Chapter 19
Miles
“She’s a beautiful woman,” Isla said, following me into my office.
“If you’re talking about Stella, yes, she is.” I sat behind my desk.
“I can see why you chose her to be your wife.”
“She’s not only beautiful, but she’s smart.”
“Is she?” Isla’s brow arched.
“She is.” I smirked. “She married me, didn’t she?”
Isla shook her head, walked out of my office, and shut the door.
Stella showing up at my office unannounced didn’t sit well with me. She should have called and told me she was coming. I hated surprises, and maybe I needed to tell her that.
I left the office around eight p.m. When I stepped off the elevator and made my way into the living room, I stopped when I saw her lying on the couch, sleeping, with an open textbook on her chest. Picking up the textbook, I set it on the coffee table. Her eyes opened, and she stared at me.
“Hey, sleepyhead.” I smiled.
“What time is it?” She sat up.
“It’s eight-thirty. I just got home.”
“Shit.” She placed her hand on her forehead. “I don’t remember closing my eyes.”
“You’ve been awfully tired the last week,” I said. “You say you feel okay, but I don’t think you do. Maybe you should go see a doctor.”
“I’m fine, Miles. These two new classes are kicking my ass. That’s all.”
“Did you eat dinner?” I asked.
“Not really.”
“How about I order us a pizza?”
“Okay. That sounds good.” A small smile framed her lips.
I went to my room, called the pizza place, and changed into a pair of dark gray sweatpants and a T-shirt. When the pizza arrived, I set the box down on the island along with the bag of breadsticks and an antipasto salad.
“There’s something I need to tell you,” I said, pouring a glass of bourbon.
“And what do you have to tell me, Mr. Bradshaw?” Stella asked with a smirk as she took down two plates from the cabinet.
“First, can I pour you a glass of wine?” I grabbed the bottle.
“Uh, no. I don’t like to drink wine with pizza.”
“Okay. What do you want then?”
“Just a bottle of water is fine.” She smiled. “So, spit it out. What do you have to tell me?” She sat at the table.
“I don’t like surprises. I never have.” I handed her the bottle of water and took my seat across from her.
“Okay?” Her brows furrowed. “Care to elaborate?”
“You showing up at my office unannounced was a surprise. You should have called me first.”
She bit into her pizza as she stared at me from across the table.
“So I surprised you at the office, and you didn’t like it?”
“Yes.”
“My intention wasn’t to surprise you. I just wanted to see where you worked.”
“You didn’t call. You didn’t text. You just showed up unannounced and caught me off guard. Next time, if you feel the need to come to the office, let me know before you just show up.”
Her eyes steadily narrowed. “Okay then. No more surprises. But let me ask you this. What is your problem with surprises?”
* * *
Stella
I already knew what his problem was, but I wanted to hear him say it.
“I just don’t like them,” he said, plating his salad.
“It’s because you fear losing control, right?”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Stella.”
“Well, I guess I’m not surprised because surprises are for mentally stable people.”
“Excuse me?” His brow arched.
“Unexpected situations, such as surprises, cause you stress because you need to be in control of every situation at all times. If you know what to expect, your brain can keep you out of harm’s way. But a surprise takes your anxiety to a whole other level.”
“Wow. Are you seriously shrinking me right now? And I don’t have anxiety.” He pointed at me with a stern look.
“I’m just explaining to you why you don’t like surprises, just in case you wanted to know.”
“You basically said I was mentally unstable.” His eyes narrowed.
“I did, didn’t I? I’m sorry. What I meant to say was that you’re sensory sensitive.”
“Okay. Enough.” He stood up from his chair and took his plate to the sink. He turned and looked at me. “You will never shrink me again, understand?”
“Okay. I won’t shrink you again. But if the occasion?—”
“Stella, enough.” He cut me off.
I pursed my lips and made the zipping motion. He walked over, grabbed my hand, and stood me up from my chair, his face mere inches from mine.
“I don’t like you shrinking me.” His lips softly brushed against mine. “But I do like you in my bed.” He had me in his arms in one swoop, carrying me to his bedroom.
Our night of passion overtook me like it always did. He thrust in and out of me slowly, his lips softly caressing mine before moving down to my breasts. His mouth wrapped around my hardened peaks, which intensified the pleasurable bliss I was already lost in. He hit all the right spots, and my second orgasm of the evening erupted. Hard moans escaped me as my body shook.
“God, Stella. The things you do to me,” he moaned, halting and exploding inside me.
His body dropped on mine, and my arms wrapped tightly around him. It took a while for our breathing to return to normal. For a few moments, I forgot I was pregnant. This was supposed to be one of the happiest times of my life, but it was one I feared the most.
He rolled off me. His gaze caught my attention.
“That was incredible.” The corners of his mouth curved up.
“It always is.” I lay my head on his chest.
“You’re welcome to stay in my bed again tonight. I know you’re exhausted.”
“Thank you.” My lips pressed against his muscular chest.
* * *
Miles
Holding her in my arms felt like I was losing control. I had to fight the feelings trying to escape the box I had neatly wrapped up in my mind.
My alarm went off, and she was gone when I opened my eyes. Sighing, I climbed out of bed and took a shower. Stella strolled in as I was making a cup of coffee in the kitchen.
“Good morning,” she said.
“You were gone again,” I spoke sternly.
“I took a shower.” She grabbed the tea kettle and filled it with water.
“Couldn’t sleep?” I asked. “Maybe you need to go see a doctor about that.”
“Can I make you some breakfast since Dora is off today?” she asked, reaching into the cabinet and grabbing the box of tea.
“No.” I took my coffee to the island. My phone rang. Glancing at it, I saw my aunt calling.
“Hello.”
“Miles, I’m at the hospital. Ben had a stroke,” she cried.
“I’m on my way, Aunt Gabby.”
“What’s wrong?” Stella asked.
“My Uncle Ben had a stroke. I’ll talk to you later.” I took the elevator down to the lobby and hailed a cab. Pulling out my phone, I texted Sean.
“No need to pick me up at the penthouse. I’m on my way to the hospital. My uncle had a stroke. Meet me there.”
“I will, Miles. Hope everything’s okay.”
When I reached the hospital, I took the elevator to the room where they kept my uncle. When I walked in, my Aunt Gabby hugged me.
“Thank you for coming.” Tears filled her eyes.
“How is he?” I asked, staring at my uncle as he slept.
She shook her head and sat in the chair beside his bed.
“It’s not good, Miles. His speech is impaired, and the left side of his body is paralyzed.”
The doctor walked in and spoke to both of us about my uncle’s condition.
“And how long until he can return to work?” I asked.
“At this time, we don’t know. Due to the severity of his stroke, we’re looking at many months, a year, or if ever. He’s going to need a lot of rehabilitation.”
When I left the hospital, I pulled my phone from my pocket and called Isla.
“Hello, Miles.”
“Isla, I want you to call the board members for an emergency board meeting. Also, call Nolan and get him to my office.”
“Will do, Miles.”
Walking into my office, I set my briefcase down.
“The board members are on their way. What is going on?” Isla asked.
“My uncle suffered a stroke.”
“Oh my gosh. Is he okay?”
“He’s alive, but as far as being okay, no. I need a cup of coffee before I head to the board room.”
After Isla handed me my coffee, I entered the board room, where the board members sat, waiting for me.
“What’s this about, Miles?” Gary, one of the members, asked.
“Ben has had a stroke and will no longer be able to fulfill his position as this company’s CEO and Chairman of the board, as my mother appointed him after her death. I will be taking over the company that is rightfully mine.”
“Your mother stipulated in her will that you will not take over until you’ve been married for a full year,” Gary said.
I glanced at Nolan.
“If Ben can no longer serve as chairman and CEO of Bradshaw Capital, the company”s president shall step in and take over. The company is his, and rightfully so.”
“And how do you know that Ben won’t be back before your year is up?” Robert, one of the board members, asked.
“His doctor told me it could be months or even a year, if ever. I know you’ve all been on this board for many years and always stood behind my parent’s decisions. But they aren’t here anymore. I am. And if you don’t like it, I suggest you remove yourselves from the board. This is my company, and I’m running it as I see fit. Have a good day.” I walked out of the boardroom before they could say another word, and Nolan followed.
“I think it’s time for a fresh board of directors.” I glanced at him.