by Mary Malcolm
So quickly everything had changed. Cassie had believed they’d been drunk and that’s what prompted the marriage. The ring always threw her but now she knew. Stephen had loved her.
And, Cassie realized, she loved him. Not only then, but now. She’d been so wrapped around the thought of leaving him that she’d not stopped to consider she might actually love him.
Love. How had that happened? Worse still, she didn’t want the divorce. It hit her suddenly leaving her breathless. This whole relationship they had going was set up to get them the divorce they should have gotten long ago.
But now, Cassie didn’t want it. Love. She loved him.
Without warning, without any plans of how to protect her own heart, Cassie realized once and for all that she loved Stephen.
She wouldn’t let him go. Not without a fight. His mom might have left him all those years ago. Cassie knew she’d left him, probably making him feel just as unloved as his mom, but now she knew the truth. She’d left because she loved him.
She hadn’t known what to do with those feelings then, but she knew now. She would fight for Stephen Sands. She’d convince him, somehow, that they truly were meant to be together.
With that thought in mind, Cassie stood a little straighter.
****
It was two hours before Stephen came through the front door. Cassie joined him in the main foyer. “You look happy.” She helped him take his coat off.
“He finally gave in.” Stephen’s eyes shone with excitement. “It took some negotiating, and a few pretty deep concessions, but Jordan Giles finally signed over that land.”
Cassie nodded. “Great.”
“Great? Great? Do you know what this means?” He grabbed Cassie by the hips, lifted her and twirled them both around the entrance. “This means the deal is done. I can move on. This means…” He leaned his head over for a kiss. “That the Fairview project is a go.”
He put Cassie down and she held her hands clasped in front of her as she asked, “But what does that mean?”
“The mommies. When I told them I’d build them a playground, I meant it. The Fairview district was industrialized over fifty years ago, but it shouldn’t have been. The land is right next to the river. Beautiful land, there used to be all these trees, all this wide open space. Then it became nothing but polluted air and cement. Now…” he threw his hands wide. “Now it can be whatever we want it to be. William and I have been discussing, we want to bring it back to its former glory.”
“I thought William did architecture.”
“Architecture and land development.” He kissed Cassie again. “God, this feels great. Do you know how long I’ve been working on this project?” He looked around. “Where’s Abigail? She usually greets me at the door when I come home.”
“I gave her the night off.” Cassie took a step back and Stephen finally seemed to see what she’d put on. A black baby doll nightgown and black robe. He swallowed a couple of times before curling his fingers over the collar of the satin robe. “The night off, huh?”
Cassie nodded and took a step further back. “I wanted to have you all to myself.”
He licked his lips then took another step toward her. “What are your plans, Mrs. Sands?”
She started up the stairs but kept her eyes on him. “I thought you could give me a tour of your house. I’ve seen the kitchen.” She let the robe fall to the ground halfway up the stairs. “The master bedroom, one of the guest rooms.” She faced him and asked, “How many rooms do you have here?”
He dropped his suit coat and loosened his tie. “Twelve altogether.”
She clicked her tongue and shook her head. “I don’t know then...”
“Yeah?”
She stepped out of one of her heels and made it to the top of the stairs. “I don’t know if you have the stamina.”
He dropped his tie over the banister and she watched it slide partway down before fluttering over and onto the bottom floor. “I’ve got more than enough stamina,” he assured. He unbuttoned his shirt and drew closer. Stephen clasped her face in his hands. “Can you handle me, Cassie?”
Warm tendrils of desire snaked into every erogenous zone on her body. Some she hadn’t even realized existed. She took a few steps back and opened the first door. “How about we see?”
Inside, she found a library. Leather furniture, books on floor to ceiling shelves, a fireplace against the east wall. “Very cozy, Stephen.”
He nodded and ran his hands up beneath her nightgown. “I always thought this room would be a great place to make love. Surrounded by books, smell of leather. Fire blazing in the winter.” He kissed her neck and cupped her barely clad bottom in his hand.
“I don’t know if I can wait until winter, think we’ll be warm enough without the fire?” she whispered.
He licked across her collarbone and let his thumb graze the already tightened nub of her nipple. “I think we can make our own heat.”
Cassie grasped the edge of his shirt and pulled it the rest of the way over his head. “So, eleven rooms to go?”
Devilishly he walked her backwards to the leather sofa. “Nine, actually. We’ve already seen the kitchen and master bedroom.”
“Mmm, nine.” Their lips met and tongues swirled together as Cassie undid the clasp on Stephen’s pants and he worked her nightgown above her head. “You can manage?”
He let out a throaty laugh as he knelt to kiss her taut belly. “It’s not me I’m worried about. Can you manage?” He blew a hot breath over the satin of her panties as his thumbs hooked the material, dragging it down.
Cassie took a step back and unclasped her bra. She swayed slightly as she pulled the straps over her arms. She held the cups in place with her hands and walked over to him. “Oh,” she said seductively, “I can manage.”
With that, she let the bra drop into his lap and beckoned him to follow.
Chapter Fifteen
The party was pushed back a few weeks and Stephen spent the entire time getting to better know Cassie and the twelve rooms of his house. Not that they spent every spare moment in bed. Just most. And over the past few weeks he’d come to dread the party and what it represented.
He didn’t want to publicly humiliate Cassie anymore. She wasn’t a gold-digger; she was nothing like any of the women he’d ever been with. She was possibly the most genuine person he’d met in his life. In fact, the whole idea of revenge seemed preposterous now. He glanced at his wife curled in bed with her feet tucked up by her bottom. The soft curve of her hip beneath the blanket. The swell of her breasts. He felt like a newlywed and he didn’t want to give it up.
But Cassie didn’t want him.
He knew that much. He may have asked her to tell him she loved him when they made love, but that didn’t make it true. And wanting her didn’t equal out to being able to keep her. He’d learned that lesson when she left him the first time. His cell phone rang. One last glance at Cassie and he took his phone from the dresser. “Hello?”
“Hello, Stephen.”
Dammit. Tatiana. “I thought we agreed you wouldn’t call here anymore?”
“Oh Stephen,” she purred. “We haven’t agreed to anything. I haven’t received my money yet which in my estimation means I owe you nothing.”
Stephen glanced at Cassie before taking the call into the hallway. “Tatiana I owe you nothing. You threatened to blackmail me about my marriage, and we made it public on our own.”
“How is the sham wife doing?”
The venom in her voice sent cold rushing through his veins. He couldn’t believe he’d ever been attracted to this woman, much less slept with her. God, what had he been thinking? She was gorgeous, but not Cassie. She’d never come close to being anything like Cassie. “You overheard one conversation in a bar with my brothers, I hardly think that’s grounds for blackmail.”
All preamble of sweetness disappeared from her voice as she said, “Cut the crap, Stephen. You and I both know that what I’m asking is a drop in the bucket fo
r you. You’d never miss the money. So I’m thinking, if you’re not paying it’s because you don’t feel you have anything to lose. You don’t care if people know the truth of your relationship.”
Stephen realized she was probably right. He’d come to love Cassie again, as unlikely as it seemed, and if people found out the truth, he’d just be honest and own up to his end in it. “Do what you will, Tatiana.” He could practically hear her calculating on the other end of the phone.
“I know you aren’t worried about yourself, but what about her? What would the truth do to her?”
“What do you mean?”
“Do you really think she wants her business out there in the open like that? You’re a Sands, you’ve been in the spotlight your entire life. Little nobody Cassie has not. Do you really want to put her through the scrutiny that would come from the truth coming out? Or do you hate her so much that it doesn’t matter to you? Word gets around, Stephen. Your brother’s talk to their girlfriends, their girlfriends talk to their friends. Word has gotten out. Maybe not as widespread as it should have, but do you really want to be exposed entirely?”
“The party.” God, Stephen hated himself for this. “We’re having a party on Friday. Come by there and I’ll pay you off. And that’ll be it. Do you understand, Tatiana?”
She chuckled. “I understand that I should have asked for more to begin with. But this will do. Goodbye, Stephen.”
Stephen turned the phone off and slammed it against his thigh. He didn’t believe in any of this. It was BS. He’d never been a weak man and if he didn’t want to protect Cassie, he wouldn’t have to be weak now. But it wasn’t just Cassie in need of protecting. It was her family and her business, as well. Cassie had been through enough. She didn’t need her life splashed across every gossip rag between here and New York. Damn, Tatiana. If only he had some way to show her true light to the world.
He went back into the bedroom and set the phone back on the dresser.
It didn’t matter. He wanted to protect Cassie so it didn’t matter what it cost him. He’d never loved anyone the way he loved Cassie and it seemed if he wanted to keep her, he’d have to fight. She may not love him now, but Stephen realized he would do anything to convince her to stay. He scrubbed hands over his face before going to take a shower.
Cassie meant a lot to him. Possibly more than any other person in his entire life. And he’d talk to his father. If Tatiana knew the whole truth, chances were no amount of money would keep her quiet for good. Consequences be damned, Stephen would tell his father the truth about Cassie. Then he’d do everything in his power to convince Cassie he loved her. He’d get her to stay this time.
With that decision made, Stephen stepped into the shower and let the hot steam flow over his face. When he got out, he’d make love to his wife, talk to his father, then spend the rest of his life, if that’s what it took, making her realize he loved her.
His brothers would be a harder fight. But not impossible. No, this would work. Stephen didn’t know how yet, but he believed in himself. And in his love for Cassie. This would work. It had to. Then it hit him—the perfect way to get even with Tatiana. A smile spread across his face as he washed his hair.
****
Cassie awoke with a stretch and settled back into the soft pillows of their bed. She still didn’t believe anyone needed this much space, but she’d certainly enjoyed filling it up. She glanced around the room. The sun shone brightly through the windows. She’d love to spend the day out on the Trinity with him. Could think of nothing more fun than holding his hand and walking along the river.
Perhaps walking hand in hand pushing a stroller, she though a smile tugging at the edges of her lips. She touched her belly. She hadn’t confirmed it yet, but she was already a week late. And Cassie was never late.
Still, she wouldn’t say anything until she knew Stephen loved her as much as she loved him. She suspected his feelings for her. He’d been acting differently. It felt glorious.
She glanced up as the phone on the dresser buzzed. Getting out of bed, she pulled the robe tight around her shoulders before going to look. It might be one of his brothers, or perhaps Gayle.
Not Gayle. Tatiana.
Her hands tingled as she set the phone back down. Stephen had asked her to trust him that nothing was happening with the other woman, yet Cassie couldn’t get past the lingering idea that he may not be telling the whole truth. She stole a glance at the bathroom door before picking the phone back up. Quickly, she scrolled through the call log. Tatiana, no less than once a day every day since Cassie arrived.
She set the phone down and fought back tears. How could he do this? How could he act as if he might be falling for her and still be carrying on a relationship with Tatiana?
And if not a relationship, he was carrying on something with the other woman.
Cassie felt like a fool. She rubbed her hand over her abdomen and bitterness filled her completely. She’d always wanted children, but for this one time, she hoped it was stress and not a baby that made her late.
Stephen started singing in the shower. Cassie knew she had a few more minutes before he made it out. She needed to find a way to calm down. It seemed impossible, though. All she could think about was how ridiculous she’d acted. He had probably laughed about her and her feelings for him ever since the first time they had sex. He’d told her they would.
Dammit! She paced the bedroom floor and tried to even her breathing. The shower turned off and after a minute Stephen walked into the room. A low-slung towel over his hips showed the trail of hair leading downward. His broad chest was peppered with hair and beads of water. He used a hand towel to dry his hair and his brown eyes settled on her as a smile curved his lips.
“Cassie, I’m so glad to see you’re awake.”
The anger had not left completely, but Cassie plastered on what she hoped to be a placating smile and turned to him. “Good morning, Stephen.”
“What’s wrong with you?”
Apparently, placating on Cassie looked more like sour or worse. “I’m fine.”
He narrowed his eyes and took a step toward her. “No, you aren’t.”
She crossed arms over her chest and turned to the wide window. The bright sun glared back at her painfully, so she couldn’t see out, but she needed somewhere else to look.
Then it hit her. She’d been feeling bad that Stephen might have used her, when in reality Stephen was the one who should feel bad. “Why did you want me here?”
He’d taken at least a step or two closer to her. His voice wasn’t very far from her ear as he said, “Because you’re my wife.”
“I’m not. I married you, but I’m not your wife. Why did you want me here? You made me leave my business, sublet my apartment, you even distracted me so I wasn’t spending as much time with Liz and Annie. Why?”
She turned to him now. If he was to tell her the truth, she wanted to see it in his eyes. No more lies, no more hiding behind a screen of pretend marriage. “Why, Stephen?”
His lips drew into a thin line as he moved to get dressed. “What happened, Cassie? Why are you asking this now?”
She took a step toward him. “Your phone buzzed. And I looked. I know it’s wrong, but I thought it might be your brothers, or father, or Gayle. But no. Tatiana. Again with this mystery woman. So why am I here? You told me to trust you, that you didn’t have anything going with her, and yet she’s called every single day since I’ve been here. Was it revenge? Did you want me to fall for you and then break my heart? Because if that’s the case, you’ve done a stellar job.”
He turned to her, half dressed. A pair of blue jeans hung low on his hips, replacing the towel. A red t-shirt hung from his hand as his eyes narrowed in an angry glare. “You snooped through my phone.”
“I shouldn’t have had to!”
“You’re asking me about Tatiana when you’re the one who can’t be trusted. Dammit, Cassie. I was only in the shower a few minutes.”
She laughed bitt
erly. “What would have happened if I’d been the one in the shower? Would she have come over? Do y’all play house while I’m away? Why did you want me here, Stephen?”
“Revenge, Cassie. Is that what you want to hear?”
She felt taken aback by his honesty. And she could tell from the surprised look on his face that he felt equally shocked that he’d actually said it. “So that’s it, then.”
He stayed silent as he pulled the shirt over his head. His damp hair fell over his eyes and he pushed it out of the way before turning and grabbing his cell phone. He jammed it into his pocket before turning back to her. “I brought you here to get even. You left me and you never said a word.”
Tears blurred her vision “You brought me here to play house, just like you always wanted. You made me fall in love with you again. So what was the plan? Was Tatiana supposed to show up at the party and teach me my lesson? Or worse, were you going to do something there? Say something to get even for the pain I put you through?”
His eyebrows shot up in surprise at her summation.
“That’s it, wasn’t it?” Cassie felt slightly drunk with anger as she took a few steps toward him. “That was your plan. God, Stephen, do you hate me that much? I wanted to help my family and you had plans to take me down for good. What do I have over you? Really, Stephen? You’ve got everything. I live in a tiny apartment—you saw my sister’s house. I drive a Civic. My clothes all come from vintage stores or secondhand shops. I love the bakery, but I don’t have anything like what you have. And you wanted to take me down? Is that what you wanted with Jordan Giles?”
His face turned as red as his sweater. “Jordan Giles held out on me just to get more money. He didn’t care about the project, or even keeping his location, he wanted to drive up his cut of the money.”
Cassie crossed arms over her chest. “Sure. And I wanted to humiliate you by leaving you in Vegas. It wasn’t at all because you lied to me about who you were. Not at all because I thought you were this sweet guy who was struggling through life just like me and instead you turned out to be heir to a vast fortune. And it wasn’t at all because I had to doubt every single thing you told me after finding that out. You lied to me, Stephen. About who you are, you made me feel as if my life was something to be mocked. And even if that wasn’t your intent, that’s how I felt. So I’m sorry your feelings were hurt when I left, but at least you knew who was leaving. I don’t know if I’ll ever meet the real you.”
