by Katie Dowe
“Scott–” she murmured helplessly.
“I can run things from my laptop and if I need to come back here I can always travel via the private jet,” his tone was persuasive. “I have to be there with you Kadine and I am asking you to let me.”
She stared up at him. The sun was high in the sky and glinted off his wheat blonde hair. He was wearing a light blue shirt and his usual faded denims and he looked solid and handsome beyond expression! “What are you doing?” she whispered.
“Trying to make you see that we belong together and I am not going to stop showing you that it can work.”
“I have never lived in the country,” she went into his arms and rested her head onto his solid chest. The air around them was crisp and sharp and clean. “I am used to malls and restaurants within reach.”
“I can fly you wherever you want to go. Usually, we order online and things are shipped here but I promise you that there are things here we can do. I am planning to build a large play area for the kids so that they will not lack anything.” He tilted her chin up to look down at her, his expression pleading and tender. “Marry me and make me the happiest man in the world.”
“Isn’t that a tall order?” she asked him trembling slightly at his touch and his words.
“Not the way I love you,” he said solemnly.
“This is crazy!’ she whispered.
“Not if you are in love.” He bent to take her lips with his and Kadine melted into him, her hands going up to clasp the back of his neck. He tugged her closer to him, his tongue touching hers and his body heating up. Around them birds chirped and squirrels scrambled up the trees! The tractor was a distance away and the men went about their work but they never noticed any of that only the passion that went through them and the turmoil within. Kadine clung to him tightly submitting to the intensity of the feelings that she had no idea how to categorize! She squealed a little as he swung her up into his arms and headed to a remote area of the farm with cushiony grass and a large oak tree that offered shade. He went down with his back against the bark as he held her securely in his arms. “I love you,” he murmured and before she could respond he started pulling her light sweater away and reaching for her hardened nipples. “Scott–” she felt faint with the buzzing in her ears. He took a nipple inside his mouth and she almost fainted with the pleasure. Her nipples had become highly sensitive since the pregnancy and his tongue swirling around the tight bud sent her into a spasm of such pleasure that had her clutching his hair. He lifted his head after a moment and looked down at her. “I cannot be without you. Please believe that.” He laid her gently on the grass and came over her. “We won’t be disturbed here I promise.” She did not care, she had passed caring, and she could only feel the passion he brought out as his mouth lowered to hers again!
Chapter 8
She had to admit that she loved having him around! He had flown back with her on Monday morning armed with his laptop and his weekend bag with enough clothes for the week. He had spent Saturday night exploring her body and had her reaching for the moon. They had gone horseback riding on Sunday and had picnic beneath a scarred redwood tree with him feeding her the delicious lunch of bulky roast beef sandwich. Sunday night he had taken her for a drive around the neighborhood and had stopped at the small ice cream store to buy her a large vanilla and chocolate ice cream. She had told her sisters about being pregnant, and after they had gotten over their initial shock they had demanded to speak to him. He had charmed them and brought them over to his way of thinking.
Now he was in her apartment with her head resting onto his lap and going over some reports he had brought with him. She had come home from work to find that he had ordered takeout for them. It had felt natural to have him there with her.
It already felt as if they were married! He felt her staring up at him and put away his reports to return the stare. “I think we should get married,” she told him softly.
Scott felt his blood heating up and his heart hammering inside his chest. “Yea?”
“We could do it in May at the farm, no fuss about it and you said you would bring in my siblings. We could commute from here to the farm for now until I get too big to be able to move.” She said slowly. “I hope I do not get fat, that I cannot live with.”
“I did not get to show you the kick ass gym we have inside the barn and the wide open spaces means that we can go for long walks and of course there are the horses.” He told her huskily.
“Good,” she nodded as she looked up at him. “I am not getting married in some frothy white dress. I am way past that.”
“I am friends with Leonardo Romano; I could get them to design something especially for you.”
“Of Romano clothing line?”
“Yes, he belongs to the club I am a member of. I could get Leesa Wellington to plan something tasteful and intimate.”
She sat up abruptly. “These names you are sprouting out so casually are the movers and shakers in the entire country! You are friends with these people?”
“Yes,” he looked at her in amusement. “Ever heard about the ‘wives of the Elite Club members?”
“Scott Taylor, stop yanking my chain! Those women are some of the most powerful in the country! They are heavily involved in charities and are making things happen in terms of making a difference especially where children and the elderly are concerned. And they are all African Americans.”
“I know and next month you get to become one of them.” He told her softly.
“So I get married to you and automatically I become a member?”
“That is how they operate.”
“I am not giving up my travel agency,” she warned him.
“I don’t expect you to.”
“I admire those women.” She murmured.
“And now you can get to talk to one of them.” He took out his phone and dialed a number even though it was approaching nine p.m.
“Leesa, how are you?” he laughed at something she said and then continued. “I have news. Which one do you want first?” he listened for a moment and then laughed again. “I have found the love of my life and she is also pregnant. We want to get married next month. What can you do?”
He handed the phone to Kadine with a smile. “She wants to talk to you.”
Kadine took the phone from him and put it to her ear. “Hi, this is Kadine.”
“Darling, if you are as lovely as your voice then I can safely say that Scott picked a winner. You are a fast worker; aren’t you guys?”
“I am afraid so,” Kadine said with a laugh already liking the woman. “Scott is like a bulldozer and I am along for the ride. In a nutshell, we might be carrying triplets so you know that very soon I will be as big as a house. Before that happens I want to be able to fit into a dress that does not look like a tent. I understand that Romano clothing line is available?”
“Lorenzo got married two years ago so I will give him a call. Did you say triplets?”
“Yes, so Scott insists on saying.” She said ruefully. “I am not looking forward to it one bit.”
“Darling, we are here to help. The newest wife is Monique a former school teacher who married Lorenzo. She is now part of the company so I am going to call her and we meet. When are you available?”
“I can make myself available tomorrow afternoon,” she scrambled inside her brain to remember what she had on. “Where do we meet?”
“We will come to you. We are quite a distance away, so we will save you the trouble. Usually, for every new bride to be we plan something so that we get acquainted. Since your nuptials are so soon, how about this Saturday? Scott could fly you both here and we have a little social.”
She looked over at Scott who was leaning back against the sofa and looking at her. “She wants to plan something for this weekend.” She mouthed to him.
“No problem,” he mouthed back.
“That sounds fine.”
“Wonderful darling! I cannot wait to meet you. Scott has been friends with my Brad fo
r years, so of course Brad will be his best man. Will you be having a long procession?”
“My brother Khalif will be the giveaway dad and my sisters Kandy and Karen will be my attendants.”
“Of course. Let me talk back to Scott and congratulations by the way you have gotten a very good man.”
“I am beginning to think that,” she responded before passing the phone to him. She got up while he spoke to Leesa and went into the kitchen to make herself some tea. He had been having most of the symptoms but she had started feeling queasy for the past week. She was sitting on the stool and staring into her cup when he came to find her. He had taken off his dress shirt and was in his white undershirt and was barefooted. He had made himself at home in her apartment and she was still trying to wrap her head around the fact that this handsome charismatic billionaire was in love with her and wanted to marry her. She was forty-two and had found a family!
“Hey,” he pulled up a stool next to her and looked at her. “What are you thinking?”
“That I cannot believe all this is happening.” She told him with a shaky laugh. She had pinned her hair haphazardly on top of her head and strands were falling around her face.
“Any regrets?” he asked her anxiously.
“No,” she said slowly. “I had given up hope of ever finding a man I can live with and having children. I had sort of adopted my nieces and nephew as my own and decided that this was it for me.” She looked at him. “Where were you when I was in my thirties or twenties?”
“Maybe building my business and being a confused male,” he reached for her hands, pushing away the half-finished cup of tea. “I single-mindedly built my business partly due to the lack of love I had from my dad. I put everything into it because I did not want to think about my mother and my siblings gone and leaving me with a man embittered and giving up on life. I was determined to make it to make up for my loss. I would not have been able to love with the encompassing love I have for your right now, Kadine so believe me when I say that his is the right time.”
“I am going to take your word for it.” She turned her hands over and clasped his feeling the warmth of his touch. “We are going to be parents.”
“We are going to be wonderful parents,” he brought her hands to his lips. “My love.” He got up and came around to her lifting her into his arms. “I think it is time for bed.”
She wrapped her hands around his neck and brought his head down. “So do I.”
*****
They met for lunch at a popular restaurant not far from where her agency was and she had come with Monique, the svelte beautiful wife of Lorenzo. The woman was dressed in an envious looking pale green dress with a throw scarf that had heads turning their way. Leesa had on a simple but chic printed cotton pants suit and looked every bit the super model even though she was in her fifties. Kadine felt frumpy in her black and white skirt suit even though when she had put it on this morning it had looked stylish.
“Darling!” Leesa gushed and enveloped her into a perfumed hug and then putting her away a little to study her. “Scott has wonderful taste. Your bone structure is to die for and that complexion! Ever thought about modeling?”
“For about two seconds.”
“I am Monique,” the girl stretched her hand out and Kadine took it. “You are about to be swept into a world unlike any other.” She said with a laugh.
“I read about you being shot by someone after your husband’s designs.” Kadine said in wonder as they took their seats.
“Something I will never forget,” she said as the waiter rushed over to them. “My husband does not like to even think about it. I met Lorenzo when I was on a much needed vacation in Italy never dreaming that he was ‘the Lorenzo’.”
“And you fell in love?”
“I fell in love,” Monique said with a laugh. “It took him some time to find out that he had fallen in love with me.” She looked at Kadine critically. “How pregnant are you?”
“Going on two months.”
“There is a new design we have that is yet to make its appearance. It is not the traditional wedding dress but it is a cross between the cocktail and the evening wear. It would be perfect for you. You are planning on an afternoon or a morning ceremony?”
“Morning. I want it over and done with.”
“Good for you. Show her the dresses Monique.” Leesa said.
Monique Romano took out her iPod and touched a few things before showing it to Kadine. “Light blue and there is the ice pink,” Kadine looked at the elegant and deceptively simple dresses in amazement. “These are amazing! Any other colors?”
“Champagne, cerulean and African violet,” the dress in African violet caught her eyes. It had a snug fit to the bodice and a flared skirt from the waist down. The back dipped to the waist and gave it a provocative look. “This is it.” She breathed.
“I rather like it too,” Monique said in approval.
“So do I.” Leesa nodded.
“Don’t worry about the cost. Whenever we want to showcase a new outfit we allow one of the wives to wear it and it takes off.”
“How much does a dress like this cost?”
“You don’t want to know,” Monique said with a laugh. “Consider it that one hand washes the other. I have stopped looking at the prices of things for the last few months because it gets on Lorenzo’s nerves.”
“Okay darling, now that we have all that settled let us talk about the soiree at my place.”
*****
Kadine had never fussed about what to wear. She was not a shopaholic but she had always chosen her clothes with extra care. Being a person that people came to for advice on where to spend their vacations was a big deal and she portrayed a feeling of confidence and success so she chose her clothes with that in mind. She had not been much of a social person, but she had some very nice clothes to choose from whether she was going out to dinner or to a party, but this was different! She had met two members of the wives who were married to very powerful men and their clothes whispered expensive and classy. She had come back home and looked them up and realized that even when they were wearing denims and t-shirt they still managed to look as if they had stepped from the pages of a magazine! She could not compete with that! And being the unofficial fiancé of Scott Taylor meant that she was partially one of them! It was damned scary!
“I have nothing to wear,” she told Scott Friday night as she dug frantically through her large closet. They had decided to go to the farm after the function at Leesa instead of going there in the morning.
He was lying on the bed with his hands behind his head and was looking at her in amusement. He loved the fact that he was getting to know her and he loved being with her. “I am sure that’s not true.” They had just come out of the shower where he had spent a long time exploring her body and taking her from behind. He was pleasantly sated and very relaxed. “There must be something that you can wear.”
“Have you seen those women?” she demanded as she turned to face him. She had just thrown on a thin silk robe over her nakedness and had not bothered to tie the sash so she was naked before him. “They wear the most exclusive clothing I have ever seen. I am going to be marrying you and am carrying your child or children. I am going to be looked on and judged accordingly! I even heard that at these things that the media turn out in full force.”
He did not answer her but took up his phone and made a call. “What are you doing?”
He put his finger over his lip and spoke to the person on the other line. “Could you send some clothes over right away?” he looked at the open mouthed Kadine and barely stopped himself from grinning. “Size four?” his eyebrows raised as he looked at her generous bosom. “Casuals and formal wear and I owe you one. What size shoes?”
“Seven and a half,” Kadine whispered faintly.
He told the person on the line. “See you tomorrow.”
“Who was that?” she asked him faintly as she came towards the bed.
“Loren
zo.”
“As in Lorenzo Romano?” she asked dazedly.
“The same,” he reached for her and pulled her onto the bed and on top of him. “He is going to call the warehouse and have someone deliver them. They should be here in an hour.”
“You have that pull with the man behind the gigantic clothing line?”
“I do,” his hands framed her face. “I told you that there is nothing I would not do for you and I need you to believe that.”
“Oh Scott, what am I going to do with you?” she asked him weakly.
“Love me,” he told her seriously. “And I promise that you will never live to regret it as long as you live.”
“Oh Scott,” she blinked the tears from her eyes and lowered her head to his, her lips claiming his in a ravenous kiss that had him holding her tight, his body humming!
*****
Kadine rifled through the piles of clothing in awe! She was not a clothes horse but she was becoming converted. They had arrived at an hour and a half just a few minutes after they had finished making love and she had barely been able to keep awake to really look at them so she had gotten the chance as soon as she woke up. It was too much, she thought in glee as she picked up a light turquoise dress with thin spaghetti straps and swirling skirt. The material was shimmery and would be perfect for the outdoors. It came with a snug fitting jacket that can be worn with or without and was simple in style but looked fabulous on her! Kadine turned to get the full effect and the material floated around her body. She picked out a chic ankle length brown leather boots and stood in front of the mirror to look at herself. Her hair was swept up in to a ponytail with several tendrils against her cheeks. Her eyes met Scott’s when he came into the room. He had gotten dressed and went into the living room to deal with something over the phone. “What do you think?” she asked as she turned to him.
“I think I have fallen in love all over again,” he told her huskily as he reached out to touch a tendril of black hair drifting against one cheek.
“I love them and they must have cost a fortune.” She murmured as she moved closer to him.
