A Sweet Deal (Crimson Romance) (12 page)

“Right now all I need is lunch and maybe a warm bath. I have the rest of the afternoon off.”

For a man used to handling every aspect of his life and career, watching the pregnancy unfold with nothing he could do to help was torture. “Then I also have the rest of the afternoon off. Let’s get you something to eat.”

• • •

After a leisurely late lunch, they returned home to an empty house. Richard dropped his keys on the table in the foyer and followed Yvette into the living room, still elated from hearing his baby’s heartbeat for the first time.

“Let’s get you into a warm bath.” His hand landed at the perfect spot between her shoulder blades, and he rubbed in small circles. “I’ll make you some herbal tea and run the water while you get out of those shoes.”

“That sounds like heaven.”

He didn’t know how she managed to spend the day in shoes like that, but he had to admit that she looked good doing it. With a pat on her butt, he gently pushed her towards the hallway. “I’ll be there in a second.”

Before going to the kitchen for her tea, he allowed himself a long look as she walked away. He was a lucky man, and he thanked God he was smart enough to realize it before he did something stupid. He’d proposed for almost purely selfish reasons, but the more time he spent with Yvette, the more he knew it was real. That steady, strong little heartbeat was the sweetest thing he’d ever heard, the best gift he’d ever been given. And it was all because of her, because she was willing to overlook his flaws while he got his head straight, because she was willing to extend grace when he didn’t deserve it.

Careful not to spill the steaming mug of tea, he wandered down the hallway towards their bedroom. Her stilettos lay on the floor between the door and the bed, and instead of finding Yvette in her dressing room getting ready for her bath, she was curled up in a ball on the bed, still wearing the silky robe she must have changed into, already asleep. He set the cup down and, as carefully as he could, he eased the blankets back and tucked her into bed. She stirred, murmuring and pulling the pillow tighter under her head. The pregnancy was exhausting her, and she needed her rest so badly. Glad to have a chance to care for her again, he kissed her forehead and turned out the lights so she could sleep.

When he came back to bed that night, her deep, even breaths were the only sound in the dark room. As he slipped in beside her, she didn’t fully wake, but curled herself against him. With her head tucked under his chin, her body perfectly matched against his, he wrapped his arms around her. Her lips brushed against his chest, sending the familiar attraction through him, but squeezing his heart as well. Things were different now, more real, more important. Knowing that Yvette was going to be the mother of his child and actually hearing that child’s heartbeat were worlds apart. With a light touch, he ran his fingertips over her back, gliding across the silky fabric of her robe.

“You’re here,” she murmured against his chest.

“I’m here.” She moved against him, her body gliding across his and giving rise to a hunger for her.

Any space between them was torture; he wanted every inch of her touching him and held her close, closer than he’d ever held her or anybody else. He wanted to tell her what she meant to him, to somehow express how full his heart was, but there were no words. How could he tell her that being with her was everything? That she’d given him the one thing he always wanted, the only thing he ever truly cared about? No words were adequate, and he couldn’t push them past the lump in his throat if they were. Without a sound, Richard pushed her robe open and held her in his arms, desperate to hold her, unable to let her go.

• • •

Yvette awoke late on Saturday morning, much later than usual. Since moving in with Richard, she’d quickly become accustomed to taking the time to care for herself, much more than before the pregnancy. She was nearing the third month, and found that few things interested her more than sleep lately. Well, except for sex, and that was becoming increasingly frustrating given the unsure nature of her feelings for both Richard and their relationship. He was all too happy to oblige her ill-advised, and increasingly frequent sexual advances, and after no more than a few days under the same roof, it had started to feel like a real relationship was developing between then. Yvette knew that it would be far wiser to keep her wits about her, to keep her emotions at bay, but it was so much easier and enjoyable to just give in. To finally fall in love for real.

With her stomach rumbling and her need to find him growing, she pulled herself out of bed, stepping over the silk robe she’d fallen asleep wearing. Realizing that she was naked except for a tiny pair of lace panties that could barely cover her growing midsection, she opened her closet door. She pulled on a pair of stretchy black yoga pants and swiftly yanked a soft pink t-shirt over her head. She caught a glimpse of herself in his mirror as she left the closet and smiled at her mussed hair and rosy cheeks. Life with Richard was turning her into a wanton woman, and she was happily going along for the ride.

She padded barefoot down the hallway towards the kitchen, peeking into his office and the other rooms on the way without seeing a trace of him. Bustling noises in the kitchen perked her interest and a slow smile spread across her face. She tiptoed around the corner, eager to see him.

“Good morning, dear.” Mrs. King, the housekeeper, was behind the breakfast bar, drying dishes.

She had been looking forward to seeing Richard, but Mrs. King was a welcome sight. She was exactly as Yvette had imagined her when he mentioned that he had a full time housekeeper: short, round, and bustling. Her raven hair was streaked with silver and secured at the nape of her neck in a tidy bun, her charcoal grey uniform neatly pressed and free of stains, and she was always ready with an easy smile and a kind word. Her brisk, matter-of-fact manner made it easier for Yvette to accept being cared for by an employee.

The fact that Richard didn’t find it strange to have someone cooking and cleaning for him, moving about his home with complete freedom, amazed her. She’d hired the occasional maid service when work was piling up and her house was a wreck, but never in a million years had she contemplated hiring full-time help. Not that she could afford it on her salary, even if it wasn’t a ludicrous idea. Saffron kept her busy, some weeks working insane hours, but if Richard needed Mrs. King working every day to maintain his household, he must work even more. At least she hoped he employed her because of his crazy work schedule. That he might feel entitled to such pampering was simply too foreign to consider.

“Would you like some tea, dear?” Mrs. King held up the tea kettle in question. She had learned quickly that Mrs. King knew about the baby and wouldn’t be offering coffee, no matter how much she craved the caffeine. The housekeeper was a sweet, motherly woman, but Yvette knew better than to argue with her.

“Sure, thank you.” She settled onto a cushy barstool and watched as Mrs. King prepared her tea. “Have you seen Richard this morning?”

Mrs. King set a steaming mug of tea in front of Yvette and gave her a kind smile. “Mr. Morgan is at the gym, and then he is planning to go to the office for a couple of hours from there. He said he expects to be home for dinner but said that you are not to wait for him if he’s running late.”

“Do you know which gym?” He could be at his office’s fitness center or the gym close to their neighborhood. It wouldn’t hurt her to visit him, maybe share a workout. Between the move, work, and the pregnancy, she was lucky to stay awake through dinner and missed the energy a good workout could provide.

“Mr. Morgan didn’t say for sure, but he left with racquetball equipment.” Mrs. King dried a mug and smiled kindly at Yvette.

“Oh, I see.” She hid her disappointment behind another sip of her tea and rested her elbows on the bar. “It’s just as well. I should probably think about catching up on work myself. It’ll be nice to have some peace and quiet.” Work had been low on her list of priorities in light of everything else happening in her life lately, and Saturday or not, catching up might not be the worst idea. “Thank you for the tea.”

She slid off the barstool and made her way back to the empty bedroom and into the en suite bathroom. She turned on the shower, and as the water warmed up, she brushed her teeth and considered herself in the ornate pewter-framed mirror. Her long dark hair was still mussed from both sleep and Richard.

She stepped into the shower and let the warm water wash over her, let her cares and concerns drift away for the moment. Spending the day catching up on work held little appeal when she let her mind drift to the new life she was enjoying here in Richard’s home. Wouldn’t it be nice to make it more hers? To put her own signature spin on it today? Great ideas always came to her in the shower, so a new plan for the day quickly took shape.

After drying off, pulling on jeans and a T-shirt, and applying a little makeup, Yvette made her way through the house to find Mrs. King. They had some shopping to do.

• • •

Richard let himself in the house and dropped his keys in their bowl on the table, and stopped. Festive salsa music drifted through the house, drawing him in towards the kitchen. Coming home to an empty, silent house like he used to seemed like a sad, distant memory now that Yvette was there, breathing life into the house and giving everything a spicy flavor. Getting out of his first marriage was such a relief—so important for his mental health—that he came to relish the silence. Now that it was gone, chased away by a Puerto Rican goddess, he never wanted to experience it again.

Rounding the corner, he caught a glimpse of Yvette as the music grew louder. She danced around the kitchen, singing softly to herself in Spanish as exotic aromas filled the air. Her hips swayed with the beat, hypnotic and enticing. His fingers twitched as he moved forward, itching to touch her. Her back was to him, and he took a moment to savor the uninterrupted moment, watching her in her element. She was a vision, the undulating curves, the sweet soft voice singing in a language he couldn’t understand, the heavenly aromas bubbling up around her. How had he ever thought he could resist her? Why had he even tried?

She pulled an oversized silver spoon off the spoon rest and sang into it, throwing her head back and belting out the tune as she twisted in time with the music. As she turned, she noticed him standing there, and a slow smile spread across her face as she sashayed across the kitchen to meet him, hips still swiveling to the beat.

Wrapping her arms around his waist, she pulled him close, encouraging him to move along to the music with her. The song enveloped them, and they swayed together, slower and slower than the beat, until they were completely off the rhythm. She burst into melodic laughter and tipped her head up to accept a kiss.

“Welcome home. Hope you’re hungry.” She spoke softly, her lips moving against his before she danced back to the stovetop to tend to the food.

Richard leaned over her and looked into the pots bubbling on the stove. “This smells wonderful. I didn’t know you cooked.”

“Oh yes, all the women in my family cook. My sister and I learned from my mother and her sister, who learned from their mother and her sister.”

“What is this?” A mixture of seasonings and chopped up bits simmered in the pot.

“That’s my mother’s
sofrito
. It’s a seasoning sauce she makes in huge batches, and she always saves a couple of jars for me. I know how to make my own, but I’ve been so busy with work that I haven’t cooked like I used to. I got the idea to make this dinner for you this morning, but then I realized that you don’t have a big enough pot, so I went home and got mine and grabbed my spoon and the
sofrito
while I was there. Mrs. King and I did the grocery shopping and then I sent her home early. So we’re alone.” She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, a playful smile on her face.

“You have a special spoon?” He wondered if the pregnancy hormones were making little things seem more important than usual.

“Of course I do. It’s practically a rite of passage in my family to get your own big pot and spoon.” She grinned and his heart skipped a beat.

“So what are we having?” He inhaled the aroma as she tossed chopped garlic, peppers, and pimientos into the mix.

“Ah, you’re going to enjoy this.” She waved the big spoon over the pot with
sofrito.
“I’m going to make
arroz con Habichuelas,
my special Puerto Rican rice and beans,
tostones,
crispy plaintains with salt and garlic, and
pasteles,
kind of like tamales. You’re going to love it. I’ve got
tembleque
in the fridge for dessert.” Her accent was coming out as she talked about the food, and his body was responding in all sorts of ways as he was drawn to the spicy, sultry sound.

“
Tembleque?
What’s that?”

“It’s a coconut custard dish, very sweet and refreshing. Delicious.” She held her fingertips to her lips and made a kissing sound.

“If you keep talking like that, we won’t make it to dessert.” He grinned down at her and skimmed a palm over the curve of her hip.

“You don’t want to miss it. Trust me.” She tapped him with the spoon. “Go get cleaned up and I’ll finish dinner.”

• • •

Thoroughly stuffed after gorging himself on the Puerto Rican dishes Yvette had prepared, Richard sat back in his chair and stretched. “That meal was absolute perfection. Mrs. King might have some competition.”

“I think her job’s probably safe for now. I can’t eat like that every day, much less spend that much time cooking. I’d never be able to do much else.”

He patted his stomach. “Yeah, I guess I’ll need an extra hour at the gym to make up for that. It’s was more than worth it, though. If nothing else, I wouldn’t mind watching you cook again.” After watching her sway to the music, he could think of a few ways to burn calories.

She raised her eyebrows and teased. “Oh? You prefer your women in the kitchen?”

“Only when they look like you.” She continued to surprise him, to show her many different sides. Each time he learned something new about her was a revelation, yet another reason he was falling for her.