Leo (Members From Money Season 2 #144)

Chapter 16

She closed her eyes and purred as he hit the spot on her feet. His clever fingers kneaded the tight muscles and sent satisfaction coursing through her body. As soon as she opened her eyes, she read the expression on his handsome face and knew what was coming.

“Okay, fine. Let’s hear it.”

“Hear what?” His tone was deceptively mild as he continued to massage the skin.

“I can hear you thinking.” She wriggled her toes and eased back on the pillows.

“Your extraordinary talents stretches to mind reading now? I am impressed.”

“Okay, knock off the sarcasm. I am overdoing it. Satisfied?”

“Are you overdoing it?” His tone was still mild as his hands slid up towards her calves and started on them. “Are you suggesting that being six months pregnant with a series of pregnancy related complications should at least have you slowing down.” He efficiently pressed his fingers against the tight flesh and almost had her singing.

“It was just nausea, dreadful episodes and yes, swollen ankles. I refuse to let anything like that slow me down. Besides, I am your wife and that means I have to be by your side.

Not to mention the fact that those amoral bitches have been coming left right and center. Apparently bearing your name and carrying your son means nothing to them. Who the hell was that bitch wearing the tight red dress?”

He ducked his head and concentrated fiercely on his task, biting back a smile. He did not think his wife would appreciate his humor at the moment.

“Her name is Gabrielle, and we met in France.”

“You slept with her, didn’t you?”

“Technically, we did not sleep...,” he caught the fierce expression on her lovely face and decided some diplomacy and careful thinking was called for.

“It was a very long time ago.”

“How long?”

“Too long for me to recall.” Lifting her left foot, he tried to distract her by pulling her big toe into his mouth. But either she was not in the mood, or the subject was far too interesting for her to let it go.

“She was all over you.”

With a sigh, he put her foot down and continued the massage. “She was just giving me a hug. European women tend to be … handsy and very expressive.” That got him a kick in the stomach and a dark frown.

“You kissed her.”

“On the cheek. Darling, why are we having this discussion and why has it suddenly changed from the fact that I am mad at you for insisting on coming everywhere with me?” He frowned at her.

“Bad enough, you insisted on being there for the opening of ‘The Duchesse’” – the hotel had finally had its grand opening and as predicted it had been spectacular.

They had spent a week in Paris seeing to the details and attending the grandiose opening. Her ideas had been incorporated in the design and had been wildly successful. “But you have been to several dinners which I could tell from the look on your very expressive face that you were bored out of your skull.”

“I want to be with you.”

He eyed her for a minute, before turning to pick up the bottle of cocoa butter cream he rubbed on her stomach every night.

“Sherrian.”

“What?”

“I would like to think that I do not have to prove myself to you. I have been in love with you for almost three years now and that love has grown even stronger. What is going on?”

“I am pregnant!” She muttered, placing a hand over her belly. After suffering from some acute nausea, she had gone past that and was now eating everything in sight. She often complained both to her husband and Michael that she felt like a very pregnant elephant.

“That you are.” Slipping the dress off her shoulders, he unhooked her bra and felt his body stirring at the wide nipples.

“And fat.”

“Which comes with the pregnancy. I do not have to tell you that you are the most beautiful woman in the world.”

“You’re just saying that because you have to,” she pouted.

“I am saying that because it’s the truth.” He cupped her breasts and started to massage the flesh. “How can you doubt that I would ever desire anyone else?”

“Women chase after you and they are not very subtle. Last week when we were having dinner at Le Cirque, one came up to you and pretended I was not even there.”

“A business associate and I set her straight.”

She shrugged and looked away. “I am insecure, after…”

“No.” Lifting a hand, he got a tight grip on her chin, forcing her to face him. “We are not doing that again.” His eyes were dark, his expression ominous. “I am not him, goddammit! How many times do I have to prove that I am never going to cheat on you?

I am irrevocably, head over heels, impossibly in love with you. Every breath I take, I taste you, feel you. Damn you, Sherrian.” Capping the bottle, he shoved to his feet.

“I’m sorry…”

“To hell with that!” His anger exploded. “We have been going through this very same damn dance for the past few months. You keep comparing me to that- that bastard. He is dead but still standing between us. Without trust, what the hell is the point of us being together?”

“You don’t know how I feel!” Her chest burned with fear and yes, jealousy and insecurity. He was a very attractive man in more ways than one. He was important and because of his status and money was treated like royalty.

Women stared at him everywhere they went and if she was being honest with herself, she attended these functions because she feared that he was going to take one of them up on their invitations, which at times were not subtle, and go home with them.

Their sex life had slowed down because of some health issues she was having. Their love life was tumultuous, and she knew before now, he could not keep his hands off her. Now, aside from rubbing cream on her belly and breasts, he was careful to avoid touching her.

“You think I am having sexual fantasies for other women. That I am going to leave my pregnant wife and go to someone else. It does not matter that I am here every goddamn night. And that I have showed you over and over how much you mean to me.”

He started to drag his fingers through his hair when he remembered he had cream on them. As he was about to turn away to go to the bathroom, she cried out.

“You don’t touch me. It has been a week now and you have not touched me.”

He turned to around and felt his heart shifting at the shattered look on her beautiful face.

“I have not touched you because you have been in pain. I have spent the last seven days in torment, wanting you, craving you and unable to do anything about it. It is you.’

His voice turned weary. “It always has and always will be you. The fact that you have to question how I feel…”

“It’s me.” She whispered, closing her eyes briefly. “God! I hate that I am like this. I cannot believe that a man can love a woman like me. You can have anyone…”

“I want you.” He came and sat on the edge of the bed. “I only want you. I cannot look at another woman. I only see you.” She was still naked from the top down. Spanning her wide girth, he shuddered when he felt his son moving.

“I need you more than the air I breathe and not having you is…,” he took in a deep breath. “It is killing me, but I am trying to convince myself that I am not a monster.

“I need you.” She placed her hands over his. “I need to feel you deep inside me. The issues will always be there, and we can work around them. Right now, I need my husband.”

His eyes darkened and the emotions stormed through him like a tidal wave.

“Baby…”

“Please.” She clutched his hands. “I feel like I am about to die if you’re not deep inside me.”

That did it. His control, which was teetering at best, simply broke. Dragging his hands from hers, he practically tore at his clothing. Sliding in next to her, he turned her around, so that he could spoon her. His hands were trembling, and it took several tries for him to guide himself into her wet tightness.

“Baby, my sweet.” He bent his head to nuzzle her neck. “My life,” his voice broke as she pushed her bottom up against him. He went deep and wanted to go deeper still, to touch her soul, to forge himself to her so that they would become one. It would never be enough.

As soon as he thought he had reached the pinnacle of his love for her, there was more. He splayed his hands over the evidence of their shared love and absolute joy. They had a son they had created together.

“I adore you.” He whispered, one hand drifting down to cup her sex. “You’re my life.” He toyed with the swollen flesh and had her fragmenting.

“Leo!”

“Yes, darling.” He tongued the lobe of her ear, holding her close as the climax slammed and shook through her body. Twisting her head around, she sought his lips, and the kiss took on a potency that had her climaxing again.

He followed close behind her, his hips shooting upwards as he drove into her. He called out her name, his voice hoarse as the climax took over and carried him along in its violent wake.

They talked. With him still buried deep inside her, they had a frank conversation about the past.

She told him how she felt when she lost both her parents.

“I think the sense of abandonment started from there. I know they had no choice – that given the option, they would still be here for me. But losing both of them at the same time tore something inside me.”

He caressed her belly and felt a jolt at the slight movements there. “That is natural. Darling, you suffered a tremendous loss.”

“Yes.” Her fingers linked with his and she felt the familiar wonderment that she had his love. That he was here with her and that he loved her. Really loved her.

“When I met Greg…,” she paused when he stiffened. “If you are not comfortable with me talking about him…”

“I am fine baby.” He reassured her. “It is just a kneejerk reaction. Go on.”

“Okay.” She blew out her breath. “When I met him, he said all the right things. He was sympathetic and pretended to be understanding.

He promised to be there for me, and I guess that I was lonely and needing to feel that there was someone there for me.” She leaned into him and sighed. “And I was absorbed with my baking and determined to make it.”

“Nothing is wrong with that.” He kissed the back of her neck. “I would never stifle your dreams; you know that don’t you?”

She nodded. “I have been thinking.”

“What?”

“I want to be here for you as your wife and the mother of Chad…”

“We have not decided that’s the name we’re using.” She had been writing down names and he had been edging to make a final decision. “And I do not know if I like the name Chad. It sounds like a cookie.”

Turning her head, she gave him a wry look. “Really?”

“How about Mark or Matthew or Leo Jnr…?”

“We already talked about that. No junior.”

“It’s a very good name.”

“Be that as it may, we are not naming our son after you.”

“Why the hell not?”

“He is going to have his own identity.”

“As Leo the second, he will.”

“Nope.” She lifted her head and kissed him on the lips.

“Okay fine. How about Matthew? It happens to be my middle name.”

“That can work. Your dad’s name was Levi and mine was William – okay, your dad wins. Matthew Levi it is.”

He thought about it some and nodded. “I like it. What were you saying before?”

“I want to cut back. I am thinking of having Ingrid come in and manage the place. She admitted to me that she is bored out of her skull and Ben is doing something part-time. She could come in four times a week.

I could do most of my baking here.” She turned her head to look at him. “I want to bring up my son, darling. I want to be here for his first steps and hear him say his first words, hopefully, it will be ‘mama’,” she smiled her impish smile and had him melting.

“I am not against hiring someone to help with the day-to-day duties, like changing diapers and being with him when I have to bake, but I want to be the main person in his life. What do you think?”

“I think I am the most fortunate man in the entire world.” He told her huskily. “And if that’s what you want, then I am behind you all the way.”

“Good, it is settled. I love you so much, Leo.”

“That’s handy, because I happen to love you too.”

*****

“Honey, take the load off. You look like you’re about to pop any minute now.” Ingrid pulled out a chair and waited for her to sit. “What on earth are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be resting.”

“I sneaked out. Elly was doing some laundry, and I was bored out of my skull.” She rubbed her swollen abdomen absently. “And I cannot settle. I am restless.

The nursery is finally finished with, and Leo refuses to let me lift a pin.” She grimaced and shifted to ease her aching back. “I would like very much for this guy to make his way out and give me some ease.”

“You’re two weeks away?”

She nodded. “And I am under house arrest. My husband has not been out of town in a month, and I know it is because of me.”

“Honey, let me get you some tea.”

“I want coffee, preferably a latte.” She rolled her eyes at the look on her friend’s face. “Fine. Tea then.” She looked around the wide space and realized how much she missed being here. She had told her husband she was scaling things down, but that did not mean she did not miss it.

And she had been having twinges on and off since this morning, something she had not told her husband about. Leo tended to get paranoid when it came to her pregnancy and the closer she got to her due date, the more vigilant he became.

She just needed a breather. She had spent so much time in the lovely blue-green nursery, a mirror of her husband’s eyes, that she had folded and refolded the tiny clothing and rearranged the stuff toys until she was tired of the task. There really was nothing to do and nowhere to go.

Smiling at her friend, she accepted the lemon tea and took a sip. “Thanks.”

“Now, why don’t you tell me what’s really going on?”

“I am going to be a mother.”

“And an excellent one you will be. You also have a man who adores you and caters to you. Honey, you are blessed.”

She nodded and took another fortifying sip of tea. The place was a little bit quiet now, since it was late afternoon, and the heavy foot traffic was over. “I keep having this recurring nightmare.”

“What is it about?”

“It is silly and I know if I mention it to Leo, he is going to worry. I keep seeing myself in the maternity ward and the doctors saying that it is too late and I am losing my son. There is a lot of blood. Leo is there and he is crying. The fact that he is, tells me something is dreadfully wrong.”

“You have been to get your usual checkup, right?”

“Just last week and everything is fine.”

“It’s just the anxiety talking and manifesting itself in a dream.”

“Maybe.” She shrugged. “I never thought I wanted my baby and now, if anything were to happen…”

“Stop this at once.” Ingrid said firmly. “In two weeks or less, you will be delivering a healthy baby boy and from the looks of you and that handsome husband of yours, he’s going to be breaking hearts the rest of his life.”

Leaning forward, she touched Sherrian’s hand. “Take a deep breath, go home and watch something silly on TV, read a book or do a puzzle and just relax.”

“I might just do that. Thanks.”

*****

Instinctively, Leo knew that something was horribly wrong. The meeting had been going on for several minutes and the urge to call his wife was getting worse.

When he looked up and saw his assistant hovering inside the doorway of the conference room, he shoved back his chair and without a word to the men seated around the table, rushed towards her.

“What is it?”

“Your wife.” She pursed her lips and clasped her hands. “She was involved in an accident.”

“What hospital?”

“St. Luke’s.” She called out as he rushed towards the door.

*****

“Anything yet?”

“No.” His response was terse. “You should go on home. I will call…”

“I am not leaving.” Michael told him firmly. Ingrid and her aunt are still in the waiting room.”

Shoving his hands into the pockets of his ash gray dress pants, Leo felt as if he was going to go mad if he did not hear something soon. The doctors had updated him as soon as he arrived.

Someone had cut her off at the intersection and the driver’s side had taken most of the hit. She was bleeding internally, and they were fighting to save both her and his son. He had told the man in no uncertain terms that his wife was the priority.

“You should tell them to go home.” He was practically jumping out of his skin.

“You know that is not going to happen. Why don’t I get you some coffee…?”

“Why don’t you just leave me the hell alone!”

“I understand…”

“Oh, I am absolutely certain you don’t. My entire life is inside that operating room. I specifically told her to stay the hell at home and she just had to go out, didn’t she? She just could not do as she was told.

Damn her! Damn her to hell! If she dies, Christ Jesus…,” he flopped down on the chair as if someone had pulled the cords. “If she dies, there is nothing left for me.”

Michael watched helplessly as the usually powerful and confident man crumpled, tears falling down his cheeks.

*****

“Your son survived the trauma. We had to do a C-section in order to save his life.” The man looked completely exhausted as he dragged the skull cap off his unruly white hair.

“My wife?” Leo asked tersely.

“Is still under the anesthesia but will make a full recovery.” Dr, Manning smiled slightly. “She is quite a fighter. For a minute there, we thought we lost her, but she bounced back. Most of the trauma was to her abdomen, but your son was adequately cushioned.” The operation had lasted five long and agonizing hours.

“I need to see her.”

“Of course. They are wheeling her into recovery right now.”

“Could you tell the others…”

“Of course. Go on in.”

She had a bandage on her forehead and her right arm was in a sling and she was so still that he was afraid the doctor had lied to him, and she was in fact dead.

Rushing over, he carefully sat on the chair and took her hand in his to feel her pulse which was steady.

Breathing a sigh of relief, he put her hand against his jaw and breathed out slowly.

“You’re going to be the death of me,” he whispered. “I am so mad at you right now; I would strangle you. I told you to stay put, didn’t I? But you had to have your own way and looked what nearly happened. If I had lost you…?”

He swallowed the lump in his throat. “I would have…” he kissed her palm gently. “I cannot even think about it. Not now. Not ever. You promised me a lifetime and I am holding you to it.”

*****

Three weeks later…

“He’s getting so big.” She whispered as she stared down at her son who was sleeping soundly in his cot.

“How long have you been standing there?” Her husband asked in an indulgent tone.

“Five minutes.” She grinned at his raised brows. “Okay, ten or fifteen.”

“Make that twenty.” Scooping her carefully into his arms, he marched out of the nursery and into their bedroom. He had taken a month away from the office to tend to her and to see that she was fully recovering from the accident that had almost cost her life and his sanity.

“I was thinking.” He sat with her on his lap on the sleep chair they had acquired for when she was feeding Matthew.

“That we should start on our daughter?” She asked teasingly.

He gave her a wry look. “That we should take mother up on her offer and fly to the UK and spend a week or two. She wants to spend some time with her grandson and her sister is declining rapidly, making it difficult for her to travel.”

“Sounds like a wonderful idea.” Her hand cupped his jaw. “I love you Leo. Thanks for giving me what I have been craving all my life.”

Tilting her chin up, he brushed his lips on hers gently. “Thank you for my life.”

The end… but wait:

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