by Mary Peart
They had fun decorating the tree and her mother left for a little bit to get them hot chocolate and cookies. It was a weary trio who went off to bed at minutes to ten. Daniel could barely keep his eyes open as she kissed him goodnight.
She went to take a shower and dressed carefully in a matching red lace bra and panties that looked great against her skin and pulled on denims and a light blue sweater before taking a deep breath and going into her mother’s room. Leslie was sitting in front of her dressing table and braiding her shoulder length hair. “Going out?” she asked mildly, meeting her daughter’s gaze in the mirror.
Elise sat on the bed heavily. “There is something I should have told you for some time.” She paused as her mother turned around to face her.
“I am sort of seeing him.”
“You mean Peter Hamasaki?” Leslie asked her.
“Yes.” Elise sighed. “He had been telling me he wanted to meet Daniel and to let us go public but I told him no and he gave me an ultimatum.”
“What are you afraid of?” her mother asked her gently, getting up and coming to sit beside her on the bed.
Elise looked at her in surprise; that was the last thing she expected her mother to say.
“What?”
“Honey, we both know you learned your lesson from that time five years ago. Not all men are like Daniel’s father, and you should not let that experience stop you from experiencing the joy of true love.” Leslie told her clasping her hands.
“Wait a minute mom,” she protested. “I am not sure what it is yet, we are just going into this thing and we are taking it slow.” She paused. “I am going over to his house and I just want you to know where I am when I am not here.”
“Go right ahead, and honey, do not close yourself off from love. You’d be surprised at the joy it brings.”
So she had gone to his house without fear of being found out.
He was waiting for her when she got there and without a word he lifted her into his arms and took her inside his bedroom.
*****
“Daniel, settle down honey,” Elise told her son for the fifth time as he wandered around the large room examining everything. She had finally told Peter yes to their coming over and even though she had not wanted to take her son, he had insisted. He had closed his office building for the holidays and he had invited them over.
Mitsui had been delighted to see them and had taken charge of Daniel immediately giving him a tour of the place and showing him the kitchens his mother had remodeled. Peter had gone into his study to take a call and Elise had been left in the living room until both Mitsui and Daniel came back. His eyes shone with excitement as he examined the various ‘treasures’ as he put it, lying around.
“Oh leave him be my dear, it is so good to have a child in the house again.” She looked at Elise curiously. “Hopefully there will be more in the very near future.”
“What?” Elise looked at her startled.
“I have been hankering for grandchildren for ages and now I am a little closer to getting my wish, starting of course with Daniel.” Mitsui said with a genial smile.
Elise felt her heart thudding inside her chest and making her excuse, she asked Mitsui to mind Daniel for her and she went to find Peter. He was just coming off the call and turned towards her. “I am sorry about that, I-“
She did not let him finish. “Did you tell your mother that I was going to have a child for you?” she demanded, her large dark brown eyes flashing.
“No I did not, that was mother being who she is,” he said quietly, watching her as she shoved back her curls impatiently. “But would it be such a bad idea?”
“You want me to have your child?” she looked at him incredulously.
“I want more than that actually,” he told her coming in front of her and holding her arms with his hands. “I want to spend my life with you and Daniel and whoever comes after.”
“Are you nuts?” she asked him pulling away from him.
“I hope not,” he told her ironically, his heart sinking. “Where did you think this was going Elise?”
“I don’t know!” she said in frustration, turning away from him. “I like things the way they are right now. I am not ready for whatever it is you have in mind.”
“You mean marriage?” he asked her softly coming up behind her. He turned her to face him and tilted her chin to look at her. “I want you in my life permanently and I don’t like the idea that you live elsewhere. I want us together.”
“I can’t think when you are near.” She whispered.
“I want you to say yes,” he whispered bending his head and claiming her lips in a soul searching kiss!
Chapter 7
She went to the Christmas dinner at his house. She had told him she did not think it was a good idea but he had insisted on it. She had not given him an answer about what he had asked her the day before and she knew he was waiting on it.
He had bought Daniel a gift. It was an electric train set that she knew must have cost a lot of money but she had not said anything to him. He had also bought her diamond earrings and her mother he had given a lovely cashmere jacket which she told him she would treasure. Daniel was so delighted with his present that he refused to play with anything else and had pleaded to keep it in his room. He had told ‘Mr. Peter’, a polite thank you before racing off to play with his train set.
“I was contemplating whether or not to get you some tools, but I decided against it,” he teased when she opened the box tentatively. He had seen her looking at the box and wondering whether or not it was a ring. He wanted to ask her what her answer was but he did not want to pressure her too much. He was afraid to lose her.
Now she was at the Christmas dinner with him. She had bought a dress for the occasion; a red wool with a deep plunging neckline and long sleeves. It was ankle length and the most expensive thing in her closet. She had on the diamond earrings, and her hair was caught up in a neat chignon at the nape of her neck. He had also bought her a white cashmere jacket and had put it around her when he came to pick her up. He had stared at her as soon as she opened the door, caught by her beauty. She had on a little bit of make-up that served to highlight her beauty.
He kept her close to him as he went around the room greeting business associates and friends and making no doubt about whom she was to him. He introduced her as a family friend but she knew he wanted to say so much more.
Mitsui came over at one point and took her away, “Stop monopolizing Elise, Peter. I am sure she is quite bored with all the business talk going on.”
She had gone off with his mother and sat with her and her friends as they sipped champagne and discussed the different charities they were a part of.
It was after midnight before everyone left and she waited for him to take her home. His mother had told her goodnight and went on up to her suite.
“Stay,” he told her as he closed the door behind a business associate he had been talking to.
“I have to go home,” she told him.
“Please,” he murmured. He had pulled her into his arms and she looped her arms around his neck. “Call your mother and tell her you will be home later today.”
“Daniel-“she began. She wanted to be with him so badly.
“Daniel is going to be sleeping in late.” He interrupted her. He had backed her against the door and his hand reached inside her dress. She was not wearing a bra because the dress had not allowed it. His fingers feathered over her already stiff nipple. “I need to be inside you.” He murmured, ducking his head and capturing the nipple he had been touching. Elise cried out softly and sagged against the door as his mouth pulled at the nipple hungrily. He lifted her dress and found out she was not wearing panties. He groaned against her lips as he felt the smoothness of her skin. “I want to take you right here.”
“I’ll stay,’” she gasped against his mouth. Without a word he lifted her and took her to his suite.
*****
“What is this
one called?” Daniel pointed to a dinosaur with a very long neck and a long tail. They were at the children’s museum; for he had said that he was going to treat Daniel for the day. It was the second day of January and they had gotten snow the day before.
“It’s called a Brontosaurus, and that one over there with three horns is called Triceratops and they were plant eaters.” Peter told him. He held on to Peter’s hand and he patiently let him drag him to the different displays.
Elise wandered a little way behind them and watched her son with the man who had started to mean so much to her. He was so patient with him and despite his busy schedule and the fact that he ran a billion dollar company that did not stop him from calling him and talking to him.
They ate hot dogs and hot chocolate in the restaurant inside the museum. It suddenly occurred to her that she wanted this and she was sure her son wanted it as well. He caught her looking at him and she had a feeling he knew what she was thinking.
He took them home at five and Daniel raced inside to tell his grandmother about his very exciting day. “Are you coming over?” he asked her, lifting a hand to put a wayward curl behind her ear.
“No,” she shook her head. “Not tonight.”
“How long are you going to do this for Elise,” he asked her impatiently.
“You agreed to give me time,” she reminded him.
“I am dying here,” he told her huskily. “Whenever I have to leave you and go home to my place I feel as if I can’t stand it.”
“I just want you to be sure about Daniel as well as me before you commit yourself to something permanent. If it’s just me that’s fine but it’s my son as well.”
“And I would like him to be my son too.” He told her softly.
She stood there in the circle of his arms staring at him.
“Speechless?” he asked her wryly. “That’s a first.” He lifted her chin and kissed her lingeringly on the lips. “I will expect you tomorrow.” He said before he left.
Daniel rushed back inside the room looking for him. “Where is Mr. Peter?” he asked looking around very disappointed.
“He had to leave honey, but he said to tell you he will see you soon.” Elise told him with a smile. Her lips were still stinging from his kisses and she wanted so much to be with him. She was having a hard time concentrating on what her son was saying.
*****
“Mother you are home,” Peter made the observation as he hung up his coat on the coat hanger in the living room.
“Why wouldn’t I be?” she asked him mildly. “How was the outing?”
“It went well. Daniel was quite excited about the dinosaurs.” He said with a smile. He joined her on the wraparound leather sofa and realized that she had been reading ‘Gone with the Wind’. “Book club assignment?” he asked her with a raised brow.
“I can read aside from the books recommended in the club you know,” she told him huffily. “But yes, we have a meeting on Friday and we have a new member so we want to impress her.”
He shook his head and got ready to leave. Mitsui laid a hand on his arm, not wanting him to leave just yet. Ever since he had become involved with that delightful girl Elise, he had been different, more approachable and she liked that. “When are you going to tell her?”
“Tell her what?” he asked, having an idea what she was talking about.
“Tell her that you are head over heels in love with her and her son?” she asked him mildly.
“You knew?” he sat back against the cushion.
“Darling I have eyes and I happen to know you,” his mother said dryly.
“She is not ready for that yet,” he said briefly, looking at the hands clasped loosely between his thighs. “She needs time.”
“And you are getting impatient.” It was a statement not a question.
“I am,” Peter said with a rueful smile.
“She has been through quite a bit darling, remember that.” Mitsui put aside the book she had been reading. “Have I ever told you the story of your father and me?”
“What story?” he looked at her curiously.
“The story of how we got married.”
He shook his head. “Wasn’t it an arranged marriage?”
“Yes,” she said with a shake of her head. “Both our parents were from Japan and they came to America together so many years ago. His parents as you know had a son and my parents had me and we were the only children for both of them. It was agreed that we would get married when the time was right. I went to college and met and fell in love with a Caucasian boy and was hell bent on marrying him. Only I did not know that he was the college Lothario and that he was sleeping with all of my friends. I gave him my innocence and he dumped me the next week. I came home devastated and I could not tell my mother and father what had had happened or else I would have been disowned. Your father noticed how disconsolate I was and asked me what was wrong. I did not tell him at first but he kept asking and I finally did. He saw the shame and took my hands and told me that no matter what, he still had the utmost respect for me. He never touched me until our wedding night and he was very patient with me until I realized that I had fallen in love with him.”
Peter stared at her in amazement. He had always assumed that both his parents had been married because they had been forced to do so. He had always seen his father as a taciturn man with few words but he never realized what they had shared.
“That’s a beautiful story,” he told her softly, reaching out to take one of her slender hands. “You are telling me to be patient with her because of what she has been through.”
“Clever boy,” she said with a grin, patting his hand. “She will come around, believe me.”
*****
Later that night as he sat on the edge of his bed contemplating the story his mother had told him, he felt himself yearning for her even more. Her lingering scent of something strawberry was faint but present and he saw her every time he looked at his huge king sized bed. He loved her so much he could not breathe and he was frightened at how he felt about her. At first he had been prepared to tolerate her son because he was in love with her but he had fallen in love with the little boy and had no problem accepting him as his own. He needed them and if he had to wait then so be it, because he wanted no one else!
*****
“Honey I thought you were sleeping!” Leslie exclaimed as she came upon her daughter in the kitchen. “What are you doing up?”
“I could not sleep so I came out to have a cup of tea to see if that would help.” Elise said wryly.
“Ah, affairs of the heart,” Leslie said with a brief smile as she joined her, sitting on a stool beside her. “What is it you want honey?”
“What do you mean?”
“Do you want to spend the rest of your life living in the past or do you want to grab the future with that beautiful young man with both hands?”
“It’s not that simple mom, there is Daniel to consider.” Elise said staring down at the liquid in her cup.
“And Daniel loves him. What else are you worried about?” Leslie asked her.
“I don’t know!” she said honestly.
*****
Peter took them to the movies the following Saturday. It was almost the end of January and the snow was piled up on the side of the road. Frozen was showing and he told them he was going to take them..
“Have you ever been to the movies?” she asked him as soon as he came to pick them up. He had been incredibly patient with her and had not asked her about marrying him or wanting her to come and live with him.
“When I was a child.” He told her with a smile. He helped Daniel with his coat and the boy stood still and let him. Elise marveled at how well behaved he was when Peter was around.
He bought a huge bucket of popcorn and hot dogs for all of them. He had invited her mother as well but she had told him that she had plans of her own.
Daniel sat absorbed in the movie while Peter had his arm around her. She tried to resist at
first, feeling strange because Daniel was right there but he had no intention of letting her go and then with a resigned shrug she rested her head on his shoulder.
This felt right and good, she thought. They were like a little family and Elise wondered why she did not give in and tell him yes. What was holding her back? She loved being with him and whenever she was away from him, she missed him like crazy! What was holding her back? She closed her eyes as she remembered how she had cried in his arms when he made love to her, how she had cried out his name as he thrust inside her over and over again.
What was she waiting for?
Daniel was sleeping in the car on their way home. “Tired?” he asked her as she rested her head back against the headrest.
“More like I have been turned into a popcorn zombie,” she told him wryly. She turned to look at her son sleeping in his car seat, still clutching his ‘Frozen’ package of complimentary toys. “He had so much fun. He is going to be sleeping late.”
“So you are coming home with me?” he asked her lightly, glancing at her briefly.
“Yes,” she told him.
He looked at her in surprise and his hands tightened on the steering wheel. “Good,” he nodded, careful to keep his expression neutral.
She hid a smile and reached over to cup him causing him to swerve the car. “Don’t,” he said hoarsely, directing the car back into the lane.
“I wanted to get a reaction.” She told him softly, her hand on his thigh.
“You always will.” He told her huskily.
He insisted on putting Daniel to bed and tucking him in. The little boy remained asleep the whole time, even when Elise kissed him tenderly on the nose.
“Mom, I will be back in the morning.” Elise told her. She had clothes over at Peter’s house so she just picked up some fresh underwear.
“Okay honey. I will be seeing you Peter.” She told them with a smile.
*****
“My dad forced me into the business,” she told him with a laugh. They had just finished making love and she was spread out on his chest with his arms around her. “When I was a little girl I always tagged along behind him and asked him a million questions about what he was doing. From that early age he started grooming me to take over.”