Chapter 10
It was maddening! They'd spent that unbelievable night of intense passion and that morning he'd woken her up with his mouth on her body, wringing from her cries of ecstasy. Now in the office she was behaving as if it was business as usual. He certainly hadn't expected her to be crawling over him and giving him a sultry knowing look, dammit, but she could have at least behaved as if there was something between them!
She'd left before him that morning after she'd showered and gotten dressed. When he'd come out of his large and elegant tan and gold bathroom she'd already left, leaving her exotic scent lingering in the air. She'd also taken every item of clothing with her, including the toothbrush and hairbrush she'd brought with her. The only thing left of her had been the scent and the wrinkled sheets and pillows where her body had been. He'd stood by the bed and stared at the sheets, his body tightening as he remembered the rough tumble that had had them both calling out because they hadn't been able to help themselves. He'd arrived at the office that morning expecting her to be different, to act different but it was business as usual for her.
“Your coffee.” She handed him the cup and put some documents on his desk for him to peruse. “Simon's your first meeting because he wants to discuss the court case with you.” She handed him a thick file. “I think we may have found our leak in the R&D department.”
“How do you do it?” he asked her softly.
“Pardon?” she stared at him with a frown.
“I had you underneath me last night and this morning and right now it's like you're a whole different person.” He saw her stiffen slightly.
“I have a report to print out so if there's nothing else I'll leave you to prepare.” She turned to leave.
“Stay, goddammit!” His voice wasn't loud but had the authority to stop her. She turned to face him. “What do you want, Sebastian?”
“I want you behave like a human being,” he told her tightly.
She smiled at that.
“You're used to women calling you up after that wonderful time
and telling you how magnificent a lover you are. I'm not that kind of
woman, I'm afraid.”
His expression became ominous. “You
think I need validation?” he asked her silkily. “If I
needed that I'd know what to do. One touch of my lips on yours and I
would get the validation I needed. My dick inside you tells me all I
need to know, Mia.”
With a cool smile she responded. “There you go. Now, if that's all you require of me, I really have to go and your meeting begins in five minutes.” She didn't wait for him to say anything but left and closed the doors behind her.
He willed himself to remain calm. Sandra was wrong about her! There was no way she could be in love with him and behave the way she did. He sat back as he heard the discreet knock on the doors and asked the person to come in.
“Hey man,”
Simon searched his friend’s face. “Everything
okay?”
“Just peachy!” he said grimly. “Let’s
get on with it.”
*****
“You have something to tell me?” Gabriel stared at the woman opposite him curiously as she took her seat and placed her order.
“Be patient,” Mia chided as she smiled at him. It had been a couple of weeks since she'd seen him and she knew that very soon she would start showing. She'd decided to accept his lunch invitation when he called, mainly to avoid being in close proximity with Sebastian. He was beginning to wear on her nerves.
“Not one of my
strong suits.” His blue eyes wandered over her face and frowned
slightly. “You sounded cloak and dagger over the phone.”
“I
did not!” she said with a laugh. They were at the same
restaurant he'd brought her to that first time and when she'd come
in, she'd seen the Maître D hovering around the privacy booth
he'd chosen. It was also a restaurant that Sebastian frequented but
she had made sure he had no meetings here before she decided to come.
“So, how are you?”
He shrugged elegantly. “I
could be better if you decided to go out with me and allowed me to
show you how a real man appreciates a woman he cares about.”
“Don’t tell me: You're still pining,” she teased.
He gave her a wounded
look. “Are my feelings a joke to you?”
“Not at
all,” she told him. Their meal was served just then, negating
conversation for a few minutes. Mia waited until their dishes were
cleared away before she told him.
“It’s going to come
out sooner or later and I would like you to hear it from me.”
She took a breath and leaned forward. “I'm pregnant.”
The glass of water that he'd been putting to his mouth was suspended halfway as he stared at her. “That’s not possible.”
She laughed ruefully
at that. “I assure you it is.” She lowered her voice. “It
has to be kept confidential. You need to promise me that you won't
say a word to anyone.”
“Of course,” he said
impatiently.
“When Sebastian
first had the accident, his sister and I thought he wouldn't make
it.”
Gabriel stared at her and waited for her to continue.
“We made the decision that we could implant his sperm inside me so that I could bear his child, or children, to carry on his name. Sandra can't have children so I decided to do it.”
“Why?”
Mia
shrugged as she wiped the moisture off the glass of water. “You
know why.”
“Because you love the guy.”
“Yes.”
“What
if he hadn't woken up? For that matter, how is he taking something
like that?”
“Surprisingly good,” she smiled
slightly. “We have an arrangement.”
“What
arrangement?”
Mia sighed slightly. “Sexual. I am,
after all, carrying his child.”
“And that's what you want?” he demanded.
“Yes.”
She drank some of the water before continuing. “I have no idea
what's going to happen when the baby's born but I guess we'll discuss
that in the coming months.”
His blue eyes wandered over her.
“I had a feeling that there was something different about you,”
he murmured. “Sebastian Bell is a man who finds it hard to
stick to one woman, darling. Is that something you can live with?”
Mia felt the fear dart through her for a moment and then she shrugged. “I have no hold over him, except this child I'm carrying. If he wants to move on then it's up to him.”
“And you'll end
up being hurt.”
“Who knows?” she said airily.
“He might just realize that he needs me and that need will turn
to love.”
“You've consummated the relationship.” He guessed.
“We have,”
she leaned forward. “I spent all those years being in love with
him and he never knew. Ask me why.”
“Why?”
“Because
I am very adept at concealing what I really feel.” She smiled
slightly. “I've gotten so used to pretending that it's just
business between us that I've become an expert.”
He reached over and
covered her hands with his. “I'm your friend no matter what.
I'm afraid I'm leaving here now with my heart breaking into little
pieces, but I'll call and check up on you and when I'm in town we'll
have lunch or dinner or just hang out.”
“Have you ever
been friends with a woman before?” she asked him teasingly.
“Not a woman I'm interested in,” he admitted with a smile. He leaned forward and tilting her chin up he kissed her lightly on the lips. Unknown to them a reporter swiftly used his smart phone and caught the tender moment on camera.
*****
“Where were you?” he asked her coldly as she went into his office. Lunch had gone over the hour but she'd spent so many lunch hours at her desk that she didn't feel guilty about it.
“I'm entitled to eat lunch too, Sebastian,” she told him mildly as she put a glass of water on his desk.
“It’s almost two, Mia. You left at twelve.”
“Time flies...” She waved a hand as she studied the device in her hands. “I made sure that everything was in place before I left.”
“I want you to come home with me tonight,” he told her abruptly.
“No.”
“Why the hell not?’
“I didn't get much sleep last night and I need to go and check up on my stepdad. I have no intention of coming by your place every night, Sebastian. I happen to need my own space.”
“I want you.”
“I'm not coming over tonight,” she said firmly as she turned to leave. She hadn't heard him get up and almost jumped out of her skin when he trapped her against the door.
She pushed at him but he wouldn't budge. “I can't concentrate,” he whispered, his breath fanning her face. His hands trapped her head on either side and his body boxed her in. “I sat in meetings for the entire time thinking about your body and how I felt when I was inside you. I got hard and it took me a long time to get up from my desk. It's like a sickness inside me and a raging fever when I think of you.” One hand crept up her skirt and pulled down her stockings and underwear, his fingers seeking and finding the core of her.
Mia closed her eyes as she felt the wave of desire engulfing her. He nudged a leg between hers to open them wider and dipped his fingers inside her, stroking first and then thrusting, causing the breath to escape her lips.
“You're wet.” He bent his head and pulled her bottom lip between his teeth. He nibbled and the sparks flew inside her body. He removed his fingers and fumbled with the zipper of his dark grey dress pants to take out his aching erection. He pulled her skirt up around her waist and lifted her against him. He sank into her and sighed raggedly inside her mouth, his tongue darting inside to touch hers before taking her mouth in a rough and hungry kiss. He gripped her bottom, his fingers digging into her flesh as he pounded into her against the solid doors. Somewhere the phone was ringing but it was way in the background. They paid it no mind, or maybe they didn't hear it over the thundering of their hearts and the waves of passion that had already engulfed them.
He took her like an animal in heat, his body shuddering against hers. He wanted to have her every second of the day but he knew he had to learn to control the urge. Mia had dropped the iPad onto the carpeted floor without being aware of it and her fingers dug deep into his thick, dark hair as she gave in to the carnal desire that clutched at them.
He felt her stiffen against him and knew what was coming next. He pulled her closer to him and went in deep. His fingers biting into her flesh, his body shuddering as he poured himself into her, cutting off her cries with his own as the orgasm washed over them. He held her to him, holding her weak and trembling body against his own shuddering one as they fought for control.
His mouth was still on hers because he was loathe to let go, to release her from the physical contact because he wanted so much more. But she pushed away from him and pulled her stockings and underwear up before pulling her skirt down.
*****
She knew she couldn't leave his office smelling like potent sex and his expensive cologne. She also knew that he'd messed up the neat chignon she'd come to work with that morning.
“Go use the bathroom,” he said huskily as he read her thoughts. Without a word she walked away from him and went into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. She leaned back against the door and closed her eyes as she tried to recover. Taking a deep breath she went to look at herself in the mirror and groaned at what she saw. She looked like she'd been thoroughly loved and not in the least bit sated. Her hair was disheveled so she dealt with it first and then used several pieces of tissue to wipe herself, trembling as touching herself there reminded her how he felt inside her. She finished cleaning up quickly and washing her hands and face she left the elegant black and white bathroom. He was standing by the desk when she came back out. His grey eyes watched as she walked towards him to get to the door.
“I can't help it,” he told her quietly. She stopped and looked at him.
“I've never wanted anyone the way I want you.” He shoved his hands inside his pockets and stared at her moodily. “I want you to come home with me later, Mia.”
“No.” She
found the fortitude to turn him down. “I need space, Sebastian,
and rest. And I also need to go and see Uncle Beres.”
He
eased off the desk and Mia took a step back. “I'm not going to
touch you,” he smiled sardonically. “I touch you and the
madness takes over. We need to talk about this thing between us.”
“We will, but
not now.” She picked up the device that he'd retrieved from the
floor and hurried to the door. She turned as she opened it and looked
back at him. “You got the answer you were seeking.”
“And
what is that?”
“I'm not immune,” she said before leaving and closing the door behind her.
*****
“We're not teenagers and the guy I'm seeing is your brother so you know we're not doing this, right?” Mia said as Sandra came in and took a seat across from her. It was late afternoon and Sebastian had left for a meeting. All through the afternoon Mia had been trying to put aside the encounter in his office, determined not to think about it.
“So you're coming to the manor later?” Sandra asked her.
“I do have a life away from your brother and this place, you know,” Mia said in exasperation. “I haven't seen my dad in weeks and I'm going to peep in on him and make sure he's okay. I already told your brother that.”
“He's into
you.”
“Again Sandra, we're not in high school.”
“You know what
I mean,” she told her. “I've never seen him behave this
way around a woman before.”
“It might be the fact that
I'm carrying his child,” Mia pointed out.
“I think it's more than that,” Sandra said with a smile. “You should hear him when he came downstairs for breakfast this morning. He wanted to know if you'd eaten and if you took something with you.”
“He wants to
make sure that I'm taking care of the baby inside me.”
“It’s
more than that,” Sandra insisted.
Mia looked at her and sighed. “I know you want this to have a happy ending, honey, but it doesn't necessarily mean that there will be one.”
“I'm positive there will be.”
*****
“In here, honey!” Uncle B called out as soon as she came inside and closed the door. She found him on the back balcony tending to some tomatoes he'd planted as soon as the winter had ended.
“The plants look good,” she murmured as she took a seat on the porch swing. “What else do you have there?”
“Some turnips and carrots as well as rosemary.” He glanced up at her and smiled. “You're a sight for sore eyes as usual.” He dusted his hands and got to his feet. “And you brought dinner.”
“Chinese. I
figured you wouldn't want to cook and I came straight from work.”
She pulled the table closer to them and started to take the cartons
out. “Go wash up.”
He nodded and went to do so while
she took out the rest of the meal. “Sweet and sour chicken as
well as beef for you. I still can't tolerate anything else except
chicken,” she told him as he came back out. He took the carton
with the fried rice and started to dish it out.
“So, how are you?” he asked her.
“I'm as well as
can be,” she said as she handed him the carton with the
chicken. “I think I'm in a relationship with Sebastian.”
His
eyes met hers as he handed her back the carton of chicken. “Think
or know?”
“It’s complicated,” she murmured as she chewed the meat. “I slept over at his place last night and he wanted me to come over tonight and I told him no.”
Beres didn't say anything for a moment as he concentrated on his food. “You're in love with this guy and carrying his baby. Marriage should be involved.”
“I don’t
want him to marry me just because I'm carrying his child, Uncle B,”
she said with a shrug. “He didn't choose me. I was forced on
him and I can't forget that.”
“What are you hoping
for, girl?” he asked her curiously.
“I'm hoping
that he'll look past the circumstances that have brought us together
and see me for who I am. I'm hoping that he'll realize that he's in
love with me and wants to marry me because of that. Not because we
happen to share a child.”
“People have been married
for a lot less,” he said mildly.
“Not me,”
she told him firmly. “I want everything, Uncle B, or nothing at
all. I want Sebastian to love me and never look at another woman
again.” She shrugged. “I will not share him with anyone
else, except the child that I'm carrying. I will not spend my life in
fear of whether or not he's seeing someone else. I'm too special to
be sharing my man with another woman. I don’t work that
way.”
He stared at her with a smile. “And if that
doesn't happen?”
Mia plucked up a piece of chicken and
stared at it before popping it into her mouth. “Then I'm just
going to be Sebastian’s baby mama.”
“And I have a feeling that you weren't cut out to be just that.”
*****
Sebastian prowled the length of his bedroom restlessly. He'd gotten home a few minutes earlier, having stayed out deliberately, not wanting to come back to the empty bedroom. Yes, he was beginning to realize that it was empty without her. He hadn't had dinner but had come straight, telling Sandra that he was tired and was going to go straight to bed. Maybe it was because this was new, but he'd been searching inside his mind and realized that he'd never had this with any of the women he'd been with before. He'd changed his clothes and taken a shower and was too restless to even do any work as he usually did whenever he was at home. He had reports to read, reports that she'd typed up and sent to his email because she knew he would need them in the morning. But he couldn't think about work now. He was thinking too much about her and how she made him feel.
He dug his fingers through his hair and sat heavily on the sofa facing his bed. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes briefly, trying not to think about the way she'd felt wrapped around him. Jesus! He took a deep breath to steady himself. He'd been trying to get her out of his head but it wasn't working. She'd done something to him. Something that he had no idea how to deal with!