Stuart checked his frustrations as he met Chad at the bistro on Eighteenth Avenue and gave him the rundown on his latest woes.
Chad shook his head in disbelief. “She’s really here now?”
Stuart nodded. “Unless she’s left town, which I seriously doubt.” He took a sip of his cocktail.
“Knowing you, you really laid into her.”
“You could say that,” Stuart muttered. “Not that she didn’t have it coming.”
“She did, trust me,” Chad said. “But you didn’t ask to meet with me to hear what you already know. You’d like my thoughts on where to go from here....”
Stuart nodded. “Yeah, guess I could use some input from my best friend—not that I haven’t already been given plenty of advice on the situation.”
“I’m sure you have. I don’t suppose you’ve tried the direct approach and told her to get lost—again?”
“She doesn’t seem to want to take no for an answer, so I’ve tried avoiding her, hoping she’ll get the message.”
“That’s the wrong message you want to send there,” Chad said, scratching his chin. “You need to meet with her and bring the girls, too.”
Stuart’s brows lowered. “You can’t be serious?”
“I’m very serious,” he said.
“The girls want absolutely nothing to do with her.”
“I’m not sure about that,” Chad told him. “They’re siding with you since you’re the one who’s always been there for them. But she’s still their biological mother.”
“I get that,” Stuart said. “But I fail to see what meeting with her as a family will accomplish....”
“It’ll give you a chance to show her that you and the girls have been fine on your own. In fact, much more than fine without her. It will also show Fawn that Dottie and Carrie still respect her as their mother, even if she’s not someone they want in their lives. It could make all the difference in the world for making it clear to her that it’s too late to turn back the clock.”
“I see your point,” Stuart said. “I think I’ll give it a try.”
“That’s all you can do, buddy,” Chad told him.
Stuart lowered his face bleakly. “Things with Madison have hit a snag because of this.”
“How much of a snag?”
“She turned down my marriage proposal and hasn’t been taking my calls,” Stuart said. “Apparently she wants me to get the Fawn drama worked out satisfactorily before we get things going again.”
Chad cocked a brow. “Sorry to hear that.”
“Me, too,” Stuart said. “She knows I love her and not Fawn. But Madison’s chosen to take a hard stance on this.”
“Didn’t you say she’d been there, done that, with an engagement that went nowhere?” Chad asked.
“Yeah, but this isn’t the same—” Stuart said.
“Maybe not from your point of view,” Chad said. “But from hers, it’s pretty similar. She’s simply trying to protect herself from being hurt again.”
“And what if I can’t get rid of Fawn?” questioned Stuart. “Does that mean I end up being lonely and miserable again?”
Chad favored him with a straight look. “I don’t see that happening. Fawn will get the message sooner or later that she’s not wanted around here,” he said. “As for the lonely and miserable bit, you and Madison will find your way though this one way or another. You’ve got that type of magic going between you that will last, no matter the potholes you’re bound to encounter from time to time.”
Stuart sipped his drink, feeling more confident that a little patience and a lot of faith could go a long way with Madison.
* * *
Madison rode her bike, enjoying the warm weather. With a river that ran through the city and the Cascade Mountains in the backdrop, bike riding in Portland seemed more like a laid-back adventure than an arduous task. She wished Stuart was riding with her. And perhaps the girls. But everyone needed to take a break from things till they had time to work themselves out.
The girls don’t need to compete for the affection of their mother and their father’s girlfriend, Madison thought. And I have my own problems. She didn’t want to lose ground in her relationship with Stuart. Even if an engagement should be held off for now, the thought of not being with him was killing her.
When Madison got home, she did what she probably should have done a few days ago and phoned Stuart. She was dying to hear his deep and usually mellow voice. Whatever issues they had, bottling them up inside her wasn’t doing either of them any good. I owe it to him, his girls and the love I feel for them to not let Fawn upend what we have going for us, she thought.
Stuart picked up on the first ring. “Hey,” he said smoothly.
“Hi,” she said softly.
“I’ve left you messag—”
“I got them,” she acknowledged. “I’ve been pretty busy.” She doubted he would buy that, but didn’t want to make it too obvious that she had been avoiding him.
“I need to see you,” he said in a low voice.
Madison sighed. “I need to see you, too.”
“Can I come over?” Stuart asked huskily.
“Please do.”
“See you shortly.”
“I’ll be waiting....”
Chapter 21
The moment Stuart stepped in the door, whatever tension had existed between him and Madison seemed to fall by the wayside.
“I...” he began.
She put a finger to his lips. “Not now—”
Madison wasted little time pulling him close and planting a lingering kiss on his mouth. Her body tingled all over, and she could only think about making love to him.
Without uttering a word, she took his hand and led him upstairs to her bedroom, where she stripped naked and then watched greedily as he did the same.
He grabbed a condom packet from his pants and opened it. But before he could put it on, she said, “No, let me...”
Stuart swallowed and closed his eyes momentarily as Madison covered his erection. Then she met his eyes to tell him she was ready to be taken to bed. He could never remember desiring her more than he did at this very moment.
Scooping Madison into his arms, Stuart carried her to the bed, laying her on the comforter where she beckoned him to get on top of her. He happily obliged, barely able to contain himself as he moved between her legs and drove into her with passion. She locked in on his manhood, squeezing him deep inside her, as if to make him her sex prisoner.
More than willing to do his share, Stuart propelled himself into her again and again, stimulated by the depths of his entry and the moans of intimacy escaping her lips. Fighting back his overpowering need for release, he brought down his mouth hard upon hers, kissing her deeply, enjoying the taste of her soft, succulent lips.
His chest rubbed against her hard nipples, causing Madison to quiver. He felt her legs wrap around his back as she brought herself to him in rapid motion.
Madison couldn’t stand it anymore; she let go and felt her climax erupt in full force. Gasping deeply, she cried out as Stuart continued to thrust while she moved with the same fervor and need for appeasement.
He shook violently as she shuddered, and they both reached the height of fulfillment at once. They kissed, touched, caressed, sighed and perspired together as the moment of impact carried them into a completion that went from Madison’s head right down to her toes. She clung to Stuart, needing him in every way.
When their lovemaking had died down, along with the pounding of her heart, only then did Madison speak. “I’m glad you came,” she said soothingly.
“So am I.” Stuart looked down at her, admiring everything he saw. “So I guess we’re good then?”
She smiled. “Well, that depends...”
“Where do things stand with Fawn?” Madison almost hated to spoil the moment. But she had to know that Fawn wasn’t going to come between them.
Stuart wished to hell his ex hadn’t decided to show up uninvited, leaving him to clean up the mess she’d made.
“I’m taking the girls to see her tomorrow,” he responded solemnly.
Madison looked at him. “You really think that’s a good idea?”
He shrugged. “It seems like the best way to present a united front. At the same time, it will let Fawn know that Dottie and Carrie don’t hate her, even if they don’t like her very much. Maybe that will be enough to get her to turn around and go back to where she came from.”
“What about her feelings for you?” Madison asked pointedly. She knew that the girls were only part of what Fawn was after.
“I think I made it perfectly clear to her after you left that night that I am very much spoken for and don’t have the slightest desire to turn back the clock. If she’s got any dignity left, she’ll respect that.”
Madison rubbed her toes on his. “And if she doesn’t?”
“Then she’ll be forever miserable,” he said. “There is only one woman I want to spend the rest of my life with, and I’m looking at her.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, it is.” Stuart kissed her shoulder, finding that he could never get enough of her. He slipped his hand between her legs. “Any complaints?”
She felt that was a question she could hardly answer with a clear head, given that they were naked and his touch was maddeningly effective.
“None whatsoever.” Madison licked her lips.
Stuart decided to take full advantage of the moment and leave everything else to be considered another day. Right now, his sole focus was on the woman who not only owned his heart, but gave him every reason to believe they could get through anything.
* * *
The next day, Stuart phoned Fawn. He realized he couldn’t put it off forever, and that the only way to get her off his back was to try to reason with her.
“Why did you take so damn long to return my calls?” Fawn spat angrily.
“Why do you think?” Stuart said, trying to keep his cool. “I didn’t feel like playing any more games with you.”
“This isn’t a game, Stuart. All I want is a second chance with you and the girls. Is that so hard to believe?”
“Yes, it is,” he said. “And you can’t seriously expect us to just roll over and become a family again because it’s what you want.”
“I know it will take some time, but—”
“But nothing,” Stuart broke in. “I’m happily involved with someone else and have no plans to change that.”
“What’s she got that I don’t?”
He nearly laughed at the question, outrageous as it was coming from her. “She’s got my back, for one thing. You sure as hell never did.”
“I did at one point, but you’ve conveniently chosen to forget,” Fawn snapped.
“Can you blame me?” he shot back. “I don’t want to remember anything about you that I don’t have to.”
“You’re not being fair,” she whined. “I can still give you everything you need and more.”
Stuart wondered if she was really that confident or if she was simply grasping at straws.
“I don’t want or need anything from you,” he said. “I’m not going to break up with the lady in my life—and certainly not for my ex-wife who ditched me for another man.”
“It was a mistake,” Fawn said.
“Tell me something I don’t know.” Stuart sighed. “In any event, it’s a mistake you’ll have to live with. Don’t make the girls pay for your sins any more than they already have.”
“That’s not my intention,” she insisted. “There is something called forgiveness. People make mistakes, and Carrie and Dottie will understand that over time. And so will you, if you just give us half a chance.”
Stuart grimaced. This was going to be harder than he thought. Everything he said was going in one ear and out the other. But he couldn’t let her rattle him, especially if he was going to face her and persuade her to leave them alone for good.
“What part of it’s over don’t you get?” Stuart asked flatly.
“So why the hell did you call me then?” Fawn asked. “To hurl insults?”
He sucked in a deep breath, realizing this was getting him nowhere and was only making matters worse. I have to stick to the plan, he thought, and keep in check my annoyance.
“Actually, I want to meet with you in person to see if we can clear the air,” he said nicely. “I’d like to bring the girls, too.”
“Really?” Her voice perked up.
“Yeah. It would do them some good to see you again.” Or so he hoped.
“That works for me.”
“I think it’s best if we meet in neutral territory. There’s a café not far from your hotel—let’s meet there,” he said.
“Fine,” she said. “What time?”
“Three o’clock.”
“I’ll be there.”
“Good. We’ll see you then.”
He hung up, wondering if this was the right way to go about getting her to back off. Or would he only be encouraging her to pursue this fantasy of becoming a family again?
I’ll have to sell this to the girls, he thought. They had been hardened to Fawn ever since she had come back, and they felt that she had rejected them. Though Stuart understood their anger, he did not want them to carry this forever. For that matter, he didn’t want to carry it forever, either.
If everything worked out right, they could have some sort of closure and get on with their lives without Fawn. But he knew all too well that things were never that easy when it came to his ex-wife.
For the sake of his kids and his love for Madison, Stuart was banking on the fact that Fawn would do right by all of them.
* * *
“I definitely wasn’t expecting that,” Madison said on the phone to her sister. She was sitting on the back porch, and she had just told Bianca the full tale—everything from Fawn’s sudden appearance to Stuart’s hasty proposal, to her rejection, to their unexpected passion last night.
“You should have been expecting that,” Bianca said. “I’m sure you were both horny as hell, so jumping each other’s bones was just unavoidable.”
Madison blushed. “Probably,” she conceded. She remembered how hot and heavy it had been, as if it had been a year since they had last made love. He had given her multiple orgasms and made her wonder how on earth she could survive if they were ever apart for a longer stretch. “But I actually meant that I hadn’t expected Fawn to turn up like that, practically demanding that Stuart take her back.”
“Bless his heart that he didn’t fall into that trap,” Bianca said. “I don’t know what his ex was thinking if she thought that he would toss you to the curb and hook up with her again. Maybe she was on drugs or something.”
“I never got that impression,” Madison said. “Actually, I think she knew exactly what she was doing.”
“Which makes it all the more pathetic,” Bianca said. “Once you give up a man, especially one as hot and successful as Stuart, there’s no turning back. Fawn made her bed and will always have to lie in it—but without Stuart. Sorry for the pun.” Bianca laughed.
“Amen to that,” Madison said. “But that doesn’t mean she won’t keep trying to dig her claws into him. How do I handle that?”
“The same way you’ve handled previous relationship crises—by keeping a cool head and not letting it get to you. Let her do what she can and see where it gets her. Stuart’s a big boy, and he’s made his choice. There is no going back for either of y
ou.”
“What about his girls?” Madison asked. “Fawn’s definitely not above using them as pawns to score points with Stuart.”
“The way that man feels about you, there aren’t enough points out there for her to score to take away a game you’ve already won,” Bianca said confidently. “Just because you aren’t their real mom doesn’t mean they aren’t sold on you. They clearly want you to be the woman who fills the shoes of a mommy figure, so go with it and don’t worry about her.”
“You’re right, I’ll try not to.” As always, Madison could count on helpful advice from her sister. Now all she had to do was live it. She could not allow Fawn to mess with her head.
“As far as passing on Stuart’s proposal, I might have done the same thing under the circumstances,” Bianca said.
“But what if he never asks again?” Madison said. Her mind inevitably flashed back to her previous engagement that had ended up disintegrating right before her eyes. “I don’t want to end up regretting—”
“Trust me. Stuart’s no fool,” Bianca told her. “I think he showed you last night just how much he’s into you. He will definitely pop the question again at a time that will be more appropriate. Meanwhile, just keep enjoying his company and showing him how you feel about him in every way you can.”
Madison grinned. “I’ll do that.”
“Good. And when you two get hitched, maybe you can have the honeymoon here in Las Vegas. I’d love to play host to you newlyweds.”
“That might work,” Madison said. But she didn’t want to get too carried away. Stuart hadn’t asked her to marry him again.
Chapter 22
“Why do we have to see her?” Dottie complained as Stuart told the girls his plans.
“Because she is still your mother and it’s the right thing to do,” he said, standing in front of them in his study.
“What are we supposed to say to her?” Carrie asked.
“Just say what you feel,” Stuart responded. “But try to be nice about it.”
“What if she wants us to live with her?” Dottie asked.
“That’s never going to happen,” he assured her. “I already made it perfectly clear that she can’t have you—or me, for that matter. But she still needs to know that you girls are happy with your lives and that you’re ready to forgive, if not forget the things she’s done. Do you think you can do that for me?”
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