Chapter 7
“Uncle Antwan!” the little girl squealed, pigtails flying as she rushed into his arms.
“How is my favorite girl doing?” Lifting her into his arms, he spun her around, much to her delight. Ignoring the inviting looks from some of the mothers who had also arrived to pick up their children, he strode with her to the car and strapped her in.
“You came.”
“I said I would, didn’t I?” Adjusting his mirror, he met her dancing dark brown eyes and felt a pang because they reminded her so much of the woman he was so much in love with.
“How was school?”
“Boring.” She made a face that had him laughing as he pulled away from the curb.
“Care to expound on that?”
He did not have to explain the meaning of the word to her because, as they had all discovered, Marissa Collins was turning out to be a genius. Andre was so gleeful that he was already prepping her for Harvard Law, much to her mother’s despair.
“I finished my work way before the others and had nothing to do.”
“Perhaps we should send you to college and let you skip high school.”
“You sound like my daddy and uncle Alex.” She bounced around in her car seat, reminding him she was still a little girl.
“And you know we are always right.” He sent her a roguish smile.
“Uncle Antwan?”
“Yes?”
“Do you have a girlfriend?”
She was also a very perceptive child, something he kept forgetting.
“Why are you asking?”
“You haven’t been home for several nights, and I wanted to have breakfast with you, but Mommy said you were not there.”
“It could mean I had to work very late and left early in the morning.”
She shook her head. “I could not sleep last night and crept out of my room to knock on your door. When there was no answer, I went in, and you were not there. It was almost morning, and your bed was not slept in.”
Biting off a sigh, he struggled to find an explanation that would suit her. “Yes, I was with someone.”
“Is she nice?”
“Yes, she is.”
“Are you going to bring her to the house?”
“Perhaps sometime in the future. Now, how about we stop at the ice cream place?”
“I would love that. Doesn’t she want to meet us?”
His fingers tightened on the wheel, and he felt the frustration coming to the fore. Being with her put him in a bad situation, and he hated it. He had hoped that after what they had shared, she would have called him, but he had not heard from her, and he was determined not to reach out.
“She is not ready. And if you don’t mind, darling, I want us to drop the subject.” Pulling into the vast parking lot, he unstrapped his belt and turned to look at her. “I would like to concentrate on my favorite girl for now.”
*****
“How was the trip?” Chandra Collins asked as she handed him a glass of wine. He had collected Alec from the pool house, and he, Antonio, and Marissa were frolicking around in the pool under his supervision.
“Eventful.” He chuckled, eyeing his sister-in-law fondly. She was beautiful and funny, with a sharp wit and the tendency to speak her mind. She managed his brother and their two children with a firm and loving hand, and it was a delight to see his usually urbane and sophisticated brother bending to her will.
Whenever the two were together, it was apparent how much they were in love, and that had not faded over time. It also made him nostalgic and longing for the woman constantly on his mind.
“She told me about the science project that uprooted everyone.”
“Your niece is determined to get herself expelled from that excellent school, and her daddy, as well as the entire family, backs her nonsense.”
Antwan grinned at her.
“She is brilliant.”
“And you and the others are constantly telling her that, which makes it difficult to reprimand her.” She bent a disapproving look at him as she sipped her wine. “I am outnumbered.”
“That you are.” Leaning over, he kissed her on the cheek. “Deal with it.”
Shaking her head at him, she turned to watch the children.
“I need to ask you something.”
“Of course, darling. Anything.”
“You did not believe my brother when he first started courting you.”
Her bell-like laughter tinkled out, and her dark brown eyes were bright. “He was not exactly courting me. Andrew knew he wanted me and, in his inimitable style, refused to take no for an answer.”
“But you resisted. Why?”
She stared at him for a few seconds before responding. “You know why.”
He nodded. “You had a child.”
“And a dad who had dementia as well as a recovering drug addict for a brother. He was Andrew Collins, and there was no way I believed he would be interested in someone like me.”
“How did he change your mind?”
Leaning back on the chaise, she crossed her legs and relished the gentle breeze on her skin, her mind returning to that time in her life. “He refused to take no for an answer. No matter what I said, he would keep coming back.”
She fanned herself with the towel on the arm of the chair. “And we- I – well, his lovemaking- I was blown away, and I started to be drawn into him. Not only that, but he was also very good with Marissa, and I realized he was not pretending.
He also went all out to show me and her he was real. It took me a while to be convinced.” She looked at him shrewdly. “He told me you met someone.”
“I asked him to keep it to himself.”
“You expected him to?”
“No.” He shook his head, his eyes wandering over to where the children were splashing each other with water. He was not worried that they would get in trouble because an expert had been hired to give them lessons, and they were excellent swimmers.
“She is hiding something.” He found himself saying.
“Any idea what it could be?”
He shook his head. “She refuses to talk about her life. Other than her name and where she works, I know nothing else about her. I told her all about myself and my family, and there was radio silence as far as she was concerned. I suspect the guy she was with before was a lawyer, and he did a number for her.”
“Have you come right out and asked her?”
“I have, and she gets defensive.” Lifting a hand, he rubbed the back of his neck. “I fear losing her, so I have decided to leave it for now. I also suspect that she might have a child.”
Chandra sent him a startled look. “She might be a mom. Surely, if that were the case, you would have seen evidence of it lying around? And why is the child not living with her?”
He shook his head. “Lots of questions that I don’t have the answers to. I hope she will open up and tell me when she is ready.”
“In the meantime, you are being tormented by the questions.”
He sent her a grim smile. “Your husband thinks she might be interested in me getting inside information on the firm.”
“Because she works at a law firm.”
“Precisely.”
“My husband can be very suspicious and pragmatic.”
“I am aware.”
“What do you think?”
“My instinct tells me no.” A faint smile touched his lips. “She is fiercely independent.” He glanced at her. “She reminds me of you in some ways.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.” He nodded. “She speaks her mind, and she is exquisite.”
“Sounds like an amazing woman.” She smiled when he burst out laughing, relieved to see the lines of strain disappearing from his handsome face.
“She is.”
“That aside, if she hurts one hair on your head or if she has something up her sleeve, I am going to find her and bitch slap her.”
His look of startled surprise had her raising her brows. They stared at each other for a few humming seconds before he burst out laughing as he snatched her into his arms.
“Thank you.”
“You are welcome, darling.”
“I think it’s time you get your own woman and keep your hands off mine.” The familiar deep voice sounded behind them.
Instead of releasing her, Antwan kept his hand around her waist. “Brother, I deeply regret you finding out this way, but Chandra just agreed to run away with me.”
“To quote Alex, ‘unless you are looking for me to spill your blood.’” Reaching down, he plucked his wife up and into his arms. “She is mine.”
“I am going to have to remind both of you that I am not a possession,” she said wryly, her face beaming as she looked up at her handsome husband.
“You are my possession.”
“There is a party going on, and we weren’t invited?” Alex’s voice sounded from the east of the pool, and they looked over to see him holding hands with his wife and dressed in beachwear.
“I arrived just in time to see Antwan putting the moves on my wife,” Andre said with a grin.
“It serves you right. And it’s payback for when you used to put the moves on my wife.”
Before he could respond, Angeline’s voice was heard coming from the direction of the manor. “Is this a private party, or may we join in?” She wore a black one-piece swimsuit, and her husband wore cargo shorts and a T-shirt. “I instructed the kitchen to send the meal out here. I believe Armand said something about steaks and grilled vegetables.”
“And hamburgers!” Marissa shouted from the pool.
“And hamburgers and hot dogs.” Her grandmother agreed. “I believe I will join my grandchildren in the water.”
Antwan felt his heart swelling as he watched his family frolic inside the pool, shouts and laughter echoing around the vast grounds. Several uniformed maids came out carrying trays of food placed on trestle tables.
He went in several times to play water polo and catch with his nieces and nephews, and a swimming competition with his brothers almost became bloody.
He loved the closeness and deep familial love but felt the pang she was missing. Even with his family around, he could still feel the sharp pang and yearning for her.
Excusing himself after several hours, he went up to his suite to sit on his balcony. His set of rooms faced away from the pool but offered a stunning view of his mother’s prized roses and the natural stream. Pouring himself a drink, he picked up the phone and did what he said he would not do. He called her.
“Hello?” She sounded breathless and answered on the first ring, which made him wonder if she was feeling as adrift as he was.
“Hi.”
“You said you wouldn’t call.”
“I was enjoying a wonderful time by the pool with my family and realized something was missing.”
“What was that?”
“Who darling. You. I miss you.”
There was a pause, and he smiled as he waited. “You cannot say those things to me,” he said.
“I just did. What are you going to do about it?”
“Nothing. Antwan- “
“Yes?” he prompted.
“I- nothing.”
“Please say it.”
“This is madness.”
“I know, but I still want to hear what you say.”
“I miss you. Is that what you wanted me to say?”
He had to lower himself on the padded sofa because his knees were weakening. “Yes, darling. Was that so hard?”
“Yes, it was.”
“How was work?”
“Hectic. I just came home.”
“What are you doing now?”
“Getting out of my clothes.”
“What are you putting on?”
“Really?”
“Yes. Now tell me.”
“An old T-shirt.”
“And no panties?”
“No panties.”
He took a sharp breath. “You are killing me.”
“You asked.”
“That I did. I am here on my balcony thinking about you.”
“I thought you were spending time with your family.”
“I am. I was just by the poolside, and we had dinner there. Very soon, I suspect my niece and nephews will invade me – well, maybe Antonio. And I am going to be railroaded into reading several books.
Marissa has tons of books in the library my brother had made for her in her room, and she reads far above her level as an eight-year-old. But she pretends she is interested in the baby books I read for her brother so she can be in on the action.”
“You are proud of her.”
“She is brilliant. Andre is contemplating getting a tutor for her, and Chandra, his wife, objects to it. She wants their daughter to enjoy her childhood before we head her off to college.”
“I agree with her. I envy that.”
“What, darling?”
“How close your family is.” Her voice sounded so wistful that he wanted to spring over and embrace her. “I thought I had that, but it was a lie.”
“April- “
“No. I cannot talk about it. I am happy you called.”
“April- “
“Please, Antwan, don’t push. I have some things to do before I go to bed. Goodnight.”
Putting away the phone, he stared blindly out at the lovely scene, his mind in despair. When his niece and nephew came rushing in, he forced himself away from his hopeless thoughts and focused on them.
*****
“You are thinking too loud.”
His wife lifted her head and gave him an absent look. “That’s not a thing.”
“It is.” Walking over to the vanity, he took the cream away from her and squeezed some into his palm. Taking her hand, he drew her up from the stool and guided her over to their king-sized bed. Their children were occupied with Antwan, and there was no way they would be interrupted. “Lie back.”
When she obeyed him, he started with her instep, working slowly as he looked at her. Andre had fallen in love with her while he had her on the stand, and the love had blossomed into something so fierce that he was still trying to understand it. “Tell me.”
Settling against the mound of pillows, she closed her eyes and sighed gratefully as he continued to massage her instep. “I spoke to Antwan.”
“And?”
“He told me about the woman. Said he suspects that she might be hiding something.” Her eyes flickered open to stare at his handsome face. She felt the familiar stirring of emotions as she looked at him. He made her ache with a need above anything else she had ever experienced.
“Did he say what?”
“He thinks she might have a child.”
He stopped and stared at her with a frown. “He never told me that.”
“He knew you would probably overreact.”
“Why on earth would he think that?”
“Because you are Andrew, and you tend to go off on a tangent. You also think you must protect your family.”
“And anything wrong with that?” He asked her mildly.
“Absolutely nothing. Look, darling, I know that Antwan is the ‘baby’ of the family, and you and Alex will be tempted to fight his battles. Leave him to do it himself.”
He eyed her for a few seconds before running his hands up her calves, relishing the fact that she had started trembling. Before long, he was going to end the discussion by making love to her.
“You are telling me honestly that you do not feel the same way? And before you open your mouth and say you did not say something like that to him, I happen to know how much of a mama bear you are.”
“Mama bear?” She asked, her tapered eyebrows lifting as she stalled.
“I don’t think I like that description.”
“It happens to be a very apt one.”
“Well, if that’s how you will be, I will sleep.”
“Oh no, darling.” He put away the cream before climbing into bed. Shrugging out of his robe, he carelessly dropped it to the floor before removing hers. His fingers wandered over her cheek and then her neck, his eyes slumberous with the desire pumping through his body.
“I love you.” He told her thickly. “You are the life and love of me.”
She was shaking, her heart beating loudly inside her chest. Her hands came up to cup his beloved face, and she did not care to hide the tears trickling down her cheeks.
“You stormed into my life and changed it for the better. I never dreamed that something like this existed, and you showed me otherwise. Oh, Andrew! What would my life be like if I had not met you?”
“Empty?” he tried to tease, his words shaky, his body already shuddering, and he was not even kissing her yet. She had the most incredible effect on him, and he was often astounded by it. “Meaningless?”
“All that and more. Make love to me, darling.”
His eyes darkened as he brought her towards him, his head bending to take her lips in a long, intoxicating kiss that had them both going up in flames.
*****
“We are going to have to tell them soon.”
“Not yet.” Shrugging off his robe, Alex joined her on the bed, turning sideways so that he could look at her. His hand wandered to her flat stomach, his eyes darkening.
She was already exhibiting signs of the pregnancy, and it was worrying him. It was too soon, even though Alec was almost three. He wanted to give her more time before she went through this again.
“Darling, I get sick at the scent of meat. The steak had me gagging. I swear your mother noticed my quick exit to the bathroom. And I don’t feel comfortable keeping it from Chandra. You know she is more than my sister-in-law; she is my best friend.”
“I know. He sighed. “I just want to give us some more time.”
“You are worried.”
“I am concerned.” He corrected. “You were so ill with our son, and this feels like it’s going to be another case of it.”
“And I can handle it.”
“I can’t,” he said tersely. “I thought we were going to be using protection.”
“Alex- “
“I am sorry, darling. I am stressed. Seeing you going through stuff makes me crazy.”
Her face softened as she stared at him, the love shining in her eyes. “I know, and I adore you for it. I have always wanted another child.”
“And we discussed- “
“No,” She shook her head. “You made your feelings clear and did not give a good reason other than being afraid.”
He narrowed his eyes at her. “I would say that’s a good enough reason.” Lifting his hand, he brushed the hairs away from her forehead.
The first time he met her was when he had mowed down one of her charges with the Porsche Andre had forced on him. He had taken one look at her, and that had been it for him. He could never look at another woman; that was how much he loved her.
“No darling, it isn’t.” Drawing his face down, she stemmed the rest of the argument and had him forget what he was saying.
*****
She had lied to him. She did not have work to do, but the conversation had touched her in a way that made her want to cry. It had her hoping for things she should not be hoping for. And she missed him. She had almost begged him to come over, only just stopping the words from coming out of her mouth.
She felt hollow inside. His cologne, that sexy and potent cologne he wears, which, of course, costs an arm and a leg, was still on her sheets.
Reaching for his pillows, she jammed them between her thighs after sniffing at the material. Closing her eyes, she brought up the image of him, the tousled sexiness of his hair, the fantastic blue of his eyes, and the touch of his arms around her body.
“Oh God, what will I do?” she asked woefully. Because he was right, she was falling in love with him.