Chapter 15
He was true to his word and hired a wedding planner the very next day. He also enlisted the aid of his assistant to deal with the finer details.
After that night, they had drawn closer to each other. He had suggested taking the next day off and she had eagerly agreed. They had spent most of the morning in bed, making plans and making love. Afterwards, they had gone out for breakfast.
“Are you sure you can take the day off?” She asked him and he had given her a look reminding her that he was the boss.
They argued over how many people to invite.
“I want a splash, not a circus,” he reminded her.
“I want to invite most of the women I have been working with,” she argued. “Leesa, Kelly, and the rest. And of course, their husbands.”
He stared at her with lifted brows and realized he could deny her absolutely nothing. “We have two weeks.”
“And we have a wedding planner and your very efficient assistant.” The woman was a gem and had without question taken on the tasks assigned to her. “Where did you find her?”
“She walked in while I was interviewing candidates for the position and was about to give up when she handed me her CV and a list.”
“A list?”
His eyes twinkled. “She is happily married, has excellent diction, and knows how to spell. And she is also very loyal.”
She stared at him for a moment, before bursting out laughing. “And you hired her.”
“On the spot and have never been disappointed. Agnes Baker is irreplaceable.”
“She certainly is.” She looked up from the notes she was making on her device to see him staring at her.
“Come to bed.”
“Robert, I am planning a wedding…!”
“The only thing I want you to do is pick out your dress. Come back to bed darling.”
Without hesitation she went to him.
*****
The only thing that made her day less than perfect was the fact that her dad was not around to walk her down the aisle and it gave her a pang, one that Robert had noticed just last night. Her mother had protested that she should spend the night at her place, but Sonya had refused. “We’re already married and just renewing our vows.”
“I cannot understand the need for it.”
“We do and that’s what matters,” Sonya told her with a smile. He had made love to her, his hands gentle and afterwards had held her close to him in comfort. They had gone to visit both his mother’s grave and her dad’s and brought flowers.
Now she was getting married, and it was so different from the time before. She was in love with him. A smile touched her lips, dimming slightly as she recalled the pain he must have gone through over the years.
Years where he had spent loving her and never knowing if it would be returned. She was going to spend the rest of her life making it up to him. From now on, he would never have to question her commitment.
Staring at herself in the full-length mirror, she admired the dress. It was a floor length cashmere overlaid with the most delicate lace she had ever seen. And it was a Romano’s original, which meant it was pricey, but worth every penny.
He had bought her a different set of rings, icy emerald and hot rubies surrounding the stunning oval shaped diamond, with matching necklace and earrings to match. She had protested, but he had refused to listen to her.
“You deserve the best and that’s what you’re getting.”
She had left his apartment, this morning to come to her place to get ready. The stylist had just left and the only thing to do was to put the snazzy little hat with the half veil at the side of her head. She turned to see her mother standing just inside the doorway, looking glamorous in pearl pink, the dress was elegant and suited her to perfection.
“I came to see if you’re ready. Darling, how perfectly exquisite you look.” Moving into the room, she surprised Sonya by giving her a quick hug. “He would have been so proud of you, and I am honored to be getting the chance to walk you down the aisle. Thank you.”
Her eyes moistened and she had to clear her throat to respond.
“You’re welcome.”
“The car is already here, and your husband believes in going all the way. He sent a long stretch limo.”
Sonya laughed softly, feeling gloriously happy.
“He wanted to give me the full effect.”
“And I do believe it has started snowing.”
Sonya stared at her, before rushing to the window to look out. Sure enough, flurries were drifting down from the sky, making her wedding day somewhat perfect.
“I cannot believe it. I prayed that we would get snow and it’s happening.” Spinning around, she went to get the matching cape her husband had insisted on gifting her and pinned it around her shoulders. “I’m ready.”
*****
“Please be seated.” The minister beamed at the guests who had packed into the fairly large chapel after he had finished blessing the couple. “The bride and groom has stated their wish to say their own vows.” He looked at the couple and with a nod, indicated that they should go right ahead.
Robert went first. He had stood right here next to his best man, Jackson Colby and felt a quick dart of happiness shimmered through his body as he caught his first glimpse of her.
Slowly, pulling off her elbow length gloves, he handed them to Jerri and took her hands, linking their fingers. His eyes met hers, and there was no question as to his complete devotion.
“Finally.” He said loud enough for even the ones sitting around the back could hear and the laughter erupted. “Sonya Elizabeth Faulkner, I have loved you for so long that it feels like a comfortable suit that I am accustomed to wearing.
Loving you has sustained me throughout the years, kept me on my toes, was mostly my inspiration and what drove me to accumulate wealth.” His fingers tightened on hers. “It was also a source of deep sorrow when I wondered endlessly, if I would ever get a chance with you.” His eyes were feverishly bright as he stared into hers.
Suddenly, they were alone because she was the only one that mattered. The only person he saw. “I adore you.” He smiled at the tears brightening her beautiful dark brown eyes, causing them to shimmer. “I will spend the rest of my life loving you, supporting you, cheering you on, being your best friend, your lover, your confidante.
It will always be you – it’s always been you and I stand here before family and friends and publicly declare that I will love you for better or worse, through sickness and good health, until I draw my last breath. I will love you beyond the grave.”
It took a minute for her to compose herself enough to say her vows and by then, tears were rolling down her cheeks. Taking a second, he accepted a handkerchief from Jerri and used it to dab at her cheeks gently, before reclaiming her hand.
“Robert Anthony Faulkner,” she began huskily. “I love you so much. I have no idea what I ever did to deserve you, but I promise that I will spend the rest of my life being worthy of you. I am proud of you.” She smiled tremulously.
“I am proud to call myself your wife and for the rest of what years I have left, and I have prayed earnestly for many, many years – I am going to show you how much I do love you.
I will honor you, be with you through everything. You are my best friend, my man, my lover, my all. The heart of me, the best of me…” Her fingers were tight on his. “And I will love you until I draw my last breath.”
The silence following the potent vows was pregnant, as other couples stared at each other and recalled their own vows. Hands reached for hands and fingers were linked as emotions ran rampant.
Clearing his throat, the minister asked for the rings.
*****
He whisked her away in the middle of the reception that was held at a hotel his company owned. After their photos were taken, the strawberry and vanilla cake cut and their first dance as a couple, there was the same limousine waiting to take them to the private airfield where his jet was fueled and waiting.
“Where are we going?” She asked as they were on their way.
“Where would you like to go?” He asked her indulgently, arms wrapped around her as he held her close.
“I am sure you already have a destination in mind.” She was snuggled on his chest and there was no place she would rather be.
“How about several places?”
“Several?”
“Hmm.” He indulged himself in kissing the exposed area of her neck that so fascinated him. “Starting with Hawaii and then Sweden,” his mouth wandered to her throat. “Then Paris and Italy and London.”
“Do we have time?”
“We have all the time in the world. I want to enjoy all those places with you.” His lips hovered over hers. “Before, it was just business. I never had the chance to explore it with the woman I love more than life itself. It’s going to be different.”
“Then let’s do it,” she murmured, before opening her lips to accommodate his.
And he showed her the ultimate experience. They were treated like royalty in his stunning ocean front hotel where the honeymoon suite was prepared for them. They spent the days swimming in the incredibly blue-green ocean and touring the beautiful city. And doing nothing but eating and making love.
Three days later, they were in Stockholm, Sweden where he owned several residences.
“Why Sweden?” She asked him curiously.
“I came here for a business meeting and fell in love with the place and decided that it would be prudent to own a slice of it.” He grinned as she shook her head.
“Are you still trying to own slices of everything?”
“Hmm.” Gathering her against him, he kissed the smile off her lips. “I happen to have everything I need right here.”
They lingered in Paris, the city of lights and the most romantic place in the world and argued about that distinction.
“I happen to think Italy is,” he insisted.
“I don’t agree with you.”
They agreed to disagree, until he insisted on buying tons of clothing and accessories, wherever they went. “You already bought me enough outfits to last several years. Where am I going to get the chance to wear all these things to?”
“You can give them away, if you want.” He remarked before kissing away her objections. He spoiled her completely and was not afraid to show his devotion to her in public. It was new to her, this freedom of his to love her and not be afraid to show it.
The last day of their honeymoon was spent back at the cottage where they first made love. And it was beautiful. The air was cold and sharp, the snow that had fallen the night before, covering everything in its wake, giving the isolated place, a look of serenity and enchantment.
He had called ahead and there was a fire burning in the hearth of the living room and bedrooms.
“The first time we came here, I hardly dared to hope that we would end up being together like this.” They were wrapped around each other, naked and sated from a long and passionate lovemaking.
“You were having a nightmare.” She studied his handsome face and felt a thrill when he stared at her with love evident in his gaze. “What was it about?”
His hands drifted to her butt where he squeezed slightly. She was sprawled on top of him, her curves nestled on his. “School.” He murmured briefly. “What I went through there. I went to therapy for a few months and then gave it up when I realized it wasn’t working.”
“Oh, Robert, I am so sorry.” Regret shone in her eyes as she thought about those years. She had been part of the entire thing and it pained her to know that.
“I don’t have them anymore,” he assured her.
She shook her head. “I cannot see how you could ever love me.”
His brows winged up. “Are we going to do this again?”
“It’s just that…,” she blew out a breath. “You should hate me.”
“I adore you.”
“How can you?” She cried. “I was horrible.”
“You were haughty, arrogant and very confident, but never horrible.” He tilted her chin up. “I could not help but fall in love.” He shook her head when she opened her mouth to say something else.
“No, darling. What I went through made me who I am, and I don’t think I would change anything, except being with you. And you saved yourself for me. You have given me a gift that I never thought to have. Please don’t spoil things for us.”
“I love you,” she told him tremulously.
“That makes everything perfect.”
*****
“Mrs. Faulkner!” The woman sprang up from her comfortable leather chair and came forward to greet her. “I have been doing my best to keep him inside his office, but I think he’s starting to wonder why I am insisting on him taking a number of calls.
It’s so good to see you. I didn’t get a chance to offer my congratulations during the reception and to thank you for inviting me to the wedding.”
“Of course you had to be there.” Sonya took Agnes’s slender hands in hers and squeezed. “You worked so hard to have us pull off the wedding at such short notice and I want to thank you for that lovely tea set.”
Agnes beamed. “I found it in that little antique store below your office. Would you like some refreshments?”
“No.” She shook her head. “I’d better go on in.”
She made her way towards the double doors which were partially opened. Pushing it open all the way, she stood and admired the man seated behind his massive desk and realized that the décor, the masculine pale blonde wood suited him to perfection. He had his back to the spectacular view of the city.
“Agnes, please call…” His voice tailed off as he looked up to see her framed inside the doorway. The stunning pleasure that bloomed on his face took her aback and had her insides quivering. She could never get used to seeing the naked devotion on his face.
Springing up from his chair, he came forward to greet her by hauling her against him. It was three weeks since their honeymoon and they had both been playing catch up since their return. Placing his arm around her waist, he poked his head out and instructed his assistant to hold his calls.
“What are you doing here? This is the first time you have been to the office. I should give you the tour…”
“Not yet.” She still had a hand behind her back. “I have something for you?”
Surprised pleasure lit up his face. “You do? What is it?”
Moving her hand, she presented him with the bouquet she had picked up along the way.
Taking the bunch of yellow and white roses, he gave her a quizzical look.
“You brought me flowers.”
“Hmm. Aren’t you going to ask me why?”
His eyes narrowed. “Have you done something to warrant it?”
She laughed at that and wrapped her arms around his neck. She was wearing boots with heels and only came past his shoulders. “How suspicious you are, my love. No, I haven’t done anything suspect. Can we sit?”
“Oh, of course.” Instead of allowing her to walk, he lifted her and carried her over to a sofa in soft butter cream leather and sat with her on his lap. “What’s this about?”
“I love you.”
His heart slammed against his ribs and left him feeling faint. It was still strange to hear her say it.
“Darling,” he gathered her against him and breathed her in. “My love.”
She was shaken by the emotions thickening his deep voice and for a minute, they just held each other.
“I have just come from the doctor.”
He reared up immediately, concern heavy on his face.
“No.” She shook her head and taking his hand, pressed it against her flat stomach. “In approximately seven months from now, we’re going to have an addition to the family.”
He went so still, he could barely breathe. Emotions stormed through his unsuspecting body, and he could not say a word as he stared at her.
“Darling, please say something.”
Tears burned the back of his eyes, and his throat was thick from it. He was falling apart and could not stop it.
“We’re having a baby.”
Sonya saw the naked adoration on his face and felt her own tears coming. She loved this man so much that words could no longer describe it. He had brought her love and laughter and hope and had proven to her that real love was not just a figment of her imagination.
“Yes.” Her hands framed his face. “And I cannot wait to be a mother.”
“You’re carrying my baby inside you.” His eyes drifted to her stomach and then to her face. “How are you darling? Is everything okay?” A frown touched his brow. “Is there anything I should be doing?”
“You’re doing it right now.”
He swept her against him and held her tight. “We should celebrate.”
“When you get home…”
“We’re taking the rest of the day off.”
“Robert, you have meetings…”
“We’re taking the day off.”
*****
“Did I hurt you?” He shifted so that he could take inventory of her body and winced when he saw the bruises on her throat and her left breast. They had made it home to his apartment and managed to come upstairs to their bedroom. But the door had scarcely closed when he started dragging off their clothes.
He had then carried her to bed where he started by kissing as much of her as he could.
And he had tried to be gentle and take it slow, but she had not helped in his endeavor to do so. Her hands had been all over him and when she reached between them to cup him, his control had shattered.
“I left a few bruises myself.” She trailed a finger down the scratch marks on his chest. Her tapered brows winged up. “Am I supposed to apologize?”
“You’re pregnant.” He pointed out, grinning at the dark look she gave him. “You happen to be carrying precious cargo.”
“And if you start treating me like a Dresden China, there are going to be some very strong words. I love it hot and heavy and that is the way I want it to continue.” Her fingers brushed his chin and lingered on the indentation there. “Are we going to start telling people?”
“I want to tell my sister, if you don’t mind.”
“Not at all. I think I’ll wait to tell my mother. She’s going to make a big deal out of it and make it all about her,” she grimaced, “I would just as soon wait for a little bit.”
“About the house.” They had been discussing what to do with her house since they were on their honeymoon. “We certainly have enough.”
She rolled her eyes at him. “More than enough. You never said you also have places in Jamaica, The Bahamas and the Cayman Islands. Robert, really?”
He only grinned at her. “I love a good investment and the place in Jamaica is right near the beach in Negril. White sands, incredibly blue waters and a trail that leads to a stunning wooded area. I couldn’t resist it.” He shifted so that he was lying on his side, one hand splayed over her stomach. “We could fly there for a weekend.”
“A weekend would not suffice.”
“A week then. The house, baby.” He reminded her.
“I have an attachment to it and since we have decided that we’re not giving up this apartment, I thought the house would be somewhere we could build a tree house, have barbecues, and have our child running free. It has a very big back yard.”
He felt the shudder going through him. He was thirty-five years old and just now realizing how much he had always wanted a family. “It sounds like a fine idea.”
“It does.” Her hand drifted down his washboard like belly to tangle in the dense hairs and further down.
“Sonya…”
“I need you. Need this. Make love to me darling.”