“Yeah, the kids are out with their friends, come in.” Rick dubiously showed Bryce inside, he knew something was up and at the very bottom of his stomach had an idea of what that was.
“Can I get you a beer Mate? It’s not the nice drop you offered me but it’s a frothy.” Rick went to the fridge and grabbed a couple of Crown Lagers and then they sat down on the lounge. Bryce was looking at the countless number of photos on the wall of the kids when they were babies. A lump formed in the powerful, billionaire’s throat but when he caught a glimpse of Alexis in her wedding dress looking simply breathtaking, he pictured himself in the Tuxedo next to her, this thought gave him pure joy and he buried the guilt of what he was about to do, Rick handed Bryce the beer.
“So what can I do for you?” Rick tried to look as comfortable and confident as he could but deep down felt very intimidated by his wife’s boss.
“Rick I’m just going to come out and say it, but hear me out entirely.” That bit, at the very bottom of Rick’s stomach, started to churn.
“I’m in love with Alexis and I want a chance to spend some time with her, without her feeling guilty.” Ok not quite what I expected, this dick head is on drugs!
“I want to spend a week with her, a week where she can freely decide to do whatever it is she wants to.”
“You mean, you want to spend a week, fucking MY wife.” Bryce lent back and placed his leg across his knee taking a swig of the beer.
“If that’s what she wants to do then, Yes.”
“Are you for fucking real? You come into my house, asking permission to take my wife away for a week so you can throw money at her like a whore and convince her to sleep with you, you’re pathetic.” Rick was beyond shocked; he was outraged and offended on behalf of his wife.
“It’s not like that Rick, she has feelings for me and she has cravings that only I can cure.” Rick stood up.
“Get the fuck out of my house.” He pointed to the door, Bryce didn’t budge.
“I’m not finished. I’ll pay you $5,000,000.00 to give her permission to spend a guilt free week with me.”
“You are fucking insane.” Rick sat back down and put both his hands behind his head. 5 Mill, fuck that’s a lot of money, is he serious or yanking my chain?
“No, I’m not insane, I want a chance to show Alexis I love her and she does in fact love me too.” There’s no way in hell she could love an arrogant fucking self-centred prick like you.
“She’s not going to agree to this, I can guarantee you that.” Rick was sure Alexis could not possibly have fallen in love, with an obnoxious, arrogant, pig like this douche bag, she had more sense than that.
“If I accept, you do realise you are wasting your time and money, she won’t give you the time of day when she knows you’ve bought her, you obviously don’t know her too well.” Clearly the guy has money, but no brains.
“That’s why you need to keep your mouth shut about the money, if she finds out before our week is finished, the deal is off.”
“Ok Hot Shot, so what am I supposed to say after I’ve finished making love to my wife…….” Bryce cringed.
“Hey Babe, go and spend a week with your boss, fuck him, do whatever you like, it’ll be fine. Or hey Babe, ever heard of a Hall Pass?”
“That last one is an idea!” Bryce thought that the Hall Pass thing could possibly work. Rick just laughed.
“How’s that going to work, I’d have to want one too and I don’t.” Bryce put the beer down on the coffee table.
“That’s because you have already had one haven’t you? Oh, that’s right, you never had permission, because Alexis doesn’t know about it does she? Does Claire Longmire ring a bell?” Rick fidgeted in his seat.
“She does know about Claire.”
“But does she know the whole story?”
“You fucking son of a bitch!” Bryce stood up and went to the door.
“I want this to happen as soon as possible, I’m taking her to the Tel V Awards Monday night and she will be staying the night at my Hotel, so you might as well make this happen tomorrow. The money will be wired at the end of the week into an account of your choosing.” He opened the door.
“For all it’s worth Rick, I think you’re a good bloke and I’m sorry.” He shut the door and took off in his Lamborghini.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
“Do we really have to leave? Surely we can just stay here forever and become lesbians and never have to deal with men and children again.”
“Seriously Steph? Na not for me, I’m strictly dickly.” Jade had finished folding her clothes perfectly into neat little piles and put them in her bag, Steph threw a handful of clothes at her.
“Here, now do mine.” She threw them back. I smiled at the girls, they didn’t have a care in the world, they were all so happy and their lives were so uncomplicated.
“You’re quiet.” Lil had come up behind me.
“Oh, just thinking about things.” I smiled warily at her.
“Seems like you have a lot to think about.” She squeezed me on the shoulder and left me to finish packing.
Danny dropped the girls’ home one by one, Tash being the last. He was getting her bag out of the trunk when she gave me a big hug.
“I don’t envy you Hun but you’ve got to get to the bottom of this and quick. Where are the kids going for school holidays on Monday?”
“Up to Mum and Dad’s farm, they can’t wait, I won’t see them for a week, it’ll be good but I’ll miss them. Then Rick and I’ll go and get them next weekend and they’ll go into a School Holiday program for the following week.”
“Well maybe you can use this chance to have some one-on-one time with Rick; she touched my arm and headed for her door.
“Thanks for the weekend, it was great, we had a ball and please thank Bryce for the Champas and Limo, that really was nice of him.” It was!
“No worries Hun, I’ll see you soon.” I got back into the Limo and Danny took me home
When I walked in the door Sunday night, the kids were at each other’s throats, I’d barely stepped in past the kitchen and they were both on either side of me.
“Mum, tell Charlotte to stay out of my room.”
“Mum he keeps taking the scissors and glue, how am I supposed to do my homework if I can’t find the glue.”
“Easy squeak, get your own.”
“Don’t call me squeak, I don’t squeak, Mum tell him not to call me squeak.”
“Squeak.” Charlotte went to push Nate but he was too quick, he ran off to his room and shut the door. Charlotte growled threw her hands to her sides and stormed off to her room slamming the door also.
Rick was hiding in the garage sweeping.
“Hi Hun, I’m back. What’s with the kids, hope they haven’t been like this all weekend?” He didn’t look up, something was wrong, his body language was well and truly off.
“Rick.” I raised my voice.
“What? Sorry what did you say?” He was in another world.
“Never mind.” I shook my head at him and went back inside, I grabbed some Chicken Kievs out of the freezer and chopped up some vegetables. Dinner was well and truly strange, Nate and Charlotte were having a silent war of stares with each other and Rick was still finding it difficult to make eye contact with me. I cleaned up the dishes and helped the kids pack their bags for Mum and Dad’s house, Rick had the day off tomorrow so was driving them up to Shepparton in the morning. I tucked Charlotte into bed first.
“Be good at Nanny and Poppa’s, I don’t want to get a phone call saying you and your brother are fighting.”
“But Mum, he never helps me or shares with me and he always tells me to go away.” I kissed her little head.
“Sometimes big brothers just want a little bit of space that’s all, I’ll talk to him and tell him to be nice.”
“Mum, are you going to the Tel V Awards tomorrow with Mr Clark?” How did she know about that?
“Yes, how did you know about that?”
“Daddy told me, will you see 4life there?” She sat up in bed, I gently pushed her back down and gave her a big kiss and hug.
“Maybe, if I do I’ll say hi for you, now go to sleep and I’ll see you next weekend, love you Charli Bear.” I was still trying to figure out how Rick knew about the Tel V’s, I was sure I hadn’t mentioned it yet, I’d planned on doing it tonight.
It was Nate’s turn for bed next, I picked up his dirty clothes from the floor and gave him a ‘they don’t belong here’ look. He jumped into bed waiting for his kiss and cuddle. I hope he wants these until he’s at least 21. I sat on the edge of his bed.
“Be good at the farm and stop being nasty to your sister.”
“But Mum…..” I gave him the stern Mummy look.
“But nothing, she is your baby sister and looks up to you, so be nice and make sure you wear all your safety gear when you take your motorbike out, Ok?”
“Yeah, Ok.” I gave him a big cuddle.
“I’ll see you on the weekend, love you my little man.” I kissed his cheek and left the room.
Rick had resumed sweeping in the Garage. How much sweeping does he need to do? He knows something Alexis!
“Would you like a cup of coffee?” I called from the door, he lent the broom up against the wall and looked at me.
“No.”
“Ok.” I gave him a frown and went to turn back inside.
“When were you going to tell me about the Tel V’s tomorrow night?” How the fuck does he know? It was really bugging me.
“Tonight, I only found out on Wednesday then forgot to tell you before I left on Friday night, anyway, how do you know I’m going?” He pulled out a crumpled and semi faded sticky note from his pocket. Oh Holy Fuck, Bryce’s Sticky Notes. Shit, the Dry Cleaning. I’d completely forgotten about them being in my pocket when we’d taken a dip in the pool. I walked over to him and he handed me the note, he only had the one sticky note and bits of the others. The part in which Bryce says he’s ‘very much looking forward to seeing me in the dress on Monday night at the Tel V’s’, was still intact, the rest was really hard to make out, but words like ‘occupy the guest room or mine’ and ‘mouth aches for yours’ and ‘Your Mr Clark’ were clearly readable.
“What’s going on Alexis? Are you sleeping with your boss?” I felt like I’d been hit in the face, my cheeks were red and hot and my stomach was twisting and making me feel nauseas.
“No Rick, I’m not sleeping with Bryce, I, I wouldn’t do that.” He sat on the edge of his work bench, he didn’t seem pissed off which was weird.
“Do you want to sleep with him?” Now’s your chance to be honest Alexis. I walked towards him and put my hands in his.
“Honestly? Sometimes Yes, Sometimes No but I would never do that.” He remained calm and it was very hard for me to comprehend why, I had gone off my tree when he had mentioned that he and Claire, an old friend of ours, shared an embrace and nearly a kiss.
“Why sometimes yes?” What’s he getting at?
“What kind of a question is that? I don’t know, I guess I’m curious as to what it would be like with someone else that’s all.”
“Alexis, be honest with me, have you kissed him?” Oh Shit, Shit! My eyes started to fill with tears. There’s no holding back now.
“Yes Rick, I have, I’m so sorry, I never meant to hurt you. I don’t know why, I, I.” Rick dropped my hands and put his face in his.
“I know why, Babe.” I stood back; I wanted to run, run as far away as possible.
“Why?”
“Because I have felt what you are feeling.” I wiped my nose with the back of my hand. What is he talking about?
“I have wondered what it would be like with someone else too, the thing is I didn’t just stop there either Lexi, at the wondering bit I mean.” I stumbled a little, my legs were trembling from owning up to my own form of betrayal but now I was worried they would completely give way.
“What are you saying Rick?” I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear it but deep down I think I already knew.
“Claire and I didn’t just console each other years ago.” He jumped off the bench and grabbed my shoulders.
“Lex, I slept with her and I’m glad I did it in the end, because it made me realise that all I’ve ever wanted is you and this need I had to see what it felt like, was completely gone and I’ve never had that feeling again. This is why you should go and get the same curiosity off your chest, so that we can move on. Look at it like a ‘Hall Pass’.”
“A Fucking Hall Pass, you want to give me a Hall Pass to make your infidelity ok?” I knew it, I fucking knew it. I began to cry as the enormity of what he had just professed, hit me.
“How could you do this Rick? Being curious and sharing an embrace or a kiss is one thing, but sleeping with her, fucking her, that’s just….. I can’t do this.” I went to leave but he grabbed me.
“Alexis I’m sorry, please don’t leave, sleep on it, I promise it will make more sense in the morning. Don’t leave I’ll stay in the spare room.” I hit him in the elbow releasing his grip. This really does work. I grabbed my bag and phone a stormed out the door.
I swiped my card and pulled into the basement car park, I must’ve looked like a Panda a very puffy eyed Panda, I had cried all the way here. Switching off the engine I looked in the rear-vision mirror. Fuck I do look like a Panda. I grabbed a wet wipe from my bag and began to wipe the smudged Mascara from underneath my eyes; I can’t let him see me like this. Grabbing my brush I quickly ran it through my hair, blew my nose and put a little powder on my face, to hide the redness. Who am I kidding, I look a mess. As I got out of the car the elevator doors opened and he came sprinting out to me, I dropped my bag and ran to him also. We collided into an embrace only a couple of metres from the car. I was practically ravaging him and he the same of me, he lifted me up and I wrapped my legs around him, I ripped his t-shirt off from his head and yanked my own free. I was hungry for him, for all of him, I had never wanted him, as much as I did right now. Furiously I tried to get his jeans undone and unleash the probing thickness that was inside his pants.
“Alexis Hunny, hold on, stop.” I stopped fumbling and burst into tears, he held me tight and put his hand on my head. I hung over him like a limp child asleep in their parents arms.
“What’s wrong Hunny, tell me?” I pulled myself up off his shoulder and looked directly into his eyes.
“Rick, he admitted to having an affair years ago.” The tears came thick and fast now, I couldn’t stop them. He carried me to the elevator and up to his apartment, I just clung to him, I didn’t want to let go. We got out on the second level and he went to take me to the guest room.
“No, I don’t want to be alone.” I looked into his eyes.
“Alexis, I don’t want our first time to be like this or as a result of you being angry with Rick.”
“I know, I don’t want that either. I just want to be held, that’s all, please.” He wiped away the tears that sat on top of my cheeks and kissed me tenderly.
“That I can do, that I want to do.” He took my hand and led me to his room.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
I woke up the next morning, at first I had to get my bearings. Yes you are in Bryce’s bed; yes you’re still partially clothed. He wasn’t next to me, I shot up. Where is he? I left his room and could hear him in the kitchen, I ducked into the guest room or ‘my room’ as he had put it and grabbed a long black satin nightie. Looking in the vanity mirror there was still remnants of the river of tears I had cried yesterday and through the night. Urgh, I need a shower. Stripping off again, I hopped in, the water was soothing and helped wash away the betrayal and hurt I had been feeling, the memory of my daydream in here crept into my mind, then the memory of me crouched down when Bryce told me to go home followed, this shower was becoming an emotional outlet for me, a place to expel my inner feelings. I hoped the kids were alright, I was sure Rick would not have said anything to them, knowing him, he probably ex
pects me to come home tonight like normal. The problem was they were not stupid, they picked up on the slightest things, especially Nate. I reminded myself to give Mum a call later just to check in on them. I got out and put the nightie back on, this time when I looked in the mirror I was clean and fresh and the anger and sadness I had felt washed down the drain pipe, well for now at least.
He was moving around the kitchen like a natural, I stood leaning against the wall observing. He had a relaxed and happy vibe radiating from him and it was infectious, smiling I watched him chop the chives, he was like a professional chef on one of those cooking shows. Now that is God damn sexy! The way his hands moved so quickly on the chopping board was exciting my insides. He stopped chopping and I raised my eye level from his hands to his eyes, his chest began to rise and fall heavily which made mine do the same. He put the knife down and I slowly closed the distance between us, he lifted me up onto the kitchen bench pulling my nightie up so I could open my legs and encase him in them. Our kissing was truly indescribable; he kissed my neck, dragging his bottom lip down my throat. The strap on my nightie fell from my shoulder exposing my breast, he engulfed it instantly in his mouth making me cry out, he then removed the other strap and greedily consumed my other breast, it was so good I could’ve climaxed just from the sensation his mouth was giving me. He returned to my lips and growled like a hungry animal, the rawness of his sound nearly tipped me over the edge, I moaned and crossed my legs around his back.
“Alexis, you’re driving me wild.”
“Good, make love to me.” He deepened his kiss for only a second then pulled away and grabbed my face.
“No Hunny, I have plans for you later.” The sheer thought of his plans sent me into a frenzy, but I was wanting, and wanting now. He unwrapped my legs, stood back, shook his head and resumed chopping. I was panting. No, don’t stop now! I dropped the bottom lip and pulled my straps back on. Oh no, he’s not getting away with this. Still sitting on the bench next to him, I draped myself back and crossed my legs in a seductive pose, he growled again. Oooh I love it when he growls.
Temptation (The Temptation Series) Page 16
