Then she rolled Jim over, momentarily removing his hands from her. Above him now, she stripped away his remaining clothes, and straddled his hips with her own, guiding him inside her. When she finally had him completely sheathed, he surprised her by sitting up with her, forcing her legs around him.
He scooted to bottom of bed until his feet touched the floor. Then Jim pulled her tightly against his lap, held their bodies flush, while he throbbed as deep inside her as he could go. He could feel the anxious urge to mate trying to control both of them, and could barely manage to ignore it for his higher purpose.
“Jim,” Lauren said weakly, rocking herself on his length, “please. I need you.”
“I need you too,” he said back, his throat tight, his heart bursting.
His life made so much more sense when he was connected to Lauren. Every other alternative was emptiness, loneliness. He lifted her hips slowly off his lap before letting her slide down fully on his length again. She groaned in his arms, and it was ten times better than Jim remembered with any other woman, even the first one. Making love had never been this good before Lauren.
“I intend to marry you one day, Lauren McCarthy” he vowed, promising with his words and his body. “Until I can, I will give you everything else you can imagine.”
He lifted her hips almost to the edge of his hardness, and then pulled her down firmly, feeling himself reach her core. When she called out his name hoarsely, sanity slipped, but a thread remained.
“Are you mine?” he demanded, feeling the answer in her body, but wanting to hear the words.
“Yes,” Lauren said, grabbing his shoulders and rocking herself on him. “Yes. I’m yours.”
“Ask me what I consider you. Ask me what you are to me,” Jim demanded.
“What—what—Jim,” she stammered, beyond words.
She rocked against him once more, but Jim stilled her hips with his hands.
“I know. You’re beyond words, but I need to tell you this,” he said, letting her sink down fully on him again, running his hands up her back, down her sides, cupping her thighs.
“What—what do you want me to know?” Lauren asked, hovering in the place just before release, the world spinning.
“I consider you my wife, Lauren McCarthy,” Jim said, rocking up into her. “I consider you my wife.”
She shattered around him as he rocked in rhythm with her, and Jim gathered up the fragments with his hands, rocking until she slumped in his arms. Then he lifted and stood with Lauren around him, still buried inside her, and then he followed her back down to the bed, stroking until he had truly given her everything he could.
Afterward, Jim lay on top of her, heart still hammering in sync with hers. Reaching out a long arm, he pulled the tray back across the bed to them, lifted a cannoli from it, and offered her a bite.
“Here. Consider this more evidence that I’m a man who keeps his promises,” Jim said softly. “Next time, we’re trying one of Kaiser’s ideas if it kills me.”
“One? How many ideas did Ben have?” Lauren asked, surprised. “Regina didn’t say. She was too busy bragging about Ben giving out advice.”
“Three really good ones,” Jim said, sighing. “He said he got his creativity from being married for twenty-five years.”
Lauren snorted and bit down, the cannoli bursting joyously against her tongue. “I’ll make you an expert in half that time.”
“No doubt,” Jim said laughing, pulling her lovely Amazon curves into his arms.
Chapter 20
“I have absolutely got to meet your mystery man,” Sydney told Lauren as they waited for Alexa and the marketing team to join them in her office. “You have never looked better. Are you sure you’re not using something new on your face?”
“The only thing I’m using is Jim,” Lauren said coyly, blushing as soon as the words left her mouth and Sydney broke out laughing. “Good lord—I said that out loud didn’t I? I don’t know what’s gotten into me lately.”
“You don’t? Why? Are you wearing a blindfold every time?” Sydney asked, making Lauren giggle.
“And just what’s so funny?” Alexa demanded, coming into her office. “I could hear you two laughing all the way down the hall.”
“Lauren’s trying to convince me she doesn’t know what’s gotten into her lately,” Sydney said, sipping his coffee.
“Why not?” Alexa said, turning her smile to Lauren’s flushed face. “Are you wearing a blindfold every time?”
Lauren groaned and laid her forehead down on the table.
“Don’t worry. Even if you are, I won’t tell Regina. She already thinks you’re in denial about enough things,” Alexa teased, taking the seat beside Lauren.
“Gee, thanks,” Lauren replied, trying to calm her blush. “I swear you and Sydney have been together so long, you know each other’s jokes.”
Alexa and Sydney looked at each other and smiled. Then Alexa swung her gaze back to Lauren.
“Not to drag this business conversation back to the pesky reality of marketing your products, but I’ve been informed we need to move up the announcement to avoid competing with everyone else targeting the Valentine rush. The blowout bash I was planning for early February evidently needs to happen within the next two weeks. Problem is—we don’t have a location for hosting it. Who would have thought so many people have stuff going on in January?” Alexa mused. “So anyway, Ms. Society person—I need you to help me find a location. Your favorite place—a.k.a. the country club—is out. Sydney already called.”
“What do you mean?” Lauren asked softly. “There was nothing in January last time I checked the calendar. I haven’t gone by as much since Christmas because nothing was going on. What’s happening?”
“They didn’t tell me,” Sydney said with a shrug, “but I didn’t ask either. Bottom line was they were booked, so we need an alternative.”
Thinking it strange still, but not doubting the story since Sydney had called, Lauren mentioned several other possibilities—all of which were already booked. Then she had an innovative thought.
“I might have an interesting alternative,” she said, her mind drifting off, seeing the area already decked out. When she came back from her musings, Alexa and Sydney were still waiting for her to reveal the location. She cleared her throat.
“Jim has a large paved terrace surrounding a beautiful tiled swimming pool. The rest of his house is built to open out on that area. If we could find a way to string canvas from the roof edges of the house to cover the terrace and swimming pool, we could use space heaters and do the whole deal outdoors there. It’s not the best of plans, but it would be original. We could have models in sexy winter wear and heels carrying atomizers around. No one would be overwhelmed by the fragrances because being outdoors would provide some ventilation. We could float metal trays with flaming alcohol gel in the pool for warmth and light, or anchor torches to the bottom of the pool in buckets of cement,” Lauren said, finally winding down as she noticed their stares.
“What?” she asked, waiting for comments.
“You really are ready to out your relationship with Gallagher, aren’t you?” Alexa said with grin. “Will he let you use his house for a business purpose?”
Lauren shrugged. “I don’t see why not. We’ve talked about our public and personal lives and decided we’re not going to hide our relationship. People are going to find out we’re together, and the reality is we will likely never marry. It’s not an ideal situation, but there are good reasons Jim can’t divorce. I completely support those reasons, so there’s no use in hanging my head about it. If people talk about me, it won’t be any worse than being Jared Smith’s cheated-on wife. My current situation doesn’t even compare. I know what I am to Jim. That’s going to have to be enough.”
Alexa reached over and put her hand on Lauren’s. “Then there’s only one thing left to do,” she said. “We’ll invite the entire town to stop by instead of just the buyers. Some people will come just to check you
and Jim out as a couple. We might as well use your notoriety to sell your product. How do you feel about that?”
Lauren shrugged. “Bring it on, I guess. What’s my part?”
“Clear it with Jim and buy a stunning dress,” Alexa said, smiling.
“Well there’s a part I can handle fastest,” Sydney said, looking Lauren up and down. “I still have her measurements from the wedding, though I may have to add a bit more ease in a couple of places. Great sex always makes a person put on a few pounds.”
Lauren reached over and whacked Sydney’s arm, making him flinch.
“Damn, woman. You hit like a man. No one’s going to talk about you once they find out you can kick their ass,” he said, rubbing his arm. “I heard about you, but I didn’t believe it until now.”
“Don’t imply I’m fat, Sydney,” Lauren said. “I have curves, which Jim likes very much thank you.”
“Did I use the f-word? No, I did not,” he said appalled, then swung his gaze to Alexa. “Well, aren’t you going to defend me?”
Alexa bit her lip, happy to see wicked Sydney get chastised. “You used the word ease followed by pounds in the next sentence. It was short jump to fat from there.”
“Everyone can see Lauren’s an Amazon,” Sydney said, scooting back from the table when Lauren stood and made a grab for him. “In a good way—geez, woman, are you hormonal or something?”
“Alexa, I’m going to have to kick your assistant’s ass for calling me fat,” Lauren said, starting around the table.
“Uh—I think I better go check to see what’s keeping everyone else,” Sydney said, jumping to his feet and booking.
Lauren sat back down when he left and looked over at Alexa’s smiling face. “What?”
“Regina was right. I like you so much better now. You are fun as hell, totally unpredictable. I can’t wait to see what you do next,” Alexa told her.
Lauren put her face in her hand. “I guess I’m practicing for the hell my mother is going to put me through when she finds out. I’m having lunch with her today to tell her.”
“To survive being notorious, you have to train yourself to look at the positives of every situation,” Alexa said with a laugh. “Your problem with your mother might get bigger, but the one with Jared Smith will get resolved completely when he sees you and Jim making moon eyes at each other.”
“We do not make moon eyes,” Lauren denied, laughing at the silly description.
“How about he looks at you like a starving man looks at a feast?” Alexa said. “Or the way a woman on her period looks at chocolate?”
“Either one sounds better than moon eyes,” Lauren said with snort. “Are you practicing for your book?”
“Nah,” Alexa said, shaking her head from side to side. “I just want to keep you happy with me so you won’t try to kick my ass. All that exertion can’t be good for the baby.”
“Don’t worry—tests are negative. So far no baby,” Lauren said softly, her sad voice revealing a mixture of disappointment and relief. “I mean I guess I should be grateful. It would be bad timing if I was pregnant. But it was interesting to think I might be carrying Jim’s child.”
“Well home tests are not infallible. You probably ought to go by and get a real one just to be sure,” Alexa said gently. She already had the baby glow. If Lauren wasn’t pregnant, she’d give up buying shoes—or something equally shocking.
Lauren shook her head no. “Not yet. I bought some kind of bonus box. It came with seven days worth. I only have a couple more days. If I get a double pink line, I swear I will go get checked for real.”
“I’ve never heard of a whole week’s worth of preggie testing being needed just to find out. Why would anyone do that to themselves? I’d be ill checking every day. Don’t they usually come in a one pack?” Alexa asked.
Lauren shrugged. “Seemed strange to me too. I threw the box away at Lucinda’s to keep Jim from finding it, and put the sticks in my purse. There’s not much mystery to peeing on a stick. I figured I was safe not reading the all the literature that came with the box.”
“Isn’t it just lovely to be a woman?” Alexa asked.
“It is when I’m with Jim,” Lauren said. “I plan to keep him, Alexa—whatever it takes to stay in his life. He’s just worth it, you know?”
Alexa said nothing, just reached over and squeezed her friend’s hand. She absolutely knew. Every woman who had ever been in love knew. Maybe in a deep, dark corner of her heart Alexa was still wishing for more for them, but Jim being legally married was a problem beyond her power or money to solve. All she could do—all any of their friends could do—was just keep being the kind a friend Jim and Lauren could count on.
*** *** ***
The lunch crowd at her mother’s favorite Italian restaurant was heavy, but her mother never had trouble getting a table there. This was not, Lauren mused, because Lydia McCarthy was charming and they loved her, but rather because she would ruthlessly report the restaurant as having poor service and bad food to every newspaper and food critic in Falls Church.
Lauren knew her mother was not revered, but rather feared by those she favored with her time and business.
“Mother,” Lauren warned after the waiter had deposited mineral waters and some freshly baked bread on the table. “If Jared Smith shows up here today, I’m leaving you to find your own way home.”
“I did not invite Jared to have lunch with us. I wanted to talk to you alone,” Lydia said tightly, frowning. She was marshalling her argument, replaying all the gossip she’d heard. Surely Lauren would want to stop it before it got further out-of-hand.
“Good. I need to tell you something as well,” Lauren said, closing her eyes in relief at not having to deal with Jared as well as tell her mother about moving in with Jim.
“Lauren, people are saying you’re sleeping with James Gallagher. Some have seen you having dinner together in public. James told me very specifically you were just friends when I saw him at your house. Are you sleeping with him now?” Lydia demanded.
“What James said at the time he saw you was mostly true. But—the short answer is yes, I am involved with him now. I plan to move in with him,” Lauren said, breaking off a piece of bread and dipping it in fragrant smelling olive oil and herbs. She closed her eyes in bliss.
“Lauren—James is a married man. You’ve always been so well respected in this community. No married man is worth destroying your reputation. You simply have to stop this nonsense,” Lydia implored, using her most cajoling voice.
“Mother, I understand your concerns, but I need you to trust me that the situation is not as bad as it seems. I know perfectly well James is married. He doesn’t live with his wife and is not intimate with anyone but me. That’s all I need to know to be happy,” Lauren said, her enjoyment of the bread dimmed by her mother’s criticism.
“Lauren—he’s using you. Married men do not leave their wives. If they did, they would leave the next woman too. Faithfulness is illusion, darling, but legal relationships at least offer some rewards.
Lydia looked off, not liking what she had to tell Lauren, but there really was no choice.
“James Gallagher has already cost you the charity work you love so much. Are you really willing to give up everything else you love for him?” Lydia asked.
“What do you mean?” Lauren asked in return, gut tightening at her mother’s snide tone. “What has Jim cost me?”
“The country club is unwilling to host your product launch because James Gallagher came by to ask about you. His lack of discretion just made all the rumors flying around everywhere about your dating him worse. The board members started talking about all the charity work you two did together, and they decided it would be bad if all the paying members figured out you’d been using the club for your trysts with him,” Lydia. “They decided it was best to keep a low profile with you for a while.”
“Trysts?” Lauren chirped, her voice breaking. “What trysts? No one uses that word anymore. I
wasn’t using the club for anything except the work I did for them, work I did for free all those years. I don’t get it. They black-listed me from renting the facility because of what they think I did with Jim?”
Lydia lifted a hand in a gesture of helplessness. “If you stop seeing him now, I’m sure this will all blow over in a year.”
Lauren leaned back in her chair while her mind raced. No wonder Sydney’s request had been refused in the middle of one of the emptiest months of the year. It appeared the notorious Lauren McCarthy was not getting any more favors from the organization she’d served for years and years.
It was both enlightening and sad to Lauren to know all her good deeds hadn’t kept her sainthood in place, hadn’t meant enough for people who knew her to assume the best about her, regardless of how things looked. She had raised thousands of dollars for their causes, made the country club and its members look sterling in the community.
Their betrayal of her hit deep.
“Mother, I was dating other men when Jim came by to ask about me at the club. I saw him the night of the fundraiser thank you dinner, and still I wasn’t involved with him then either. We sat and talked for about twenty minutes. The man didn’t touch me in public. I don’t get what could possibly be concluded by our doing nothing more than talking to each other. You’re on the board, Mother. Did you speak up to defend me? Did anyone?” Lauren demanded.
“Jane Meniski tried to speak on your behalf, saying the situation was not what it seemed. She’s a very prominent board member, but everyone knows she was living with her husband for almost two years before his divorce was final,” Lydia said, dismissing it with a wave. “She’s hardly in a position to defend anyone’s morality.”
“Barrett’s ex-wife refused to sign the property settlement. That was not Jane’s fault,” Lauren said, closing her eyes against what was becoming all too clear to her. “I don’t think they did anything wrong.”
All the years she’d spent being discreet, not dating—none of it had mattered. People only saw the bad, the scandalous, and whatever was easiest to judge. Jane had defended her. God bless the woman. Lauren would have to thank her sometime.
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