Burning Obsession

by Rice, Rachel E.

  France

  Alan and Sydney reached his penthouse suite. He wanted to continue his conversation. He loved talking to Sydney, she appeared to be so worldly and he hadn’t seen that in a woman in a long time. He was use to very young women and some of the mature women that he may have been interested in, could not stand to know that he would be away from them for long periods of time. They had agendas and social circles they cared about much more than him.

  Sydney was different. She was not concerned about what others thought. She didn’t need a social world to define her.

  When he stepped into the door, he gently brought her to him, and kissed her.

  “I want to marry you.”

  “You have had too much to drink, Alan.” And she kicked off her shoes.

  “You see my dear, just that act makes me want to marry you,” he said with a gleam in his eyes.

  “Now I know you have lost your mind or you are drunk, Alan.” Sydney took the drink from his hand and set it on the ivory table. What kind of man would buy a table made out of tusk of an elephant? Her thoughts faded.

  “I’m not drunk. I’m more sober than you could ever imagine.” And a small smile framed his face.

  “I’m going to bed before I answer yes because we’re both a little drunk.”

  Alan followed her to her room. Alan you promised me that you would respect my privacy and you wouldn’t impose yourself on me.”

  “I’m sorry, but I forgot.” Alan said as he swayed and backed out of the room holding Sydney’s shoes, then lumbering in the direction of his room with the shoes in the air. Sydney suddenly realized that he had them.

  “Alan, my shoes,” Sydney yelled. He placed them on the floor then turned once more.

  “Will you marry me?”

  “But I don’t love you.”

  “I know, but I want to marry you anyway.” And he shut his door.

  Sydney stood wondering about how she could reconcile the loss of Danny with a marriage to Alan. She had four young children with no father. She thought that she would have Jeremy to help her and give her time to ease her longing of Danny. Now he was married and she could not bring herself to hurt Nadia. She knew in her soul that Jeremy wanted her and wanted to be with his son as well. Maybe Jeremy and Nadia would have a son together and that would lighten the tension.

  If she married Alan, how was she to disclose the strong connection between her and Jeremy? Eventually he would find out and there could be no explanations that could cover up what had happened between them.

  She could tell him that she was drunk. She could tell him that she was distraught, but that was a lie. Could she tell him that she wanted Jeremy so much that she would jeopardize her life with Danny? Could she tell him that there was no excuse for her lying with her husband’s brother other than that she wanted him so desperately that she could not breathe and the whole world didn’t matter that night ?

  Could she blame it on Danny? The answer was no. Danny had been honest and true to her. When she heard Jeremy’s lie about Danny being with another woman she didn’t have to believe it. She believed the lie because she wanted to.

  Jeremy looked like Danny and in some ways he was like Danny, but he was not Danny. He was what she always ran to—the bad boy. Sydney finally came to the realization that she left Danny in the beginning of their relationship because he was too loving and too safe. She returned to him because he rejected her and displayed the ultimate bad boy. That’s what she saw in Jeremy from the beginning. It’s what attracted her to him in the end.

  She finally came to terms with her feelings, now she began to understand herself and try to correct the unhappiness that has surrounding her. Sydney discovered that she did not want Jeremy after Danny died, but she could not let go of him. He was the only connection to her Danny.

  The whole idea of marriage to Alan appeared preposterous, but she had done the unthinkable before. She would sleep on her decision and tell him tomorrow.

  Chapter 5

  Strange Bedfellows

  The next morning at nine the maid entered into Sydney’s room and announced that Mr. Brule had visitors and that if she didn’t want to come to breakfast she would bring it to her. Sydney asked about the guest and was informed that Jeremy and Nadia were waiting in the dinning area eating breakfast. Sydney showered, put on a white shirt and black wool and silk wide leg pants that Alan had given her. At this moment she didn’t have a care and she would make the best of the wonderful few days of peace and freedom.

  She walked freely to the breakfast room. Her anger had not subsided and revenge was on her mind as she greeted Jeremy and Nadia.

  “You look beautiful early in the morning,” Alan said, heaping compliments on Sydney.

  “Thank you for making my stay so pleasurable,” Sydney stated with a warm smile and a kiss on his lips. Jeremy and Nadia didn’t know what to think as they traded glances with each other in disbelief. Alan and Sydney’s eyes met and both blushed like teenagers.

  “Something is strange about you Alan,” Nadia said.

  “I’m in love,” he blurted out.

  Jeremy coughed and swallowed hard. He gained his composure. He could have died and no one would have noticed. Even the servants stood in suspicious silence exchanging glances.

  “What do you mean? You are in love…with whom?” Nadia questioned.

  “Can’t you tell? I’m in love with Sydney my dear sister and I asked her to marry me.”

  Jeremy peered at Sydney. “Another cup of coffee,” Sydney requested. Her eyes lowered. Then she turned and glanced at Jeremy as he looked on with sadness in his green eyes. His eyes told a story that now everyone could read. In that one look, Alan and Nadia were able to see that Jeremy loved Sydney and wanted her not as a sister but as a lover. He could not hide the sadness that drenched his face. He could not hide his disdain for Alan, and he could not hide that his heart was beating so fast that he could have drop dead where he sat.

  “I didn’t give Alan an answer, but since everyone is here, I’m going to accept his marriage proposal.”

  “You are going to what?” Jeremy stood and turned to Sydney, “You don’t know this man,” he said pointing his finger at Alan and screaming at Sydney, then realizing what he had said, and not being able to take back his words, looked as if he was the dreaded cat that killed the song bird.

  “I know everything I need to know,” Sydney said in defiance.

  “That man is my brother and he’s a good man,” Nadia said in Alan’s defense.

  Jeremy paused, “Did Sydney tell you…” he stopped and looked at Alan and then Sydney. “Did she tell you that I’m the father of her baby?” Silence. It was broken by Alan’s voice.

  “It doesn’t matter to me,” Alan shouted pushing back his chair and standing. “It’s you she doesn’t know and the sooner you get out of my home the better.”

  Sydney sat in silence. Then standing looking around she walked away. Alan rushed to her side, held her, and led her out of the room, then he stopped and turned, “I want you out of here now,” he stated looking directly at Jeremy.

  Nadia didn’t say a word. She followed Jeremy out of the penthouse and down to their room. “You are a heartless man, Jeremy.”

  “I wanted to find out if Alan really wanted to marry her.”

  “You can fool everyone but me. I know what you want and I married you anyway. I guess I deserve whatever happens in our marriage. I want you as much as you want her.”

  “I’m sorry Nadia; I didn’t want to hurt anyone.” He put his arms around Nadia and kissed her.

  Nadia looked up into Jeremy’s handsome face and fell for his lies.

  New York

  The search for Jose had been fruitless. Steven, Sydney, the children flew back to New York, where they arrived early on a Friday morning. Sydney agreed to marry Alan in two months. She had to get rid of the property in California. It had been about two years, and Danny would never return. The official report: Missing in the jungles of Brazi
l…

  After everyone in the apartment was accounted for, and the children were in bed, Sydney began to go over the most pressing events in her life. She had to plan a wedding, go to California and dispose of Danny’s property and Production Company.

  She stared at the papers as if they had come to life. It was Danny’s life she was getting rid of, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. Time had run out and it was costing a great deal of money with no one living in the house. She dread going to California. It held so many memories, too many to count.

  The only way to make life a little easier was to invite Steven. She called Steven and informed him that they would leave in two weeks.

  Before she could lie down and rest, a phone call came in from France.

  “Sydney I miss you so much.”

  “What do you want Jeremy?”

  “I can’t sleep knowing what I did to you.”

  “You didn’t do anything to me you did it to yourself. You ruined your marriage and a relationship with me, your child, and your brother-in-law, not to mention their parents.”

  “Can you forgive me?”

  “No, because I know you will do whatever you can to make me unhappy.”

  “I just wanted you to love me.”

  “I do love you, but you wouldn’t give me time to get over Danny.”

  “I’m willing to give you time just don’t marry Alan.”

  “You are married and you are asking me not to be with someone?”

  “You don’t love him.”

  “He knows it. I’m not going to deceive him the way you have deceived Nadia. I’m tired Jeremy and I have nothing further to say.”

  “I love you; please don’t do this to me!” Sydney hung the phone up and stared into the corner. Her whole life has been complicated with men she loved. She thought about the men. There haven’t been too many that she has loved in a way that her soul could not live. The two men she loved were Danny and Jeremy and now Danny was gone from her life and Jeremy didn’t belong to her, he belonged to another woman.

  She didn’t love Danny and Jeremy in the same insane way. Danny had been the love of her life and Jeremy the bad boy she craved that never really was Danny. The night became filled with dreams. Maybe it was the emptiness and the void that they both left. Now she would fill it with Alan and try to move her life forward.

  Chapter 6

  Los Angeles

  Sydney arrived first in L.A. Steven would come later that evening. She was ready to arrange sale of the property. Alan’s limo driver met her and drove her to the home in the Hollywood hills. Through the horrendous traffic, she had time to think. She glanced up into the hills imagining what people were doing in their homes. She thought about a life with Alan. Eventually she would be Mrs. Brule. The thought didn’t excite her but made her sad.

  The sigh was loud and made her shudder. She had agreed to marry Alan, yet she had to question herself. Did she want to punish Jeremy? That may have been one of the reasons but not all. She was lonely. Being away from Texas and living in New York made her melancholy, but she could not see herself going back to Texas for nothing but a visit. The children were use to the change of seasons, the snow, their schools, and their friends. She couldn’t bring herself to uproot them now.

  The short life of being Mrs. McCloud proved more satisfying and gave her more pride and joy than any previous marriage. She had four beautiful children because of the love and marriage to Danny.

  Her friend Heather, who stopped calling, e-mailing and texting, became tired of Sydney’s crying and talks of Jeremy. Now her only confident was Steven and he wasn’t dependable because of his gossip, jealousy, and loss.

  Finally, the car rested in front of the house. She put in the code and the gates opened. The home was well lit. The landscape impeccable, lush greenery and flowers abound. After exiting the car and the driver waiting for her to enter the home, Sydney mustered the courage to go inside. She didn’t know what she would find.

  The door opened and she turned off the alarm system. A flood of emotions filled her head. All the visions of the days with Danny came to her in one image.

  That image walked out of the dark corridor and startled her.

  “Who are you?” Sydney jumped, and her shoulders shuddered. She started to turn away and run, but something about the stranger was familiar, so familiar, yet she didn’t know what. He stood looking at her with beautiful sky blue eyes.

  The color of his eyes mesmerized her. He was dressed in a tee shirt with jeans torn on both knees. She hadn’t seen a young man look that handsome in years while wearing jeans. He smiled. The smile alluring and devilish his eyes smiled as well.

  “I’m Nicholas Grant, and you must be Mrs. McCloud.” Danny walked closer to Sydney and held out his hand to shake hers. She extended hers and he held her hand for seconds but it felt like a lifetime. The warmth of her body felt as though it could melt the Polar Caps.

  He was as much surprised because Max forgot to tell him that Sydney was coming and Max forgot to tell Sydney that the new caretaker—Danny—would be there living in the caretaker’s quarters.

  She pulled her hand back in surprise at the young man staring at her and causing her to feel stranger than usual. She fought her strange attraction to him.

  “I’m the caretaker and gardener.”

  Danny was only twenty when she became infatuated with him and now if he had lived he would be twenty-eight and she is thirty-three. And the man standing in front of her had to be only twenty. It took her years to get over the youthful boy of twenty and she would never put her self in that position again.

  Danny ran to gather her bags which the driver carefully left in the foyer, after she entered the house.

  “Nicholas…”

  “You can call me Nicky.”

  “I prefer to call you Nicholas. I don’t like to become familiar with the help,” Sydney said turning her back to Danny.

  “Then call me what you want, I can wait,” he said softly, reaching for her Louis Vuitton luggage.

  “What?”

  “Nothing,” he said.

  “Could you bring my bags to one of the bedrooms, not the main bedroom?” She turned and faced him and heat rushed through her body. The arms on the young man were impressive and she could not contain her lustful feelings.

  “Have you always worked as a maintenance man?”

  “I’m an actor waiting for my big break.”

  Sydney became light headed and swayed. Danny dropped the bags, scooped Sydney into his arms, ran and skipped each step up the stairs and laid her in the adjoining room to the left of Danny’s bedroom.

  “Are you sick? What’s wrong?” He began to loosen her blouse and her eyes stopped him. He forgot that Sydney didn’t know him. His face was another’s face and he was a stranger loosening her clothes. Although the face was Nicholas’s, the body was his, the mind was his mind and the feelings were as intense and immediate as any lover who had been away from his woman for years. His body swelled with desire he couldn’t control as he took in her scent when he held her in his arms.

  “I’m sorry, Mrs. McCloud.”

  “Please leave me alone. I want you to move out of the servants’ quarters and move into one of the outside cottages.”

  “Anything you say.” Danny was disappointed, somehow he wanted Sydney to recognize him and realize that he was alive and everything would be perfect again. He could resume his life with her and his children. That would have been too easy. It was always hard for him so why would this be any different.

  Nicholas took care not to be connected to Danny. Now he realizes that the job was perfect. Sydney couldn’t discover him because he wore contacts to disguise the Danny McCloud that he is, and will always be inside, and under that perfect face and body.

  The next morning, Sydney sitting at the dinning table looked out and there standing under a tree with arms bulging, and no shirt stood Nicholas. Sydney couldn’t help herself, so she stood up and stared at him. He
felt her eyes on him, but he continued pruning the tree, then stepped back and picked up his shirt and put it on as he gazed at her with a heated look of sexual desire and passion.

  Sydney couldn’t stand it any longer. She asked the lawn man have Nicholas come to the patio over looking the pool. In a few minutes, he was standing with his shirt open and waiting for her. His heart ached with anticipation of what she wanted. He could only dream of what he wanted from her.

  “I want you to plant some red bougainvilleas in this area around the pool,” she said pointing in the direction of an overgrown hedge. He walked behind her smelling her hair and the scent of her body. She turned and he was eye to eye with her.

  “Why are you asking me to plant those flowers if you are planning to sell the house?”

  “It’s none of your business what I plan to do, you are hired help. And I want you to put some flower boxes on my terrace filled with the same flowers.”

  “What ever you want, Mrs. McCloud,” Danny said, knowing that Sydney was attracted to the Nicholas he and the doctor had created. He felt jealous, he could tell her, but she may hate him and he could never get close to her.

  “Come to my room, I want to show you what I want.”

  Sydney and Danny moved into the elevator. As they faced each other, he saw what he had loved about her and didn’t want to leave her. Her beautiful silky brown hair, her light brown eyes and full lips and beautiful breast peeking through the off-white gown with its lace around the breast. Through it, he saw her nipples plump and he remembered how that would show when she was ovulating .They stepped off the elevator and he opened her room and closed the door behind him.

  He smiled at her when she turned to face him, he touched her hand, and she let him. He felt her hair and she let him. He pulled her to him and placed his tongue in her mouth and her tongue met his tongue as their bodies pulsated with desire. Her body moved closer to his and the taste of her lips caused an arousal. She felt wet from his body pressed close, and then she felt his penis and how strong it was against her sheer silk gown. She pulled away and slapped him. He gazed into her eyes seeing through her body and into her heart.