Seduced by a Stallion

by Deborah Fletcher Mello

  Closing her eyes tightly, Katrina savored the enchantment of the moment. Matthew still held her tightly, the heat from his body teasing every one of her sensibilities. She found herself wishing that the two of them could stay that way forever. Matthew’s seductive voice brought her back to the moment.

  “You still haven’t answered my question. Katrina Broomes, do you think you could fall in love with me?”

  Opening her eyes, Katrina met his intense stare. The answer was perched precariously on the tip of her tongue, ready to spring out with no regard for the potential consequences. Her heart was beating her response in a rhythmic syncopation that could easily rival a marching band’s drum line.

  Reclaiming some sense of self-control, Katrina simply shrugged her shoulders, her response shimmering in her dark brown eyes. And then she kissed him again, throwing every doubt and concern to the wind.

  Chapter 10

  Matthew should have been expecting the woman sitting in the leather executive’s chair behind his desk. Her frequent visits were as regular as clockwork, but each time he walked into his office to find Vanessa Long ensconced in his seat as if the space were hers and not his, it surprised him. As he swept into the room, depositing his briefcase on the desktop, Vanessa was pouting profusely, seemingly annoyed at something across his computer screen.

  “Hey,” she said, not bothering to raise her eyes to see who might be standing before her.

  “Good morning, Vanessa. Get out of my seat, please,” Matthew said, his bemused tone moving her to lift her gaze to stare. The pause between them was only momentary. “I said please.” Matthew smiled, gesturing with his index finger for her to get up and out of the way.

  “Is that how you speak to the mother of your unborn child?” she asked, leaning back in the chair and clasping her fingers together over her very pregnant belly. Her smile was smug.

  Matthew’s eyebrows lifted, his amusement draining swiftly from his face. “Don’t play like that, Vanessa. That is not funny. I don’t need to tell you that I am not that baby’s father.”

  Vanessa laughed warmly, her smug smile twisting into a coy grin. “We both know that, playa, but everybody else isn’t so sure. I think it’s fun to keep them guessing.”

  “I think you better find some other way to amuse yourself. Now get out of my chair,” he said as he clasped her gently under her arm and helped her to her feet.

  Rolling her eyes in mock exasperation, Vanessa moved to the other side of the room and dropped her heavy body down on the leather office sofa. She heaved a deep sigh, one eye clenched shut, as the tightness in her abdomen rolled from one side to the other.

  “Junior thinks you’re a riot,” she said as she gasped for air, a swift kick to her insides knocking her breath away. “Ouch! I swear, when this kid gets here, there is going to be some major payback for all he’s putting me through!”

  Settled in his own chair, Matthew studied her closely. Vanessa Long had been a part of their family since elementary school. Best friends with his brother Mark, Vanessa and the Stallion clan had grown up together. For as long as Matthew could remember, Vanessa had been all tomboy, her daredevil antics rivaling those of most males. For a brief moment, she and Mark had been boyfriend and girlfriend, the rest of the family thinking the two would end up head over heels in love with each other. College changed the dynamics of their relationship, as it was then that Vanessa admitted her predilection for women. Each of the Stallion men had only been slightly disturbed when their family friend finally came out about her sexuality. And over time they had all found their balance, Vanessa acting as if she were just one of the boys and Matthew and his brothers treating her so.

  Then, one year ago, Vanessa had approached Matthew for a favor, swearing him to secrecy. Vanessa had wanted to be a mother, anxious to experience that side of being female. With Matthew’s assistance Vanessa had sought out the best sperm bank in the nation. After they decided on a clinic that was widely recognized in the health-care industry for the quality of its donors, its use of molecular genetics testing for infectious diseases and its chromosome analysis standards, he had helped her navigate all the legal ramifications of selecting an anonymous donor and buying sperm.

  Despite the depth of friendship she shared with his brother Mark, she had asked Matthew to hold her hand at her gynecologist’s office during the insemination. Afterward, the two had shared a plate of sushi and Vanessa’s dreams for a child that would be half her and half donor number 0004169, a man purported to speak five languages and to have the muscular, athletic build of a quarterback, an acute sense of humor and a love for arts, music and sports.

  Matthew had only been mildly surprised when she chose him, and not Mark, to help her. He respected her for not wanting to intrude on her best friend and his wife, Michelle, as the two navigated the joys of their own pregnancy. He was, however, completely shocked by the number of family members and friends who thought not only that he might have actually fathered Vanessa’s baby himself, but also that he would be reluctant to take responsibility or acknowledge his paternity. Having handled all Vanessa’s legal obligations, Matthew was bound by the attorney-client privilege to remain silent, so he’d allowed them all to think what they wanted, neither denying nor confirming anything.

  He watched as Vanessa struggled to get comfortable, her bloated body causing her much angst. Pregnancy had blown the tiny woman up considerably, making her look like some type of wobbling toy with a too-tiny head and toothpick legs. As he watched her roll from one side to the other, Matthew chuckled softly.

  “So, what did I do to deserve the pleasure of your company this morning?” he asked.

  “I had some papers to drop off to the ethics department before I met your brother’s wife for some baby shopping.”

  “What are you and Mitch after today?” he asked curiously, referring to his brother Mark’s wife.

  “Breast pumps,” Vanessa said, clutching both of her melon-size breasts in the palms of her hands and jiggling them. “Mitch’s idea, not mine.”

  Matthew laughed. “That still doesn’t explain why you came to see me.”

  “I figured there was no point in wasting a prime opportunity to stir up some office gossip about the two of us. Give the kids something to mull over during their lunch hour.” She laughed heartily as she continued, “Is he or isn’t he the father of her baby? It’s the million-dollar question, you know.”

  “With the two-dollar answer. Matthew, you are not the father!” Matthew said mockingly.

  Vanessa laughed again, and then, just as quickly, the exuberance in her eyes was replaced with a wave of sadness as she fell into deep reflection. Matthew continued to eye her curiously.

  “What’s wrong, Vanessa?”

  She shook her head from side to side, shrugging her shoulders to the ceiling. “I’m thinking that this might not have been a great idea. What do I do when Junior wants to know about his father? What do I tell him?”

  Matthew was silent, the enormity of her question provoking some thought. He rose from his seat, moving to her side. Taking the seat beside her, he wrapped a thick arm around her shoulders.

  “I think it might be a little late to be having doubts, Vanessa, don’t you?”

  The woman blew a deep sigh. “Your bedside manner sucks,” she said, elbowing him lightly. She swiped at her eyes with the back of her hand.

  Matthew laughed. “Your hormones are impacting how you’re rationalizing things right now. We’ve been through this before. When the time is right, you will tell your child the truth. You will tell him how much you love him and how much you wanted him. Then you will tell him that the method you chose to conceive him was the best option for you at the time. You will tell him what you do know about his father and apologize for his father not being in his life. Then you’ll send him over to the ranch for me, Mar
k, Luke and John to do the rest.”

  Vanessa leaned her head against his shoulder. “You sure you don’t want to be my baby’s daddy?”

  Matthew laughed. “I’m positive. I’m also sure that I need you to stop making jokes about it. Seriously, it might get me into trouble.”

  Vanessa turned to stare, something in Matthew’s tone drawing her attention. “And you’re suddenly worried about that, Mr. Stallion?”

  Matthew became silent because he was worried about it. More than he’d realized. With the relationship growing between him and Katrina, he couldn’t afford for anything about himself to be misconstrued.

  Katrina. A wave of something unfamiliar wafted through his midsection, the sensation causing a shiver of energy to race down his spine. He felt himself shudder in response.

  Could she fall in love with him? The night before he’d pressed her for an answer, but she’d ignored his appeals. Her body language, however, had spoken volumes, the kiss between them like no kiss he’d ever shared before. Holding her in his arms, he hadn’t wanted to let go, intent on holding tight to her for as long as he possibly could. He’d wanted an answer, though, needing to know if what seemed to be happening to him was happening to her, as well.

  Blowing a sigh, he shook the fragments of memory from his mind. He felt Vanessa studying him intensely, and he lifted his gaze to meet hers. He could only imagine what his friend was trying to decipher from his behavior. But what he did know was that he didn’t need Vanessa bird-dogging him for answers that he himself didn’t even have yet. And he also knew that Vanessa snooping into his personal life would be like having the FBI, the CIA and Homeland Security all searching for gold at Cartiers. Nothing would be sacred; no stone left unturned.

  He dropped his hand against Vanessa’s blossomed belly. The life inside kicked his palm, seeming to acknowledge his concerns. He smiled.

  “I just don’t want there to be any misunderstandings about our relationship,” he said finally. “I respect your privacy, obviously. But I also hope you’ll respect my not wanting this to impact my personal life any more than it already has.”

  Vanessa was still eyeing him curiously. “What’s her name?”

  Matthew laughed, ignoring her question. He looked down at the diamond-encrusted watch on his wrist. “Don’t you have someplace you need to be?”

  She laughed with him. “You know I’ll find out, so you might as well tell me. Give me all the juicy details.”

  Matthew came to his feet. “Goodbye, Vanessa. I do have work to do.”

  “Well, I’ll be John Brown!” she exclaimed excitedly. “You really are serious about someone! She must be something special.”

  Matthew moved back behind his desk and paused. He met Vanessa’s anxious gaze and held it for a brief moment before responding. “Yes, she is exceptionally special,” he said, a wide grin filling his dark face. “More than you know. And that’s all I’m going to say on the subject, so leave it alone.”

  Vanessa smiled broadly, approval washing over her expression. “Good for you, big daddy! Good for you!” She moved toward the door, her hand on the doorknob as she paused. “And thank you,” she said, tossing him a quick glance over her shoulder.

  “For what?”

  “For being such a good friend.”

  Matthew smiled with her, noting the familiar hint of mischief in the woman’s bright eyes. “I mean it, Vanessa. Sweet-talk me all you want, but stay out of my personal life!”

  After tossing him a quick wink, Vanessa gave him a wave of her hand. When she was outside the closed door, Matthew could still hear her laughing heartily.

  * * *

  Katrina shifted the pile of papers in front of her, rearranging the documents with ease. “And how does the defendant plead?” she asked, lifting her eyes to meet the stare of the defense attorney before her.

  “Guilty, Your Honor. This is Mr. Briggs’s first offense, and due to the nature of his crime and his age, he qualifies for the Extended Day Youthful Offenders Program at the Clemens Unit.”

  Katrina nodded, shifting her gaze toward the state prosecutor, who stood across the aisle from the other attorney. “Is that correct, Attorney Daye?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Now, enlighten Mr. Briggs and myself for a moment. The program encompasses what exactly?” she questioned.

  The district attorney nodded. “It’s a sixteen-hour daytime program at the state’s youthful offender institutions, designed to provide at least twelve hours of activities. The program is structured to include work assignments, vocational and academic instruction, counseling, behavior modification, military-style drills, systematic discipline and other opportunities that will reduce inmate idleness and enhance the young inmate’s chance at becoming a law-abiding citizen upon reentry into the community.”

  Katrina moved her gaze to the young man standing at his attorney’s side. “Mr. Briggs, did your attorney explain this clearly to you and did you understand it?”

  The lanky redhead with the freckled complexion nodded, twisting his hands nervously in front of him. “Yes, ma’am.”

  “And you understand that even with a plea of guilty, this court is under no obligation to accept the plea bargain offered to you by the state?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” the Briggs kid said, cutting a quick look at his defense attorney.

  “All right, then, the court accepts the plea of guilty. Mr. Briggs, per the proposed plea bargain agreement this court remands you to the Clemens Unit youth facility for a duration of six months. With good behavior and upon successful completion of the program, you will serve an additional six months of house arrest, followed by one year of state-monitored probation.

  “Mr. Briggs, this court hopes that you will utilize this time wisely. You’re being offered an opportunity to change your life around, so please make the most of it. And if I ever see you in my courtroom again, you can trust, sir, that I won’t be so lenient.”

  Katrina slapped her gavel against the wooden desk as an officer of the court took the young man into custody. Behind him, his family was nodding their support, heads bobbing up and down, as tears streamed down his mother’s face.

  “This court will recess until one o’clock for lunch,” she said, rising from her seat.

  “All rise!” the court bailiff cried out, motioning for everyone in the courtroom to stand up.

  As Katrina closed the door to her private chamber behind her, she blew a soft sigh. Cases like this one taxed her energy. She’d heard five cases in total that morning, each one involving students under the age of nineteen. Their crimes ranged from petty misdemeanors to vicious felonies.

  Dropping down onto the leather chair behind her desk, she extended her legs out in front of her, twisting her ankles from side to side. On top of the desk, a lunch bag waited for her attention, her assistant having bought her a salad and a sandwich minutes earlier.

  But food was the last thing Katrina had on her mind. Matthew Stallion had her attention, and thoughts of the man had her head spinning. Closing her eyes, Katrina allowed the memory of their time together to sweep through her spirit.

  Matthew Stallion was definitely a man she could fall in love with. Katrina had no doubts that she wasn’t the first woman to have thought so. Everything about the man had her enamored. He was charming, compassionate, spirited and just too damn sexy for words. There was something about being in his arms that made her lose perspective, made her unable to focus on anything but the two of them together.

  Katrina suddenly found herself longing for the heat of his body. There was something in his touch that just felt good and right, burning deep into the core of her spirit. And his kisses…what she wouldn’t give right then and there to feel him kissing her like he’d kissed her the night before.

  Shaking her head fr
om side to side, Katrina couldn’t believe this was happening to her. She was falling in love. Matthew Stallion had her so wide-open that she couldn’t begin to imagine herself going back to a life without him in it. She found herself shaking as the reality of the fact settled around her.

  A knock at the door pulled her from her reverie. Drawing herself up in her seat, she shook her thoughts of the man out of her head, then called for the person on the other side of the door to come inside.

  Chapter 11

  Collin stared at his mother, his expression a combination of concern and annoyance. Katrina had been humming softly since she’d pulled the car out of the garage, maneuvering in the direction of the high school. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen his mother so oblivious to her surroundings and not uptight about something.

  “Do you have money for lunch?” Katrina suddenly asked.

  Collin shook his head. “No, ma’am.”

  “Get a twenty-dollar bill out of my purse.”

  “Twenty dollars?”

  “Won’t you need a few dollars for after school?”

  Collin looked confused. “After school?”

  “For a snack. I saw some vending machines in the recreation room at the ranch.”

  “Oh,” Collin said as he pulled the money from his mother’s wallet. “What’s gotten into you?” he asked curiously.

  Katrina looked in her rearview mirror and then her side mirror before tossing her son a quick glance. “What do you mean?”

  “You’ve been really weird lately,” he said as he twisted his twenty dollars between his fingers. “Like superweird.”

  Katrina laughed. “Just because I’m in a good mood, I’m acting weird?”

  Collin shrugged. “It’s just not normal.”

  His mother nodded her head slowly. “I need to ask you something. It’s very important.” She paused, taking a deep breath. “You know I went to dinner with Mr. Stallion the other night?”