Why the hell did she want to hide her career from him? He’d thought that everything between them had been going extremely well. He’d thought he’d made progress with her, that she might be falling in love with him.
Obviously, he was wrong.
His driver was ready with the door open and he slipped into the back, still fuming. Vlasfimies! He felt like punching something!
Even that level of fury shocked him. The emotion was reminiscent of his street-rat days. Those times were long gone, he reminded himself, breathing through the anger that welled up inside of him. His Aunt Rose had taught him to channel his anger, to focus on something until he resolved the problem. But this…Lana was a mystery that he didn’t know how to resolve. Because he didn’t understand the problem. Especially since he’d thought that she felt the same way he did.
Chapter 17
Lana woke up and rolled over to look around. Sure enough, Christoph’s side of the bed was rumpled, but he wasn’t there.
It had been a week since she’d seen him. She spoke to him every day on the phone, but he rarely talked to her other than to tell her that he was busy and would be working late.
She knew she’d messed up, but Lana wasn’t sure how to fix things. Images of Christoph in his beautiful, skinny, blond assistant’s arms made her stomach heave. She hated the idea of Christoph touching another woman! She absolutely hated it!
She also hated this stalemate! She couldn’t go on like this. She simply couldn’t!
Tossing the bed covers off, she stomped furiously into the bathroom and flipped on the shower. Lana didn’t even acknowledge the shocking luxury of her surroundings this morning. She was too hurt, too exhausted, and too…determined!
Yes, she was going to resolve this with Christoph! Once and for all, she was going to…well, she was going to demand something! They had to talk about this, she decided as she showered. Wrapping a towel around her, she stepped into her dressing room and surveyed the clothes hanging in the closet. It was actually an enormous closet, her clothes only took up a fraction of the space. Normally, she wore jeans or leggings and some sort of top. During the summer months, she paired her shorts with a simple top. In the winter, she grabbed a sweatshirt. She had several outfits suitable for nights out, but generally, her clothes were simple and inexpensive. Her wardrobe revolved around her painting, ensuring that she was comfortable during her work hours. She spent more money on oil paints and supplies than she did on clothing.
Although, there was a growing section of clothes that she’d bought in order to attend evening functions with Christoph. For a moment, she let her fingers slide over the silks and satins. She wondered who had been on his arm lately at these functions. Was it his assistant? Was Elana moving in on Christoph and loving the fact that she’d finally won?
“NO!” Lana snapped. “She’s not winning!”
With determination, Lana turned away from the formal dresses and looked over her more casual options. “He loves my breasts,” she whispered, fingering a knit wrap dress she’d never worn. With shaking fingers, she pulled the dress off the hanger.
“I’m going to win him back! If Elana has her claws in him, I’m going to win him back and…break her fingers so she can’t ever touch him again!”
Lana did her hair and makeup carefully, knowing that she was competing with a woman who looked like a model and knew every makeup trick to make herself look more beautiful. She slipped into the knit dress and smoothed the material over her hips. “Okay, so I haven’t lost those extra pounds,” she admitted to her image. “But he hasn’t complained so far.”
She looked at the neckline and…tugged the V a bit wider. But with a groan, she shook her head and pulled the sides inward so that they were covering the shadow a bit more demurely.
Rolling her eyes, she turned away from her image. “I’m getting him back!” she announced as she grabbed her purse. But before she walked out of the bedroom, she tugged the V a bit wider, refusing to look at her reflection again for fear she’d lose her courage.
Twenty minutes later, she pulled into a parking space in the garage of his office building. She hadn’t called ahead, not wanting him to have a chance to hide. Nor did she want to give Elana forewarning of the battle.
As soon as she stepped into the lobby, the guards at the front desk recognized her. Before she’d even stepped up to the counter, the man smiled politely at her and handed her a badge. “Good morning, Ms. Anastas,” he nodded politely.
Lana didn’t bother to correct him. She simply took the badge and smiled back at him, hoping her smile appeared more confident than she felt. “Thank you, Timon,” she replied, then looked down, trying to figure out where to clip the badge. The dress didn’t have a collar, nor could she put it on the V neck of her dress. The weight of the badge would pull it down and…she sighed. “I’ll just hold it,” she told Timon.
The man nodded, not daring to look anywhere but her face. That was probably a good thing, she told herself as she rode up in the elevator.
Stepping out into the reception area of Christoph’s office, she looked around. No Elana. Where was she?
Lana marched down the hallway, her steps silenced by the thick carpeting. “Come out, come out, wherever you are!” she whispered, but low enough so no one else could hear her.
Unfortunately, Elana didn’t appear. Was she sick that morning? Probably not. Women like her didn’t get sick, did they?
Lana walked over to the open door of Christoph’s office, dismissing the woman’s absence as a good thing. No Elana, no dismissive glance that would diminish Lana’s confidence.
But as soon as she stepped through the doorway to Christoph’s office, she found the horrible woman. Elana and Christoph were leaning over his desk, the horrid woman standing too close to Lana’s man!
Lana stood there for a long moment, not sure what to do. Should she step up and order the woman to back away from her husband? Or should she concede that the assistant had won and slink away with her tail between her legs?
That’s when Elana put her hand on Christoph’s arm. It was probably just an innocent gesture. But Lana’s mind went blank and she saw red. “Get your hands off my husband!” she hissed.
Elana and Christoph turned, staring at her as if she’d lost her mind.
Lana didn’t care. She wasn’t backing down. Not until Christoph told her that there was no chance between them. At that moment, Lana knew that she had to fight for the man she loved!
“Get your hands off him and get out. I need to discuss something with my husband.”
Elana’s elegant hand lifted to her throat, as if she were horrified by Lana’s exclamation. Lana didn’t care. She stepped back, resting her hand on the knob of the office door, lifting her eyebrows pointedly as if silently saying, “What are you waiting for, woman!”
Elana looked to Christoph, but soon realized that her boss was watching his wife with an amused expression. And was that a hint of suppressed heat in his eyes?
Lana certainly hoped so!
Elana took the hint. With as much dignity as she could muster, she left the office on her five inch heels, sniffing with disdain as she passed Lana.
Lana didn’t care what the woman did. She slammed the door closed, then turned to glare at Christoph. “I know that you don’t love me,” she began. “But don’t you dare have an affair with that…woman!” she snapped, pointing at the now-closed door.
Christoph crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back against the desk. “Why?”
“Because she’s…not right for you!”
He stared at her for a long moment, then his hands dropped and he pushed away from the table. “Then who is right for me?” he asked, an odd tone in his voice now.
Lana straightened painfully, her whole body tense, shocked that the first word that popped into her mind was… “Me!” she whispered. “I’m right for you!”
He reached out, touching one of the curls bouncing beside her chin. “You want to keep yourself sepa
rate from me, Lana,” he argued. “You aren’t all in with this marriage.”
A lump formed in her throat and she closed her eyes, trying very hard not to lean into his hand. She was so desperate for his touch, needing the heat of him.
“I don’t…” she stopped and swallowed hard. “I don’t do that.” As soon as the words were out, she knew that they were a lie. “I’m in. I just….” She grasped for words. Was he right? Yes, he was. She’d vowed not to love him but had failed. She was still…she was waiting for him to leave her.
“You won’t tell me about your painting. Every day, you go to your loft and…” he stopped when he saw the surprise in her eyes. “You didn’t think that I knew about your loft?”
“I didn’t mention it because I didn’t want…”
He sighed, pulling his hand away. “You didn’t tell me because you didn’t want me to know. Separate,” he confirmed, nodding slightly. He turned to the papers spread out over the desk. “I have work to do, Lana,” he told her, then braced his hands on the polished wood, his posture stiff as he waited for her to leave.
She sighed, her mind, heart and soul craving his touch, his presence in her life. Lana knew that she could turn around and walk out of here, walk out of his office and he would still take care of her father’s businesses. He would still protect the employees. But…she couldn’t do it. If she walked out, she knew that he wouldn’t let her back into his life. She had to risk herself, to risk that private part of her that…needed him. “I can’t leave, Christoph!”
He swung around, his eyes furious with her. “Go to your loft, Lana. Paint away whatever it is that’s in your brilliant mind. But don’t expect me to give everything when you’re willing to only show me parts of yourself.”
“You don’t give me everything!” she yelled, starting to panic. She couldn’t lose him! Not this soon!
“Everything!” he snapped back.
“Everything for now,” she whispered. “But what about when you get bored with me? What am I supposed to do then? How am I supposed to survive when you…”
She stopped, stunned by the surprise in his eyes.
“Why do you think I’d get bored with you?”
Lana shrugged, her insecurities rising up her throat to choke her. “I’m just an average woman, Christoph. You’ve had more beautiful women in your life before me and they never worked out. You always moved on.”
“You are my wife!” he hissed furiously, his hand slicing through the air as if that could stop her argument.
She shook her head, her own hands lifting up confusion and she was unaware of the tears streaming down her cheeks. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“It means everything!” He ran a hand through his hair, mussing it, before he leaned over. “Lana, I’ve been in love with you for years. Ever since that first dance, I’ve wanted you back in my arms.” He shook his head. “But I want all of you. I’m all in with this relationship. And I thought you were too. I thought we could make it. That’s not going to work if you’re only willing to give me parts of yourself.”
Lana listened to the sound of his voice, but she fixated on those precious words. “You love me?” she whispered, her heart pounding as she asked that question and watched, waiting for his response.
“Of course I love you!” he snapped, walking over to the window and looking out at the beautiful city sparkling in the morning sunshine. “I’ve loved you for so long, it feels as if I’ve waited all my life for you to step into my world again.” He sighed and turned around. “But you…”
“I love you too!” she admitted, and bit her lip, tensing as she waited for him to respond else.
He laughed, his hands fisting on his hips as he turned back to her. “You can’t love me, Lana. Love means that you’re a part of my life. All of you becomes a part of all of me.”
She knew that was true, but she also knew why she was holding herself apart from him. She could see that he didn’t believe her. Stepping closer, she blinked, trying to keep him in focus. “I didn’t tell you about my painting because,” she stepped closer still, feeling fear fizzling like champagne through her veins, “I was scared!”
“Of me?” he demanded, his eyebrows coming down harshly. “I would never hurt you!”
She shook her head. “I know you’d never hurt me physically, Christoph. But I needed to protect myself from the possibility of you growing bored with me.”
He walked over to her, his hands gripping her upper arms. “I would love to grow bored with you, Lana! I want this obsession with you to ease. Every time I see you, I want to take you into my arms and make love to you, to prove to you and myself that you’re mine! But…”’
“You love me?” she asked, her voice tiny and tinged with hope.
He growled, the sound reverberating in his muscular chest. “I do. I love you so much, I can barely focus.”
With those words, she threw herself into his arms, reveling in the warmth and hardness of his chest, the tightness of his arms holding her close. “I love you too, but I was so scared!”
One hand dove into her hair, the other arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer. “Lana! You drive me wild! Every time I see you, I lose concentration! I’m sorry that your father died, but I’m so glad that it gave me a reason to marry you!”
She shifted against him, slowly letting her arms move higher. “Why didn’t you just ask me out?”
He let out a bark of laughter. “Remember our first interaction? You told me to get out of your father’s office.”
She pressed her nose against the base of his neck. “Okay, good point.”
“And every moment after was a battle to get you to the altar, Lana. The moment I put my ring on your finger was the best moment of my life!”
For a moment, she hesitated. There were only three people who fully understood her paintings. Explaining her art to him would open her up, let him in. “I paint to…work through my problems. Emotions, issues, controversy,” she explained. The words came out slowly at first, but with the look of interest in his eyes, the words poured out in a flood. With his declaration of love, Lana discovered that she wanted him to understand. “I kept my loft so that I would have a place to go where I could heal after you grew bored with me.”
He didn’t laugh. For a long moment, he didn’t say anything at all. “And now?”
She shrugged slightly, her fingers curling in slightly on his chest, almost as if she refused to give herself permission to touch him. “I’m still scared, Christoph.”
His hands slid up her back, trying to reassure her. “There’s nothing average about you, Lana. Your hair and body, your mind and personality. I love everything about you.”
The smile that crept over her features was tentative at first. But with every word he spoke, her smile widened until a deep, bursting sense of happiness exploded inside of her. “I really do love you,” she whispered.
Christoph lowered his head, brushing his lips against hers. “I love you too!”
Epilogue
“It’s happening!” Christoph called. Lana could tell that he was standing impatiently at the bottom of the stairs.
Lana leaned closer to the canvas, adjusting her glasses slightly. “I’m almost done!” she yelled back.
“You need new glasses,” he said, this time from right beside her, making Lana jump with surprise.
“You look incredibly handsome,” she told him, dropping her paintbrush into the cleaning solution, and pulling her smock off before stepping into his arms.
“And you are stunning,” he replied, his fingers diving into the grey curls that framed her face. “I love you,” he whispered before kissing her lips gently.
“I love you too,” she whispered back. “Are the kids here?” she asked.
“They arrived about ten minutes ago,” he said, pulling her into his arms. “The grandkids are already shaking the boxes under the Christmas tree, trying to guess what’s inside.”
Lana leaned her hea
d against his broad shoulder. “Even after fifty years of marriage,” she said, looking up at him, “you’re still the most amazing man, Christoph.”
“And you are still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
She laughed, shaking her head. Time had aged her, she knew. Her brown hair had turned grey. The wrinkles annoyed her, but he didn’t seem to mind. And every time he took her into his arms, she still melted. “Let’s go celebrate,” she said, but stood for another moment in his arms, just enjoying a moment of calm before they joined the chaos of their four children, their spouses, and all of their ten grandchildren.
(Keep Scrolling to read an excerpt from Tamara’s story!)
Excerpt from “Awakened by the Passionate Sheik”
Release Date: March 13, 2020
Click HERE to Get Tamara’s Story!
The woman stepping out through the side doors of the courthouse was…stunning! The dark cascade of hair, the beautiful, smiling eyes and the figure that…his mouth went dry as he took in the woman’s lush figure. Every part of her was soft and fragile, and yet, when her eyes lifted to his, he felt a jolt of surprise at the intelligence there, the defiant lift of her chin.
Jurid’s body came alive, as a primal, urgent need rose up inside of him. The urgent need to take her away to some place private and claim her as his own was unlike anything he’d ever experienced. Women were interesting creatures, but he’d never felt this level of need, this almost feral desire for possession. He liked the way her eyes dared him. Oh, this was no submissive miss! Hell no! The lovely woman in the lavender dress was defiant and feminine, daring and soft.
A triumphant smile caught him unaware and he noticed several people glance curiously over at him. But most were focused on the bride who stepped out behind the lavender clad temptress who was still staring daggers in his direction.
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