Happily Ever After: 6 Marriage Romances In 1 (BWWM Romance) Page 8

  “I did not realize it was so late, why didn’t you call me?” she asked as soon as he came into the office. She had spent the morning with Mrs. Willows reliving the experience of the honeymoon and had not left there until after lunch.

  “I called and it went straight to voicemail and I also called the house number but it kept ringing busy,” he told her mildly. He had taken off his suit jacket and hung it on the coat rack in the living room.

  “Oh lord, I am sorry Julian,” she got up from the desk and came around to put her arms around his neck. “A normal wife would be at home getting you dinner and waiting for you.”

  “I do not want a normal wife and you don’t hear me complaining.” He told her taking her lips with his. He tasted like coffee and something spicy.

  “If you had a problem will you tell me?” she asked as soon as he stopped kissing her.

  “Definitely.” He pulled her sweater up and over her head.

  “What are you doing? Aren’t we supposed to be leaving?” she asked as he unhooked her bra from behind.

  “Not tonight.” He murmured bending to take a nipple into his mouth.

  She threw back her head and savored the feeling flooding her insides at the touch of his mouth. They never made it into the bedroom.

  *****

  They made some sort of arrangement. He moved over some of his things to her house and she did the same with hers. He was comfortable allowing her to be in her space as long as she answered her phones and let him know she was okay. The arrangement suited them perfectly and they worked with it.

  She made a concerted effort to attend his business dinners with him and would smile and make conversation with the other wives there as well.

  “Where do you get your inspiration from?” A well preserved and beautiful red haired woman asked her as they sat around the table having a meal.

  The occasion was a cocktail dinner to host some associates from overseas. She had worn a dazzling blue cocktail dress that left her arms and shoulders bare and dipped very low between her cleavage. She was also wearing a sapphire necklace and earrings that Julian had given her a week ago. It had been three weeks since they had been married and she was adjusting somewhat.

  “From all over,” she told the woman with a smile, trying to remember her name.

  “It’s Jade,” she said with a shrewd smile, looking at the beautiful black girl with open admiration. Her skin was flawless! “I already know who you are. I am married to that tall blond giant over there,” she pointed to a blonde man sitting beside her husband and laughing at something he said. “Michael, he is into technology.”

  “You love him,” Kym made the statement looking at the very attractive woman and noticing how her expression softened when she looked at him.

  “Ever since I was a teenager,” she said with a tinkling laugh. “We went to high school together but the selfish brute that he was he never seemed to notice me no matter how much I pushed myself in front of him.”

  “How did you deal with it?” Kym asked her fascinated always loving a good story.

  “You are already spinning a romance novel inside your head aren’t you?” Jade asked with a laugh.

  “Sorry,” Kym said ruefully, “Occupational hazard.”

  “No problem. I pursued him without him even knowing it. Men,” she said shaking her head. “It was not until we finished college and he started his company that we saw each other again at a nearby restaurant and by that time had grown up somewhat from the gawky teenager he knew back then to an attractive confident woman who was not about to take no for an answer.”

  “He did not stand a chance did he?”

  “Not a one,” the woman said with a grin. “How about you? What’s your story?”

  “I met Julian at the opening of one of his restaurants and he did the pursuing and he never stopped until he wore me down,” she admitted ruefully with a slow smile. “Very determined man that one.”

  “He is clearly head over heels in love with you. He looks at you every chance he gets and from what I heard about his reputation before that is quite something. He certainly has changed.” Jade murmured sipping her white wine.

  “He had better, I am sure he does not want to be missing the most important part of his body,” she said calmly.

  The woman’s eyes widened as she got the girl’s meaning and she started laughing!

  *****

  “What was all that about?” They were on the dance floor swaying to the soft after dinner music as he held her close to him. He had been staring at her all through the evening and thinking that she was by far the most beautiful woman in the entire place.

  “We were just talking about our husbands.” She told him, casually looking up at him and not quite believing that she was married and to him.

  “What about?”

  “She was saying that she could not believe how much you have changed and I told her you had better because if I found out you were cheating I would cut off the family jewels.” She told him with a straight face.

  He stopped suddenly and stared down at her, a little frown knitting his brow. “You said what? Oh never mind; I don’t think I would like you to repeat it.”

  He continued dancing and after a while he asked her: “Would you really do that?”

  “Without a shadow of a doubt,” she told him seriously.

  “There is no need to resort to violence, I am all yours as well as the ‘family jewels’,” he told her with an amused smile.

  *****

  “You look different,” Gabrielle made the observation as soon as she entered the restaurant that had been chosen by her.

  “How different?” Kym stared at her friend curiously. It was almost the end of January and the winter was making itself known in no uncertain way. The snow had come down heavily in the morning and had left its blanket on every available surface.

  “Doesn’t she look different Marla?” Gabrielle asked the other girl who was seated close to the window and was already drinking hot chocolate. For the first time, she was wearing a subdued black and white wool dress.

  “If I was married to that sizzling billionaire I would look different as well,” Marla said with a shake of her head. “That house alone makes me want to salivate.”

  “I am still the same person,” Kym protested taking a seat and shrugging out of her black cashmere jacket.

  “You are rubbing elbows with the rich and famous so you are allowed to look different.” Gabrielle told her.

  “So how is married life?” Marla asked her.

  “Very good, actually.” Kym told them. “He is a very understanding husband and puts up with my artistic crap and the fact that I forget where I am going in the evenings.” She told her friends about the arrangement he had suggested which was working out for them. “Sometimes I feel bad about not making him dinner and even breakfast when he is going to the office but he tells me it’s no big deal and they have a very good chef who would be highly offended if I took over his duty.”

  “Honey, run with it, which woman wants to be slaving in the kitchen day in and day out?” Marla asked with a wave of her hand.

  “I think I am going to cook dinner for him this weekend.” Kym said with a decisive tone.

  *****

  “You don’t cook.” Julian hung up his jacket and followed her inside the kitchen. She had called him at the office and told him to come home early. “Which home?” he had asked her.

  “My house.”

  He smelled something baking but could not quite identify the aroma.

  “Mrs. Willows gave me a crash course in baking and cooking spaghetti and meatballs and apple pie.” She had on an apron over her sweat pants and T-shirt and her hair was caught up in an untidy ponytail.

  He slid his arms around her waist from behind and nuzzled the back of her neck. “You do know that you don’t have to do all this, don’t you?”

  “I know but I just figured that I can at least try and be a good wife and get my head out o
f my writing for a little bit.” She lifted the spoon, tasted the sauce and turned and put the spoon to his mouth to taste. “What do you think?”

  “I think you are a good student,” he said his arms still around her waist.

  “There is a bottle of white wine in the fridge can you put it on the table?”

  He kissed her neck and went to do as she bid him. When she had called and told him that she wanted to cook dinner for him he had felt the warmth spreading through him. She was trying to make it work and even though she had never told him she loved him, he knew he could wait for that. He had her and that was enough for now.

  She showered and got dressed for dinner, wearing a soft white dress with thin straps and spread away skirt and slim white strappy sandals. She did not allow him to do anything but told him to sit while she fixed a plate and he poured the wine.

  “So how was work?” she asked as she sat at the opposite end of the table from him.

  “We are really doing this?” his tone was highly amused as he leaned back against the chair and sipped his wine.

  “Yes, we are,” she gestured with her wine glass. “Now come on I am serious, what happened at the office today? Any major deals go through?”

  “We actually won the case against the former owners of the pharmaceutical company so we are free to go along with the renovations and put things in place. Let’s see,” he paused as if he was thinking. “There is this abandoned building on the edge of town that we think would make a great waterfront restaurant so we are checking it out.”

  “Sounds productive,” she said with a nod of her head, her dark brown eyes serious. “I read somewhere where it said that you have a penchant for seeing the most viable business in a pile of shambles.”

  “I would not quite put it that way,” he said with a smile. “But I visualize what the building will look like in my head and go with that. Are we done playing the normal couple now?”

  “For today, yes,” she said with a solemn smile. “Now it’s time for the fun part of the evening.” She stood up and came towards him, pulling her dress over her head to reveal that she was completely naked underneath. He pushed back his chair and she sat on his lap putting her arms around his neck. “How do you like the evening so far?” she asked him huskily.

  “I love it,” he whispered, his lips claiming hers in a slow and hungry kiss.

  Chapter 8

  February rolled in with a massive snowstorm that made it almost impossible to navigate the roads. She stayed at his place for the duration and he had everything brought up from her house so that she could finish her writing. She was at the last two chapters and wanted to finish it before her deadline. He had turned one of the bedrooms into an office for her and promised that she would not be interrupted.

  Irene Robinson was quite impressed with her writing and kept checking up on her. At one o’clock she came up and insisted she take a break. She came into the room with a maid behind her bearing a tray filled with delicacies.

  “I know my son said that I was not supposed to disturb you my dear but even creative people need their sustenance.” She said firmly. “Set it up over there Maggie please,” she said instructing the slim black girl who always had a smile on her face.

  “I had no idea it was this time,” Kym stretched her fingers over her head. She had gotten up in the early hours of the morning and had taken a shower and then headed straight into the room that had been made as an office and started writing. Julian and come in and kissed her goodbye and had sent up some breakfast for her.

  “Come on over here dear and we will eat together.” Irene dished out the tasty smelling beef broth into two bowls and put one by her side. There were also freshly baked rolls, tiny sandwiches and a vegetable platter.

  “This is delicious,” Kym murmured as she tasted the soup.

  “I will tell Luke that you said so, he is the chef whom you have not met since you have been here.” Irene broke off a piece of the roll and spread a thin layer of butter over it. “It’s lovely you are here now because I don’t quite understand the arrangement you and my son have with living in two houses,” she shook her immaculately styled dark brown hair.

  “It’s my comfort zone,” Kym explained, feeling like she had to apologize to this elegant woman who was her mother in law. “I write better when I am there and there are no distractions. Julian understands.” She added swiftly.

  “I am sure he does my dear,” Irene said in amusement her lips tilted in smile. Kym blinked as she saw the resemblance to Julian in her smile. “James and I would never dream of interfering in your marriage and our son would not allow it.”

  “We don’t have a normal marriage even though I am trying to be a good wife but sometimes I go on a writing binge that makes me forget where I am and the fact that I have not eaten or even taken a shower,” she said with a smile. “I explained all of that to Julian and he insists it’s something he can live with.”

  “Of course he does, he is in love with you and it’s a new experience for him.” Irene told her with a little smile. “I met his father while on a trip to Europe. I was a buyer for one of the biggest store lines in the country,” she smiled reminiscently. “I was rushing to go to the airport and the flight was delayed and we sat there waiting to board together and he started chatting me up. I noticed that he was very handsome but at that time I had no time for a relationship, my career came first with me and I was going places. I gave him my number however and he called me as soon as I reached home that day and he did not stop calling and inviting me out until I said yes. I never regretted it since.”

  “Is there a lesson in there somewhere for me?” Kym tilted her head and looked at the woman shrewdly.

  “Of course not my dear,” Irene denied with a charming smile. “I am just telling you my love story, who knows maybe you will be able to use it in a book some time.”

  “I see,” Kym said her eyes twinkling in amusement. “What Julian and I have is working and I am not going to mess with it.”

  They finished eating in companionable silence and then she resumed her writing but first she sat behind the desk and thought about what her mother in law had told her. She had never told Julian she loved him but she was getting there and she wanted to be sure of her feelings before she said the words.

  *****

  He made sure Valentine’s Day was special. He took her to dinner at the same restaurant they had first met and they were ushered to a special booth where they were afforded some privacy. She had worn a red clingy gown with a plunging neckline which left her back and shoulders bare. She was wearing a red rose at the left side of her hair that had been combed sideways and curled against her neck. Her only jewelry was her wedding rings and rubies in her lobes.

  “Happy Valentine’s Day,” he murmured as he leaned forward and took her hands in his. “I know I told you this morning before I left for the office but I wanted to tell you again my beautiful wife.” He was wearing a dark blue suit and a red tie with a light blue shirt.

  “Thank you,” she smiled at him impishly. “I got something for you and trust me when I tell you that it is not easy shopping for a man who has everything,” she pulled her hand away from his and reached into her little clutch and came out with a small jewelry box.

  “You bought me jewelry?” he asked in amusement. She had noticed that aside from his wedding ring, he only wore a watch and she had also noticed that he collected them. She had gone on line and had found just what she was looking for: A Knights of the Round Table watch. He opened the box and his eyes met hers swiftly before taking out the time piece.

  “You noticed,” he murmured, taking off the one he was wearing and slipping on the one she had bought him. “I love it, thank you,” he murmured looking at her strangely. He then reached inside the pocket of his jacket and came out with a small red jewelry box.

  “More jewelry,” she murmured reaching for the box and opening it. Her eyes widened as she took out the slender white gold necklace and from which s
uspended a pear shaped ruby that shone in the dim light of the restaurant. “Oh Julian!” she breathed. “I love it!”

  “I am glad you do.” He reached over and took it from her and fastened it around her neck, the ruby fell right inside her cleavage and he sat there staring at the red fiery stone against her beautiful coffee and cream skin. “I want to make love to you,” he muttered huskily.

  “They are going to be serving us now,” she said faintly, feeling the familiar sensation coursing through her at his words.

  “I want to take off that dress and leave the necklace on and put your nipples inside my mouth,” he told her hoarsely, leaning forward and tracing the curves of her breasts revealed by the cut of the dress.

  “I want you,” she was trembling.

  “We can skip dinner or have it packaged and take it with us and go to your house.” He suggested. He could feel the sensation building up inside his testicles and his body tightening with desire.

  “Let’s do that,” she was almost faint with desire and her nipples ached from being so stiff.

  He signaled to the Maitre D and made the request. The man hurried off to fulfill his request, coming back in a few minutes with the food well packaged along with a special pastry and a bottle of vintage wine.

  Julian took her by the arm and they left the restaurant. His car had been brought around and he helped her inside before going around to the driver’s side. The snow was still heavy on the ground but a few days of sunlight had melted most of it.

  He got to her house in record time and taking up the food stuff they made haste towards the door. All the way to the house he had had his hand up her thigh, realizing with an increased heartbeat that she was not wearing anything underneath the dress.

  “I don’t have time for finesse,” he told her hoarsely, pulling the dress over her head as soon as they closed the door.

  “I don’t care,” she told him pulling at his shirt. She wanted to feel his skin on hers. He took her into his arms and went with her to the bedroom, his mouth fastened on hers.