Serenity (Inevitable Book 5)

by Janet Nissenson

  “Why?” he inquired lazily. “It’s going to be your home just as much as mine or Casey’s. In fact, I insist that you come along with us when the realtor shows us some properties next week. If you’re going to live there, it should be a place that you feel you can be happy in. Besides, aren’t there certain vibes that a house gives off? The kind that tell you if you’re going to like it there. I was sort of hoping that your gift of sensing auras might help when it comes time to buy a home.”

  Sasha regarded him with a quirk of her brow. “What you’re describing sounds more like feng shui to me, something I definitely have no background in.” She grew silent then, turning back to look out at the city skyline. “And I haven’t made a decision yet about moving in with you, Matthew. I’m willing to take the first step, to try and work things out. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to pack up my things and move in overnight.”

  He gave a sigh of resignation. “Yeah, I sort of figured that might be the case. But I’m more than willing to take things slow if that’s what you need. And I’m just grateful and happy to have you with me no matter what the terms.”

  “Thank you,” she told him, leaning her head on his shoulder. “I need stability in my life, Matthew, need things to be calm. And that is definitely a holdover from my childhood, when nothing was stable or remained the same for very long. So I need some time now to make sure that my whole world isn’t going to be torn apart again.”

  His arm went about her shoulders, hugging her close against his body. “Take all the time you need,” he whispered. “Just as long as I can be part of your life in some way. But I still want you opinion about the new house - you know, just in case you decide to move in someday.”

  “Okay.” Sasha grinned up at him. “That actually sounds like fun. As you know, I’ve never really had a home of my own, just Linda’s place and for a few years a little apartment I lived in with my mom in New York City. I’m not sure I’d know what to do with so much space.”

  “It doesn’t have to be as big as Ian and Tessa’s place,” he assured her. “In fact, I’d like something smaller and cozier myself. Just as long as it has character and feels like a real home - not like the mansion down in Hillsborough, and definitely not like this condo. Besides, living here in the condo won’t be an option for much longer.”

  “Is the company thinking of selling it?” asked Sasha.

  He shook his head. “No, I would imagine given its location it will be a valuable asset to whoever buys the company. I - I haven’t told anyone else, just the attorney who’s begun to look into the matter for me. But I’m dead serious about getting out, Sasha. I don’t want to spend even one more year working my ass off and not enjoying the benefits of all that hard work. I fully intend to sell MBI as soon as possible, and spend a lot more time with you and my kids and on myself. God knows I have enough money to live on for more than ten lifetimes, so that certainly isn’t an issue. And I’ll probably do some consulting work or public speaking now and then. But my first priority is going to be focusing on the things that mean the most to me - and you’re at the very top of that list.”

  Her eyes shimmered with happy tears as she impulsively flung her arms around his waist. “That’s wonderful news!” she exclaimed. “You’ve worked so hard for so many years, Matthew, that you deserve a break. And if you do feel the need to go back to work someday, it will be on your terms, and doing what makes you happy. Maybe you’ll even have time to start doing yoga.”

  He grinned at her teasing comment. “I’d have to start with the Yoga for Inflexible People class. And I know for a fact that I’d never, ever be able to attempt some of those crazy poses you can do. But I’m looking forward to doing a whole lot of things I never have time for. Though I’m afraid all of that will have to wait awhile. Even after my attorney finds a suitable buyer for the company, there’ll be months of negotiations and contracts and other legalities before I’m officially unemployed.”

  “At least it’s a start,” she replied encouragingly. Then, more soberly, she asked, “Was this the same attorney who uncovered all the details on the Cullens?”

  “No. That would have been the firm of private investigators I use for various purposes. The same PI’s who spent over two years following Lindsey and her legion of lovers around. They’re discreet, efficient, and know exactly where to look for useful information. They had the dirt on the Cullens in less than seventy two hours. After that it was just a matter of alerting the proper authorities about what they’d found out, and the rest just unfolded on its own.”

  Sasha nodded, seeming to be satisfied with that explanation. “Okay. And while I’ve never considered myself a vengeful person, always believed it was better to forgive and forget, I’m glad that Riley in particular is finally going to pay the price for what he did. Maybe that makes me a bad person, but for once I don’t seem to care very much.”

  Matthew rubbed her back soothingly as she rested her cheek against his shoulder. “It makes you human, Sasha,” he corrected. “And hopefully it also gives you some satisfaction, some sense of closure. There was no possible way I was going to let that bastard get away with what he’d done. I didn’t give a damn that it was a dozen years ago. What he did was still bothering you, still having a negative effect on your life. It needed to be dealt with, and he needed to be brought to justice. So, it’s over and done with now, and you don’t need to think about it ever again. Okay?”

  “Yes.” She brushed her lips against his stubbled cheek. “Thank you, Matthew. For giving me that peace of mind that’s eluded me for so long. And for being so protective. I’m not really used to that, you know.”

  He gave a low growl, already highly aroused at being this close to her, and her sweet kiss only stoked the fires that had been building in his lower body all evening. “Well, get used to it, sweetheart,” he warned her. “I know you’ve got this independent streak a mile long, but I fully intend to take care of you in every possible way from now on.”

  “Speaking of taking care of things,” she whispered naughtily. Her hand slid down past his belly, then gently palmed his rigid cock. “It sure feels like it’s been a very long time since you, ah, took care of this.”

  “Jesus.” Matthew’s head fell back helplessly as she began to stroke him persuasively through his jeans. “A really long time. Like, ah, M-May. The - the last time you and I were together.”

  Sasha pressed her small, firm breasts against his chest, her teeth nipping teasingly at his earlobe. “Then you and Lindsey - you weren’t tempted even a little?”

  “Hell, no!” he bellowed. “To even think of touching that slut turns my stomach. And being with any other woman after what you and I had together, Sasha - well, that’s just sacrilegious, blasphemous. I would have spent the rest of my life alone if I couldn’t have you, sweetheart.”

  She kissed him, a long, searching kiss that he quickly took control of. She gasped beneath his lips as he picked her up easily, then carried her back into the condo and straight to the master bedroom. He wanted to ask if it had been the same for her - if there had been no other men during the months they’d been apart. But he quickly forgot what it was he’d wanted to say, forgot pretty much anything except maybe his own name, as she pulled the floaty, feminine cotton dress up over her head, and stood in the middle of the bedroom clad in just a bra and panty set of dainty blue lace.

  Her pale golden skin fairly glowed in the dimly lit bedroom, just a small corner lamp providing a bit of illumination. She was as slender and graceful as ever, looking every bit like the dancer she had once been, and she was so exquisite that this time he did give in to his instincts and knelt at her feet. Sasha made a sound of surprise as he wrapped his arms around her upper thighs, resting his head on her stomach. Her hands drifted up to tenderly stroke the back of his neck.

  “I just want to hold on tight,” he confessed. “Tight enough that you can never leave me again. Being without you these last few months has been the worst time of
my life, Sasha. Please, please say you’ll stay. And especially tonight. I can’t remember ever wanting anything this badly, or needing someone like I need you now.”

  “Matthew, I…”

  But whatever she might have been about to say was pre-empted when he yanked her panties down past her ankles, then promptly buried his face between her thighs. Their groans of pleasure rose up simultaneously in the room, and Matthew had just enough presence of mind left to glance over and make sure he’d shut the door firmly behind them. And then his only focus was on Sasha, making sure he gave her every pleasure, took care of her every need, using his lips and tongue and fingers in that endeavor. He lavished attention on her, practically worshipped her body, until she was panting and crying out, desperately seeking release.

  “Please,” she begged in a husky voice. “Inside of me, Matthew. Please. I want it to be mutual. I want it to be powerful. I want you.”

  They fell on the bed together, a tangle of limbs and lips, breaking apart only long enough to pull the clothes from their bodies, until their naked forms were fused as one. Matthew cursed loudly and vividly as she took firm hold of his cock and guided him inside her, then swiftly wrapped her legs around his waist, urging him to go even deeper.

  “Ah, God,” he rasped, each thrust of his cock inside of her hot, wet pussy more forceful, more determined than the one just before. “God, I’ve missed this, missed you! Nothing has ever felt this right before, Sasha, never felt this perfect.”

  She pulled his head down to hers, silencing him with another deep, searching kiss. She spoke to him instead with her body, her back arching off the mattress to meet each thrust, her hands sliding down his back to grasp his ass. She urged him on wordlessly, their lovemaking becoming increasingly frantic, and nearly out of control, until he felt the inner muscles of her vagina begin to spasm around his cock. The start of her orgasm in turn triggered his, and despite his resolve to make this first time back with her last, he lost complete control, lost himself as he came more powerfully than he ever had before. His entire body shook as he emptied himself inside of Sasha’s tight, welcoming body, hard enough that the headboard slammed up against the wall noisily.

  He collapsed on top of her much smaller, slighter body afterwards, so dazed by what had just happened that he wasn’t even aware of his actions. It was only when she began to wiggle out from under him, gently easing him off of her, that he groaned and quickly rolled to his side.

  “Sorry,” he mumbled, reaching out an arm to tug her in close. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

  “Of course not,” she assured him, her index finger tracing over his lips. “But I might have come up with a suggestion for this new house you’re planning to buy.”

  “Oh?” He propped himself up on an elbow, gazing down at her with interest. He took it as a very, very good sign that she was voluntarily bringing up the subject of house hunting. “What might that be? A swimming pool? Sauna? Herb garden?”

  Sasha laughed. “Not that all three of those things don’t sound amazing, of course, but what I was really going to suggest was that you make sure the place has excellent soundproofing. I, ah, think we were pretty loud right now. I just hope we didn’t put on a show for Casey a few minutes ago.”

  “Nah.” Matthew waved away her concerns. “First of all, his bedroom is clear on the other side of this place. Second, if he’s playing video games online with his buddies I guarantee he’s using headphones. Specifically, these very high tech ones with a built-in microphone. And as loud as those games can get, he wouldn’t have heard a thing coming from this room. But I get your point. One of the criteria for this new house might be having the master suite on a different floor than the other bedrooms. After all, if I’m going to have all this extra time on my hands after selling the company, I can’t think of a better way to spend it than locked away with you in our bedroom.”

  “Hey, you’re not playing fair here,” she protested weakly. “You’re supposed to be giving me space, letting me figure out if I’m ready to move back in with you, and where we go from here. Instead, you keep tempting me with talk of this veritable dream house, with all these incredible features that I can’t even imagine existing in the same place at once. And that’s not even counting the way you just made love to me. That was - extraordinary, Matthew. It brought tears to my eyes. And made me ache just a little. Right here.”

  She picked up his hand and brought it to her heart, which was beating at a pace almost as erratic as his own. He cupped her breast reverently, teasing the small, dark red nipple deliberately.

  “That ache you feel?” he whispered, bending his head to brush a kiss over her heart. “That’s love, Sasha. I know because I’m feeling exactly the same thing right now. But it’s a good ache. One that will always remind us of how much we love each other. And as for not playing fair.” He grinned devilishly. “All’s fair in love and war, sweetheart. And if I thought for one moment that there was a way I could tempt you into moving in with me, I’d do it in a flash. So tell me. What could I do for you, buy for you, that might sway your decision?”

  Sasha pretended to think the question over carefully, tapping her finger on her chin thoughtfully. “Well, as you know, stuff like clothes and jewels and cars don’t interest me much. And you’ve already offered to include a yoga room and a sauna and an herb garden in whatever house you buy. That just leaves one thing, really, that might tempt me into saying yes - a beach house in Kauai,” she added jokingly.

  Matthew immediately surged to a sitting position, then grabbed his phone from the nightstand and began tapping out a text.

  Sasha regarded him curiously. “Who are you texting?”

  He winked at her, his grin nearly splitting his face. “My new realtor. To see if he can find us a place in Kauai as well as here in San Francisco.”

  She jackknifed to a sitting position, peering over his shoulder at his phone. “Matthew!” she protested, when she glimpsed the text he’d just sent. “I was just teasing, you know. I wasn’t serious about buying a place over there.”

  Matthew set his phone down, then tumbled her back onto the pillows. “I am,” he stated firmly. “In fact, I can’t think of anything I’m more serious about. Well, except for you, maybe. And I think a second home in Kauai is a fantastic idea. That week we spent there was one of the best times of my life. If we had a place of our own, we could go there whenever we wanted.”

  Sasha wound her arms around his neck. “As bribes go, that’s a pretty extravagant one. Most guys I know would probably start with sending flowers or an expensive dinner or maybe a weekend away somewhere.”

  He shook his head. “I know that sort of thing doesn’t work with you. No, buying a house in the place you said felt like home to you from the first time you stepped off the plane – that’s not a bribe, Sasha. It’s a promise.”

  Epilogue

  June – Island of Kauai, Hawaii

  “Exactly how early did you get up this morning? You’ve obviously been doing yoga down at the beach again, and it’s barely seven a.m.”

  Sasha turned as her husband emerged sleepily from the main house onto the wide, covered verandah where she’d been watching the waves for the last ten minutes. Their home here in the Hanalei Bay area of Kauai afforded them both spectacular views and easy beach access, two of the “must-haves” on their wish list when they’d begun searching for properties.

  She gave him a quick kiss as he joined her at the edge of the verandah. “A little after five, I guess. It’s hard for me to sleep late at this time of the year since the sun rises so early. And we have a busy day ahead of us, since my parents want to drive down to Poipu today.”

  Matthew snorted. “If that’s your idea of a busy day, then I think we’ve already spent too much time here. You’re starting to think like a Hawaiian after just a couple of weeks.”

  She grinned. “Come on, admit it. You kind of love that idea, don’t you? As far as spending too much time here, you’ve ea
rned it, Matthew. You could spend the next two years here and not have it be enough time.”

  He yawned, stretching his arms wide as he lifted his face to the early morning sun. “I won’t argue with that idea,” he admitted. “Though I suppose Casey will have to go back to school at some point.”

  She linked her arm through his, resting her head on his bare shoulder. “Well, we have weeks and weeks before that happens. And a pretty long guest list of people visiting us over the next couple of months. So let’s enjoy it, hmm?”

  Matthew pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I will. I am. It’s still taking me a little time to get used to the idea that I’m officially unemployed. After all, it’s been less than a month.”

  He had completed the sale of MBI a scant three weeks ago, after months of negotiations and complex paperwork. Matthew’s main priority in finding a buyer for the company had been ensuring that all of his employees would remain in their current positions, with zero layoffs or staff reductions. He had also agreed to retain his position on the Board of Directors, as well as take on various consulting projects on occasion.

  With Casey still finishing up his freshman year of high school, this was the first opportunity they’d had to get away since the sale of MBI had been finalized, and they had arrived at their beach house in Kauai just three days ago. The beach house that had been Matthew’s wedding present to his new wife.

  He’d grinned sheepishly upon presenting her with the deed to the house she’d fallen in love with at first sight. “I’ll freely admit to having stolen this idea from Ian,” he had joked. “He bought that house of theirs on the Sonoma coast for Tessa as a wedding gift. But while this might not be a very original idea, it’s a darned good one. Don’t you agree?”

  Sasha had laughed, hugging the deed against her. “I absolutely agree! I knew the minute I saw this place from the road that it would be the one. And as soon as I walked through the front door I could feel all of the good vibes surrounding us. I know you think it’s silly to believe that a house or an object can actually talk to you, but I felt like that place was calling me home.” She had kissed him then, her green-gold eyes shining. “I love that house. And I love you for giving it to me. And I already know that we’re going to have many, many happy times there.”