Dream Lover

by Peterson, Nicola

  He smiled and ran his hand through his hair, ‘No, I’d just like to get home,’ he shook his head, ‘I’m absolutely shattered, that was bloody hard work because Jackson hadn’t done his home work. His p.a. is hopeless, he’s too damn soft with her,’ he smiled, ‘I think I’ll have her transferred over to me for a few weeks,’ he said with a laugh.

  ‘Poor girl,’ Quinn murmured.

  ‘I heard that,’ he smiled resting his hand against her back he pushed her toward the door. ‘Let’s go.’

  When they made their way through Manchester airport toward his car he suddenly stopped her. ‘Quinn do you need to go home, tonight I mean?’ she looked uncertain for a moment, ‘ring your friend and ask her to look after your cat one more night,’ he asked.

  ‘Why?’ she asked with a smile.

  He looked serious for a moment, ‘I have some urgent filing I need to do,’ he said with a naughty wink.

  ‘Maxwell Cordell!’ she murmured looking away as she felt her cheeks turn pink.

  ‘Does that mean you’ll come home with me?’ he asked smiling.

  ‘Oh why not, I like filing,’ she replied playfully.

  His home was not what she expected. Quinn had thought it would be huge, stuffed with chesterfield sofas, original oil paintings and antiques, she couldn’t have been more wrong. It was a comfortable, welcoming detached house, nothing ostentatious in fact very ordinary although obviously missing a woman’s touch, there were no pictures on the walls, no flowers in fact quite a plain home.

  ‘Are you hungry?’ he asked as he helped her from her jacket. When she nodded, he asked, ‘do you like spaghetti?’ she nodded again. ‘You make yourself comfortable, our room is at the top of the stairs on the right, I’ll put your stuff in there you can unpack while I get us something to eat. I won’t be long.’

  Quinn waited until he had left the room before she looked around, a smile played at the corners of her mouth, ‘our room’ he had called it, not ‘my’ room but, ‘our.’

  All she did was unpack a few essentials she would need then after visiting his en suit bathroom she rinsed her face and brushed her hair. She looked over her shoulder toward the door then rested her hands over her still flat stomach. She didn’t feel any different, up until now she hadn’t experienced any morning sickness, although she had been tired a lot lately, which in her ignorance she had put down to Maxwell overworking her.

  Quinn had spent every spare moment thinking about his proposal, although at first she thought it was a ridiculous idea, but the more she thought over their conversation and her own feelings for him she realised she was more than ready to take a chance on marrying him. Because she realised that even if she hadn’t been pregnant she would have married him, her love for him was that deep.

  It came as a surprise because she hadn’t realised just how much she loved him, she had found him attractive from the moment she set eyes on him, and he was after all sinfully good looking. She had been on the receiving end of his toe curling kisses, felt her breath catch when he looked at her with desire burning from his beautiful eyes.

  But over the time she had worked for him she had also seen also the caring side to Maxwell Cordell. The side that worried about others, sending hot drinks down to the tramp sheltering in the doorway from the rain, sending huge donations to disaster areas, to children’s charities in fact to anyone worse off than himself. She realised for all his shouting and apparent bad manners there was another side to him, which laughed heartily and made love passionately. But would his feelings grow in to love for her?

  An hour later they were sat side by side at the kitchen table eating delicious spaghetti with Bolognese sauce and hot crusty bread.

  ‘This is really good,’ she told him dabbing sauce from his chin with her napkin.

  ‘Don’t sound so surprised, I’m quite domesticated,’ he told her with a feigned expression of hurt on his handsome face.

  Quinn smiled, ‘To be honest I am surprised, I thought you’d have a treasure of a housekeeper to ‘do’ for you,’ she smiled again at his pained expression, ‘let’s face it you don’t look the type to cook and clean.’

  ‘Oh and what do I look the type for?’ he asked wiping sauce from her chin and licking his fingers.

  She looked at him thoughtfully for a moment, ‘Oh I don’t know… kissing making love that sort of thing.’

  He gave a half laugh ‘In other words I look like a sex maniac?’

  ‘No just sexy,’ she smiled at his expression, ‘don’t give me that coy look Maxwell you know damn well you are!’

  ‘Well I’m glad you think so,’ he said with a mocking bow of his head. ‘Did you know I am divorced?’ he asked suddenly.

  Quinn shook her head, ‘No, were you married long?’ she asked realising she knew very little about him.

  ‘Three years and we’ve been divorced for five,’ he pressed his lips together before carrying on; ‘Ashley wasn’t able to cope with my work. She didn’t trust me, no matter how much I tried to convince her I was faithful to her she would cross question me every time I was working away,’ he sighed and shook his head. ‘In the end she drove me away, but only to work harder, she always believed I was unfaithful to her, I never was though.’

  ‘Did you part friends?’ she asked.

  Max shook his head, ‘No, I was sorry about that, she married again,’ his brow creased for a moment, ‘I can’t remember if he was an American or a Canadian,’ he shrugged his shoulders as though it wasn’t important to him. ‘How come you’re still single?’ he asked taking her hand.

  ‘I just never met the right person,’ she smiled as he pressed his lips against her knuckles.

  Max laughed softly, ‘I don’t think I’ve ever met a woman as inexperienced as you...’

  ‘Don’t mock me Max,’ she said suddenly serious.

  ‘I wasn’t I did not mean it that way… it’s a privilege and a wonderful refreshing change to be with a woman who hasn’t done it all with every man she’s ever met,’ he told he every bit a serious as she was.

  ‘You don’t mind having to … show me?’ she asked trying and failing not to stammer.

  He shook his head and smiled, ‘No not at all,’ he told her pulling her into his arms, ‘I like showing you different ways to make love,’ he kissed her slowly leaving her more than a little breathless.

  ‘Do you have any brothers or sisters?’ she asked after they had caught their breath again.

  He took a deep breath and smiled, ‘Yes I have two brothers one older and one younger,’ he laughed at some private joke, ‘James is five minutes older, Nigel three minutes younger,’ he watched her face as it dawned on her he was one of triplets.

  ‘Good heavens …there are three of you?’

  ‘Yes, identical, and naturally conceived.’

  ‘You are?’

  ‘Right down to the same birth mark,’ he smiled.

  ‘Birthmark?’ she repeated stupidly.

  ‘Yes I’ll show you later,’ he promised.

  Still in a state of shock Quinn managed to finish her meal, but only due to the fact that he managed to take her mind off the reality she could be expecting triplets herself by asking about her own family.

  ‘Just two older brothers, both by years,’ she told him still stunned by his news, ‘no multiple births in the family that I’ve ever heard of,’ she wondered if that would lessen the chances of her carrying more than one child. Her hand resting on her still flat stomach for a moment, ‘I can’t believe I’m going to be a mother,’ she blurted out suddenly taking them both by surprise.

  Max looked at her thoughtfully for a moment, ‘Do you mind?’ he asked taking her hand and bringing it to his lips.

  Quinn shook her head, ‘No, I always hoped to have a family one day, I just didn’t think it would be for ages yet. What about you?’

  ‘Me I am absolutely thrilled,’ he informed her with a beaming smile. His expression became serious for a moment, ‘I was terrified you would want to… to have an
abortion,’ he looked into her eyes while he spoke and saw the look of horror.

  ‘I would never do that, no matter how unexpected a child may be. Never,’ she added with feeling.

  Max kept hold of her hand stroking her long slender fingers, ‘What about your family?’ he asked looking up into her eyes, ‘Will you be telling them how you came to be carrying my child before we even started dating?’

  That was something she hadn’t given much thought to, ‘I hadn’t even thought of that,’ she told him honestly. ‘Maybe we should just lie…’

  Max gave a soft laugh, ‘People can soon work out dates, and it won’t take a genius to calculate you were pregnant within two weeks of coming to work for me.’ He studied her face for a moment, ‘I think we should get married soon, very soon…say you’ll marry me Quinn let me take care of you and our baby,’ he looked into her eyes while he spoke holding her in a steady gaze.

  ‘Yes I’ll marry you,’ she said quietly, ‘not because I’m having your baby,’ taking all her courage before it fled she added quickly, ‘but because I love you.’

  His response was to leap from his seat and pull her up with him, ‘Wonderful,’ he smiled into her face, ‘I’ll make you happy,’ he promised before kissing her passionately.

  After clearing up the kitchen he led her into the lounge, a large comfortable room with a big fireplace and big soft sofas. He lay down on one of the sofas and pulled her against his chest, yawning once again as he held her close.

  ‘I am so tired I could sleep for a week,’ he told her, ‘What?’ he asked when she giggled.

  ‘I just never imagined you feeling tired,’ she looked up to his face and kissed his chin, ‘or your hair being messed up, or you needing a shave,’ she ran her fingers through his ruffled hair and down across the dark bristles shadowing his chin.

  ‘I am human Quinn,’ he yawned again, ‘it’s only a rumour I’m a robot, we’ll go to bed soon. I was thinking of taking a trip to London on Saturday,’ He said conversationally, ‘we could stay overnight what do you think?’ he smiled when she agreed. ‘Let’s go to bed,’ he said pushing her up from the sofa after yawning yet again. ‘I want to make love to you, go to sleep with you in my arms, wake up with you in my arms and I want it all to happen in my own bed.’

  Amazingly he didn’t seem at all tired once they got into the bedroom; in fact he seemed anything but tired.

  Quinn woke to an unfamiliar alarm clock buzzer, she lifted her head from Max’s chest and looked around the room, ‘Max, shut that thing up,’ she begged.

  Obligingly he reached out with one long arm and turned off the annoying sound. ‘Sorry I forgot to switch it off,’ he murmured sleepily, ‘go back to sleep it’s far too early,’ he pulled her head back against his warm chest kissed her cheek and closed his eyes. In seconds he was snoring softly once again.

  She dozed fitfully mostly because she didn’t know what time it was and didn’t want to have to dash around to get ready for work. ‘Max,’ she whispered softly, ‘we have to get ready for work,’ she reminded him sleepily.

  ‘No we don’t, I’ve given us the day off, go back to sleep,’ he urged not even opening his eyes while he spoke to her.

  Obediently she closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep only waking again when he lay her down against the mattress and started to press soft kisses over her face. She stretched and smiled up into his face, ‘Hi,’ she greeted him lifting her hand to run through his sleep tussled hair, ‘did you sleep well?’

  ‘Yes did you?’ he asked running his hand down her cheek, ‘you look lovely when you sleep, so peaceful,’ he pressed his lips against hers.

  Quinn sighed and parted her lips sliding her hand around his neck she pulled him back toward her mouth, ‘You talk to much,’ she told him sliding her tongue between his smiling lips. He made a soft groaning sound and returned her kiss; turning onto his back he pulled her with him so she sat astride him. ‘This is the only place you’ll ever get on top of me Quinn,’ he smiled, ‘make the most of it.’ He lifted her easily and settled her over his body. ‘Easy does it,’ he told her when she gasped as he pushed into her warm body.

  They spent most of the morning in bed, at some point Max got up and brought her breakfast up on a tray.

  ‘How do you fancy going to London today instead of tomorrow?’ he asked.

  ‘When?’ She asked between mouthfuls of toast.

  ‘Now, let’s get ready and go,’ he smiled at her expression while she thought about his suggestion.

  ‘Yes, that would be lovely,’ she smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck.

  ‘Get ready, throw a few things in a case,’ he stopped, ‘have you unpacked yet?’

  Quinn shook her head, ‘Not really, but every thing I have with me is business like, formal,’ she explained.

  ‘Don’t worry we’ll sort something out,’ he promised.

  She found out the reason for the unexpected trip when he took her to an exclusive jeweller to choose her engagement ring and wedding band.

  ‘Please just pick something you like and don’t look at the price,’ he urged her.

  But Quinn couldn’t help but look at the price, ‘These are far too expensive,’ she hissed as the assistant left them to ‘find something special for his young lady.’

  Max picked up a solitaire the size of a one-penny piece and slipped it on to her finger. ‘That is tacky,’ she told him pulling it off once again.

  ‘Well if you don’t pick something you really like, that is what I’ll get you,’ he threatened. ‘I could afford to buy the whole display,’ he informed her without exaggeration, ‘please pick the one you like the most.’

  She eventually picked the one she liked second best, the one she really liked she thought was far too much money to wear around her finger. But Max had noticed her looking at the other ring a sparkling trio of diamonds.

  ‘I’d like this one,’ she told him, smiling into his face.

  Max reached across and slipped the ring from her finger, ‘We’ll have this one,’ he told the jeweller replacing it with the one he knew she really liked.

  They walked along the busy London streets completely oblivious to the throng of hurrying shoppers, stopping to share a kiss and to look at her sparkling diamond ring.

  ‘What sort of wedding would you like?’ he asked as they sat in a small cosy restaurant, patting his breast pocket where their wedding bands were secured.

  Quinn knew what sort of wedding she wanted, something small with the minimum of fuss. ‘Nothing too elaborate,’ she said hoping it would be what he wanted.

  ‘How does just the two of us on a sparkling white beach in the Caribbean sound?’ he asked pulling her fingers to his lips. ‘I hate fuss, would that suit you?’ he asked.

  ‘Perfect,’ she told him, ‘but what about the flight?’ she asked concerned about the length of the journey.

  ‘Don’t you worry about that I’ll keep you occupied,’ he said with a smile.

  The next few days were a flurry of activity as they dashed from one set of parents to the other to advise them of their forthcoming marriage.

  Max’s parents took it all in their stride, delighted with his new bride to be; while they were visiting she also met his brother James and his wife Sue. The two men were so alike she kept tight hold of Max’s hand to ensure she left with the correct one! But deep in her heart she knew no matter how much alike they were she would always know which brother was hers.

  Quinn’s parents were a little more reserved in their acceptance of Maxwell. He was after all the man who had made their daughters working life miserable over the past two months.

  Daniel took his sister quietly to one side and told her she was making a big mistake. ‘Why the big rush?’ he asked suspiciously, ‘is there something you’re not telling us?’ he looked toward her stomach for a moment.

  ‘Don’t you dare ask me such a question,’ she said indignantly, ‘we are getting married because we love each other,’ the look on Daniel�
��s face told her he didn’t believe her.

  Richard on the other hand reserved judgement, congratulated the couple warmly adding, ‘we love Quinn dearly, I’m sure Maxwell would never do anything to hurt her,’ the words delivered with a smile and an underlying threat should he do anything but treat her kindly.

  Max took his cool welcome into her family all in his stride and was no less charming to them all, ensuring them he would make her happy.

  Two weeks later they were married on a small sun kissed beach on the island of Antigua. Quinn had been apprehensive about the long light but Max assured her she would be fine.

  ‘The plane we are travelling on is not like any other you have been on, I promise you will be okay,’ he assured her.

  The next few days were a whirl of activity and it was only as they arrived at the airport that Quinn remembered the long flight ahead and the first twinges of concern started to eat at her.

  ‘This way please Miss Morgan, Mr Cordell,’ the airline representative ushered them away toward the first class lounge.

  Twenty minutes later Quinn and Max were sipping champagne, this was the first time she had flown first class, and if she had been impressed with business class she was now bowled over.

  ‘You do realise I will expect this every time we fly,’ she told him jokingly.

  ‘That won’t be a problem,’ he replied smiling, ‘wait until you see the plane I think you will like that too.’

  The plane was the new Airbus; they didn’t have seats as she had expected but a room with arm chairs, a bed a mini bar, flat screen television in fact every comfort they would need.

  ‘Wow this is amazing it is more like a hotel room than a plane,’ Quinn observed when the purser closed the door to their cabin.

  ‘Didn’t I tell you everything would be fine, now lets get comfortable before we take off?’

  For the first time in her life Quinn relaxed while flying, she even managed to eat her meal and catch a couple of hours sleep.

  Antigua was everything Quinn had dreamed it would be the sand was sparkling white, the azure blue water so clear she could see the colourful fish swimming beneath the surface.