Chapter 8
CHAPTER 8
B ree showered and dressed. Then she picked up her purse and placed the items from her clutch to it.
In the garage, she slid into the driver’s seat of the Navigator SUV because Lilly’s car seat was already in it, and she didn’t have time to transfer it to another vehicle. She told herself she wouldn’t look to see if another of Adam’s vehicles was gone. But as she backed out of the garage, she couldn’t help herself and saw that the Camaro was missing. Good let him stew and think about what he did.
By the time Bree reached Madelyn and Rocky’s home, she was in a better mood.
Lilly was in her highchair eating Cheerios. Though she had more of the cereal in her hair and on the floor than on her tray or in her mouth, but she was happy.
That was all Bree cared about.
She stopped next to Lilly. “How was my girl? Did she give you any problems?” She kissed the baby’s head.
Madelyn, sitting at the table, next to Lilly, waved off her concern. “She was an absolute angel. I’ve never known such a happy baby. Certainly, none of mine were.”
Rocky laughed. He sat at the opposite end of the table with a copy of the Denver Post newspaper. He still hadn’t made it to the computer age where he read his news online. He much preferred to have the newspaper in his hands.
“You’ve got that right. I think all our children were holy terrors, even Megan. And I thought the kid being a girl would be easier. I was wrong. She might have been the worst of them because she was the baby and the only girl. She got spoiled by all of the boys, though none of them will admit it now.”
Bree plucked Lilly out of the highchair, brushing the Cheerios off her cheeks and out of her hair. “We need to get going, sweetie. Mommy has a lot to do today.”
Madelyn lifted a brow. “What’s got you so busy?”
“I’m working on my business plan for the gardening center I hope to open one day. And I need to write while she sleeps. I have a book due to the editor.”
“That sounds like the garden center would be right up your alley. You do love your garden. Will you put one in at Adam’s house now that it’s your house, too?” asked Madelyn.
Bree nodded and then pulled her hair from Lilly’s grasp. “That’s the plan. I’m doing flower gardens. Carole already has a vegetable garden. I’ll plant the tulip bulbs in the fall, around October, and then everything else in the spring of next year.”
Madelyn nodded. “Okay, we won’t keep you. I have everything packed in her diaper bag.” Madelyn pointed at the bag on a chair at the table.
“Great. Thanks so much for watching her. I hope she wasn’t too much trouble.”
“She is never trouble. She’s our granddaughter, and we love her and love having her here. So, when are you and Adam going to add to your family?”
Bree was blindsided and couldn’t speak for a moment. “Umm…what?”
Madelyn cocked her head to the side and clasped her hands in front of her. “You—Adam—children? You are planning to have more, aren’t you?”
“Um, well, we really haven’t discussed it much. I guess we’re waiting to see how well raising Lilly goes. We want to make sure we’re good parents before bringing another baby into the family. Besides that, I don’t want two children in diapers at the same time. So, it will be years before we decide to have another child.”
How do I keep from telling them that will never happen, because a repeat of last night will never happen? Adam doesn’t love me and probably never will. Now, I know that and won’t fall for the I need you line again. I need you doesn’t mean I love you. I must remember that.
Bree buckled Lilly’s car seat into the SUV and headed home. By the time she arrived, the baby had fallen asleep with her pacifier in her mouth. The sight made Bree smile. “I love you so much, little girl. I never believed I could love someone as much as I do you.”
Suddenly, she heard a soft knock on her window.
Adam stood there.
Where did he come from? He must have been watching for us.
She opened the door, grabbed her keys, and exited the vehicle. “What do you want?”
He lifted his eyebrows. “I wondered if you wanted me to take our sleeping daughter,” he jutted his chin toward Lilly, “into the house.” He didn’t mention the elephant in the room.
“I could take her inside, but she’ll probably stay asleep if you do it. I’ll get the diaper bag.”
He nodded and proceeded to extricate Lilly from the car seat.
Because they would be downstairs, Adam laid her in the playpen in the family room.
Bree covered her with a light blanket. When she looked up, she saw Adam gazing at her with a smile.
“I want?—”
Bree put a finger over her lips. “Shh. Kitchen,” she whispered. Even though the kitchen wasn’t far away, Lilly was at the far end of the family room, so they could speak normally.
Adam followed her.
Carole had already been there and was nowhere in sight.
“Now, what did you want to say?”
“Just that I want you to move the rest of your things into my room. The bed is much more comfortable than the one you’re in now.”
“No.” She turned away and grabbed a cup from the cupboard over the Keurig coffee maker. Then she took a pod of Earl Grey tea from the revolving holder and put it in the machine. She needed something to calm her nerves, and the hour was too early to drink bourbon.
He crossed his arms over his chest. “No? That’s all you have to say?”
“Yes. I won’t be moving into your bedroom now or in the foreseeable future. And what do you mean by the rest of my things?”
“Why? I thought, after last night?—”
“Last night was a mistake. One that will not be repeated. I should have known you didn’t love me, but I was like a schoolgirl and convinced myself you wouldn’t have come if you didn’t love me. That’s on me.”
He ran a hand through his hair, then he let out a deep breath. “Bree…I…I thought you understood. There can’t be anything more between us than what we have. I do love you…as my best friend. How many people can say they married their best friend?”
“Not many. How many people can say they were screwed over by their best friend? Probably a lot more than anyone wants to admit. You knew I wanted love before having a sexual relationship and yet you took advantage of me. That’s not what best friends do.”
“Bree…I never meant to take advantage of you. I thought when you opened your arms to me, that you needed me as much as I needed you. I still need you, Bree. I want you. I want to have a true marriage. We have a real marriage; you simply don’t want to admit it.” Adam stood and paced as he talked. Then he stopped in front of her. “You enjoyed what we did last night as much as I did, don’t deny it.”
“There is no talking to you. You will never understand.” She took her cup of tea to the room they had made into her office. Remembering what Valerie said, she wondered if it was true. Would he never love her? Was he incapable of loving a woman as she needed
Adam picked Lilly up from the playpen and followed Bree. Then he stopped on the other side of the desk from her and held Lilly with one arm around her belly and the other under her bottom. “Most of your things have already been moved. I thought you’d say yes, so I called and instructed Carole to move them after you left to get Lilly.”
She set her tea on her desk and then rounded on him. “How could you do that?” Her voice was soft, even though she wanted to scream. “You. Had. No. Right.”
“I have every right. You’re my wife. ” He thumped his chest. “And I want to sleep next to my wife .”
“No. I’ll just move them back.”
He threw his arm out. “And I’ll have them moved again. Carole won’t want to keep doing it, but I can hire someone whose job is only that and I’ll pay them well. They won’t leave and they will be loyal to me.”
Bree felt her blood boiling. She stood with her hands fisted at her sides. “You can be a real bast?—”
He held up an index finger and waved it in front of her face. “No cursing. We agreed not to incase Lilly was listening.”
Bree widened her eyes. “She’s a baby.”
“You agreed.”
She narrowed her eyes and flared her nostrils. “Fine, but you know what I was going to say, and it had nothing to do with your birth or your parentage. I happen to love your parents, but they were asking some uncomfortable questions today.”
He furrowed his brows. “What kind of questions?”
She shrugged. “Oh, just things like when are we giving Lilly a brother or sister?”
Holding Lilly with one arm, he then ran his free hand back and forth over his hair.
Bree almost laughed because his hair was now sticking up all over. Definitely not the look for a billionaire CEO of one of the biggest holding companies in the world. If he could acquire Danvers, then Kincaid Holdings would be the biggest in the country and maybe the world. She knew he had a lot riding on his acquisition of Danvers. “I married you because I want children. You needed a wife for your acquisition of Danvers. Let’s not make it more than it is. A marriage of convenience, nothing more. I won’t go looking for another husband. You know I don’t believe in divorce, and I won’t be separated from Lilly. If you want to seek sex outside of our marriage, do so. You have my permission, but I’d prefer it if you didn’t have any more accidents or come home with a disease. That’s all I ask.” She turned away, sat at her desk, and booted up her computer. She looked up at Adam. “Was there anything else you needed?”
He gritted his teeth. “No.”
She saw the anger he was keeping tamped. It showed in his eyes. But she wouldn’t back down. He could be as angry with her as he liked, because the only thing she cared about was Lilly. As long as their battle didn’t affect her, she was fine with whatever this turned out to be.
The minute it impacted their little girl was the minute she would end it, however that might be.
Bree left her clothes in Adam’s room for the time being. Only taking things for tomorrow and her nightgown and robe for that night. She went into her bathroom and prepared for bed.
When she came back out, she couldn’t believe her eyes.
Adam was in her bed, bare chested, with the blankets bunched around his waist. He wore glasses and read a book.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
He didn’t look up. “Reading.”
She snorted. “Not that you ass. What are you doing in my bed?”
He waved a finger. “No cursing. Remember we agreed.”
“We agreed to that when Lilly was around.” She waved an arm, taking in the entire room.
Adam laid his open book on his lap and looked up. “Well, the mountain won’t come to Mohammed, so Mohammed has come to the mountain. You’re my wife, and I intend to sleep with my wife. You prefer here, so this is where I’ll sleep.”
She felt unbelievably frustrated. “You can’t be serious.” She knew he was, but didn’t have any idea how to move him.
He narrowed his eyes and clasped his hands on top of the book. “I am…deadly serious.”
“Well, I’m not sleeping here if you are. I’ll sleep in your room.”
He closed his book and set it on the nightstand. “Good. Let’s go.” He got out of bed wearing only his boxers.
“Without you.” His chest was hard muscle with definite six-pack abs. She knew from cuddling with him last night. She forced herself to look away and concentrate on his eyes.
From the bed, he waved an index finger from side to side. “It doesn’t work that way. I’m sleeping with my wife, wherever she sleeps.”
Bree closed her eyes and fisted her hands before opening them again. “You are so annoying.”
He grinned like a loon. “I know. I’ve been perfecting it the last couple of years. How do you think I’m doing? Too annoying? Not enough? I want to make sure it’s just right.”
“You are always too much.”
He walked over and stood in front of her. Soft hands pushed an errant strand of hair behind her ear. “I would prefer not to be, but I have no choice. You haven’t given me a choice in the matter. What if you’re already pregnant? What then? You know I’ll never let you go, don’t you?”
“And I told you, I don’t believe in divorce, so we would raise this child together. If you find someone else to marry, after the fact, you’ll have to decide what you really want. I will never give up my child. I’m not Sally.”
He clenched his jaw, then relaxed it. “I won’t ever want to marry someone else. I know you’re not Sally. You’re not Valerie either. I don’t believe you’ll ever cheat on me.” Adam ran a finger down her cheek and gave her a wan smile. “You don’t want me for my money and that makes me happy.”
No. I don’t want you for your money, but I want you very much. I want your love.
“Why did you really marry me, Bree?”
If only you knew how much I love you and have for the last two years, you would never have married me.
She pulled her head away from him and looked away. “I wanted a child. You know that I told you so. And you were my only way to get it.”
Adam shook his head and crossed his arms, showing off his muscled biceps. “You could have adopted. There are lots of children to adopt.”
Bree bit her lower lip before she spoke. “I suppose I could have, and perhaps we still will.”
He lifted his brows and widened his eyes. “Why should we adopt when we can have children of our own?”
“You know why. I’m not having sex with you again. It was a mistake, and I believe you took advantage of me.”
Adam waved his arm in dismissal. “Oh, don’t go there. You know you enjoyed what we did. You didn’t care at that moment whether I loved you or not. You were just as glad as I was not to be alone.” He paced away and back again. Stopping in front of her, he reached out .
She stepped back.
“You know as well as I do that you don’t want to sleep alone.” He reached out and cupped her cheek. “I just want to hold you. Nothing else will happen. I promise and when have you ever known me not to keep a promise?”
“Never. You always keep your promises.”
“This isn’t any different—no that’s not true. This is more important because I’m making the promise to you, and I will keep it…even if it kills me.”
A laugh burst forth from Bree. “Oh, sorry. I don’t know why that is funny, but something about the way you said it struck my funny bone.” She stopped and wiped her eyes, errant tears lurking there. “I believe you, Adam. I want to trust you and, for the most part, I do. It’s me I don’t trust. Me that I have to guard against.”
“You’re right, because if you come to me all warm and cuddly and want to make love, I will be happy to accommodate you.”
She looked down. “I know, and I’ll be happy about it in the moment and feeling stupid about it afterwards.”
He took her left hand in his and worried her wedding ring with his thumb. “You should never feel stupid after we make love. Never. We’re married now, Bree. I’m not sure what the future holds for us, but I hope it’s more children. You do remember how we get more children, don’t you?”
She rolled her eyes so far back in her head she should have fallen backwards with the movement. “I know how to make children; I just didn’t see it as a future for us.” She headed down to the kitchen.
Adam followed her, apparently eschewing clothes. “Honey, I didn’t either, but we can make the future what we want.”
“Not without love. I can’t do it. I know you don’t understand, but I need what I need, and that’s to be loved, wholly and completely.”
Adam dropped her hand. “You know I can’t do that. I refuse to let myself get into that situation again.”
She sat on one of the barstools at the kitchen’s island. “I know. I was there when that…witch…did what she did. You don’t have to feel that was all on you. She never loved you. She loved your money. It’s a good thing you had the prenup, or she would have taken you to the cleaners. There’s something else I should tell you.” She wrung her hands. “Brad said I should mind my own business, but I wish I hadn’t taken his advice.”
His eyebrows furrowing, he sat next to her and took her hand again. “What? You can tell me anything, Bree.”
“Okay. I knew Valerie was having an affair with Simon, even before you married. I’m sorry, I should have told you, but Brad said it wasn’t our business.”
Adam dropped her hand. “You knew. I thought you were my friend.”
“Dang it, I am your friend. I…I hoped she was ending it with Simon when I heard you were getting married. I didn’t find out she hadn’t until after the wedding, and by then it was too late. Besides, you were besotted with her. Would you even have believed me?”
His shoulders slumped, and he shook his head. “You’re right, I wouldn’t have. I would have thought it was some weird form of jealousy.”
She reached over to touch his arm.
He pulled away. “I think I’ll get dressed and go for a drive. I need to figure some things out.”
She stood straighter, her back as stiff as if she had a steel rod up it. “Fine. I’m going to check on Lilly. And Adam? Don’t come back until you have your head on straight.”
Bree slipped around him before he could see the tears in her eyes and headed up the stairs.
He followed her up.
She heard the door to his bedroom slam, followed just minutes later by the door to the garage. Bree knew he was leaving until he wasn’t angry any longer. What would happen when he got back…she had no idea.