by Lexy Timms
“No. To get ammo to use against you,” he snarled. “Your boss isn’t the kind of guy I want you seeing, and the judge will agree with me.”
“Why? Because Simon proves you wrong?” she asked. “Because he wants me and that makes every insult you ever tossed at me a lie?”
“Enough.” He scowled at her. “This is the first guy you’ve been with since me. In fact, in your whole life, you’ve only ever been with two guys. You have no idea how to handle a real relationship. And Finn needs a mother who is careful and knows what she’s doing.”
She might have only been with two men, but at least she had loved Simon once. Maybe she didn’t love him now, but she cared about him deeply. Her connection Simon was more than physical now. There wasn’t a day that went by that she didn’t think of Simon. And she was tired of feeling guilty about that.
“At first, I really thought you were coming after me because you were jealous of Simon or something,” she said. “That might be part of it, but you’re more than jealous. You never thought I’d amount to anything without you, and it’s killing you to see me try to get some happiness now that you’re out of the picture.”
“Watch what you accuse me of, Heather,” he warned.
She crossed her arms. “Are you threatening me?”
“I don’t need to,” he said. “As long as I have a chance to get my son away from you, you’ll do as I say.”
“No, I won’t.” She didn’t know if she’d end up regretting her defiance, but she was too angry and disgusted to keep her anger inside. Their marriage had been a disaster, but he didn’t have the right to keep trying to control her like this.
“Reporters have been coming after you, and that puts my son in danger,” he said. “Which is why I’m sure the judge would love to hear what a danger you and your rich boyfriend pose to Finn.”
Her hands balled up into fists so tight her nails dug into her skin. This was the angriest she had ever been at Gary, and if she could have tossed the glass of juice in his face without drawing attention she would have. “Simon and I have done everything to shield Finn from reporters.” To the point where Simon had invited her to stay at his apartment, so they wouldn’t be followed to her place by overzealous photographers. Simon barely knew Finn, but he’d stepped up to try to protect her son. Which was more than she could say about Gary.
“I don’t need to hear another word of this,” Gary muttered.
“Why? Because this isn’t going the way you planned? Did you think you could force me to listen to your threats and lies?” She narrowed her eyes. “That’s why you wanted me in a public place. You wanted me to be so afraid of making a scene that you’d either get me to say something incriminating to placate you, or you’d say something that scared me so much I’d give up on fighting for custody.”
“Shut up.”
“Don’t you dare speak to me that way,” she snapped. “I know my moving on has destroyed all the lies you tried to bully me with when we were married. You claimed I was nothing without you.”
His face was turning bright red, his eyes bulging. No doubt he hated to see her stand up to him. “If it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t have had Finn.”
“You’re right, Gary,” she said, choking back tears. Her anger was giving way to hurt. Hurt that a man she’d been married to for so long could be such a hateful, spiteful person. All because she was starting to see that all the horrible things he had said to her might not be true. All because she dared to find happiness without him. Hot tears stung the back of her eyes, but she refused to cry in his presence. “Without you, I would never have had Finn. But now you’re trying to take Finn away. Not share custody with me. Flat out take him away from me forever. You’re using him as a pawn against me. You no longer have any control over me, but the one thing you can use against me is our son. And you don’t even the decency to be ashamed of yourself.”
“I don’t need to listen to any more of this.” He got to his feet. “I’m out of here.”
“You’re the one who insisted on seeing me, remember? Besides, you drove me here,” she pointed out. “How am I supposed to get back to work?”
“I thought you moved on from me,” he spat out. “Figure out how to get back to work on your own.” He glared at her and then stormed out of the deli, leaving her behind.
Tears threatened to fall, but she had to hold it together in public. If someone recognized her and took a photo of her crying, she didn’t think she’d be able to handle the humiliation.
She had to get out of here. Get back to Dover and focus on work to distract her from her anger and pain. Then get home and talk to her lawyer about her argument with Gary. If she was going to protect Finn, she had to make sure her lawyer had as much information as possible.
But first, she actually had to get back to Dover. Hands shaking, she reached into her handbag and grabbed her phone to call the one person she could count on to help her out of here. Simon.
Chapter 17
She settled into the passenger seat beside him, her face pale.
Simon stepped on the accelerator and drove towards Dover. The minute he’d ended the call from Heather he had cut his lunch meeting short and headed down here as fast as possible. She had sounded so unlike herself on the phone. Sad and afraid. When she had explained that she and her ex-husband her argued about their son, his protective instincts started going and he couldn’t do anything to control himself.
He stole a quick glance at her. Tears were starting to slide down her cheeks. “Are you sure you want to go back to work? You don’t look like you’re in any state to be dealing with stress right now.”
She exhaled a shuddering sigh and took off her glasses to brush her tears aside. “Work will get my mind off things.”
“I could drive you to my place or yours,” he offered. “I have no problem with you working from home for the rest of the day. We don’t have any more meetings scheduled for this afternoon.”
“I don’t want to just ditch work,” she said, putting her glasses back on.
“You’re not ditching work. You know what? Take the rest of the day off. I’m here if you need to vent, so don’t worry about heading back to Dover for the afternoon.” His stomach tightened because he knew his motives weren’t entirely altruistic. Simon wanted to soothe her, but he also wanted to be alone with her. Get her to let her guard down while he tried to get information out of her.
He hated that he wondered if Heather’s reaction to her ex was genuine, or if she was making up some sob story to play Simon instead. Maybe she was using a made-up argument with her ex-husband to illicit sympathy she could use against him while she spied on him and Dover.
His thoughts were spinning in crazy directions.
“Are you sure, Simon?” she asked. “I don’t want to put you out.”
Her concern for him despite her own troubles shouldn’t have made him suspicious, but they did. Paranoia was making him question everything she did now. Heather’s kindness seemed nefarious to him now that he had been given reasons to suspect her. The evidence was all circumstantial, but the more he observed her the deeper his suspicions grew.
“I’m sure,” he said. “We can go to my place. It won’t look suspicious if you’re over during office hours.”
She sighed. “I left my car at work.”
“I can always drop you off at Dover when it’s closing time,” he offered.
“Thank you,” she said with a smile. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
WHEN THEY ARRIVED AT his apartment, he led her upstairs and let her inside.
Having her over might very well be dangerous if she really was a spy, but if he was going to solve this he needed to keep her close. That way he had a better chance of getting her to slip up and accidentally reveal something.
“I know we still have to talk about us.” She sank onto the sofa in the living room and let out an exhausted sigh. “I’m not avoiding it, I promise. It’s just, after finally telling you everythin
g at the gallery, I’ve had to grapple with my feelings now that everything is out in the open.”
“I get it.” He sat down beside her and took her hand. “You’re also dealing with Gary.”
“Dammit, I’ve made such a mess of things.” She groaned. “First I get into a fight with you and now Gary.”
He frowned. That was a strange coincidence. Was she playing him against Gary and Gary against him? Maybe she thought she’d get his sympathy if she gave him Gary to focus on as an enemy. He had definitely let his guard down around her every time the subject of Gary came up.
“It’s probably the pressure of the media scrutiny.” He kept his eyes on her, watching for a sign. Searching for anything that might give away what she was really up to.
She bit her lip. “Gary did mention that he didn’t like the reporters. He thinks they might have a negative effect on Finn and, honestly, I think he has a point.”
“That doesn’t mean that Gary has the right to take Finn away from you,” he said. “If he’s so worried about Finn, why doesn’t he make the effort to spend more time with him? You’ve got joint custody. Why doesn’t he make the most of that?”
“Because he probably sees joint custody as a win for me,” she said. “Me getting to have Finn means that I’ve moved on with my life. It means I’m getting on just fine without him. But if he takes Finn, then he knows I’ll never be okay. I’ll never be fine. Finn is my life and Gary knows that.”
“It’s cruel.” In spite of his suspicion about her, he squeezed her hand reassuringly. His trust in her might be eroding, but that didn’t mean he didn’t care about her. It was almost like his feelings for her were pure instinct. Seeing her in pain destroyed him on the inside, and even when he wondered if she was faking it he couldn’t help but react.
She inhaled sharply, as if suppressing a sob.
Watching her in pain felt like a knife plunging into his heart over and over. “Heather.” Simon pulled her close and kissed the top of her head, getting the scent of her feminine, flowery shampoo. Her fragile, delicate body started to shiver in his arms, the heat of her burning right through him. Holding her this close was already making him aroused and he felt like an ass for getting a hard-on while she was in this state.
A soft cry escaped her throat as he held her. She was crying. He didn’t need to see her tears to know that.
Her shoulders heaved, and she pulled out of his arms. “I’m sorry.”
His hands lifted to brush the tears from her cheeks and she offered him a shaky smile in response.
When she looked at him like that, he almost trusted her again. Right now, it didn’t matter if her pain was real or fake. He’d do anything to make it go away.
“Kiss me, Simon,” she urged softly.
Maybe her tears had been a seduction tactic. Maybe they were real. It didn’t matter. His desire for her was overriding his distrust. He had to have her again. Had to.
His mouth captured hers, the sweet taste of her lips mixing with the salt of her tears. Her mouth gave way and he slipped his tongue past her lips. Gathering her in his arms he gently tipped her back, angling her for better access.
A low moan sounded in her throat and her arms wrapped around his shoulders. His tongue collided with hers, sparking a savage heat between them that he had no intention of ever putting out.
Simon’s grip on her tightened, and their bodies were so close together he could feel the soft swell of her breasts against his chest. He groaned, certain she could feel his erection because he was aching for her. Aching to be inside her.
He swirled his tongue into her mouth, priming her for what he wanted to do to her next.
When she tore her lips away from him to break the kiss, disappointment seized him. But then, she reached her hand into her handbag on the coffee table and pulled out a condom.
She licked her lips, pink and swollen from their kissing. Her chest was rising and falling as she let out ragged breath after ragged breath. A blush bloomed in her cheeks and Simon knew that, on some level, this was real for her. It was possible she didn’t have feelings for him, but her arousal was as real as his.
“Do you want to go to the bedroom?” he asked.
“No.” She shook her head, those hazel eyes seducing him. “I want you here.”
Heather might have been a wallflower, but when it came to sex she never held back, no matter how shy she was or was pretending to be.
Her hands pressed against his chest and pushed him down on the sofa. Then she reached down to unbuckle his belt and unzipped his pants. He was rock-hard, and he should probably have gotten out of his clothes, but when Heather sheathed him with the condom he knew that if he wasn’t inside her soon he would explode.
She got to her feet, reached up under her skirt and tugged down her panties, the lacy red fabric sliding down her long legs until they hit the floor.
Damn. His chest went tight at the provocative sight.
Her full lips curved up into a seductive smile and all the sadness that had welled up inside her had vanished. Stark want and need had replaced her tears. Her eyes were glowing with desire, and in this moment Simon didn’t care why he was seducing him. All that mattered was that she wanted him as much as he wanted her. Damn the reasons. Damn the consequences. Being inside her was the only thing that could prevent him from losing his mind.
Heather slowly lifted her skirt, until the hem stopped just above the top of her black stockings. His heart slammed in his chest as he glimpsed a hint of the creamy skin of her thighs.
“Come here,” he commanded.
She did as he told her, lowering herself down onto the sofa until she was straddling him.
Her hand slid down the shaft of his erection and he groaned loudly. Having her wield him like this felt so good, but he needed more. Much more.
His hands gripped her supple thighs, and he looked up at her. Those hazel eyes of hers were now the color of fire. A raging inferno of lust and need. Gone was the shy wallflower. She had been replaced by the passionate, wild Heather that only he had ever been allowed to see.
“Ready for me?” she breathed.
“You know I am,” he choked out.
She lowered herself down onto him, taking him into her slippery depths. She was so wet and warm. Her body’s response to him showed him that at least that part was real. Her arousal was just as real as his. Pleasure crashed through him like an electric shock. He groaned as she started to slide up and down his shaft.
Her gaze locked onto his and she didn’t look away as she moved herself up and then back down, taking his entire length inside her.
A loud moan escaped her throat and she pressed her hands against his chest to steady herself as she ground against him.
As she clenched around him more pleasure jolted through him, eliciting a groan.
Suddenly, her hair escaped the pins that had been holding it up in a bun, and the length of her auburn locks twisted out until her hair fanned wildly around her shoulders. He gazed at her, the sight of her in the throes of passion arousing him even more.
She tossed her head back, moaning loudly. He was on the edge, his body drowning in pleasure that made it hard to breathe.
Another wave of pleasure gripped him, and he came hard and fast. Heather spasmed around him, and when she started panting he knew that she had climaxed, too.
With one last cry she collapsed on top of him and he held her close, his heart hammering so hard he guessed that she could hear it.
“That was...” She inhaled sharply. “You’re amazing.”
“So are you.” He grinned and kissed her damp forehead.
She went silent for a moment and then murmured, “Gary thinks we’re still doing this. So, he isn’t a liar after all.”
“He was a liar when he first told the press that we were still together,” he pointed out. “Is he sure we’re still together?”
“I don’t think he has any proof, but...” Her voice trailed off.
“But what?” he
prompted gently.
“He says from the way you look at me, it’s obvious that something is going on.”
“Oh.” Was he really that transparent? If her own ex-husband could see it, then there really was no denying it. No matter how much he distrusted her, he was so drawn to her that the people around them could tell just by looking at him.
“I don’t know how we’ll be able to keep this from the board if Gary managed to figure it out.” She sighed.
He grimaced. Everett was the most esteemed member of the board, and even though he might not know about the extent of their relationship Simon had told him that they’d spent the night together after the reunion. But if he told Heather that Everett knew about that, there would be all kinds of questions he didn’t want to answer. If he told her what Everett knew, it would only lead to him having to tell her about Everett’s suspicions that she was a spy for their rival. That was too awkward and dangerous a conversation to have right now.
“We just have to lay low for a while, until this blows over,” he said.
“And we still need to have that talk,” she said, and then chuckled. “Maybe without the sex.”
“We will. But this has been a tough week for you. So, I’m going to give you some time to sort through your feelings and we can talk next week if you’re up to it.”
“I’ll be up to it,” she said sleepily. “Thank you, Simon.”
He slipped out from under her and gently helped her lie back down on the sofa.
Her eyes were closed, and her face was relaxed. Their lovemaking must have worn her out, because she was now sound asleep.
As gently as he could he pushed a stray lock of hair out of her face, unable to resist the urge to touch her. To soothe her and protect her from everything.
No. He had to shake that. Had to get rid of every protective instinct he had for her and ruthlessly protect his company.
Needing to clear his head, Simon headed into the bathroom to dispose of the condom and get cleaned up.
When he stepped back out, he found that she was still fast asleep on the sofa.
