Taken (Dark Desires 1)

Veronica wondered if she would tell him about her and Frank on their date. It seemed almost too cruel to do something like that to him. She knew he was terribly excited to see her, and this revelation would absolutely crush him.

And if she didn’t tell him, she knew the guilt would be eating at her the whole night, and she would just end up having a completely miserable time altogether. She would only be sparing him from the truth temporarily, anyway, and there was little point in dragging it out.

She wondered how he would react if she did tell him. Would he be angry? Hurt? Betrayed? Embarrassed? Doubtless he would feel all these emotions, but which one would he display. It was a question she would not know the answer to until she revealed her horrible secret.

And the bigger issue in all this was whether she wanted to try and recover her relationship with Calvin, or if she wanted to pursue a new relationship with Frank? In some ways, the choice of Frank seemed easy. She had already nearly seamlessly adjusted herself into his life. She was attracted to him both physically and mentally, not to mention the deeper connection that they shared.

But then, there were outside issues to consider. Frank was a man of wealth and status, and the duties of a wife were certainly much different than the duties of a nanny. She would likely be expected to attend events and to mingle with an entirely different class of people than she was accustomed to. In her mind, she just could not picture herself ever fitting in to that kind of picture.

Veronica was also afraid of being a disappointment to Frank. They had only interacted in this environment. What if he came to find one day that she was not all he had made her out to be, and came to regret his decision entirely?

All these thoughts rushed through her head, and Veronica rubbed at her temples. She got up from the table and headed upstairs to her room. She desperately hoped that a shower would help her to be able to sort out her thoughts on these issues.

Veronica had a hard time keeping her mind away from this pressing issue for the next couple of days. She tried and tried to sort everything out, but even after hours and hours agonizing over it, she had not come any closer to finding a solution or making a decision.

By the time Friday afternoon rolled around, she was nearly a complete mess. She was anxious about seeing Calvin after having spent this time without him, and knowing all the things she had done in that time.

She really was on the verge of a complete mental breakdown.

So, she was very caught off guard when Frank showed up at his home a little earlier than usual. He greeted his daughters, and then gave her a small smile.

“Go on up and start getting ready,” he said softly. “I’ve got the girls.”

Veronica nodded, unable to verbally respond, and headed up the stairs. She made it into her room, but stopped short as she saw a box on the bed. She looked closer and saw a note card lying on top of the box.

She hesitantly moved closer, and picked up the card.

‘Wear this on your date. I know it will look incredible on you. -Frank’

Veronica felt her heart clench as she read the note. As if it wasn’t enough to be playing with Calvin’s emotions, she was also acutely aware that Frank had feelings for her, and wanted her to stay with him.

She was tempted to simply ignore the box and refuse to wear the dress. But she knew that he would insist, and she didn’t want to risk hurting his feeling over something that only cost a tiny fraction of his fortune. She would wear the dress, and she would thank him profusely for it.

Slowly, Veronica opened the box, and she gasped at what she saw. It was a deep purple dress that she already knew would accentuate all of her curves in just the right way. It was complete with a neckline that would serve to show off her generous cleavage, but not so much as to be tacky.

Veronica couldn’t wait to put it on. She found a pair of black lace bra and panties that would easily compliment the dress, and then she slipped on the garment itself. She gasped as she saw herself in the mirror. She was shocked to find it fit her perfectly, and with a pair of black heels it would give her a classy, elegant look.

Veronica hastily took off the dress, all but too eager to put it back on when her hair and makeup were done. She went into the bathroom and picked up her speed on that whole process. She found the perfect pair of black heels to go with the dress, and then put on the dress and shoes. She selected a black clutch to complete the look, as well as a matching set of pearl necklace and earrings.

She was observing herself in the mirror when she saw her door open from its reflection, and she stiffened a little as Frank walked into the room.

“Hey,” he said softly, and she watched his jaw drop slightly as he took in her wardrobe. She felt heat rush into her cheeks, and she couldn’t help but smile up at him.

“Thank you for the dress,” she said softly, feeling a flutter of arousal as his eyes swept hungrily over her.

“Thank you for wearing it,” he said, his voice husky. “You look stunning.”

Veronica dipped her head out of modesty.

“I wish it was me taking you out tonight,” Frank said softly as he moved closer to her. He placed his hands on her waist, and she could tell he was being careful so as not to wrinkle the material of her dress.

“I wish it was too,” Veronica said softly, and she meant it.

Frank gave her a sad smile and sighed.

“Well if you go on a date with me at any point,” he said speculatively. “I’ll just have to buy you an even nicer dress.”

Veronica smiled up at him, knowing that he was quite capable of doing so. They were both quiet for a moment, feeling a bit awkward for the first time she could remember since they had met.