by Sam Crescent
Swallowing past the lump in her throat, she glanced around the garden.
“What is it?” he asked.
“I guess I’m just afraid to hope.”
He stepped right in front of her. Reaching out, he cupped her face, tilting her head back. “What hope are you afraid of?”
She didn’t look away, and he didn’t know what else he could give her.
Tell her that you love her.
You dope, you’ve not told her.
“To believe that I could be happy, and that you could want me, and have a family. I’ve only ever wanted to be a mother.” She sucked her lips in. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t assume. I would never replace Grace’s mother.”
“Beverly was a spiteful woman. Believe me, I’ve not got a problem with you being Grace’s mother. The way she is with you, I know for a fact she loves you. Just like I love you.”
He felt her pause.
“You love me.”
He nodded. “Yeah, I do.” He took her hand, placing it over his chest. “I love you so damn much. At times, it’s all I can do to keep how I feel to myself. I know it’s crazy. We’ve known each other a couple of months, but I knew how special you are. I want you all to myself.” He pushed some of her hair off her face. “When I look at you, you make me want to be so many different things. A better man, a better father. You make me want.”
“I’m scared,” she said. Her lips wobbled.
Taking her mouth in a searing kiss that had his own blood racing, he stroked her cheek. “You have nothing to be afraid of. I will never hurt you.”
“But?”
He shook his head. “No buts. Give me a chance. You know me, Cassie. You know me.” He said it a second time, hoping she would see that he was sincere.
She nibbled her lip, and she nodded.
“Okay.”
“You don’t love me, too?” he asked.
He saw those tears spill down her cheeks, and he wiped them away, hating that he was the one who put them on her face.
“I do,” she said. “I love you, Leo, and it scares me. I’ve known you for such a little time, and I’m scared to believe that.”
Leo smiled. “I’m going to make sure you never doubt your feelings for me.” He pressed a kiss to her lips.
“Daniel always said that I was too clingy. That I always wanted too much. I squashed him.”
He saw her cheeks heat as she told him that.
“What have I said about that asshole ex of yours?”
“That I needed to stop listening to him, and to stop thinking about him.”
“Exactly. Stop thinking about him, babe. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” He ran his thumb across her full bottom lip, more curious about her clingy ways. “Give me a shot.”
“What do you mean?”
“Be clingy. Don’t worry about what I will think or say. By yourself, and give me a chance to let you know what I think.”
“I’m not sure?”
“Give it your best shot, and give me the chance to prove to you I’m not like anyone else.”
She took a visible deep breath. “I could try that.”
He wanted her to cling to him. Leo didn’t know how much clearer he could make it. She was everything he wanted in a woman.
Chapter Six
Cassie took Leo at his word, and she did the stuff that brought her happiness. She baked jars of cookies, and she made sure he took some to work. Whenever he was home, she was waiting with a bottle of water. She had started with scotch, but he told her that he’d be an alcoholic by the end of the year.
She was happy with the water, which she made sure was freshly bottled.
When he was working at the dinner table on his laptop, she would hug and kiss his cheek. He wouldn’t stop typing. One hand would be on the keyboard as the other reached for her, pressing a kiss to her lips, making sure she was fully satisfied before he left.
It was little things like taking out the color of candy he didn’t like in a packet of boiled sweets, or not using capers because he didn’t like them. Little things that she had always thought were just little acts of love, Daniel had told her was just her clinging.
Not once did Leo complain.
When she asked him his favorite color, she went and got the negligee that he would like. To her, being a relationship was give and take. When she loved someone, she wanted to give every single part of herself.
Coming out of the bathroom, she saw Leo sitting on the edge of the bed.
He had told her his favorite color was lime green, so she had found a lime green negligee with black lace.
Ever since he had admitted to being in love with her, and their turn in a relationship, she had started to feel confident in her own skin. Nancy helped.
Nancy was a strong woman, and had told her that it didn’t matter what any man wanted. It was up to her to make her own path, and only she could be in charge of her own life.
Folding her arms, she leaned against the doorframe. “Do you like?”
“Can you get one in every single color?”
She nodded. “I think I can also get one in orange.”
He crooked his finger, curling it toward himself, and she couldn’t resist. Stepping toward him, she took his offered hands, and smiled at him.
“I want you to get every single color they have available.”
“Okay.”
“Also, I have a question.”
“What is it?” she asked.
“Where is your clinginess?”
She frowned. “I have been clingy.”
He shook his head. “I think you and I have two different views on clingy. I like you bringing me drinks, cooking my dinner, hugging me, kissing me, asking me about my day. For me, that just means you want to be as much a part of this relationship as I do. Is that right?”
“I don’t know how to be any different.”
“I saw what you did in the barbeque pit. The burning. What did you set fire to?”
She gripped his hands, and smiled. “I set fire to the past. They were little mementos that I had collected over the years. Silly, right?”
“I don’t think it was silly at all.”
“It helped. I feel like I was able to rid him from my mind.” She smiled. “You help as well.”
“How do I help?”
“You make me feel alive, and so full of life once again. I love being with you.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “It’s kind of sexy, don’t you think? Screwing the nanny?”
He growled. “Babe, you are playing with fire right now.”
“I’ve been holding back so much. I didn’t know I could tease, or want.” She ran her hand down his chest. “I want you, Leo.” Her feelings for Leo hadn’t diminished. They had gotten stronger. She wanted him more than she wanted anything else.
She was thirty years old, and had finally started to wash away the scars from her past.
After years of being miserable, she was tired of staring at her reflection, and thinking of all the crap she hadn’t achieved in life. She didn’t want to think negative stuff about herself anymore.
It was time to start living her life, and to taking charge.
Feeling his rock-hard cock, pressing against the front of his pants, she gave him a little squeeze, loving the groan that spilled from his lips. She would gladly live with that sound all day long.
“You have no idea what you’re doing to me,” he said.
“I think I’ve got an idea.” Pushing him to the bed, she smiled at him. “I think it’s time I take charge.”
He raised a brow. “Do you think you can handle it?”
“I know I can. I know I can handle you.” She pressed her lips against his, feeling invigorated.
Grabbing his shirt, she gave it a tug, giggling as his buttons sprayed all over the bed. “I will have to pick them up,” she said.
“I’ll help. We’ll do it naked. Whoever picks up the most wins.”
“What do they win?”
“The chance to be in charge again.”
“Until then, you’re all mine.” Running her hand down his chest, she bit her lip, knowing what she wanted.
Tugging on his pants, she worked them down his waist. Leo helped her so that he was completely naked.
Kneeling before him, she wrapped her fingers around the length. Pre-cum leaked out of the tip. Swiping the tip with her tongue, she moaned before taking him into her mouth. She swallowed around the head and sucked him down her throat, closing her eyes as she took him a little deeper.
She took her time, going down his length, and then pulling back up. Flicking the tip, she tasted him on her tongue.
“You look so fucking pretty,” he said, wrapping her hair around his wrist.
He held onto her head, and began to thrust into her mouth. She closed her eyes, taking more of him. The deeper he went, the more saliva she produced until it was coating his cock, and leaking from her mouth.
Her eyes watered at the depth, and still, she relished the lost look in his eyes. It was like he couldn’t help himself, and he kept thrusting into her mouth, going down her throat.
“Oh fuck! I’m not going to last. I didn’t want to come in your mouth.”
She didn’t stop though.
She wanted to swallow his cum, and to see him completely lose himself all because she had sucked his cock.
He fucked her mouth, going deep, and then he tensed, his cock pulsing as wave upon wave of his cum flooded her mouth. She swallowed it down, enjoying the taste of him.
When she had swallowed every last drop, she released him, licking her lips.
Leo stared at her for several seconds, and then grabbed her.
“My turn!”
****
“I want to see my kid,” Beverly said. “You can’t keep me away from her.”
“You didn’t want Grace. For fuck’s sake, I had to force you to have her.”
Beverly glared at him. “I’ll win her back this time. I know people.”
Leo stared across his office desk. She had no right to be here, and he knew without a doubt that she was clutching at straws. The problem he had was that he needed to get her out of his office.
Cassie and Grace were due to arrive here at any moment. After he’d been at a much-needed meeting, he was supposed to be going out to some fairground with his girls. The last thing he wanted was for Beverly to spoil his day.
“What is really going on here?”
“Nothing. I want to be part of Grace’s life. It’s as simple as that.”
Beverly didn’t give a shit about her daughter. Leo typed a quick message to his private investigator. Whenever he wanted any information, it was at his fingertips.
“It’s not fair that you have her all to yourself. I’m her mother.”
“When is her birthday?”
Even though Beverly had given birth to her, he doubted she even remembered Grace’s birthday.
“It’s in January.”
He shook his head, and then saw an email pop right up into his inbox. Clicking it open, he saw what the problem was.
“You ran through ten million in the space of a couple of years.”
Beverly glared at him. “It has nothing to do with my daughter.”
“Ah, so you going to visit a family lawyer about custody and alimony is just a coincidence? Look at this, you’ve got a search history of ‘getting money out of your baby’s daddy’.” He leaned back in his chair and stared at her. “I have a contract that states you are not allowed anywhere near my baby. You signed it, giving up all rights, with your own words attached, that you wanted ‘nothing to do with that fucking kid’, if I recall.”
She paled.
He knew every little detail about the woman standing before him. She was the worst kind of person.
“Let’s get down to it. I’ve got money. You want more because you’re a greedy whore.” He ran a hand down his face. This was the last thing he wanted to be dealing with right now.
“Sir, I’m sorry to bother you, but Cassie and Grace are outside.”
Before the end of the reminder was finished, Beverly was out of his office.
Rage rushed through him.
“Don’t you fucking dare touch her!” He rushed out of his office.
“Stop it. You’re scaring her!” Grace was in Cassie’s arms. Cassie had her arm out, and was trying to keep the other woman away.
“Give me back my kid, you fat cow.”
Grace was curled around Cassie.
“Call security,” Leo said.
Before he could stop Beverly, she slapped Cassie around the face. He noticed that Cassie made sure Grace was nowhere near her. In one quick move, Cassie shoved Beverly hard. “I said leave her alone.”
Beverly tripped, and cried out. “Abuse! Assault! You all saw that. That bitch hurt me.”
Leo looked around at his staff, who were staring at his ex with utter disgust. Security rushed into the room, and Cassie already had Grace in her arms.
His daughter was crying.
He rushed them into his office, and told them to stay put.
“Get your hands off me. That horrible woman has just attacked me. I want to press charges, and I want to do it now.”
He nodded at the men to back down, and he stepped right up to her. “You better think twice about what you’re about to do. You leave this building, and you get your disgusting ass a fucking job, or I will have you thrown in jail so fast you won’t even know how I did it. Everyone here saw what you did. You attacked my woman with a child in her arms.” He looked at his staff. “What did you see?”
They all spoke up, backing him.
Beverly glared at him. “I want more money. I won’t go away.”
“Try me, Beverly. I dare you.” He turned toward the guards. “Get this vile piece of scum out of my office, and make sure she’s never allowed inside again. Anyone who allows her, will be fired on the spot.”
With that, he left, going into his office to find his two girls.
Cassie had Grace sitting at his desk. One of Cassie’s hands was at her cheek, and he saw that she had a cloth pressed against it.
Moving toward her, he cursed, especially when she pulled it away, showing off the vibrant red handprint.
“How are you?” he asked.
“I’m fine. It’s not too bad. Is she going to press charges? I didn’t mean to push her that hard. I was so angry. If she had gotten any lower, she would have hurt Grace. I was so mad. I wanted to hurt her.”
“She won’t press charges, and you don’t have to worry.” He took her hand, pressing a kiss to Grace’s head.
“That’s your ex. Wow. She is really something.”
“She was the biggest mistake of my life. You, Cassie, are the best thing, along with Grace.”
“She did give you Grace.”
“Which is why I’ve not destroyed her. She tries anything else, and I will do that.” He took some cool water, and placed it on the cloth, pressing it against her cheek. “She came looking for money, or a way of getting money out of me. That is all she has ever been interested.”
“I’m not interested in your money.”
“I know you’re not. You worked for me first, remember? If I recall as well, I was the one that kissed you first.” He dealt with her bruised cheek, and he was so pissed off at the sight of it.
There was no other way to handle Beverly. He would make sure that she never hurt his girl again.
Chapter Seven
Beverly was dealt with by Leo, and Cassie was pleased that Grace wouldn’t have to go through anything like that again. She had never for a second thought anyone could be so hurtful, and yet she had the cheek that said otherwise.
“So what happened?”
“I went to see a friend who also happens to be a judge. He has made sure that Beverly cannot harm you, Grace, or even try to seek me out.”
“What about when Grace is older, you know? What if she wants to know the woman wh
o is her mother?” Cassie stared across the park, which was where they were supposed to go over a week ago.
Grace was having fun with some friends that she had met while at the nursery Cassie had been taking her to.
“Then I’ll deal with it, and I’ll make sure that Grace is protected. You can guarantee that.” He reached across the table, holding her hand. “I love being with you, Cassie. I love you.”
She smiled. Their relationship had been a whirlwind and a little crazy.
“I love you, too, Leo.” She was no longer afraid to share her feelings.
Over the past couple of months, she had come to realize that her ex, Daniel, hadn’t wanted her love at all. He had tried to squash the person she was, destroy her, and she wouldn’t let him do it, not anymore.
“You can say it now freely?”
“Yes, I can. There are a lot of things I can do.” She glanced over at Grace. “I never want anything to happen to her.”
“I want you to marry me, Cassie.
She froze.
Okay, she wasn’t expecting that.
Staring at Leo, she saw that he was smiling at her.
Was this a joke?
Her heart started to pound.
“This isn’t a joke. I’m not trying to scare you, or pretend. I’m telling you the truth. I want you to be my wife, Cassie. I love you, and I can’t even believe that I have waited this long to tell you the truth. I love you more than anything else. I want a family with you, a future, everything that I thought I didn’t deserve.”
She licked her dry lips. “You want to marry me?”
“Yes. Cassie, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I only hope that you feel the same way.”
Tears flooded her eyes, and she loved the happiness that consumed her. “I never thought I would get married again.”
“I’m nothing like that asshole.”
She laughed. “I know you’re not. You make me happy, so happy, and yes, of course, I want to be your wife. I love you so much, Leo.”
He reached across the table and slammed his lips against hers. Even though they were in the park, she didn’t care. She wanted his kiss, relished it even. He stroked her cheek, pushing hair off her face. “You’re the most beautiful woman I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. I’m going to make you the happiest woman on the planet.”