Loving Pursuit Page 7

  I excused myself after that, going to my room. Donetta had a point. If I wanted to continue things with Marie, I would have to stay in Bayville, or visit often.

  No, visiting often wouldn’t be enough. I worked long hours sometimes and would only be able to come on the weekends. That would get old fast. I needed to see her more than that, but moving here would be huge. It would change my whole life and cause even more friction in the already-strained relationship I had with my father. It was too soon to do such a thing, wasn’t it?

  My gut instinct and my common sense were at war on this one, and I wasn’t sure what to do anymore. The one thing I was sure of was that we should buy this bed and breakfast. After talking to Marie about the yearly festival’s popularity, and exploring the town yesterday and this morning, I had a good feeling about it. The town might be small, but there was so much potential here. It didn’t fit in with our regular, luxury hotels, but maybe that was a good thing. It was charming.

  Now, I just have to convince my father.

  This place wasn’t ever going to be our biggest money-maker, so it would be a hard sell. Sitting at the desk positioned in front of the window overlooking the lake, I pulled out my cell phone and called my father’s office. I expected his secretary, Margaret, to answer, but was surprised when Lacey picked up.

  “Mr. Sims office. How can I help you?”

  “I’ve been out of town less than a week and you’re already answering phones for my father?” I said, forgoing a greeting. “Are you that bored?”

  “Lewis?”

  “The one and only.”

  “God, it’s good to hear your voice. I’ve been filling in for Margaret the last two days because she’s been off with the flu.”

  “The old man driving you nuts?”

  “You could say that.”

  Her elusive words and tense tone of voice clued me in to what was happening on her end of the line. “Can he hear you right now?”

  “Yep.”

  I sighed. “Alright. Tell him I’m on the phone.”

  I was placed on hold for a moment before my father’s voice came over the line.”

  “Lewis, I expected to hear from you before now.”

  Always with the expectations.

  “Well, I’ve been busy.”

  “Busy?” There was a rare amusement in his voice. “You know, I’ve been looking into this town. This Bayville. Doesn’t look very impressive to me.”

  “You’re wrong.”

  The words slipped out before I could properly think them through. I had learned a long time ago that it was pointless to argue with the man. He was too stubborn.

  “Oh, is that so?” he asked in a smooth voice. “Then, please, enlighten me.”

  It sounded like a trap, but I had no hope of talking him into purchasing the bed and breakfast if I didn’t give it a shot.

  “You ever hear of a covered bridge?”

  I spent the next ten minutes telling him about the festival and its massive turnout. I was trying to sell him on it, but I knew I wasn’t a great salesman.

  “That’s it?” he asked when I was done. “A two-week period every year that’s guaranteed to sell out? It’s not enough. Come back to Beverly Hills.”

  His dismissive tone grated on my nerves, and I wasn’t going to give in that easily. “There’s more to this place. The bed and breakfast is on a lake with amazing views, and the town…it’s special. It’s like the place itself has a personality. There are all these small businesses that are locally owned.” I was thinking of Marie’s boutique and the winery she’d taken me to. I knew that there were others all over town. Everyone got their groceries from a local store, not a big chain. “There’s a sense of community that I think is worth investing in.”

  There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line, and I prepared for him to try to shut me down. But he surprised me.

  “You really think this is a good investment?” he asked curiously.

  I did, but not for the reasons he wanted. Everything was about money for him. I thought that this was a good opportunity to expand our brand, even if it wasn’t the most profitable asset we owned.

  “I think it’s worth doing. It could be a new chapter for us.”

  Another pause. He was never this hesitant in business matters and it was making me nervous.

  “You’re thinking of the future of the company,” he said, and I barely recognized the approval in his tone. It was something I didn’t hear often. “Tell you what, I’ll come and check out this community you’ve discovered. Sounds like normal small-town stuff, but I’ll entertain your idea, and give you a chance to prove me wrong.”

  He didn’t sound like he thought that would happen, and I had to admit that I agreed.

  “Your mother and I will be there in four days.”

  I wasn’t looking forward to my dad’s arrival. I had become so relaxed in the last few days, savoring my temporary freedom. Seeing Bayville through his eyes threatened to ruin that, but I was excited that my mother would be coming. I wanted her to meet my girl.

  We ended the phone call and I spent the rest of the afternoon working on a business plan for the bed and breakfast, getting all my ducks in a row and doing my best to make the place look like a good investment.

  By the time I took a break, it was well into the evening. I had spent all day indoors and was itching to get out of the room. I saved my work, backing it up to a flash drive, and, once again, pulled out my cell phone. I called Marie, hoping to spend another night with her. It seemed that no matter how satisfied I was after our lovemaking, I just couldn’t get enough of her.

  When she didn’t answer, I stifled my disappointment. I knew that I had blown into town and spent most of my time with her, shaking up her life. It wasn’t fair of me to expect her to be available to me all the time.

  So, I decided to go out for dinner alone. It didn’t bother me as I dined alone all the time back home. It was funny. I’d never even thought much of it in the past. But now I hoped that I wouldn’t have to keep doing it. Life was so much richer when spent in good company.

  10

  Under the Weather

  Marie

  It had been a rough couple of days. Once I had admitted to myself and Lewis that Grandma needed more help than I alone could give her, I knew that I couldn’t avoid it any longer. The next day, I took another day off. I was going to owe Andrea big time after all this.

  During that day, I arranged for my grandmother to move into a nursing home. I chose between the two that were located in Bayville, touring the facility and meeting the Administrator. She didn’t have many belongings, so it didn’t take long to pack up her things.

  Grandma wasn’t happy. I knew to expect that, but it was the quiet confusion that I saw in her eyes when I took her to her new home that killed me. She was having yet another episode and didn’t understand what was happening or where she was. It was gut-wrenching, and the overwhelming burden of guilt made me feel sick to my stomach all day.

  I slept restlessly that night, ignoring the second phone call I had received from Lewis in two days. I wanted to see him, but I felt that it was important to spend that first night in the house alone, to adjust to life without Grandma under the same roof. I couldn’t do that if Lewis was here.

  Maybe I was punishing myself a little bit too.

  I couldn’t help feeling guilty. I had been shirking my responsibilities onto my best friend, and one of the most important people in my life was living in a nursing home. I did that. It was all on me.

  The next day, I realized that my nausea wasn’t due to my emotional distress. On top of everything, I must be getting sick. I’d have to miss even more work. This thought occurred to me as I was bent over the toilet, ralphing.

  I fired off text messages to both Andrea and Lewis, explaining that I was sick. That done, I shut off the phone and went back to bed. I was exhausted.

  That pattern lasted for two more days. I wasn’t constantly sick, but it wo
uld hit me at weird times and I would end up throwing up. It was horrible. I passed the time at home by coming up with new clothing designs. It was a great distraction that also earned me money in the long run.

  Lewis wanted to come and see me, but I kept refusing him. It was hard, but I didn’t want to make him sick, too. I had to stay away from him for his own good.

  I thought he understood that until the end of the second day. I had just finished eating a bowl of chicken noodle soup, thrilled that it actually stayed down this time. I was having a good day with my stomach staying under control for the most part.

  A knock at my door had me standing and striding across the room to pull the door open. Lewis stood there, looking unapologetic.

  “I know you said to stay away, but I couldn’t resist stopping by.” There was a single red rose in his hand and he held it out to me like a peace offering.

  “What if I’m contagious?”

  “I don’t care. It’s worth risking.”

  How could I argue with such a sweet sentiment? Stepping aside, I held open the door wide, allowing him inside. Taking the rose from his outstretched hand, I smelled it, grinning. I wished I was wearing something other than pajama pants, but I wasn’t expecting him.

  I followed Lewis into the living room, where he spotted my open sketchpad. “May I?”

  I nodded, taking a seat. Lewis flipped through the sketchpad, taking in page-after-page of clothing and jewelry design.

  “Wow,” he said, as he reached the end. You’re really talented.”

  I felt a blush staining my cheeks. I knew that I was skilled, but his open admiration made my heart sing.

  “How do you feel?” he asked, his flirting replaced by concern. He stepped close and I thought he was going to kiss me, but, instead, he placed the palm of his hand flat against my forehead. I swatted it away with a laugh.

  “I don’t have a fever. It’s just an upset stomach. I was able to eat some soup and keep it down today.”

  “Maybe you should be laying down. You know, get some rest.”

  “Is that why you came over? To play the part of doctor?” I asked, as I looked up at him through my eyelashes. I wasn’t sure what came over me. I was sick, right? I shouldn’t want to lead Lewis into my bedroom for a good time.

  Except, that was exactly what I wanted.

  “That depends,” Lewis smirked. “Are you in need of a good doctoring?”

  I bit my bottom lip and ran a hand up his arm, my fingers brushing lightly against his golden skin.

  “Fuck, Marie,” Lewis groaned as he pulled me into his arms, tightening his grip around my waist. “I really did plan to take care of you, nurse you back to health.”

  “I think I’m already getting better. Should we test that theory with a little physical activity?”

  Lewis appeared to think about it for a moment before shaking his head. “No, I don’t think so.” Before I could get too disappointed, he continued, “I think that you should just lay back and take it easy. Let me do all the work.”

  He gently pushed against my shoulders until I reached the couch. Falling backwards onto it, I felt myself flooded with lust when I looked up at his face. He was almost too hot to be believed. How did I land such a man?

  Grabbing a hold of my pajama pants at the ankles, Lewis pulled them down, revealing a pair of black satin panties that I was so glad I wore today. It could have easily been something less flattering. Lifting up my tank top, Lewis thrust his hands beneath, his eyes darkening with passion when he felt my breasts.

  “No bra tonight?” he asked, but it wasn’t really a question. He had the evidence in his hands. I moaned when he pinched lightly at my nipples until they were both rock hard. “Such a bad girl.”

  I didn’t bother pointing out that I had been home alone, not expecting any company whatsoever. I kind of liked being called bad. It sent an electric thrill shooting through me.

  “Do you like bad girls?” I asked as innocently as I could manage.

  Lewis leaned down so that his face was only inches from my own. “I like you.” Lewis said, unexpectedly turning this flirty moment into something more serious. “Only you.”

  His lips skimmed mine in a barely-there kiss before he worked his way down my body, planting soft kisses randomly. My collar bone, my hip, my inner thigh. My entire body was his playground and my senses seemed to overload in reaction to his teasing.

  “Lewis…” His name sounded like a plea, but I couldn’t make my mind work well enough to tell him what I wanted. Luckily, he didn’t need me to.

  Taking a hold of both sides of my panties, he pulled them down my legs. Spreading my thighs with his big hands, he looked down at the apex between my legs for a moment. I tried not to be embarrassed as I was fully open to him.

  “So damn pretty,” he mumbled, “and all for me.”

  His reverence made me feel like the sexiest woman on the planet. Lewis took a hold of each of my legs, one after the other, and threw them over his shoulders as he settled in between my legs.

  “You don’t have to do this, you know,” I said, secretly hoping that he wouldn’t stop.

  “Oh, yes, I do,” he said. “I can’t stop thinking about having another taste.”

  Lewis leaned down, pressing a soft kiss against my center. I closed my eyes and lowered my head onto the couch cushion behind me. He took his time licking and sucking, until he thoroughly explored my folds. I moaned continuously as my legs squeezed together uncontrollably around his head, but he didn’t seem to mind.

  Slipping a finger into me, he swirled his tongue around my clit. A ball of energy seemed to be building in my lower stomach, growing larger and larger. I couldn’t believe how much pleasure he was drawing out of my body.

  “Lewis…God, yes. I need more. Please…”

  He slid a second finger inside, pumping wildly as he took my clit between his lips and sucked. A strangled scream erupted from my chest, and my hips gyrated, grinding my core into his face. He groaned against me and the vibrations from it pushed me over the edge.

  I came hard, my hands digging into the couch cushions as I cried out. Lewis kept moving his fingers in and out while I rode out the climax.

  When I came back down to earth, I looked down to see that he had lifted his head and was watching me with a heated gaze. Once our eyes met, he pulled his fingers out of me and slowly licked them clean, rolling his eyes with pleasure.

  It was the hottest thing I’d ever seen.

  Afterward, when I was redressed, I made Lewis a sandwich since he hadn’t eaten dinner yet. We sat at my kitchen island, and I couldn’t seem to stop staring at him. It still felt surreal, having him show up in Bayville like this and become a part of my life.

  “How are you coping without Grandma around?” he asked, after swallowing a bite of his turkey sandwich and washing it down with a big gulp of tea.

  I sighed. “I still feel guilty. And I miss her. When she was lucid, things were really great.”

  “How does she feel about the place?”

  “So far, she says she’s happy.”

  “But you don’t think that’s true?”

  “I’m not sure,” I admitted. “I hope it is, but I wouldn’t put it past her to lie to make me feel better. She’s always been like that, putting me above herself.”

  “Sounds like she did a hell of a good job raising you.”

  I smiled. “Yeah, she did.”

  “That reminds me, I wanted to let you know that my parents are coming.”

  “Here?” I asked with wide eyes. “To Bayville?”

  “Yeah, they want to check out the bed and breakfast.”

  “Oh.” So, they weren’t coming to meet me. That should be a relief, meeting a guy’s parents was a lot of pressure. For some reason, I felt sad. I knew that things were moving quickly between us, but I still believed we had a real connection, that we were both in this for the long haul.

  I want him to want to take that step in our relationship.

 
; “I’m excited for you to meet my mom. She’s going to love you.”

  “You want to introduce us?”

  “Of course.”

  A goofy smile stretched across my face.

  “And what about your dad? I know you guys have a…unique relationship.”

  “That’s one way to put it,” he agreed. Lewis finished his sandwich and took the plate to the sink. I watched as he rinsed it off and put into the dishwasher, waiting to see if he would continue speaking. “You know, I think that some people aren’t really meant to have kids. I mean, you should be really sure that you want them before they come along.”

  “You don’t think he was?” There was something poking at the back of my mind, an idea or thought that was just a little too far away to reach.

  “I don’t know for sure. I just hope that someday, when I’m ready, I’m a better dad than he was to me.”

  Those words brought me to the realization that had been teasing my brain. My symptoms – the fatigue and nausea – might not be an illness. There was another explanation for them. I didn’t have a fever and now that I thought about it, my breasts were a little tender lately. I had written that off as a result of sleeping in a weird position that put pressure on them, but what if I was wrong? What if it was all because of a pregnancy?

  I thought back to Hawaii. We’d used a condom, but I knew that wasn’t a sure thing, and that was just over three weeks ago. It was possible…

  I cursed myself for not keeping better track of my period. I always used protection during sex, so I didn’t think it was necessary to worry about it, but I thought that it might be due any day now. Would it ever come?

  As I tried to keep a conversation going with Lewis, my mind buzzed. I told myself to act normal, there was no need to freak him out unless I was sure. But as soon as he left, I was going to the drugstore and calling my best friend. This could be huge.

  11

  Meet the Parents