Five Star Desire

by Jacquelin Thomas

  She spent the evening planning the menu for tomorrow night’s meal, flicking through cookbooks and trying to work out what she could pull together, given the limited supplies in her refrigerator.

  Addison settled for a pasta dish—tortellini with salami, goat cheese and Kalamata olives, fresh bread and a baby spinach, Parmesan and pear salad. She made a mental note to go by the grocery store tomorrow after work.

  She started prepping for dinner at five o’clock so she could take her time and enjoy the process. She was looking forward to tonight when her husband returned home. He had flown to Atlanta for a couple of days to check on the young man living in his apartment. There was no point denying it, even to herself—she loved being married to Kellen and missed him in his absence.

  Addison had everything prepped by six o’clock, the table set by a quarter past.

  In her bedroom she pulled on a loose top made from cashmere and silk, matching it with her steel-gray, wide-legged linen pants. Addison loved the maternity outfit because it was comfortable and made her feel elegant. She felt infinitely better as she slipped on a pair of simple ballet flats and went into the bathroom to do something with her face.

  “You look beautiful.”

  His voice gave her a start because Addison wasn’t expecting him home so soon. She turned around and said, “You need to stop sneaking up on me like that.”

  Kellen walked up to her, planting a kiss on her lips. “I didn’t mean to scare you. You take my breath away every time I see you.”

  He made her feel beautiful in the way his eyes traveled over her lovingly and with endless compliments. Addison wondered if he would be the same way five, ten or fifteen years down the road.

  As if he could read her thoughts, he said, “You will always be beautiful to me, sweetheart.”

  “I feel like the luckiest woman alive,” she murmured.

  “You are,” Kellen responded with a grin.

  Addison laughed. “I forget how humble you are.”

  Kellen refused to relinquish her hand as she started to step away, instead giving it a tug and pulling her back into his arms.

  “I need to check on dinner.”

  “Dinner can wait,” he told her.

  She looked stunned, and he smiled. Kellen’s eyelids drifted closed and he kissed her.

  “I missed you,” she whispered against his mouth.

  “I missed you, too.”

  Addison freed herself from his grasp. “I really need to check on our dinner, sweetie.”

  He followed her into the kitchen.

  “I’m actually looking forward to going into the office tomorrow,” Addison announced as she drained the pasta.

  “You’re sure you don’t want to take another day?” he asked. “We can play hooky tomorrow and just stay in bed.”

  “While I like that idea, I really think I need to go to work. I’ve been gone a week.”

  Kellen took the bowl of pasta out of her hands and laid it on the counter. “Last chance...”

  Addison chuckled. “I have a better idea. Why don’t we make it an early night? Like right after dinner.”

  “What can I do to help?” he said with a sexy grin that still made her weak at the knees.

  * * *

  Addison was happy to be back in the office. Although it had only been a couple of weeks, she felt like she’d been away much too long. Smiling, she took her place at the head of the table in the conference room. “Good morning, everyone.”

  “Good morning, Mrs. Alexander,” they replied in unison.

  She looked over at Kellen and they shared a laugh.

  “Okay,” Addison said, resuming her businesslike manner. “What’s been going on while we were away? Lee, where are we with the new spa facility in Tennessee?”

  “Construction is scheduled to be complete next month.”

  She nodded in approval. “What about the renovations of the hotel in Phoenix? I know there were some problems with vandalism. Any updates?”

  “We placed more construction advisory bulletins and added barriers,” another employee advised. “We also have twenty-four-hour security in the construction zone.”

  As she discussed some of the new projects, Addison noticed that Kellen seemed unusually quiet. She supposed it had to do with the fact that she didn’t assign any of them to him. He was already carrying a stack of projects left over from before their honeymoon trip to Aruba. Addison did not want to overload him.

  She could not ignore the unspoken tension between them and was relieved when the meeting was over. She walked straight to her office because she knew that her husband would follow.

  Addison had just taken a seat when Kellen burst through the door. “Why didn’t you give me one of the new projects?” he asked.

  “I didn’t want to overwhelm you.”

  “I can handle the workload,” Kellen stated. “I want you to treat me like the rest of the team.”

  “I don’t treat you any different,” she argued. “I would’ve made the same decision with any of my employees, Kellen.”

  He met her gaze straight on. “I’m not so sure.”

  She sighed in exasperation. “I’m not going to sit here and argue with you.”

  “No, you’re not because I’m going to my office to do some work. I don’t want to give you any more reasons to pass me over for projects.”

  * * *

  Kellen frowned, annoyed by the whiny, resentful tone to his own thoughts. Admittedly, Addison probably thought she was doing him a favor. He knew that he needed to learn how to tolerate another person’s preferences without getting so bent out of shape, especially where he and Addison were concerned. It was a surefire way to make himself and her miserable at work and at home.

  He packed up his laptop in his backpack and headed home. Addison had left two hours ago.

  The only reason he didn’t leave with her was because Kellen could tell that she was still upset with him.

  She threw open the front door before he had time to use his key.

  They stared at each other.

  He didn’t know what to say; and as the silence stretched out, he grew more and more uncomfortable.

  Addison stood so still, he could barely make out the slight rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. It was like she was waiting to see what he’d say before she decided what to do.

  A kiss on the lips seemed presumptuous, so Kellen stuffed his hands into his pockets, instead. Besides, it wouldn’t solve a thing.

  “I’m sorry,” he said.

  “I’m sorry, too.”

  “Can I come inside?”

  She broke into a smile as she stepped aside. “It’s your home, too.”

  Kellen pulled her into his arms. “I love you, Addison.”

  “I know,” she murmured. “What happened at work has nothing to do with our love or our marriage. We have to make sure we don’t confuse the two.”

  Addison backed out of his arms. “I really didn’t want you overwhelmed with too many projects on your plate. I was just looking out for you.”

  He agreed. “I made it personal.”

  “So did I,” Addison confessed. “I shouldn’t have gotten upset when you came to me.”

  “It’s not going to happen again.”

  She folded her arms across her chest. “I hope that it won’t, because I don’t want to keep arguing when it comes to work. I make my decisions based on experience and the strengths of my team.”

  “I don’t want to fight with you, either,” he acknowledged. “I especially don’t want to upset you while you’re carrying our child.”

  “I don’t want to dwell on this anymore.” Addison smiled up at him. “While I was waiting on you to come home, I made dinner.”

  “This i
s perfect timing because I’m hungry.”

  “Ooh,” she uttered.

  Kellen was instantly by her side. “Honey, are you okay?”

  Addison’s hand drifted to her stomach and rested against the small mound there. His eyes softened as he placed his own hand, strong and warm, on top of hers. The bubble of her belly was firm and taut, and when she opened her eyes, his were shining down at her.

  He broke into a grin. “I just felt the baby move.”

  She closed her eyes at the warmth of his hand seeping through her dress and into her core. “It’s such a beautiful feeling.”

  Kellen gazed tenderly at her. “I love you so much.”

  She placed a soft kiss on his lips. “I love you, too.”

  “I can’t wait to meet this little one.”

  Addison nodded in agreement. “You know that our child hears everything we say. I don’t want him or her hearing any harsh words between us.”

  “Our child will always know how much I love you, sweetheart. I will make sure of it.”

  Chapter 24

  “I’m looking forward to seeing your new nephew,” Addison told Kellen as she searched through her closet for something to wear. They were spending the day with Zaire and Tyrese to celebrate the birth of the baby.

  “He’s our nephew.”

  She walked out carrying a maxi dress with an empire waist. “I think he looks just like his father in the pictures Zaire emailed.”

  Kellen agreed. “He has my sister’s mouth, though.”

  Addison removed her robe, giving him a view of her changing profile.

  “You are a beautiful pregnant woman.”

  She slipped on her dress. “You’re such a sweetheart.”

  Kellen pulled her into his arms. “That’s because I love you more than anything else in this world. I thank God for creating you just for me.”

  Addison planted a kiss on his lips. “I love you, too.”

  “See, I was right all along,” he said with a grin.

  “About what?”

  “That we belong together.”

  She laughed. “Oh, I don’t know. I think the jury’s still out on that one.”

  “Hey, don’t even tease about something like that.” He kissed her. “What do you think about selling this place and getting a house?”

  “It’s something to think about.”

  Kellen glanced over at the clock on the nightstand. “I guess we need to get going.”

  “I’m almost ready,” Addison said. “I just need to find some shoes and my earrings.”

  “I’ll be in the living room.”

  An hour later, she was seated in Zaire’s family room, laughing and talking with Sage and Livi.

  Pushing out of her chair, Addison went to the baby’s room in search of Kellen. She found him changing Tai’s diaper.

  She stopped dead in her tracks and watched. Something about a big, masculine man maneuvering a diaper around the chubby, thrashing legs created an endearing scene.

  Kellen looked up at him and grinned, causing her heart to flutter oddly.

  “He leaks like a sprinkler system.”

  Deftly, he smoothed the plastic tabs into place before slipping the tiny legs back into the pajamas.

  “I didn’t know you were so good with babies.”

  “Lots of practice.”

  He lifted the infant in his hands and laid him against a wide, blanket-covered shoulder, patting the tiny back with a tenderness that stirred Addison. One of his hands covered Tai’s entire back.

  “He’s a gorgeous baby,” Addison murmured. Seeing him like this and the way he was around his nieces and nephews, she knew Kellen was going to be a great father.

  He was a good man, she knew this. The only problems between them existed at work. There were times when she felt Kellen expected her to choose him because he was her husband. She wondered if any of the other employees thought she was showing favoritism toward Kellen. Addison hoped not because it was not the case. She was grateful that her employees were all accepting.

  “What are you thinking about?” Kellen asked, cutting into her thoughts.

  She smiled up at him. “Nothing important.”

  He studied her face. “You’re sure?”

  Addison gave a slight nod. “Is he asleep?”

  “Yes.” Kellen took her by the hand. “Let’s go join the others. The food should be ready shortly.”

  He was so sweet and understanding as a husband. Why couldn’t he be as understanding when it came to work?

  * * *

  “What is going on with you?” Kellen asked her. “Since we’ve gotten married, it seems like all you do is find something wrong with my work.”

  “So you’re saying that I’m picking on you,” she uttered. Addison was irritated and tense due to the constant arguments between them in the office. Although they had promised one another that they would never bring it home—the last argument ended with Kellen sleeping on the sofa. It was wearing on her emotionally.

  “Before we married, I was great, and you trusted me. Now it seems all that has changed.”

  “The problem is that you can’t take criticism.”

  “Neither can you,” Kellen shot back.

  Addison grabbed her tote. “I’m not doing this again with you. I’m tired, and I’m going home.”

  “We rode together this morning.”

  She sent him a sharp glare. Addison silently criticized herself for ever believing that she and Kellen could work together. If their marriage had a chance, she would have to find another solution.

  “I’ll get my computer and backpack so we can leave.”

  Addison was silent on the ride home.

  “Why don’t you sit, and I’ll help you with your shoes?” he suggested when they entered the condo.

  She looked up at him in surprise. She was still angry with him, but then he flashed her that charming grin of his. Addison walked over to the couch and sat down.

  Kellen knelt in front of her to lift her foot.

  Eyes locked with hers, he slipped her shoe off, running a lazy circle around her ankle with his thumb.

  Addison watched, breathless, as his large hands massaged her foot.

  So unbelievably sexy.

  “Okay?”

  “Perfect.” Flustered, Addison cleared her throat, clearly working to maintain her poise.

  He picked up her other foot, giving it the same attention as the first. Kellen let his hands skim up over her calves, stroking a light path behind her knees as he went on.

  “You drive me so crazy,” she murmured. “I love you but when we’re in the office, there are days that I really don’t like you.”

  “It just seems that things have changed since we got married.”

  “They haven’t,” Addison stated. “I think that maybe your expectations changed.”

  Kellen shook his head in denial. “This is my passion. Surely you understand this.”

  “I do understand, but I need you to know that I have years of experience as an engineer and a manager. I do know what I’m doing.” She paused for a moment before adding, “I think the team feels the tension between us in the office. This is what I didn’t want to happen, Kellen.”

  “I speak my mind. You know that.”

  “If we continue to have problems working together, then I’m going to have to make some changes.”

  He met her gaze.

  “What do you mean by that?”

  “We will have to make some changes,” she stated. “I’m not going to have our issues the subject of watercooler gossip.”

  “You need to stop worrying about what others think.”

  “And you need to learn how to be a team player
.”

  * * *

  “Kellen, there’s a position in Seattle that I was offered, and I’ve been thinking about taking it,” Addison announced over breakfast. “I think that it would be better for our marriage if we don’t have to work together on a daily basis.”

  “The only problem is that I’m not interested in moving to Seattle,” Kellen responded. “I love living here in Los Angeles.” He was surprised by Addison’s announcement. He thought things between them were getting better. They still disagreed from time to time, but not as much lately.

  “You wouldn’t have to move,” she responded. “I’d get an apartment there and come home on the weekends.”

  Kellen met her gaze straight on. “Addison, what about our child?” He couldn’t believe she was thinking of taking their child and living in Seattle without him.

  “The baby would be with me, of course.”

  “I don’t think so,” he uttered. “You’re my wife, and I intend to be a full-time father to my child. Taking a job in Seattle is just not an option.”

  She sighed in resignation. “I don’t know what else to do, Kellen. It’s clear that we can’t work together because it’s affecting our marriage. Half the time we come home and we don’t talk to each other. I love you, but I don’t want to live this way.”

  “You could be a full-time mother,” he suggested. “You don’t have to work.”

  “We’ve had this discussion before. I enjoy what I do, and I intend to keep working,” Addison told him.

  “You don’t know how you’re going to feel until after the baby gets here,” Kellen stated. “You may change your mind. Natalia isn’t working more than two or three days a week since she had the twins.”

  She shook her head. “I doubt it.”

  He finished off his coffee. “Well, I don’t want you and the baby traveling back and forth from Seattle to Los Angeles. We’ll work this out.”

  “I hate arguing with you, Kellen. When we disagree at work it travels over into our home life. I can’t do this anymore.”

  Kellen reached across the table, taking her hand into his. “I don’t want you stressed out. I’ll do whatever I have to do to keep you happy at work and at home. I promise.”

  They made small talk during the drive to the office. He was worried about losing his family. In truth, Kellen was scared. Something had to be done if his wife was considering moving all the way to Seattle.