by Katie Dowe
“Come on, darling, she is your mother, what’s the harm in telling her that we are trying to get pregnant?” She threw him an impish smile that had him bristling.
Margaret hid a smile behind her glass. Olivia was really the one for him!
Before they could say anything a maid appeared and told them that dinner was served.
Dinner was superb and Olivia commented on it. “I am so glad you enjoyed it, my dear. I live alone and sometimes it is hard to enjoy the meal when you are by yourself.”
“I know.” Olivia sighed as she sipped the delicious wine. “I used to live with my parents even when I went to college and came back home and even though they had busy lives just the thought that they were in the house said a lot.”
“You got along well with them?” Margaret asked her curiously.
“Like a house on fire,” Olivia said with a laugh that had Garth’s eyes trained on her face. He had not joined in on the conversation but he was listening to every word. “But they were too busy to spend a lot of time with me. I promise that when we start having children, Garth, that will never be an issue.” Her eyes flew to his face and for a minute it was as if his mother was not there. For a minute he was thinking of her swollen with his child and the emotions swirling through him were raw and strange.
“Please excuse me,” he said gruffly and pushing his chair back he got to his feet quickly and left the room.
“I am sorry-” his mother started to apologize for his abruptness but Olivia waved it away.
“I am beginning to know him and I can handle his moods,” she said softly.
“I believe you can,” Margaret said with a smile.
*****
“Where are we going?” she asked him curiously as he made the turn away from where she lived.
“To my apartment,” he told her briefly, his hand tight on the steering wheel.
“I see.” She looked at his stony profile. “Why?”
“I want you,” he said harshly, sparing her a quick look.
“Good enough. I want you too.”
He looked at her and turned his eyes on the road. “Mother likes you.”
“I like her too. She is not as stuck up as some rich people are.”
“You mean like me?”
“Maybe but you are starting to grow on me.” Her hand reached out to touch his jaw and he pulled away. “Now things like that makes me kind of turned off.”
“I don’t like to be touched,” he told her coolly.
“I get that. You don’t mind it when we are having sex though.”
He pulled up at the swanky apartment building with the name Heywood’s stencilled in gold writing. “That’s different,” he alighted and so did she not waiting for him to come around. A valet ran out to collect the keys almost bowing in respect. He walked ahead of her but she hurried to take his hand. He stared down at her for a moment but did not let go.
“Mr. Heywood, sir, I have sent your messages up and the champagne you requested. Good evening, miss,” the man at the desk said with a smile.
“Thank you, Clive.”
“Hi,” Olivia said with a wave of her hand. “Are you accustomed to taking women up to your suite?” she asked as soon as they entered the private elevator.
He looked at her for a moment and then answered. “No.”
“Oh.”
She felt a glow which slowly went out when he added, “I never had the time.”
Olivia made a face at his back when he stepped from the car.
The real estate agent in her took over as she looked around at the beautiful wood panelling and the subtle tones of gunmetal grey with a combination of silver and taupe. He opened the door and she stepped into what appeared to be the most luxurious and ultra-modern apartment she had ever seen outside of a magazine. The apartment was split level and the living room was sunken with rich parquet floors and a huge fireplace that dominated one side of the walls. She recognized the Andy Warhol above the mantel and a Picasso on the wall above the large flat screen television that took up the entire surface. A spiral staircase led upwards. The place was as neat as a pin and she noticed that he carefully hung up his jacket on the strange looking coat hanger just inside the doorway. She was inclined to throw her things anywhere and forget about them. She had worn knee length boots to dinner with the dress and knew she had to take them off.
“This is lovely,” she murmured as she followed him into a breathtakingly beautiful kitchen that was large enough to hold a dinner party without being crowded. “Would you like some champagne?” he asked her formally as he went to the cooler.
“Of course.” She sat on the stool and ran her hands over the marble countertop. “It’s wide enough for us to make love.” She looked up as he brought the glasses over. “Want us to try it out?”
“No,” he said in a clipped voice as he handed her a glass of the bubbly.
“Why not?”
“Because this is the kitchen where food is prepared.”
She looked at him with raised brow and suddenly her expression changed. He should have known she was up to something at that moment but he was getting to know her! She got off the stool and pulled the dress over her head revealing the ridiculous black lace teddy she had worn. Then before he could stop her she had jumped onto the counter!
Chapter 6
“What are you doing?” he rasped, the champagne almost spilling as his hand trembled.
“Being adventurous,” she murmured seductively as she stretched out her booted feet. “Why don’t you be a good boy and take them off?”
“We are not having sex on the kitchen counter.”
“Want to bet?” she asked him softly. To his consternation she put her glass away and unhooked her bra causing her breasts to spill free. He cringed a little as she flung the material on the ground. Next she shimmied out of her panties and opened her legs wide. She had shaved, he thought dazedly. He walked over to her automatically and put his glass away.
“You are impossible,” he whispered huskily.
“I know,” she whispered back as she lay back with her hands beneath her head. “You are wearing too much clothes.”
“I can remedy that.” He undressed hurriedly and came closer to the counter. He reached for the glass of champagne and dribbled some onto her flat stomach causing her to shiver.
“What are you doing?” she moaned.
“Paying you back.” He bent his head and licked the champagne off slowly before lifting his head. He dipped his fingers in the liquid and rubbed it onto her nipples before bending to suck it off. Olivia moaned feverishly, her body on fire. He took his time and drove her crazy but he was not through with her yet. He sat on one of the stools and dipped his fingers in the liquid again this time rubbing it slowly over her mound. Olivia scrambled up on her elbows as he bent his blonde head to take her into his mouth. She cried out and clenched her fists tightly as his tongue worked its way over her protruding flesh. But he was far from done! His tongue entered her and she sobbed out his name, her body bucking as he went deeper in. She was babbling by this time, the emotions drowning her. He did not stop until with a low keening sound she flooded his mouth with orgasm! She was so weak when he was done that when he lifted her into his arms she curled her arms around his neck and buried her face into his chest as he carried her off into the bedroom. Garth did something he had never done to another person before: he kissed the top of her head, his expression gentle and that night after he had finished making love to her he held her into his arms and they slept that way for the night!
*****
He woke up to the sound of music. For a moment he wondered whether or not he was in his apartment. It was Sunday and his Sundays were spent sleeping late and then going out for breakfast and then to the club for the rest of the day. The music was loud and he groaned as he got off the bed. Her clothes were strewn on a chair and he set about taking them up and her boots and putting them away neatly before he dragged on some clothes and went to find her
.
She was in the kitchen and his body tightened as he remembered what had happened there last night. She was wearing a blue cotton shirt of his and it enveloped her petite frame. Her dark brown hair tumbled around her shoulders and was tangled. He remembered combing his fingers through the strands as he made love to her last night. He also remembered how he had clung to her and called her name as the passion shook him to the core!
He went over and turned off the music. She looked up at him and smiled and his heart skidded. “What are you doing?”
“What does it look like? “She indicated the bowl in her hands. “I am making us breakfast.”
“I usually eat out on Sundays.”
“Not this morning. I am making chocolate chip pancakes and sausages. Coffee is ready so you can pour us some.” She put the bowl down and came to stand in front of him. “But first.” She went on her toes and wrapped her hands around his neck bringing his head down she explored his mouth slowly causing him to gripped her tightly and deepen the kiss. “Good morning, darling,” she said huskily as she broke the kiss.
“Morning,” he said hoarsely. He was still holding her tight, his heart beating triple time as he looked down at her.
“Let’s go and finish preparing breakfast.”
He watched her in amusement and something he was not able or willing to identify as she made her way around the kitchen. They ate at the counter, something he had never done before and did not even say anything when she finished and came around to sit on his lap while they watch the morning news. They went back to bed right after and spent several hours making love in the bed and in the shower.
He took her home to change and they went out to dinner at one of Kane Takahashi’s restaurants not knowing that Selene was having dinner with a friend of hers or that a photographer captured the moment as they left the restaurant.
*****
“I think we should announce our engagement,” he said a few days later. They were spending a lot of time together. Sometimes he would call and tell her that they were going to his apartment or he would come by her place. Their pictures were in the papers and the world had started seeing them as a couple.
“So do I.” Olivia indicated for the couple to go ahead and look into the bedrooms. She was not feeling her best today. She felt bloated and nauseous and wondered if the fish she ate for lunch had not agreed with her. “When?”
“Tonight. I have the ring.”
“Are you going to go down on one knee and propose?”
“No.” His tone was slightly amused. “Over dinner at the restaurant.”
“Okay, darling, see you later.”
“Where are you?”
“Showing a house in Ridgewood. The cold is biting.”
“Are you likely to make a sale?”
“Maybe.” She smiled. “I was thinking that when we get married I could become one of the agents for Heywood.”
“No.”
“Why not?” she demanded.
“Because you will be a Heywood and no wife of mine will be going out to show houses.’
“So what am I going to do?”
“Do you like selling houses?”
The question threw her for a moment and she thought about it. “It’s my job.”
“You have not answered my question, Olivia.”
“And I am not going to,” she said with a pout. “I have to go.”
“I will pick you up.”
She smiled as she hung up from him. He might not know it yet but he was halfway to falling in love with her! And she had gone all the way. “Okay, Mr. and Mrs. Taft, what do you say?”
*****
She chose an emerald green dress with a rich lace piping around the deep V at the neck. It was sleeveless and hugged her curves lovingly. She went for boots and decided to let her hair loose for once. She had flat ironed it and went with gentle waves to her shoulders. She was ready when he got there and she could see the admiring look in his green eyes as soon as she opened the door. He did not say it but she never expected him to. He took her arm and they went out to the car.
She told him about the showing of the house and he listened attentively, laughing when she told him that the husband wanted a whole room to store his various sports memorabilia and the wife strenuously disagreed. “So you made the sale?” he asked as he looked at her briefly
“Hmm.” She stretched lazily. “So now that you know how experienced I am in selling houses what do you say about the offer?”
“My answer is still no,” he said as he pulled up at the restaurant.
“Not fair,” she said with a pout as he came around to assist her.
With the valet standing there he bent and kissed her lips, his tongue seeking hers. Olivia was so shocked that she could not respond at first but then she recovered quickly and kissed him back.
He pulled away and took her hand as they entered the building. He did not say anything to her as they made their order and even when the order came he was still silent. She was eating the braised beef when she felt the roiling of her stomach.
“Oh crap!” she muttered.
“What is it?”
“I think I am going to puke!” She got up hurriedly and headed for the bathroom not knowing he had followed her. She reached the toilet just in time and got rid of everything that she had eaten for the day. He pushed the stall in and came behind her holding her hair.
“Okay now?” he asked her softly.
She leaned back against him weakly and nodded. “I am sorry.”
“For what?”
“For ruining the engagement.”
“It is not ruined.” He felt in his jacket pocket and took out the small red velvet box. He opened it and she gasped as she stared at the stunningly beautiful diamond solitaire winking at her.
“OMG!” she whispered. “It’s beautiful.”
He took it out and slid it onto her finger. It was a perfect fit!
“You wear it well,” he murmured as he stared at her finger.
“What woman wouldn’t?’ she asked.
“Ready?”
She nodded and he helped her up. He stayed while she rinsed out her mouth and they both went back to the table where the waiter was waiting anxiously to know if everything was okay.
“It is,” she reassured him and his eyes caught the ring on her finger. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
“Now he is going to tell that very nosy photographer I saw when we came in,” Garth commented.
“Do you mind?”
“Not at all. It’s all a part of the plan to let my uncle and his wife know that they are losing,” he said grimly.
For the first time in a long time Olivia felt reality dropping down on her. His company was what was important to him and she had forgotten that.
“For a minute there I thought you had changed,” she said quietly, toying with her food.
“What do you mean?”
“I thought that we were getting somewhere as a real couple but it is still the company that’s uppermost in your mind isn’t it?”
Garth stared at her for a moment. He wanted to tell her that he had changed somewhat. He wanted to tell her that for several weeks now he had not being thinking about the stipulations but he had to keep his eyes on the prize. “Yes,” he said curtly as he drank his wine. “I told you that in the first instance.”
“Yes, you did.” She felt sick to her stomach and just wanted to go home.
“How soon can we leave?”
“Why?”
“I don’t feel like staying, Garth, if that is okay with you.”
“What is your problem?” he hissed. “You are behaving as if I have disappointed you in some way.”
“No, you have not and that is the problem. You are still the same, Garth, don’t worry.”
They left after a few minutes and Olivia told him that she wanted to be by herself. He shrugged carelessly and stopped to let her out. “You are not going to change your
mind?”
Olivia turned to stare at him coolly and for a moment he thought about squirming at the look she gave him. “No, I am not.”
He watched her go inside and closed and locked the door but he could not move for a few minutes realizing that he was not relishing going home without her.
*****
She did not go in the next day and she did not take his calls. She was not in the habit of sulking but she was not feeling well. She had woken up this morning rushing to the bathroom and when she had tried to get some coffee it had sent her back to the bathroom. So she was in bed as sick as a dog and had no time for Garth and his uncaring attitude. She listened to his voicemail and almost smiled. “Olivia, please call me back dammit! You are behaving like a child.” And, “Olivia, look, we knew what we were getting into from the start.” And lastly, “Olivia, dammit, I am worried here.” She did not return his calls. Let him stew a little bit. It was late in the afternoon after puking for the fourth time that she decided to check her calendar. Her eyes widened as she saw that the circle had been from early in November and she had never been late. Like never! She stared at the red circle for a few minutes before a wide smile broke out on her face. She was pregnant! She danced around the room until she was dizzy and then flopped onto the bed. Yes, she was sick all the time not even taking coffee – Coffee! She was not supposed to drink coffee so it was a good thing! She placed her hands onto her flat stomach and the light shining from the lamp caught the diamond she had not taken off sending shafts of lights all over the room. “Okay, Garth Heywood, this time a baby is involved and I am not going to allow you to ignore me any longer.” She jumped at the sound of the doorbell and rolled her eyes as she realized who it was.
“You have no right-” he began as he stormed into the room, his green eyes blazing and his blond hair mussed as if he had spent his time running his fingers through it.
“I am pregnant!” she burst out.
“What?” He stared at her in shock! He had been so worried about her that he had been tempted to leave the office and come right over to find out if she was okay.