The Mistress Mistake Read Online Free PDF Page A

"How much
do you want from this deal, Jessica?"
    "Money-wise?"
    "Yes."
    She licked her lips. "I thought I'd take this
a semester at a time. Tuition, room and board."
    He studied her intently for a moment before
stating unequivocally, "Your negotiating skills suck."
    "What?"
    "You're cutting yourself short. It wasn't all
that long ago that I was going to school. I know how much it costs.
Tuition, books, living expenses, you're looking at what, ten,
twelve a semester?"
    "Yes."
    "Cutting yourself short. You even know what
the going rate is for this kind of arrangement?"
    She shook her head.
    "Three grand a month. Half a year, right
there you're looking at eighteen grand."
    "I don't want more."
    "Taking more won't make this any worse than
it already is."
    "Yes, it will."
    "No, I promise you, it won't. Half a year is
probably about the time limit on the deal anyway. You plan right,
you save your money, you could have the spring semester paid
without having to do something like this again."
    He had a point there. "How much then? Three
grand a month? I need at least enough for tuition and books up
front--well, I need it by August."
    "That's not a problem."
    Jessica took a moment to think. Three grand a
month was the going rate? If she multiplied that by the six months
he had mentioned, it would pay basically one and a half semesters
of school. She had four more semesters to go. If she could get all
this unpleasantness over in six months but make enough to pay two
semesters, that would be beyond amazing. It would also give her
time to figure out her final year of school. She could improve her
GPA, and maybe get enough in private scholarship money to pay for
her fourth year.
    Twenty-four thousand divided by six months
equaled four grand a month. He'd already intimated he was willing
to pay the going rate, so maybe she could get him to go four grand
a month. Jessica focused on all these things, the business side of
the arrangement, and not on the actuality of it. Going over the
numbers in her mind, she went for it. "Four grand a month, that
will put a roof over my head and let me save enough over the summer
to pay tuition in the fall and then again in the spring."
    "Done."
    His voice was strong and adamant and
astonishment that he'd agreed so quickly surprised her. "Really?"
Crap, crap, crap. This was moving forward and she didn't know if
she wanted to go forward. She did, but she didn't.
    "As long as you agree to what I want," he
said.
    Her lips tightened. "I know what you want . .
. sex."
    "There's a little more to it than that. You
have to have a complete health check-up, which I'll pay for. That
will include a drug test as well. I won't tolerate drugs of any
kind, so I'm talking about a hair follicle test, not a simple urine
test. If you know you're guilty of drug use already, save us both
the time and effort this will take and admit it now." He watched
her closely and she shook her head softly. At her denial, he
continued, "I'm going to have a background check done on you as
well. In addition to those requirements, you'll also have to agree
to live where I want you to live, but I'll be reasonable and make
it close to campus."
    She let the background check and
health-screening pass over her. That was practically a given. "I
can't live on campus?"
    "No."
    "Why?"
    His face became even more remote as he
retaliated immediately. "Where would I fuck you, Jessica? We need a
private place."
    Before she could stop herself, she closed her
eyes tightly against his bluntness and the truth of what she was
contemplating. He obviously didn't care for her reaction because
his hand reached out and he grabbed her chin. "Open your eyes."
    She did as he said and found him staring
straight at her.
    "We're going to fuck, Jessica." His words
were short and clipped and his eyes held hers captive. "Say
it."
    She swallowed and tried her best. "Yes, we
are."
    His fingers pinched angrily into her chin. "I
don't think you get it yet."
    She took a shuddering