by Lia Lee
Feeling annoyed with herself, with everything, Maya sprang up from the couch. Alain rose too, and now his brow was furrowed, this time in concern. “Maya, are you okay?”
“What?” she asked wide-eyed, surprised at the look on his face.
“Your nose is bleeding.” He gently grabbed her shoulders, swearing harshly in French even as he peered into her face. “Just what the hell is happening? Are you sick?”
“No, I’m not sick!” She brushed out of his arms and turned away, while lifting a tissue she kept handy to her nose. “I have nosebleeds every once in a while. I just need to soothe it with a dab of petroleum jelly and it’ll be back to normal.”
“There’s something you aren’t telling me,” Alain said, his chest slightly heaving as he placed his hands on his hips. “I’m not backing down till I find out what it is. I was with you for months and you never had nosebleeds once.”
“Nose issues are quite common in my condition.” Maya spoke in a calm tone, closing her eyes briefly before turning to face Alain again. “It’s the pregnancy hormones, or so my doctor tells me. Alain, I’m having a baby. Our baby.”
***
The following day was Maya’s three-month appointment, and she’d invited Alain to come with her. She had the hope that Alain might settle down and work on this with her.
He did show up, and when they both see the baby on the screen for the first time (a boy), Alain seemed overcome with emotion. Maya didn’t think it had all set in for him, until now. When she’d told him last night about the baby, she’d asked him to go back home to his hotel and think things over for the night. They’d both needed some distance but Maya had been glad, that he hadn’t acted like a dick and asked her if it was sure it was his.
Now, she felt incredibly connected with him as they shared a look. Afterward, they took a walk around the park surrounding the hospital. They found a bench in a cozy corner of the garden, and talked.
“Before I say anything, I’d like to know how you feel.” Alain didn’t look at her, but had his hand over hers in a warm, reassuring grip that almost, made Maya forgive him for his disappearing act.
Taking a deep breath, Maya found her voice, and gathered her thoughts. “Having the baby feels right to me. I’ll continue to work my retail jobs and support my small family. I’d love for you to be involved, but…I’ll understand if you’re not ready.”
She could have sworn she saw him flinch slightly, but Maya couldn’t be sure. She turned to him fully, expectantly. “Alain?”
His light blue eyes shifted to hers, and she saw all that genuineness she’d found so compelling and attractive from the start. There’d always been something noble and worthy about Alain, but could she still trust her instinct after what happened?
“The baby feels right to me too. This is what I want for my future, as well. That’s all I can say.”
“That’s all I need to know.” For now, Maya added to herself.
Seeing something in her eyes, he moved closer, took her hand and tugged her the rest of the way into the cache of his arms. It had been so long…and she was feeling extra vulnerable tonight. Getting to see her beautiful baby boy for the first time, and learning that he was fully formed and healthy, gave her life more richness than it had ever known. Even just breathing felt like the utmost treasure, and Alain’s nearness, his touch…felt just as precious.
Maya knew she was a fool, but she couldn’t stop the way she felt about him. He kissed her lips and the world became picture perfect. He’d never made her any promises, and just with his smile did he manage to spin his wizardry that had her melting into his charms.
She could tell herself it was just sex, and she was just using Alain’s body for the pleasure she craved. Or she could admit that she was ready to settle for whatever he had to offer, even if it wasn’t lasting, or secure. If it had to be for just here and now, then I’ll have to live with that, Maya told herself, as she stepped into her bedroom while leading Alain in with her hand in his.
The door closed behind them in the dimly lit bedroom and that’s when Maya relinquished control, and Alain took over. As willingly as ever, she gave herself up to his guiding touch and wishes. Such as when he told her to strip, slowly, and then had her stand there naked and quivering while he perused her blooming form with blazing eyes. Her breasts were fuller and her nipples thicker, and though her waistline remained trim there was definitely evidence of the baby bump as Alain rested his hand there along with hers.
“I’m going to take care of you. Both of you,” he said huskily, and when he looked up, Maya held his gaze with bated breath. Could he really be making a commitment right now? Maya almost didn’t dare hope.
Just dwell in the moment, Maya thought to herself. She watched breathlessly as Alain too, undressed with deliberate slowness. She drank in his masculine beauty as he walked over to her, never taking his gaze off her. Shivers chilled up and down her body and she moved back, until she bumped into the dresser behind her.
His hands on both sides of her head, he leaned closer and brought his lips closer to hers then stopped. Feeling his warm breath on her lips, and his gaze burning unto her skin, drove Maya’s hormones up the wall. She was going weak at the knees, wishing she could lean further back but instead, found herself drawing in and closing the space between them.
Hmm, his lips were soft and tasted like cherry wine. Gasping, Maya drew back instantly as heat shot down her stomach to her inner thighs. This time, Alain chuckled and seized her mouth again, crushing her lips with his and exploring the inside of her mouth hungrily. Maya gasped and arched against him, just as he shifted from her lips to kiss down her neck to her breast. Taking one full into his mouth, he sucked it deeply and brought tingles of bliss throughout her nerve cells.
“Alain. Oh God,” she gasped, throwing her head back and shuddering. While she gripped harder at the edges of the dresser for support, Alain sank on his knees and buried his face within the apex of her thighs.
“No, please don’t,” Maya moaned, as he lapped at her sex, his lips plucking on her folds.
“You need this,” rasped Alain. “And so do I. You are mine, Maya,” he murmured across her moistened slit. He deeply inhaled her scent and groaned, before lightly nipping on her clitoris. Maya bucked and buried a fist in his hair, grabbing tight. His tongue inside her felt good, and his lips teasing her clit made her see bright stars behind her closed lids.
She was so close, and the knot inside her was so tight, getting tighter…but then it stopped. Maya’s eyes dragged open and she stared down as Alain grinned, those devilish blue eyes glinting. “You don’t get to finish yet, beautiful. There’s more.”
Holy fuck. Maya wasn’t sure how much more she could take. When Alain guided her atop him on the bed, she was confused for a moment as she was positioned to face him reverse cowgirl style. But then, he urged her up to virtually straddle his face and suddenly, it sank in what he wanted.
Maya went hot all over, as she felt Alain bury his tongue inside her slit. As she bucked with pleasure on top of his face, her hands reached for his rigid member which stood straight up from his groin. He seemed like a baton in her eager palms, so big and hard and pulsing with a life of its own. Without thinking, she leaned forward till she was horizontal over Alain’s torso, and slowly engulfed his shaft into her mouth.
Never had she tried the sixty-nine position with anyone and it seemed just right to share it with Alain. He was ravenous as he licked, sucked and teased her sex while thrusting intermittently inside her with his expert fingers. Aiming to give him as much pleasure as he gave her, Maya eagerly mouthed his turgid length, bathing him with her tongue and lips and then bobbing her widened mouth up and down his meaty stem till his hips bucked up to meet her in rhythm.
The perfect finish came, when in between their moans and groans, they finished inside each other’s mouths. Maya’s first taste of sperm, was Alain’s spearing her throat in ropes of thick cum. It tasted so good she was already eager to try this a
ll again. At the same time, she could feel him lapping every drop of juice she squirted after her powerful orgasm, thanks to his unrelenting exploration of her dripping sex.
That was just the beginning, because the night was spent in every position imaginable, and with varying degrees of roughness and tenderness in the passion they shared. Maya let herself get lifted high by each star-bound climax, because she couldn’t tell if she’d wake up the next morning and her secretive lover would be gone again.
Maybe now that he knew he was going to be a father, Alain would find more and more reasons to stay, Maya thought hours later as she rested her head on his chest in slumber. His hand on her hair gently stroked her to sleep as their connected flesh slowing cooled and stilled. And Maya had never felt safer or happier. Could she really start to put hope in forever?
***
Alain didn’t say how long he’d be in town, and Maya didn’t want to pry. The last thing she wanted was to act clingy, or push him away. As long as he was around, she’d keep things simple. After all, he’d promised to return and here he was. She decided he’d open up to her when the time was right.
He was finally finished with refurbishing the 1965 Corvair Monza convertible, and Maya felt just as proud as Alain must feel that they’d completed the project successfully. He suggested they celebrate by taking it out on a spin, and Maya was all for it.
Just a day earlier, Maya took Alain to an awesome car graveyard she’d found, and Alain had picked out multiple cars he’d like to renovate and sell. Maya had felt a hidden excitement, telling herself this had to be a sign that Alain was ready to settle down.
For today, her smile was brighter and warmer, all because she was starting to believe in the future again. She had fun with Alain dreaming about what they would do with the cars, and also what their future looked like with the baby. They ended up heading outside the city in their newly renovated convertible, and had a picnic on the hill that reminded Maya of their first picnic on that private beach.
“Weeks ago, I started building a considerable list of vintage-auto owners in the locale. I plan to orchestrate their participation in several classic-car events,” Maya told Alain with a smile. She’d felt bad about snapping at him all those days ago when he’d asked her about her dreams. Now, she went on about how she planned on arranging cars to be shown at annual events and parades. She loved the idea of being an organizer, and was already reaching out to the town’s Chamber of Commerce to partake in the Fall festival with the vehicles she’d arrange for.
Alain looked suitably impressed. “You’re really dedicated. Some of these projects, you’ve taken to preparing for months in advance.”
“I’m trying to be the go-to gal when it comes to classic cars in this area,” she joked, then her smile grew dreamy. “I feel like I can achieve anything I set my mind to, now that I’m becoming a mother. Now, I see myself dividing my spare time between attending a first-time pregnancy mom’s group, and the local classic-car enthusiasts group.” She shook her head as she laughed, only for her smile to turn sober as she caught Alain’s steady gaze.
“Maya, I have to leave Chicago in two days,” he said. At Maya’s look of dismay, he added, “But I’ll be back as soon as possible – at most a week after. I’ll always find a way to make time for you – and the baby.”
Maya expelled a deep breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. “It would be terrible to feel abandoned again,” she half-joked, and saw the flash of pain that crossed Alain’s face, which he quickly masked. In the end, she was the one who seemed to do the reassuring, as she rested a hand on his arm.
“I’ll be fine. I promise not to get too overworked or tire myself out. I’ll be careful to always put the baby, and myself first before anything else.”
She cupped his face and kissed him sweetly, only to squeal when he suddenly swung her bridal-style into his arms. He carried her back to the convertible, stating that there was one way they hadn’t yet christened the like-new car.
When Alain settled her to lie across the back seat and covered her body with his, Maya sighed and wrapped her arms around him eagerly. Desire coursed through her veins, and in moments they were immersed in each other. Passion turned the heat levels up to scorching, and her gasps filled the air with each thrust her lover speared within her eager sheathe. While facing the beautiful vista of the valley below, the convertible rocked slightly as the fervent lovers mated in a dance as old as time.
***
In his Paris office, Alain Montand perused the files provided by his head of security, and one of his closest friends, Robert Vidal. For months, ever since Alain had had to leave Chicago unexpectedly, he’d been keeping tabs on Maya to ensure she was okay. He felt faintly grubby – guilty even, for putting her under surveillance but he’d felt even guiltier about leaving her unexpectedly just after their first night together as lovers.
Since then, he always kept in the loop through information which Robert normally dropped his findings into Alain’s email inbox. Since Robert had other stuff to see to regarding the computer security of Alain’s company handled by Robert’s firm, Robert decided to hand in the info personally.
Now, Robert viewed his friend Alain with a considerate glance. “You’re killing yourself traveling back and forth to Chicago every other week. It’s just not working, is it?”
“I’ll admit, my business in Europe is suffering because of it,” Alain said on a short sigh. “Coupled with that, the cars are coming slowly in America. It’s all getting hectic.”
What Alain didn’t add, was the part that really affected him the most: the fact that Maya was becoming more and more pregnant – and as such, keeping the secret of who he really was, kept biting him.
“Well, Maya seems to be blossoming running the new renovation company. As you can see in the report, she’s really mastered being able to source original materials. Buyers and new projects are all lining up. That’s a good thing, surely?” Robert’s smile was slightly rueful. He knew much about the situation between Alain and Maya, and knew how much Alain was weighed down by all the secrets between them.
“Normally, it should be,” Alain replied, turning to view the scenery from his penthouse office window. “But I feel sick, that Maya has built this whole new life based on a lie I told her.”
“What lie? You just weren’t as open as you should be about your financial status. In the end, she’ll understand why you did it,” reasoned Robert.
“Will she?” Alain sighed again and pushed a hand through his hair. In the beginning, it had all seemed so simple. For a long time, Alain had become sick of the stuck up models, actresses and socialites he’d been with. All he’d wanted, was to meet a normal woman again – perhaps, one of those bread and butter types whose ambitions were to find a good man to marry and raise a few kids.
When you played all of the mind games that came with being wealthy and single, it wasn’t a surprise to long for simplicity. As such, Alain had chosen to pose as a normal guy on his vacation to Chicago, and hopefully find that everyday girl he was looking for. Then he met Maya.
The deeper he began to feel for Maya, the worse he felt. Still, he always held back from revealing his true identity. He never wanted to change that expression in her eyes when she looked at him. With the women in his past, he’d always wondered if all they saw was Alain Bernard the billionaire, or the man himself. There was no cause for such hang ups while he was with Maya.
He could have told her who he was from their first date, but he didn’t want her to like him for his money just like most of the women he’d been with. After he’d overcome the shock of finding out she was pregnant for him, he began to view the whole development as a happy chance. Alain was glad to have an heir, and he could picture a future with Maya. But when she found out he’d been lying to her from the start, would she picture a future with him?
Alain realized it was time to come clean. When he returned to Chicago in a few days, Maya expected them to go house hunting. She’d told
him she hoped they could get a larger apartment if they could afford it. It was moments like those, that Alain felt the most like a total heel. The downside of his whole façade, that as much as he wanted to shower Maya with all the finest things she deserved, he knew he couldn’t more so because she wouldn’t wish for them.
Still, he longed to give her the whole world all the same. She was worth it, if only she knew.
He’d just have to prove it to her - and Alain planned to do just that the next time they were together again. Soon, he’ll work things out so they – all three of them - would never have to be apart again.
***
He’d always remember the first time they met.
Physically, Maya was perfect. Her figure was slim and shapely, and she wasn’t too petite or too tall – just the right height and with a gorgeous ass that made Alain wonder why he’d never been into some extra bit of junk in the trunk before. Well, now he was – just as he was now into mocha skin, highlighted with a natural golden glow that made him want to taste her all over.
Maya had a capable demeanor to go with her sweet personality and bright smile, yet beneath all her professionalism, Alain was man enough to sense her reaction to him. He felt that instant spark between them that he hadn’t felt with a woman in a long time.
And best of all, she had no clue who he really was.
Alain had sensed her innocence and genuine nature, but he had wondered if it would matter to her if he was the heir of an empire as well as a mogul in his own right. Would she jump at the chance of possibly becoming Mrs. Alain Bernard, her eyes filling with dollar signs just by looking at him, as did those other women he’d come in contact with?
It was almost ten months since that first time he’d met Maya in that men’s store. Alain knew he would have to tell her eventually about who he really was, but he had first needed to convince them both that this could be real without basing anything on status or personal assets. Whether Maya would relate with his viewpoint, was now what he was worried about.
