by Candy Caine
He shook his head. “I wouldn’t let her take Stephen to some expensive spa in Switzerland for the summer.”
“And the woman?”
“Posed as a potential client.”
Jade’s mind was getting tangled as it tried to wrap around all this information. She could hardly explain all the emotions that were swirling in her head as she grasped what he was telling her. It wouldn’t have been hard for some private investigator to discover that he and Jade met at Monte’s often. And she’d played right into Caroline’s hand. What a fool she’d been not to trust Charles!
“I knew Caroline was a devious bitch. I just didn’t think she’d go so far as to destroy…” His words trailed off in despair.
“She wouldn’t have been able to had I trusted you, Charles.”
“After your bad experience with your ex, how could you have reacted any differently?”
Tears slipped down Jade’s cheeks as she mourned all the wasted time—and for what? “Can you forgive me, Charles?”
“For running away... yes.”
She let her breath out, but nearly choked when he added, “But not for hiding my son from me.”
She understood how he felt and offered no argument. She’d been a fool.
“Jade, there are no certainties in life and I have no idea what lies ahead. All I know is that I want to see it through together—all three of us. Will you come back to New York?”
“But what about Caroline?” she asked, worried about the fallout when she found out about Preston.
“When Stephen is a little older, I intend to get a divorce.”
Charles reached over and wiped Jade’s tears. A moment later, his lips covered hers in a soft kiss.
“Oh, Charles,” she half-said, half-moaned and kissed him back with enough fervor to start a fire.
The world faded away and all she saw was Charles. His lips fought for domination over hers. She grabbed his hair, and met his challenge with her own. Their tongues joined the fray and dueled for possession of their mouths. Hands roamed over each other’s body reestablishing old claims. Things were getting out of hand until there was a sharp rap on the driver’s-side window. Breathlessly, they pulled apart.
A police officer with the biggest smirk on his face stood there. Charles rolled down the window. “Get a room,” the officer said before walking back to his cruiser.
Charles, still winded, turned back to her and asked, “Was that a yes?”
* * *
Jade did eventually make it to work. Charles leaned over to kiss her goodbye. Though they both knew they’d be seeing each other after her shift, that kiss turned into two and after that, she had to pry herself from Charles’s loving arms.
She spoke to the manager about her plans to leave, but promised to finish out the week. Though she’d made friends in Connecticut, her world was back in New York where Charles would be looking for a place for her and Preston to live when he returned. Strangely true, but not once since Jade kissed Charles did she stop to question whether or not she was making the right decision. To her, the great procrastinator, that, in itself, said it all.
Mary offered to stay with Preston that evening so Charles could take her out. They had several drinks at a quiet club before kissing their way into a motel room. All day at work, Jade thought about all the x-rated things she wanted to do to Charles. She recalled the ecstasy of being held tightly in his strong arms. Her blood soared with the memory of his scorching lips on hers, torturing and keeping her hot and horny all day. Jade hadn’t been so sexually aroused since that first delicious Sunday afternoon in New York with Charles. Even that drunken time with Hank couldn’t compare. Tonight, had he not suggested going to the motel, she would have. Chances were he’d looked into her eyes and heard her loud and clear.
As soon as the motel-room door closed behind them, they came together in a turbulence of passion. Jade, finally freed of all doubts, yielded to the searing need for him that had built up over all those months of absence. Her body remembered, all too well, the excitement of his touch and had yearned for him terribly.
Charles’s actions told Jade he’d missed her just as badly. His lips nearly devoured hers as his hands hastily roamed her body, driving her into a frenzy. They made their way to the bed, after colliding into walls and the few pieces of furniture in the room. He pushed her down onto it and reached under her skirt. Jade moaned at his touch. Ripping her panties off, he unzipped his slacks and entered her. Though he pumped rapidly into her, Jade’s desire had kept pace with his as they soared up that stairway to heaven. Two beats later, they came together in a cacophony of groans and moans.
Charles smiled and kissed her. Jade reached to hold his face between her hands and kissed his eyes, his cheeks and then his mouth. He kissed the hollow of her neck and she clutched him to her, suddenly fearful this was only a dream and she’d wake to see him gone.
Reinvigorated with new desire, Charles opened Jade’s blouse and kissed her neck before removing her bra. Her breasts, now freed from their restraint, begged to be touched and tasted. Charles suckled one and then the other as his hands lightly traced a path over Jade’s tender skin. She opened the zipper on her skirt and Charles slipped the garment off her. She watched as he rose from the bed and removed his clothing. When he was naked, he got back onto the bed and Jade reached out, welcoming him to her body.
Slowly his hands moved downward, skimming both sides of her body until he reached her thighs. As his hot fingers branded her flesh, passion pounded the blood through her body, she felt a surging need to have him inside her once more. Instead, Charles cradled her thighs and gently parted the wet, velvet folds of her pussy with the flat of his tongue and then began to lick her with deep, lingering strokes. He continued to lick her quivering pussy for several minutes as she gyrated her hips, mashing her bottom into him. When he gently tugged and nipped at her engorged clitoris, Jade moaned and grabbed his hair as the first wave of contractions took hold of her. Charles lifted her off the bed and buried his tongue deep inside. This time her moan was long as she was caught up in another wave of pleasure. Charles didn’t stop until she reached for him. As he rose above her, their lips met in a crushing kiss and he slipped inside her. They moved to a syncopated rhythm of love known only them. It was not only a melding of their bodies, but of their souls. When Charles climaxed, Jade was surprised to find herself coming again, as well.
Now thoroughly sated and exhausted, they cuddled in the afterglow. Breathlessly, Charles whispered, “I love you, Jade. Promise me you’ll never leave me again.”
Jade had once heard that a person’s eyes were windows to their soul. When she read what was said in Charles’s eyes, she became a true believer. As tears of gladness slipped from the corners of her smiling eyes, she replied, “I promise.”
His mouth sought hers and they sealed their vows with a kiss. Whatever the future held, Jade knew they’d face it together. And hopefully, without too much interference from Caroline.
Chapter 12
It took Charles several weeks to locate and rent a reasonable three-bedroom apartment in Manhattan for her and Preston. The building had a doorman and was located near a small playground where nannies and other moms took their children to play. Jade wasn’t surprised to learn that the park was a strong selling point for Charles. He would have wanted to find a place out on Long Island surrounded by lots of trees and grass, but for now this would do.
Jade soon got into the habit of taking Preston there. He loved the slide and the sandbox. Watching him enjoy himself, surrounded by other children, was worth the ton of sand he brought home daily in his clothing.
Springtime in New York was a wonderful time of year. The sweet smell of nature in bloom touched by the hint of summer made it Jade’s favorite time of year. After being bundled in coats and scarves, suddenly the chatter of birds could be heard as people emerged from the cocoon of their winter clothing. Preston was blooming, as well. It would seem that things had worked out for Jade, after all
.
Then there was another saying that came to mind one day a few weeks later. It was something about always expecting the unexpected—or something to that effect.
Preston and Jade were in the park enjoying the warmth of the sun. He was in his small stroller munching on a pretzel, while she was sitting on a bench reading a book on her Kindle.
A voice said, “What a beautiful baby.”
Jade looked up into the icy-cold, gray-blue eyes of a dark-haired woman without a hair out of place. She knew it was Charles’s wife from a family portrait Charles had had on his desk. Jade felt her stomach lurch, but said nothing, feeling like a fly in the shadow of a spider, waiting for her to strike.
“I heard he was into dark meat, now. However, I just had to see for myself.”
“What do you want, Caroline? It is Caroline, isn’t it?”
“Nothing more than to see you gone. I hate to see money that should be coming to me and my son being diverted to unimportant causes.”
“You don’t seem to be starving,” Jade said making reference to her jewelry and expensive-looking full-length leather coat. She doubted that pampered woman had ever worked a day in her life, certainly not enough to deserve the beautiful home and idyllic lifestyle Charles had provided for her.
A wicked smile formed on her face. “You think he’ll divorce me and marry you—especially now that you have a child. Well, I have news for you, girlfriend. He’s never going to leave me. Tsk, tsk, too bad. You had the damn kid for nothing.”
“Get out of here,” Jade said. “Go do your slumming someplace else.”
Caroline glanced at her diamond watch. “You’re in luck. I have an appointment at the spa. Ta ta.”
Jade watched her sashay away as if she owned the world. Jade really didn’t care. The only thing she desired was for that horrid woman to stay as far away from her and her son as possible. She only hoped the woman wasn’t cooking up any more trouble.
As much as she didn’t want to let her get to her, she had. Jade started to call Charles right then and tell him what Caroline had said. And she nearly did, until she realized it would only serve to upset him, which was probably what Caroline had intended all along. Instead, she’d only allowed Caroline to ruin her day. She took Preston home.
By the time Charles called that evening on his way home to Long Island, Jade had calmed down and remained quiet about her encounter with Caroline that afternoon.
* * *
The following evening Jade made dinner for Charles, who came directly from work. Luckily for his sake, her cooking skills had improved. Just knowing he was coming made her heart beat faster. Anticipation had steered her day, tempting her to skip dinner and go straight to dessert.
Like a puppy, their pajama-clad child toddled over to the door when Charles walked in.
“Da, Da!” he shrieked excitedly, clapping his hands.
After kissing her, Charles bent down and scooped Preston into his arms, hugging and kissing the top of his head.
“How’s my big boy today?”
Jade watched the two of them try to converse. Just the sight of them together brought tears to her eyes. It happened every time. Charles carried Preston into his bedroom and put him into his crib. She followed behind so they could kiss him good night together.
“We’ll soon need to get him a new bed,” Charles said.
Jade nodded.
Arm-in-arm, they went back to the kitchen. That was when Jade felt the tension in him and knew something was on his mind.
“Is everything okay, hon?” she asked.
Ignoring her question, he took off his suit jacket and hung it over a chair. He loosened his tie and took it off. Realizing Jade was still watching him, he said, “What?”
“You seem so tense tonight. I thought maybe you’d like to talk about it.”
“What do you have, human radar?”
Jade smiled as she walked over to him and put her arms around his neck. “I love you so much that perhaps I’m merely tuned in to you.”
“Is that like reading someone’s mind?”
“Nope.” Then after a moment’s thought, she asked, “Why? You have something to hide?”
“I don’t, but obviously you do.”
“What are you talking about?”
Suddenly all the playful humor was gone from the conversation, and a prickly feeling began to slip down her spine.
“Why didn’t you tell me you saw Caroline in the park the other day?”
“I take it she mentioned it.”
He nodded. “I’d have preferred to hear it from you.”
“I didn’t want to upset you. It was enough she upset me.”
“I would have—”
“What? Caused her to retaliate and hurt us more? It wasn’t worth giving her any more pleasure than she’d already gotten from her bitchy confrontation with me.”
He nodded. “You’re right. I was too furious to look at it that way.” Kissing the tip of Jade’s nose, he added, “Thank goodness one of us is smart enough to keep their cool.”
“No smarts involved. She already burned me. I won’t fall for the same thing twice.”
When Charles peaked under the lid of a pot simmering on the stove and declared, “Ah, mystery meat,” Jade realized all the tenseness caused by Caroline had passed. She responded by playfully punching him on the shoulder.
“Instead of being so obnoxious, make yourself useful by taking out the salad.”
“Okay, don’t shoot.”
Jade gave an exaggerated sigh before putting the pot roast and mashed potatoes on the table. However, she kept checking his color as he ate to make sure he wasn’t coming down with food poisoning.
Charles survived the meal and helped her clean up the kitchen so they could get into the bedroom more quickly. She offered to leave it for later, meaning most likely tomorrow, but he wanted to help.
Standing next to him at the sink made her feel like they were a married couple. As good as it felt, she reminded herself that wasn’t in the cards for her—at least not now, anyway, despite what Caroline had said. Caroline may have had him on a short leash, but leashes often break from wear and tear. He might be legally bound to her, but Jade felt a sexual bond that was nearly spiritual in nature.
As they stood by the bed undressing one another, Jade could feel her insides quivering with desire. She’d been simmering all day just thinking about this moment, and Charles’s slightest touch had ratcheted the heat up closer to her boiling point. Spontaneously, she dropped to her knees and opened the fly of his pants. As she took his penis into her mouth, he gave a moan of pleasure. Jade smiled and began to work her mouth up and down his rod.
Charles buried his hands in her hair, his eyes half-closed. She delighted in watching his face as she pleasured him. Because he was such a caring lover, she desired to do things to him she’d never done with any other man.
He pulled out. “Get on the bed, Jade.”
She watched as he kicked off his slacks and positioned himself over her so that they could pleasure each other. It wasn’t long before she hitched onto that magic carpet ride straight to heaven.
“Oh, yes, baby, just like that,” Jade said, feeling the tension building deep within her.
“Don’t stop…yes…!” was all she managed to say before she was overcome by incredible delight.
When Charles came, she tried to swallow all of it, but some dribbled down her chin. When he was done, she grabbed a tissue and wiped off her chin. At least she was able to complete the act. She remembered the first time she tried to suck his cock. What a disaster. She’d gagged and ruined the moment—completely. Charles made light of it, though, and she promised that she’d do better next time. He told her not to sweat it, but she truly wanted to be able to please him in every way.
Tonight was special. Charles didn’t have to rush back to the Island. How Jade wished he never had to leave. However, she reminded herself that wishing and hoping only led to heartbreak. She had to take eac
h passing day and live it as if it were her last.
And though she loved Charles with all her being and her utmost desire was having him free to live with her and Preston, she never told him so. Jade had accepted the restrictions of this relationship freely and would never make any demands of him. She’d told him that once and still meant every word of it, though she ached to have him near, especially when he was at the house on Long Island.
Chapter 13
Summer became autumn. Time had a way of passing so quickly. Preston had bumbled and stumbled along, enjoying his first steps into toddlerhood. Jade could see the world through his eyes and reveled in his delight, often wishing Charles were there to see his son reach a new milestone or do something simply adorable. However, Charles missed much and Jade considered each night they were able to spend together a gift. In his absence, she had a great deal of time to think. With the future in mind, there was a great deal she wanted to discuss with Charles. As soon as Preston was older, Jade wanted to go back to work. She prided her independence and knew as certain as the sun rose every day that nothing was forever.
* * *
Over dinner one evening Jade intended to discuss going back to work when Preston was in school. However, the conversation went in an entirely different direction—one that she least expected.
“When was the last time you spoke to your parents?” Charles inquired out of the blue.
“Umm…a while back.”
“Before Preston was born?”
“No. After,” she said, feeling a tad uncomfortable.
“So they know they have a grandson?”
“No,” she replied in little more than a whisper.
“Don’t you think it’s time to tell them?”
“I will.”
“When?”
“Eventually.”
“Before or after he graduates from high school?”
“Why are you doing this?”
“What? All I’m asking you is why you haven’t told your parents about Preston. I think they have a right to know.”