Married Again to the Millionaire

by Margaret Mayo

  ‘It’s a fine house,’ she managed at last. ‘You’ve been very generous, too generous. It’s going to take some getting used to.’

  ‘Ethan loves it.’

  ‘He can’t believe all the space he’s got,’ she said with a fond smile as she thought of her son’s pleasure. ‘It’s a little boy’s dream.’

  ‘But not your dream?’

  Her dream was of a man who truly loved her, for herself, not because she happened to be the mother of his child and they came as a pair. Not simply because he wanted a woman in his bed, available to him whenever he felt like it. ‘I was happy in my flat.’

  ‘And you think that you won’t be happy here?’

  Adam’s eyes narrowed and Sienna knew that she needed to be careful. It was not only herself she had to think about but Ethan as well. ‘I’ll get used to it.’

  ‘I want you to do more than get used to it, Sienna, I want you to enjoy it. I want you to feel relaxed and happy. I want us to be a family here.’

  How could they ever be a proper family? He was asking the impossible.

  ‘Sienna?’

  ‘It will take time.’ She evaded his eyes, turning away instead, walking across the lawn towards a summer-house. As a child she had always wanted her own playhouse and she was thinking now that this might be somewhere where Ethan could play. Not that he needed any extra space, but children loved hiding and this would be a perfect den for him.

  She heard Adam’s phone ring and looked back, expecting it to be something to do with work. His expression changed from anger to concern as he listened. ‘Yes. OK. I’ll be there immediately. Thank you.’

  But it was not his office who had called. He looked at Sienna. ‘My grandfather’s been taken ill. He’s in hospital. I need to be there. I haven’t spoken to him in years but I cannot ignore him now. I’ll try not to be long.’

  ‘Of course.’ Sienna felt compassion as well as relief. She had never had much to do with his grandfather, she had met him a few times but for some reason he had seemed to disapprove of her. And she actually hadn’t known whether he was still alive, but it was important that Adam go to him now.

  Adam had mixed feelings as he drove to the hospital. There was no love lost between him and his grandfather and he couldn’t help wondering whether his visit would be appreciated.

  What would the old man say, for instance, if he told him that Sienna had borne him a son? That he was now a father and he and Sienna were back together? It would probably finish him off altogether. His grandfather disliked Sienna intensely for the simple reason that she was too much like Adam’s mother, and in his own warped mind he actually blamed his daughter-in-law for dying and ruining his own son’s life.

  It didn’t make sense that he hated Sienna for this reason, but when Adam saw his grandfather lying pale and lifeless in his bed he knew that he couldn’t open up old wounds. So he said nothing about her being back in his life. In fact, neither of them spoke very much at all. The old man kept his eyes closed, although Adam felt sure he wasn’t asleep. But he didn’t feel that he could just get up and go, he had to stay a decent length of time.

  Sienna had been thinking of going to bed when Adam’s car pulled on the drive. There were taut, tired lines on his face and she wondered whether she ought to suggest making him a drink of hot chocolate before he retired. Except that Adam probably wasn’t a hot-chocolate man. He never had been in the past, whereas it was her favourite bedtime drink.

  And she was right. Adam wanted strong coffee. Any sort of coffee. Instant would do.

  ‘How is your grandfather?’ she asked tentatively, putting the kettle on to boil and spooning coffee granules into a mug. He did not look as though he welcomed questions and she guessed that even his grandfather’s illness had not bridged the gap between them. Which Sienna thought was sad.

  ‘He’s had a heart attack. A bad one. He may be in hospital for some considerable time.’ His tone was clipped, his words concise, and it was clear that he did not want to talk about him.

  ‘I’m sorry.’

  ‘Even in his illness he did not welcome my presence. We barely spoke.’

  Sienna felt even sorrier. ‘I didn’t actually realise he was still alive. He must be a great age.’

  Adam shrugged. ‘Late eighties He’s made of tough stuff without a doubt. I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t pull through.’

  ‘Does he live by himself?’

  ‘He has a housekeeper. She keeps him under control—or tries to,’ he added with a wintry smile. ‘He’s a cantankerous old devil. But enough about him. I appreciate you waiting up for me, Sienna.’

  ‘It was the least I could do.’

  Without warning, without so much as a change of expression, he slid his arms around her waist and urged her against him.

  Sienna had no time to protest, no time to lift her arms in defence. She was effectively his prisoner. The throb of his heart against her breastbone echoed the sudden frantic beat inside her.

  It was fairly clear where this was going to lead. Adam needed something, someone, to take his mind off his hospital visit—and losing himself in her body would be the perfect solution. Already she could feel him growing hard and every sane emotion in her body told her to push him away before it was too late.

  And yet she was committed. There was no escape. Even if she wasn’t a magnet pulled and held her against the steel hardness of him. A magnet stronger than herself.

  Adam appeared bigger and darker and extremely dangerous. Already every pulse in her body leapt into life. Her heartbeat was loud and irregular, thudding against her ribcage, echoing in her ears, tightening her throat.

  This was what it was going to be like. They would settle into happy family life—on the surface at least. Ethan would believe his parents loved each other and loved him. He would be in his element. Yet there would be no love involved.

  For all Adam’s money, for all his success, he had denied her the one thing she really wanted.

  Nevertheless, Sienna found herself leaning further into him. The scent of his body, his individual male scent that reminded her of when they had first met—when she had fallen in love with this impossibly good-looking man—stung her nostrils, swept a flash-flood of desire through her entire body.

  Adam groaned, sensing her acquiescence, and his lips swooped down to claim hers in a mind-blowing kiss that sent every sane thought into outer space. The heat of him, the taste of him, both contrived to spin her senses, to leave her reeling, to want more!

  How stupid was that when their marriage was over and the only reason he was being nice to her was because of Ethan? He had let her walk out of his life once before and had not once tried to find her, but now, now that he had a son, he wanted her again.

  His coffee forgotten, Adam swung her up into his arms and carried her upstairs, kissing her senseless as he did so, giving her no opportunity to protest. Not that she wanted to. And once in the room they were to share his arms relaxed and she slid slow inch by excruciating slow inch down the length of his body until her feet touched the floor.

  There was no disguising the fact that he was ready for her but he seemed in no hurry now. Sienna had thought that he would drop her onto the bed, rip off her clothes, and make love without any preliminaries.

  How wrong she was. Instead, he traced the contours of her face with warm fingertips. ‘You’re incredibly beautiful, do you know that, Sienna?’ His eyes were an amazing blue, a deep, dark navy, and Sienna felt herself drowning in them.

  They sent dangerous signals through her sensory system. Was it because Adam had looked so tired when he’d come home that she felt sorry for him? Or was it because once he had touched her she couldn’t help herself? Whatever, the feelings were crawling all over her body.

  Adam’s arms tightened around her. And his kisses became more demanding. Sienna felt an explosion burst from the very centre of her, reaching out to fill her entire body. Sensations that exceeded everything she had ever felt before.

>   She had been young and immature when she had married Adam. Now older and wiser, she knew the power of his kisses, how they could trigger a potent response.

  Arching her body into him, Sienna returned his kisses with fire, fire in her body, fire in her mind. Every sane thought had fled. And as soon as he felt her response Adam groaned, a deep, agonised growl low in his throat, and his kisses deepened, their tongues entwining, their hunger spinning them out of control.

  For just a second his mouth left hers while he dragged off her T-shirt and unclipped her bra. His eyes were drawn to her softly moulded breasts with their dark pink nipples standing proud and ready, aching for him to touch them.

  She felt no shyness, no distress. Everything was forgotten except the power of the moment. Her breasts swelled and seemed to surge towards him of their own accord, and when he lowered his head to take her nipples into his mouth, when his tongue and teeth nipped and teased, Sienna’s head fell back, her eyes closed, her mind taking her into a world where only sensations mattered.

  Her fingernails dug into his back as she urged her lower body deeper and harder against him. The heat and power of his erection only added to the hunger sweeping through her. She did not want to wait, she did not want foreplay, she wanted him to take her now, swiftly and fiercely.

  Even though she was unaware of it she must have groaned and wriggled even more fervently against him because Adam’s response was to rip off his shirt and let the muscular hardness of his chest with its springy dark hairs take the place of his hands and mouth. His body hair was like a whisper over skin, over her breasts, over her nipples, and yet its very softness created an entirely new sensation.

  Hips ground against hips now and with trembling fingers he unfastened her jeans and slid them down-wards. With a quick hop and a skip Sienna was out of them. He wanted to touch her then, he wanted to feel for himself the urgency pounding inside her, but Sienna wanted to free him of all restrictions as well.

  Her fingers were equally as shaky as she undid his trousers and he was out of them so swiftly that it was a miracle he didn’t fall over. Underpants were disposed of, thrown across the room, haste was the word. And now their liberated bodies came together.

  It was all heat and passion, fingers exploring, mouths tasting, tongues teasing. Sienna felt as if her world was being blown apart. She could feel her heart thudding against her breastbone, feel the strength going out of her legs, and as if aware that any moment she would collapse Adam lifted her up and laid her down on the bed.

  ‘You’re beautiful, Sienna. You always were, but you’re different now. You’re a woman who wants to be made love to. I’ve never seen you more lovely, more exciting, more…’ His words faded as he lowered himself over her.

  ‘I need you, Sienna,’ he groaned. ‘I need you now!’

  As she needed him.

  Their coming together was powerful and instant, like thunder and lightning. Like a firework exploding. Like a rocket soaring.

  A sheen of sweat covered Sienna’s body as she lay exhausted by Adam’s side afterwards. He was on his stomach, one arm draped over her, and she felt the heat of his body too. It was several minutes before their breathing returned to normal, before she felt able to move.

  Then she shivered and Adam was instantly alert. ‘You’re cold?’ He pulled her into his arms, his hands massaging her back.

  ‘You’re really something, Sienna, do you know that?’ he questioned softly, his mouth against her cheek, caressing her skin with more kisses. ‘Why did I ever let you go?’

  His touch evoked fresh emotions, renewed hunger, and before Sienna could answer, before she could even think of an answer, he was making love to her again. More slowly this time, more eloquently. Except that the slowness became torture and Sienna gripped his shoulders hard, moving with him, driving them swiftly into a further climax that shattered her body and left her gasping for breath.

  For several minutes she was too sensitised to move, she lay there in a haze of pleasure, marvelling at such exquisite feelings. She hated to admit it but it got better every time. There was no going back. Not now that she had tasted heaven.

  Chapter Ten

  SIENNA felt amazingly lonely when she discovered the bed beside her empty. It was almost as though she had dreamt what had happened. And yet how could she have dreamt such magic? It had been real all right. They had woken in the middle of the night and made love again. It was as if the years she and Adam had spent apart had never taken place. Their love life had suddenly blossomed and deepened again—and her body hungered for him.

  Except—that all it had really been was sex. What was she thinking? There had been no emotions involved. She and Adam were no closer together. She would be as well to remember that and not let herself get carried away.

  The house was quiet, too quiet. Ethan! Where was he? He always woke early and jumped on her bed. She looked at the clock and saw to her dismay that it was almost half past nine. Adam would have left for work so where was Ethan? With a groan she leapt out of bed. The first thing she thought about was his injury. He’d been extraordinarily brave about the whole thing but perhaps the excitement of moving had been too much and he—

  She skidded to a halt when she saw his room empty. Her stomach felt hollow. Then she heard voices in the garden. When she looked through the window she could not quite believe her eyes. Adam and Ethan—in the swimming pool.

  So Adam had not gone to work!

  Wonders would never cease.

  She swiftly showered and dressed and ran downstairs. Adam grinned when he saw her. ‘Come and join us.’

  In the brief second she looked at him Sienna saw Adam as she had never seen him before. A man in his element, relaxed, his normally unruly hair plastered to his well-shaped head. He looked happy, and she hated to use the word, but he looked human. He was not a machine who went to work and came home late every day. He was a family man. A man who cared for his son.

  Amazing. Totally amazing. She actually felt the prick of tears in her eyes. This was something she had thought never to see.

  ‘Mummy,’ called Ethan. ‘Look at me, I can swim on my back. Daddy showed me.’

  ‘Why don’t you join us?’ suggested Adam. ‘Work up an appetite for your breakfast.’

  ‘No, thanks,’ she said. She did not want to spoil their time spent together. Ethan looked so very happy swimming with his father. It was easy to see that he idolised Adam. ‘I’ll get breakfast ready instead while you two continue your swim.’

  By the time breakfast was cooked Adam and Ethan had showered and dressed. She had heard Ethan giggling as his father tried to dry him. Ethan was like an eel, especially when his ticklish bits were touched. It did her heart good to hear them laughing together.

  She had cooked Ethan a sausage sandwich, which was his favourite food, and when Adam saw it he said that that was what he wanted too. So the two of them munched on their sandwiches while she ate a bowl of cereal.

  Afterwards, when the dishwasher was loaded, Adam opting to do it, he suggested they take a ride out to Hampstead Heath where Ethan could run around to his heart’s content. ‘Have you ever taken him there before?’ he asked Sienna.

  ‘Actually, no. I’ve never had a car, for one thing.’

  ‘Then that’s something I must see to,’ he declared. ‘There’s always my driver at your disposal but sometimes you’ll want to be able to drive yourself.’

  He was being too understanding for Sienna’s peace of mind. But she quickly forgot it as she packed a picnic and it turned out to be a day that she would never forget. Adam was like a boy let out of school. He and Ethan kicked a ball, they all played hide and seek; they even caught a butterfly. And Ethan spent the whole day giggling.

  She felt totally relaxed. She had never seen Adam play like this before. He had always been such a serious man that she had thought he must have been born that way. But with Ethan he let his hair down and did everything on his son’s level, as though he was trying to make up for all his
missed years.

  A streak of guilt ran through her. When she had discovered that she was pregnant she should have gone back to him. Or at least let him know so that he could have been a part of his son’s early life.

  ‘Look,’ said Adam suddenly and quietly. They were standing by one of the ponds, looking for fish, when a kingfisher landed on the far side.

  Even Ethan held his breath. ‘Daddy, he’s beautiful,’ he whispered.

  ‘And you’re very lucky to see him.’

  ‘And I’m lucky, Daddy, that you brought me here.’

  It was a special moment between them. Sienna felt a lump in her throat as father and son hugged, and she felt certain that Adam too was welling up inside. He kept his face turned carefully away from her.

  Afterwards they ate their picnic. They had sausage rolls and egg sandwiches, crisps and pork pie, even tiny individual trifles that Sienna had found in the freezer and were by now perfect to eat.

  ‘My parents used to bring me here when I was a child,’ she told Adam. ‘That was before they separated. I had such an idyllic childhood, it’s a shame it all—’ And then she stopped, suddenly realising what she was saying.

  ‘It’s not too late,’ Adam said softly. ‘Ethan has his best years in front of him. I bet you can’t remember what you did before you were four?’

  ‘I can’t remember much,’ she agreed. I do remember a tricycle I had and I got lost. My mother panicked. My father was at work. But I hadn’t gone far, I was soon found.’

  Adam smiled and stroked the back of her hand. It was the lightest touch yet it sent tremors down her spine. ‘I did a similar thing. I loved my little trike. It became whatever I wanted it to be. A racing car. A train. A tractor even.’

  Sienna conjured up an image of Adam as a little boy. He would look just like Ethan did now, with dark springy hair and a wicked grin. She’d like to bet that he had lived life dangerously and always worried his parents.