Chapter 14
Sasha stared at the glossy photo of the beautiful woman laughing at the camera and the man with his arms around her waist smiling into the camera with the ease of someone who was used to the limelight. It had been two weeks since she had seen him at the Valentine’s Day party and had been so shaken that she had told Darius that she was going home. He had left the same time she did and had not questioned her as to what had happened to make her want to go home. She had spent the night reliving every moment she had been in his arms and the kiss that had shaken her so much that she had spent the night not sleeping.
She had gone out with Darius a couple of times, but she could not see him as anything but a friend and she was wondering if that was fair to both of them, especially him. She put away the paper and looked up as Marianne came into her office.
"The meeting has started?" she asked, forcing herself to smile. The woman was not bad and she was learning.
"Just about. May I talk to you?" she asked.
"Of course." Sasha gestured for her to close the door. "What’s up?"
"I am married."
"Okay." Sasha stared at the woman curiously. "You and Benjamin got married secretly?"
She shook her head. She had dull black hair that with deep conditioning and a cut would be revitalized. She was probably in her mid-forties but did not wear makeup and her wardrobe needed revamping.
"I am separated from my husband. I have been for two years. I spent my marriage being a housewife and found that it was not something I wanted. Gus, my husband, thought he could make me stay home and be a wife and mother. We tried for years and it did not happen and he blamed me. The marriage disintegrated and he blamed me for everything. Benjamin offered me a job and we started to be more than friends." She twisted her hands together. "Benjamin has been so good to me and now Gus wants to get back together."
"Do you love him?"
"Gus?" She shrugged. "The love died so many years ago."
"What about Benjamin?"
The woman smiled. "He is one of the best men I have ever known. He brought back my confidence and made me realize that I am so much more than a wife and a vessel to carry children."
"So you are grateful to him."
"I think I am in love with him."
"There you go tell Gus that it is over."
"I cannot," she said.
Sasha stifled an impatient sigh. "Why not?"
"He is my husband," she said as if explaining to a dense child.
"And you do not love him," she pointed out.
"We signed up for until death. We made a vow to each other and I cannot just throw that away."
"You would stay into a marriage even if you are unhappy?" she asked the woman incredulously.
"There are two of us in the marriage, Sasha, and I have to think about his feelings."
Sasha stared at the woman for a moment. "What do you want me to tell you?"
She shrugged. "Nothing. I just wanted to talk to someone about it. I have to figure it out for myself." She got to her feet. "Thank you for listening."
"You are welcome." She watched the woman leave the room and closed the door behind her.
*****
"So how are you really?"
"I am feeling a lot better since the other day. I took a walk outside in the snow and breathed in some of the clean air. When I came back inside, I felt invigorated. Now, my dear, tell me what’s been happening with you."
"Nothing much to tell," Sasha said lightly as she eased out of her boots and stretched her legs out. She had started corresponding with Elizabeth some time ago when the woman had called to talk to her and they talked regularly. She only agreed when she told Elizabeth not to say anything to Stephan. "I have been working nonstop."
"Sounds like Stephan," Elizabeth said lightly. "You are both so stubborn! When are you going to give up this silliness and get back together?"
"We have both moved on, Elizabeth," she told the woman gently.
"Have you? My son works late hours and barely stumbles in to sit with me for a minute before going over to his suite. He pops by in the morning to kiss me and tell me good morning. I have never seen the woman he is going out with except in the papers when they pose for pictures. He is not happy and it does not sound like you are."
"We are better off apart."
"I don’t think you believe that." She sighed. "But what do I know? I am an old woman on her dying bed. I just want what is best for my son and for you."
"And I am grateful. Now enough talk about me. Tell me what you read yesterday."
******
"I cannot stay long." Stephan glanced at his watch as he took his seat across from Angelica. "I have a meeting in twenty minutes."
"That’s fine. I have to catch a flight to New York as well. I just wanted to see you before I left." She toyed with her orange juice and looked at him. He was so handsome and looked so distant! "We have been together for almost three months and I have yet to see your apartment."
He looked at her sharply. "You want to see my apartment?"
"I want to do more than see your apartment, Stephan, and we both know that."
"I cannot do this right now."
"When?"
"When what?"
"What timeframe are we looking at? Six months? A year? When?"
"I have no idea. I just know I cannot do this right now and I already told you. If you want to start seeing other people you can-"
"I don’t want to see other people!" she said in exasperation. "I want to see you."
"I cannot give you a timeframe," he told her bluntly. "Do you think I want to be like this? I think about her constantly-" He stopped abruptly. "I am sorry."
"Don’t be," she said lightly. "I brought it up." She took a deep breath. "How about we be just friends?"
"That’s the only thing I can handle right now."
"Okay, I am good with that for now." She squeezed his hand. "I will see you when I get back."
*****
"Are you going to tell me what’s going on?" Darius asked her quietly as he watched her pick at her meal. He had invited her to dinner and she had come, but she appeared far away.
She looked up at him and smiled. "Brainstorming a little in my mind. I have a new ad that I have to spin by tomorrow and I am thinking about it. I am sorry." She made a supreme effort to give him her attention and hoped that he did not realize that she was lying. "You have my attention as of now."
"Do you see us getting to be more than friends?" he asked her suddenly.
She frowned a little bit. "Why do you ask that?"
"Because you never let me touch you, Sasha. I tried to kiss you last week after dinner and you almost slapped me."
She pushed away the meal. "I told you the deal."
"Yes, and I foolishly thought you would be over the guy by now."
"You thought wrong," she said coolly. "I told you that I cannot be anything but a friend right now, Darius, and you agreed. If that is not enough for you-"
"It’s enough," he told her hastily. "I was just hoping for more."
"You have been through a terrible divorce. I have been through a breakup that is still gripping me. We both need time to recover and time to sort through our feelings."
"You are right. I saw my ex yesterday."
"Oh?" She lifted tapered brow as she looked at him.
"We had coffee and talked."
"Are you thinking of reconciling?"
"God, no!" he said feelingly. "But I was married to her so when she called and wanted to talk, I said yes. It was just talk."
"Okay." She shrugged. She started to tell him that she did not mind, but her phone rang just then. "Excuse me." She answered the call.
"Ms. Fullerton, it’s Nurse Bailey."
Her heart jumped. "Is Elizabeth okay?"
"I am afraid not. She is in the hospital."
******
She pushed the door of the private waiting room open, and ignoring the rest of the people there, she rushed towards Stephan. He looked up as he saw her and opened his arms automatically and she held him tightly for a little bit before stepping back. "How did you-"
"I have been talking to her since we - since I left, and the nurse called me. How is she?"
"I don’t know yet." His gray eyes glittered with uncertainty. "I have not heard anything yet." His hands were still on her arms and his eyes were on her face. "I am glad you are here," he said softly.
"Where else would I be?"
She stepped back as the woman walked up to them. "Darling, drink this." She barely spared Sasha a glance and she realized that there were other people in the room including Darius, who had brought her to the hospital.
"I am sorry," she murmured and stepped back. She looked at him for a moment and walked over to where Darius was standing.
"That’s Stephan Coleman and the actress Angelica Monk. How do you know them?"
"I did some work for Stephan’s company," she said lightly as she looked over to where the woman was draped over his arm. She closed her eyes and looked away. She should probably leave, but Elizabeth happened to be her friend. He guided her to one of the chairs and let her sit. "I met his mother and we became friends. We talk often."
"So how is she?"
"No word yet." Her gaze went back to the man sitting with his fingers wrapped around the cup. He looked up and their eyes met and held. She felt as if she was suffocating as she stared at him. It took a superhuman effort to tear her eyes away from him. She almost sighed with relief when the doctors came in just then. Stephan got to his feet and so did she. She watched as he walked forward and spoke to them in hushed tones. They left and still he stood there. She hesitated a little before walking over to him. "What did they say?"
"The cancer has spread. She has maybe three months to live." His gray eyes were bleak as he looked at her.
"Oh God, Stephan! I am so sorry." She wanted to take him into her arms and comfort him, but it was not her place. "Is she awake?"
"Yes. Would you come with me?" he asked her.
She looked over to where the woman had gotten to her feet. "Should I?’
"You are her friend and the doctor said limited visitors for ten minutes. She will be happy to see you."
"Then yes." She turned to look at Darius, who was still sitting there. "Let me tell him that I will find my way home."
He nodded.
*****
"My two favorite people," Elizabeth said as she stretched forth a thin hand as they came into the room. "I am so happy to see you."
"Mother, you scared me," Stephan moved forward and took her hand in his. "I thought I had lost you."
"I am still here, darling." Her eyes went to the woman standing next to her son. "Sasha, you came."
"There was never any doubt about that." She moved over and kissed the woman on her cheek. "How are you feeling?"
"Like I have a limited time to live." She stared up at her son as she felt his hand jerk in hers. "The doctors told me, darling, and I am at peace with it. I am living on borrowed times as it is. I have been battling this cancer for too many years now and I am tired."
"Mother, please don’t talk like that-"
"Darling, stop." She released his hand. "You are not going to be alone." She looked over at Sasha. "You have each other."
"We don't-" Sasha began.
"You do. Now make an old woman happy by realizing that you belong with each other."
*****
The waiting room had emptied by the time they went back there. Elizabeth had fallen asleep and the doctors had advised them to go on home as she would be asleep through the night.
"Did you drive?" he asked her.
"No. I will just call a cab."
"I will drive you," he told her.
"I don’t want to put you out-"
"It’s okay. I will drive you." He turned away to get his coat and waited for her to follow him. "We are going to have to take the back way, the vultures have been waiting since we got here."
She nodded and followed him. He opened the door of the vehicle for her to get in before going around to his side and getting in. He sat behind the wheel for a minute before he started the engine and backed out of the lot. They had gotten a few blocks before he rode the sidewalk and stopped the car.
"Stephan?"
"My mother is dying." He turned to look at her. He closed his eyes briefly. "I always knew that this day would come, but I kept hoping that it would be a long time coming."
"Stephan, I am so sorry." She touched his arm briefly.
He looked down at her hand on his arm. "Come home with me," he whispered.
She stared at him for a moment and took her hand away. "You have someone waiting-"
"I have never been with her. I have never even kissed her."
She stared at him in shock. "That’s not true, it can’t be."
He smiled grimly. "It is. I cannot be with anyone-"
"I have not had sex since we were together," she told him.
He stared at her for a moment, and then with a stifled groan, he pulled her into his arms, his mouth finding hers in a bruising manner that had her clinging to him!
He put her away from him, his breathing shallow. "Come home with me."
She nodded as she fought the wave of uncontrollable passion that he had evoked inside her!
*****
He took off his jacket and started to unbutton his shirt as he watched her standing in the center of the room. They had not said anything much on the ride back to the apartment, each caught up in their own thoughts. He loved the way she did her hair. The thick black strands were brushed back and wrapped in a very neat bun on top of her head. She was wearing faded denim jeans, knee length boots, and a white fitted sweater. Big hoops were at her lobes. He took off his shirt and stood there waiting for her to do or say something. He had seen her rush into the waiting room and had felt a relief and happiness that he had never thought possible in the circumstances!
"Do you want to talk?" he asked her softly.
"No." She sat on the sofa and started to take off her boots, but he came over and knelt in front of her and helped her take them off. He knelt before her after he was finished and placed his hands on her denim clad legs as he looked at her.
"I have missed you," he whispered.
"I have missed you too," she said huskily. "We have people-"
"We cannot think about that right now."
"I saw the way she looked at you."
"I cannot help that. I told her that I cannot be anything but just friends."
"Stephan." She closed her eyes.
"Tell me you want me."
"I want you, so much."
He pulled her into his arms and tumbled her onto the carpet and came over her, his hands framing her face. "How did I do without you?" he asked wonderingly as he looked at her. His gray eyes roved over her face and settled on her parted lips. She had worn a dark red lipstick and he knew that he was going to spend a long time gorging on her mouth. He bent his head and took her lips with his slowly. He did not want to think about the fact that his mother had a limited time to live. He did not want to think about living without her, not right now. All he wanted to do was be with the woman he loved, the woman he had been without for almost four months, the woman he had been craving ever since he had been so foolish as to let her walk out of his life without fighting for her. His mouth moved over hers with an intensity that caught on and had her wrapping her hands around his neck, her fingers sliding into his jet black hair as she moved her body against his. He tore his mouth from hers and tried to control the hammering of his heart inside his chest. "I want to feel your skin," he said thickly.
"I want to feel you," she moaned.
He moved off her and quickly got rid of his clothes and helped her off with hers. "It’s been too long," he said hoarsely as he ran his hands over her curves slowly as if savoring every inch of her. She opened her legs as he eased a hand between them, anticipating his need to touch her there.
"Stephan!" she cried out sharply as he parted the folds of her vagina and ran his fingers between them.
"I know, baby," he said soothingly as he ran a thumb over the protruding flesh. "It’s hard for me too." He dipped a finger inside her and watched as her lips parted and her body arched. "God, you are always wet and ready for me." His fingers slid in and out slowly driving her absolutely crazy! "Tell me what you want."
"You," she gasped. "I want you."
"I am yours." He pushed in deeper and she cried out! She could not wait! He increased the pressure and had her babbling incoherently. He eased out of her just as she was about to erupt and she almost cried!
"Hush," he murmured thickly as he used his fingers to lubricate the tip of his rigid penis thoroughly before climbing over her. He guided his penis inside her and gritted his teeth as the moistness of her wrapped around him tightly. He stared down at her, his gray eyes turbulent as he eased in some more. "Baby." He pushed in some more and she lifted her bottom to meet him halfway. He lowered himself and started moving in her, the intense passion between them coming to the fore. She wrapped her hands around his neck, her fingers digging into his scalp, her body feeling as if it was on fire! He bent his head and took her lips with his. He captured her moans deep in his throat as he moved inside her. This was what he had been longing for over the past months; this was what he had been craving even when he was trying to tell himself that he was ready to move on from her! This molten ball of fire that he felt only when he was with her! His dick was sunk deep inside her and he felt as if he was on top of a very high cliff ready to take a flying leap right over, not caring if there was a safety net waiting and ready to catch him. Nothing mattered except this and what they were feeling right now. He felt her stiffened and heard the soft cry inside her mouth. He lifted his head. "Now?" he whispered.
"Yes." She arched against him, her fingers digging into his scalp.
"Not without me." He eased out of her a little and waited until he felt the tightening of his testicles before he plunged back inside her. "Now," he whispered. "Now, baby, we do it together," he said brokenly as he took her lips with his, bracing for the tidal wave that washed over them with a force that had them shuddering from the force of it!