Chapter 47
Gabriella
I rolled over and draped an arm over my eyes to block out the creeping morning light that flowed through the large curtains attempting to cover an even larger window.
I was tired and in no rush to wake up just yet after I had tossed and turned all night due to heartburn.
I made a mental note to cut back on the spicy peppers.
I rubbed at my chest and turned my back to the sun.
I smiled when I was met with the sight of Chandler sleeping soundly beside me, his bare chest rising and falling steadily.
I didn’t think I would ever get used to the sight of waking up beside this stupidly gorgeous human being.
I had been staying at his place over a week now, and had no desire to go back to my brownstone.
Not because I didn’t love it, but I just loved this man more.
Plus, his cloud of a bed was way better than mine.
Ever since we got home from the hospital, Chandler had shown me a completely different side to him.
He was nurturing and giving and kind. I had let go of my stubbornness in not letting anyone take care of me, and let him in, in a way I hadn’t let anyone in before.
I hated to admit it, but it felt so good.
Despite the circumstances that got me here waking up next to him, I think everything had brought us closer.
It was like the trip to the hospital brought us closer and reminded us of what really mattered.
I wished it hadn’t taken such a scary experience for it to happen, but we were here now. We were happy and baby was healthy.
I had been so wrapped up in our bubble of bliss, that I had almost forgotten about the mess at Harold Enterprises.
My father had demanded that I stay away from the office and keep my nose out of everything for the baby’s sake, and mine.
I knew Chandler was still helping him though, here from his apartment.
He tried to do it discreetly, as not to worry me.
He stubbornly didn’t answer my questions if I brought it up. It was frustratingly sweet.
I was meeting my father for lunch today after promising him that I was up to it.
I did feel much better. The doctor had been right about eliminating stress from my life.
I hadn’t realized how wound up I had been ever since Chandler was announced CEO.
I had been working through my torn feelings the entire time, while still dealing with the pressure of work.
And then everything with the stolen money and the SEC happened.
It had been a lot. I was feeling back to normal, though.
Worries were still at the back of my mind, but they weren’t at the forefront.
I snuggled closer to Chandler. Feeling the warmth of his body against mine was enough to make me want to doze off again.
I couldn’t remember the last time I had really slept in like this.
It was a luxury, especially with him beside me.
Even in his sleep, he found a way to be closer to me, draping his arm over me and pulling me tightly to him.
I fell asleep to the sound of his breathing.
“Good morning,” I heard him whisper against my forehead.
“Hmmm…” my eyes fluttered open and were met with even brighter sunlight than earlier. I groaned.
Chandler laughed softly.
“I really should get blackout shades for this room,” he said thoughtfully. “But the view…it’s too good.”
I rolled over to look at said view, and nodded in agreement as he pulled me close to him.
The view was good. Central Park was right there, with a view of the lake surrounded by trees housing warm leaves that slowly fell to the ground on the breeze.
The buildings surrounding it were reflecting the morning light, twinkling like daylight stars. It really was a good view.
“What time is it?” I asked sleepily.
“Ten. I would have let you sleep longer, but I know you have lunch with your father.”
“Thanks,” I murmured, arching my back in a catlike stretch.
I could feel Chandler’s arousal pressing into me, sending a heat radiating through me.
We hadn’t been together in that way since my apartment when I was called away to deal with the SEC investigation, and everything had gone downhill.
Chandler insisted we take our time after the hospital, as if I were a piece of glass, though I disagreed.
I arched even further into him, looking up at him with a suggestively raised brow.
“I can’t help it,” he whispered sheepishly.
“Feeling is mutual.” I smiled.
“You have to go.” He leaned down and nipped at my nose gently.
“Party pooper,” I muttered.
He laughed out loud and it rumbled through me. He unwrapped his strong arms from me and rolled away, his erection on display in his gray cotton shorts. My eyes lingered there.
“Stop that.” He wagged a finger playfully. “You need to get ready. I’ll get the shower warmed up for you.”
“Care to join me?” I asked, sitting up in bed, very aware that my growing breasts were pressing against the thin fabric of my pajama top.
Chandler’s eyes darkened slightly before he shook his head.
“I would want nothing more,” he said, his voice low.
“Soon.” He stepped into the bathroom and I heard the water begin to run in the shower.
Chandler slipped out of the room, leaving me because he probably thought I was going to jump him.
I would have. My hormones were crazy, and he was being frustratingly overly cautious.
I pulled the covers off me and strode for the bathroom, finding the glass walls steamy and a freshly washed, and a plush towel folded and set beside it. I smiled. These little things were making me fall even more in love with him.
Love.
I had told him I loved him. I was in love with him. I didn’t take those words lightly, and had never used them with anyone else. With Chandler, I just knew.
I took my time in the shower and when I got out, I had little time for much else. I threw my wet hair in a low bun at the nape of my neck and put on a linen button-down dress. It would have to be a make-up free day after a morning spent in bed and a long shower.
Finished, I padded down the hallway and into the large entryway that led into the kitchen where Chandler was waiting with a mug of tea and a small plate of tea biscuits. I tilted my head curiously. He knew I was heading to lunch.
“Baby’s gotta eat,” he said. “It’s a little snack to tide you over, since you skipped breakfast.”
“Thank you,” I said, smiling softly. He really did take care of me.
I took a sip of peppermint tea and nibbled on a shortbread cookie.
“Do you want me to drop you off at lunch?” asked Chandler, taking a sip of coffee from a large white mug.
I shook my head. “That’s okay. I’m going to walk.” It was just a few blocks away.
“Are you sure?” he asked, concern in his voice.
“Chandler, I’m okay,” I said, reaching for his arm and giving it a gentle squeeze.
He wordlessly nodded and took another sip of coffee.
“You heard the doctor. I’m okay,” I reiterated.
A soft smile spread across his lips as he put his coffee down and put his hands on my hips, pulling me close. I tilted my head up as his thumb stroked my jawline. I leaned into his touch just as he brought his lips to mine in a tender kiss.
“I love you. I just worry.”
“And I love you for it,” I said, touching his cheek.
“You’re going to be late,” he said, glancing at the clock. “If it were anyone else but your father, I would keep you here for more of this.”
He leaned in and kissed me again, his tongue grazing across my lips. I whimpered, wondering if lunch was really all that pressing.
“Go,” said Chandler, as if reading my mind. He turned me toward the doorway to the kitchen and gave my butt a little pat. I laughed out loud and headed out the door to go meet my father.
He was already at the restaurant when I arrived, sipping on an iced tea in a corner booth near the front. He stood up when he saw me, pulling me in for a long, tight hug. I couldn’t remember the last time we had hugged like that.
“You’re suffocating me,” I said with a fake cough.
He released me and looked me over carefully, worry in his eyes.
“I’m fine, Dad,” I said.
“And the baby?”
“Fine too,” I assured him, nodding for the booth.
We both sat down and looked over the menus before placing an order with our server.
My father opted for his usual chicken, vegetables, and rice, and I went with a cheeseburger.
I was starving. Always. It was a good thing Chandler fed me some tea cookies before I left, or I might have ordered two cheeseburgers.
“So, what’s going on at work?” I asked warily, not sure if I wanted to know.
My father smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “We got him,” he said with an authoritative nod.
“You did?” I asked wide-eyed, surprised Chandler hadn’t told me.
“Just this morning,” he said.
“Who was it?”
“Brent from Accounting.” He shook his head.
I nearly spit out my water, picturing the mild-mannered accountant. He had been with the company for years. Decades.
“You’re kidding!” I said in surprise.
“Afraid not. You never know who you can trust anymore…”
I hated that someone had betrayed my father, even more that it was someone who had been working for him for so long.
It was even more of a slap in the face. To think he got away with it for as many years as he had.
It made sense, though. He was always keeping his head down, flying just under the radar, but pulling all these manipulative strings behind closed doors.
“What happened?”
“I confronted him at a meeting this morning. He was absolutely terrified. I fired him, of course, without severance. I turned him into the SEC, but not before watching as he transferred every single dime back into our accounts. He will never work as an accountant, and maybe not ever, again.”
“Good riddance,” I said. I shook my head in disbelief still. I prided myself in knowing everyone at the company, but I guessed you could only know so much about someone. People often surprised you, especially when it came to money.
“Now what?” I asked.
“We’ve got to take a good, hard look at our employees. If it weren’t for Chandler, we would never have known something was amiss. I want to go through everyone with a fine-toothed comb.”
“Yes, of course.”
“But enough about that,” he said, waving me off as if he hadn’t just told me a big scandal. “How is your health?”
“I told you, I’m fine. Baby is fine. We went to the doctor just a few days ago.”
“Good,” he said, feeling satisfied with my answer.
“Chandler has been taking good care of me,” I said, testing the waters. My father and Chandler had been working together, but I didn’t know where they stood on a more personal level.
He smiled, looking pleased. “He’s a good man,” he said.
“He is.”
“He should come by the office tomorrow. Both of you. It’s about time we properly celebrate you and the baby.”
“Really?” I asked, surprised he wanted to make it public.
“If that’s okay with you…”
“Mhmm.” I smiled. I was ready for this thing between Chandler and me to be less of a scandal and more of a celebration now that we had worked everything out.