Chapter 16
Chapter
16
Zach was in the middle of building a pint
when he heard the commotion at the door. Handing the thick beer mug
to a regular, he was about to go and see what the hell it was about
when he saw the man striding through the arched doorway, a determined
look on his arrogant face.
"Son of a bitch!" he muttered.
"Take over, will you?"
"Why, isn't that-"
"Yes." He nodded tersely to Gary
and managed to field further questions by moving rapidly towards the
swinging doors, with thoughts of intercepting.
"What the hell are you doing here?"
Jack paused long enough to give him a
steely look. "I am here to see Zuri and if I have to go through
you, then so be it."
"She doesn't want to see you."
Folding his arms over his chest, he stood his ground.
"Why don't we let her decide that?"
The tone was menacing, gray eyes glinting. "I am not leaving
until I speak to her."
Fighting the internal battle raging inside
him, Zach figured that he would never be able to shake the guy and
besides, they were attracting quite a bit of attention. It was not
everyday that a multi-billionaire walked into their lowly bar.
"She's in the kitchen." He
stepped aside reluctantly. "And if you are here to cause her
more grief-"
"I am here to set things straight.
Where's the kitchen?"
"Through here." He preceded the
man along the narrow hallway and into utter chaos. The smell of meat
grilling and smoke filled the air. Two people were rushing from the
counter to the oven, while the woman
who had managed to turn his life upside down stood in the middle of
the room issuing orders.
"Oh, for God's sake! Lucy, the meat is
burning." Without waiting for the hapless Lucy to do something
about it, she marched over to the grill and expertly flipped the
meat.
She was magnificent, he thought with the
ache starting at the pit of his stomach. Through the filters of
smoke, he could clearly see her slender body outlined in the usual
faded denims. She was wearing an oversized black shirt that was tied
in a knot at her waist. Her unruly curls were pinned haphazardly on
top of her head with tendrils escaping.
"Zoo!" Her brother had to shout
above the lively music coming from the bar.
"What?"
"You have a visitor."
"I don't have..." Her voice
petered off as she turned in the direction of the doorway and saw him
standing there. Suddenly, her vision narrowed to include only him.
She never noticed her brother standing there and the people in the
kitchen were forgotten. He looked so achingly good that it took
supreme will not to launch herself into his arms.
"Jack." She would wonder at her
composure much later on.
"Can we talk?"
"Is something wrong with Jason?"
"No." He looked over at the other
two people in the kitchen who were taking an avid interest in the
conversation. "Someplace private."
"The apartment," her brother
suggested.
With a nod, she took off her apron and
walked towards him.
"Follow me."
As she mounted the stairs, she vaguely
heard her brother issuing orders to get back to work. He was slightly
behind her to the left. The acute awareness of him was making it
difficult for her to breathe.
Pushing the door of her suite open, she led
the way into the tiny sitting room. The space was made even smaller
as he seemed to fill it with his presence. He had discarded his
jacket and opened the two top buttons of his baby blue cotton shirt.
His hair was tousled as if he had
spent time running his fingers through the strands. For several long
minutes, they stood there staring at each other.
Shoving his hands into the pockets of his
dark blue dress pants to avoid the temptation of touching her, he
began.
"I told you I don't do relationships.
I never wanted to."
Lifting her chin, she gave him a cool
glance.
"Is that all?"
"I never wanted to," he continued
as if she had not spoken. "Not until I met you." His mouth
tightened fractionally. He had left earlier than expected. Left
meetings unresolved because he was unproductive and on top of it all,
he made everyone's life a living hell. He had been incapable of
concentrating or making the simplest decision.
He turned away abruptly and walked to the
window to stare out at the parking lot, his stance rigid. "I am
incapable of being without you." The admission cost him a lot.
He was not accustomed to depending on anyone to the point of not
being able to live without them. He had learned to do without since
he was a child.
He went rigid when she came up behind him.
"Say it."
"I can't," his voice was a
tortured whisper. "I cannot be in a relationship." His body
was tensed. "I will make a lousy partner. I cannot do this."
"Turn around." Her voice was
persuasive and without thinking, he did as she suggested. The look on
her exquisite face had him going weak. He literally felt the rest of
the ice that had formed around his heart melting along with it, the
defenses he had stacked against ever feeling anything. Almost against
his will, his hands came up to cup her face. To his surprise, he saw
that his fingers were unsteady.
"I love you," she whispered
huskily. "I know it's new to you and I don't need you to say it
back, until you're ready. But I love you and I am here. I want
everything darling. To be with you for the rest of our lives. Be a
mother to Jason and hopefully have more children. I want marriage-"
She paused when he jolted, fingers tightening on her face. "Yes
Jack. I want it all, everything."
"I can't-" His breath tumbled
inside his chest when her hands came up to curve around his wrists.
"Take me to bed. And when you're
finished making love to me, tell me again."
His eyes darkened and turned turbulent.
Without another word, he swept her up and into the bedroom. Laying
her down, he stepped back. Keeping his eyes on hers, he quickly
undressed down to skin. He was fully aroused, his body primed and
ready for her. He had lasted a little less than a week, because of
stubborn pride and was ready to devour her.
"No," he shook his head, when she
started to take off her clothes. "Let me."
Her eyes were trained on his face as he
gently took off her shirt. "I missed you," he admitted
roughly. Easing away the shirt and flipping the clasp of the bra
open, he gazed down at the flawless skin, the nipples already rigid.
"I could not do anything. I need you."
It was the most difficult thing for him to admit.
"Jack."
Her voice jolted him and had his eyes
flying to her face.
"I am flawed." He peeled off the
denims and the scrap of lace. "I will hurt you." His
fingers trembled as they trailed over her quivering stomach. "I'm
afraid I will be like him."
She covered his hands with hers and stopped
their wandering.
"I am not fragile."
"You don't understand-"
She shook her head. "Shh."
Pulling him on top of her, she silenced him with her lips.
A groan left his mouth. The kiss was slow
and lazy, as if they had all the time in the world. His body melted
on hers, skin meeting skin. Sighs escaped them as they poured
everything into the kiss. His hands gripped her hair, twisting the
strands around his fingers.
For the first time in his life, he felt the
peace settling over him. His body was throbbing, heart pounding, but
he felt at home as if he belonged. Nothing else mattered. Not the
past that had been instrumental in shaping his life. Everything
melted away, until there was nothing but her. Her perfume, the taste
of her lips, the feel of her slender curves. They all encompassed him
and wrapped him in such a cocoon of safety, one that he could not
believe.
Her hands came around his neck, body moving
against his. He had wanted to prolong the moment, take his time with
her. But it had to be now.
Reaching between them, he guided himself
into her and had to take a minute to acknowledge the shattering
effect of being inside her.
Ending the kiss, he framed her face with
gentle hands, his expression unbelievably tender. "I love you,"
he whispered hoarsely. "I have never loved anyone before and I-"
He shook his head. "I don't know what to do about it. Don't
cry." He felt his heartstrings bursting. "I cannot stand
it."
"Happy tears," she assured him,
her own heart shattering into pieces. "Was it so hard?"
He had to laugh, the tension dissolving. He
was inside her, driven to distraction with the need to consume her
and he was laughing. That had never happened to him before.
"Not so much." Bending, he
brushed her lips with his. "I love you." Suddenly, he could
not stop saying it. Raining kisses over her face, he started to move.
The momentum built, until they were desperate for each other. He
tried to slow things down, but it was too late. His control snapped.
He swallowed her cries as the violent
climax smashed into her body and had her body arching against his. He
followed soon after, pouring himself into her, his body jerking with
the force of his own climax.
He was still shuddering, his body collapsed
on top of her, heart thundering. It took him several moments for him
to move.
"No," she imprisoned him with her
legs and arms.
"I'm crushing you," he murmured
gruffly. "You're so tiny."
"Strong," she corrected him,
fingers stroking his sweat slicked skin. "And I want you right
here."
They both jerked at the knock on the door.
"My brother, no doubt."
"I am not sure the door is locked-"
"He won't come in," she grinned.
"Go away Zach," she called out.
"Everything okay in there?"
"Yes. Leave now."
"Just making certain."
"We're fine."
They waited a few more minutes, before she
laughingly assured him that he was gone.
"When do you have to leave?"
"I was planning to spend the night,"
he murmured. "Is that okay with you?"
"I was hoping you would say that."
His eyes wandered over her face, and he
felt the familiar jolt as he studied her features.
"I want to apologize in advance."
"For?"
"I need you again."
"Don't you dare apologize," she
whispered, her hands wrapping around his neck.
Their bodies moved in a synchronized
rhythm, driven by a relentless yearning. Every touch, every whisper
was a testament to their insatiable desire. As the moonlight filtered
through the curtains, it bathed them in a silvery glow, accentuating
the intensity of their connection. Time seemed to stand still, lost
in the fervor of their embrace.
Afterwards, they lay entwined, hearts
beating in unison. He gently traced patterns on her skin, each stroke
a silent promise. She nestled closer, her breath warm against his
chest, and he felt an overwhelming sense of belonging. This moment,
wrapped in her arms, was all he ever needed.
And they talked. Another first for him. He
found himself opening up to her, delving into the misery of his
childhood. He felt the tension easing from around his heart as he
unburdened himself. When he was finished, he buried his face in her
hair, feeling relief when her arms wrapped securely around him.
*****
She persuaded him the next morning to tell
Jason about them.
"I would not want him to hear it from
someplace else." And she was firm on that. In the morning, she
had been so afraid that he would wake up and decide that he could not
be with her, but she did not have to fear. He was the one who wrapped
his arms around her protectively and woke up as she stirred, keeping
her in bed and making love to her.
"I have to go home and change."
He stopped in front of her, hands framing her face, eyes smoldering.
"We might as well get it over and done with this morning. Jason
doesn't have classes this morning until in the afternoon."
"Perfect."
The drive to the manor was done mostly in
silence, but to her surprise and wonder, he kept her hand in his,
negotiating the traffic one-handed. It was as if he had discovered
the magic of being in love and did not want to lose sight of it or
her.
Now they were inside the tidy and elegant
blue and gold salon with his mother.
Since he had called ahead and alerted her,
Millicent met them with outstretched arms, tears glittering in her
eyes.
"I am so happy! I asked the
housekeeper to bring in a tray." She glanced at her son and was
shocked at the transformation on his face. No longer was his features
stamped with cynicism and bitterness, but he was actually smiling,
Zuri's hand tucked securely in his. "I hope you have time for
breakfast."
"Of course we do," Zuri assured
her, interpreting the woman's grateful smile.
They all turned when Jason stepped through
the doorway. One quick look at the couple had a smile wreathing his
face. To their surprise, he raced into the room and wrapped his hands
around Zuri in a bear hug that had her gasping for breath.
"Please say I can call you mom,"
he whispered.
Tears blurred her vision as she hugged him
back. "I would be honored."
*****
Once he realized that he was well and truly
caught by her, he did not want to wait for the wedding. In a complete
turnaround, he was the one who pressed for the wedding to be as soon
as possible.
"June." He was firm on that and
there was no budging him. Zuri was in complete agreement, but his
mother protested that it was too short a time to plan a ceremony.
He looked at Zuri. "Do you want a big
splash?" Hers was the only opinion that mattered to him.
"No."
"Good. Then June it is." He had
caught her against him and without any self-consciousness at all, he
kissed her with leashed passion that had her spinning.
With his mother, son and her brother in the
spacious living area of the manor. He had also given her carte
blanche to change the entire scene. The one thing they bucked heads
about was living together before the ceremony.
"It makes no sense me coming to your
place every night just to be with you," he had tried to reason
in frustration. "It's inconvenient in more ways than one. Your
apartment is above a bar and your bed is small."
She had given him a look that spoke
volumes. He was beginning to know her well and realized that once she
decided, she would not budge. "I want to set a good example for
Jason. And living together before the ceremony is telling him that
it's okay to shack up."
"He knows we're having sex!"
"I am not going to be swayed,"
she told him firmly. And ended up melting his frustration and
distress by simply wrapping herself around him.
It still amazed him that just by existing,
she managed to make his life full and worth living. He would never be
able to thank her enough. His relationship with his son had improved
drastically and he no longer had the urge to stay away from the
manor. He spent every night with
her, after making sure to go home and spend some time with his son.
He was happy and could not believe it after being miserable for so
long.
Now they were getting married and in the
enchanting inn that was owned and operated by Zahra Whitlock. Bryce
had persuaded him to have the ceremony there and Zuri had been
delighted at the idea.
They had also kept it out of the press.
The ceremony was simple and over in a few
minutes. Her dress was a Romano's original, a champagne-colored silk
that molded her slender curves like a lover's hand. She and Zahra had
bonded immediately, and the woman had gone all out for the ceremony.
It was held outdoors under the very lovely gazebo that had been added
a few months ago and was perfect. Zahra had been thrilled to be her
attendant along with Jazmine. Bryce was the usher and to her
surprise, Jack had asked Jason to be his best man.
The boy was so overwhelmed that he had
cried.
"No turning back now," Jack
murmured a few minutes later as they danced their first dance as a
couple. "You're stuck with me."
Lifting her head, she allowed her eyes to
wander over his beloved face. He had discarded his tuxedo jacket and
loosened his bow tie. His thick dark brown hair was tousled
by the breeze that had sprung up during the exchange of vows. The day
had turned out lovely, after raining two days ago. "I want to be
stuck."
His eyes darkened as he gazed down at her,
eyes smoldering. She had told him in the early hours of the morning
that their family was expanding. He never thought he wanted children,
but now he wanted to fill the manor with them and vowed to her and to
himself to be there for her always. "I never got the opportunity
to be there when Jason was born and was not interested. Now I want to
be involved in everything."
"I adore you," he told her now.
Lifting a hand, he brushed back a lock of her hair that had artlessly
escaped from the tidy chignon that the stylist had arranged. "You
changed my life." Emotions stormed inside him and left him
breathless as well as speechless. "Darling-" his voice
petered off as those emotions choked him.
"I know darling." Brushing her
lips against his, she marveled at the tremors she felt when she
pressed against him. "I love you more."
*****
Jack gazed at his two-day-old daughter in
dazed wonder. "She is so tiny," he whispered, nudging at
her tightly closed fist with one finger.
"And she looks like you," Jason
said in wonder, lifting his head to glance at the proud and contented
mother, lounging on the mound of pillows. It was hard to believe she
had been in the hospital just a day
ago, going through a twelve hour labor that had her husband mindless
with worry.
The redecorated suite hosted her brother
and his new wife, Jazmine and Millicent. Her husband had gifted her
with a stunning ice blue diamond bracelet and matching earrings as
soon as she delivered their daughter. The man seemed unable to help
himself. He had given her so much since they became a couple, and she
had simply given up and stopped arguing with him.
He had told her after their first big blow
up when he had got rid of her entire wardrobe, with ones from
Romano's, that it was part of the way he was showing his
appreciation. So, she had stopped arguing.
As if he knew what was on her mind, he
looked up from the adorable face of his daughter and stared at the
woman who had given him everything. For a moment, it was as if they
were the only people in the room.
Picking up on the message being silently
transmitted, Millicent reached for her granddaughter. "Let's
give the mother some breathing space and a chance to get some rest,"
she said briskly. With almost no effort at all, she herded everyone
out.
Breaking away from the group, Zach came
forward. Bending, he brushed his lips over her forehead, eyes moist.
"You did good baby girl."
"I did." She touched his cheek
briefly. "I love you."
Squeezing her hand, he turned towards his
brother-in-law. Zach had discovered over the months that the man
simply adored his sister. Breaking into a grin, he slapped Jack on
the shoulder and left the room.
"I think he's beginning to accept me
as part of the family." Toeing off his shoes, he climbed into
bed with her.
She turned to him, inhaling his scent and
closing her eyes. Over the months, they had had arguments, heated
ones with them standing toe to toe with each other, neither of them
willing to back down. But they always found a way of resolving their
issues. And she made certain that Jason never felt left out. He had
just recently turned fifteen and she and Millicent had celebrated by
throwing him a birthday party.
"My love," he whispered in her
ear as he cuddled her. "My heart. Thank you."
"You're most welcome." Lifting
her head, she cradled his face. "I was thinking that we should
wait until Madison turns three months, before we try for another
baby."
His eyes narrowed as he stared back at her.
"Not a chance."
Patting his cheek, she leaned against him,
knowing that she would get her wish.
With a sigh, he wrapped his hands around
her, realizing that he did not stand a chance when she made up her
mind. She was his weak spot and he was embracing it. No longer was he
angry and powerless. He was in love with a woman who loved him back
and that was all that mattered to him.
The end… but wait:
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