by BWWM Club
“Yes,” she whispered. “And if you don’t love me I can deal with that-“ she did not get to finish as his head came down and capture her lips in a kiss so soft and tender that she felt her insides melting and shattering at the same time. Their lips fused together and he held her to him as if she was the most precious thing in his life.
“You love me,” he kissed her cheek, then her eyes as if he could not get enough of her. “I love you so much that I wanted to tell you for so long, I was afraid of being rejected. But oh God, Debra if I had known,” his voice broke and he could not continue.
Debra felt the thrill shot through her. He loved her. She thought giddily, resting her head against his forehead. He was still inside her and they were not moving but she felt the frissons of pleasure of having him so close to her.
“I love you,” he said tenderly. “I don’t know if I deserve you but I love you and I promise that I will never do anything to hurt you, I promise you that it’s just you and nobody else, I love you and you alone. I have never been in love before,” he told her with a shaky laugh. “So forgive me if I behave foolishly around you.”
“We will learn together,” she told him huskily. She lifted his head and stared into his amazing green eyes, humbled by his admission. This handsome man who was feared and respected in the business world was admitting his weakness to her and admitting that weakness was her. “I love you so much Michael that I was afraid of being hurt by you but I could not keep it to myself any longer; it felt like it was bursting inside me.”
“My wife,” he breathed against her mouth, finally moving inside her. He had gotten hard at her words and the love flowing through them, like a channel. “My love,” he choked. “I never knew I would ever find love. I went through life accepting that what I was doing; what I was getting was all there was and never knew what I was missing, I was missing this, missing you.” He took her lips with his and his tongue touched hers tentatively as if she was something easily broken. He moved inside her slowly, tenderly, in sync with his lips that took her lips with devastating tenderness.
“Michael,” Debra felt the tears and she did not care; she was not ashamed to show weakness in front of him, he was her man, her husband and she was cherishing it, their love, the tenderness that he was showing her. “I can’t,” she told him. “I can’t hold on,” she wrapped her legs tightly around his waist and moved on him frantically, her fingers digging into his shoulders. He responded. Gathering her hips with his hands; he lifted her against him and backing to a stool, he sat with her on top of him. Holding her firmly against him, he moved up and inside her, his eyes looking into hers as he touched her core. They came together; trembling against each other, their lips fastened to each other’s as if they could not bear to be apart.
Chapter 8
He called in and told his secretary that they were taking the day; amid her protests which he brushed aside a little arrogantly. “I am the CEO of the company; I can do whatever the hell I want.”
He had teased her. He had made her breakfast, scrambled eggs and toast and coffee. “As far as my culinary skills go,” he told her wryly. He refused to let her sit by herself and had pulled her onto his lap around the massive shiny oak dining table. She had changed out of her ruined nightgown and put on one of his T-shirts and she was panty-less because he had insisted. Even when they were eating, his hand would creep up her thighs and his fingers would be busy dipping inside her and causing her extreme pleasure, so much so that she could not finish eating.
“If you don’t stop, I am going to starve to death,” she told him huskily, capturing his lips with hers as his fingers slid inside her slowly.
“I can’t help myself,” he whispered against her mouth, his teeth nipping her bottom lip, sending jolts of pleasure straight through her.
They had finally finished eating and he had turned off his cell phone and told his secretary that unless the company was burning to the ground or there was a hostile takeover, he did not want to be disturbed; he was spending the day with his wife. Debra had felt the thrill go through her at his possessive words.
They were sitting in front of the blazing fire where he had spread a white blanket for them. He pulled her on top of him and she rested her head against his chest. “I went to see your mother,” she told him and felt him stiffened. “She wants your forgiveness and your love darling,” she continued, raising her head to look at him. He was leaning back against the large sofa and his face looked chiseled and defined against the flames.
“You called me darling,” he murmured throatily, one hand reaching up to cup her cheek. Debra blinked at him, her dark brown eyes looking at him in wonder that was certainly not what she expected him to say.
“Darling,” she whispered, kissing his lips gently.
“I love when you talk to me like that,” he pulled her down and captured her tongue with his, one hand moving up the T-shirt to rub a pebble like nipple.
“Michael,” she breathed, her hands going around his neck to hold him fast. With a groan he came over her and releasing his already erect penis he entered her. For the next half hour she forgot what they were talking about as he took them to delicious heights, their cries mingling and muted in the heated room.
“I love you,” he told her throatily, one hand cupping her breast as he moved inside her slowly, not willing to come out just yet.
“I love you too,” she whispered, her legs tangled with his and her hands running up and down his firm muscled back.
They finally talked and Debra told him about the conversation she had had with his mother. She saw, rather than felt, when he withdrew and she knew that it was still too painful for him. “Talk to me please,” she pleaded, pulling him against her. They were lying on the blanket, exhausted after the bout of lovemaking, both of them naked.
“He never loved us,” he told her tonelessly and Debra felt her heart break a little bit. “I learned that when I was about six years old but I thought my mother would defend me; would be there for me.” He took a deep breath and Debra felt a rush of anger for the man who had almost destroyed her husband’s life. “I wanted to defend her but he was always stronger and I remember asking her, begging her to let us go away together and start a new life where he could not find us but she told me she could not leave him. She had to take care of him.” He laughed shortly. “I could not believe she said that and I stood there looking at her as if she was a total stranger and it was then I got it. I was on my own and that was when I started making plans to leave and make my own way.”
He smiled down at her a little grimly; one hand touching her tenderly as if to reassure her that he was still with her. “I decided that I would rather live on the streets than to live the way we were living.” He stared down at her, his expression softening as he looked at her, her exquisite beauty. “That’s where I met Fiona,” his eyes met hers and his expression became cautious. “I slept with her for what she could do for me, baby,” he lifted her chin. “I am not proud of what I had to do my love, but I repaid her back with interest. Do you still love me?” he tried to sound casual but it came out anxious. He had not wanted to share all of that with her but he did not want to hide anything from her.
Debra held his wrist; the one holding her chin. “That was your past and it would be stupid of me to hate you or not love you because of what you did in your past to survive Michael.” She told him softly, her hand running over his forearm. “You need to talk to your mother darling and sort things out between you; I promise I will be there if you need the support.”
“How did I get so lucky?” he asked her huskily, his thumb rubbing against her bottom lip his eyes bright with the love he was feeling.
“It works both ways,” she told him, her lips parted as he continued to touch her. “I love you for who you are not what you did.”
With a tortured groan he pulled her to him; his lips crushing hers in a kiss designed to shatter her peace of mind and started something that kept them busy for the next hour.
****
*
He took her to the ice rink. They were bundled up against the extreme cold weather which had turned icy due to the piles of snow still on the ground. She had told him that she did not know how to skate and he said he would teach her. He helped her into her rented skates and held her while she moved timidly over the ice. He held on to her and spun her around the floor carefully, taking his time with her. The rink was not crowded and they basically had the floor to themselves.
“This is nice,” she told him with a grin, her hands tight on his as he spun her around.
“How about doing a spin?” he asked her, his green eyes twinkling as he pulled her close to him.
“I am not sure I am ready for that yet,” Debra said shaking her head; her eyes widening as her husband started turning her around. “Michael no, I am going to fall!”
“And I will always catch you,” he told her soberly, bringing her to him and spinning her. She found herself enjoying it and begging him to do it again and she only fell once and brought him down with her.
His lips found hers in a searchingly tender kiss before he stood up and pulled her up.
They went for hot chocolate and burgers at a local eatery and Debra told him about the death of her parents and how she felt when she'd had to live with her aunt Sybil. “I was very rebellious and I refused to eat,” she told him with a whimsical smile. It felt strange to see him eating burgers in a place that was smaller than his kitchen in the apartment. He leaned forward and wiped a spot of ketchup from her lips. She captured his finger inside her mouth and bit it teasingly. “She would leave me alone and not force me but would leave me to sulk and go about her business. I used to sit in that room feeling sorry for myself and thinking the world was against me.” She added with a laugh.
Michael watched her in fascination as her unbridled laugh lit up her extremely beautiful face and it looked vibrant and alive. He felt the love he had for her bursting inside him and it was like his body could not contain it.
“So what happened after?” he asked her, his expression tender. There were other people eating at the tables around but for all they were concerned it was just the two of them for all the mind they paid the other diners.
“I made a decision,” she told him with a smile. “I could stay in the room all by myself or I could get out and start talking to the very kind woman who had taken me in and showed me love and kindness and try to put my parents’ tragic death behind me. So I did and slowly but surely we started to get along. I still missed my parents but I no longer felt like my world was crashing down around me.”
They left the restaurant and walked around a little bit holding hands. It was late afternoon when they finally went to visit his mother. She knew he had been putting it off and she had not brought it up again, knowing that it had to be his decision and maybe he was not ready to deal with it yet.
Maura Tanner was surprised to see them, especially her son and she welcomed them, ushering them inside while she bustled around in the kitchen making hot chocolate even though they told her they were okay; she insisted.
Michael put away his cup decisively and turned to his mother who was sitting on a single delicate couch in front of them. He reached for Debra’s hand just as she was about to excuse herself to let them talk things over between them. “Mom, I want to clear up things between us,” he began, giving Debra’s hand a squeeze. “I have been hurting a long time and living in the past and letting it control me but as my very wise wife said, I have to leave the past behind in order to go forward.” He said with a smile and taking a deep breath he continued. “I blamed you for not taking up for me and letting him hurt both of us the way he did.”
“Oh Michael!” his mother cried, leaning forward in her chair, her eyes bright with unshed tears. “I was so weak and terrified of him that I let him get away with hurting us over and over again. I figured to myself that if I did not do or say anything it would stop but I was wrong and for that I will never forgive myself.”
There was silence for so long that Debra wondered if Michael was ever going to say anything. She moved her hand inside his and with a quick smile he moved his hand and reached for his mother’s. “As long as we hold on to what he did to us we are letting him win even now,” he told her softly. “So I want us to put it behind us and start fresh. I forgive you and in time we can start to heal.”
It was then that Debra got up and went into the kitchen. She wanted to give them some time to talk and even though he said he wanted her there she knew they needed time alone.
It was half an hour later when Michael came into the kitchen to find her sitting on one of the stools drinking a cup of coffee. “Hey,” he murmured coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist. “So this is where you disappeared to.” He kissed her neck softly.
“Everything all right?” she asked, leaning back against him.
“Hmm,” he murmured, his mouth trailing down the length of her neck, sending shivers through her. “Thank you baby.”
“You’re most welcome,” she told him, leaning her neck to be available to his mouth. “Where is your mother?”
“On the phone with your aunt Sybil, I take it they are going to some charity event tomorrow and they are coming up with the idea of a soup kitchen of sorts,” he spun her around. “Know anything about that?”
“Me?” she looked at him, her eyes twinkling mischievously as he cupped her face with his hands. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Yea right,” he said dryly; pulling her up and against him. “I love you so much, do you know that?” he asked her huskily.
“I know and I feel the same way.” She looped her arms around his neck and brought his head down to hers and for a little while they did not say anything.
*****
The next day at work it was obvious that something had changed between them. Michael had wanted to spend another day away from work but Debra had reminded him that there was an important board meeting and she had some press releases to send off.
“We can always work from home,” he had told her, his mouth trailing down her stomach making it hard for her to concentrate on what she was saying.
“We will never get anything done,” she told him moving restlessly as his mouth touch her pubic area, the tip of his tongue reaching out to tickle her there.
“Maybe you’re right,” he had said, his tongue delving inside her causing her to cry out and pressed closer to him. “I can’t think about work when you’re around.” He had proven that statement true when they spent the time not talking at all.
*****
“Who would have thought that the infallible Michael Tanner could fall in love,” Jules made the observation as soon as Michael had left Debra’s office, determined to give her something to remember him by while he was in the meeting. She had seen them come in together and it was so obvious that they were besotted with each other that anyone could see it a mile away.
“We love each other,” Debra booted up her computer and looked at her friend lounging on the edge of her desk, one stocking clad leg swinging and her sheet of raven hair falling over her shoulder as she gazed at Debra.
“I can see that, as a matter of fact the whole world can see that,” she said dryly. “Honey you are glowing! And for the record I am totally jealous right now, what did you do to get Michael Tanner to fall in love with you?”
“Don’t you have work to do?” Debra asked her with a raised brow. “Michael loves me because of me; I did not have to do anything out of the ordinary.”
“Okay, you are the boss,” she stood up gracefully and pulled down her black wool skirt; her eyes twinkling. “Try not to forget the little people,” she teased before sailing out of the office.
Debra settled back into her chair with a smile. It was good to be back at work; even though if it was up to Michael he would fly somewhere to some island where they could spend the days on the beach and the nights in each other’s arms. But Juliette was right. She was glowing. Ho
w could she not? She was in love with an exceptionally wonderful man who loved her back and who was not afraid to show how much.
They had ended up having dinner at his mother’s house and the woman had gone out of her way to show how grateful she was to have her son with her; talking to her without the hurt and pain as before. She had told Debra that she was appreciative of what she did, she did not know how she was ever going to repay her.
“I have never seen him so happy,” she had acknowledged softly. They had been in the kitchen and Debra had insisted on helping her to tidy the kitchen while Michael went out to the shed to get some wood for the fireplace. “He keeps looking at you, even when you don’t notice that he is. There is this expression on his face when he looks at you.” The woman held on to her arm. “You have something so wonderful and rare my dear, that others will envy you of it and try to come between you, don’t let that happen.”
“I won’t,” Debra had promised her with a fond smile. She actually felt herself being drawn to her and resolved in her mind that she was going to invite her over for dinner at least once a week.
With a deliberate shake of her head she got back to the job at hand and started sorting out her messages and the things that needed her urgent attention. Michael had suggested that she move into a bigger office near him but she had declined and he had not pushed.
It was almost noon when her intercom rang. It was Amy, Michael’s personal secretary. “Michael said that the meeting is running over so he will come and see you when it’s over. He wants to know what you want for lunch.”
“Call me as soon as he come out of the meeting Amy, thanks.” Debra told her. They had eaten breakfast of pancakes and eggs and by the time they were ready to leave; Maisie the daily helper had come by. Debra had told Michael that it felt strange to have someone working for her and she was not sure she would ever get used to it.
“Get used to it,” he had told her giving her a quick kiss on the mouth as they got into the car. “You are now part owner of a very large company as well.”
