“I only have my suit in here,” Steven winced. “My bag is in the guest room.”

“Well, put your underwear on at least,” Megan instructed, picking up her panties. “I’ll keep Carter in the kitchen so you can get to the guest room.”

“Okay,” Steven agreed while Megan pulled up her underwear.

Steven put on his boxer briefs and gathered up his suit while Megan dressed in a pair of gray sweatpants and a t-shirt. Megan sent Steven a text from the kitchen that she was with Carter and the coast was clear. Rushing to his room, Steven sighed in relief when he made it safely. Or, at least, he thought he did.

“Ah, the walk of shame,” Kayla’s voice said from behind Steven, making him jump. “Always a classic.”

“Uh, hi, Kayla,” Steven mumbled, holding his suit jacket over his crotch.

“Did you have a nice night?” Kayla asked, waggling her eyebrows suggestively.

The teenager was dressed in a knee-length sundress with thick shoulder straps and a box-neckline. The dress was white with blue flowers and looked both casual and cute. A pair of sandals covered her feet. She was leaning against the door frame, her arms crossed beneath her breasts as she smirked.

“I did, yes,” Steven admitted, uncomfortable with his state of dress. “Ready for the day a bit early, aren’t you?”

“I’m meeting Adrian at a cafe for breakfast,” Kayla answered, looking at Steven with interest. “Does it bother you that you had to sneak out of Megan’s room like a teenager?”

“No,” he shook his head. “Things are progressing with us, and I understand her not wanting her son to know just yet. I’m sure that’s going to be an awkward conversation.”

“I guess,” Kayla shrugged.

“Do you think it should bother me?” Steven asked, trying to keep his waist covered with his suit.

“I don’t know,” she replied. “I understand Megan having trouble with her young child knowing she’s involved with someone, but you two are basically a couple.”

“I know, we just don’t use the label,” Steven sighed. “I’m used to that.”

“Exactly,” Kayla responded. “She’s not being fair to you; you clearly want more.”

“And we have a date coming up next month,” he pointed out. “I’m hoping we can take things to the next level then.”

“A week in Fiji, how romantic,” she giggled. “Do you think you’re gonna become Carter’s step-dad?”

“We’re not that far just yet,” Steven smiled, loving the idea. He also felt weird knowing that Carter was Kayla’s half-brother, but he had to keep it from her.

“I just wanted to tell you that you’re a good guy and Megan’s a lucky woman,” Kayla smiled. “Don’t be intimidated; it’s just money.”

“Well, thank you,” he chuckled.

“You’re welcome,” she nodded.

“Uh, do you mind?” Steven asked, gesturing toward himself.

“Fine,” Kayla giggled, turning to leave before talking over her shoulder. “I enjoyed the view.”

Steven put on lounge pants and a t-shirt, then made his way down to the kitchen. Carter, Megan, and Steven said goodbye to Kayla before sitting down to a breakfast of pancakes. Steven was still distracted, so the whoopee cushion trap caught him, making Carter laugh.

The three of them cleaned up after breakfast and watched a couple of Saturday morning cartoons with Carter. Steven told Carter stories about setting his alarm to wake up early and watch cartoons. Megan and Steven described a few of the cartoons they liked when they were kids.

When Carter’s shows were over, Steven browsed a few streaming services to see if any of the old cartoons were available. Carter made a joke about being surprised something so old was still around, causing Megan and Steven to tickle-attack him in response. The six-year-old squealed, running away from the dancing fingers.

Steven and Megan each picked out a show so that Carter could try out a couple of episodes. Carter told Steven that his was great, but that his mother liked lame shows. Megan lifted his shirt so she could blow raspberries on his stomach. Steven chose not to take sides, letting mother and son fight it out.

Unfortunately, Steven had to leave not long after since he was spending the day with Theo and Noah. Sienna and Camilla were hanging out with Leslie and Conner, while Megan and Nell had plans to take Carter to a playground with a few of his friends.

In a cozy cafe in Greenwich Village, Kayla was sitting at a little corner table with Adrian Marino. Soft jazz filled the air as Kayla looked around, loving the exposed brick and wooden tables. Adrian looked very handsome in corduroy pants and a navy button-down. They flirted and exchanged friendly banter while sipping on coffees and eating croissants.

“Thank you again for agreeing to accompany me,” Adrian said charmingly. “I’m honored.”

“Triply honored? You’ve told me three times,” Kayla teased, a radiant smile lighting up her features as her dark hair framed her face.

“My apologies, it isn’t often I get to spend the day with such an exquisite creature,” Adrian replied in his light Italian accent.

“Smooth,” Kayla giggled approvingly. “Are you also going to tell me you’ve never met anyone like me?”

“Hm, perhaps,” Adrian nodded thoughtfully. “Since I’m an artist, I think offering to sketch you is also an important cliche to explore.”

“Yes,” Kayla nodded, remembering a sweet guy who once drew a picture of her. “I’d be so touched at how beautiful you saw me, I’d ask if that was what I really looked like.”

“I would confidently assure you that you truly were the most stunning woman I’d ever seen,” he explained.

“And then I go on about how deep and mysterious you are?” Kayla played into the script. “Maybe toss in a comment about you being tall, dark, and handsome?”

“Which leads to a romantic walk where I explain the importance of living in the moment,” Adrian continued. “I tell you about how the future doesn’t matter because we’ll always have this day, this one day out of our lives where only each other mattered.”

“At that point my panties would basically fall off,” Kayla said. “I’d let you do any dirty thing imaginable to me, and spend the next day glowing, thinking I was in love. A week later I’d be eating ice cream and crying because you never called. That’s how it ends, right?”

“I do not know. Perhaps you prefer chocolates to ice cream?” he joked. “In either case, I think I would be a fool not to call you, even if I never saw the wonderful secrets hidden under that sun dress.”

“So, you admit you’re thinking about what’s under my dress?” Kayla teased before taking a sip of coffee.

“I assure you, I only have the purest of intentions,” Adrian smiled before taking a bite of his croissant.

“And why don’t I believe you?” Kayla wondered, tapping her chin.

“I think because you have been hurt,” he answered seriously.

“I have, but I do have people I trust who I know would never hurt me,” she bit her lower lip. “My best friend would take a bullet for me.”

“I am sure they would,” Adrian said smoothly. “I hope we do not end up facing down the barrel of a gun today, but I assure you that I will do my best to keep you safe.”

“Ah, hoping for the ‘knight in shining armor’ cliche?” Kayla laughed.

“Hoping? No,” he laughed. “Although, I am enjoying the company of the gentle lady.”

“Gentle? You wish,” she stuck out her tongue. “I’d probably be protecting you. Or maybe you’d need protection from me.”

“Perhaps. We shall see how our day unfolds, milady,” Adrian inclined his head.

Kayla was enjoying the flirting, but she wasn’t sure where she wanted things to go. She was a beautiful woman who was also kind and friendly, so she was used to guys hitting on her. However, she had recently decided to be much more selective about who she got involved with.

Megan had even talked to Kayla about guys who were very, very skilled at faking an interest to get her into bed. The teenager could be a little naive in that regard, and had a couple partners she regretted. Noah had come on too strongly, making it obvious that getting her into bed was his only goal. Kayla liked him more when Noah started acting like a friend.

If Theodore Bauer hadn’t been so presumptuous and actually treated Kayla like a person instead of making it clear he saw her as three holes and two tits, she might have gone with him. Older guys could be really sexy. Yet, Theodore’s comments all came off as empty and meaningless.

Adrian seemed genuine, but so had her ex-boyfriend David, who had turned out to be a monster. David had fooled Kayla for months, so how well could she really know Adrian? Not knowing what to do was stressing Kayla out, so she decided to just keep her guard up and see where things went.

“Keep hitting me with that charm and I may be convinced of your desires,” Kayla smiled, her wavy raven hair framing her pretty face. “After all, many knights would love to find out what’s beneath a fair lady’s skirts.”

“Only a fool would not find you attractive,” Adrian proclaimed. “Yet, I will be quite content with the opportunity to show you the city through my eyes. I need nothing else.”

“Okay, then show me your city, good sir,” Kayla challenged.

“Are you ready?” he asked.

“I’m ready,” Kayla nodded eagerly.

After breakfast, the two of them left the small cafe and walked to Washington Square Park. The beautiful park was known as the heart of Greenwich Village, and Adrian was excited to show Kayla all of its hidden secrets. Adrian took a picture of Kayla in front of the famous Washington Square Arch before leading her into the park.

The park was full of people, many of them milling about while others sat on benches and relaxed. A paved circle surrounded the famous fountain and there were a couple of hot dog stands set up. People walked their dogs on leashes, and Kayla could spot locals relaxing on the grass in the distance.

Kayla eagerly rushed over to the fountain, her sundress fluttering around her knees. Adrian handed her a coin and suggested she make a wish. Closing her eyes, Kayla wished for her half-sister to be born healthy before tossing the coin into the water, allowing it to sink to the bottom of the fountain.

The two of them walked along the paved roads, passing street performers, musicians, and painters. Kayla dropped a five dollar bill into the guitar case of a talented musician who turned out to be a friend of Adrian’s. He didn’t have time to talk, but he greeted them quickly before getting back to playing a catchy tune.

Neither of them knew who initiated the contact, but Kayla and Adrian were soon holding hands as they walked along the path. A few vendors had stands where they sold various merchandise, and Adrian introduced Kayla to a friend of his who sold handmade jewelry. Adrian insisted on buying Kayla a small bracelet, saying it suited her spirit. She blushed cutely before putting it on.

An entire section of the park was devoted to game tables. There were tables set up all over the place, allowing people to play chess, checkers, and other board games. With a mischievous grin, Kayla led Adrian over to a free table with a chess board. A quick check confirmed that they had all the pieces.