Seven Days Secret Baby_A Second Chance Romance Read online

  It wasn’t her that came down and opened the door. I had expected someone to talk through the intercom but the only noise it made was a high pitched squeal when I touched each button.

  “You must be Annie,” I said as the woman glared out at me. “Jodie’s best friend, am I right?”

  “Let me guess, you’re the douchebag who took my best friend’s feelings, crushed them into a tiny little ball and then threw them out the window. Am I right?”

  A shadow fell over her shoulder. “I can fight my own battles, Annie.” Jodie had appeared. She looked out at me. “What are you doing here, Mr Stempel?”

  “I brought your painting. You forgot to collect it from the auction house. Thought I’d drop it round for you.”

  “You’re not serious?”

  “You want me to bring it up for you?”

  “Tell me you aren’t carrying a hundred million pound painting in your arms in broad daylight in this neighbourhood.”

  “Think someone might steal it?”

  “I think you’re insane.”

  “So do you want to take it?”

  “No, I can’t have it here.”

  “Then where do you want it? It’s yours.”

  “I don’t know. Give it to a museum or something.”

  “That’s not a bad idea. I tell you what, I’ll hand it over to your museum if you agree to go on a date with me.”

  “Aren’t you busy drilling for oil?” Annie asked, her voice cold.

  “What? How did you know about that?”

  “So you’re not denying that was your plan then.”

  “Listen, Jodie. I admit that was the idea but I changed my mind. You made me change my mind. I want to leave the site the way it is.”

  “So you’re happy to pay hundreds of millions for land and get nothing back from it? Is that what you’re telling me? One more lie on top of all the others. Just tell me the truth for once.”

  “That is the truth. I’ll get a lot back from the land without touching it. I’ll know it will look like it does in your favourite painting and I’ll know you’ll be happy with it remaining that way. Now do I get a date or does the painting go in that dumpster over there?”

  “You wouldn’t.”

  “Watch me.” I started walking but she grabbed my shoulder before I’d gone more than a couple of steps.

  “All right. I’ll go on a date with you. On one condition.”

  “Which is?”

  “That you make me this famous spag bol of yours. I want to know just what’s so special about it.”

  “Done. I will see you at eight tonight at my place. I’ll send my driver to pick you up.”

  “Of course you will. Now get that painting out of here. You’re making me nervous.”

  She pulled open my car door and watched me load it in. “I’ll see you tonight,” I said, climbing into the driver seat. I watched her going back inside, not setting off until she was out of sight. Only then did I start to think properly.

  How did she know about the oil? Who might have leaked the information to her? There were so many people involved in the scheme, it could have been any of them. That explained why she left without the money, why she didn’t want to stay at mine any longer.

  I would soon fix that. After my spag bol, she’d never want to eat anywhere else again. Then when we were done I would have something else to taste.

  Her.

  I spent an hour at the museum dealing with their eternal gratitude for loaning them the painting. It went straight into their vault while they started making the arrangements to display it and I got to drive home faster.

  Once I was there, I headed for the kitchen. “Carl,” I said as I walked in. “Take the night off. I’ll be cooking my own dinner.”

  “Of course you will,” he replied. “I don’t even know why I bother buying ingredients. Want me to show you how the microwave works? Where the takeaway menus are? In this drawer here. Chinese, Indian, Pizza. Not like I can make those, is it? I only trained under Auguste Gusteau himself, you know?”

  I ignored him. “And tell Gwyneth to spread the word. All staff to take the night off and the night out. I want the place to myself from eight. No one here but me.”

  She arrived at ten to eight. The doorbell went several times before I remembered there was no one to answer it. I was in the middle of cooking so I ran out to let her in. “You look good,” I said as she walked inside the entrance hall. “Very good.”

  “Where’s the painting?” she asked. “Somewhere safe?”

  “You’ll be pleased to know it’s in the vault of your museum while they make the security arrangements for displaying it. They told me something else as well.”

  “What was that?”

  “That they’re willing to get your educational tours on the go as soon as you get in touch with them.”

  “You mean I have my job back?”

  “If you want it. You’ll be in charge of the entire education arm, their way of showing their gratitude for the donation. Reckon you’re up to talking about Flambert all day long?”

  “And Dickens too. We’re not just an art gallery.”

  “Oh yes, that reminds me. I need to look in the attic for you, see if I can find those things.” I sniffed. Burning. Coming from the kitchen. “Shit.”

  “Dinner’s going well, yeah?” she said as I ran back towards the kitchen.

  I shoved open the kitchen door to a wall of black smoke. “So that’s ruined then,” I said as she tactfully tried not to laugh. “How about a takeaway, my Michelin starred chef showed me where the menus are kept.”

  “Pizza suits me as long as it has a lot of olives.”

  “Really? I thought I was the only person who liked olives on pizza.”

  “Don’t go stealing mine.”

  “You’ve got a million pounds to come your way. I think we can splash out and get a pizza each.” I picked up the menus and headed out of the kitchen, getting away from the smoke.

  “I haven’t got a million,” she replied, following me into the hallway.

  “I know, I need to write you the check.”

  “No, your lawyer told me I don’t get it because I didn’t spend the full week here.”

  “Well what if you spend next five days here?”

  “I don’t know. Will you be cooking?”

  “I might let Carl have his kitchen back. There’s too many knives in here to keep antagonising him. Think you can handle a few more days of me telling you what to do?”

  “I might.”

  “Then let’s start now. Keep still.” I walked up to her. “Close your eyes.”

  When she did as she was told, I placed her cheeks in my hands, planting a soft kiss on her lips. “Don’t move,” I whispered, running my hands down to her chest. I slid over her breasts, feeling the nipples harden under my touch. Her breathing changed as I tugged them through her top, becoming more labored. She even let out a little moan as I continued to toy with her.

  “Bend over that table,” I said, turning her around before she had time to think. With her ass pointing towards me I had planned to strip her out of those jeans but I couldn’t resist spanking her. She was too smackable. I raised my hand in the air, ready to begin.

  THIRTEEN - JODIE

  I gripped the table tightly. Standing in the hallway of his house with him behind me, I felt excited. The smell of burning had faded as soon as we left the kitchen and now all I could smell was the varnish of the wood as I leaned down, my face to the table top, too close to the vase beside me.

  What was he going to do to me?

  I found out a second later when his hand smacked down on my ass. I yelled with mingled shock and pain as the sting from the blow raced deep inside me. It ricocheted back and brought desire with it.

  My hips shifted in place, trying to soothe the pain as he smacked me again, this time to the left, an expert touch that made me gasp out loud. I glanced behind me to see him staring without expression on his face. “Don’t move
,” he said. “I’m not done with you yet.”

  It was hard to define but in that moment I felt as if I’d woken up in someway. It was like I’d been asleep up to that point but all of a sudden I was wide awake, my whole body on edge as he spanked me again.

  “Stand up,” he said and a second later his hands were wrapped around me. He stood close enough behind me that I could feel how hard he was.

  I throbbed to feel it. I wanted that in me so much but he was just beginning with his teasing of me.

  I felt so grateful that he’d come to my place with the painting. I’d found out the truth about him. He might have been a cold bastard before but he wasn’t anymore. He was leaving the land alone. He was a good person.

  I had come close to losing him but he’d not given up chasing me. That led me back here, standing with my body on fire as he kissed my neck, his hands sliding over my chest, toying with my nipples, moving lower, flicking open the button at the top of my jeans.

  He slid them slowly down my legs, easing them from me, tugging them from one ankle and then the other.

  Standing again, he pulled my top over my head before turning me to face him. In my bra and panties I felt naked, his eyes seeing deep inside me.

  “You look beautiful,” he said. “Worth a lot more than a hundred million.”

  “I doubt that.”

  “I don’t.”

  He kissed me, his tongue plunging almost at once into my mouth, hungrily seeking out mine, entwining, exploring, binding me to him.

  I melted into his arms as he flicked my bra undone, tossing it aside, lowering his lips to my nipples, teasing first the left and then the right, drawing the first moan of the evening out of me.

  “Be gentle,” I said as he slid my panties to the floor, his hot breath between my legs as he knelt in front of me. I felt so exposed to his hungry gaze as he stared between my legs.

  “Of course I’ll be gentle,” he said. “As long as you’re a good girl.”

  He took my hand and I walked in just my heels through to the nearest room. It was a drawing room and in another moment I was sitting on the sofa, slouching back with my legs being nudged open by him. He kissed his way up from my ankles, holding my foot in his hand. Left leg, then right, then left again. Each time he got closer to my pussy but never touched it, just teased me until I moaned again.

  “I need to taste you,” he said and I shrieked with surprise.

  Out of nowhere his tongue was on me, dipping into my wetness, gliding up and over my engorged throbbing clit.

  I began to shift in place as he worked his magic, expertly licking and stroking, drawing words from me I never thought I’d say. “Oh fuck, that feels so fucking good.”

  “Good,” he echoed back before sliding a finger deep into me. “So it should.”

  I closed my eyes and just enjoyed the moment, feeling like a Goddess being worshipped as he continued to play with me, bringing me ever closer to an orgasm. “If you keep doing that, you’ll make me come,” I muttered as he flicked his tongue faster around my clit, just hard enough but not too hard, nor too fast. It was like he read my mind, knew exactly what I needed to get there.

  “Come for me,” he muttered, the finger inside me moving faster. “I want to see you come for me. You’re never going to come for anyone else ever again. Just me. Do it, come for me.”

  His tongue returned to my clit, the finger inside me tipping me over the edge as I let out a scream, my hips thrusting upwards.

  A climax raced through me, coursing through my entire body. My back arched, my limbs shook, my lungs were empty, I could make no sound. The world was gone, I was floating on a cloud of pure pleasure.

  All too soon it faded and as it did so, he pulled me to my feet. “Tonight you sleep in my bed,” he said, leading me on shaky feet out of the room and upstairs.

  We reached his bedroom a minute later and thinking I was dreaming he sat me on the edge before beginning to undress.

  I watched, transfixed by the sight of his body coming into view. Off went the jacket, the tie, the shirt. Those muscles I’d seen in the pool were back, broad shoulders, arms that could toss me over his shoulder without breaking a sweat.

  He undid his pants, lowering them slowly, revealing his boxer shorts and the bulge within them. I couldn’t help but lick my lips as he kicked off his shoes and socks.

  “Want to see anything else?” he asked, taking a slow step towards me.

  I nodded eagerly.

  “What do you want to see?”

  “Your cock.”

  “Dirty words for such an innocent girl.”

  He smiled as he slid down his boxers one inch at a time. I held my breath, my eyes unblinking as his massive tool came into view. It pointed towards me, swaying slightly, a drop of precum glistening on the end. He stroked the shaft slowly as he walked closer.

  When he reached me, he pushed my head down towards it. “Open your mouth,” he said.

  “I don’t know what I'm supposed to do.”

  “I’ll show you. Just relax and open your mouth.”

  He slid between my lips, his huge length making my jaw stretch to fit him inside. I almost choked on his length, unable to escape as he held my head in place for several seconds.

  When he let go of me, I slid free, taking a deep gasping breath. My tongue came out of its own accord, tasting him, feeling the heat of his length as he stood still, looking down at me.

  “That’s perfect,” he said as I wrapped my hand around the base of his shaft. “Now stroke it gently.”

  I flicked my tongue over the tip as I rubbed my way along his shaft, rewarded by a deep grunt and a shudder from him before he slammed into my throat again.

  “Lay back,” he said, pushing me onto the bed. “I need to be in you.”

  “Will it hurt?” I asked as he loomed over me.

  “Not if I do it this way.”

  He was right. It didn’t hurt beyond a slight twinge when the tip of him entered me. Before that, he had stroked my clit with his length, rubbing against me until I was lost in desire. Only then did he dip himself inside and then he rocked in place, taking his time, making sure I was ready.

  I don’t know how long he took to slide all the way inside but all I knew was when it happened, it felt better than a finger ever could.

  He filled me completely, stretching my insides to fit him in and I never wanted the feeling to end.

  He continued to take his time, building up speed gradually, rubbing his pelvis on mine so my clit was eased of the deep aching need within it.

  I came twice more just from the motion of his body and as the second orgasm hit me, his tongue plunged into my mouth. “You’re good at doing what you’re told,” he said a moment later. “So get on all fours.”

  I did as he asked, pushing my ass back towards him, feeling his eyes on me as his cock slid slowly back into me, his hands on my hips, impaling me on his length.

  “Rock,” he said, holding perfectly still.

  I did what he told me, picking up speed when he said. I could tell he was getting close when he took over, starting to slam into me and pushing the air out of my lungs. Within seconds he let out a groan and then I felt a hot spurt deep inside me. His cock twitched and another jet filled my pussy before he fell still, holding himself inside.

  I groaned with pleasure at the sensation, the last tingles spreading through me when he slid free, rolling onto his side and wrapping his arms around me. You’re amazing,” he said, kissing me again.

  “You’re not so bad yourself,” I replied. “For a cold hearted bastard.”

  FOURTEEN - NICK

  I slept with her that night. I woke up once at around three in the morning. From seeing her in the museum to into my bed had been a strange journey but it had been worth it.

  I savored the moment for a while. She was laid on her side, facing me and she looked perfectly at peace, eyes closed, hands under her head, legs curled up under the covers.

  Moving a lock of hair
from her eyes, I rolled over onto my back, my hands behind my head, closing my eyes. I couldn’t have been happier.

  She had been as beautiful naked as I expected. Her body was perfect, responding so openly to my every touch.

  I could see no life other than with her. We had to be together forever. I never wanted her to leave the house. I had officially four more days with her come the morning before she got her million.

  I lay there and made alternative plans. I would give her the million. She had earned it. I would also tell her she was living with me with forever. Already I wanted to marry her. I could picture the place full of kids. How had I never felt like the bed was empty before?

  Having her next to me was the greatest feeling in the world and I went back to sleep with a broad smile on my face.

  I woke up the next morning to an urgent message coming through on my phone. It cut through the silencer I’d installed so I knew it was important.

  I climbed out of bed, leaving her sleeping like an angel. Retrieving my phone from my jacket pocket, I flicked to the notification screen. It was a message from Tomlinson.

  “Need to see you. Now.”

  I looked at the time. Seven in the morning. Did he ever sleep? I yawned as I got dressed, wondering whether to wake her and tell her where I was going.

  No, let her sleep. I’d be back soon enough. Whatever it was, it couldn’t be too important. The deal was done. The contracts were signed. He couldn’t back out now. He’d probably heard about me wanting to drill for oil and once I assured him that was no longer going ahead, things should be fine. I could come home and climb back into bed next to Jodie, where I belonged.

  I called Terrance and told him to bring the car around to the front. Half an hour later I was in Tomlinson’s office, looking at his pale face as he thrust a piece of paper at me. “What’s this?” I asked.

  “Did you know you’d given rights for the land to your lawyer?”

  “What?” I asked, looking down at the paper in my hand. “Where does it say that?”

  “It’s gone through a shell company, that’s why we didn’t spot it at first. Did you do this? I’ve already heard about oil companies bidding for the rights to drill.”