B00CQUPUKW EBOK (30 page)

“Test— Ahhh…” A shock of desire had shaken Kaya to the core as Bryce glided a finger inside her. 

“How’s that?” he asked, pulling it out and driving it slowly back in, going way past knuckle deep.

“Goo…goo… good.”

“What about this?” he’d rasped, sliding another finger inside as his thumb caressed the little bud that governed the level of her arousal.

“Oh, God.”  Kaya had closed her eyes as passion zinged through her and her muscles clamped hungrily around his digits.

“Any pain?”

“No…no,” she’d managed as her legs trembled and her hips began moving in a rhythm that matched the tempo of his fingers.  “It feels good… so good…” 

“Auntie Kaya, where are you?”

“Damn.  We’re finishing this tonight,” he’d uttered on a groan as he pulled his fingers out of her, and hastily helped her fix her clothes.

Kaya shivered from the memory of the passionate promises in his eyes as he’d brought his fingers to his mouth and sucked her juices off of them.  

“Sweet,” he’d muttered before stepping out onto the patio mere seconds before Alyssa sauntered into the kitchen.

She was so ready for him, Kaya thought.  She knew that if Alyssa hadn’t called out for her at that moment, she would have slithered to the floor and let Bryce take her right there in the kitchen, or on the marble countertop, or the kitchen table—wherever he wanted her.  She would never say no to him again.

“I love him, Lauren,” she said, a smile spreading across her face in anticipation of being with Bryce tonight.

Would he leave after dinner as usual, and then sneak back into the house and her bed in the middle of the night when Haley and the kids were asleep?  Even though they’d consummated their marriage, their relationship still wasn’t normal.  There were issues that needed to be worked out—his living arrangements, for one.  She wanted him to move into
L’etoile du Nord
.  She wanted to fall asleep in his arms every night and wake up next to him every morning.  She wanted her husband.  
Period
.

Kaya had no idea if it was better to bring up the subject before or after they made love again.  With a sigh of uncertainty, she glanced down at the letter and read the last paragraph.

If I could offer you one bit of advice, Kaya, it would be that you must live.  Life is too short.  Do all the things you want to do before it’s too late.  And whatever you do, don’t run from love; don’t hide from it.  Embrace it with wide-open arms, for after all is said and done, Love is all we have.

I love you.

Your sister,

Lauren.

“I love you, too, Lauren, and I pray that Bryce would grow to love me as much as Michael loved you.”

* * *

Bryce stared absentmindedly at the team of engineers, machinists, geoscientists, electricians, and environmentalists seated around the conference table at Fontaine Enterprises.  The monotonous hum of their voices bounced off the walls and echoed in his ears, but their words were lost on him. 

He’d psychologically detached himself from the discussion a while ago when thoughts of his wife had surged to the forefront of his mind.

It had been three days since they’d made love, and during those three days, he’d being doing nothing but relive the sexy little sighs and moans coming out of Kaya as he’d kissed his way up and down her body from head to toe.  He couldn’t shake the sensations elicited from the smooth touch of her small hands gliding along his back and arms, and the velvety softness of her moist heat clamped around him.

And God, her aroma, her musky, arousing aroma was forever etched into his brain.

Every taste in his mouth, every scent in his nostrils, every touch to his skin sang “Kaya”.  He’d been infected with her, living and breathing her.  His desire to have her writhing beneath him again was driving him out of his mind.  He’d reached his limit this morning when he went to pick up Jason for school and found Kaya walking around the kitchen in a white satin robe that clung provocatively to the sweet curves of her hips and buttocks, reminding him of the pleasure her delectable little body had brought him.

It had taken all his strength to tear himself away from
L’etoile du Nord
with nothing but a quick squeeze of her breasts, a hungry smooch of her mouth, and the velvety feel of her wet, tight flesh gripping his fingers as he’d cornered her against the refrigerator.  All he’d wanted to do was pick Kaya up, toss her over his shoulder, march up the stairs to her bedroom, and spread her out on her bed where he would have spent the rest of the day performing licentious acts on her body.

But the house was too crowded and he’d had to get Jason to school.  By the time he reached Granite Falls Elementary, Bryce knew he’d have to break a rule or he’d pop a vein in his brain if he denied himself of Kaya any longer.

He’d love to whisk her away on his jet to a honeymoon destination of her choice, but he couldn’t do that until he knew the kids, especially Alyssa, could cope without them for more than one night.  Since they couldn’t go away on a honeymoon, he would bring the honeymoon to them.  He planned to make tonight exceptionally special for both of them.

It was time she got to know him.  Really know him.  She’d begged for deeper penetration that night, but Bryce was wise enough to know it would have been a mistake to grant her request. He remembered too vividly the look of fear and surprise in her eyes the morning after when she’d gazed at his naked body for the first time.  The fact that he was the first man she’d seen naked had deepened his affection for her.  He’d given her something he’d never given another woman.  

Bryce knew he was more heavily endowed than most men.  When he’d first began experimenting with sex, he’d been ever so eager to show off for the girls, but when some of them—especially the petite ones—backed out of their promises, he’d learned to be discreet, ease them into the experience of taking him.  Many were surprised that their bodies could stretch that much to accommodate him, and even more surprised at the depth of pleasure he brought them.

Even Pilar had been a little bit scared of him.

His size was the reason he’d kept Kaya literally in the dark as he’d made love to her.  He hadn’t wanted her to touch him or see him, even though at the time he was unaware that she was still a virgin—the first one he’d ever had, Bryce thought with a deep sense of affection for her.  Now that she knew that she could handle him, he would have no trouble enticing her back to his bed.  If her eager response to him this morning was any indication, he knew she was ready to proceed with the sexual phase of their marriage.

Their first time had been under cover of night.  Their next time would be in the light of day, Bryce suddenly decided.  He couldn’t wait for tonight.  He wanted Kaya to enjoy the pleasure of seeing exactly what he was doing to her.

A groan echoed in the room.

“What was that, Mr. Fontaine?”

Bryce shook his head as he became aware of the constriction in his groin.  
Damn!  Damn!
 
Damn!  
He was hard as a rock.  It was a desperately horny man who developed a hard-on while sitting in the middle of a conference room surrounded by his colleagues and subordinates.

The men stared at him, waiting for him to offer some brilliant complement to their discussion.  He had nothing.  They had assembled to discuss wind turbine models and power, wind maps, access roads, environmental aesthetics and nuisances, and everything else associated with Fonandt Wind Energy, an emerging wind farm corporation owned by Fontaine Enterprises and Andretti Industries.

Fonandt Wind Energy would be one of the few wind farms in New Hampshire, and its expected net production would tremendously exceed all the others put together.  The other wind energy companies that were providing power as far south as Boston and north to Vermont were already petitioning the state to restrict the size of Fonandt’s farms.  They knew, as Bryce did, that it was only a matter of time before he gobbled them up.  It was the nature of the beast.

As important as this meeting was to the success of Fonandt Energy, Bryce knew it would be wise to reschedule.  He couldn’t concentrate, nor could he contribute anything meaningful to the meeting.  He cleared his throat.  “Gentlemen, I must confess that I’m a bit preoccupied.  It would be in our best interest to cut this meeting short and reschedule.”

“But, Mr. Fontaine, this
is
a reschedule.  You postponed our first meeting a few weeks ago when one of your godchildren was ill.”

Bryce turned his attention to Marcus Spencer, the chief engineer at Fontaine Construction.  “Yes, I did do that, Marcus, and I apologize for all inconveniences this will cause each of you, but—” he added, pushing back his chair and rising to his feet now that he’d regained his composure, “since you all work for me, it’s my prerogative to cut short or reschedule a meeting as often as I please.  If any of you think I’m wasting your time, please feel free to express yourself.”

He looked from one man to the other, and when he was satisfied that none of them would dare challenge him, he closed the folder in front of him.  “Mrs. Grant will be in to reschedule at each of your earliest convenience,” he stated on his way to the door.  “Good day, gentlemen.”  He opened the door then closed it upon his exit.

“Elaine,” he said, coming to stand in front of the desk of his personal assistant, a stout, kind-faced woman in her forties, “is everything all set?”

Elaine smiled from her chair behind her desk.  “Yes Mr. Fontaine.  Everything is in place as you ordered.”

“Thank you.”

“There’s a change again,” he said.  “Could you please schedule another meeting with the gentlemen?”

“Yes, sir.”

“And I don’t have any other appointments for the day, correct?”

“No, sir.  I cleared your calendar up until Wednesday and rescheduled all your appointments.  I already uploaded the revised agenda to your phone.”

“I appreciate that.”

“It’s what you pay me to do, Mr. Fontaine.”

Bryce chuckled.  “I will be leaving shortly.”

“I understand, sir.”

He was sure she did, Bryce thought as he smiled down at her.  Elaine had been his personal assistant for the past four years, but he’d known her for much longer.  She was still a faithful member of the church where he used to attend with Pilar, and Michael and Lauren—the church Kaya now attended regularly with the kids.

Elaine had seen him through the beginning and end of each relationship in between.  She’d sent flowers, picked out jewelry—most of which he’d seen for the first time on the necks or wrists or dangling from the earlobes of his then current interest.  She’d signed birthday, Christmas, and Valentine cards—none of which he’d ever seen.  She’d made dinner reservations, and covered for him when he was in no mood to deal with the unpleasantness of unpredictable female mood swings.  He’d had no patience for them, and it was usually his cue to end the relationship.

He’d noted the look of relief on Elaine’s face when he’d brought Kaya to Fontaine Enterprises and introduced her as his wife.  Elaine didn’t know Kaya, yet the warmth in her green eyes had assured Bryce that she thought he’d chosen wisely in marrying Kaya.

 Elaine was among the very few people in this world whom he trusted.

“When you’re finished with them,” he said, jutting his chin toward the conference room, “take the rest of the day off.  Take your husband out to dinner at
Andreas
.  As you know, I have an open reservation there.  Tell them I sent you.  Order anything you want, on me.”

Elaine’s eyes lit up as if she’d just won the lottery.  “Thank you, Mr. Fontaine.  The only time Bill and I dine at
Andreas
is when you take pity on me.”

“When are you going to start calling me Bryce?” he asked, beaming at the joy on her face at such a simple favor.

“On the day your first child is born.”

Bryce closed his eyes briefly as a dull pain reverberated in his gut.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Mr. Fontaine.  I should not have said that.  Me and my loose tongue.”  She clapped her hands over her mouth.

Bryce reached across the desk and touched her on the shoulder.   “It’s okay, Elaine.  It doesn’t hurt as much anymore.  And I do hope that Kaya and I have children.  I need an heir to leave all this to.”

“I’m glad to hear that.  She’s a lovely girl.  And I’m sure you’ll have your full share of beautiful children.”

Bryce’s lips split on a wide grin.  “I’ll hold you to that promise.  You will call me Bryce the day my firstborn enters the world,” he stated, walking across Elaine’s office towards his.

Once in his office, Bryce closed the door and headed for the wall of glass that overlooked the immediate vicinity of downtown Granite Falls and the towering mountain range in the distance.  It had begun to rain.  He loved making love when it rained.  A little lightning and thunder wouldn’t be unwelcome either.

He pushed his hand into the pocket of his suit pants and pulled out a black strip of lace—his wife’s panties from three nights ago.  He brought it to his nose and inhaled deeply.  Kaya’s scent, her taste—like a fine wine with an earthy erotic undertone and a soft delectable finish—were natural aphrodisiacs.  Bryce groaned as he felt his temperature rise and his sex engorge with blood and need.

With his free hand, he pulled his cell from its clip at his waist and speed dialed.

“Hi,” he said upon her “Hello”.

“Oh, hi, Bryce.”

The sound of her voice, the echo of his name on her lips made his heart tremble in his chest.  “Where are you?” he asked, knowing exactly where she was.  He didn’t want her to know he kept tabs on her.  He knew where she was every moment of the day.  Paranoia had taken up residence inside him since the first time he kissed her.  His protective instincts had soared to new heights that night in the library when he’d realized the kind of man her ex-fiancé was.