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Chapter 157: Roll the Dice

Author: R.C. Wynne
last update Last Updated: 2022-10-20 14:11:38
Jacqui glanced at her watch. 11:45. She stared down at the file she had been reading, realizing that she hadn't been focused on the last two pages. It was time for a break and lunch with her father sounded good. She pressed the intercom button on her phone.

"Yes, Mrs. Karston?" Lily's voice came through the speaker.

"Will you call Sophia and tell her I'm coming home to have lunch with my father, please?"

"Yes, ma'am." The speaker went dead.

Jacqui stretched her arms over her head, popping her sore muscles back into life. She had not realized she had been hunched over in the same position for so long. Lily must have been doing the same at her desk, because she usually came in and forced Jacqui to move a bit, even if it were to sit up straight. Things were growing more hectic as the groundbreaking ceremony drew closer. It had been a while since she had taken on such a major undertaking and she had forgotten what all was involved. Add to that the normal daily business and they were all ru
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  • The Rutherford Series   Chapter 158: Roll the Dice

    Well, Bert was right. It definitely wasn't the reaction I expected, Morgan thought as he fought the urge to smile. It was probably embarrassing enough to Jacqui that her father was laughing at her from behind his hand. Morgan should feel bad, he knew, but Jacqui Karston would learn that he could give as well as he received. What was it his mother always said? If you can't take it, don't dish it out. Well, Mrs. Karston was going to learn he could dish it out just as well as she could.He finished pounding his nail into the wood and then took the beer from Jacqui's hand. "Thank you." He raised it in the air toward Bert and the two drank. "I hope you don't drink on every job," Jacqui said, her arms now crossed over her chest.He shrugged. "Depends on who I have to put up with." While he tried not to stare, he couldn't help noticing the way her arms were pushing her breasts up to the opening in her blouse. He doubted she realized the effect, or she wouldn't have been standing that way.Be

    Last Updated : 2022-10-20
  • The Rutherford Series   Chapter 159: Roll the Dice

    She watched the backs of the two men disappear as they rounded the corner and walked down the hallway, her mouth agape at the audacity of Morgan Brewer. They had both completely ignored her. She was used to her father doing it to her, but for someone who worked for her to do it… It was unbelievable. She would go to dinner, of course. There was no way she was going to allow her father to go with Morgan Brewer without her. She would need to be there to somehow control the evening.She glanced over at Sophia, whose eyes were glued to the food in front of her. She wanted to yell, scold the woman for what she put Jacqui in the middle of and the embarrassment she had been caused. She let out a deep breath as she reached for her glass of water. She wanted to yell, but she wouldn't. As much as the situation frustrated her, she couldn't blame Sophia. Bert was great at badgering people into doing what he wanted and from what Jacqui had seen of Morgan, he was equally talented in that area. Soph

    Last Updated : 2022-10-20
  • The Rutherford Series   Chapter 160: Roll the Dice

    As he dressed for his night out—blue jeans and a dark red flannel shirt—he thought again about how formal Jacqui always seemed. Nothing she did was casual. Her office was big on titles and last names, she kept her napkin smoothed over her lap as she ate, and she was always dressed immaculately, without even a stray hair out of place. He bet she even wore shoes throughout her house up until the time she went to bed. He chuckled a little as he pictured her watching television, eating popcorn with her pinkie finger up in the air, her high-heeled feet side by side on the floor as she sat there with perfect posture. And then it wasn't funny anymore. It was sad. Surely, she hadn't always been that way. Was it all a part of her penance?He scooped up his keys, locking his apartment as he headed out for the evening. Why did he care? Sure, she was a challenge, something to keep him from getting too bored while he was settling into a new area, but was that it? He had no problem picking up wome

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  • The Rutherford Series   Chapter 161: Roll the Dice

    She had been tricked, conspired against by her own father. Again. If she didn't know better, she would have believed Morgan and her father were in cahoots to get her out of the house just to embarrass her. She glanced over at Morgan and the way he was dressed, then took in her own attire for the evening again. They were definitely a mismatched pair. He looked like he was ready for a rodeo and she for a board meeting. She should have asked him what the attire for the evening was so she would have been better prepared. Not that it would have mattered. She had no use for casual outfits. She didn't attend picnics or go to barbecues. So why was she going to one now?Because my father couldn't mind his own business. She crossed her arms over her chest as she exhaled a frustrated breath. Her father had backed out at the last minute, setting her up on this date without him. No. It's not a date. It's a kidnapping. She refused to think of it as a date. She didn't go on dates."So, you haven't h

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  • The Rutherford Series   Chapter 162: Roll the Dice

    Standing in front of her picture window, Jacqui stared down at the city of Biloxi without seeing it. Her fingers toyed with her lips, gliding over them in slow, easy strokes. She could still imagine his lips on hers, the warmth of his breath against her skin, the way it stole the air from her lungs along with her voice. She hadn't even said goodnight to him as he walked away from her and back to his truck. She could only stare at him as he drove off, lost in the fact that he had kissed her.Her father was in bed when she finally pulled herself away from the retreating taillights of Morgan's truck, the house dark except for one lamp Bert left on for her. She peeked in on him while he slept, Morgan's words echoing in her mind. They were still echoing as she stood in her office, unable to focus. Was she being unfair to her father? She had never thought about it the way Morgan had put it, but it made perfect sense. She had never sold her home, because it was her connection to Marc and Magg

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  • The Rutherford Series   Chapter 163: Roll the Dice

    Jacqui just smiled as she poured the coffee, adding the sugar and then stirring. She gestured for Lily to take one of the chairs as she handed her the coffee, and instead of settling in behind her desk as she normally would, Jacqui took the other chair beside Lily. Reaching for her coffee, she settled back in her chair, her legs crossed at the knees. She wasn't used to small talk, but she was going to learn. "So, tell me what's been going on with you lately. I don't even know what you enjoy doing anymore."Lily held her coffee mug with both hands, her nervousness a mirror to Jacqui as to how the CEO of The Karston Foundation was viewed by her employees. Have I really been so domineering that I can't even ask Lily a question without her believing there is some ulterior motive behind it? So, she decided to ask. "Have I really become that bad, Lily?"The younger woman took a sip of her steaming coffee, stalling for time. As she lowered the coffee cup, she took a deep breath. "You've just

    Last Updated : 2022-10-20
  • The Rutherford Series   Chapter 164: Roll the Dice

    Morgan walked through the offices of Rutherford Construction, inspecting the work completed so far. The framing was complete as was the electrical and plumbing. Today the drywall people would show up and hang the Sheetrock. The warehouse behind the offices was already being painted, but then again, there wasn't as much to do back there as there was in the main part of the building. Another week and a half and he could get out of that trailer and into a quieter office. He was anxious to have this part of the project done so they could focus on the Maggie Karston Community Center and gaining new contracts. Vince was already out putting a bid in for a new plaza that was going up in Pascagoula and then for some office buildings in Ocean Springs, while Kari was putting out job postings for construction crews. By the end of two weeks, the offices would be hopping, which was exactly what he needed. Perhaps then he could get his mind off Jacqui Karston.Of course, he wasn't sure he wanted to g

    Last Updated : 2022-10-20
  • The Rutherford Series   Chapter 165: Roll the Dice

    The quiet didn't last long, however, before the interviews began.Carl Anderson was a former warehouse attendant for the local cable company. He had long gray hair, which he kept tied up in a ponytail and was thin enough that a strong breeze would force him to struggle simply to walk. He stood just under six feet and had the longest fingers Morgan had ever seen. Still, outside of his aged Ichabod Crane look, he seemed to know his stuff when it came to running a supply warehouse and Morgan told him to show up Monday at seven in the morning ready to start receiving supplies. Neal Rutherford had always maintained that he didn't want his employees wasting time at Home Depot. It took time away from actual work. Therefore, each of his offices had a warehouse fully stocked with the necessities and if something out of the norm was required, the warehouse manager would make sure it was there before it was needed. They would house supplies, as well as tools. In some offices, they even had their

    Last Updated : 2022-10-20

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  • The Rutherford Series   Chapter 268: To Be Cherished

    Dropping the arm holding the towel to his side, he walked over to where Cherish sat and joined her on the bed. He reached out, placing a hand on her leg and gave her a reassuring squeeze. "I'm sorry you're having to deal with this," he told her. He gave a weak shrug. "I guess we never know the full extent of our actions and their consequences until it's too late." He quickly held a hand up, stopping her from saying anything else. "That wasn't a judgment. Promise."She offered him a weak smile. "I didn't take it that way." She shrugged. "Besides, you're right. I didn't realize while I was...you know...how it would hurt you or Jordie, and I sure as hell didn't realize how it would follow me to another job. I was too caught up in what I was doing to even think of anything else." She reached out, placing her hand on top of his. "I'm sorry I was such a selfish bitch."Glen leaned over and kissed Cherish's forehead. When he pulled away, he grinned. "You're my selfish bitch, so it's all good.

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    Cherish shoved her phone into her purse, closed the final file folder, and shoved herself away from her desk. This day was over, and she was more than happy to see it go. As she stood, however, she realized the day was not completely over. She stood at the edge of her desk, adjusting her purse on her shoulder, as Mary Overton stepped into her doorway, arms crossed over her chest, looking as if she had a corncob shoved deep up her ass. What Bernie saw in the woman, Cherish would never know. Cherish sucked in a deep breath as she paused, waiting to hear what had brought the grump of a woman to her door. "Is there something I can help you with?" Cherish asked.Mary glanced over the room, scowling as she took in the changes Cherish made to the small office. "I see you've rearranged. Making the place more to your liking." Cherish could have sworn the woman gave a disgusted sniff as she said it. "I thought the way Kim had it set up was quite efficient." She glanced around the room with a sn

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    Glen soaked in her naked body, making no qualms about devouring her with his gaze. He had always thought Cherish was gorgeous and hated when she started to hide her body in baggy shirts and shorts. He wanted to see more of her flesh, more of her body tempting him under tight clothes or low-cut tops. He wanted her to be seductive, sultry, sexy. Hell, he even wanted her to dress slutty for him.Reaching out, Glen ran a hand over her freckle-covered shoulder, up her neck, and into her strawberry-blond hair. Gazing into her eyes, he sucked in a breath as he stared at her. "You, Cherish Lansky, are beautiful."He saw her cheeks redden with her blush, felt her squirm under his touch as his words embarrassed her, but he didn't care. While he thought the words often enough, he failed to say them out loud for her to hear. She needed to hear them. He needed to say them. They needed to get back to the spark that was them when they first ignited each other's passions. Looking at her right then, he

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    Cherish took a deep breath, deciding to tackle the topic of Rutherford even if Glen hadn't brought it up. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Jed. It's been a pretty emotional week all around, and I swear, it just slipped my mind."Glen cocked an eyebrow at her. "A lot of things have slipped your mind lately. I should probably do something about that, eventually."She bowed her head. "Yes, sir," was all she said, but she couldn't deny the tingle between her legs at the thought of Glen punishing her again. She would never have thought the idea of him spanking her would have such an effect on her.He took a sip of his coffee as he studied her, and Cherish just stood there under his scrutiny. After a stretched-out moment, he said, "So, tell me about the conversation now. You said you weren't interested in returning. Is that the truth?"She shrugged. "I don't know, to be honest. And, in the way of full disclosure, it was sort of a mixture of him asking if I would want to return and me aski

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    Cherish placed the last of the glasses back in the cabinet, her back screaming at her due to the lengthy day she just endured. Jordie was already sound asleep in his bed, his tired little body crashing as soon as everyone left, and the constant energy faded away. She could relate as exhaustion tugged at her as well. She had to admit, however, Glen's idea of having the party at their house opposed to her parents' was definitely a winner, minus the cleanup part afterward. Jordie loved every gift he opened, and he and the other kids made full use of the bounce house. Even a few of the adults climbed inside to get their inner youth on while they made the little ones stand outside the giant inflatable while they took over. The children, of course, were far from happy about not being permitted inside, but they laughed like crazy as they watched their parents bouncing around, trying to do flips, and falling on their asses.Valerie surprised Cherish with how she interacted with everyone else a

  • The Rutherford Series   Chapter 263: To Be Cherished

    Cherish felt the tears streaming down her cheeks, felt the anguish clutching at her heart as she sat there, staring at her mother, the woman crying openly now as she stared back at Cherish. How could her mother ever doubt Cherish's love for her? Because I did a shitty job of showing it. I pushed her with everything I did. Cherish reached out, taking her mother's hand in her own, squeezing it tight. "I've always loved you, Mom. You did nothing wrong. It was all me; I was the selfish bitch who never seemed satisfied and happy. I'm so sorry I ever made you feel that way." She squeezed her mother's hand again. "I should never have treated you that way."Her mother gave her a weak smile, squeezing her hand back before pulling it away. "I love you, too, and I'm sorry I ever made you feel as if you couldn't tell me you were pregnant." She shook her head. "Not a very good mother, huh?"Cherish settled back in her chair. "I think we both made mistakes, but that was then. This is now. I need to

  • The Rutherford Series   Chapter 262: To Be Cherished

    Cherish left the others and walked over to her mother, taking one of the remaining chairs beside the other woman. "Why don't you come join the rest of us? Has to be better than sitting over here all by yourself."Her mother didn't even look at her, keeping her gaze on the children. "Why is she here?" she asked, her back stiff, hands clasped in her lap."There are a lot of shes here," Cherish said, even though she knew to whom her mother referred. "You'll have to be a little more specific.""Your sister's new friend," her mother said, her lips pressed into a thin line. "Why did they have to bring her to a family event? It's rude."Cherish glanced over and watched as Tracey Williams laughed at something Arni said, her feet barely touching the ground from where she sat in the chair. "She's close to Selby and Faith," Cherish said with a shrug. "We permitted Brent to bring Bonnie; why wouldn't we allow Faith and Selby to bring Tracey? She seems to be getting along with everyone all right."

  • The Rutherford Series   Chapter 261: To Be Cherished

    Glen stepped back out into the yard, two camp chairs in his hands. Valerie Driscoll was accustomed to calling all the shots, and he knew she set up her area far away from his mother to try to force a division in the party, drawing the crowd to her, so she could show off. That was one of the reasons he wanted the party at his house, so she wouldn't be able to pull a stunt like this. Yet, she still wrecked division wherever she went.Glen moved to the middle of the yard, close to the bounce house, and set up the two chairs. He turned to find Cherish near her mother, two beers in her hand as she watched him, one eyebrow raised and a smirk turning up the corner of her lip."Excuse me," he heard her tell her mother. "I think I'll go join my husband." She then left her mother's side, Valerie's mouth ajar as she gawked at her daughter's retreating back. When Cherish reached him, she handed him his beer as she slid into her chair. "Your beer, sir," she said, smiling at him.He glanced over at

  • The Rutherford Series   Chapter 260: To Be Cherished

    Glen just needed a few minutes to calm his temper. He knew he had acted rude since returning home, and he didn't mean to snap at everyone, taking out his frustration with Cherish on everyone but her. He shoved his way inside the house and headed for the bedroom at the back of the house. Just a few minutes, that's all he needed.However, what he needed and what he received were two different things. As soon as he plopped down on the bed, his hands clasped together as he rested his elbows on his knees, doing his best to take deep breaths, Cherish walked into the room, shutting the door behind her. He didn't even turn to look at her. He couldn't right then. She had lied. Again. That's all she ever did lately.Cherish walked in front of him and dropped to her knees, sitting back on her heels, her hands on her thighs as she stared up at him. She said nothing. Just knelt there, waiting.Glen closed his eyes, taking another fortifying breath. Before opening them again and staring at his wife.

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