Stanton Adore (29 page)

Henry smiles, “Nice to meet you,” he walks toward the door.

Nicholas however stands still on the spot, his eyes drilling into Adrian.

“It’s been very nice Adrian,” his husky voice whispers, he nods and is out the door.

Joshua frowns “What the hell was that about?” he asks Adrian.

“I have no idea,” he wipes his forehead in frustration.

I do wide eyes at Adrian and link my arm through his. “Oh my god, the hottest man on the planet just totally made a play at you” I giggle. Joshua turns and looks at me deadpan.

“I mean second hottest man on the planet to you of course baby,” I smile.

He fake smiles back and nods his head. “Sure you did,” he mouths at me. We take our seat.

“Who was that god?” Adrian asks me wide eyed.

“Only one of the most intelligent men on the planet, he’s a Psychologist. You’re right he is a god and a bloody good author, not to mention smoking frigging hot.”

Josh puts his menu down and rolls his eyes at me. “Down low on the frigging hot,” he snaps. I smile and grab his hand. I have to say I am loving jealous Mr Stanton a little too much, he’s just simply too delicious. I am interrupted by a man who comes through the crowd to our table.”

“Excuse me, Mr Murphy” Adrian frowns. It is then I notice Adrian’s bodyguard coming up behind the man.

“Can I help you?” he asks the man. The man looks at the bodyguard and then to Adrian unsure of who he is. Adrian looks a little embarrassed.

“I’m a friend of Nicholas Anastas,” he says. My eyes must light up because Joshua squeezes my hand so tight he nearly breaks a bloody finger.

Adrian turns to his bodyguard. “It’s ok Sam.” The bodyguard backs off and the man narrows his eyes as if summing up the situation and turns back to Adrian.

“Mr Anastas asked me to give you this, he said to tell you he would have come back himself but the photographers were following him and he didn’t want to embarrass you,” he passes Adrian a business card, dips his head and walks away. Adrian looks at the business card and frowns and then turns it over to read the back, he then bites his lip and smiles at Joshua. Joshua is sitting watching Adrian with his elbow on the table running the side of his pointer back and forth over his lip, his thinking position.

I however am just about to wet myself. “Oh my god Adrian what does it say?” he passes me the card

Let me take you out for dinner
Call me 0416958720
Nicholas

“Holy crap Adrian. He is asking you out for dinner oh…… and I love the wording so………dominant and sexy,” anyone would think he was asking me. I’m like a little kid.

Josh smiles and gets out his phone. “That was very Hollywood, don’t you think?” He smiles at Adrian as he raises a brow. Who I think has been rendered speechless.

“It was, wasn’t” it he whispers wide eyed.

“He looks like that dude off True Blood,” Josh says as he tries to think of his name.

“Who?” I frown.

“You know the hot ripped guy…………European.”

“Yes Jo Manginello. He does Adrian,” I snap. “Oooohh my goooddd I Looove Jo Manginello,” I wipe my forehead to accentuate my point as I grab Adrian’s hand over the table.

Adrian frowns “He was a bit of a Greek god, wasn’t he?”

“Are you kidding no contest,” I smile.

Joshua starts to read to us from his phone, he has obviously just googled Mr Anastas.

“Ok here are the facts,” he raises his eyebrows at Adrian. “Greek, forty two, gay, successful author, estimated wealth at two hundred million.” He frowns as he reads the next bit of the information and pauses, “tragically his husband died in a snow skiing accident eight years ago.” We all go silent.

Adrian eyes widen. “He was married?”

Josh nods.

“Apparently to a French Lawyer.” Hmm that’s interesting, I had no idea he was even gay. What in the hell did we do before google?

Josh smiles at Adrian and raises an eyebrow. “The marrying type hey.” Adrian rolls his eyes at Josh. “You’re calling him” Josh announces.

Adrian frowns. “No I’m not………… I’m in a relationship remember.” Joshua goes to say something but glances at me and holds his tongue. I know he wants to say the words so, but doesn’t want to appear like he’d condone infidelity. I smile as I watch him internally struggle with what he wants to say and what he wants to reveal around me. I must say if Adrian’s boyfriend is as big a dick as everyone keeps telling me I also think he should call him, but I won’t say that either just quietly. An hour later the three of us exit the restaurant.

“I’m not coming back to the office Adrian.” Adrian frowns. “I’ve already organized for Tom to watch the students this afternoon,” Joshua remarks. Adrian frowns again and pulls out his phone to check an email.

“Why, what are you up to this afternoon?” Adrian is concentrating on his phone sending a message to someone. I look to Joshua, yes what is he doing this afternoon actually? I have to wonder.

He grabs my hand. “Miss Marx has been pulling misdemeanours all day and she needs to be punished.” Oh my god he did not just say that in front of Adrian. I do wide eyes at him and I want the ground to swallow me up. My eyes shoot to Joshua as he cracks his neck, his dark eyes bore into mine and I know he wouldn’t care if the Pope was standing with us. He’s too aroused to have his mouth to brain filter on. Adrian doesn’t even look up from his messaging as he smirks, he raises his eyebrows.

“Too much information Stanton,” he then winks at me and gives me a kiss on the cheek. “Catch you later baby,” and with that he is gone into the crowd.

Nicholas Anastas sits in the back of his chauffer driven car as he watches the three friends leave the restaurant. He is ruffled. He hasn’t felt such an attraction to anyone like that for a very long time, and to an American no less. And why do they have security with them? Who are they? How odd. It was very unexpected and disarming meeting him.

“Peter I want as much information as you can gather on Adrian Murphy. I’m not sure of where he……actually he was with a Joshua Stanton so check………maybe they work together. I want a criminal record check and past partners, or actually is he in a relationship at the present moment?”

“Yes sir” Peter responds as he pulls into the traffic.

Its Sunday morning 5am and I am sitting on the end of our bed putting my running shoes on as I prepare for my run. My eyes roam up the beautiful body that is asleep like an angel next to me, her dark long hair spread over my pillow. She’s naked, her beautiful curves calling me back to bed. Thank god she kept her shape, I hate thin women. It may be fashionable to be thin but for me as a man I need a soft lush shape for the testosterone to kick in. Not muscular either………… I like the female form in as natural state as it comes. And boy has she got the whole package. Dark long hair, olive skin and those fucking dimples, I can see them even as she sleeps. I smile as her large brown eyes that can see right through me, flutter as she tries to refrain from waking. She calls to me deeply on a subconscious level and any thought that I could have a future without her in it, is gone. A distant memory. She is so ingrained into my psych that she is as necessary as air. This is how contentment feels………… calm. I have never had such an overwhelming sense of that I am where I am supposed to be. This is right. I smile as the realization hits me, I have never had it and now that I have I am not letting it go, no fucking way. Wild horses couldn’t drag me from her side.

Chapter 23

“G
ood morning Presh,
how did my girl sleep?” His velvety voice rasps down the phone line. I smile as I stretch and I listen to the sexy voice on the other end.

“Hmm fine thanks, where are you?” my voice still husky from sleep.

“I trained this morning remember with Murphy and we are now having breakfast in a café.” I rub my eyes as I try to bring them into focus.

“That’s right, come home and come back to bed baby, I don’t like waking up without you.”

I can hear him smiling down the phone line. “What time will you and the girls be at my house?” I roll my eyes. Josh’s friend is coming in from America today with his family to take his kids to the Great Barrier Reef. They have stopped off specifically in Sydney to see him and Josh has organized a lunch at his place for them. I don’t know who this friend is, but he must be important to Josh, he has been on my case about not being late since Friday. Abbie and Bridget are coming as well as the usual boy crew.

“Is this my wakeup call?” I smile down the line.

“Yes I want you at my house in an hour.”

I roll my eyes. “Not happening Stanton, its Sunday I won’t be there until eleven.”

I can almost hear his eyes bulging. “No I said I want you here early.”

I smile. “And I said I will see you at eleven.” I am so not going over there in an hour, tough shit as he would say. He stays silent and I smile, I’ve got him. He knows I am not going over before eleven and there is nothing he can do about it.

“Fine but so help me, if you’re any later than that……… You’re going to cop it.”

I smile. “Oohh I hope so baby. Copping it is my favourite pass time. You know I’m naked right now don’t you?” I purr.

He smiles down the line and I can hear him walk away from the others. “Behave my beautiful slut, I want you here early so I can have you to myself for an hour before anyone else gets here.” I smile, I know that’s not the reason, he’s nervous about me meeting his friends. Their opinion must matter………a lot.

“Who is this friend Josh? And why is it so important I’m there early?”

“No reason just get here, I’m going. I will see you soon” and he hangs up. He didn’t like the last question I threw him, hmm interesting. Mr Stanton really is a confusing puzzle, one that I am having fun working out.

And this is Natasha he presents me to his friend and his wife three hours later like a prized pig with his hand at my lower back. I smile feeling uncomfortable. Ok, now I wish I had of gotten here earlier, they arrived before me………… awkward. Joshua is not impressed with us being an hour late but in my defence Abbie is having a crisis. She thinks she is falling in love with Tristen the army guy and was practically hyperventilating when we got to her house. We had to stop for emergency caffeine and a pep talk. Well that’s my story and I’m sticking to it, if he wants to date a puppet he’s with the wrong girl.

I smile a nervous smile. “Hello,” I shake both of their hands. The wife is about thirty two at a guess and stunning. I think she might be Italian or something, she has beautiful dark features and a figure to die for.

“This is Maria,” Joshua smiles. “And this is Sean. Sean and I play Polo together and he and Maria are probably the only friends I have who are happily married.”

Oh, I frown. “Don’t you have any other friends who are married?”

I ask, he nods. “Yes plenty, but most of them hate each other.” we all laugh.

Sean gives me a warm smile and shakes my hand. “Lovely to finally meet you Natasha,” oh boy what does that mean? How long has he known I exist? I nervously look to Joshua who is smiling at me with a twinkle in his eye. I smile back and have an inkling I am forgiven for my lateness. Then I am accosted by three little girls who run around my legs as they chase each other.

“These are our children Bonita, Francesca and Allegra, I smile and shake the girl’s hands, yep definitely Italian judging by the names. They’re adorable and I can’t help but like them.

“You’re pretty,” says the little one.

I smile and hunch my shoulders. “Thank you.”

“Mummy says Uncle Joshua loves you.” I laugh out loud and Maria hushes the girls as she tries to control their giggling behaviour.

Josh rolls his eyes. “Are you giving away my secrets Bonita?” he bends and tickles the little girl who has just divulged his information. She screams as she tries to escape. This is going well………… so they know about me and Maria thinks he loves me. Maybe this day won’t be so bad. Cameron walks around to the backyard, now that is what the cat dragged in. He looks dreadful Abbie winces as she sees him. “You look terrible, what time did you go to bed?”

He looks at his arm where his watch should be. “Far out, I left my watch there”…………uumm he scratches his head. “I haven’t been to bed yet.”

Josh smiles and shakes his head. “You’re hopeless.”

He smiles at Sean and then shakes his hand. “Hi Sean,” he then looks affectionately at Maria.

“How’s the best sort in America?” he walks over and kisses her cheek and she slaps him on the arm.

“You Cameron, are a flirt” she teases.

“You love it Ree.” What the hell? How does Cameron know these two so well? I had no idea, maybe I should be nervous. Did he bring them here to judge me? Why in god’s name was I so late? I might kill Abbie later for that one. I don’t know what to talk about so I decide to go and help Abbie and Bridget who are supposedly hard at work helping in the kitchen……… as if. I walk in the door I find Bridget lying on the bench and Abbie lying on the lounge and Adrian sitting at the bench eating a carrot.

“So why is this a problem?” Adrian asks.

Abbie rolls her eyes. “I told you he’s in the army.”

He frowns. “What does he do in the army?”

“Special forces” she says deadpan.

Adrian fans his face. “Mmm that’s hot. What is it about Special Forces that gets the imagination going?”

“I still don’t get it, what’s wrong with that?” Bridget asks.

“There is no way in hell I am going to be a war widow Bridget, even if he doesn’t get killed. He will be away most of the time. I need a man in my bed not on my mind.” We all nod.

“This is true,” Adrian says. “However, imagine how hot the homecomings would be.”

Cameron walks into the kitchen looking like death warmed up. “I’m so fucked. I’m sneaking off to bed. Don’t tell Josh, he’s on entertaining crack or something. He’s killing me.” We all laugh, its true Josh is on entertaining crack and we are his crack whores. Ben walks into the kitchen.

“Josh wants you all to go out and socialize,” everybody groans and I smile. It is becoming increasingly apparent that Josh bosses everybody around like he does me, even Cameron does what he says.

Sean and I are sitting by the pool. The girls have been having a ball this afternoon. Tash has had the music on and they have been having dancing competitions in which Adrian and Cameron are being forced into judging. I look at Cameron and laugh, he really does look like shit. It must have been a total bender for him to be this bad, he usually is ok the next day. And to think I am making him help me entertain, I smile. I’m evil. Then I look to Natasha who is now piggy backing Francesca around and pretending to gallop like a horse. With a few wines under her belt she has loosened up and is finally being herself.

“She’s beautiful Josh.”

I nod. “You have no idea.”

“What is going to happen when you move home?” he asks.

“She’s coming.” I take a drink of my beer, he nods as he listens.

“This is the girl you have loved all along………right.” I nod and I smile at him. Apart from Cameron and Adrian, Sean is my closest friend. We never go out together drinking or anything like that. We play polo and train in the gym together but if I see him it’s usually with his wife and kids. We have a normal friendship. The kind of friendship I don’t get from my party friends, he tells me the truth and doesn’t want anything from me in return. He’s had money all of his life and is not seduced by its trappings or impressed by easy women, he’s done his time doing that and it holds no interest to him at all anymore. I respect his opinion most out of everybody because he says it like it is, nothing is sugar coated with Sean. And when you have most people sucking up your ass constantly it’s very refreshing, although sometimes a little harsh. His parents, wife and I all get on very well and we do spend a lot of time together. They all breed horses as well. He’s a good husband and father, the kind of husband I want to be………… devoted. I don’t know why any of my other friends even bother getting married, they sleep around all the time.

“Forgive me for intruding but isn’t she your cousin?” I rub my hand through my hair, fuck when did I tell him that? He must sense my horror. “You told me one night when you were drunk.” I nod feeling more than stupid. I told him that when I didn’t think they would ever meet and now that they have. God how must this look from an outside perspective?

“Do me a favour and keep that on the down low will you?” I ask.

He smiles and nods. “Of course, you have my word”

“This is a fucked up situation isn’t it?” I sigh, he nods and stays silent. He looks at me as he takes a drink, “Tell me Josh. How is this going to go? Have you thought about this? I mean really thought what this will mean for her.” I take a swig of my beer as my eyes wander to Natasha who is dancing with Francesca by the pool and I smile.

“Yes I am fully aware she will have to move to America to be with me, but she wants to. She offered first.” He narrows his eyes as he listens.

“How much do you love her?” he asks as he takes another drink.

I break into a full smile as I shake my head. “Man, the suns set with her. I’m done. This is all I want, all I’ll ever want. The last seven years have told me that.” He listens and I can see him thinking as he watches her dancing with his daughter. I raise my eyebrows waiting for him to speak and when he doesn’t I ask the question. “Spit it out. What do you want to say?”

“I just don’t think”………… he stays silent. I frown as I try to work out what he is saying. “I just think I love Maria too much………… I couldn’t let her sacrifice so much to be with me.”

I frown as I try to work out his meaning. “What do you mean?” I ask.

“She has to give up her job, her family, her friends, and her country to be with you.”

“I know but I told her after five or ten years we could come back here.”

“Are you really prepared to take motherhood from her Josh?”

I frown, my eyes shoot to Natasha who is now wading in the pool with Bridget and the three girls. “Josh you know you two can’t have children together right?” my heart drops.

“What do you mean?” I ask panicked.

“Josh its cross breeding, you can’t do it. The children will end up sick.” My eyes widen as I take in the information he has just given me. My eyes flick to Natasha again. Why in the hell did I not think of this before? Fuck!

“Look, I don’t know man. It’s none of my business. But you had better be sure before you strip her of everything, is all I’m saying.” He looks at me deadpan and takes another swig of his beer and I know he is completely serious.

Maria comes over and grabs Sean by the hand. “I’m stealing my husband Joshua,” and with that she drags him away. I sit still, stunned to my core. I am so fucking stupid. My heart drops as I watch Natasha’s uninhibited laughter, like she doesn’t have a care in the world. She deserves better than I can give her, all the money in the world cannot replace motherhood or her family. I close my eyes and consider the serious ramifications for her if we stay together. In years to come I know she will regret the choice to give up a family to be with me, any one in their right mind would. I’m not worth the sacrifice. Not with my baggage. She should be with someone like………… Christopher. He can give her what I can’t. He still loved her and they weren’t even sleeping together. Pain lances through my chest as I realize she is better off with someone else, someone for whom she would not have to sacrifice. Someone who I know would look after her. Someone who loves her as much as I do. Her words come back to haunt me. I had to save you from yourself baby, you were going to give everything up to be with me and I loved you too much to let you do it. I put my head in hands as I think.

I honestly don’t know if I can do it. I’m not strong enough to walk away.

Am I?

On the way home I am holding Josh’s hand on my lap, “Are you tired baby?” I ask and his eyes flick to me and he frowns. “You hardly ate any dinner and you’re so quite.”

He smiles a shy smile at me. “Yeah, I guess I am.” He picks my hand up and kisses the back of it. His eyes are then on the road and he is deep in thought again, what is he thinking about?

“Do you think your friends liked me? I ask nervously.

He smiles broadly at me. “There isn’t a person on earth who wouldn’t like you Tash.”

I smile. “Except for your Mother,” I tease.

He bursts out laughing. “Yes, she is the exception,” he rolls his eyes. We get home and I get into the shower and Josh stays in the kitchen and puts the kettle on. Twenty minutes later I get out of the shower wondering where my shower buddy got to, fully expecting him to be asleep on the lounge. I look up the hall from my bedroom and I see Josh pacing in the lounge room with both hands linked on the top of his head. He does that when he is upset, I’ve seen him do it before. What’s the matter with him? What is he thinking about? He seems worried about something. I stand in the hall watching him. I have to say he’s acting strange. I walk out as I continue drying my hair.

“Josh what’s wrong?” His eyes search mine. “Are you sick?”

He pulls me into embrace and kisses the top of my head. “I love you Natasha, you know that don’t you?” I smile and nod as I kiss his chest, what is this about?

“I love you Josh, you know that don’t you?”

He smiles nervously and nods. “Sit down Presh, we need to talk.”

“Ok what about? Are you going to take me to pound town my beautiful Lamborghini?” I raise my eyebrows as I go to drag his shorts down but he stops me. His face drops and he looks like he is about to burst into tears.