Page 18 of Hayes
“There are doctors and resources that can take care of the problem. I have enough money to spend in order to solve that problem. If it’s something that cannot be fixed, there are other ways. The most important thing is us being together.”
“No.” She shook her head stubbornly, tamping down the hope flaring inside her breast. “I don’t want a relationship. Go to Simone…”er voice trailed off at the furious look on his face.
Pushing her away, he rose gracefully and without putting on his clothes, walked over to the cabinet and pressed the button. It slid out silently, and plucking a bottle of scotch from the assortment, he poured half into a glass and turned back toward her.
Her breath caught inside her throat as she stared at his magnificent body. His shoulders and chest were broad, the muscles rippling as he lifted the glass to his lips and stared at her over the rim.
“Let me see if I understand you. This is only a one-time thing between us, even though we love each other.”
Sitting up, she tugged a throw blanket and pulled it over her. “I need time.”
“I see. How much?”
Her fingers gripped the blanket. “Several weeks.”
His eyes flared. “And what am I supposed to do in those several weeks?”
“Continue with your relationship.” She flinched at the furious look on his face and plunged on. “This might just be something we needed to get out of our system. If not, we could see each other in secret–” he stuttered to a stop as he tossed back the drink and moved with panther-like grace toward the sofa.
“Are you listening to yourself?”
“I need time," she whispered. “I cannot come back to you and pretend that nothing ever happened. I just can't do it.”
He stood there staring at her for so long that she had to force herself not to fidget.
Turning away, he gathered up her clothes and tossed them to her. “Take all the time you need.”
Chapter 5
He could have gone after her, prevented her from leaving, but he let her go. He needed time to think anyway. Dragging on his pants and ignoring the underwear and the rest of his clothing, he poured himself another glass of scotch and went to stand by the window. The things she had told him were etched in his brain.
For years, he had been bitter and lost because he believed she had aborted his baby. Now, he had to rethink. He believed her. Her reaction, the tears in her beautiful eyes, the pure anguish on her exquisite face had been very real. She was not that good an actress.
He had been careful or had wanted to be. The first time he had taken her innocence, he had been careless. More like excited, beside himself. It happened suddenly. They had been going out for three months when he went to her place to keep her company.
It had been the winter break, and her parents had gone on location to some remote country and left her behind. His own parents had gone to Australia, and he had refused to go along. His friends made plans to go to a warmer climate and invited him, but he wanted to stay with her.
They had been sitting in her living room, enjoying the huge tree, the blaze of fire in the hearth, and drinking hot cocoa that she had made. The servants had been dismissed for the holiday, so they had the place to themselves.
She had put on some Christmas carols, and they had started dancing. It had been fun and laughter at first until he kissed her. As usual, the minute their lips met, the passion exploded between them. Even now, Hayes could still feel the incredible sensation of her lips against his.
"Hayes, we shouldn't," she whispered.
"I can't stop. I am sorry." They had pledged to wait until her seventeenth birthday, but the heavy necking and groping in their cars, plus in the house whenever her parents were not around, which was a lot, was getting to them. And it was getting increasingly difficult to stop from going all the way.
She had led him to the sofa in silent acceptance. He had been so excited that he had almost climaxed prematurely. The sight of her lush curves, especially her generous breasts with their rounded nipples, had sent passion and desire rushing through his body at an alarming pace.
Swallowing the drink, he eased toward the edge of the sofa, his elbows resting on his thighs, his expression bleak. He recalled wanting to worship her body with his mouth and hands, but that had not happened. He had behaved like an inept schoolboy, which he had been, of course.
For all his experiences with other girls, the expertise he thought he had acquired had disappeared, and he was all awkward thumbs. She excited him like no other.
The feel of her bare flesh, the sight of her, and the taste of her nipples had sent him into such a state of frenzy that it had him speeding things up and apologizing to her. In his acute desire for her, he had bitten into her nipple, causing her pain.
And when he finally climbed on top of her—he had entered her with too much force after promising not to hurt her. It had taken the second act for him to slow things down, but it had been difficult.
Even tonight, being with her had excited him so much that he had hardly been able to bear it. After that first night, he had reluctantly started using protection.
"You are going to have to Hayes," she had insisted. “We have plans, and an unwanted pregnancy is not part of it. We both have our careers to think about, and not to mention, the fact that our parents would kill us. Especially yours.