Celeste Peters

"Celeste? Are you there?" Kristina's staticy voice is like a ghoul that pops out in one of those Halloween haunted houses. One minute you think you're going to die, and the next you realize it's just some teenager being paid to put on a costume and relief floods your body. I fumble around for the walkie talkie that's clipped around my belt.

Marc and I had just sprung apart like two kids caught...doing something they weren't supposed to be doing. And while the spiked tension suddenly drops as quick as it came when I realize Kristina's not actually standing next to me, I'm still shaking. What the hell was I thinking?

"Celeste?" Kristina says through the walkie talkie before continuing in a whisper, "There's a rude woman here who's acting like she owns the house. I need you to help me find Marc."

I glance up at Marc who's staring at me wide-eyed. He drops his gaze to the hand that was just on me, the palm now facing him. His fingers twitch. Fuck me, what have I done?

I was so unbelievably angry with him and then all of the sudden was so unbelievably turned on. I couldn't think of anything else except for his hands all over my body. And when I remembered that he thinks about my pierced nipples, I wanted him to have a feel with every fiber of my being.

"H-hey, hey, Kristina. I'm here, s-sorry." My voice must have guilt coated all over it.

Shit. Fuck. I'm so fucking dumb!

The gravity of what just took place is sinking me in like its quicksand. I would have said what happened was all just some fever dream, but with the way Marc is looking at me and the arousal still swelling in my breasts and abdomen—that was not a dream.

Marc is my boss and this job is more than anything I could've imagined. How could I have jeopardized things so fucking quick? I really thought this time would be different. I really thought this time I could get my act together.

"Can you help me find Marc?" Kristina asks.

"He's here. Um, outside the house. I'll tell him to go back in," I respond, trying to steady my voice and my breathing. Shit, why did I tell her I'm in his vicinity? She's going to know what happened.

"Oh great! Yes, please. I don't know why this woman is here and she won't stop snooping around. Can you come in too? It sounds like she might be his date, and they may need food to be prepared," she says through the walkie talkie, which Marc can hear.

"Yes, be right in," I respond as nonchalantly as I can.

Marc's date? When they walked in, I didn't even look at her. I was so mad at Marc that the thought of who this woman was didn't even fully circulate through my brain. She could have been his sister or cousin. But he brought a date to his house? My heart starts beating hard in my chest again.

Does he have a girlfriend? My stomach drops. No that can't be it because it sounds like Kristina doesn't even know who this woman is.

Is he serious about this woman? My stomach drops again.

Who cares? I don't fucking care.

Marc looks to be coming out of his catatonic state as he rubs his hands together and then runs a hand through his hair. "Listen, Celeste," he says gravelly, making my body vibrate with the memory of his thumb in my mouth and his hand on my tit.

"We should go inside. Your date is waiting," I say, truly sounding like a five year old. Ugh, I need to get it together. Marc's a grown man who can do whatever the fuck he wants. I sound like a jealous brat. I start walking back up the path toward the house, and try to adjust whatever I can adjust on my body.

I hear Marc's steps behind me. "Wait, can we talk about-"

"Let's not. Please." I stop and turn to him. Fuck, I can't look at him. He oozes sex with his slightly disheveled hair and chapped lips. "We just got caught up in a moment. Nothing happened," I say, praying my words sound believable. I cannot unpack what just happened right now. I'm trying to pack it up as tight as leftovers in one of those teeny tupperwares.

I start walking back up the path again and he follows. The property is now fully lit up under the dark sky and the pool we're approaching is glowing blue, inviting me to jump in and hide in its waters forever. I'd only use the slide when no one was around, as I'd need to have fun once in a while.

"Celeste, we should talk about it though," he says.

I sigh and say over my shoulder, "If we're gone too long they're going to suspect something. I swear there's nothing to talk about, Marc. Nothing happened." My heart is beating fast, like it's thinking the opposite. "We don't have to say anything to anyone and we can just forget about it."

He lets out a loud breath as he continues to follow me. "Alright, fine," he finally says, albeit a little curtly.

Even though I'm the one who suggested this plan, when he agrees to it, heaviness settles into my limbs. He probably hates that what took place, happened with someone like me. My lungs grow tight.

But I'm a big girl. I can take it. I try to force my lungs to intake more air.

"Great." I keep my eyes trained on the glass back door of the house and open it, hoping the turning in my stomach will settle the fuck down.

Chatter from the kitchen travels through the space once I walk in. I pause to let Marc go ahead of me, realizing it would look strange if the owner of the house was following the cook and not the other way around. But I can't bring myself to look at him when he walks past. I keep my head down.

"I'm sorry, Celeste," he whispers to me before stepping ahead of me toward the kitchen. My heart flutters and I remember the words that were uttered outside. I'm not a good dad. I've never been qualified for it and they know that. Those words shocked me unlike anything I've ever heard before in my life. I want to fester on them for days on end, to understand how on God's green earth, Marc could think such a thing. Sure, not being here when you told your kids you'd be here isn't exactly Dad of The Year material. But Marc should know, especially after hiring me, that anyone can accomplish something even if they're not qualified. It just takes a bit of effort.

"Dad!" The girls scream when their eyes catch him moving into the kitchen. Marc leans down and they jump up into his arms. His whole body visibly softens and melts into them.

"Hi, girls. I've missed you," he says before giving them each a kiss.

I file into the kitchen and no one seems to be paying attention to me except the woman standing next to the kitchen island. She's in tall, nude heels and looks regal in her deep navy, hug-curving dress that reaches past her knees. Her blonde hair is tied into the most perfect ponytail I've ever seen in my life, much unlike the Founding Fathers' low ponytail I sometimes sport. If someone asked me what Marc's type was and had me report it to one of those forensic sketch artists at the police station, the artist would produce a picture of this woman.

Except the way she's eyeing me is making my skin crawl. It's as if she knows what happened outside and is going to tattle at any second. Stay cool, Celeste. She can't possibly know though as Marc and I were shielded from the house, behind some trees. Pleasure blooms over my breasts as I replay how fucking hot it was.

Stop!

I turn to Kristina and Heidi who are smiling at the scene of Marc with his daughters. The girls are now in their shorts and tank top PJs and their wet hair is combed back. The interactions between them and Marc should be recorded and shown to Marc whenever he gets thoughts like the one he shared with me outside. My heart aches for him.

"Did you already eat your loaded nachos?" Laila asks as she grabs his hand.

"What? Loaded nachos?" Marc responds tilting his head back.

"That's what we made for dinner! Loaded nachos and then carrot cake for dessert," Nina says as she jumps on his back.

He stands up and glances at the table, which is now a mess. The heart shaped nachos now looks like an irregular nonagon of broken chips and scattered ingredients. I was tempted to rearrange it into a middle finger shape before Marc came home, but my new proper Celeste logic won. Now I want to just throw it all in the trash.

Marc's mouth opens and then he looks at me. A smile pulls the side of his lips and his eyes might as well be telling everyone that I had insider knowledge on the nacho situation. Thankfully, Nina unknowingly covers me by pulling everyone's attention with a "We even made it a heart shape, but then we got hungry so now it looks like a blob. But I hope you'll still eat it."

"Girls, this was so thoughtful of you. I'm so excited to try what you made."

"So you don't want us to clean it up?" Kristina asks toward the woman just standing there, as if the woman had given her the directive to do just that.

Marc's "date" shrugs in a way that says why are you asking me?

"No, please don't clean it, Kristina. We need to have dinner." He looks down at his daughters who are now pulling at his hands. "I know you girls just ate, but would you want to sit with me while I try it?"

They go wild, with a resounding yes. Nina is pulling on his hand to get to the table and Laila is pushing from behind. The woman who has still yet to be introduced fidgets and clears her throat, which alerts Marc. He stops beside her. "Oh, uh, right. Girls, I'd like for you to meet my friend, Vivian. I invited her to join us for dinner, I hope that's okay."

I swear I'm not usually a jealous person. But in this moment, I wish with all my heart, mind, and soul, that the girls won't love this woman. It's selfish, and I can't control who they choose to love, but a part of me feels like if they love her, they won't love me as much.

In a shocking twist of events, Laila and Nina have nothing to say. They just smile politely and nod, and tension releases from my shoulders.

"Oh, we met briefly before you walked in." Vivian's voice is a little high pitched but otherwise she could be on an ad describing a product and getting people to buy it. She places her perfectly french-manicured fingers on her lap and leans down. "Again, it's very nice to meet you Laila and Nina. I've heard a lot about you," she says painfully slow, like she's talking to people who have serious cognitive impairment.

A burning sensation covers my chest, and I move to get plates. I don't want to watch this little family gathering anymore. It's time to help them get what they need and get the fuck out of here.

"We didn't hear about you though," Nina responds.

I stifle down my snort and set down some plates on the table.

"Oh, uh, Vivian is a new friend, Nina."

"And I hope to get to know you girls a lot more over the next few weeks." She smirks seductively at Marc and I think I'm going to be sick. Why? I have no idea. It's not like I have any ownership over Marc and who he dates. He and I only just got to second base which is technically not that big of a deal.

But what a glorious second base it was.

"Okay. Can you taste the nachos now, Dad?" Nina says, resuming her pull on his hand.

Marc chuckles at his daughters' insistence and takes a seat at the table. His fingers hover over the mess and he plucks a chip in the center.

When that man drops the food into his mouth, my vulva practically smacks its lips together. Marc eating my food has to be one of the hottest things I've ever seen. I briefly picture him licking sauce I've made from my body and heat rushes between my legs. I look away to try and stop these highly inappropriate thoughts. For a girl who's trying to up her propriety level, I sure have taken a few big steps back today with Marc's reappearance.

"Wow, you girls made this?" He's smiling widely at his daughters when I turn back to look. They nod excitedly and Marc laughs. "Aww come on, I know you had helpers," Marc says in response to their nods.

"Oh! Yes, Ms. Celeste and Ms. Heidi helped us."

"Well, thank you all so much. It's so tasty. I love it," Marc says as he plucks another chip from the table and pops it into his mouth. I really should not be watching this pornography.

The most satisfied grins are plastered across the girls' faces. They both squeeze in next to him at the table while Marc glances up at Vivian who's still standing. "Viv, take a seat. Have some nachos."

"Oh, no thank you. I can't have dairy and I see cheese on there. But I can sit with you." She smiles politely and takes a seat across from Marc. Well, I guess no carrot cake for her either as that has milk.

I sigh. "I'll see if there is anything else I can make you," I say. I should get an award for this. Kristina has to start doing employee of the month bonuses.

"Thank you, Celeste. That's very kind," Marc says softly and my skin heats again. Why did I just volunteer to watch the Vivian Show longer than necessary?

"Yes, thank you Celeste!" Kristina says. "Heidi and I will be upstairs helping Leigh clean up. Let us know if you need anything."

And with that I'm left here with the twins, Marc, and Vivian - one big happy family.