The Arrangement: Book one in the Seattle Billionaires Series

by Nora Ford

  My legs were wrapped around his hips; my breasts were touching his muscular chest. Our lips were so close I could still taste him. The look in his eyes was so intense; for a moment I felt a connection there. I was sure Adam thought it too.

  He didn't give me a chance to say anything though. All of a sudden, he freed himself from my embrace and left the bed. I was confused when I saw him disappearing in his walk-in closet. A minute later he came wearing a flannel pajama bottom and a white t-shirt. "Where are you going?” I asked before he could leave the room. I didn’t understand his sudden change in mood. “I still have some work to do.” He said shortly, “You can sleep here, I’ll sleep in the guest room.”

  I quickly jumped to my feet and gathered my things, “Thanks, but I’ll sleep in mine.” I said and was about to leave the room, but Adam stopped me and took me in his strong arms. He nibbled and kissed his way around my lips, neck and jaw, suddenly his attitude didn’t suck. When I pulled away to breathe, his gaze met mine, "What we've just had was incredible, but I need my space. I hope you're fine with that."

  I didn't answer; I just nodded and kissed him gently on the cheek, "Goodnight." I whispered before I left the room.

  Alone in my bed, I tried to sort out my thoughts. Adam was right to need his space; I needed my own room too. I reminded myself that our marriage was temporary, but still, I could enjoy the time we have together. I would have an affair with my husband; I couldn't have said no to this.

  I smiled as I realized that I'd have access to his incredible body and sexual talents for an entire year.

  I should focus on that and not on what’s going to happen a year from now.

  I was satisfied when I came to this conclusion. I feel asleep.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Adam

  I didn't like the pain in Talia's eyes as I suddenly left the bed. But I couldn't stay, not after what I've shared with her. I've never experienced anything like this before. I knew I was going to have her, but this was more than I could have ever wanted. I didn't expect her to be that passionate. When I pushed myself into her wet core, I felt like I was home.

  The moaning noise she made as I was buried deep inside her tight body blew up my ego. I could feel her hot fast breaths as her hips started to move. It was amazing.

  Although I never left a woman unsatisfied before, I never felt the urge to make a woman twist with lust. However, tonight I wanted to make Talia quiver with pleasure, pleasure that only me would bring her. I held back my own release and waited for her to fall from the cliff. She cried out my name as she did, only then I let go and followed her into heaven.

  When I looked into her eyes I saw something more than lust; I saw affection and love. It scared me; I had to run. I lied about having work to do. I just wanted to escape.

  I never spend the night with a woman in the same bed, I usually put my clothes back on and leave as soon as I can. It was one of my rules. Tonight though, I wanted to break this rule, I longed for Talia’s warm body in my bed, under me, over me and wrapped around me. I wasn’t lying when I told her that I never wanted a woman the way I wanted her. That was why I panicked so much and had to leave.

  I never felt this way before not even with Sharon, my first love, the one who shredded my heart and was the main reason for my trust issues. The moment I found myself thinking about Sharon and what she did, I quickly shook off the bad memories.

  One can’t change the past, I told myself. Unfortunately, one can’t forget it either. My past is still dictating my future.

  Although I craved Talia’s closeness, it was better to keep things as simple as possible. When I left my office, I wasn’t brooding anymore. I told myself that Talia was mine for a year and a year was long enough.

  In the morning, the smell of freshly brewed coffee drifted into my room and led me to the kitchen.

  I entered the kitchen and took place on the kitchen counter. I found Talia was speaking to someone on the phone, while she was preparing breakfast. When she saw me, she gave me a warm smile and filled the plate in front of me with a serving of scrambled eggs and crispy slices of bacon. Then she placed a small amount on her plate.

  A few moments later I heard her saying, “Bye honey, I love you too.” I smiled and asked although I knew the answer, “Were you speaking to Timo?”

  “Yeah, I wanted to call him before he goes to school.” She explained and brought her plate and took a seat next to me.

  “Is he going to have a problem with our new rules?” I wanted to know how things are going to be like when we return to Seattle.

  “What do you mean?” She frowned.

  "I mean, would I be able to do that?" I pulled her to me and kissed her slowly and softly, she opened to me, and I deepened our kiss. Before the kiss could lead to something more, she pulled away and said,

  “Um, about that, Timo is not used to seeing me do this.”

  “Do what?” I looked at her confused, “Kiss a man?”

  “Yeah,” She nodded.

  “And how did your former boyfriends deal with that?” I thought she was joking.

  “No one had to deal with anything; I didn’t have any relationship since my divorce.” She said.

  I didn't quite understand what she was saying, so I asked, "You mean nothing serious, but you sure had flings and short-term affairs."

  “No, can we eat now?” she said and looked down at the food on her plate.

  I was shocked about her confession, I wanted to pursue it further, but I got her hint, she didn’t want to talk about it.

  We ate in silence for a few minutes, I could feel she was tense, and I hated to see her like this. So, I broke our silence by saying, "You know you're the first woman, who made me breakfast."

  “How about Mrs. Smith, isn’t it her job to make you breakfast?” She countered.

  Mrs. Smith was my housekeeper, and she made breakfast almost every morning, but I didn't mean it that way, and she knew it.

  "Mrs. Smith doesn't count; I don't sleep with her." I countered back.

  "It's your fault then; you don't let them." She said and smiled. When I didn't respond, she added,

  “Judging from your performance last night, I am sure lots of women would love to make you breakfast the morning after.”

  “Is that so?” I grinned.

  She blushed and moved quickly to put the empty dishes away in the dishwasher.

  I followed her and blocked her way when she was close enough, I kissed the sensitive skin of her neck and whispered, "I can perform even better after this breakfast."

  Before she could object, I showed her how good, on the kitchen counter.

  *****

  The few days that followed were too busy, but I was in an excellent mood. Talia's closeness was refreshing; I liked spending time with her. I never had the urge to know a woman outside the bedroom, but I wanted to know her. I've only scratched the surface, and I already liked, what I saw.

  When my dad came to see me earlier today, he noticed my good mood. He repeated, what he had told me at the wedding. He wanted me to forget about the arrangement I had with Talia and make things real. But I can't do that; I can't just drop my guard.

  Although I decided that it was too soon to follow my dad’s advice, his words were the only thing that I could think about, and they gave me a headache. After a while, I realized that it was impossible to get any work done, I called it off for the day and went home.

  Talia was in the living room working on her laptop when she noticed my presence, she put her computer to the side and asked concerned,

  “You’re home early, is there something wrong?”

  "Just a headache, nothing serious," I said and took place on the couch next to her.

  She came closer and gave me a light kiss.

  “Let’s cancel our dinner reservation and stay at home tonight.” She suggested.

  "But won't you be mad?" I looked at her. "We've been going out with clients almost every night; tonight was supposed to be just the
two of us."

  "It's still going to be just the two of us. We can order in, or I can fix us some light dinner." She gave me a warm smile.

  "Any other woman would be disappointed and upset right now." I studied her for a moment to make sure that she wasn't upset.

  She shook her head, “I am not one of those women.”

  On her way to the kitchen, she gave me a warm smile and suggested,

  “Why don’t you take a shower and change, while I figure out what to do about dinner.”

  She was right; Talia wasn’t like anybody I knew.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Talia

  I was surprised when Richard, Adam's father called this morning and asked me to meet him. I knew that he arrived in New York yesterday; he had some business to do here. I was curious because I am supposed to meet him at the Gala tonight.

  What could be that urgent? I wondered on the way to his hotel.

  I noticed Richard at the moment I entered the hotel lobby. Even if I didn’t see him before, I would have recognized him. The resemblance between him and Adam wasn’t something anyone can oversee; he was Adam in thirty years.

  When he saw me, he quickly approached and said with a smile, "Here comes my favorite daughter-in-law."

  "I am your only daughter-in-law" I countered.

  "Well, that makes you my favorite." He countered back and led me out of the hotel to one of the cafes along the main street.

  "They make a good pie here; I am having apple pie." I heard him saying after we took our seats on a back table by the window.

  “Just coffee for me,” I said to the waitress who was waiting to take our orders.

  I was starting to get nervous, I had no clue, why I was here, and I didn’t like it. However, I didn’t have to wait long. After the waiter left, Richard started to talk, “You must be wondering why I wanted to see you.”

  “Actually, I do.” I shortly confirmed.

  “I want to talk to you about the arrangement you have with my son.” He said and looked me in the eyes.

  “Sorry, but I don’t know what you are talking about.” I wasn’t sure how much he knew.

  "Adam told me everything, and I don't like it." He said.

  "Um… but I still don't know why this is any of your business, Adam isn't a child anymore," I said annoyed.

  “You have a son too, Timo, right?” He didn’t wait for my answer, he went on “Won’t you interfere to make him make the right choice?”

  "Yes, but Timo is six, and I am responsible for him, Adam is a grown-up man he is responsible for his own choices." I didn't like my son to be dragged into this conversation.

  “Why are you getting so defensive? I am on your side here.” I looked at him confused, so he explained, “I think you’re the right one for my son, I want you to keep him.”

  “This is ridiculous, I’ve only known your son for two weeks, how can you be sure I am the one for him?”

  "I know my son; I haven't seen him this happy or this confused before. Yesterday he was grinning like a teenager who had sex for the first time."

  When I blushed, he continued, "I think you have a feeling for him too."

  “Even if you were right, don’t you think Adam has to want the same thing too?” I asked.

  “I am sure he does, but he doesn’t want to admit it yet.” He said as the waitress brought the pie and coffee.

  I added some cream to my coffee and thought about his words.

  “All I am asking is that you hear me out, I want you to understand where Adam’s trust issues came from.”

  When I nodded, he started to talk. First, he told me about Adam's relationship with his mother and how she left when he was just a little boy and didn't contact them for years.

  I didn't interrupt him, so he kept going, "He didn't forgive her, but he helps her out every time she needs money."

  I didn't know how to respond to that I just gave him a sympathetic look.

  “Although his mother’s desertion hurt him a lot, she wasn’t the only reason why he mistrusts women.”

  "He was in college when he met someone; he was crazy about her. When she got pregnant, he was over the moon. He wanted to drop out of college and come work for me so that they can get married. However, when he proposed to her, she let him down and told him that she had already taken care of the pregnancy."

  “Oh,” That was all I could say.

  "They fought, and she told him that the baby wasn't his. He was devastated of course and buried himself in his studies and then his work. He never had a real relationship again until you came."

  “I can’t call our marriage a real relationship.” I quickly corrected him.

  “No, but you can make it real if you want.” He said and gave me a warm smile.

  “It takes two for a relationship to work. Adam has to want the real thing too.” I told him.

  “Give him time and be patient, that is all I am asking.”

  I thought about his request for a moment and then nodded, “I can do that.”

  “Good, I’ll leave you to get ready for the Gala tonight then.”

  The whole day I thought about nothing but what Richard has told me.

  At the Gala, Adam didn't leave my side. I caught him few times staring at me when he thought I wasn't looking.

  “This dress is killing me. You look like Christmas tonight.” He said while we were dancing.

  “Wait till you see what I am wearing under it.” I gave him a cocky smile.

  "Are you trying to seduce me, Mrs. Grant?" He cocked his head slightly.

  “Maybe I am.”

  “You’re certainly doing a good job. I am not sure I can last any longer.” He said and pulled me closer so I can feel his excitement pressed on my belly.

  Heated from his touch, his words and his hungry gaze, I looked at him, “Don’t you think we’ve been here for too long?”

  Without breaking our eye contact, Adam took his phone out of his pocket, called his driver and told him to bring the car to the front door.

  In less than two minutes we were sitting on the back seat. I turned toward him, and he kissed me until every inch of my body was on fire. I didn't know if it was the kiss, the champagne, or my newly discovered sexual appetite. But I knew only one thing if I didn't have him now I might just blow apart.

  I wasn't sure how did it happen, but I was on top of him and started to pull him to me. I gasped as he yanked my thin dress down to my waist.

  His mouth, his hands, his scent were everything I so desperately needed. I wanted the thrust of him, hard and strong more than I wanted to breathe.

  "Yes. Yes", I screamed as the tidal wave surged over me at last. I felt the heat, the pleasure and the spikes of madness as Adam's hard hands touched my flesh and his hungry mouth was on my breast.

  Suddenly my hands were tugging on his belt; my mouth found his as I shoved his slacks down and closed my hands around him. We took each other in a kind of madness, all tempo and desperation breaking on pure pleasure.

  I finally clung to him while the glory of those aftershocks trembled and shook.

  When my mind was able to work again, I heard a little voice inside my head.

  Adam was mine at least for the coming twelve months.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Talia

  It was the week before Thanksgiving; my life had changed since we came back from New York. Adam was right; our marriage generated a lot of publicity; it made the headlines in almost all newspapers. For months our pictures were on the cover of the major magazines. The press didn't connect him anymore to his former fiancé.

  Adam gained what he wanted from our marriage, his stock surged as the shareholders renewed confidence in him. But he wasn’t the only one to win from the publicity; I profited greatly too.

  Shortly after we returned, I started getting new clients, most of them wanted to use my agency because I was Adam Grant's wife.

  However, when I made it clear that they won't gain anything from my rela
tionship with Adam, some of them withdrew their offers. But still, a few of them chose to stay and used my services.

  Those who stayed were fond of my work and brought me more clients. With all the new orders I needed to expand. Six months ago, I hired an assistant, two more designers and rented three office rooms on the fifth floor in the same building, where Adam’s company was located. It was logical because Adam owned the building and he made me a good deal.