The Bridal Candidate 1 (Heart Connections)

by Linda Verji

  The main issue now was that her time with Seraphina was severely limited. But what could she do? As Femi had said, they still had bills to pay. This security gig would have to do until she thought of something better or her expansion plans for Heart Connections bore fruit.

  Because she'd been inactive for quite a while, and her friend had insisted that she attended a two-week boot-camp before they sent her out to into the field. The delay in starting work meant that she wouldn't start earning a salary until next month. The money she had left was enough to pay part of the mortgage - but not all of it.

  Aiko had considered borrowing the rest of it from Misha. But only if she had no other choices. Right now she was on her way to explore one of those choices. After grabbing her purse from the passenger seat, she exited her Taurus and made her way to Weston Mutual bank.

  After the ridiculous heat outside, the blast of cold that hit her as she stepped into the banking hall was a relief. It seemed she wasn't the only one who'd had the bright idea to come to stop by the bank during her lunch hour. The lines leading to the teller-counters were quite long. Fortunately, there were only a few people waiting to see the loan officer. After a ten-minute wait, Aiko finally had her chance to see her.

  "Aiko." The officer, fifty something year-old Whitney Pembrook, stood up to greet her. "Great to see you."

  "Hi, Whitney." Aiko greeted her. "How have you been?"

  No, the bank's customer services wasn't personalized enough for them to recognize all their clients. The only reason Whitney and Aiko knew each other was because they attended the same church. In fact Whitney was Seraphina's Sunday school teacher.

  After a few minutes chatting over the minutiae of everyday life, Aiko broached the reason of her visit, "I wanted to discuss our mortgage."

  "Oh?" Whitney sat up in her seat.

  "We've run into a financial bump this month and can only afford half of the payment," Aiko said, feeling embarrassed that it had to come to this. "Is there any way we can pay half, then make up the difference next month?"

  "Because of the recent spurt of mortgage defaults, the bank doesn't like to allow deferred payments," Whitney said causing Aiko's insides to knot in nervousness.

  Please don't refuse, Aiko mentally pleaded.

  Whitney paused for a long moment then said, "But your family has always been very faithful in making the payments. I'm sure we can sort something out - come up with some payment arrangement. What's your account number?"

  "It's…" Aiko wrote the account number down for her, tentative hope blooming inside her.

  Whitney keyed the numbers into a computer, silently. Seconds later, she paused, her attention on the screen and her forehead furrowed. "Hmm."

  "Is something wrong?" Aiko asked, her nervousness flaring.

  "It says here that you've paid off your mortgage."

  "What?" Shock colored Aiko's tone. "That's not possible. Are you sure you're checking the right account?"

  "Yes, I'm checking the right account," Whitney said, slowly, her attention still on screen. "And it says your balance is completely paid off. Are you sure Femi didn't make a payment without your knowledge?"

  "Of two hundred and sixty thousand dollars?" Aiko shook her head. "I don't think so. Someone must've made a mistake. Do you think I can get a printout of the transaction?"

  A few minutes later, Aiko confirmed that it was no mistake. Their mortgage had been paid off - and she knew who'd done it. The moment she left the bank, she dialed his number.

  On the third ring he picked up. "Aiko?"

  Her heart jolted at the sound of his voice. Ignoring it, Aiko said curtly, "Damián, what do you think you're doing?"

  "I'm sorry?"

  "I know you paid our mortgage." She berated, "I told you I didn't want the money."

  There was a long pause on his end, then he said quietly, "Can we talk about this later? I can't do this now. I'm about to walk into a meeting."

  "When is later?"

  "My meeting should be done by around three or three-thirty," he said. "Why don't we meet at Chez Amelia's for coffee?"

  "No," she protested quickly. She was not over him yet, and it didn't need a therapist to tell her that seeing him face to face was a bad idea. Plus Chez Amelia's held too many memories - memories she didn't want ruined with an argument. "Can't we just talk on the phone? All we need to discuss is how I can get your money back to you."

  "Then I'll come to your office when I'm done," Damián insisted.

  She started, "No, I-"

  "Aiko, I have to go," Damián interrupted her. "Some investors are coming my way. I'll talk to you later."

  She didn't have a chance to say anything more because the next second she heard the click that signaled the end of the call. She stared at her phone for a stretched moment; anxiety bubbling inside her. Just as she was getting used to the thought of not having Damián in her life, here he was.

  Back again.

  Reason told her to leave him a voicemail, to ask him to just call her - not to come to her office. But the part of her that wanted to see him was louder. Ignoring common sense's warning bells, she tucked her phone back into its purse.

  These things were better done face to face anyway. Besides, she was a strong woman - capable of meeting the man she loved without melting into a puddle of emotion. She could do this.

  DAMIÁN PREFERRED TO do his convincing in person. He knew that Aiko wouldn't take his paying their mortgage well, and he'd expected her to put up a fight. But he was just as determined to make sure she never had to worry about money again. Convincing her to keep the money would require a lot of fast-talking - and fast-talking worked best when you were face-to-face with the target.

  Unfortunately the meeting with his investors ran later than he expected. By three-thirty, it didn't look like it was even close to ending. He whispered to his assistant to call Aiko, inform her he was running late and ask her if she could wait for him. A couple of minutes later, his assistant came back with the message that he didn't need to worry- she'd be waiting.

  It was well past seven when the meeting finally ended. Frankly, he expected Aiko to have left her office and called her to reschedule the meeting. He was surprised when she said, "I'm still at the office. But you'll have to let me know when you get here so I can open the door for you. Everyone else is gone."

  "Give me thirty minutes." Grabbing his keys, he headed for the door.

  Twenty minutes later, he was parking outside their building. The parking lot was practically deserted; with only three cars - one of them Aiko's Taurus. Once Damián identified himself at the main door, the guard called Aiko to confirm that he was expected. Seconds later, he was climbing the eerily silent stairway headed to her agency.

  He saw her the moment he reached the mezzanine floor. She was standing by the agency's open door, watching the stairs expectantly.

  She was wearing a magenta, knee-length sheathe dress with a black mesh neckline. His heart ached.

  Her eyes softened when she saw him. "Hi."

  "Hi," he returned, noting how beautiful she looked with her hair loose around her shoulders. He ached to stride forward and haul her into his arms, tell her how much he'd missed her. To prevent himself from doing something stupid, he shoved his hands into his pocket and said, "Sorry, I'm late."

  "It's okay." She stepped to the side of the door. "Come on in."

  "Thanks." As he skirted past her, her familiar, sweet vanilla scent teased his senses reminding him of how long it'd been since he'd been this close to her. As soon as he entered the agency, she locked the door behind him.

  "We can talk in my office." She led the way there. His heart thudded against his chest as he followed her, his gaze taking her in, absorbing her, imprinting her figure on his mind. If this was their last meeting he wanted to take as much of her as he could.

  Once in her office, she headed straight for the one-seater. Aware of her gaze following him, he settled in the loveseat.

  Cutting straight to ch
ase, she said, "We had an agreement, Damián. No more money."

  "No, we didn't," he countered. "You said you thought it was unfair to take more money from me. I didn't agree."

  "But it’s not." Her voice rose with her frustration. "We were together for only two months. Not long enough to entitle me to one hundred and twenty thousand dollars - actually, make that two hundred and sixty thousand." Her eyes widened. "Damián? Two hundred and sixty thousand dollars? Really? I almost collapsed in the bank."

  He shrugged. "You deserve even more."

  "No, I don't." Aiko shook her head and wrung her hand. "You can't be this eager to get rid of your money. What's really going on here? Is this some kind of guilt payment? I told you I understood why you needed to break our contract. You don't need to pay me off."

  "It's not about guilt," he refuted. Then corrected himself, "At least not completely-"

  Yes, he felt guilty for ending their agreement so abruptly. But he didn't regret it. As much as he loved Aiko, Zoe came first and if he was presented with the same choice today, he would do the same thing; trade his own happiness for his daughter's.

  "- but paying your mortgage wasn't about that," he continued softly. "The reason I paid your mortgage is that you deserve it."

  "No, I don-" she started just as he shifted to the end of the loveseat, closer to her seat, reached forward to take her hand, effectively cutting off her words.

  "Yes, you do," he said firmly. Weaving his fingers between hers, he added, "We might've been together for only two months but what you did for me, for us…. It's worth more than two months pay. Before you came into my life I was struggling with Zoe." His eyes lowered to their joined hands. "I would have given up my whole fortune for someone to show me how to fix us because she is the most important person in my life. And you did it. If it wasn't for you, my daughter and I wouldn't have the relationship we have now."

  She squeezed his hand. "I'm sure you would have figured a way out eventually."

  "Maybe and maybe not. But the fact is you're the one who helped me figure it out." His gaze still focused on their hands and his voice harsh with emotion, he said, "Think of this as a gift. Not a payment. Paying your mortgage is my way of showing how much I appreciate your help."

  His glance shifted upwards to hers, only to find her gaze misty with pending tears. The last thing he wanted to do was make her cry. Especially after she'd made him so happy. "Aiko, don't-"

  Her sudden shift from her seat and into his lap, effectively shut him up. His arms automatically went around her waist as hers circled his neck, and she buried her face into his shoulder.

  "Stop crying," he whispered, stroking her arm.

  "I'm not crying," she mumbled, even though he could feel the wetness seeping into his skin.

  His chest suddenly feeling hollow, he tipped up her chin so she was looking at him. Sure enough her beautiful features were tear-streaked. "Baby, why are you crying?"

  "Cause I don't know what to say." The agony in her eyes was so clear it made him hurt for her. She stumbled over her words, "I just… I can't… Thank you."

  "For what?" He soothed his hand over her thigh. The skirt of her dress had risen with her movement to his lap, so when he soothed his hand over her thigh, he met naked skin. The feel of her, so smooth and soft, under his fingers made his cock stir. Ignoring his body's siren he asked, "For what?"

  Her fingers sifted into his hair. "For being so generous and kind."

  His heart lifted at her words and he asked, "You're going to keep the money?"

  She bit her lip. "I shouldn't."

  "You should." Intent on soothing her lip, he touched his thumb to her lip. "Please."

  It took a long time but finally she nodded. "I will."

  "Good." His reaction after that was instinctual as breathing. He arched upwards and slanted his mouth over hers.

  CHAPTER 29

  He should stop this.

  This was a bad idea.

  A very bad one.

  He hadn't intended for this to happen when he'd come to her office. He was already having a hard enough time without her in his life. One more night of having her in her arms would only make it hurt more. But he couldn't pull himself back, he couldn't let her go.

  Especially not when she was doing nothing to stop it. Her response was as immediate as his; her lips clung to his with undeniable need. Damián fell into the kiss like a hungry man confronted by a buffet. His lips and tongue merged with hers in an explosion of passion that seared through his senses.

  If he could've drawn her within him, he would've done it and kept her there forever. He wanted to lose himself in her, to forget that she wasn't his anymore and the reasons why he couldn't have her - couldn't love her. All that mattered was this moment - how she tasted and her sweet mewls when he touched to her breasts.

  If Aiko had any reservations about his actions, she didn't express them. If anything, she seemed just as eager to lose herself in him. Her cries as he massaged her breasts were encouraging as was the shift of her ass on his thigh. He thought she might try to stop him when she rose from his lap, but she was only changing their position. With a deft movement, she straddled his lap.

  He groaned at the more intimate position. Now, she was right where he wanted her; her lips sealed to his, her breasts pressed to his chest and her pussy right over his cock. Even if he could, there was no way he would've pulled back now. He skated his hands possessively down her waist, over her hips to grasp her ass, to fill his hands and flagrantly, evocatively grip and kneed.

  The volume of her whimpers increased as did the intensity of the kiss. Passion and emotion swirled between them; fierce, hungry and oh, so desperate. His mind reeled with the animal need to possess her. So desperate was that need that he almost ripped her dress off.

  "I want you," he grunted as he bunched her dress up to her waist. "I want you now."

  "I want you too," Aiko gasped. He could feel her desire in the frantic lashing of her tongue in his mouth, in the jerky, uncontrolled movement of her hands over his shoulders, his arms, between them…. Within seconds she was reaching for his belt and reaching beneath the confines of his pants. The moment her palm circled him, it was a wrap. Damián lost all semblance of control and patience.

  His senses tightened, teetered, drove him to set his own hand between her thighs. Even through her panties, he felt her heat. With a ragged groan, he stroked her through the fabric. When that wasn't enough, he urged her to a stand. Her hands dark against his flesh, never left his cock even as he stripped her for her panties.

  Apparently she was just as eager for him because the moment he lowered her back to his lap, she was guiding the thick rod of his erection between her thighs. "I can't wait."

  "Aiko." Her name tore from his throat as she took him into her willing body and let him slide home. At that point words ceased. Damián let out a primal groan as she took him completely in one long stroke. Aiko's eyes widened and her mouth formed an 'oh' at the shock of the swift invasion. But it was obvious she'd been ready for him. More than ready. Her moist, tight warmth wrapped around him.

  Then she began to ride him.

  She worked her sheathe up and down his rod, impaling herself over him until he thought his eyes would cross, until he was sure he'd burn up if she didn't give him her all. This is what it felt like to love a woman, to want to possess her beyond reason.

  They'd had sex before; many times before, but this felt different. More intense. He watched her as she worked her hips over him, saw how her lips were parted and skin was flushed, heard her breath hitch and tangle in her throat, felt her clasp him tightly - and seared it all into his memory. He wanted to remember her like this; her face etched with passion - for him - and all caution thrown to the wind.

  He ran his hands over every inch of skin that he could reach as he rode her, eager to imprint his touch on her so she'd remember him too. Never forget him. Because he was certainly never going to forget her. He ached to tell her that he loved her
, but he held back. What good would revealing his feelings do? It wasn't like it would change their position. So he settled for sealing his lips to hers and showing her with his touch how he felt about her.

  They weren't gently, and they weren't delicate. They were hot, sweaty and needy, and held on to each other as if they could make this moment last forever by the sheer force of will. Swiftly, but deliberately she rode him into the furnace. When the fire came, it swept in and took them both, razed and burned them down. Her sheathe rippled and constricted around him, signaling her orgasm, and forcing his own. With a groan, he tucked his head into her neck and shuddered his release.

  Drained and more sated then he'd ever been, he slumped back into the seat with her still in his arms. He felt her chest push against his as she drew in long, slow breaths. His heart still thundering, he pressed a kiss to her shoulder then tautened his arms around her.

  They remained like that for uncounted moments, clinging to each other; his arms around her, her arms around him, him inside her. So many emotions swirled in the hushed silence between them; love, despair, frustration, hurt. Yet those emotions remained unspoken.

  She was the one who summoned the strength - and will - to move. To disengage and lift so that she was no longer in his arms. He swallowed hard as he watched her straighten her dress even as he righted his own clothes. He noticed how she couldn't even look straight at him as she said, "You should go."

  He wanted to refuse, to beg for more time with her. Instead, he gave her a single nod and stood. He started for the door, but on last thought strode back to her. He swooped down and captured her lips in one last kiss.

  One last kiss to remember her.

  One last kiss to forget her.

  One last kiss to say goodbye.

  He put all his love into that one kiss. Her lips were voracious taking all the love he gave and demanding more. But he couldn't. They were too complicated. With great reluctance, he tore himself away from her and took a step back so he wouldn't be tempted to continue where he'd left off.