Beautiful Mistakes: Contemporary Romance Boxset Books 1-4

by Victoria Snow

  14

  Blake

  I hoped that Bella enjoyed our afternoon at the Met. I’d wanted to find something I could do for her so this situation didn’t seem so one-sided with me using her to get my rocks off. My first thought was to help her financially if she needed it. I dismissed that idea because it could make it seem like she was a kept woman. I didn’t want to make her feel like a mistress or that she was being paid for sex.

  I’d seen the Delacroix exhibit information and thought maybe she’d enjoy it. The next thing was to make sure she didn’t interpret the invite as a date. While I didn’t want to have the appearance of a sordid affair, I also didn’t want her to get any ideas that this would become something more than what it was; sex. She seemed to accept the idea that it was a way to honor our dead loved ones by going out and living.

  That was the other thing that baffled me. Why was she such a recluse? A young, beautiful woman like that should be spending time with friends and pursuing her personal interests. Why was she so alone? Maybe when our affair was done, she’d spend more time living in the world, instead of just at work. New York City offered so much in the way of cultural events and activities to fit every hobby or interest. She’d make friends, and perhaps meet a man who could give her the life she wanted and deserved. That last thought had my gut clenching. It was best if I didn’t think about Bella being with another man.

  We visited several exhibits and then had lunch. We chatted about her mother some, but mostly we talked business. That wasn’t why I’d planned this excursion, but I had to admit it was more comfortable to discuss business than personal topics because it helped ensure that she didn’t read more into this outing. If we got to know each other more personally, it would be too easy for our feelings to grow.

  Saturday was Lily’s birthday party. It sometimes amazed me how big she was getting. It seemed like yesterday they placed her in Joanna’s arms as a tiny newborn. I could still feel the swelling of emotion that filled my chest and put tears in my eyes at the miracle of her. The love I had with Joanna had created this magical being who was now wearing a purple princess dress and pink cowboy boots.

  It also filled me with profound grief to attend another birthday party Joanna had to miss. This was the third one. Joanna had hoped to make it to Lily’s fourth birthday, but she died a few weeks before. One of the hardest things I ever had to do was to be festive for my daughter’s fourth birthday while I grieved my wife. Today it wasn’t as bad as that day, but it was still difficult.

  “I wish Joanna was here to see this,” Patsy said next to me as we watched Lily play with the two friends she had. One child was a year younger than her and lived in our building. The other was a boisterous friend from school, who I was convinced liked Lily because she could dominate their play. While Lily seemed completely normal at home or with her grandparents, she was like a closed-up wallflower in school. Social anxiety is what the school counselor called it, and she assured me that most children grew out of it, although she said that Lily losing her mother might prolong the issue. She even suggested that my own grief could be contributing to her difficulties and that perhaps I should go to counseling. I’d do whatever Lily needed to be healthy emotionally and physically, but I couldn’t see the value in counseling for me. It wouldn’t bring Joanna back, which means I’d still feel sad and empty and lonely.

  Turning my attention back to Patsy’s comment, I nodded and said, “She’d have liked the outfit.”

  The knock on the door gave me the opportunity to pull my emotions back in order. That is until I opened the door and saw Bella.

  She wore a red ribbon in her dark long hair, with a light blue shirt and yellow skirt. While she didn’t look like she was in a costume, there was no mistaking her attempt to be Snow White. She carried a princess gift bag.

  She smiled brightly, making my chest feel warm and full. “Hi.”

  “Hi, come in.”

  She walked through the door. As she looked around, and I got the impression that she was trying not to gape. I followed her gaze and only saw my apartment. Then again, I was in a penthouse. Her entire apartment could fit in my bedroom.

  “Bella!” Lily jumped up and ran to her.

  I looked over at Patsy who had the same wonder in her eyes about Lily’s response to Bella as I did.

  “Hi Lily. Happy Birthday.” Bella squatted down and hugged Lily. “I brought you a present. I hope you like it.”

  Lily ignored the gift and instead stared at Bella. “You look like Snow White.”

  Bella’s smile was wide. “I heard you like princesses. And look at you in your pretty purple princess dress.” Bella bowed her head, “Your Highness.”

  Lily giggled, and for that alone, I’d have given Bella just about anything in the world she wanted. Anyone that could make my daughter happy, I’d be in their debt.

  “Bella, I’m so glad you could come,” Patsy said.

  Bella rose. “Thank you for having me.”

  “This is my husband, Jim. Jim, this is Bella.”

  “She makes sped-sheets too,” Lily said. She took Bella’s hand and pulled her toward her friends.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Jim,” Bella said as Lily dragged her into the birthday festivities.

  “She does have a pull on little Lily, doesn’t she?” Jim said, watching as Bella sat down next to Lily.

  She wasn’t the only one, I thought. And with that, my nerves shook. God, please don’t let me do anything to give away how much I crave this woman.

  “I think it’s time we get the party started, don’t you?” Patsy clapped her hands, eager to lead the show.

  I had enough money that I could rent out a theater for a show or a kid’s fun spot. Or I could have hired a party planner and entertainment. If I was alone, I just might have done that. But, one thing that had been important to Joanna, even as the money from our business made us rich, was that holidays not lose their special intimacy. She made Lily’s Halloween costumes. She crafted many of the ornaments we had for the Christmas tree. And when it came to birthdays, they were generally small affairs in which she organized the activities and made all the goodies. When she died, Patsy stepped in taking over all the holiday and celebration duties.

  Today the kids would have pink popcorn treats, pink milkshakes with white and pink sprinkles on the rim like a margarita glass, and star and crown-shaped peanut and butter sandwiches for a very pink tea party. The biggest expense, besides the presents, was the pink castle cake, which we ordered. While Joanna would have baked one, both Patsy and I agreed that we didn’t have the talent for building a castle out of cake and frosting.

  Patsy corralled the kids, along with Bella to play a game of find Cinderella’s glass slipper. Other activities included playing Princess Says, a variation of Simon Says, and making magic wands. I suspected I’d get an earful from Mrs. Douglas on the amount of glitter on the floor. I’d once done a glitter craft project with Lily, and I still found some embedded in the jeans I wore that day.

  I watched Bella as she joined in the fun at Lily’s insistence. I needed to let her know that she didn’t need to spend all her time with the kids, and yet to watch her with Lily, and to see Lily’s smile light up her face, was a joy. Bella was all woman, this I knew, and yet she could so easily access her inner child. I frowned as I realized that Bella was closer in age to Lily than she was to me.

  After the tea party, the group settled down to watch a princess movie and when that was done, it was time for presents.

  Her friends bought her princess dolls. Patsy and Jim bought her a princess castle tent and a blow-up throne chair. I bought her an electric Princess Carriage that she could drive through the apartment. It was over the top, and yet to see her smile was worth it.

  “What did you get me, Bella?”

  Bella smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I hope you like them.” I hoped that Bella didn’t think her present wouldn’t measure up. It never occurred to me that she might feel her present w
as inadequate compared to mine. I paid Bella well, but certainly not enough to waste on expensive children’s toys for her boss’ daughter.

  Lily reached in the bag and pulled out a little kid-sized briefcase. Lily looked at it. “Look, Daddy, you have one of these.”

  “I do.”

  She opened it and pulled out a pad of paper. Her mouth formed an O and her eyes lit up. “It’s for spreadsheets.”

  “Yes.”

  “I can put my presents on it.” Lily ran her hand over the gridded paper.

  “Yes. It’s good to keep track of your presents,” Bella agreed.

  “And you can mark when you send your thank-you notes,” Patsy added.

  Bella had also included a variety of pens and pencils. “You can color-code your spreadsheet too.”

  “Do you do that?” she asked Bella.

  “Yes. Your dad’s stuff is red because he’s the boss. And when there are things I need to keep him on track about for you, it’s in yellow, because you’re so sunny.”

  Lily grinned and then frowned. “I like purple.”

  “Lily—” I started to chastise her for missing the point.

  “Then I’ll change it to purple.”

  Next Lily pulled out a notecard-size piece of paper that looked like the French flag.

  “What’s this?” Lily asked waving the card at Bella.

  “That is an invitation to the Kids Festival at the French Embassy. It’s coming up soon and I thought you might like to go since you’ve never been to Paris.”

  “Can I Daddy, can I go?” Lily jumped up and waved the card at me.

  I stared in Bella in awe. I’d spent a fortune on Lily’s party, and while I had no doubt that she’d love the gift, Bella had put so much time and effort into hers. She’d done that for my kid.

  “Yes, absolutely,” I said.

  “Will you come too?” Lily asked Bella.

  Bella cast a glance at me, I’m sure out of concern about how it might look.

  “We’ll need an interpreter,” I said.

  Lily turned back to Bella. “Daddy says we need a ‘terpter. I don’t know what that is.”

  Bella laughed. “It’s someone who can explain what people are saying. When someone speaks French, I can tell you what he said. And when you tell me something in English, I can then explain it to him in French.”

  “So, you’ll come?”

  “Lily is there anything else from Bella?” I decided that maybe Bella didn’t want to be put on the spot.

  Lily rummaged through the bag again and pulled out the packs of cookies. Immediately the image of my fucking her from behind in the staff breakroom when she bought them flashed in my head. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep it from flashing something else on my body.

  “Cookies! I love these cookies.” She reached over and hugged Bella. “I can’t get them anywhere but Daddy’s work.”

  “Well then, I’ll just have to hook you up.”

  A little later, the kids were playing and Patsy and Jim sat on the couch trying to read the instructions for the princess castle.

  “I should probably go,” Bella said to Lily.

  “Already?” Lily’s didn’t want the day would end, but I could see the fatigue was getting to her. The good news was, if I didn’t let her have more sugar tonight, she’d probably sleep like a rock.

  “Yes. Thank you so much for inviting me, Lily.”

  “What do you say, Lilybug?” I prompted her.

  “Thank you, Bella.”

  “My pleasure.”

  Lily asked her, “How do you say thank you in French?”

  “Merci.”

  “Merci, Bella.”

  “De rien.”

  “Is that you’re welcome?”

  “Oui.” Bella gave Lily a hug and then started toward the door.

  “I’ll walk you out.” I held my hand out to lead the way to the hallway that led to the door. “Thank you, Bella.”

  “I enjoyed it. Lily is such a great kid.”

  At the door, I didn’t open it right away. “She’s my world.”

  Her eyes were soft. “I can tell.”

  I stared at her for a moment, fighting the urge to ask her to stay. Stay for dinner. Stay for the night. But no, I couldn’t. Still, alone in the hallway, there was one urge I could indulge. I wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her to me in a kiss.

  Her lips were soft and sweet, tasting of cake and ice cream. My kiss wasn’t nearly as long as I’d like. I was playing with fire to even take a moment with her. But I was so filled with emotion and in awe at the way she acted with Lily, I couldn’t stop myself from taking a moment with her.

  She smiled, her eyes flirty, as I pulled away. “Tu embrasses bien, Blake.”

  “I don’t know what you said, but it turns me on.”

  She laughed. “A bientot, Blake. Until later.”

  The entire birthday, well the parts with Bella, played over and over in my mind that weekend until, by Monday morning, I wanted to smother her in cake and to eat her while she spoke French. Clearly, I was going mad with lust, but it was hard to consider it a problem. It had been a long time since I’d felt alive.

  I arrived at my usual early time before everyone else. As the elevator door started to close, a hand popped in, making the doors open.

  “Ah ha… I’ve finally figured out when you get here.” Bella stepped into the elevator.

  “What do you mean?” I studied her in her pretty flowy polka dot dress. She always looked so pretty. Even when she was in a prim skirt suit on days we had board meetings, there was a sweet femininity to her.

  “I mean I’ve been arriving a few minutes earlier for the past week to figure out when you come in. You’re always the first one here.”

  I poked the button to tell the elevator which floor to go to. “I like a little alone time to start the day.”

  She frowned. “Oh, well I won’t bother you.”

  “You’re already bothering me.”

  To make sure she understood my point, I opened my coat. There was no missing the hard cock practically sticking its head out of my pants’ waistband.

  “Oh dear.” She looked up at me. “Should I apologize?”

  I shook my head as I pinned her against the elevator wall. I kissed her, and like an inferno, heat blasted through my body. I lifted her skirt, wanting to fuck her right there.

  I slid my fingers under the waistband of her panties and her slick, wet pussy made me groan. I wanted to fuck her and eat her at the same time.

  “Oh Blake.” She rode my fingers, so I obliged by sliding them inside her. I used my thumb to rub her clit.

  “Come, Bella. I want to watch you come.” Somehow, my need for release took a back seat as I watched her face. She panted; her eyes closed as she sought her pleasure. Her head dropped back against the wall, distracting me until I kissed the soft flesh of her neck.

  She started to moan in a way that I knew meant she was on the edge. I lifted my head wanting to watch as her orgasm overtook her.

  “Oh yes!” Her pussy gripped my fingers as her body went taut. Her lips formed a perfect O that she held until she took another breath and then she continued to ride my fingers back down to earth.

  The need to fuck her nearly had me whipping out my dick. The only thing that stopped me was the dinging of the elevator that said we’d arrived at our floor.

  As the doors opened, I withdrew my fingers while she pushed her skirt down.

  “Mr. Alexander.” The head of maintenance stood in front of the elevator doors.

  I glanced at Bella to make sure she was put together. Heat flushed my cheeks. Jesus, I’d just nearly been caught fucking my assistant.

  “Yes. Mr. Crabtree.” I motioned for Bella to step out before me giving me a chance to button my coat in case my dick hadn’t retreated all the way yet.

  “I was stopping by to make that appointment you wanted to replace the smoke alarms in your offices.”

  “Yes, right.” I w
atched as Bella sauntered to her office.

  “I have some time now and brought up information on different options depending on what you want.”

  I cleared my throat. “Yes. Come on into my office.”

  As Mr. Crabtree presented different fire alarm options, my mind was elsewhere. It wasn’t dwelling on the fact I’d nearly been caught in the elevator having sex with my assistant though. No, it was wondering when I’d be able to see her next to have her extinguish the fire burning inside of me.

  15

  Bella

  I felt bad leaving Blake unsatisfied after he’d started my day with a lovely orgasm in the elevator. Unfortunately, we both had meetings and work that made it difficult for me to see him and take care of his needs until that afternoon. I knew he had about thirty minutes before his conference call, and I had just gotten out of a meeting with Dylan’s marketing team. I figured that was just enough time to see him and give him an orgasm in return for the one he’d give me that morning.

  I made my way to Blake’s office, my arms filled with files so it would look like I needed to meet with him for work.

  “Hey.” He smiled when I entered and it made my day. When he looked at me like that, it made me feel like seeing me made his day too. “Did we have a meeting?”

  “Not exactly,” I said as I closed and locked his door.

  He must have heard the click of the lock because his brow arched upwards. “Oh? Did something come up.”

  I nodded. “This morning in the elevator something came up, but I couldn’t handle it then. I’m here to take care of it now.”

  His breath hitched and I saw that flame of desire in his eyes that made me feel powerful and beautiful. “You’re so efficient, Ms. Hanson.” He stood and came around the front of his desk.

  When I reached him, he pulled me in for a kiss. I kissed him back, but I was determined to be in charge, so when he made a move to take control, I pulled back.