Nadia agreed to tell her story and press charges, so I took her to meet the District Attorney. They brought Randolph in, and fortunately, he agreed to plead guilty for a lesser sentence of thirty years in prison because he used a gun. If the case had gone to trial, he would’ve received life in prison for aggravated sexual assault.
The bigger question still loomed. What about the baby?
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“Congratulations, bro. I wondered when you were gonna get your shit together. When’s the big day?” Grayson asked.
“No clue. We’ve been engaged all of twenty-four hours, man. No timeline yet. I know I can’t stand the thought of her going back to Dallas, though.”
“When’s that?”
“Next weekend.”
“Convince her to quit. Don’t let her get away this time. I’ve gotta run to surgery, but I want details later.”
“Yeah, I know.”
Each minute that passed during my day left me longing for her so much more. Even Max went to the door and whined, which had nothing to do with the latest flavor of his four-legged, neighborhood harem.
Nadia’s situation loomed in my brain, a horrible distraction. I hated that she didn’t want to keep the baby.
Family law hadn’t been my scope of legal practice, but Pamela Cassavan knew the ins and outs of that area of the court system; it was her specialty. All the drama and legal battles for family law in my early practice days helped convince me to be a confirmed bachelor.
I contacted her on Nadia’s behalf, and while Pamela only worked part-time, her willingness to help Nadia left me comforted because the baby would be placed in a great home where Nadia could choose the family through the process of an open adoption.
Max barked at the door, and I thought it was Monica. When I turned the corner, I found a familiar envelope had been shoved through the mail slot.
I tore the paper open, and just as I thought I’d find, more reflections of my past sins.
I shoved the envelope in the filing cabinet and put a note in my calendar to call the firm’s detective.
***
Setting up the stage for open mic night was a beating, but the new talent which came in to strut their stuff on the open nights always amazed me. I’d been crawling around on the floor, running power to the stage when I heard a cough, cough behind me. I didn’t have to look up to know my sweetie had come in.
“Nice piece of ass,” she said through giggles.
“You should know,” I countered with amusement. “How’s your day been?”
“Fantastic. We wrapped today, which is why I’m late.”
“Awesome baby, this means we can spend some time together exploring the city. I want to show—”
“Shhh, Harrison, don’t get too excited. I have to fly out to San Francisco for another shoot starting on Thursday.”
“I want you here with me. You own the company, send someone else, or you can quit if you want. I can support us.”
“It’s not that simple. Can we table it till later?”
“Fine.”
Her mood changed, and she whirled around so fast I swore she deliberately ran away to keep from discussing the situation. I worked to tie-wrap the power cords as quickly as I could and followed her upstairs to the loft.
The itinerary for her next shoot happened to be laying out on the counter by her bag, no snooping required. San Francisco for ten days. Damn.
I poured two glasses of our favorite wine and waited for her to come out of the shower. She wore one of my t-shirts, and I loved the view it provided me of her long, sexy legs. For being petite, her legs were endless. They were very muscular from all of her various workout regimens like yoga, Pilates, Krav Maga and kick-boxing. She had serious, toned curves, and admiring every inch of them was number one on my bucket list.
“I know that look,” she said, while taking a seat on my lap.
“What look?”
“That I’m-getting-my-way-no-matter-what look.”
“I’m craving you every second of every day and don’t want to share you.”
She took a sip of wine and ran her finger across my lips. “Let’s make love, not war.”
She nibbled from the corner of my mouth, down the side of my neck, to my exposed collarbone. My body responded with dire need to possess her. My intent was to have a mutually pleasant conversation with her, but at the same time, my sexual desires craved her more than the need to win a debate.
She removed my shirt in between stimulating kisses, growing more aggressive by the minute. I removed the t-shirt she had put on, only to find her completely naked underneath. Wow, always so beautiful and spontaneously sexy. Hungry for her, I wanted to take over, but she started things, so I’d let it be her show.
She kissed me hard on the mouth, the remnants of wine still on her tongue. When she bit my lips, I fought the urge to swirl her under me on the sofa.
One swift move and I could have her hard and fast. With quickness of both hands, she unfastened my jeans, freeing my erection. When she climbed over me, there were no words to describe her need. She had chosen the way to communicate, conveying that we could be one, beautifully, with give and take.
She stayed in control, making greedy movements for her own pleasure. Deep inside her hot, moist channel, the grip tightened, signaling her pending climax. My hands were supporting her back as she arched heavily into them and screamed out in her own sexual gratification.
Limp and sated, she snuggled deep into my neck, but remained completely quiet. With my arms wrapped tight around her, I held her beautiful body close to mine and began to think about the short amount of time we had before she would leave again. I didn’t want it spent fighting.
My phone rang several times, waking me from a beautiful dream. Startled, I realized the dream had been a reality with my hot and sexy fiancée still asleep on my lap.
“Babe, I’ve got to help Luke downstairs. You staying up here?”
“Um, hmm,” she uttered.
The crowd for open mic nights were usually younger, college age kids and definitely rowdy. When I entered the bar, there were a couple of girls dancing on the tables, not a good sign. With a group of college-age guys cheering them on, the scene brewed trouble.
Luke shook his head in their direction, and his raised eyebrows told me he had already tried to corral them.
With the girls under control, it occurred to me a couple of bouncers would be helpful for open mic nights, or better yet, off-duty Chicago cops. Logan’s had been doing very well and hiring extra hands would help free me up time to spend more time with Monica.
“Hey, man, sorry to interrupt,” Luke said.
“No worries. I should’ve been down sooner. I’ll get some off-duty PD guys to come on Tuesdays for this crowd.”
“They’re outta control tonight. PD would be good.”
“Hey, baby,” Luke growled out in a low voice from behind me.
I turned quickly to figure out why he’d said that, when Kaci walked around the back of the bar and kissed him.
“Baby and…kisses. When did you two hook up?” I asked in surprise.
“Dude, you’re not the only one who got lucky this weekend,” Luke said.
“Hey, congratulations, Harrison. I’m so happy for you and Monica. And to think, I might’ve had something to do with that.” She laughed sweetly and then punched me hard on the arm.
We cleaned up the big mess from the rowdy crowd right before Nadia got home. I hadn’t seen her much in days. She looked horrible, with her eyes sunken and hollow outshining her very pale skin. It occurred to me I hadn’t heard her mention seeing the doctor. I worried maybe she needed vitamins or something.
I’d been trying not to impose on her, but maybe she had been trying not to take advantage. Either way, it seemed more obvious she needed to take better care of herself, and someone needed to step in and ensure she did.
I sent her upstairs and told her she had the morning off with pay. It surprised me fu
rther when she didn’t even argue, a clear indication some things weren’t right.
Showered and exhausted, I climbed into bed where Monica already had my side warmed. Even with her small frame, she sure knew how to claim real estate in the bed.
She moaned when I slid in between the covers and moved her legs over to make room for my own, but she didn’t wake up. I was certain sleep would come easily and was surprised when it didn’t.
I strategized for several hours on how we could both get what we wanted. Then it occurred to me I had been assuming I knew what she wanted in regards to a career… I’d never asked her.
Soft tickles on my neck stirred me from a deep sleep. Confident my sweetie wanted to continue from the night before, I started talking to her before I opened my eyes. The response I got was definitely heated breath backed with a bark…from Max.
Now wide awake, I realized she had gotten out of bed already and the loft was quiet.
Max had no patience for his neighborhood girlfriends during our morning walk; rather, he was in quite a hurry to get back to the loft. I think he had been waiting for Monica. Her disappearance left me curious.
When we walked through the front door of Logan’s, I got a whiff of something delicious. Max and I raced to see who could climb the stairs first; he always seemed to win. Maybe I should’ve named him ‘First.’
I found my sweetie making breakfast. “Good morning, sunshine. Smells wonderful.”
“Back at ya, handsome.” She stopped to kiss me good morning, and we were in the middle of a make-out session when I heard “ahem” from behind me.
“Sorry to interrupt, Mr. Harrison.”
“You aren’t interrupting. Please join us for breakfast. I’ve got stuff here especially for you, Nadia,” Monica spoke in her sweet, southern voice.
“You’re sure it’s no bother?”
“Take a seat. I’ll get you some juice.”
Monica had adapted to Nadia in a sisterly way, and I hoped Nadia felt the same way. Girl power didn’t need me hanging around, so I left them to chat while I grabbed a shower and tended to work.
When I returned upstairs, they were on the computer, looking at wedding venues and giggling like crazy. A great sign.
I snuck out and left them to it, happy Monica had taken an interest in planning our wedding.
Ready to hire the off-duty PD guys, I left a message for Vinnie to give me his contacts from the guys who worked security at the Millennium since all of them were Chicago PD. Quick with a reply, he gave me their contact information, and within a couple of hours, I had that chore taken care of. Luke would be happy.
Max jumped up from his bed in my office when he heard the girls giggling. Both carrying handbags, it looked like they were ready to go out.
“Leaving me alone?” I asked.
“Not exactly. Nadia has a doctor’s appointment and asked me to go with her. Would you like to meet us for lunch?”
“I’d love to, but Cliff, the new bartender, is coming in. I can’t leave until he and Luke get here. Will that cramp your plans?”
“No, Mr. Harrison. I have an ultrasound appointment as well, so we’ll be a while.”
“Perfect. Call me when you’re done, and I’ll pick you two up. Tate is here; he’ll drive you.”
When I kissed Monica goodbye, I noticed Nadia looked healthier and also happier, which could only mean being around Monica had helped her in some way.
***
Escorting two beautiful women to lunch would normally be a playboy’s playground; however, both women had become very important to me, but in different ways.
Nadia seemed a bit more excited about the baby and even showed me the ultrasound pictures. Her determination to go through with the adoption had not faltered. She told me she met with Pamela, and the next phase included interviewing prospective couples to adopt the baby.
“I wanted to ask if you both would come with me to meet the couples. Ms. Cassavan said it might be good to have other opinions?” Nadia asked before reaching for Monica’s hand.
“Of course,” I answered for both of us when I saw Monica’s eyes flood with tears. I knew those tears were from her pain of not being able to bear children.
CHAPTER TWELVE
I planned a great surprise for a late dinner with my fiancée before she had to fly out and leave me. She hadn’t planned on needing cocktail attire, and I had taken the liberty of having a dress, shoes, and the works sent over. She made me wait downstairs while she got dressed. I lost my breath when she descended the stairs.
“You’re scrumptious,” I proclaimed, twirling her.
“You have great taste.”
“I’ll second that. Ready?” I asked, extending my arm.
“I know I should ask where we’re going, but I also know you probably won’t tell me.” Her eyes danced in anticipation.
“You know me too well.”
In the limo on the way to the pier, she snuggled into me and played with her engagement ring. Her demeanor was a bit too quiet. She was with me in body, but not spirit.
There were times when a man could ask a woman “What’s wrong?” and she’d respond openly. Those times were few. I decided to wait her out and see if she’d open up once we got on the yacht.
The pier was in full glory with lights and a red carpet. Captain Tanner greeted us before disappearing to duty. We enjoyed champagne and dancing while the chef prepared dinner. Normally, the lake was choppy during the fall, but the water calmed under the spell of romance.
I held her close to me, the night air cool on her bare skin.
“You spoil me,” she whispered.
“For a lifetime,” I said, kissing the top of her head.
The chef prepared a delectable meal in a dining room surrounded in glass. I wasn’t a huge sushi fan, but Monica loved it and insisted I try a few things. She had the chopsticks mastered, giving me total grief when I used my fork.
“We can have sushi at the wedding. You can learn to use the chopsticks for me.”
“You’re kidding, right?” I asked, raising a brow. Surely, she didn’t intend on having sushi at the wedding.
“Yes, I’m kidding. Where do you want to get married? I thought about Bora Bora because it’s a special place for everyone since Grayson and Alex got married there, but I wanted us to have our own special place.”
“I know. I’ve thought the same thing. Do you have an idea when? We could start with a date then go from there.”
The amazing fireworks display over the lake caught us off-guard, but were a sweet surprise to launch fireworks of our own.
“What if we got married on a yacht like this, something intimate and just our close friends and family?” she asked, leaning into me. When she turned her head so our eyes could meet, my heart melted.
“I love the idea. Okay, when?”
“We can’t do Christmas because Grayson and Alex will want to be home for their first Christmas with the girls. Next spring. March maybe?”
“Want to party with the spring breakers?”
“Nope. April then?”
“Thanksgiving,” I countered.
“You want to wait until Thanksgiving?” She wrinkled her forehead.
“No, I want to get married this Thanksgiving, and I know the perfect place.”
“That’s only a few weeks from now. And, that’s Grayson and Alexandra’s first anniversary. We can’t.”
“Only one way to find out. I’m calling them. If they says yes, then we’re going to charter a yacht for all of us and get married some place fabulous like the beautiful Amalfi Coast.”
Grayson and Alexandra had planned a wedding in three weeks. If they could do it, so could we. Bora Bora was beautiful and a perfect place for a destination wedding for them. The rest of the family had enjoyed the holiday there, but Monica was right. We needed our own special memories, and the Italian coast fit the bill.
Monica couldn’t get her breath for excited giggling. With the phone on speaker, we called A
lexandra.
“Hey, there. Been wondering when I’d hear from you. Congratulations.”
“Thank you,” Monica and I said in unison.
“Are you wedding planning yet?”
“Yes. We need your help,” Monica exclaimed.
“Where’s Grayson?” I asked.
“He’s right here. Let me go to speaker. Okay, we’re both here. What can we help with?”
“Share your anniversary with us?”
I heard mumbles, and I couldn’t make out what they were saying.
“You want to go out with us on our anniversary?” Alexandra asked.
Sometimes for a redhead, she acted totally blonde.
“No, dingbat, we want to get married on your anniversary. If its okay with you guys?” I quipped.
“Fantastic. Where?” Grayson chimed in.
“On a yacht in Italy,” I answered.
“Done,” they said in unison.
The next hour we went back and forth discussing ideas and putting a plan together. I quickly realized we’d moved into full wedding planning mode in less than a few minutes. Wow, calm to crazy.
Monica and I finished up the dinner cruise and thanked the Captain and Chef for a wonderful, inspiring evening, informing them of how the cruise gave us the idea for our wedding. Monica’s spirits had lifted, and I didn’t see the solemnness return from earlier in the evening. Still uncertain of the cause of her mood earlier, I could only guess it had something to do with Nadia.
In the car on the way home, she spit out ideas one right after the other. Being in the fashion industry, she knew right away about dresses and such.
I really only needed the date and time to show up. Oh, and possibly creating the most spectacular honeymoon plans she could ever dream of.
***
Max thought he’d be cute and claim half of the bed.
Not so fast. I do not sleep with dogs, human or otherwise.
Monica, on the other hand, must’ve let him in the bed with her at some point because he’d never tried to get in the bed before. I heard him huff as he laid down on his doggie bed in the corner. You would’ve thought I’d tortured him.
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