I took the last bite of my salad before placing the bowl on the floor.
“You really are a remarkable woman, Catherine.”
It was the tone change in Jace’s voice that caused me to look over at him. He stood from his chair and offered his hand to me, and I took it willingly. He helped me to my feet before wrapping his arm around me, and that leading man look in his eye began to shine. I felt my breath flee my lungs. I nuzzled into his touch when he caressing this thumb over my skin. Every time he touched me like that, my knees went weak. Every time he trailed his skin down my neck, my knees buckled. I melted into him as our lips collided, his arm holding me close to the strong outline of his body.
Then I felt him grab my ass and hoist me up before sitting me on the edge of his desk.
Nineteen
Catherine
His hands lit my skin on fire. His lips tinted my skin with a flush onto he could pull from me. He slid my skirt up my legs, his large hands encompassing the thickness of my inner thighs. His face fell to my bosom. He nuzzled and nipped at my clothed nipples. My hands threaded through his hair as my back pressed into his desk, my hips rolling into his body.
“Jace,” I said with a whisper.
“Oh Catherine.”
His hands hooked into my panties and slid them down my legs. I heard him fiddling with his belt before fabric slid to the floor. His hands gripped my legs, pulling me to the edge of his desk. Closing the distance between our hips as his lips fell against mine again. My tongue prodded his depths. I tasted the sweetness of his tongue. My hands slid up his arms. His shoulders. His neck. Until I cupped his cheeks and felt his lips swelling against mine. I loved nibbling on his bottom lip. The growls it pulled from his throat made me shiver in anticipation.
I felt his cock rubbing up my dripping slit before he inched his way inside.
“Oh shit,” I said breathlessly. “Jace. Just like that.”
Then he covered my lips again with his.
He rolled into me. Desperately. Deeply. His desk rocked as our hips connected, his throat swallowing my sounds. My legs wrapped around him. My skirt bunched up at my waist. His large hands palmed my breasts and my nipples hardened to painful peaks. I gripped his hair. I tugged at his suit coat. I gripped anything I could to give me leverage as I met him, thrust for thrust. His trimmed curls ground into my clit. Jolting electricity up my spine. He released my lips and flooded my neck with kisses, nipping at my skin and pulling my shirt down to expose my chest.
I felt his teeth sink into me and my hips rose faster to meet his.
“Catherine. Shit. So tight for me.”
“Jace. Please don’t stop. Oh, don’t stop. Never stop.”
“Never, Catherine. I’ll never stop with you.”
He nuzzled one of my tits out of my bra and wrapped his lips around my aching nipple. He slammed into me, echoing sounds of wet skin along the walls of his office. My body jumped. My thighs trembled. My nails raked through his hair. He pounded into me, a relentless sound that dripped juices down his balls as they connected with the swell of my ass. I panted. Gasped. Tried to swallow my sounds so no one could hear us. My eyes screwed shut and my toes began to curl, and soon I felt Jace’s hips stuttering against mine.
My pussy swallowed him whole as his hips swiveled, raking his skin against my clit.
“Jace! Yes!”
I couldn't hold back my cry of pleasure as I soared over the edge.
His lips crashed back up to mine as his hand threaded through my hair. He fisted my locks, keeping me close to his body as he filled me with his essence. Pump after pump filled me, until I was leaking between my thighs and onto his desk. I breathed his air. Gasped for oxygen as his body collapsed on top of mine. I shook with my orgasm. My pussy drew him deeper, milking his cock for all it had. My head fell to his desk and I sighed with relief as tears of happiness trickled along my vision.
I felt at home underneath Jace’s body.
And I believed every word his said about wanting to protect me.
We laid there for what seemed like hours before he moved. He pulled his dick from within my body and I suddenly felt empty. I wanted to bring him back. I wanted to go again. I wanted to sit him down onto the chair behind him and straddle his lap so I could feel him again. His hands took mine as he slowly helped me up, my body sliding along our mess before my feet hit the floor.
He picked up my panties and handed them to me as my cheeks flushed.
“I like those,” he said. “I should get you more of those.”
“Jace,” I said breathlessly. “You’re so bad.”
“And you love it,” he said as he winked at me.
“I made a mess.”
“We made a mess.”
“Well, it’s a mess that needs to be cleaned up.”
“I can take care of it,” he said.
I eyed him carefully before I reached my panties out to his desk. Without pulling my gaze away, I wiped the mess off the edge of his desk with them. His gaze darkened. His hands began to tremble. I already saw his dick pressing against his pants again as I walked over to his small trash can. I dropped my panties into them before turning my back to him, swaying my hips deeply as I made my way for the stairs.
I wanted him to think about me not wearing underwear all damn day.
“Come here, you little minx.”
I giggled as his strode towards me and grabbed my wrist. He whipped me back around to him and I crashed into his strong chest. I giggled as his lips fell to mine, kissing me with a passion that made my heart stop in my chest. I slid my arms around his neck as he backed us into a wall, pressing me deeply into it as his knee slid between my thighs.
“People are going to see us,” I said.
“Let them,” he said with a growl.
My eyes widened as his forehead pressed into mine.
“I don’t care who sees us,” he said. “All I care about is you.”
“I care about you too, Jace,” I said.
His hands slid down my waist before gripping my hips. I could’ve stayed like that all day with him. Trapped between his rock hard body and the cold wall of his theater as the shadows cloaked our bodies. This mad-- this beautiful, wonderful man-- had somehow found a way to creep underneath my skin. Had somehow trapped me in his web of passion and ensnare my heart in ways I’d never experienced before. He bent towards me and kissed me again, sending shivers of delight to the pit of my gut.
“I should get back to that laundry,” I said.
“I should hire you a maid,” he said.
“Then what would be my purpose?”
“Taking care of the kids. Taking care of yourself. Being with me.”
My eyes fluttered up to his at those last three words.
Could I really be with someone like Jace Logan?
Was that allowed?
“I should really get going,” I said with a whisper.
He nodded against me before forcing himself to take a step back.
I drew in a deep breath as I made my way down the stairs. I didn’t want to look back. I couldn't risk it. I knew if I did, I’d let him trap me in his office for the rest of the day. I’d let him tie me down and use me however he wanted until it was time to go back to his house. I’d let him ravage my body. I’d let him toss me around like a rag doll. I’d let him permeate and penetrate anything on my body he wanted.
Including my heart.
I slid behind the seat of my car and sighed. My heart was still fluttering. I could still feel his lips on my neck. My body felt empty without him next to it. Without him nestled between my thighs or filling up my body. I cranked up the car and quickly pulled out, trying to put as much distance between the two of us as I could. I rolled down my window to get some fresh air going.
Anything to clear my mind of the debauchery running through it.
I walked back into the house and switched the laundry over to the dryer. Then, I sat down and started making a list of all the things the kids and I w
ould need for our gardens. Seeds. Gloves. Shovels. Wire stakes for the vines to wrap around as they grew. Children’s instructional booklets and watering pails and soil that was already filled with the proper nutrients for what we would grow. I distracted myself by going outside and getting the garden beds ready. Wetting the soil so I could till it with my fingers and clearing out all of the rocks and weeds that had grown up into them over the years.
I worked on those two garden beds for almost three hours before it was time to go get Michaela.
I took a quick shower before I threw some clothes on, then went to go get her. She was always so disappointed whenever I picked her up from school, so I talked to her teachers about possibly bringing her for full days. I felt like she was ready. Any kid that was disappointed to come home from school deserved more time there. It meant she was adjusting well and getting along with those around her. Making memories. Finding things there she loved to participate in. And it made me happy.
But that meant I’d be in Jace’s house from eight in the morning until three in the afternoon by myself.
What in the world was I going to do with my time while the kids were off at school?
Twenty
Catherine
“Cat! I’m so glad you could make it.”
Natasha hugged my neck tightly as I walked out the back doors. She had invited me to a garden party her and Carter were throwing. Which was essentially an excuse to get together, eat food, drink, and donate a shit ton of money to charities they dedicated themselves to fundraising for. And the sheer amount of billionaires on the property was staggering. Everyone who had money was there, and even though I’d been raised around money I still didn’t have any idea as to the type of wealth standing around me. Women were dripping in diamonds and rose gold rings and men were clad in hundred of thousands of dollars’ worth of tailored fabrics.
I’d say it reminded me of my childhood, but even this type of decadence wasn’t something my parents ever indulged in.
“I’m glad I could as well. The kids and I had a very fun adventure in the garden today, and I thought they’d never let me go,” I said.
“Aren’t Saturdays your day off?” she asked.
“Yeah, but I wanted to do something with them today. Jace is dealing with some stuff and I wanted to give him some time to, you know, deal.”
“I saw the latest interview with Anya. She’s looking rough.”
“She’s acting rough, too. But I don’t want to talk about that,” I said.
“Fair enough, because I don’t want any bad joo-joo coming into this garden party.”
“So what charity are you and Carter gunning for now?” I asked.
“Wounded Warriors. A cousin of his just got back from overseas, and his PTSD is pretty rough.”
“Oh my gosh. I’m so sorry.”
“Yeah. And the Wounded Warriors Project has really hit home with him lately,” Natasha said. “So, that’s what we’re targeting today.”
“Well that’s a cause I can get behind. Where do I donate?”
“No, no, no. You don’t donate. Carter’s already talked to Jace about it. Jace is bringing us a check at the beginning of the week.”
“I want to donate as well. That man’s paying me more than I’ll be able to spend in a year. I mean, it won’t be something like five hundred million dollars or something.”
“What? I donate five hundred million dollars on a regular basis. Why can’t you?” Carter asked.
“Hey there,” I said as I hugged his neck.
“It’s good to see you, Catherine. I know it means a lot to Natasha that you showed up.”
“Who do I give my check to?” I asked.
“Just write it and hand it to me. I’m making a delivery after the party to the Wounded Warrior installation downtown,” he said.
“Perfect. I’ll make sure to get it to you.”
“Help yourself to anything. Drinks. Food. Enjoy your time away from Jace’s brood. I can only imagine how tense things have been around there.”
“I know he would’ve enjoyed something like this, but right now we’re wary about taking the kids in public.”
“No explanations necessary,” Carter said. “He owes me a drink anyway. Tell him we’ll all get together soon. The four of us.”
“Sounds good. I’ll make sure to let him know,” I said with a smile.
“Okay. Now that that’s over,” Natasha said, “come on. The girls are over here talking.”
“Ah, so we’ve already separated. It’s like all the parties my parents threw. Only this one doesn’t suck.”
“Good. I paid a lot of money so it wouldn’t suck,” she said with a smile. “Girls! This is my very good friend, Catherine.”
“Oh, is this the one working for Jace Logan?”
“Catherine, this is Joanna, Emma’s cousin. And this is Libby. She used to work with Joanna.”
“Is Emma coming?” I asked.
“Cat!”
I whipped around and held my arms out as Emma came barreling into them.
“Oh, I’m so excited you could come! Are Jace and the kids here?”
“Nope. Just me. Sorry to disappoint.”
“Not disappointing at all. I didn’t know if they were coming or not. Natasha said it was a coin toss as to whether everyone would show up,” she said.
“Yeah. Jace is staying behind with the kids,” I said. “So you’re stuck with me.”
“And being stuck with you is the best kind of stuck,” Emma said with a smile.
The small laughers of children were everywhere. Throngs of them were running around the property, playing tag and running around with puppies other families had brought with them. And the sound made me smile. I loved being around children. The more, the merrier in my opinion. They ran underneath our legs and constantly came up to their mothers asking for things. I watched Libby and Joanna talk softly with their daughters and I watched Natasha try to wrangle her twin boys.
I was glad I came out.
“So, Catherine. Do you have any children?” Libby asked.
“Hopefully one day. But right now, I don’t even have a man,” I said.
“You?! But you’re gorgeous,” Joanna said.
“I’m also busy being a full-time nanny,” I said. “But when it happens, it’ll happen. And I’ll embrace it. How many do you have?”
“Three in total, but my husband and I are trying for another one. We’re really excited. Though we hope my pregnancy gets better and not worse.”
“Why? What happened?” I asked.
“Her last pregnancy put her in the hospital a lot,” Libby said. “She wouldn’t stop throwing up. It eroded away her esophagus. It was pretty bad.”
“Holy crap,” I said. “Are you okay?”
“I am now. But the doctors are concerned about what my body might do with another pregnancy. But I’ve always wanted four children. I’m willing to take the risk, though. I love my children, and my husband’s always wanted a big family like me.”
“I’ve got five,” Libby said. “And I also have the wine cabinet to prove it.”
We all giggled as I grabbed a drink from a passing tray.
“Do you want anymore?” I asked.
“Not a chance. After my last cesarean, I got my tubes tied. No more for me, thanks. Six is enough.”
“I thought you said five?” I asked.
“My husband makes six most days. I promise,” she said.
I threw my head back and laughed at her sentiment.
“I’m telling you, I ate so much ice cream with the twins that I thought I was eating for five,” Natasha said.
“I remember that. You basically lived off the stuff for two months. And that one kind, too!”
“It was so good though,” she said. “Even now, my mouth waters simply thinking about it. And it shouldn't shock anyone that the twins love that kind as well.”
“My triplets were a beast,” Emma said. “I had no idea my body could get to be the s
ize it did. And the stretch marks they left behind? My body’s, like, sixty percent stretch marks and forty percent baggy skin.”
“And you look phenomenal, darling!” Ryan exclaimed. “Hey, Catherine!”
“Hey Ryan!”
“How’s Jace!?”
“Alone with the kids!”
“So, almost dead!?” he asked.
I waved at him before he went back to talking with Carter and the boys. The more I looked around, the more I came to the realization that I was the only single one there. Everyone else had their children and their husbands. Their dogs and their livelihoods. Then, there was me. Single, no kids Catherine.
“One day you’ll understand,” Emma said.
“Understand what?” I asked.
“I know that look,” Natasha said. “You’re wondering what it would be like to have a family of your own.”
“Have lots of wine on hand,” Libby said.
“She loves her family,” Joanna said. “But they do drive her a little nuts.”
“They drive us all a little nuts,” Natasha said.
“I hope one day to have a family of my own. To have children of my own,” I said.
“Trust me, if there’s anyone fit to be a mother, it’s you,” Emma said. “And one day, it’ll happen. You just wait.”
I stood around with the girls, listening as they all talked about their families. And as I interjected with anecdotes of Jace’s children, I found out something about myself. I was starting to consider his children to be my own. And that was dangerous territory. Yes, Jace and I were sleeping together. And yes, I took care of his kids. But that didn’t mean the two worlds fused. That didn’t mean his children were mine. In the end, they were Anya’s. As much as it made me sick to admit it, Anya was their mother. Not me.
Something inside of me ached at that admission.
“I found out I was pregnant in Africa,” Natasha said. “Africa, of all places.”
“I was in a random drug store when I found out,” Emma said. “That was a nice little whirlwind.”
That sparked an entirely different conversation with another flood of pregnancy stories I couldn't relate to. So, I slipped into my own little world. I pulled out my checkbook and wrote a check for two thousand dollars, then slid it into Carter’s hand when he came by. It wasn’t much. Not when the people around me considered that amount of money pocket change in the seats of their luxury cars. But I wanted to contribute somehow to a charity that meant a lot to a friend of mine and her husband.
7+Us Makes Nine: A Nanny Single Dad Romance (Baby Makes Three) Page 12
