After expelling a breath to release the tension she’d fought not to show, she filled her cupped hand with the chilly water and splashed it onto her face.
Though mediation wasn’t necessarily easy, this one had been difficult from the beginning. The Lemieux couple had been married for almost ten years, and Jocelyn had recently gotten pregnant. Percy had been overjoyed, until Jocelyn announced she wanted a divorce to be with her lover. Paternity tests had ensued, proving Percy was the father, and he was determined to raise his son. Jocelyn’s gentleman friend had proposed to her and said he was happy to raise the boy as his own, infuriating Percy.
Dealing with Jocelyn and her emotions was like navigating treacherous seas. And Percy’s grief and anger were a volatile cocktail.
Shelby called on all of her training to remain the detached, neutral party the couple needed. But there had been moments that tugged at her, reminding her of the way she, too, had been pulled on by her parents.
Worse, Shelby saw parts of her ex-husband’s behavior in Jocelyn. Jocelyn wanted to be with someone else, and she could see nothing beyond that, not the hurt she was causing her husband or the devastation he felt at losing his child before it was even born.
As in most of the cases Shelby dealt with, there were always two sides. Percy could be self-absorbed, pursuing a political career at the expense of time with his wife. Jocelyn was alone and lonely much of the time, and her new man was enchanted with her.
It was just unfortunate a child was involved.
In the end, even though Shelby had compartmentalized her thoughts and feelings and done her job well, neither party was pleased. They’d barely been civil to each other. Percy had managed a cold thank-you toward her before leaving, but Jocelyn had given her a hard glare. At least that was one thing the Lemieuxs agreed on. Neither of them liked her.
She pressed her damp hands more fully against her face, willing away the dull headache that had been building for the past few hours.
When she glanced in the mirror again, the sparkle from one of the strands of ivy on her collar caught her eye. Staring at it, she took a deep breath. The thought of Trevor and his strength grounded her, helping put the world back in order.
Realizing the water was still running, she twisted the knob to stop the flow.
By the time she patted herself dry with a paper towel, she was able to return to the conference room to gather her belongings.
On her way out the front door, she waved to the receptionist.
“Judging by the looks on their faces when they left, I think you need a margarita and a beach after today.”
The trip to the Bahamas she kept fantasizing about? For the first time in a few hours, Shelby managed a small smile. “Doesn’t that sound like heaven?”
“I still think we should take a cruise for our office holiday party.”
“We can dream, right?” Maybe they could figure out how to at least do a paddlewheel dinner cruise on the Mississippi River.
“Enjoy your weekend. You’ve earned it.”
Outside, Louisiana’s humidity drenched her, making ringlets of hair curl onto her cheek. After brushing back the strands back, she climbed into the car and turned the key, only to have hot air blast from the vents.
Lowering the windows helped marginally, and while the air-conditioning struggled to push out anything cooler than hell’s own heat, she fished her phone from her purse.
Unsurprisingly there were a few messages from Trevor.
I know this was a tough one. And I have complete confidence you did well.
With a small pang of appreciation, she scrolled to the second message.
Looking forward to seeing you.
Clutching the phone hard, she leaned against the seatback. She yearned for him. The week together had been magic, and already she was emotionally counting on him. And that led her into some very dangerous territory. This was a fling. Nothing more. No matter how difficult, she needed to remind herself of that.
Finally she became aware of the cool air washing over her skin, and she shoved off her melancholy to reply to Trevor’s message.
I’m on my way—She paused, her finger hovering over the keyboard. She was on her way…where?—To your place? To your house? Home?
Home?
The thought startled her so much that she shook her head.
For the second time in as many minutes, she’d allowed her vulnerable emotions to stray into dangerous territory. His place was not her home even though he’d done his best to make her comfortable.
Their time together, as hot and as naughty as it was, wasn’t real. Shelby was too smart to allow herself to get swept up in the fantasy she’d been living.
Impatient with herself, she hit the backspace key until the letters vanished. Then she tried again.
I’ll be there in about thirty minutes.
She reread her response before sending. It was perfect. Innocuous enough not to reveal what was going on inside her head and her heart.
His immediate response lit up her phone.
I’ve got you.
She turned up the volume on the radio to forcibly push away the thoughts that were winding their way back inside her brain despite her best efforts to keep them at bay.
Within the promised half hour, she pulled into his driveway.
As she climbed from the car, the usual explosion of barks rent the air as Bruno rushed toward her at a full gallop.
His greeting made her smile and helped push the immediacy of the day a little farther into the background.
Seconds later, he gave her a sloppy kiss before loping away.
Trevor was waiting outside on the deck. Without conscious thought, she fell into his arms. Trevor wrapped her close in the hug she desperately hungered for, even if she didn’t want to be so needy.
For more than a minute, she stayed there, her head cradled on against his chest as she breathed in his masculine scent.
“It was a long day for you.” He tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. “Bad one?”
“One of the worst.”
“What do you need? To sit for a while? A glass of wine? To talk? To discuss something else entirely? A scene?”
“I’m not sure.” Out here, the heat was relentless, zapping the little energy she had.
“We’ll figure it out. Let’s go inside,” he suggested.
Once he closed the door behind them, she dropped her purse onto the floor. This was so familiar, and yet not at all. This was the last time she would be coming home from work to his house. Tomorrow she’d be going back to her own place and her regular life. Not that she knew how to define that anymore.
He studied her but didn’t ask her to remove her clothes. Part of her appreciated it. A bigger part was confused. Maybe she did need it and the reassurance she found in the routine and his expectations. “I want…”
“Anything, Shelby.”
“Make love to me?” Even as she asked the question, she realized how stupid she was being. The pep talk she’d been giving herself in the car, her resolutions, all fled the moment she was near him. In this moment, he could give her solace, and she wanted it.
“Not a scene, then?”
She shook her head.
Always the perfect, perfect man—lover—he captured her chin and gently kissed her before taking her hand and leading her up the stairs.
In the bedroom, he undressed her, taking his time opening each button on her blouse.
As she kicked off her pumps, she shrugged the silky shirt from her shoulders, and he placed it on the nightstand before unhooking her bra, then removing her skirt.
Shelby craved a connection that was as emotional as it was physical. She wanted to touch him, explore the rough, sexy planes of his body. Softly she placed her palm on his chest. “May I take off your clothes?”
“Anytime.” His voice was gruff with restraint. “I mean that.”
She lifted up onto her tiptoes to brush a gentle kiss across his lips, and he folded
her in his arms. While still letting her lead, he captured her mouth in a way that was reassuring. Trevor Lawton was steady, more so than any man she’d ever known.
Her motions were awkward as she tugged his polo shirt up and off. Unlike him, she wasn’t tidy. Instead, she dropped his clothing on the floor.
He helped her with the button at his waistband, but he kept his hands on her spine as she lowered the zipper and allowed his casual slacks to fall. She was grateful he helped with his shoes and stepping out of the pants.
Removing his tight boxer briefs was a challenge because of his enormous cock.
God, she wasn’t sure she’d ever be accustomed to the sight of him when he was fully erect.
“Take me to bed, Shelby.”
She swallowed her nerves and entwined her fingers with his. He made this so easy for her. “Uhm, sit on the edge of the bed?” Then she cleared her throat and tried again. “Please sit on the edge of the bed.”
Trevor grinned. “Aye, my bold sub.”
Once he was where she wanted him, she straddled him and rubbed her clit against his cock.
“Fuck.”
Emboldened, she rubbed harder, enjoying the way his dick became even thicker, more engorged.
The faster she moved, the damper her pussy became.
“You’re a damn sexy woman.”
“It’s you.” He’d helped her find her inner confidence, and under his tutelage, she was flourishing.
His cock slid toward her entrance. With a guttural groan, he grabbed her around the waist and removed her from his lap while he reached toward the nightstand. “I promised we’d use condoms.”
What was wrong with her? For the first time since her divorce, she hadn’t given birth control a second thought. She had no desire to take unnecessary risks, especially when it came to pregnancy, but this man made her think of nothing else other than being joined intimately.
Unbidden, the image of him holding that young boy yesterday at David’s office returned to play in her memory. There was no doubt he’d be a great father. “Have you ever wanted children?”
The small silver packet in hand, he looked at her.
Her timing couldn’t be worse. Shockingly, though, his cock remained every bit as stiff as it had been.
“What makes you ask? Besides the fact I’m holding a condom.”
“It’s partially that, but… I don’t know.” She shook her head. “Actually that’s not true. I think it has to do with the case I was just mediating.” He knew it was about divorce and that there was a custody issue, but she hadn’t told him anything else. “The wife is the one who initiated the proceeding.”
“Go on.”
Shelby sighed. “She’s pregnant with her husband’s baby, but she moved out and is living with another man.”
“They’re sure it’s his?”
“That was one of the first questions everyone had. The paternity test was conclusive.”
“And the husband is pissed?”
“It’s more than that. Angry, yes. But devastated too. He wants to keep his family together. In this case we covered things that I’ve never seen before. I mean…” She brushed back her hair. “Every divorce is different with unique requirements. But this one has so many different angles. The husband wants to be in the delivery room, and she’s opting to have the new man with her instead. So we had to work out that he was able to be at the hospital and able to see his son within an hour of birth.”
“Fuck.” Trevor winced. “I get why the whole thing was challenging. I’d fight hard for my offspring too.”
“This was sad.”
“Close to home for you?”
Being used as a pawn, yes. Being a spouse destroyed by betrayal, yes. “Parts of it were.”
Staying with the conversation, he went on. “In answer to your earlier question. Yeah. I’ve thought about fatherhood. Never had a relationship that was long-term enough to seriously consider it. Having kids is a big obligation. And I’d want to be damn sure I was with the right woman before bringing them into the world. It would be a forever thing for me. I’d never abandon my children.”
The pain of the past scraped across his vocal cords. She had her own issues with her parents, but they’d been part of her life, even if peripherally. “You were good with that little boy yesterday.”
“Imagine it’s not easy going anywhere with two kids.”
“I know she appreciated your help.”
“And yours. The way you handled the car situation was brilliant.” He offered her the condom as he stroked himself, making his cock fully hard again.
Her motions were unsure as she unrolled the condom down his shaft, and he covered her hand with his to help her.
“I’ll have you do that every time in future.”
It was undeniably sexy.
“Come here, Shelby.” He helped her back onto his lap, facing him. “Ride me.”
He licked his fingers and played with her pussy until she was drenched, wide open for him.
Even though she was on her knees and he was letting her set the pace, he cradled her hips, helping her keep her balance and rhythm as she slid up and down.
“I love watching you do this.”
As urgency built, she rocked herself faster, and tilted herself forward so that his penetration was deeper. She wrapped her arms around his neck, offering all of herself to him.
Alpha male that he was, he accepted. Then, after nipping her shoulder, he closed his hands on her breasts. The slight pain rippled through her, turning her on even more.
“Give me your orgasm.” His voice was a low and gruff, filled with demand.
She was lost in his tenderness, his utter dominance.
Spiraling inside her head, she came, crying out and pitching forward as the powerful orgasm gripped her pussy.
As he always did, Trevor caught her. Holding her with simultaneous strength and reassurance. “I could make you come a hundred times a day for me.”
Unable to catch her breath, she rested her forehead on his shoulder. For maybe thirty seconds, she gulped in air.
Eventually she realized that he was stroking her back and whispering endearments. That undid her. He was the man she’d always dreamed of being with. Strong and capable of devastating kindness.
But he’d been clear this was only for a week.
Blinking back the sudden tears that threatened to overwhelm her, she snuggled against him. Every moment with him was becoming more and more dangerous to her emotional state. After experiencing his tender lovemaking, being welcomed home and comforted by him, sleeping in the same bed, hanging out with friends, helping David… How was she supposed to endure her normal life?
As if sensing her inner turmoil, he wrapped his arms around her.
Shelby told herself to resist. But her body would not obey her mind’s order. She wanted him, no matter the cost.
“Are you all right?”
“Yes.” She gulped the knot in her throat so she could whisper the lie instead of confessing that she was starting to care for him so deeply that it was like staring into an abyss. “You were right earlier. It was a long day.”
“Rest. Then we’ll have dinner. How about we take the boat to the marina? Watch the sunset?”
That would get them out of the house and this terrifying, beautiful intimacy.
He helped her from his lap and onto her side. It was only then she realized he’d satisfied her without coming himself. She wasn’t sure she’d ever been with a lover as generous as Trevor. “Uhm…”
He turned toward her.
“You didn’t come.”
“We have the rest of the night.” He gave her a lazy grin before sliding his gaze down her body, making her nipples instantly harden. “And I have some wicked plans for you, Shelby. Wicked, wicked plans.”
She gave him a small smile and hoped he didn’t see through it to the apprehension beneath.
Half-asleep, looking forward to holding his sweet submissive before sharing a l
eisurely morning together and afternoon scene in his dungeon, Trevor reached for Shelby.
When he realized her side of the bed was empty, he cracked open an eye. It wasn’t quite dawn, and the sheets were cool, meaning she’d been gone for some time.
He turned toward the bathroom, and it was dark.
With both eyes closed again, he listened intently for sounds of her moving around. Seconds later, hearing none, he sat up and threw back the covers.
He walked to her closet and flipped on the light. Everything was gone, and her drawers were empty. Similarly all of her toiletries had been scooped from the bathroom vanity.
Frustration and irritation flashed through him.
What the fuck? And how had he ignored her subtle warning signs? Yesterday, she’d arrived home from work, and her behavior had been different than ever before.
Their lovemaking was exquisite, and they’d followed that with drinks and dinner at the marina. Afterward they’d had a short scene. Though she’d orgasmed hard, her reactions had seemed guarded.
She’d slipped from the bed right away and taken a bath with the door closed. When she rejoined him, she curled up beneath the blankets near the edge of the mattress. He’d pulled her back toward him, and she’d kept her body stiff for long seconds before yielding with a sigh.
Sometime during the middle of the night, he’d awakened to find her back where she’d started.
In hindsight, he recognized that she’d been distant since she arrived home. But instead of following her clues, he’d convinced himself that the divorce case she was working had taken its toll. But then there’d also been the questions about wanting children. Had she been hinting that she wanted some? Had he handled that wrong as well?
Trevor dragged his hand through his hair. How the hell was he suddenly navigating a field of landmines?
The scent of coffee wafted toward him.
Thank fuck.
At least she hadn’t left.
He pulled on a pair of slacks and a T-shirt before jogging down the stairs.
Shelby was in the kitchen, wearing business clothes rather than something casual. Her hand was curled around a coffee cup, and her hips were propped against the countertop.
His to Love (Titans Quarter Book 2) Page 16