“Yes, I’m famished,” I replied.
Mother said nothing, taking her escort’s arm.
We proceeded inside to the dining room. Finally, I couldn’t stand it any longer. I had to ask. “Who was that woman you were talking to? She looks familiar.” Okay, she didn’t look familiar, but better than letting Apolo think I might be a tad jealous.
“Delpheine Bouvier. I don’t know how she managed to get herself invited.”
“She’s someone from your past, then?”
“Yes. Someone I haven’t seen in a great number of years,” he replied. As he pulled my chair out, he whispered, “Don’t worry yourself. She was the one who went screaming in horror when I revealed my injury.”
“Oh, I get it. Now that you’re becoming someone important in Washington, she wants back in your life.”
He pushed me to the table then sat down beside me. “She’s no one, angel. Trust me. It was over the moment she ran.”
I noted our topic of conversation was being sat down directly across from us. She was with someone. I flicked a grin her way then turned to Apolo. I kissed him on the cheek. “Choice, I trust you one-hundred percent. You should know that by now. Now, let’s eat our dinner so we can get out of here and do something about that massive hard on you’ve got going on under the table.”
He laughed at my comment, loud enough for anyone directly around us to hear. “You minx. You know me far too well. Yes, let’s eat up so we can go home. Somehow, we’ll have to get some sleep before we leave in the morning.”
“We can sleep on the plane,” I taunted, winking at him. Whoever this woman was, I had just made it plain where I stood with Apolo. Glancing down the table, I saw my mother looking our way. I smiled at her and nodded, letting her know all was well.
Finally arriving back at the house, we both feigned exhaustion. We would be leaving early enough in the morning to have us in Washington before noon. Then, a whole new life would begin.
Rather than the furious sex I had expected, I found Apolo quite subdued and loving. For a second my mind wandered to that woman, Delpheine. But his sensual touch drove me back to him in an instant. We made love that night, like two people deeply in love.
Apolo was still inside me, connected to me. Bracing himself up on his elbows and forearms, he peered down at me, gently kissing my face. “That was nice, angel, making love like that. I know I haven’t been very vocal about my feelings for you. That’s just me. I’m not an overly gushy guy.”
“Hmmm,” I replied. “I’d have to disagree with you. But I’m not going to spoil your moment here. Do go on.” I squeezed myself around his cock, letting him know I wanted him again.
He withdrew slowly and then just as slowly, he pushed back in. “Caitlyn, you do know I’ve fallen in love with you, don’t you?”
“Yes, I know. Otherwise, I didn’t figure you’d ask me to live with you and all that stuff in Washington. Or go public with our relationship.”
“You know me well. I do love you, Caitlyn. Very much.”
“I love you, too, Apolo. I knew I was falling for you long ago. Now, if you don’t mind, shut up and make love to me.”
“My pleasure, angel.”
* * * *
We hadn’t even settled into our suite at the Watergate, and Apolo was business as usual, making phone calls and taking them. He made sure we had plenty of time to relax before Friday, the day he’d become a senator.
Renee had graciously accepted his offer and would be here in a day or so, deciding to make the drive up from Atlanta rather than fly. As she had a brother still residing in the area, she declined Apolo’s offer to put her up at a hotel until she could find a place of her own. I knew her coming with us would make his transition much easier. Even though he loved this new adventure, it was easy to see he was a man who liked an orderly, planned schedule, and Renee brought that to his business side.
I was in the bathroom connected to our bedroom when he came in behind me. I was attempting to settle in, unpacking some of my personal effects. This suite was going to be our home for at least the next month or two, if not longer. I wanted to make it feel like I lived there and was not just visiting.
“Getting settled in, angel?”
Turning to face him, I smiled at the image before me. Damn, how could I have gotten so incredibly lucky in love? “Yes, I want to settle in before the chaos starts.”
He cocked his head, smiling. “Probably a very good idea. I’m yours for the rest of the day if you’d like to venture out and get something to eat.”
“Yes, that would be nice. Heaven knows how often we’ll be able to take advantage of the simple things. At least while Congress is in session…”
Wednesday came, and I could barely contain myself. My father was arriving from Ireland. We hadn’t seen each other since the summer before when I had spent three weeks with him. He had taken an overnight flight from Dublin, and Apolo sent Jacob to pick him up from the airport, as I had a meeting of my own that I couldn’t shrug off. I was, after all, Apolo’s other half and was to spend time with some other wives, learning things I would need to know.
The previous two days had been a whirlwind full of shopping and sightseeing. Just the two of us. Now, things were beginning to crank up, becoming real.
Even my mother managed to keep herself scarce, as far as phone calls. We touched base Wednesday afternoon, when I brought her up to date on what we had been doing and what was in store. I let her know that my father was coming into town all the way from Ireland. She acted as though she already knew, which didn’t surprise me.
When she tried to bring up the blonde woman from the dinner in Atlanta, I blew her off. I told her as little as possible, that the lady was merely someone Apolo had worked with on earlier projects and who was vying for any work the new senator might throw her way. Okay, it was a lie, but it kept my mother at bay. Like feeding a dog a bone.
Late in the afternoon Wednesday, there was a knock. Apolo had invited my father to our suite for drinks before dinner. It would be a good, private way for the three of us to get to know each other. I was, instead, mortified to find my mother standing next to my father when I opened the door.
After the three of us greeted each other, I turned to Apolo to introduce him to my father, rolling my eyes as I did. He greeted my parents as though they didn’t live thousands of miles apart, never missing a step. Then, he escorted us all into the living area. My mother looked around all the while, in approval of our surroundings.
“Your mother and I talked right before I left Dublin. We decided it would be better if we at least made it appear as though we were together. At least through your swearing in, Apolo.”
I bit my tongue. I so wanted to say something bitchy to my mother. She wanted her life to be as it suited her. If my father made it better, she wanted him there. If not, she did her own thing. It infuriated me how she used him. “You do know, Mother, that people are aware of the fact that Daddy lives in Dublin and you live in Georgia. How do you intend to explain that one?”
Apolo handed everyone a drink and sat down beside me. He’d been relatively quiet since my parents’ arrival, and I wondered why.
“We thought that since Apolo’s parents will be here, that the two of us should at least attempt to make a united front. For the two of you. It is a big day and all.”
“Thank you. I appreciate your thoughtfulness,” Apolo said before taking a long drink off his whiskey.
“When do your parents arrive?” my father asked, clearly in an attempt to undo any uneasy feelings.
“They’re getting in this evening.”
“Well, perhaps we should all try and get together one evening since we all may not have the opportunity to do so for a while,” Mother chimed in. She took a sip off the glass of chardonnay Apolo had poured for her, trying to look innocent.
“Don’t mind your mother. The fact of the matter is, there isn’t a lot of time this week. Your brother is coming in, and we thought we’d spend some
time with him. You’re more than welcome to come along. I merely figured Apolo would have enough on his plate without both families.”
“Who invited him?” I glanced around the room from person to person. Apolo knew I didn’t have a close relationship with my sibling, and I certainly would have told him up front if I’d wanted him invited to the festivities. It was my damn mother! I knew from the look on my father’s face that she had taken the liberty of inviting him.
“It’s okay, Mr. White. One more person isn’t going to hurt. I’ll make sure to get his name out in the morning for clearance into the swearing in,” Apolo jumped in to smooth things over.
“Thank you, Apolo. We didn’t mean to cause any extra work, and please, call me Frank.”
“No, it’s no work at all. It’s good to see both our families here in strength for my swearing in.”
* * * *
The night of his swearing was a small gathering, at least by Washington standards, at one of the local hotels. It was a cocktail party, with dinner afterwards for a select few.
Secretly, I was grateful that neither of our parents had accepted the invitation to the soiree. I’d had about enough of my mother and her scheming ways. My father, as usual, didn’t want to intrude and had old friends he wanted to catch up with. Apolo’s parent’s made their excuses stating they were still exhausted from their long flight.
I was standing with a small group of senator’s wives. They were giving me tips about life in Washington, where to shop, the best neighborhoods. Though I was listening attentively, suddenly something in my head told me to glance over to Apolo.
There she was…again. Engaged in conversation with him. He appeared to be polite and engaged, but the muscle ticking in his cheek gave it all away to me. That one subtle feature meant he was unhappy. Of course, my glance did not go unnoticed.
“It appears as though you have competition,” one of the senator’s wives joked. “Whoever she is she’s stunning.”
“Yes, she is,” I replied. “But she’s certainly not competition. She’s merely an old friend.”
“Well, you certainly wouldn’t know by the way she’s acting,” another chided.
She was right. Delpheine was in what Apolo considered his personal space. He allowed no one remotely close to him unless he initiated the move. She had committed one of the big Apolo Choice no-no’s, not that she seemed to care.
“Oh, that’s just Delpheine. She’s French, and they’re much more personally engaged with people they talk with.”
Then we locked eyes, Apolo and I. Knowing him as well as I do, I knew this woman was exasperating him. But ever the cool businessman and now politician, he was tolerating her openly flirtatious ways. The moment she placed a hand on his arm in an attempt to lure him in, I saw him quietly remove her offending, well-manicured hand.
He backed away, putting more space between them. I didn’t know what he was saying to her right then, but from the expression on her face, I’d say it was not what she wanted to hear.
Excusing myself, I found my way to the ladies’ room. I needed to regain my composure. Whoever this woman was, I intended to find out more. If she thought she could simply reappear in Apolo’s life after leaving him in his hour of need, she was sadly mistaken.
Making my way to the line of sinks, I wasn’t too surprised to find Delpheine standing there, a smirk on her face as she pretended to reapply her siren red lipstick.
“You do know that he can’t have children because of his accident?”
“Yes, I do,” I replied. “Let’s quit the bullshit and niceties, Ms. Bouvier. What the hell do you want? You left screaming in horror out of Apolo’s life years ago. Now, he’s a newly minted senator, and poof, you magically reappear. What’s with that?”
“I merely want what was once mine. I intend to have him back, and trust me, it won’t take long for him to find his way back to my bed. I will be Mrs. Apolo Choice.”
“Good luck with that pipe dream,” I spat as I threw the towel on the counter and spun past her. “I don’t know what you’re smokin’, but lady, you don’t stand a chance in hell with him. He didn’t forgive you then, and he’s damn sure not going to forgive you now.”
I marched past her and out the door, not leaving myself open for any further comments. As I stepped into the corridor, I noted Jacob casually standing there.
“Ms. White, Mr. Choice wanted me to make sure everything was alright and asked me to escort you back to the ballroom.” He was glancing over my shoulder towards the ladies’ room. That meant both he and Apolo knew what was going on. The woman was so transparent.
“Thanks, Jacob.”
“Don’t worry about Ms. Bouvier. I’ll deal with her. If she bothers you again, please let me know.”
“I will. I think I got my point across just now. So, Jacob, are you going to enjoy Washington?”
“Yes, ma’am. It’s one of best cities around.”
We arrived in the ballroom, where he escorted me over to Apolo, who was speaking with a small group. I slid in next to him.
“Thanks for sending Jacob,” I whispered.
“I’m sorry. I don’t know how she gained entrance, but I’m having it checked out.”
“Don’t worry, I think I handled her.”
He cocked an eyebrow at me with a sly smile on his face before turning to his admirers and guests. That was the last either of us saw Depheine Bouvier that evening. Thank goodness. We went on to our dinner and finally back to our new home.
Sitting down on one of the settees, I removed my heels and gently massaged my feet. Apolo removed his jacket, laying it on the back of one of the chairs before heading toward the bar.
“I’m glad that’s over with,” he stated flatly. “Glad this whole week is over with, aren’t you, angel?”
“Yes. I thought it went rather well this evening, don’t you?” I wasn’t going to mention the cow in the room unless he did. And knowing Apolo, he would address the issue. He didn’t like secrets, and he preferred things out in the open.
“I was quite pleased with it. It would have been perfect if Delpheine hadn’t shown up. I’m still trying to find out how she gained entrance, or if she was invited.”
“Don’t give her a second thought, Apolo. I’m sure Jacob will handle her,” I replied. “I think I got my point across to her, too.”
I watched him pour two glasses of brandy into the crystal snifters. A smile crossed his face as I finished speaking. “What exactly did she want with you? Jacob told me she followed you into the ladies’ room.” He sauntered across the room and handed me my glass before sitting down beside me.
Sniffing the essence of the brandy, I took a swallow before answering. “First off, she wanted to make sure I knew you can’t have children. You know, because of the accident. Second thing, she wanted to let me know that she intended to have you back in her bed. The rest you can imagine for yourself.” I smiled seductively at him, taking another sip of my liquor.
His free hand was on my shoulder now, rubbing in a slow, methodical motion. “It’ll be a cold day in hell before she or any other woman graces my bed. You’re my woman, Catilyn. I love only you. You make me complete. As for her other remark about whether or not I can father children, we’ve discussed that. I simply don’t know.”
“I know, Apolo. Whether you can or not has no effect on our relationship. We’ll deal with that if and when the time comes.”
“I probably should be checked. That was years ago, and it was only the opinion of a couple doctors.”
“Apolo,” I growled. “Read my lips. It has no bearing on us. You’re my man. I love you, all of you.”
“Thank you for that, angel. Oh, and by the way. Not to change the subject, but I’m having breakfast with your father in the morning.”
“Really? Just the two of you?”
“Yes. I felt bad about not having more time for us all to spend together. So, I thought perhaps I’d make it up to him by the two of us having breakfast.”
“I’m sure he’ll love that, and thank you. It’s been an even longer week with family here. But I think with the exception of my mother and her antics, everything has gone like clockwork.”
“My parents like you immensely.”
“Really? They’ve told you already?”
“Yes, both of them have said they approve, not that I expected they wouldn’t.”
“Well, I know my father approves, otherwise he’d have never asked you to call him by his first name. Mother, well, we won’t go there.” I giggled and repositioned myself so I was sitting next to him, his arm around me. He drew it tighter around my shoulders. I could catch his essence of sweat, cologne, and just the man. It sent shivers down my body. We sat there like that, simply enjoying each other and the peace and quiet we finally had after such a long and busy week.
Then, sitting up, I placed my glass down on the table in front of us. I stood and turned toward him as he eyed me seductively. Hiking up my dress, I straddled him, making sure my clit rubbed against his erection. I took hold of his tie and loosened it, undoing the knot and pulling it from around his neck. “I understand,” I purred in his ear, “Neckties make wonderful restraints.”
He groaned as I felt his free hand slide around to my ass. I took his face between my hands and slanted my mouth over his in a slow, seductive, yet greedy kiss. As his opened for me, our tongues began to spar with one another. Aware that he still had his brandy snifter in one hand, I broke the kiss, sat back, and stared at him. As I did, I took the glass from his hand, raised it to my lips, and finished off the amber liquid.
I licked slowly, teasing, making sure I had every drop, and then set the glass aside on the settee. “I think we should take this to the bedroom. These settees are so uncomfortable, don’t you agree?”
“Hmmm, yes,” he growled, both his hands now fixed on my waist. “But if you don’t get off me, we’ll be finding out just how uncomfortable it really is, angel.”
I kissed him then rose to let him up. Without looking, I took his hand in mine and proceeded toward the bedroom. Still holding his tie in my hand, naughty thoughts flew through my mind. This was going to be fun.
Choice Matters (Southern Heat Book 1) Page 13