“Do you really think we should?”
“Losing my last girlfriend changed things for me. I didn’t think I was going to be able to find someone else, and then I met you. Now I know I was just looking in the wrong places.”
“It’s just dinner. I’m not making any promises about a future relationship.”
“That’s fine.” He smiled. “Just having a chance to talk about the possibility is something I’m grateful for, especially considering what’s happened since you started working.”
“You aren’t your family, any more than I’m mine. I just hope you remember that if my family do something stupid.”
***
“There have been pictures of you in the paper, Aliyah.”
Aliyah shook her head. It was the call she’d been waiting for, and hoped wouldn’t come. “I know there have.”
“Who is the man you’re with?”
“My employer, Brett Chambers.”
“Why, exactly, was he taking you out for dinner?”
“That, Mother, is none of your business, and hasn’t been since I was eighteen. I will spend time with anyone I want to.”
“Your brothers are thinking about getting a flight over to where you are, in order to check on you. I think that’s a good idea, because you should know better than to date a white man.”
“Like I said he’s my employer.”
“Do you really think I don’t know what happened with the last person who employed you? I know you’re doing your best to keep us at arm’s length, but I still learn everything I need to know, because I care about you. I don’t want you to make the same mistakes my sister did.”
“Aunt Jen is happy, Mother, even if you don’t want to believe that. She’s with a man who loves her.” Aliyah realised that was exactly what she wanted. To be with a man who loved her, no matter what skin colour he had, and it was what she’d been hunting for her whole life. “If you let my brothers get on a plane I will call the police to warn them there are some dangerous men who might be after Brett Chambers.”
“You’d put that man ahead of your family.”
“Considering what my family have put me through over the years I would.”
“Have put you through?”
“I take it you’ve forgotten what my brothers did to Max.”
“He deserved it. He was trying to seduce you.”
“No, he wasn’t. He’d taken me out, because the two of us liked each other, and when they found out they made the decision I was too good for Max. They’re just lucky no one pressed charges. Had I been in Max’s position I would have done. They didn’t deserve his mercy. They never have done, and they never will do.” Aliyah made a choice then she never thought she’d made. “I’m going to be blocking your number, Mother, because I can’t do this any longer. I am who I am. If I want to spend time with a white man I will. There is nothing you can do to stop me.”
“Aliyah…”
Before her mother could say anything more Aliyah had hung up. It was a relief. Dealing with her family had never been something she enjoyed, and she wouldn’t have to any longer, at least after her brothers had done what she knew they were going to do. Breathing deeply she called one of the officers she’d dealt with when she’d been attacked, knowing that was the best way of passing on the information to the police. Once that was done she was going to have to warn Brett.
***
Everyone knew something was happening, but they didn’t know what the something was. Aliyah did. She waited patiently for more information, hoping security had been able to stop her brothers before they got anywhere near Brett, because she knew better than to go looking for it. Finally, after what felt like hours, Brett appeared in her doorway, grinning in a way he probably shouldn’t have been. “Hi.”
“Hi.” She couldn’t stop herself from smiling back. “How did it go?”
“You were right. Your brothers did try to attack me, but security stopped them. At the same time the police arrived, because they’ve been following your brothers for a couple of days now, thanks to a tip they received from their sister.” He shook his head. “You picked me over your family.”
“You picked me over yours.”
“Maybe.” Their eyes met. “Does that mean something?”
“I think it probably does, but I don’t know if I’m ready for that conversation.”
“Be honest with me, Ally. Are you ever going to be ready for that conversation?”
“Probably not.” She looked down at her keyboard and then back at Brett. “I do want to have it. I just can’t have it right now. Not when I know my brother have just been arrested.”
“I also called someone I know I shouldn’t have done, but I wanted him to know you’d done the right thing.”
“Max. How did you find him?”
“It was easy enough to look into the records of all the students at your school and find out who he was. He deserved to know, and he’s happy for you. From what he said I think he understood from the beginning that what they did had nothing to do with you, and he never once blamed you for the choices they made.”
“I did. I should have known. My family, apart from my aunt, has always thought of themselves as superior, and even the thought of me being with a white man is too much for them. When I went out with Max I did my best to keep it from them. I was trying to protect him as best I could while also giving myself a chance to have a vaguely normal life. I should have know that wasn’t going to happen with my family.”
“What’s the next step for you?”
“I’ve already cut them out. I was just waiting for my brothers to do what I knew they were going to do, to keep me safe from anyone they believe is less than me, but it’s not up to them. I’m going to date whoever it is I want to be with, without letting them get in the way.”
“Good.” Brett smiled. “You know where I am when you’re ready to have the difficult conversation.”
“I do.” She reached out to touch his hand. “I’ll take as little time as I can, because you’ve already waited long enough. I wish this was easier.”
***
Standing on Brett’s doorstep holding a bag with a take-away in was one of the most nerve-wracking things Aliyah had ever done. When he finally answered the door, covered in sweat, he grinned. “Now that is not what I was expecting.”
“What have you been doing?”
“Working out.” He took her hand and drew her into the house. “I’m a cowboy, Ally, and I need to stay strong.”
“Yeah, but this…” She stared at him. “I didn’t know this place was as big as this.”
“It’s a part of the ranch, and it’s been growing as long as the ranch has. Most of the time it’s pretty empty here. I always thought it was perfect for a family, but I haven’t found the right person to have that family with, and I’ve always done what I can to keep work and my home life separate. That’s why I created the offices. It was definitely the best decision I made, because I can always come here and relax.”
“You never bring work home?”
“Most of the time I take any work I have to do over to the office. It’s only a five minute walk.” He shook his head. “Let me have a quick shower and get changed. Whatever you’ve brought with you smells wonderful. Make yourself at home and then we’ll talk about anything you want to.”
Before she could reply he’d walked off. Uncertain what she was doing Aliyah went hunting for the kitchen, because she knew that was where she’d feel most comfortable, but finding her way around wasn’t easy to do. When she finally reached it she stopped. It was bigger than her apartment. What was she doing? Brett was rich. She had enough to pay rent on her small apartment, make sure her bills were paid, and buy groceries. She’d never really wanted anything more. As she tried to make herself feel like the kitchen could be hers she realised it was impossible. Her life and his were too different. She should never have thought it was possible for the two of them to be anything more than employer and employee
.
“Ally, stop it.”
“How do you know what I’m doing?”
“I can tell be how tense you are.” Brett put his hands on her shoulders. “This world took me a long time to accept too. I wasn’t born rich. I worked to get the money I did, and I worked hard. Everything I have is because I worked.”
“I’ve worked all my life and don’t have anything like this.”
“Luck also played a part.” He sighed. “You don’t have to move in straight away. We can take as long as you need to come to terms with all of this, but I want to share it with you.” He kissed the top of her head. “I know you’re here because you wanted to give us a chance too.”
“That was until I realised this isn’t my world.”
“It could be. Don’t think too much about this now. Let’s focus on having something to eat, and then we can go from there.”
***
The living space was even bigger. Aliyah sat on the sofa trying to make herself feel comfortable, but she wasn’t getting anywhere. Brett watched her, looking worried, which wasn’t helping. “We can spend more time at your apartment.”
“I don’t think that’s the problem.” She looked around the room. “The problem is the fact I don’t have any money, and you have millions. It’s more than I could ever have imagined earning in a lifetime.”
“It’s more than I could have imagined earning.” He sighed. “All I’ve ever wanted to do is find someone I can share what I have with, and I was really hoping you were going to be the one. I… when I met you I knew there was something special about you, Ally, and now I’m even more certain of it. You deal with difficult situations so calmly. I don’t know how you do it.”
“There’s no point in stressing over things you can’t change, and it’s easy enough to find the things you can.” She stuck a fork into a piece of chicken. “I couldn’t do anything about my family. I could stop them from hurting you. It really was as simple as that.”
“Why are you stressing over the fact I have money? That’s not something you can change.”
“No, it’s not, but I can change how I deal with that.” She ran her tongue over her bottom lip. “I don’t think you’re going to like what I’m about to say. However one way of dealing with the fact you have money is to decide this isn’t going to work out.”
“How can you make that decision without trying first?”
“How can I try when I’m so uncomfortable with all of this? I want to, but the more time I spend here the more I feel like I don’t think things could work between us. This isn’t the life I wanted. I never thought I’d end up having more money than I knew what to do with. I like being certain of every cent I earn. This is… I don’t know how to put how I feel into words, Brett, but this is like the spider calling to the fly. I feel like I’m the fly and I’m going to get caught in a web I can’t get out of.”
“All we can really do in order to change that is take things one day at a time. The only thing I’m certain of right now is that I really want to give us a chance. I think I’m falling in love with you, Ally, and I can’t let you go. I know I should. I know I shouldn’t be pushing you into this if you really are that uncomfortable with it all, but I promise you we can make this work.”
“There’s no possible way you can know that. This could all fall apart next week.”
***
For a few seconds Aliyah stood in front of the door. “I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to apologise for.”
She turned to look at him. “Yes, I do. I thought this was something I could do, but I was wrong, and I know how much that must have hurt you.”
“Can I do one thing?”
“What?”
“Can I kiss you?”
Even though she knew it was a bad idea she nodded. “If that’s what you really want to do.”
“It is.” He took hold of one of her hands and drew her a little closer to him. “Tell me if you are uncomfortable with this at any point, and I’ll stop.”
She nodded again. “I will.”
They stared at each other, his eyes going from hers to her lips, and she couldn’t help thinking he was gathering his courage. Eventually he pressed his lips gently to hers. It was barely a kiss to begin with. Then she responded, unable to stop herself. Suddenly his body was pressed to the door by his. Her hands were tangling themselves into his hair. Gently he put his hands under her ass and picked her up, carrying her back into the house. When she found herself back in the living room she didn’t feel anywhere near as uncertain as she had done before. She kissed him harder, wishing she’d had the courage to do it before. Together they dropped onto the sofa, their bodies tangling together, and she reached her hand down to undo his jeans.
In seconds they were both naked, staring at each other, their clothes scattered all over the room. “You’re beautiful.” He stroked a hand down her cheek. “I’ve wanted to do this for weeks, but I haven’t had the courage to tell you.”
Aliyah didn’t know how to reply, so she didn’t. She wasn’t going to make things any more difficult than they already were. Smiling, she ran her hands over his body, hoping that was going to be enough for him. It seemed to be, because he was fumbling in his jeans for something she hoped was a condom. When he pulled it out she couldn’t help laughing. “Do you always keep one of those in there?”
“Only when I think I might be getting lucky with you.” He slowly rolled it onto his cock. “If you don’t want me to do this you have to tell me now.”
“I want it.”
“That’s a relief.” He moved, so he was hovering over her, and she stared up into his dark eyes. “I thought you were going to tell me to stop for a moment.”
“Not now. I want this. Maybe tomorrow I’m going to have regrets, but I’m not going to think about that. All I want to do is think about the moment.”
“Good plan.” Slowly he slipped into her, and she realised she was wet. “We can think about tomorrow when it comes.”
Instead of saying anything more Aliyah focused on the sensation of his cock being deep inside her. It was one of the most wonderful things she’d felt. She stroked her hands over him, unable not to see the difference in their skin colour, and she found that more fascinating than anything else. Being white didn’t make him any less or any more than she was. It just made him a different colour, and it was silly to focus so much on that. At the same time it was something she couldn’t help focusing on. His nipples were pink, and erect, and she touched them, her brown fingers looking so different against the pink. Grinning, he grabbed hold of her free hand, and twined their fingers together, while his other hand stroked down her body.
“You are perfect.”
“No, I’m not.” She laughed. “You, on the other hand, may well be.” She stroked his nipple again, and he stroked her clit. “That’s good.”
“Tell me what you like, Ally.”
“I like you touching me.”
“How much do you like me touching you?”
“I can’t put that into words. How much do you like me touching you?”
“I’m the same.” He kissed her, their tongues touching. “I love you, Aliyah, and I want to make this work.”
“We can talk about that tomorrow.”
“Only if you stay the night.” He squeezed her hand. “I want to make the most of this magnificent body while I can.”
“Brett…”
“Please. This might be my only chance.”
“Okay.” She tangled her hand into his hair and tugged his lips back down to hers. “Fuck me.”
He did as she wanted. He thrust deep into her, while his fingers stroker her clit. At the same time he dipped his head down, to take one of her nipples into his mouth, and she moaned. Until his lips were there she hadn’t know how cold her nipples were. His mouth was almost too warm, and the sensation of having him inside her, above her, around her, was almost more than she could deal with. She wrapped her legs tight around him, forcing
him a little deeper into her, and he moaned around her nipple. He increased the pressure on her clit, and she felt herself tensing around him. She knew what that meant. Far sooner than she wanted she released, cumming hard around him, while he was cumming deep inside her, their bodies shuddering together. Seeming spent he collapsed on top of her.
“That was good.” He kissed her neck. “Thank you.”
“Why are you thanking me? You did most of the work.”
“I just… I never thought this was going to happen.” He sighed. “We talk about the future tomorrow, not now.”
“Yes, we do.” She kissed him. “How about you show me your bedroom? If I’m going to be staying there tonight it would be good to know where it is, and how I get from there to the bathroom and the kitchen.”
Nodding, he pushed himself up. “I can do that.” He smiled. “Do you want your clothes first?”
***
Aliyah made her way down to the kitchen, ignoring the slight discomfort she felt between her legs. She’d lost count of the number of times the two of them had slept together, and she knew there’d been one time when she woke up to him inside her, which wasn’t something that bothered her. Brett was still asleep. He’d been the one in control most of the time, so it was obvious why he was so tired. As she walked through the house she’d been so uncomfortable in the night before she realised it wasn’t the house she was uncomfortable with. It was her belief he couldn’t possible want her. Obviously she’d been very wrong about that, but she wouldn’t have known if it hadn’t been for him asking to kiss her.
She turned on the coffee machine. Brett had set it up before they’d gone to be, to make it easier for her, and Aliyah was grateful for that. She didn’t think she’d have been able to focus on sorting that out while she was trying to come to terms with her own thoughts. Being alone did make it easier. If she’d been in bed with Brett all she’d have been able to focus on was him. Sighing, she brushed a hand through her hair. She wanted to be with him. It was obvious he wanted to be with her. Was that something the two of them could make work? He had so much more money than she did.
The Alpha Billionaire's Unexpected Baby: A Billionaire BWWM Pregnancy Romance Page 9
