"Absolutely no problem at all. I'll slip in the back, and I don't mind standing. I've heard such good things about your school, I had to come and see for myself."
Another scrutinizing look of green eyes later, he followed the clip clop of the woman's heels down the corridor and toward the sound of music.
"The nursery performance is next. We always save it to the end, because the little ones are just so adorable."
With another smile toward the deputy, which left the elderly woman a bit rosy faced, he slipped into the back of the packed auditorium with a sigh of relief. He scanned the many seats, and finally found her two rows back from the front. Sven's eyes narrowed and his fists clenched at the way she held herself away from none other than that weasel Harry. What the fuck was he doing here? Clearly the man could not take no for an answer. His gut clenched at the way Harry casually put one arm behind her along the seat, his fingers reaching her shoulders. Sylvia visibly started and shook the hand off. She said something to him that made the man flush and withdraw his hand.
Good going, min sköna, you show him.
The action had lifted her face into the spotlight, which illuminated how pale she looked under her makeup. Her nose was red, and her eyes had that glazed feverish look. Vera had said she'd arrived like a drowned rat. Protectiveness welled up inside him at the way her slight shoulders shook in a coughing fit. Alicia's worried glance toward her only increased his growing anxiety. His little firecracker wasn't well. Good thing he was here to take care of her. Willing his body to behave, he tore his eyes away from her, just as Timmy's crystal clear voice rose in his solo.
Damn, that boy could sing. Timmy searched the crowd, and, when he spotted Sven, the little fellow's face lit up. A warm, fuzzy feeling spread through Sven's chest. Seemed Hard Head there was getting under his skin even faster than his mother had done, and damn him if he didn't like that feeling.
****
Sylvia splashed some water on her face. God, she felt awful. Fortunately, she'd managed to keep it together until Timmy's solo. She wouldn't have wanted to miss it for the world. She'd sought refuge in the ladies’ room, when the thundering applause after Timmy’s performance hit. The room started to spin, and she held onto the basin for dear life. She just had to get through the refreshments, and then they could leave. And, somehow, she had to stop herself from hitting Harry or Peggy or both of them. Gah, what is wrong with me? She abhorred violence, yet over the last few days she'd punched Kathy and bitten everyone else's head off. Her hands itched now to wipe that smug smile of her sister-in–law's face once and for all, and as for Harry, if he tried to touch her one more time under the pretext of concern for her, she'd surely scream. She took a deep breath, which only resulted in another coughing fit, and she forced herself to leave the safety of the ladies’ and re-enter the hall.
A small groan escaped at the scene in front of her. Harry and Peggy were deep in conversation with the headmaster. No doubt they were berating Sylvia's decision to remove Timmy from Norton Prep. Not as though she had a choice in the matter. With the reduced scholarship on offer for the next term she had no choice. She couldn't afford to keep him here, and there was no way she was going to take Harry up on his offer to pay the fees for her. The look in his eyes when he'd suggested they could come to some sort of an arrangement had been enough to turn her stomach. Clearly she was not marriage material anymore, not after her fling with Sven. Peggy had been at pains to point this out to her on the way over.
Damn the lot of them. She didn't need any man in her life to provide for her. You couldn't trust any of them. They would muddle through somehow. Timmy, Ali, Rubes, and her against the rest of the world. The four musketeers, just like they'd been before a certain Swede had turned her life upside down.
As if she'd conjured the man out of nowhere, he suddenly appeared with an excited Timmy on his hip. Alicia trailed behind. But he couldn't be here. He was still in Sweden, making out with that brunette, wasn't he? Was she hallucinating now?
By the way Peggy suddenly looked as though she had a rod stuck up her ass maybe not? Harry forced a smile as Sven approached the little group. Sven shook the headmaster's hand with one of his most persuasive smiles in place, and Sylvia willed her feet to move toward the little group. The man was up to something, and, if that look in his eyes was anything to go by, it was nothing good!
Chapter Thirteen
"Mummy, Mummy, look who came? Sven said I was ever so good."
Sylvia grimaced as Timmy's excited shout went straight through her poor head. She sank into the strong, male arm that snaked round her waist, and pulled her into Sven's side with a certain amount of relief. Oh, she'd forgotten how good the blasted man smelled and how she simply felt at home in his arms. Damn her treacherous hormones.
"How are you holding up, baby? I'll get you out of here as soon as I can."
The whispered words in her ear did little to help her regain her equilibrium. Sven put Timmy down and put both hands round her waist. To all intents and purposes he held her up, as her knees turned to jelly. She lost herself for a minute in the concern and tenderness she saw in his eyes. Sylvia couldn't suppress a sigh of sheer contentment as he pulled her in a bit closer still, and his firm lips skimmed across her feverish brow.
"You should be in bed, min sköna. You're burning up." He turned her round in his arms so that she was resting against his chest. His next words, whispered for her ears only, just notched that temperature up a few degrees. "With me right next to you."
Ok then, not that she had any strength left to argue with him. Sneaking a look at his profile as he turned her slightly so that he could talk to Timmy, she was struck by how tired he looked. There were bags under his eyes, he hadn't shaved that morning, and his hair was sticking up all over the place. In any lesser mortal that would have looked awful. On Sven, it just added to the whole bad boy look. Worn jeans and an equally tatty tee hugged his body, and she couldn't help the small moan escape as heat suffused her. If only she wasn't feeling so lousy. He didn't break the flow of conversation with the headmaster, but his arms tightened round her, and the hard cock pressed against her ass, made every feminine cell in her body sigh in satisfaction. Sylvia closed her eyes and simply gave herself up to the sensation of his deep voice rumbling through her.
Peggy's outraged gasp five minutes later had her eyes fly open. Now what? What was he saying about a donation to school funds? Damn, she ought to have been paying attention. Trying to rid herself of the fog for brains in her head, she tried and failed miserably to lock her knees to stand up on her own. Sven's arm's tightened further, and one hard thigh shifted under her bum to hold her up. Bloody hell, she had enough problems concentrating as it was without the sensations his hand on her ass aroused.
"But that's ridiculous. Why on earth would you do that? You've no interest in this school whatsoever."
Sven's answering drawl made her smile.
"Neither does good old Harry here apart from muscling in where he's not wanted."
"Now, listen here, Larsson. If I chose to invest in the school, then that's none of your business."
Harry's usually polished tones sounded positively outraged, and she could feel Sven take a deep breath as if to calm himself. The tension in his body increased, and she threw him a startled glance.
"Urm, Sven?"
Furious blue eyes connected with hers, and his expression softened for an instant. His whispered words in her ear skittered all the way along her spine. Her breath hitched at the possessiveness in his tone.
"Let me do this for you, my lover."
Whatever he read in her eyes brought a genuine smile to his lips. Sven drew her in for a slow, extremely arousing kiss, which made her poor befuddled brain lose any hope of stringing a coherent sentence together. Then he turned his attention back to the little group in front of him.
"Oh, for goodness sake, now is hardly the time or the place for this sort of display."
If Peggy had drawn herself up any more sta
rchily, she'd have been in danger of cracking. Sylvia had to bite her lip to stop herself from smiling. Harry turned purple at Sven's next words.
"On the contrary, Peggy, neither you nor Harry seem to grasp the concept that Sylvia and I are lovers and I. Do. Not. Share. Harry, do you get that?"
The poor old headmaster's strangled cough in response had a just returned Timmy, laden with a plate full of cupcakes, slap the man on his back to help him breathe. Ruby giggled and whisked him away again.
"Well, look here now, gentlemen, remember this is a school."
The headmaster's attempt at conciliation was being ignored by the two men locked in a silent battle of wills. It was just as well Sven still held onto her. Otherwise, she was sure he'd have planted a fist in Harry’s face before now.
As it was his next words were pure ice.
"Of course I shan't stop you from making a donation to school funds, if you still feel the need to do so, now that you know it will most certainly not get you into my lover's knickers."
Oh good lord. Could he be any more direct, and why the hell was she not more bothered by the caveman display of ownership? For the life of her, she couldn't process those thoughts further as the treacle in her brain just increased and her breathing got shallower and not in a good way. Shit, she really didn't feel well.
"Now look here Mr. Larsson, the school will not turn down any donation to school funds, however they may be … urm …I mean."
The poor man turned even pinker, and Sylvia really couldn't help the hysterical bubble of laughter escaping that had everyone in the little group stop and look at her.
"I think you'll find that Harry here has suddenly lost his interest in investing in the school. My offer however stands."
He handed a card to Mr. Thompson.
"If you get in touch with my assistant, she'll arrange the necessary transfer. I'm assuming that all the scholarships will be fully reinstated, now the most pressing financial concerns of the school have been addressed?"
"Naturally, Mr. Larsson, this is really most generous of you. On behalf of the board of governors I can't thank you enough. We hated the thought of such talented boys as Timothy being denied a chance to shine, but needs must and all that. I'll make sure you're mentioned in the next newsletter and I'm sure the papers—"
"No!"
Sven's sharp response made everyone in the little group jump.
"I must insist that my donation remains anonymous. In return I'll mention your needs to a few friends in the business, who are only too glad to help the arts. I really was very impressed with the level of skill displayed in the children's performances tonight. Now, if you'll excuse me I need to get Sylvia home."
And just before darkness claimed her completely, she was dimly aware of yet more gushing from Timmy's head teacher. Peggy wore a stunned expression, and Harry walked away. Sven scooped her up against his chest. "Let's get you home, baby, where I can look after you."
****
Sylvia wasn't aware of much of anything over the next couple of days, other than the ache in her head, the burn in her chest, and the seemingly constant presence of Sven's quiet voice. It soothed her, coaxed her to drink, to sleep, reassured her that she was okay and not to worry about a thing. Strong arms lifted her, and gentle fingers brushed her hair out of her sweat soaked face. Cool water on her brow, a warm body next to hers, she was cradled to a hard chest. The reassuring sound of his heartbeat under her ear lulled her to sleep.
When she finally re-joined the living she'd no idea how long she'd slept or even what day it was. She could hear Sven's deep rumble interspersed with Timmy's giggles. The delicious smell of a barbecue rose through her open windows. And was that Mrs. Robinson she could hear? What the hell was going on? She hadn't dreamt Sven being here then. Completely confused, she somehow managed to make her wobbly legs take her to the bathroom. The extra toothbrush by the sink, along with the razor, aftershave and male deodorant, gave her yet more reason to pause. Good lord, this was positively domestic.
"Mum, what are you doing out of bed? Sven will have a fit if he sees you!" Alicia scolded her.
"And what has this to do with him anyway? What is all this, Ali? Has he moved in or something?"
Bleeding hell, what was up with her voice? Was that croaky imitation really hers?
"Mum, for goodness sakes get back to bed. You've been out of it with the flu for the last two days. Sven was beside himself with worry. He had the doctor out and everything. Almost had the poor man strung up against the wall when he said there was nothing to be done, you just had to ride it out."
"He did? But why would he do that? I mean, surely he's busy."
"Mum, I let you off because your brain is clearly still addled from the fever, but why the hell do you think the man stayed? Oh and there you go, don't you dare. Sven! "
Before the tiled floor came to hit her in the face, the room tilted, and then Sven's deep voice reassured her.
"I've got you, min sköna. Now let's get you back to bed."
There was something tugging away at her conscience, something important that she had to say to the man tucking her back into bed. He dropped a kiss on her forehead, and for the life of her she could not think what it was. Then darkness claimed her again.
When she next woke up it was pitch black. The room was cool, and a heavy weight rested on her legs. What the hell? Disoriented, she tried to wriggle away, but a male arm snuck across her waist, and pulled her back into his hard frame and a very obvious erection. Her heart leapt in her throat, as the man behind her stirred and Sven's familiar scent enveloped her. Confusion warred with need inside her. What was he still doing here? None of this made sense, and her head still hurt too much for her to think clearly, even if her body's reaction was immediate and predictable.
Her breath hitched against her will, and the answering male groan in her ear sent moist heat flooding between her thighs. She wriggled her hips experimentally, and smiled at the immediate reaction against her behind. Sven's hands dug into her hips, and held her still.
"Baby, as much as I would like to take you right now, you're not up for it yet. Go back to sleep."
He was turning her down? He never turned her down, but then had she ever initiated sex? She couldn't remember. All she knew at that moment was that she wanted him with a raw need that pulsed through her and made her breathing heavy and painful on her still bruised lungs. This was all they had. If he didn't want her, what was the point?
"But I don't want to sleep, Sven. I've slept for God only knows how long as it is. I want you."
Again she tried to turn round. She needed to see his face, needed to find some reassurance, to burn those images away. He was here. That had to mean something? His body at least responded. Sven's breathing got heavier, even as his words continued to deny her, and sliced through her bruised heart.
"Nej, you don't."
His deep sigh sent a puff of hot breath against the sensitive skin of her neck, and she moaned. Why was he denying them both?
"You're wrong. I do." The grip on her hips grew painful at those whispered words. Yet, still, he wouldn't let her move, and Sylvia's heart broke a little. Of course, he didn't want her. He had his brunette in Sweden after all.
"Let me go, Sven. Just let me the fuck go, if you don't want me."
God she hated how needy her voice sounded, and she was absolutely not going to cry.
He shifted, and, before she could stop him, he flipped her over with an animalistic growl. The sudden move made her head spin. Sven claimed her mouth in a bruising kiss that left her gasping for breath before he ground his cock into her hips.
"Does this feel like I don't want you? What is this all about, baby?"
Even in the darkness, the heat in his gaze scorched her skin wherever it fell, as his hands followed the trail of his gaze. She swallowed against the sudden lump in her throat, as he touched his head to hers. His male groan of frustration mingled with her own soft exhale of longing.
"No … n
othing, it's just."
"What? Talk to me, baby, if you don't want me to put you over my knee the minute you're recovered. I really don't want our first scene to start with a punishment, pet."
The sudden shift into Dom mode confused her, as was no doubt his intention.
"Scene?" she asked.
"You did get the parcel I sent you, right? Why do you think I sent a flogger? It will create a beautiful pattern across your ass, pet."
His hands shifted to cup her face. One thumb swiped across her bottom lip as he waited for her to speak. The intensity of his gaze took her breath away.
Oh God, she couldn't do this and look at him. She slapped his hands away, earning herself a frown, and she scooted away from him. Sylvia pulled her legs up to her knees and stared at the sliver of moon she could see through the slightly open curtains.
"How dare you suggest this now? BDSM takes trust and honesty, and you've shown me pretty little of that, Sven."
Damn it, she hated the way her eyes filled up with tears. She wanted nothing more than to take him up on his offer and to crawl into his embrace. The way he'd taken charge back at the school, she wanted, needed him to take charge of her like that. It's what she'd been looking for in Richard, what her submissive self, needed, craved, even. In Richard's case he'd abused her trust, trampled all over her gift of submission, and she was never, ever making that mistake again.
"You know why I had to get back to Sweden, baby. I came back as soon as I could. I don't understand what—"
"Who is she, Sven?" Sylvia interrupted him. "The woman in the pictures I gave to Vera? The one who draped herself all over you like a bad fucking rash."
The vicious curse in Swedish rumbled round the quiet room and wrapped itself round Sylvia's heart with a cruel, icy squeeze.
"Just a figure from my past out to cause trouble, baby. It's what she does best. She has nothing to do with us. I've never lied to you."
The bitterness in his voice sent an icy shiver down her spine. She put one hand out automatically, and he enveloped it in his. With a sharp tug, she was back in his arms. His heartbeat thundered under her hands. She could just about see his closed off profile in the scant light the moon provided.
The Housewife and the Film Star Page 12
