Chapter 9

Erin and I went up to our room. As soon as we were out of the kitchen, Erin asked, "Is something going on between you and Tyler?"

"No, baby. He may enjoy our company. But he is an accomplished, educated, sophisticated, and extremely sexy man. He can do a lot better than me. I think that maybe we have brought a little pleasure into his life and Karen just misinterprets his reaction to having us around."

Erin thought about that for a minute before saying, "You really do have a huge problem with low self esteem, don't you. I guess I never noticed before because I thought our life was normal. It was all I knew. And I don't think that I ever noticed how little we talked to each other until this all started.

"I see you differently now. I think I understand you better. I think I probably understand you better than you understand yourself now. No wonder Karen was so pissed off at you. You can be pretty frustrating."

I didn't know whether to be amused or upset! But either way I was impressed by how much more mature she suddenly seemed. I can't take credit for raising her right. I didn't. But I'm proud as hell of the way she's turning out.

Erin went across the hall to take a quick shower. I went through my new wardrobe, trying to decide what to wear. I was still trying to decide a few minutes later when Karen came into my room. She appeared in my closet door while I was trying to find something that wasn't so slutty that it would embarrass everyone when we went out to a nice restaurant.

I looked at her and said, "I'm sorry. Please don't be mad at me."

She smiled and shook her head. She said, "I'm not mad. I'm sad. I'm frustrated. I see we have a lot of work to do. I have gotten very close to you and Erin in such a short time that I guess I forget how short a time I've known you."

I chose to hear only that she has gotten close to Erin and me.

I turned back to my new dresses and quietly cried out, "Help!"

She smiled again and joined me in the closet. She stood behind me and kissed the back of my neck. She said, "We weren't thinking ahead when we went shopping, were we?"

We went back through the dresses until she stopped at a colorful but very short wrap around. I said, "I like that one, too. But don't you think that Tyler will be embarrassed to be seen in a nice place with me if I wear it?"

Tyler startled the hell out of both of us when he announced from the closet door, "Tyler likes it. And nothing you do could embarrass him."

I swallowed the scream that caught in my throat. With a mischievous grin on my face I said, "Wanna bet?!"

He chuckled and said, "You're on. Loser cooks dinner tomorrow."

I removed the dress we had selected from the hangar and we went back out into the bedroom. As I was about to pass by Tyler I stopped. I pressed my naked body against him and went up on my toes to give him a light kiss on the lips. I said, "You are in for an interesting evening. I hope we aren't going to a restaurant that you ever want to return to someday. You are most likely going to be asked to leave and not come back."

His arms snaked around me and he got a firm grip on the cheeks of my ass. He looked me right in the eyes and said, "I'm not scared. I've been thrown out of places before. I find it strengthens my character."

I kissed him again. I said, "Then I guess it's just what I need. It's going to be a first for me. I get evicted from houses and apartments but I've never been thrown out of a bar or a restaurant."

I stepped back and saw the meaningful look on Karen's face. I knew what she was thinking but we certainly couldn't have that argument again now.

I saw Erin standing in the door and said to Tyler, "We'll be ready in fifteen minutes."

Erin saw what I was going to be wearing and smiled. She exclaimed, "Oh! I like that one! I have one almost like it. I think I'll wear that."

Karen smiled at her enthusiasm but said, "Perhaps you'd be more comfortable in one of your school outfits."

Karen and Tyler started out of the room but Erin, obviously disappointed, asked, "Was that an order?"

Karen looked at Tyler. Tyler was grinning, waiting for Karen to respond. Karen laughed and said, "Fuck it! I don't care if you wear that little bikini. Wear whatever you want."

They left us to get ready. As soon as they were out of the room Erin went into the closet and came back out a moment later with the dress she wanted to wear. She looked very excited that she was finally going to get to wear it.

I didn't even bother to ask her if she was sure about this. I just shook my head and we went about putting our makeup on.

Before we put our sexy little dresses on there was a brief conversation about wearing underwear. We decided that since no one told us to wear it we shouldn't. So we didn't.

We put on our shoes and hurried downstairs. They were waiting for us in the family room. When we entered the room I saw Tyler's eyes light up. It certainly strengthened my resolve. It also warmed my heart to see that look in a man's eyes again. For just a fraction of a second I thought about what Karen had said earlier. But sanity returned. It wasn't even a possibility that this was anything other than a game for Tyler. He may like us. But it could never be more than that. He knows too much about me and unfortunately there is nothing in my past to recommend me.

Tyler and Karen stood up. He came closer and looked us over. He shook his head and said with a reverence in his voice that made my heart beat faster, "You ladies are absolutely beautiful."

He turned to Erin and said, "Erin, the reason we are going out this evening is to celebrate your accomplishment today. I was extremely impressed. When Karen called me and told me about it I don't think I could have been more proud if you were my own daughter."

Tears started flowing down her cheeks and she threw herself into his arms. She whispered, "Thank you."

There was so much emotion in her voice that I had to fight to hold back the tears. This time I saw Karen wiping her eyes, too.

Tyler kissed the top of her head and said, "I was going to give this to you at the restaurant. But with all that cleavage you've got going on in that dress I think you should have it now."

He pulled a box out of his inside jacket pocket and handed it to her. She held it in her hand for a moment. She knew what sort of thing came in boxes like that. She didn't know what it contained. She had never been given jewelry before. But she recognized it as a velvet box from a jewelry store.

We were all watching her. We all saw the conflict. Tyler seemed to know just what was going through her mind. He pulled her into his arms and hugged her. We saw the genuine feelings that he had for her. Karen and I were both struggling to maintain our composure.

Tyler kissed the top of her head and quietly said, "I know what's going through your pretty head, Erin. Put those thoughts right out of your mind. I know that you aren't used to having anyone do nice things for you. I think that may be part of the reason I enjoy it so much. But the important thing for you to remember is that I do enjoy it and you aren't taking advantage of me. It makes me happy to see you and your mother happy.

"I thought that having you two around was going to be huge pain in the ass. I hate to admit it. But I'm happier than I've been in years and I'm not even sure why. I like having you two here. That little box is just a token of my affection and a well deserved reward for a significant accomplishment. Open it."

He stepped back. Erin still had tears rolling down her cheeks. She looked at Tyler through her tears and said, "I don't really remember my father. He left us before I turned five. Would it make you uncomfortable if I said I love you?"

It looked like Tyler was struck dumb. Erin whispered, "No one has ever given me anything nice before I met you. But it isn't just that you are giving us things. You are the most amazing man I've ever met. I do love you. We both do, though mom doesn't have the balls to say it. She doesn't think she's good enough for you."

I hissed, "Erin!!"

Tyler looked back and forth between Erin and me for a long moment. His face looked ... I'm not sure. I couldn't read it. He looked like he didn't know what to say or what to think.

But finally he pulled Erin back into his arms and said, "I love you, too."

Then he looked at me over the top of Erin's head. He didn't say anything. But the look made my toes curl!

He finally stepped back and said, "Are you going to open the damned box or not?!"

Karen reached out and handed her a couple of tissues. She carefully dabbed the tears from her eyes and wiped her cheeks. Then she slowly opened the velvet box. When she saw what was in the box she nearly fainted. She stared at it for a moment, obviously in shock. She couldn't speak. It looked like she was having trouble breathing.

The curiosity was killing me. I came closer and looked over her shoulder. I gasped loudly. That was all I could do. My mind shut down. The box contained the most beautiful necklace I have ever seen.

Erin started shaking her head. She held the box out towards Tyler and in a faint voice she said, "No! No, I can't! Please, take..."

Tyler just smiled and lifted the necklace from the box. It was a delicate white gold necklace with a huge, pear shaped diamond hanging from it. I couldn't even guess how many carats or the value. I had no doubt that it was extremely expensive, probably more than the Corvette he bought for her!

She continued to look in his eyes and shake her head while he placed it around her neck and stood back to see how it looked. Karen and I moved around to stand where we could see it on her. We were both speechless.

Tyler reached out, lifted her chin with his fingertips and smiled lovingly at her. He said, "That necklace needed you to reach its full potential. You are beautiful."

Karen finally snapped out of it and said, "Come on. Let's go fix your makeup. That will give you a chance to see how you look."

As they left the room I went to Tyler and threw myself at him. I looked up into his happy face and said, "I..."

That was as far as I could get. I was too choked up ... and too confused.

He still smiled. But his smile grew more serious and more intense as he looked down into my face and tried reading all the emotions there. Finally he said, "I understand. Don't worry. It will come."

"What will come?"

"The self confidence and the self esteem that you need to deal with your emotions."

I understood what he was trying to say. But he didn't fully understand. I looked down and said, "It isn't that I don't have the feelings. But I can't do that to you. You are too good a man."

My mind was spinning out of control. I said, "I'm trying to be careful here. I just finished pissing Karen off royally."

I looked back up into his face and it was obvious now that he had feelings for me. I stood there trying to think of some way to explain that he was too good for me without upsetting him.

Before I could decide how to say what I was thinking he reached into his jacket again. He said, "It will come. I'm a patient man."

I opened my mouth to try and do the right thing but before I could speak he said, "I didn't want you to get jealous. So I picked up a trinket for you as well."

He pulled a beautiful, lacquered wooden box out of his side pocket and said, "This is going to look lovely on your neck. Now shut up and let's get this on you. I will use deadly force if I have to."

I had to struggle not to laugh. But the humor dissipated quickly when he opened the box to show me what it contained. It was a heavy gold necklace with a large round diamond about every inch or two all the way around except for the immense, heart shaped diamond in the front. It must have cost a fortune!

I was still struggling for words when he removed it from the box and gently placed it around my neck. He glanced down and said, "Wait until you see it on you. You are going to go nuts."

"I already am!"

He pulled me into his arms then and kissed me hard. The raw emotion in that kiss made my legs weak. The kiss went on and on and I wished that it could last forever. When he finally took his lips away he whispered, "I love you, Paula. I love you and I love your daughter. I misjudged you and I will never forgive myself for the things that I have done to you in the last four days."

I stood back and held my hand up as if I was going to slap him. He looked startled. I ignored that and exclaimed, "We love the things you have done to us in the last four days! If you are going to change the rules I don't want to play anymore!"

He looked confused and then he looked embarrassed when he realized that Karen and Erin were standing nearby, watching and listening.

Erin said, "The necklace is beautiful. But if it means we can't fuck anymore you can have it back."

Poor Tyler looked totally confused. Karen came closer and asked, "What's your problem, Tyler? These two sluts are offering you a waking wet dream. Are you going to try and tell us that you haven't had a great time since they moved in?"

"No, but..."

"But you have always done the right thing and in your mind you can't love a woman and have sex with her daughter."

Tyler looked totally lost. I felt so sorry for him. I eased Karen aside and put my arms around him. He looked down at me. He looked almost relieved to just have me to deal with again. I smiled and said, "It's much too soon to be making any decisions, Tyler. You don't have to decide anything now. Let's just accept the fact that the three of us have gotten very, very fond of each other in an incredibly short amount of time and leave it at that for now.

"Later, we may need to alter our agreement somewhat. For now all four of us are happy with it. You enjoy our relationship the way it is, don't you?"

Tyler nodded but he still looked dazed. I realized that he must have had this all planned out in his head. He was going to change everything. He was going to try to turn us into a normal family. But only because he thought that was what he was supposed to do. He admitted that he enjoyed things the way they were. His logical mind told him that he had to change it. Luckily for him, he is the only one that thinks that way.

I went up on my toes and kissed him again. I smiled and said, "Nothing needs to change. Not yet. Maybe not ever unless what we have begins to bother you. It doesn't bother you does it? You don't mind the things we do, do you?"

He sighed resignedly and wrapped his arms around me. He looked around the room at Erin and Karen. Finally he said, "Just when I thought I had you figured out..."

"You're over thinking it. Surrender to the inevitable. It's good that your feelings for us have changed because we feel the same way. But for now, unless you have a problem with the way we are living now, let's just keep things the way they are. Erin and I have never been happier in our lives. I've heard rumors that you are happier than you have been in a long time. Why would you want to mess with that?"

"That's an easy question to answer! I've never met a woman who wouldn't have a problem with a dirty old man like me screwing her sixteen year old daughter and then sharing her with his friends."