Lucas

I’d fucked Jade hard after she’d already been sick and exhausted all day, so when she turned over, I let her get some sleep. I smoothed a hand down over her silky blonde hair and traced circles on her naked back as I ran scenarios in my head. I needed to move up the timetable and get a new board in place as quickly as possible. I intended to marry Jade in the next couple of weeks, but we’d have to keep it quiet. Something I wasn’t at all happy about, but it was necessary for the moment. However, when my baby was born, both he or she and their mother were going to have my name. And, hiding it from the paparazzi would be near impossible with both Jade’s and my name on the birth certificate.

I sighed in frustration, my feet itching to pace. Checking Jade’s breathing, the soft, even rhythm told me she was sleeping peacefully, so I slipped out of bed. As quietly as possible, I dressed and went down to my office. I didn’t do well with chaos, I never had. Plans, lists, organization, these were what kept my life on track.

Sitting down at the large, cherry wood desk, I took a minute to remember all the days I’d wandered in here as a kid. My dad would be hard at work on his computer, or leaning back in his chair reading, with a cigar in his hand. Whatever he was doing, he would stop and smile, beckoning me toward him. He’d ask about my day, or give me a little something to do. I always felt welcome. There were many times when I would simply sit on the couch across from him and watch him work. I was so in awe of him, so proud of him.

Maybe, maybe, he knew more about Di than I’d realized. Or, maybe she was exactly what I assumed and I was only wrong about Jade. I was more comfortable with option B, I didn’t like being wrong.

Firing up the computer, I spent a couple of hours researching and making a list for my assistant. I wanted the house to be the best environment for Jade and our baby. I instructed him to hire a chef familiar with what pregnant women should and shouldn’t eat, a delivery of vitamins and supplements Jade should (according to my research) be taking, a company to come in and baby-proof the house, a live-in pre-natal nurse, and an upgraded security system. The list continued to grow, so I told him to delegate some of it out. I also called my attorney and had him draw up a non-disclosure for the new employees. I always required one to be signed, but it was even more necessary considering the precarious state of our relationship.

Feeling accomplished, and much more in control, I shut off my computer and stretched. My stomach rumbled and I checked my watch, it was almost six. I’d let Jade sleep for a little more than three hours, but I was sure she’d be hungry soon. She and the baby needed to eat.

I was reaching for my phone when it started ringing.

“St. James,” I answered gruffly, annoyed at being interrupted when all I wanted to do was feed Jade and take her back to bed.

“Lucas, my boy!” I stifled an irritated sigh at the sound of Charles Finlay, one of, if not the most stuffy and self-righteous ass on the board of my company.

“What can I do for you, Finlay?” I asked, valiantly attempting to sound professional instead of sulky.

“We’re having a get-together at the L’étang tomorrow night. I know it’s late notice, but I’m hoping you’ll join us. We want to introduce you to some of our clients.”

Fuck. This was a golden opportunity to get to know the heads of the companies I would be trying to convince to stay with mine when I booted out the ‘Good Ole’ Boys Club.’ I really needed to attend, but I didn’t want to leave Jade.

“I’m not sure if I can—“

“Make sure you bring a date. We’ll see you at nine,” he interrupted, as though I hadn’t begun to decline, then promptly hung up.

My hand gripped the phone hard, my knuckles turning white. I needed to go since his request for me to bring a date was actually a semi-politely worded demand. These men liked their own kind and showing up younger, richer, single, and without a date would do nothing to bridge the already wide gap between us professionally. Some of them would be bringing their wives, but many of them would be with a girlfriend or, more likely, their current mistress. Conservative family men, my ass. It’s all about appearances with them, and a mistress is much less fodder for the tabloids than being in a relationship with your step-sibling. Although, to be fair, not all of them were such hypocrites.

I certainly couldn’t take Jade and I wasn’t about to take another woman. Damn it! I was about to toss my cell at the wall when I heard a soft knock. I looked up to see Jade lounging in the open doorway. She looked tousled and sleepy in one of my t-shirts, fucking adorable. Seeing her there, wearing my clothes, made the possessiveness I felt for her jump up about ten notches.

“Hey,” she greeted softly, “Everything alright?”

I smiled tightly, as tension built in my muscles. “Sure. Are you hungry?”

Her eyes lit up and she smiled brightly. “Starved.”

I laughed and crooked a finger at her before patting my lap. She rolled her eyes, but padded over and curled up in my arms.

My hand began rubbing circles on her back and I kissed the top of her head. “What would you like to eat?”

“Mmmmm…I could really go for a nice, juicy, steak.”

The little moan had my cock digging into her round little ass. One more moan like that and I could not be held responsible for my actions.

Steak? Her food choice broke into my thoughts. Maybe… No, what a stupid idea.

“Have you ever been to L’étang?” I asked, then immediately wanted to kick myself. Shut the fuck up, St. James.

“The steakhouse?” Her voice was incredulous as she leaned back to stare at me. “It’s like one thousand dollars a plate!”

I chuckled and shook my head. “Exaggerate much?”

She smiled and shrugged.

Ask her what she wants to order in. “I have a last minute work thing there tomorrow night. Want to go with me?” What the actual fuck, man? I almost winced at the voice screaming at me in my head. Yeah, that was stupid.

She hadn’t returned to her spot tucked into my chest. Her head was still up and she was studying me.

“As your date?” she asked cautiously.

Tread carefully. “Well, no. I can’t have you as my date.”

Her green eyes began to cloud with a dark emotion. Way to go, now get your foot out of your mouth.

I went on quickly, “Obviously, I’m not going to take any date. If I did, it would, of course, be you. I can’t go alone, though, not with this crowd anyway.”

Her face warned me of an impending storm, a riot of feelings I couldn’t quite nail down.

She raised an eyebrow. “So, you want to take me, but you can’t?”

Ah. No wonder, I wasn’t being very clear. I smiled, certain she’d be happy when I explained I’d still be taking her with me. “I wouldn’t have invited you if I didn’t intend to take you, sweetheart. You’ll accompany me as my step-sister. A sibling is always an acceptable substitute for a date.”

The dark emotions in her eyes turned into a full-blown black cloud and she jumped off my lap. Rounding on me, she slammed her fists onto her hips. Let’s be clear, I was doing my very best to pay attention, but when her large tits were bouncing at eye level because she was breathing heavy, it was impossible for me to keep from drifting to thoughts of sex. I was a man. She’s got fucking amazing tits. Not my fault. Case closed.

Apparently, Jade was not aware of this ruling because she snapped her fingers in front of my eyes and yelled, “My eyes are up here, jackass.”

I dragged my gaze up to her fiery green one, blazing with hurt and anger. I reared back a little at the intensity.

“You want to take me, the woman who is pregnant with your baby, to a work function and introduce me as your step-sister?” she shrilled.

Shifting uncomfortably, I grumbled, “Well, when you say it like that.”

“How would you say it, Lucas?”

I sighed, “I want to be with you, Jade. Out in the open. This dinner gets us one step closer to making that possible. It would be better if I took a date, but I can get away with bringing my new-found family member.”

She was still fuming, so I smiled and gently grasped her wrist, bringing her back to my lap. She reluctantly obliged and I wrapped my arms around her.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. Will you please come with me?”