Chapter 6
“Stop fidgeting,” she ordered as she looked over at him.
“I cannot help it. I have never been this still for so long. Are you almost through?”
She wrinkled her small nose at him and looked so endearingly beautiful that he wanted to kiss her! “Perfection takes time,” she told him loftily as she ran the brush slowly over the parchment. She wanted charcoal but never had any in her office at home and she knew she would never get the opportunity to paint him like this again, or maybe she would! They had just finished making love on her desk and his eyes were still heavy with passion. He was lounging on her sofa with one muscular leg thrown over the arm and the other on the carpeted floor. His wonderful penis was semi-erect and she felt her mouthwatering as she looked at him. He truly was a magnificent man! she thought with a pang. Maybe if he had been ten years older and not a rich playboy she would contemplate a relationship. Too bad, she thought as she concentrated on the painting.
“Could I at least get a drink?”
She laughed at the pained look on his handsome face. “You are impossible! Just a few more minutes and I am done.”
“What do I get as a reward?”
“What would you like?”
“A date.”
She cut him a glance and continued painting.
“There is a gallery opening on Saturday and I would like you to come. Our company is one of the sponsors so I have to be there and make nice.”
“I love art.” She poked her tongue at the side of her mouth as she concentrated and he found himself getting hard. “But I am not going out with you.”
He sighed in frustration. “I have not been with anyone else since us.”
“I am sure that’s temporary,” she said mildly.
“Baby, you are killing me,” he said huskily. “I want to show you off.”
“I am not a trophy, David.”
“You know what I mean,” he said impatiently. “I want us to start doing things together. I want you to see another side of me.”
“I have already seen several sides.” She put the finishing touches and rinsed the brush out. She examined the work and nodded with satisfaction. Only a true artist could capture the arrogant beauty of his face and body, but it was not bad. She folded the piece of paper over it and getting to her feet she came over to kneel in front of him. “I wish things were different but they are not.” She touched his strong jaw fleetingly. After their fight a week ago, he had not mentioned another man again. They saw each other almost every night and several nights a week he spent the night. She was beginning to get used to sleeping inside his strong arms. “Stop asking me for more.”
He slid off the sofa and tumbled her onto the floor, his hands spanning her small waist. “I cannot help it. I am falling in love with you.”
“David-” She groaned as she felt him against her.
He lifted her and put her on him and she sank down with a sigh and a quiver. “Deal with it,” he whispered as he reached up and took a nipple inside his mouth. She arched her body to his and gave in to the helpless pleasure!
******
This time she did not invite her friends. The opening was formal and she had chosen carefully. Her dress was a shimmering black number that came to her knees and had thin straps that crisscrossed at the back. She had on strappy black sandals and her curls were brushed away from her face. She saw him the minute she came into the room and felt a stab of jealousy as she noticed the woman clinging to him. She had told him that they were not exclusive, but how she wanted to tear the bitch’s hair out by the root! The reaction startled her for a moment and took her aback. She quickly walked over to a piece that showed the work of a fairly new artist that she did not recognize. It was a very interesting painting and the artist had used a lot of bold bright colors which swirled together to form a myriad of colors. It was an abstract piece and was very interesting.
“I never know what the hell these pieces mean,” a deep voice said at her elbow. She turned and saw a tall attractive man with greying hair standing next to her.
“It’s called abstract for a reason,” she said with a smile. “You can give it your own interpretation.”
“It looks like a damned kid made a mess on the paper,” he grumbled.
Hailey laughed at that. “I like his style. The lines are swift and bold.”
He looked at her in admiration. “You are an artist?”
“No, just an admirer.”
He extended a hand. “My name is Bill Stephenson. Nice to meet you.”
She shook it. “Hailey Donaldson. What are you doing here if you are not into this sort of thing?”
“My sister dragged me here.” He indicated the blonde woman who was almost draped over David’s arm. “Lila is interested in Snyder more than she is in the pieces here.”
“I see.” She tore her gaze away from him. He had seen her come in and had not moved from her. Two could play the same game! “How about I explain all of them to you?” she asked, linking the man’s arm with hers.
His green eyes lit up. “It would be my pleasure!”
******
“I think Bill found himself a friend,” Lila drawled as she looked at her brother with the stunningly attractive woman as they wandered around the large elegant room. David stiffened as he looked over at them. His mother was present as well as his sisters and her new husband so he was not able to go over to her. He took Lila’s arm from his. “I need to speak to someone,” he muttered as he walked away. He stopped first with his mother and a group of people and then made his way to them.
“Bill.” He forced a smile at the man before turning to her. “Ms. Donaldson, I see you made it.”
“Of course. I was just telling Bill that he might have to buy me this piece.” She pointed at a sculpture of a man and his son.
“I told her that I would buy her anything she wanted. She has made this evening so interesting,” he said with a glint in his eyes.
“I think Lila was looking for you.” David was afraid he was about to make a fool of himself.
“She is?” He lifted one of Hailey’s slender hands and kissed it lightly. “I will be back, my dear.”
“I will be waiting.” She waved him away.
He stood beside her and pretended that he was admiring the awful painting there. “What the hell are you doing?” he hissed at her.
“I have no idea what you mean,” she said smoothly.
“He was touching you.”
“So was that bitch.”
He blinked at her in surprise and he felt the anger and jealousy melting away from him. “You are jealous!” He felt like dancing around the room. The cool unflappable woman had the incredible power to wrap him around her little finger was actually jealous of another woman touching him!
“Don’t be ridiculous!” she said sharply. “Isn’t Bill a sweet guy?” she asked him softly.
His expression glowered. “Don’t push me.”
“I think he said he was fifty-two and single.”
“Hailey.” His expression had gone grim.
“He is a mature business man, darling, and I can actually see myself going out with him. He invited me to dinner.” She could not stop herself. How dare he think she was jealous! “I think I might just go.”
“Try me,” he told her in a soft ominous voice. “Just try me.”
“I am not afraid of your threats, David,” she told him sweetly and turning around she walked away from him. She kept close to people in order not to allow him to get close to her again. Bill came back to find her and she deliberately engaged him in conversation, smiling up at him as he brought her some of the food. They talked and laughed and she deliberately ignored David who was watching her with a smoldering look on his face. She saw when the blonde came over and stiffened when he pulled her closer to him, a grim smile on his face. With a determined look on her face, Hailey pressed closer to Bill and saw the appreciative look on the man’s face. She felt awful using him like this, but she had to prove to David that she was above being jealous! She did not look at him but continued the conversation with Bill, her expression animate as she explained the different pieces to him. When she looked around the room again, she noticed that neither David nor Hailey were around. The feeling of despair was over her so much that at first she could not breathe. Then with a determined smile, she turned to Bill. Maybe this was teaching her something!
******
“Darling, you have not heard a word I said,” Lila said with a pout. He had guided her into another room just to show Hailey a lesson, but now the joke was on him. He had not paid Lila any mind since he go into the room and was wondering if Bill was touching her. This was torture and he did not know how much more he could take! He wanted to show the world that he was in love with this gorgeous woman and his eyes were tied. He had to endure watching her and pretending that he did not know her was clawing at him!
“I need to get back in there,” he said abruptly as he turned away.
“Please stay a little bit,” she said, grabbing his arm. He looked down at her. She really was pretty in an unremarkable way. If his heart was not so tied up with Hailey, he would have had her in a flash. She did not have Hailey’s sculpted beauty or the fire and passion that simmered below the surface. Neither did she have that self-confidence that Hailey wore like a cloak. She was plain and needy just like the other women he had been out with!
He pulled away from her. “I have to get back!”
But she was not in the room and Bill was gone as well. He shoved his hands into his pockets, his expression bleak. Maybe he should give her a break!
*****
He did not call and did not come over and she had told herself that it was for the best. She had spoken to Bill outside and had told him she would let him know about dinner and had taken his number. She poured herself a glass of wine and stared broodingly at the gaily printed wallpaper in front of her. It was a little past nine and she had not called her friends or called her mother. He had taken up so much of her time that she did not get in touch with the people who were and dear to her. It was good that she found out what kind of person he was and had not fall for his superficial admission of love! What did he know about the emotion? she thought heatedly. He had been with too many women to count and she was sure he had told several of them that he was in love with them! She was too mature to be falling for that line! She knew better. He was probably sulking or lying in bed with that clingy blonde. The thought caused the pain to zing through her heart. The bastard!
*****
“It’s a summer program, Mom. The college introduced it several years ago and opened it up to people of all ages. Not just those who failed the courses.” Hailey brought the jug of lemonade over to the table on the porch and sat opposite her mother. It was a lovely sunny day and the second Saturday in July. She had not spoken to David in two weeks and she told herself that she was better off without him. She had been on two dates with Bill and found that they had things in common. “I have this eighty-year-old woman in the class. She is quite talented.” Hailey poured the icy cold liquid into two glasses and handed her one. “Maybe you could come and sign up. I would only charge you half price.”
Her mother looked at her dryly as she took the drink. “I spent most of my time in school. I am not going to spend the rest of my days there.” She looked at her daughter curiously. “I thought you were planning on going to France for the summer?”
“Maybe in August. I am really enjoying the course. It’s more relaxed than my regular classes and there are more mature people there than I usually have.”
“Honey, this man you are seeing; is he the one?” her mother asked her suddenly.
Hailey had told her about Bill. “What does that mean?”
“Is he someone you can see yourself with? You said he has a couple of kids from a former marriage. I am not sure about possible stepchildren.”
“Mom, we are just having fun!” Hailey told her with a laugh as she leaned back against the worn chaise lounge on the porch. “It’s not like we have plans on tying the knot any time soon.”
“Honey, I hate to be the one to remind you of this, but you are a mature woman without a child and have never been married. I highly doubt that this man is going out with you just for fun. He is probably looking for wife number two.”
Hailey had thought about that too. Bill was a very successful business man who owned a number of software companies. He had told her that his wife had been caught with a younger man, and even though that was five years ago, the broken heart was still there. His children were grown and living on their own and he lived alone in an apartment uptown. He had invited her there but she had told him not yet.
“I am not ready for that.” Hailey pulled her fingers along the moisture on the glass. She missed David, she thought with a pang. She missed his devil may care attitude and the laughs they had together. But she was pragmatic enough to know that they could never have anything more than something physical. They were worlds apart.
Her mother looked at her curiously. “You need someone who is going to love you for who you are.”
*****
“I see the old you is back,” Martha commented as her son stepped out of the pool. Her eyes wandered over to where two young ladies were lounging on blown up plastic dolphins with their hands trailing in the water. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon and she was just back from her luncheon meeting with some friends of hers.
“Mother, you look gorgeous.” He planted a wet kiss on her cheek before going for a towel to wipe the water off his body. She had noticed that he had been moping around the house for the past week or so and had hoped that it had to do with a woman who had somehow touched his heart. “How was lunch with the gals?”
“Good.” She ran her hand briefly along his muscled arm. “Who are they, darling?”
“Friends,” he said with a grin. “Don’t worry. I am getting them out of your hair soon. We are going to the club.”
“May I speak with you for a moment inside?”
“Uh oh. Am I in trouble?” he asked with his brows raised.
She angled him a glance and turned around to walk to the house.
“I will be right back,” she heard him shout to the women.
“It’s okay, Belinda. Nothing for us. Would you see to it that we are not disturbed?” Martha said to the maid who came forward.
She went into the cool living room and sat on one of the small sofas.
“I will stand. I am still wet.” His dark blue eyes searched her face. “Mother?”
“I have spoiled you over the years.” A smile hovered around her lips. “When you were born and I saw how beautiful you were and how much like me you looked, I was in heaven! Daniel warned me against coddling you too much, but I did not listen and when I had Marissa and saw that she was also a girl it got worse.” She folded her hands together. “I love you more than I can ever tell you and that is why I am going to tell you this. Get your act together. Get involved with the company and be prepared to take over. You are not just going to be the handsome face on our products, but you are actually going to start earning your way. Marilyn works hard, too hard, and she needs you with her to maintain the company. I am stepping down shortly and I need my son to take over, but the way you are behaving now, I cannot in all honesty recommend you to do so.”
He looked at her silently for a moment and then wandered over to the window. She sat there looking at him. The air had dried the wetness from his body and his dark hair was starting to curl. He was tall and handsome and had such a perfect physique. If he had not been born with money, he could have been a successful male model. He turned back to her and folded his arms over his chest. “Are you giving me an ultimatum?”
“I was hoping it would not come to that. I don’t want to see you with different women each week. Settle down and be your age. You are David Snyder and people are watching you like a hawk. The board members think you are a joke. You are too old for gallivanting, David.”
“I met someone once,” he told her suddenly. “She was the only woman who made me ever wanted to settle down.”
“What happened?” she asked him quietly.
He shrugged and the pain came back full force. “It did not work out.” His voice had a tinge of bitterness. “I have been trying hard to forget her, but it is not working.”
“Is there any chance?”
“She does not want anything to do with me other than the physical aspect,” he said with a harsh laugh. “I supposed I am reaping what I sowed all those years. I have not touched a woman since I have been with her. I tried taking one to bed the other night and I could not.” He had forgotten that he was talking to his mother and he gazed across the room. “I am trying to forget, but it is very hard to do so.”
Martha felt the hope stirring inside her. She would love to meet this woman who did the impossible! She walked over to him. “You gave up?”
He looked down at her in surprise. “She is seeing someone else.”
“That has never stopped you before,” she said softly.
“Mother.”
“I have never heard you sound this way over anyone before, darling.” She touched his arm briefly.
“She is older than I am.”
“So?”
“She is not taking me seriously because of the age factor and who I am.”
“Then change the way she looks at you.”
“She has moved on,” he said suddenly.
“Somehow I find that very hard to believe.”
“You think I still stand a chance?” Suddenly, the hope sparked inside him and he straightened.
“I think you do,” she said with a smile. “Find this woman and fight for her, darling. You usually do not take no for an answer.”
“You are right.” His eyes so much like hers glittered as he looked down at her. “Thanks, Mother, although I have a feeling you are doing this as much for you as for me.”
“All for you, darling,” she said with a smile. “Go get your woman and find happiness. We all deserve it.”
He bent to kiss her on the cheek before moving away. “I will ask those ladies to leave.”
“Thank you.” She glanced at the slim Gessner on her wrist. “Maybe offer them a little refreshment before sending them on their way?”
He laughed at that. “Always the perfect hostess.”
“Of course.” She inclined her head and watched him head out with a spring in his step. A smile hovered around her mouth and she went upstairs and into her living room. She had a feeling it would work out!