"Hey, Curtis. Why don 't you come in and have some real coffee. "
"It 's got to be a better offer than sitting here drinking this frilly stuff and getting mauled. " He stood and followed Zach into the house.
Zach walked to the counter where a fresh pot of coffee finished brewing. He took down two mugs. "I talked to Simone 's father the other day. "
"Oh, yeah? He wonder when she 's headed back too? "
Zach slid him a look of concern then focused back on the coffee maker. "You sound like you doubt her reasoning for staying. "
"What I doubt is that someone can change so quickly. I mean why give it all up to move here and work in some menial hourly job? "
Zach picked up the pot of coffee and filled each mug before setting the pot back in the maker. He handed a mug to Curtis. "You don 't think someone can change? "
"Well sure they can, but "
"But why do it? "
"Right? "
"Maybe she just wants to be near you. "
Curtis followed Zach to the table and each of them sat down. Curtis sipped his coffee and then set it down in front of him. His hands were trembling and that wasn 't a good sign. It meant she 'd gotten under his skin and he 'd lost more sleep than he 'd thought he had.
"Simone and I have come to an agreement to work on things. " He let out a breath. "I think I love her, man, and I don 't want to. "
Zach smiled as he leaned back in his seat. "I knew you did. And likewise I 've never seen her as crazy over a man before. "
"Yeah, and I know she 's had1 plenty. " That sounded rude and he hadn 't meant to be, he was just trying to justify his uncertainty.
Zach must have known he 'd regretted what he 'd said because he didn 't call him on it or his own mishandlings with women. "You 're going to give a relationship a try then? "
"Yeah. I guess we are. " He chuckled. "She must be pretty serious about doing it right too. She wouldn 't even let me stay last night, even after she got sick. "
"Sick? " Zach inched forward. "Is she okay? "
"I think her nerves got the better of her. She 's fine. She 's cooking me dinner tonight. "
That made Zach laugh aloud. "Simone? Cook? She really must be sick. "
"Well that 's what I thought, but if she 's into changing everything I guess she 'll cook too. "
"She must have it bad for you. "
Though he thought he was a catch, he didn 't see giving up your livelihood for him. That still didn 't make sense.
Curtis lifted his mug. "Anyway, you said you talked to her father? "
"I did. I don 't think she 'd want me to tell you what he said though. "
He let the hot coffee sear his throat. "So why bring it up? "
"Because I now know you love her and you 'll want to do what is right for her. "
Curtis 's hands tensed around his mug. Well there ya go. Now it was his job to take care of the righteous princess who decided she was now common folk. "So why is she here? "
"He cut her off. "
Curtis waited a moment for more, but Zach said nothing. "That 's it? He cut her off? What did she buy one too many pairs of Italian shoes? "
Zach shook his head and leaned over the table. "I think there is more to it than that. He didn 't want to talk about her. As far as he was concerned he had no daughter. And he threatened to not do business with me if I mentioned her again. "
Curtis eased back in his chair. "That seems serious. "
"I think it is. I don 't know what she did, and she wouldn 't tell me. But maybe she 'll tell you. "
He seriously doubted that, but now he had a mission. Why was his Parisian beauty taking the low life?
Chapter Ten
What had she been thinking? She wasn 't sure she could boil water in a pot let alone a full meal. This was it. She was going to fail miserably.
She 'd walked around the grocery store for a half hour, searching, hopelessly for any idea. She 'd left with only a bottle of nail polish remover and a nail file to fix her chipped manicure. It might be a long while before she could have the luxury of a manicure again. But she was at a total loss as to what to prepare for Curtis for dinner.
Unless -she knew it was the right idea -she begged Regan for her help.
Simone called Zach for his wife 's phone number. She 'd wished she 'd have memorized her number too, but she 'd called Zach so many times over the years it was quite literally the only phone number she 'd known without her cell phone, which she 'd had to relinquish.
Two hours after finally tracking her down, Regan was standing at Simone 's front door with a bag full of groceries and a grin on her lips that told Simone she was going to owe her big for this.
"If you 're going to impress him make chicken piccata. " She set the bags on the counter and then with her hands on the small of her back stretched.
Panic had already set in, but Simon 's hands shook as she opened the first bag. "I cannot make anything. I do not know why I told him to come. "
"Because a smitten woman will do stupid things to make the man she 's crazy for spend some time with her. "
"Is that what I am? Smitten? "
"Oh, honey, I think you 're fully in love, but I 'll leave it at smitten and let you two decide. " She pulled the package of chicken from anothe1r bag and then a box of noodles. "Now we need a pot and a pan. "
Simone bit down on her lip and looked around the kitchen. She opened the cupboard under the stove. At least she had some domestic intuition.
She set the pot and pan on the stove and began taking any instruction Regan gave to her as they began to build a dinner to impress the man she did love. After all, tonight was big. She needed him to maintain his forgiveness and dwell on the fact he 'd fallen in love with her. She needed him to be ecstatic over the news when she told him she was carrying his baby. There was no other option, and when her mind drifted to any negative thoughts about it she made herself think about how happy they could be together.
Simone watched Regan move about the kitchen as if it were her own. How did a woman do it -raise a baby, keep a husband happy, and wear a smile as she turned chicken in a pan with a pair of tongs? Her own mother had been miserable with diamonds, shoes, and a beach front back yard where the yacht was parked for her convenience in any one of their homes. Sure, Regan was a pampered wife, but no matter how wealthy Zachary Benson was, there was more to her wealth. He loved his wife and his child. He loved them both enough to want to have more children -that was the kind of wealth Simone had always longed for.
Even as children, Zach 's relationship with his parents was unique to her. Sure, they 'd tucked him away in a French boarding school, but it was for his betterment. For her, they just wanted her tucked away. There were mistresses to have. Parties to throw. Companies to build. Children were in the way for the Pierponts.
"You look lost. "
Regan 's voice caught her off guard.
"I guess my mind was a million miles away. "
"Happens to me all the time, " she said as she pulled the chicken from the pan and set it to the side. "Especially now that I 'm pregnant I feel as though I can 't keep a simple thought in my mind. "
Her curiosity had peaked. She needed to tread lightly, but she had her own questions about what was going on within her body. What better a time to ask, but she had to be careful.
"So how do you mean you cannot keep a thought? "
"Pregnant brain. Theory is there is too much blood going to your stomach not enough in your head, or something like that. You just forget things. I did it with Tyler all the time. "
"Really1? "
"Sure. But now mix that with just being tired because I have a toddler who wants to play every morning at two o 'clock, I think it 's worse this time. "
Simone moved to the refrigerator and took out the bag of pre-washed salad Regan had brought. She searched for a bowl and dumped it inside and then set it on the table.
"Do you think this will be your last baby? " Simone asked as casual
ly as she could.
"No. " Regan 's answer was quick and firm. "I want two more. "
"Really? "
Regan turned and smiled at her. "You seem surprised. "
"Do I? It just seems like a lot of work. "
"You can guarantee it. " Regan opened the bottle of white wine she 'd brought and poured it into the pan with the drippings from the chicken. "I grew up in a noisy, chaotic house. I want that for Tyler. I want him to have what I still have with Arianna, Curtis, and Carlos. "
Simone wanted that too, not only for her baby, but for herself. She 'd never had brothers or sisters. Zach was as close as they came. But she had a unique opportunity now. If things worked out with Curtis she 'd have sisters. She 'd have brothers. She 'd be part of a family. Already they 'd accepted her and she was an outsider.
Tears welled in her eyes, but she wasn 't quick enough to brush them away before they fell.
Regan placed the spaghetti noodles in the pot of boiling water and looked over at her. "Why are you crying? "
"I am a bit overwhelmed lately. That is all. " Simone brushed away her tears. "I have never had what you had. Money cannot buy the fond memories you have with your family. Your family rallied behind you when you met Zach and when Madeline was sick you all were there to support her even when she was not married to your brother. I know for a fact you have never missed one show Arianna has had on Broadway. And here you are cooking for me. I have never had such an experience as compassion in my life. "
Regan studied her for a moment. "Why are you here, Simone? Why now? "
"My father does not want me. I have dishonored him. "
"No matter what you 've done, a father will forgive you. "
She shook her head. "Mine would rather dangle my trust fund over my head and threaten me. I think I surprised him when I told him I would rather live on my own than be bribed with his wealth all the time. "
"That 's a pretty big statement right there. "
"It was a pretty big decision. " She searched for two glasses in the cupboard and set them on the table. "You have money now. Do you think you are happier? "
Regan laughed. "I 'm happier because I have Zach. But I had days when all I could afford was packaged noodles, and I was happy. "
That confirmed what Cynthia had told her. "Why? "
"Because I was doing what I wanted to do. " Regan smiled as she lifted the noodles from the pot and placed them in the bowl. "I lived in L.A. in a tiny little apartment I shared with another girl I didn 't know well. Kind of like you and Sam. But I was broke. I could afford my car, my share of the rent, and a few groceries. And aside from my wonderful life now, I don 't think you could top the feeling of freedom I had. "
Oddly enough Simone understood that. Her lunch at her desk the very first day, which she 'd purchased from the vending machines, had been nearly as freeing as walking away from her father when he 'd told her to get rid of the baby or lose everything she had. He 'd been worried about her disgracing his name. She was a fully grown, mature adult, and yet he could still make her feel like a child. But sitting in the small, rundown kitchen of the small shared apartment, she didn 't feel like a child. She finally felt hope spurring through her. Her father was small minded. There was a whole new world at her feet. She just had to keep her feet firmly planted.
"Oh, dear it is six-fifty. I need to disappear. " Regan began to scurry about finishing up the small parts of the dinner she 'd created while Simone did the small parts that hadn 't involved the stove. "Plate the chicken on top of the noodles and drizzle the caper sauce over that. "
She reached for her purse and pulled out her keys.
"I stuck a cheesecake in the fridge for after, too, " she said smiling as she hurried for the door.
"Thank you from the bottom of my heart. "
"T1his is what sisters do. " She kissed Simone on the cheek and hurried down the front steps.
Simone shut the door and rested against it. Sisters. That was a hefty word.
She stood there a moment longer and let her nerves settle. Everything had to go right. She wanted Curtis to be hers more now that she had before. He had more to offer a relationship than just himself. He had a family and Simone was desperately in need of a family.
Curtis peered through the small window to next to the door and watched as Simone moved through the apartment fluffing pillows and lighting candles. He was sure that was as domestic as she got, but it would be fun to see if she fessed up to her dinner preparation.
He stepped back and tapped on the door.
Simone opened the door. Her hair fell in like black satin over her shoulders and she looked nearly virginal in her white cotton shirt, belted at the waist over a pair of white pants. Her hair and the white of her outfit were fitting for the contrast going through him. Hot and cold. Good and bad. Love and hate.
"You look beautiful, " he finally said after realizing he 'd stood there long enough just staring at her.
"Thank you. " She stepped back. "Come in. "
Curtis stepped through the door and their bodies brushed. He felt her suck in a breath and he 'd quickly considered scooping her up and laying her down on the couch. Forget dinner, but that wasn 't what she wanted and he knew it.
He sniffed the fragrant air. "Chicken piccata? "
"I was told it was your favorite. "
He smiled. There was no keeping any secrets from her. "I saw Regan turn the corner when I pulled up. "
Simone 's shoulders dropped and a crease formed in her forehead. "I did not know what else to do. "
Curtis gathered her in his arms and gazed down into her blue eyes. "I think it was sweet you asked her to help you. "
"Help? She did it all. I was lost in the store and the kitchen. I am a wreck. "
He wanted to laugh at her, but he couldn 't. She was sincere and totally defenseless for the first time. "You 're wonderful. "
The crease eased between her brows and a smile formed on her lips. "I wanted to impress you. "
"You did that a long time ago. " He brushed his fingers through her hair. "But considering it is cooked and ready to eat, I suppose kissing you senseless will have to wait. "
"Well, " she inched up closer to him, "a few kisses wouldn 't hurt. "
That was all he needed to hear. He hoisted her to his hips and her legs wrapped around him. This was familiar. This was comfort when it came to Simone.
He pressed her back up against the wall and drove himself mad with the kiss he planted on her.
Her fingers tangled in his hair. Her legs tightened around him for support. And her breasts pressed against his chest and heaved from the breath she fought for.
When he couldn 't stand there any longer without carrying her away he set her down and eased back the kiss.
"I am glad we did not make appetizers. I think that was appetizer enough. "
"Yep. " It didn 't sound intelligent but it was all he could get out as he tried to will his body to ease.
Simone led him to the small kitchen where she 'd set a proper table with mismatched plates and silverware.
"I saw a beer in the refrigerator if you would like one. "
"Thanks, but I 'm on call. "
"Oh, " she said trying to hide the disappointment in her voice as she reached for the serving platter. "I did not realize that. "
"I forgot. I was too busy kissing you. " He reached for her and his fingers brushed down her arm.
Her chest fluttered knowing he was there with her, wanting to kiss her, talking sweetly to 1her. Perhaps it was the perfect opportunity to just tell him about the baby.
Gathering her courage, she took a deep cleansing breath. "I am glad you came tonight. I have dreamed about this for months. "
She took her seat as he began to serve them both from the platter she 'd set on the table. "You thought about cooking me dinner? "
Simone could feel the heat rise in her cheeks. "Curtis, " he looked up at her. "Since I left you I have thought of you every day. And after having
spent the afternoon with your sister I realized that there were so many wonderful things you brought to my life, and not just physically. "
Curtis sat back in his chair. "I don 't think I understand. "
"This is very difficult for me. " She took her paper napkin out from beneath her fork and set it in her lap. "I see what you have with your siblings and I realize I missed out on that. "
He narrowed his eyes. "So you love me for my family? "
Opposite Attraction Page 12
