Jeremy (Members From Money Book 4)
Page 12
“I want to have a sendoff as if I am still alive darling,” he had told her with a laugh. “Make sure it happens or I am coming back to haunt you!” She had reached for a black Dior but had remembered that she was supposed to wear cheerful colors and had taken down a black and red Chanel suit instead with a hat that sat rakishly over one side of her head. Leesa was dressed in a dazzling green dress that looked great on her and Diana was wearing red and white shift.
“I want to say something about our friend” Leesa said as soon as the minister had done talking. “For those of us who knew Brian, we knew that if he was standing here with us right now he would be making light of the situation. He was irreverent and funny and was the light of every party. Am I right Deidre?” she turned to look in the girl’s direction and Deidre nodded with a small smile. “He could turn every situation around to make it seem like fun. I worked with him in Milan and Paris and here in the States and he made me laugh so much that the photographer had a hard time doing the shoot.” She sobered up. “He was loved and that much we know. It also brings something very serious to mind: domestic violence, and usually we do not pay attention until it is right at our doorsteps! It happens so many times in this country and we are going to be putting on a show in honor of our friend and donate the money to violence against women and men!”
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The apartment had been cleaned up and the yellow police tape had been removed. It was spotless as if nothing had happened there, but something had happened and sitting in the living room where she had lie on the soft leather couch and watched some silly comedy with Brian reminded her that she would never see him again. Jeremy had come with her because the lawyer had wanted to get it over and done with.
“Mrs. Langley, he called me the other day and told me he wanted to make up his will. He told me that he was starting to feel his mortality” the white haired man smiled slightly as he shifted papers around. “He has left everything to you.” He told her simply nodding at the girl’s shocked expression. “He told me that you were like family to him and he did not trust anyone else to spend his hard-earned money. He had several accounts and stocks and bonds amounting to five million dollars.” He paused as he looked at her. “Aside from this very nice apartment, he also had an apartment in New York and he has left everything to you. He also left you a letter.” He handed her a sealed envelope.
Deidre stared at the envelope in her hand and then back at the lawyer. “I don’t want it,” she said woodenly, her hands trembling badly.
“Could you give us a minute?” Jeremy said to the man.
“Of course. I will take my leave and be in touch with you at a later date,” he looked at Deidre sympathetically and then left.
“You want to talk?” Jeremy asked her quietly. He missed her and wanted his wife back. Ever since the news had reached her that Brian had been murdered, she had not been the same. They slept in the same bed but she would curl up on one side and not let him touch her. She would feed their son and be with him, but it was as if she was not there. He had spoken to a doctor about it and he had told her that the news coming so soon after she had given birth had a lot to do with her emotional state and that he had to give her time. He knew he had to give her time and be supportive, but it was wearing on him and he found himself resenting the dead Brian!
“I cannot take his money,” she got up and walked around the room stopping at a silly painting of a corked house on top of rocks and a path leading to a stream. He had bought it at an auction he had attended with her and said it had a certain crazy charm about it. “You never know, darling, it might just turn out to be valuable!” he had said with a grin. “I was closer to him than I was to Deena,” she murmured taking down the painting. There was also a picture of him posing in Armani and wearing a cheeky smile. “I could tell him anything and he would be there for me. He never minded that I held back and I was not good with people he always drew me out.” She turned around to face her husband. “I am sorry Jeremy; I know I have been shutting you out but I can’t right now. The pain is too much!”
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She read his letter while she was in her bedroom later that night. Her mother and Deena had called to find out if she was okay and she had told them she was, but she did not feel like talking. She had not gone down to dinner with Jeremy and the rest and Robert had come up to check on her. Jeremy had brought something up for her to eat and the pasta was still sitting on the side table untouched. She opened the envelope and took out the single paper smelling the whiff of his special cologne.
“Deidre darling,
All joking aside. I need to get something off my chest. It seems as if I have gotten myself into quite a pickle. Claudio and I argued the night of the party at the club and it was quite an argument! He got violent with me and threatened to kill me and then himself if I ever cheated on him. I was talking to Erick; you know the tanned gorgeous guy from out of town? It was quite innocent because he is as straight as one can get! But he was not convinced and accused me of all sorts of things. You were right! There I said it, so you can go ahead and say I told you so! I am going to go to Hawaii for a week and I am going to tell him that it is over. I have made my will darling that if anything should happen to me, you will know what to do. I wished I was straight! You would be the only woman I would be with that way, but instead I must accept the next best thing. You are my family and I love you as mixed up and contrary as you are. Thank you for being my friend and not be afraid to tell me where to get off. I want you to take care of that gorgeous baby boy and tell him about me of course!
But here I am going on and on as if I am dying! Just a precaution darling.
I love you. Brian.”
He knew! She felt the tremor inside her and looked up as Jeremy came into the room.
“Baby?” he hurried over and bent in front of her.
Without a word she got off the sofa and into his arms and burst into tears!
Chapter 12
It broke his heart to hear the wrenching sobs coming from her! He lifted her and took her to the bed pulling back the sheets and climbing in with her. She clung to him soaking his T-shirt with her tears, and he held her to him gently rocking her as he would his son. He had been downstairs with the rest of the family and had felt the need to come up and check up on her. She stopped crying and he thought she had drifted off to sleep when she spoke. “He knew something was going to happen,” she told him quietly.
“How did you know?” she had her face buried in his chest.
“The letter,” she lifted her head and looked up at him. “They had a fight baby and he was planning to leave.”
“I am so sorry,” he wiped the tears from her cheeks gently. Her eyes were swollen and red and he wanted to take away every misery from her.
“I miss him,” her lips trembled and the tears came again!
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She came out of it slowly, little by little, and Jeremy was there for her. She had clung to him that night and had started kissing him, pulling off his shirt wet with her tears. “Baby are you sure?” he had asked her huskily and she had nodded.
“Life is too uncertain.” She had told him. It was as if she had suddenly gotten the impulse to live it to the fullest. She had almost torn off his clothes in her haste to get to his skin. He had groaned as she bit into his skin. Her urgency had transferred to him and he had felt as if he was going to burst with need for her. It had been so long! He entered her roughly and she had clamped her legs around his waist lifting her body to meet his demanding thrusts! He had bent his head and latched onto a nipple laden with his son’s milk and sucked it inside his mouth. She had cried and dug her nails into his bunched up shoulders feeling the desire lashed at her. He had come within minutes and in the middle of the storm raging from him she had come all over him, sinking her teeth into the flesh above his heart. They had laid there spent and trembling in each other’s arms.
/> “I am so happy to see you looking like yourself again Deidre,” her mother-in-law said quietly as she came downstairs with Jeremy to have breakfast. He had offered to stay away from the office but she had insisted that he went to work. “I will be okay.”
“Thanks, Rosalind.” She smiled at Robert as he pulled the chair out for her and kissed her on the cheek.
“It’s rough losing someone close,” he said gruffly as he took his seat. Jeremy sent him a warning look that Deidre intercepted. “It’s okay baby, I can talk about it now, and yes you are right, Robert, but I cried in Jeremy’s arms and it did me a world of good.” She reached over and clasped her husband’s hand.
“We are thinking of taking a spin on the night and staying overnight this weekend.” Jeremy told them.
“I think that will be good for you both,” Rosalind said in approval. “Don’t worry about Jared; he will be in good hands.”
“We know.” Deidre said with a smile.
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“How are you darling?” Leesa asked peering at her curiously. She knew how close she and Brian had been. It had hit her and Diana pretty rough and they had worked with him.
“Better now,” Deidre signaled for the waiter to bring her a shrimp salad.
“We are planning the event for the end of August at the Royal Palm hotel.” Diana told her as she sipped her fruit punch.
“He left me everything,” Deidre said as soon as her meal was served. “I want to donate most of it to the cause.”
“Darling, that’s wonderful!” Leesa said with a sparkle to her eyes.
“He would have loved that.” Diana said with a nod. “Jeffry was reminding me the other day that Brian prepositioned him a few years ago while he was at the club.”
“I remembered,” Deidre chuckled feeling lighter and less sad as they talked about him. “He always said that Jeffry was his type of man.”
“He was such a jerk sometimes. I remember a shoot in Milan and we were going in for a change when he pulled off one of the other male models towel and showed his naked butt.” They all laughed at that and then became silent.
“It is a good idea for the fundraiser against domestic violence.” Deidre said soberly. “You were right, Leesa. We never really think about it until it is right on our doorsteps.”
“To Brian,” she lifted her glass of sparkling water. “May he rest in peace.”
The other two girls lifted their glasses as well and made the toast.
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“Okay stop!” Jeremy called out as Deidre made to sprint past him. She had dragged him out of bed in the early hours of the Saturday morning telling him to get dressed and that they were going to go jogging. He had glanced at the clock beside him and realized that it was five thirty. “Deidre, it is a Saturday morning.” He groaned turning over to go back to sleep.
“I feel energized. Come on, lazy bones!” she had said tugging at his hair.
“Deidre,” he had muttered halfheartedly but had gotten up just the same really happy to see her getting back to her normal self.
She was already dressed and waited for him. They had tiptoed in their son’s room to see that he was fast asleep. He had woken up several times during the night fussy, and Deidre had spent a little time in the nursery with him rocking him to sleep. They knocked on his mother’s door and told her where they were headed and for her to listen out for him in case he was awake.
“Deidre you are killing me,” he groaned bending over to catch his breath.
“We barely ran two miles,” she protested as she stopped next to him jogging in place.
He sat down on the tuft of grass with the morning dew still on it and held up one leg, grimacing in pain.
“Baby, what’s wrong?” she asked him dropping to her knees in front of him.
“I think I pulled something,” he groaned rubbing his calf. She pushed away his hand and started feeling his hairy muscled leg. Without warning he pulled her down on top of him.
“Jeremy Langley, did you do that to make me stop?” she gasped.
“I did,” he murmured. “I also did it to do this.” He cupped the back of her head and brought his head down to hers. Deidre moaned as he took his lips with her. The area was secluded and serene. It was further from their neighborhood but was still exclusive. There was a park opposite to them but at that time of the morning it was empty so they were basically alone. He pushed his hands beneath her skin tight jogging blouse and felt for her nipples. Deidre quivered against him as he deepened the kiss. She sat up suddenly and pulled away peeling off the shirt and exposing her bare breasts to his gaze. “Deidre,” he groaned looking around to see if there was anyone looking before ducking his head and taking a nipple inside his mouth. She arched her back and dug her fingers through his hair. He left that nipple to go to the other one, and she felt the desire unfurling inside her. His mouth drifted down to her stomach and she leaned back against his hands as his mouth made its way further down. She laid back on his outstretched legs as he peeled the shorts from her and her underwear. They were no longer even concerned about an audience, so bad was the intense heat between then. His tongue touched her mound and she cried out sharply curling her fingers into fists. His tongue entered her and she sobbed clutching at the tuft of grass beneath them. He explored her slowly not in any haste in spite of where they were. He had lost all sense of his surroundings; he just knew he had to have her. He stopped and lifted her up above him. The shorts she was wearing hindered him and looking around again he peeled them off, and she sank down on his stiff penis. She pulled the T-shirt over his head leaving the bare skin so that she could touch and feel and explore his muscled body. She did not care who saw them! He was hers and she just wanted to feel him. He gripped her hips and heaved himself up inside her, his thrusts becoming more and more desperate by the minute! She bent her head and sucked his skin inside her mouth, her teeth making little bite marks on his chest. Since she had given birth to his son, he had been tender with her but now outdoors surrounded by nature it was as if the veneer had been shed. She lifted her head and captured his lips with hers in a hungry kiss that had him going crazy! He lifted her legs and pounded into her over and over again. He dragged his mouth from hers and let out a loud groan as his testicles tightened and he shot his load inside her, his body shuddering. She buried her face in his bare chest and cried out as the orgasm washed over her!
He held her close to him as the shivering stopped. He was still inside her and did not want to come out. She had tears on her cheeks and he was thankful that she was back to being his wife. He kissed her slowly, his hands gentle against her skin. She was still naked but she made no move to put her clothes back on. It was he who lifted his head and reached for her shirt putting it back on.
“I don’t want to move yet,” her hands framed his face. “I love you. For the past month, I have been difficult and moping and you have been so patient with me. I have no idea what I did to deserve you.”
“I love you,” he said simply, feeling his penis hardening again. “Whatever happens, it does not matter, I have to live with it because I love you and I always will. It frightens me how much sometimes, but I would rather be scared in love with you than to live the way I had been living. You brought life to me, Deidre, and for that I will always be grateful.”
“We have to get up before someone sees us.” She whispered dipping her head to rest on his.
“I can’t move,” she whispered and started moving on top of him. It was another few minutes before they left.
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The mayor got involved in the fund-raising event, and so did the First Lady and it was covered by the media. Deidre discussed it with Jeremy and had given half of the money to the cause. She had not decided what to do with the apartments yet. She had gone back there with her husband and they had wandered through the elegant apartment looking at what Brian had collected. Leesa and Diana had come with them and had
boxed up his numerous designer clothes to give them away.
Now she was determined to concentrate on her husband and son. She had taken them for granted and used the fact that Jeremy was in love with her so much that he would put up with anything, but she wanted to make it up to him. It was almost fall and Jared had full three months grabbing at things and trying to ease up by himself. He looked more and more like his grandfather each day.
She was planning to renew their vows and had told his grandfather and his mother about it. She wanted to do it at the manor in an intimate setting at the gazebo near the pool on Saturday. She was going to tell him that it was a dinner party and spring it on him. Her mother and sister were also involved and was coming over to see to the decorations.
“Are you sure you are ready?” he had asked her anxiously when she told him about the party.
“I am fine now,” she had told him softly. “I just want to do something cheerful that’s all.
“I am for it.” He had told her.
“Honey, it’s wonderful that you are doing this,” Deborah said approvingly searching her daughter’s face for any signs of the grief that had ravaged her since the loss of her friend.
“He deserves it, Mom, for the way he puts up with me.” Deidre said soberly.
“He sure does,” Deena said with a grin as she looked at her sister. She was very different now, not the sad lonely woman who thought that she was not good enough. She was still seeing Malcolm, but she said she was not yet ready for a commitment.
“Okay, I am getting the white dress this time with all the trimmings. I have no idea how to get him into a tuxedo, but Robert said he is going to be dressed in a tux.” Her voice faltered as she remembered that Brian would not be there.
Rosalind came over and sat beside her. “I always say that when you lose someone you love they are never really gone.”
Deidre blinked and looked at the woman for a moment and then nodded. Taking a deep breath, she squeezed the hands holding her gratefully. “Thanks, Rosalind.”