by Katie Dowe
“And it never will,” she told him. She reached up and touched his jaw and then his chest through the simple t-shirt he had on. “I love you Ryan and what you choose to do with that information is up to you. I am not going anywhere and I want children with you.” She took his hand and placed it on her flat stomach. “I want maybe three or four because I love being a mother and I love being your wife. I would never do something like that because for one it is not me and two I love you more than I can ever tell you. I heard the news about your getting hit by that beam and I prayed and asked God for a chance to be a wife to you and for a time to spend with you. I love you and I am not afraid of it.”
He stared down at her and smiled tenderly. “Thank you.” He murmured and pulled her into his arms. Their son slept while he explored her mouth and made love to her right underneath the tree with the cooling winds and the birds chirping around them.
*****
He slowly opened up to her. The trip to Paris was made in his private plane and they took their son with them. Since he had hotels in Paris, immediately a suitable nanny was found for the baby so they could explore and make love until the sun came up.
He had not told her he loved her but that was just words. His actions said otherwise. When they reached back home she felt a sense of let down and wondered if he would go back to being the terse unapproachable man he had been before. He had told her initially that they would not share the same bedroom but so far he had stayed with her. He loved his son and would spend hours with him changing him and putting him to sleep after he was fed.
It was the day after they got back from Paris that she felt the dread coming over her. She had helped Loretta prepare the Lobster bisque and they had had dinner at the dining table in the enormous dining room, and then they had gone up to give the nanny the night off and put Cameron to bed.
“I have to go away for a few days,” he said quietly as they got ready for bed. Somehow she was expecting it and had been dreading it. She had sworn to herself that she would not be a clingy wife and so far she had not been.
She stopped in the process of buttoning the front of her nightgown. She still breastfed their son so she usually put something on that was easily accessible. “Where?” she asked him without turning around.
“Jamaica. It will be for a few days.”
“Don’t go,” she whispered in spite of herself.
“I have to–”
“Please,” she turned to him and he saw the tears then.
“I promise that–”
“You cannot promise,” She cried trembling as she wrapped her hands around her. “Please stay with us Ryan, I am begging you.”
“You are not being fair Aaliyah,” he said impatiently, his heart breaking as he saw the anguish on her face. “I have a company to run and I have been traveling for many years now.”
“I can’t deal with it.” She bent over. “I can’t – I might lose you and I can’t–” she broke off with a sob and raced into the bathroom where he heard her retching inside the bowl. He stooped behind her and brought her back against him.
“I am sorry.”
He picked her up and carried her back to the bed where he sat with her on his lap. He rocked her just the way he would his son and she buried her face into his chest. “I am going to have to travel. I have hotels all over the world and I am a hands on person. I like to see what is going on.”
She clutched at his shirt.
He sighed and lifted her chin to look in her tear drenched face. “What do you want me to do, Aaliyah?”
“Take me with you.”
“And that will make you secure?”
She nodded. “I am trying not to be a wife who clings to her husband but it is too soon and I am afraid it is too fresh in my mind.”
He searched her face and wiped the moisture from her face. “We just got back from Paris and I don’t want to subject Cameron to traveling so soon after.”
“We could go just the two of us. My mother and yours could take care of Cameron.” She ventured.
He looked down at her and sighed. “Aaliyah–”
“I promise not to get in the way.”
“It will be mainly looking at the progress of the building.”
“I will swim and sunbathe and wait for you like a dutiful wife.” She pressed home her point.
He sighed and brought his forehead down on hers. “Okay,” he murmured smiling a little as she shuddered in relief. “Are you going to try this every time?”
“Maybe,” she said saucily as she brought his head down to hers.
Chapter 11
Jamaica was nothing short of paradise and Aaliyah enjoyed every moment of her visit to the wonderful tropical island. The natives were very friendly and Ryan’s name was well known even there. Their pictures were snapped as soon as they walked into the hotel they were staying! They were given the royal treatment and Aaliyah relished it. He was whisked away the minute they were shown their room but she was too entranced to mind. She took advantage of the wonderful blue water that reminded her so much of his eyes and tried to catch the native language referred to as ‘Patois’. They had dinner in one of the restaurants and she enjoyed the curried lobster and callaloo and pumpkin rice that was so delicious she had seconds. Ryan stuck to the traditional meal he knew and smiled when she called him a coward. He showed her the sites in between going to meetings. He made love to her on the last night of their trip in the warm water of the sea. He eased her bikini away and slipped his penis inside her, pulling the strings of her bikini, letting his fingers slide over her nipples. She shuddered against him and had to bury her head in his chest to mute the cries coming from her mouth as the orgasm rushed through her. He made love to her again when they went to their room and she fell asleep in his arms. Secretly, she thought of it as their honeymoon.
She had taken so many pictures and along with their trip to Paris and their wedding photos she was collecting quite an album. He stayed with her and Cameron the next day, but went back to work right after.
She stood behind him as he slid on his dark grey jacket and made sure his tie was okay. It was Monday morning and reality had stepped in. “I guess I will see you over the weekend.” She was determined not to let him see how much she was suffering. He turned to face her. It was barely six in the morning but he had an early meeting and it was going to take him several hours to get there. She had on a simple white lace and he could see inches of her skin. “Why?”
“Because you will be at the apartment–”
“I am coming home Aaliyah,” he said quietly.
“You are?”
“Yes,” he pulled her into his arms. “I will be home tonight and the other nights. Whenever I have late meetings I will have to stay at the apartment, but for now I will be home.”
“With us,” she whispered as she went into his arms.
“Yes, with you and our son.” He lifted her chin and looked down at her. “You have made a home for us and I am loving it.”
“Oh Ryan,” she sighed as she brought his head down.
“I have a meeting,” he said hoarsely.
“I know,” she pulled at his perfectly knotted tie and undid his buttons.
“Aaliyah–”
“Just a quickie.” She stepped back and pulled the nightgown over her head. With a groan, he swept her into his arms and took her back to bed.
*****
“I think I am in love with her,” he said as he sipped his whiskey moodily.
“That’s a good thing, but you don’t look it.”
“I have never been more scared of anything in my life.” He said with a short laugh.
“Nothing to be scared of man,” Brad gestured to Kane who had just entered the room. It was the first Saturday in August and he had told Aaliyah that he was going to the club for a few hours. She had gone to visit her mother and had taken their son. “Ask Kane.”
“Ask Kane what?” the man gestured to Marty for his usual and then sat next to them.<
br />
“Ryan here has been bitten by the love bug but does not quite know how to deal with it.” Brad said with a grin at the dark look on his friend’s face.
“Ah,” Kane said in amusement, his dark eyes crinkling. “I remember when it was me and Kelly would not take no for an answer. Lucky me. What is your problem man?”
“I have done the love thing before and it went south. This time a lot is involved. What I feel for Aaliyah is so intense that I want to run and hide.”
“Welcome to the club.” Kane told him with a smile. “Our wives rule our hearts,” he continued wryly.
“And we would have it no other way.” Brad added. “Have you told her?”
“No, but I think she suspects.”
“They usually do.”
*****
“A Barbara Wakelin is here to see you, Mr. Sullivan; she said she does not have an appointment.” His secretary told him.
Ryan stopped looking at the list of ideas he had come up with for Aaliyah’s birthday which was a couple days away and went still.
“Send her in.”
He sat back against his chair and waited for her to enter. “I am so sorry to come by like this, but I need your help,” she looked as if she had been crying but he was not moved.
“Have a seat,” he said inclining his head. Eleven years ago he had thought himself in love with this woman and now he could look at her without feeling anything. He had a lot to be grateful to Aaliyah for! “What is it?”
“I know I am the last person you expect to come to you for help after what I did to you, to us.” She clasped her hands in front of her and looked at him. “I cannot tell you how sorry I am–”
“Please, say what you need to say Barbara,” he said interrupting her rudely. “I have to arrange something for my wife’s birthday.”
He saw her wince and almost smiled in satisfaction.
“I need a good lawyer. Barry is divorcing me and because I am not able to have children–” she broke off and looked down at her hands. “He does not want to give me a settlement.”
“And you came to me why?”
“If I do not get anything from him, I will not be able to afford anything.”
“You should have thought about that before you let him believe that you could reproduce.” He got up from his desk and went to the door. “I cannot help you.”
She got up and rushed towards him clinging to his shirt. He had just put his hands on hers to move them when the door opened and his wife came in. Aaliyah looked at the scene before her and felt her heart constrict. She had been on her way to lunch with the wives and had decided to stop by. “Hi,” she looked at them.
“Barbara was just leaving.” He said grimly
The woman looked from him to his wife and without a word she left slamming the door behind her.
“What are you doing here and where is our son?” he asked her grimly as he went behind his desk. She saw it for what it was, a shutter he had put up.
“At home with the nanny,” she came towards his desk and forced him to look at her. “I am having lunch with Leesa and Kelly to plan the charity function for September. I want to get involved remember?”
“Fine.” He said briefly. “I am busy.”
“I am not condemning you for seeing her Ryan. I am not that type of wife. Obviously, she came here for a reason and from what I know about my husband is that he is the smartest man I know and he would never make the same mistake twice. Besides, I saw the regret on her face. I trust you.”
His hands stilled and for the first time in his life he felt absolutely vulnerable and thoroughly loved. This gorgeous woman standing by his desk was telling him that she trusted him totally. “She wanted me to get a lawyer for her,” he said a little hoarsely.
“And have you?
“No. Why would I do that?”
“To show her that you are over her.” She sat on the edge of his desk and swung her denim clad leg. She was wearing a chic rose pink blouse with a tie around the waist and looked every inch of the wealthy wife. She got off the desk and came in front of him. He had on a powder blue shirt and he had taken off his tie. She ran her hand over his chest and almost sighed at the muscles there. “Poor woman to find that she has missed out on this,” she lifted her head to look at him.
“I am not a damned trophy!” he growled but he was feeling warm inside.
“You are my trophy.” She said with a smile as she wound her hands around his neck. “Your secretary was not at her desk so I thought I would just come in. Have I told you today how much I adore you?”
“No,” he said thickly. “I was beginning to wonder why.”
“How remiss of me.” She used the tip of her tongue to touch his lip and he shuddered. “I love you baby.”
“Aaliyah,” he groaned and took her lips with his.
He pressed the intercom. “Yes, sir?”
“I am not to be disturbed for the next hour.”
“Of course, sir.”
“What are you planning to do?”
“This.” He placed her on the desk and pulled down her jeans and panties before releasing his erection and pulling her to the edge. He entered her swiftly and closed his eyes as she wrapped her legs around his waist. His hands bit into her flesh as he pounded into her. He bent his head and took a nipple into his mouth not really caring at the noises coming from her!
*****
“You look like the cat who ate the canary,” Leesa commented as soon as she took her seat.
“I am just coming from Ryan’s office.” She said with a dreamy smile as the waiter came over to them bowing obsequiously. It was one of Kane’s trendy restaurants and the women were being treated like royalty. “Salads for us.” Kelly told the man who hurried to place the order.
“How was it?” Leesa asked with an arched brow.
“Wonderful,” she said with a laugh.
“We have all been there, darling, and of course it was wonderful.” Kelly said.
“I think the secretary knew what we were doing, but I don’t care. I saw him in there with Barbara.”
“And you told the bitch to get out of course,” Kelly said with steel in her voice. Aaliyah looked at the incredibly beautiful former model and shook her head in wonder.
“It would have made the situation worse. I am in love with Ryan and I know him. I felt something clutch at my heart but I pretended like I was fine and had a civilized conversation with him. He is still skittish and I don’t want to spook him.”
“Clever girl,” Leesa looked at her in admiration.
“When you love someone, you go the extra mile.” She said with a slight smile. “He loves me, but he is afraid to say the words.”
“We are so familiar with that, right?” Kelly said with a laugh as she looked at her best friend.
“Aren’t we?” Leesa said shaking her head. “It took me ten years to get Brad to look at me twice and even then I had to practically tie the man down to get him to own what he was feeling.”
“Kane fought me every step of the way because of a stupid tradition in his family that said he was supposed to marry his own kind.” Kelly made air quotes with her fingers.
“I am a part of something so extraordinary that I cannot believe it,” Aaliyah said in wonder as she sipped her aperitif.
“We are and we never take it for granted.” Leesa said solemnly.
*****
He took her on his yacht for her birthday. He started treating her differently. Every night he would come home to them and she would be waiting for him in the living room. As soon as he came home she would greet him and taking his hand led him into the kitchen to get his food. She would sit at the counter and watch him eat while she drank some tea and listened to his day or told him what she and Cameron had been up to.
It was a clear beautiful Wednesday afternoon and he had taken the day from work to take her out. He had named his yacht ‘The Rover’ and she had asked him why.
“No particular reason,”
he said with a smile as he made the turn to sea. She was dressed for the occasion wearing a knee length white shorts and a knitted bikini top. He was wearing cargo shorts and black t-shirt and looked unlike the powerful business man he was. “May I?” she gestured at the wheel.
“You know how to?” he asked her with raised brows.
“I figured as long as you know how to drive a car, it’s the same thing.” She said teasingly.
“Not quite and besides you don’t know how to swim.”
“You promised to teach me.” She reminded him as she sat on the seat in front of him.
“I remember,” his breath fanned her neck and made it hard for her to concentrate. He placed his hands over hers and guided the vessel. She leaned back against him and sniffed the air. “It’s beautiful. Thanks.” She twisted her head and kissed his lips.
“You are welcome, but you are supposed to be steering,’ he said huskily.
“Hmm.” She said dreamily. “This is the best birthday ever.”
“It’s just starting.”
He had so many things in store for her.
They went to the Elite Club where the wives were there waiting for her with a party. She had fun and was taken on a tour of the exclusive club. She also played tennis and beat Kelly two to one and had a huge birthday cake made of strawberry with vanilla frosting. A car took them back home later that night where he gave her his gift in the privacy of their bedroom. “What’s this?” she asked as he handed her the box.
“Open it.”
She did and gasped at the beautiful emerald ring glinting in the box. He took it out and took her right hand where he slid it on. She looked at the light glinting off it and lifted her eyes to his. “Happy birthday,” he said softly.
“Thank you,” she whispered. “I know it is my birthday and everything and I am the one who is supposed to be getting all the presents, but I have something for you too.”
“What?” he asked looking at her indulgently. She took his hand and placed it on her flat stomach. “By next April, Cameron will have a brother or a sister.”