“Hello! You must be hungry. Come in and have a look.” She smiled her best at him, telling herself that he was just tired and that there wasn’t anything at all behind his serious eyes.
He strode into the kitchen a short way and looked away from her with some difficulty. She walked up to him and hugged him, and the feel of her body against his, the sweet scent of her skin and hair, the touch of her hand on his arm, froze him to the spot. He closed his eyes and steadied himself, and then looked away from her when he had regained what little composure he thought he had.
They sat together at the table and he focused on the meal, listening to her talk about her store. He was glad to hear the light conversation, glad to have something, anything, take his mind off of her as she sat next to him and saturated him with herself. He told her to let the house staff clear away the dishes, and he hugged her lightly and went to his study to focus on work.
She would not leave his thoughts, and by the time he had readied himself for bed, there was a fire burning in him that could not be dealt with, that would not be extinguished and he told himself that he would go to her for their nightly intimacy but that it would not affect him, and that he was the master of his heart and soul. He knocked on her door and she opened it, looking up at him with concern in her misty green eyes.
He did not speak, he only stepped into her room and closed the door behind him. His heated gazed fell over her body and the loose nightshirt that barely covered her. It was her practice to wear things that allowed him the ability to penetrate her without revealing much of her body.
David stepped toward her and his gaze held her eyes. She tried to draw a breath in but it was caught in her lungs and she could only watch him as he neared her and lifted his hand to the collar around her shirt. He stared into her eyes and slid his fingers beneath the material, touching her neck and holding her head up to look at him. She could feel the embers of passion in her begin to blaze as he lifted her face to his and drew his mouth near hers, his warm breath heating her cheek.
She shook her head almost imperceptibly, he couldn’t… he couldn’t kiss her or all of the emotion that had grown in her for him would not be held back, it would rush forth and her heart would be his. Her heart would be broken. She could not let him make her fall in love with him.
David’s mouth came dangerously close to hers, but she turned her face away and he pulled her back to look at him. “Kiss me,” he whispered hoarsely.
“No,” she barely breathed back to him. “I can’t…” She tried to look away from him, to break the bond of his eyes locked on hers but she couldn’t and he drew even closer to her, she could almost feel his lips on hers, and it melted her resolve.
“Kiss me!” he repeated, urging her desperately, his fingers firm on her cheeks. She shook her head slightly.
“No, I can’t!” she whispered once more, but as she breathed it out, his lips grazed hers for a moment, and when he saw her eyes close, he knew that she was his. His mouth closed over hers in heated desperation, his lips parting hers, and his tongue tracing the contours of hers, tasting her at long last. He held her tightly in his arms, and she held him back, kissing him in return as flames erupted in them both.
She could not withhold any of her passion for him any longer, and as his mouth moved over hers, she knew that there was nothing she could do but love him with all of her heart.
David’s fingers moved from her face back down her neck to her shirt, where he effortlessly released all of the buttons that closed her shirt over her body, and he pushed it to the floor. He stepped back for a moment, his hands holding her arms, and looked in awe at her body before him.
As she watched his eyes move over every part of her, she felt heat rising to the surface of her skin, and she knew that only his touch would release her from it. He moved his hands to her breasts, touching her gently and discovering her as he never had before. He slid his fingers over her ribs and belly, finally touching the patch of hair between her thighs, making her close her eyes and try to hold back a cry of desire that escaped her.
He lifted her and laid her on her bed, moving over her, his mouth wide open and his tongue tasting all that he could of her. He pushed her thighs apart and nestled his face into the depths of them, sliding his hot tongue over the outside of her, and then into her, making her gasp and cling to him. He drove her to an orgasm and tasted her pleasure for himself.
His need had never been as great as that moment, and he lifted himself and moved between her legs, entering her and driving himself into the depths of her body, filling her completely, and bringing her untold pleasure. Her hands molded to the hard muscles of his shoulders and she kissed and sucked at his neck, and his mouth as he kissed her back, with no end of hunger for the woman beneath him.
Their passion turned and twisted them in the sheets, tangling them in each other, writhing and wrestling as they passed every boundary they had set, and discovered everything about each other until they quivered with release, their arms locked around each other, their lips bruised with desperate kisses, and their bodies fulfilled in love.
They lay together in her bed and fell asleep in each other’s arms, and in the morning, when they awoke, they made strong and passionate love again. This limitless, boundless desire and release became their new routine, at every turn, in many places, at any hour, and they could not keep from wanting each other, or getting enough of one another.
***
Two weeks from the night that their intimacy had gone so deep, Elise discovered that she was pregnant and her heart almost broke in two. She had wanted the baby, and now she had it, but at what cost, she asked herself, because now they had reached the point in their contract when they would not be intimate anymore. She would be living with him for three years and not be able to love him, as the purpose for their intimacy had been realized.
She didn’t want to tell him, and she kept it a secret for a few days but David knew his lover, his friend, and though he tried to find out what was wrong with her, she would not answer him, she only loved him harder and longer, holding him more closely at night. At last, another week had passed and she knew she could not keep her pregnancy a secret from him any longer.
Her body was changing, her breasts were growing sore, her stomach was cramping, her cycle was gone, and she had begun to be nauseated from time to time. He would notice, and then what would he say when he discovered that she hadn’t told him?
Elise rested her head on his shoulder one morning after they had made love and she kissed his cheek and his lips and then looked at him sadly.
“What’s bothering you?” he asked in a worried tone. “Whatever this thing is that has had you in its grasp for the last week, we can work through it. Talk with me, please. Tell me what it is. I’m here for you.” He leaned to her and kissed her, tasting her softly, and then letting her go and looking at her carefully. “Please, Elise, please tell me.” He touched her cheek encouragingly.
She drew a deep breath. “I’m pregnant,” she whispered.
Realization dawned on him and he laughed and pulled her tightly into his arms. “Well that’s wonderful! That’s… that’s the best news I’ve ever gotten! Are you feeling alright? Is that what’s wrong?”
Tears sprang to her eyes and she closed them, trying to hold everything in, but it was no use, they rolled down her cheeks and she gasped with sadness. He held her close to his chest and rubbed her back. “Elise, what is it? What’s the matter?” He looked at her with a worrying gaze.
She shook her head and turned it away from him, but he placed his hands on her face and made her look at him. “Talk to me, please. What is it?” he asked in a near whisper.
She wept aloud. “I’m pregnant. Your contract states that we won’t be together after this… we won’t be making love anymore.” She closed her eyes and shook her head and then looked up at him. “I don’t want to give this up. I want you, David, I need you.”
David looked at her and understood what she was saying to
him. He closed his eyes and touched his forehead to hers for a long moment, connecting with her, and then raised his head and looked back down at her. “Listen to me, Elise, please.” He touched her underneath her chin and she opened her eyes to look into his.
“I don’t want to stop being with you. I know the contract says we don’t need to do this anymore now but I don’t want to give you up. I don’t want a night in this house without you by my side.” He kissed her long and hard and then raised his head and looked at her again. “I can’t get enough of you, Elise. You are all I want. You are all I want for the rest of my life. I love you. Stay with me here, be my wife, be the mother of our child, please.” He kissed her again, closing his eyes and losing himself for a long moment before lifting his head to look down into her eyes again. “I love you. Stay with me,” he whispered.
Elise felt as though her heart had been freed from the deepest and darkest prison and all she could do was smile at him through her salt tears. “I love you, too,” she whispered as he kissed her tears away.
“Will you stay with me?” he asked again.
She nodded happily and wrapped her arms around him, feeling his erection grow against her thigh, making her hunger for him again. “I’ll stay. I love you, David, and we are going to have a long and beautiful life together.” She giggled through her happy tears and her husband laid her back in their bed and made love to her again until neither of them could breathe for the all the passion they discovered.
***
It wasn’t until later that morning when Carlson came to the house with an ashen face and a tired, drawn look and pulled David into his home office for a private conversation that things began to take a turn for the worse.
David walked out of his office with Carlson several hours later and both of them looked ill. He would not speak to Elise about whatever it was that Carlson had told him, and Elise was left to wonder what had shaken them both up so much. She would find out but it wouldn’t be for several months as her baby grew within her belly, her businesses expanded and she opened new stores, and she believed her life was a perfect dream come true.
It was after all of that, that the clouds parted and she learned the truth about her marriage to David.
Chapter6
Elise sat on the stool at the counter in her café and chocolate store, piping designs onto chocolates while talking with her employees and customers as they asked her questions and watched her work. She was very talented at creating some of the best chocolate to be had in San Francisco. Her shop had grown so busy that she had reached the point where she needed to expand it, and thanks to her new billionaire husband, she was able to open five new branches throughout the city. She was thrilled that all of the branches, though they were just starting out, were doing very well.
She had hired on all the help she had needed to run her shops, while still working at the original shop, creating her chocolates and taking care of business. Although she seemed to have a little less responsibility with her businesses since she had hired good managers at all of her locations. Her life, she was sure, was perfect, and nothing would ever change that.
Her best friend, Sarah, returned a call that Elise had made to her earlier, asking if they could meet up for a visit. So when she left the shop for the day, she went to an ice-cream parlor on Russian Hill and met up with Sarah, rather than going straight home.
She hugged her friend tightly and sat with her at a table in the back of the place as they both worked at their ice-cream cones.
“So how are things going with your Rent-a-Husband?” Sarah did not like David and she didn’t trust him. She wasn’t sure that what he was doing with her best friend was on the level; she was protective of her.
Elise smiled widely and her glow illuminated from her almost visibly. “I’m so happy, Sarah. Things could not be more perfect. David and I are going to be parents. I’m finally pregnant!”
Sarah’s eyes opened wide and a smile spread over her face. She might not have been thrilled with David, but she was certainly excited to find out that she was going to become an Auntie. Sarah had always been supportive of that aspect of the arrangement.
“There’s more,” Elise said with a shy smile.
Sarah leaned in and looked at her with suspicion. “More? What else is there? Isn’t that all that you had to do?”
Elise grinned and said, “I didn’t tell anyone, but over the last few weeks, things have sort of changed between David and I. I fell in love with him, but I didn’t want to tell him. I-”
Sarah stopped her and gave her a horrified look. “You did what? I told you he was bad news! What are you doing going and getting yourself involved with him like that for?!”
Elise frowned a little and shook her head. “Sarah,” she said softly, trying to calm her friend before they made a scene in the little store, “I couldn’t help it, it isn’t like I did it on purpose. I just fell in love with him. You can’t help it when things like that happen, they just… happen!”
Her friend remained unmoved and gave her an annoyed gaze. “Well, so what else?” she asked perturbed.
Elise looked right into Sarah’s face and hoped for the best. She knew how her friend felt, but she had to share her happiness with her. She had to let her know just how wonderful her life had become.
“He loves me, too. He fell in love with me. We’re going to stay together and raise the baby as a family. There isn’t going to be a divorce in three years.” Elise looked at her with her wide smile, and waited for her best friend’s reaction.
Sarah’s reaction was swift. Her mouth fell open and she stared at Elise. “You can’t be serious. You can’t do that!”
Elise looked around them and motioned for Sarah to hush a bit. “Why can’t I?” She leaned forward and looked at Sarah with imploring eyes. “He loves me! I love him! What’s wrong with two people who are in love and already married to have a family and build on it?”
Sarah shook her head slowly. “He is up to something, girl, and I want you to keep your eyes and ears open, because no man hires himself a wife like that and then decides to keep her. You only got married a little while ago. I can’t believe you’re rushing into this. You’re smarter than this, girl! What in the hell do you think you’re doing?”
Elise felt her heart pinch at the pain her friend was inflicting on her. “I thought you’d be happy for me! I thought you would want to know how things are going and that you would be glad that it’s all so good.” Elise’s eyes filled with tears and Sarah sighed and shook her head.
“I’m not unhappy for you. I just want you to be careful. It smells bad to me. It smells like something is rotten and you’re so busy picking rose petals up off of paving stones that you can’t see what’s going on right in front of your face.” Sarah began to chew her ice-cream cone.
“He’s a good man, Sarah, and he really loves me. He wants to be with me forever. We just got lucky with the job situation. Who knows, maybe it was fate.” Elise stated a bit defensively.
Sarah shook her head. “Listen, honey, I’m happy for you. I really am, and I can’t wait to see that little baby you’re carrying but I just want you to keep your eyes and ears open. That’s all I’m saying. Be happy, just be smart about it and make sure you’re doing the right thing for you and for that little one in your belly. You’ve got more than yourself to think of right now, and you’ve got all these other shops that you are opening up, so there’s a lot going on. Don’t get all caught up in the mushy love stuff and miss the big red flags, alright? I’m just trying to look out for you because I love you. Will you promise me that please? Pay attention?”
Elise smiled a little and nodded. “I will. Sarah, I appreciate your love and friendship more than you are ever going to know but you have to understand that it’s not as complicated as you’re making it out be. We’re just two people in love, married, having a baby.”
Sarah sighed and raised her hands up in front of her. “Alright, I’m done. I’ve said my piece. I won’t ha
rp on it anymore. You know how I feel. So, do you want me to start looking at things for a baby shower for you?” She smiled. Elise knew they were over the speed bump in their friendship.
They talked about possible baby shower ideas and the new stores that were opening up. Before long, the ice-cream shop was closing and they had to say goodbye to each other and leave. Sarah hugged her tight and patted her belly with a smile. Elise waved and left her, going home to David with a happy song in her heart.
It was David’s turn to cook dinner, which usually meant he had hired the chef to come in and handle it for him. She was not surprised to see their staff setting the table or their occasional (on David’s cooking nights) chef in the kitchen. David was nowhere to be seen.
Elise smiled at the chef and asked him when dinner would be ready. He told her it would be completed in another half an hour. She wandered around the main part of the house and didn’t see David but then she heard the front door close and she walked to the foyer to see him standing there with a huge grin on his face. Two dozen red roses in one arm and a giant teddy bear barely held underneath the other arm.
She laughed at him as he handed her the flowers and kissed her. “These are for you,” he said softly as she took them from him. His lips lingered warmly on hers for a long moment. She felt the familiar fires of desire that stirred up in the depths of her anytime he was near her, but he stepped away from her and held the bear up for her to see properly.
“This guy is going to watch over the nursery until the baby comes. Then they can share it.” He looked at it proudly.
Elise gasped and her hand flew to cover her mouth as her eyes grew wide with worry. “We don’t have a nursery!” she exclaimed in horror.
David held up his finger. “You’re right, we don’t, but we will! I was at the contractor's office this morning, and I had them over here to look at the bedroom nearest ours. Come have a peek and I’ll tell you about the plans. I would love to know your thoughts about them.”
The Baby Shower Page 22
