Book One: Chapter 17


    Dinner was simmering when Macey arrived. He hadn’t said he was cooking so she assumed he


    ordered takeout until she found them in the kitchen. She set her bag down as the kids ran to greet her.


    Julius left his station to give her a peck on the cheek before escorting her to the table that was already


    set for four. There was a colorful bouquet in the center and even a pair of lit candles.


    “Mommy! We made dinner!” Aria and Caden announced.


    “Made…dinner…” Macey’s gaze traveled to the kitchen and the tell tale signs they had been cooking


    rather than simply dressing up delivery. “You really cooked.”


    “Of course,” Julius slipped an arm around her waist and kissed her again. “I’ll admit it’s been awhile so


    be generous.”


    He held out her chair. Once he seated them he served the meal with a flourish. Julius had considered


    champagne but with the kids present he settled for sparkling grape juice. Watching their delighted


    faces as they ate the meal he provided warmed him as nothing before. He liked the feeling of providing


    for his family.


    After dinner he cleaned up allowing Macey to rx and listen as the twins recounted their day at the


    zoo and showed off their souvenirs. Once he finished in the kitchen and joined them the twins made


    him sit at the coffee table so they could color together. Macey watched their interaction with a smile as


    she checked her emails and made ns for her next photo session. The kids had eight weeks of


    summer vacationing and she hoped to make good use of it while they had the freedom to travel.


    But now she was having second thoughts. Maybe the kids would prefer to spend more time with their


    father and family.


    She knew Augustus hoped they’d stay in the States but the kids had friends andmitments in


    Europe and so did she. For six years their life revolved around Paris she couldn’t just move them on a


    whim, could she? But maybe for the summer they coulde back for a few weeks.


    All her original ns had been made before seeing Julius again. Macey knew seeing him again would


    be difficult but she hadn’t expected him to be so excited to see their children. It amazed her how easily


    he fell into the father role but would he be able to maintain his enthusiasm?


    Having kids was so much more than zoo trips and ying games. It was also nursing colds and fighting


    to get them ready for school. Macey couldn’t help her fears and insecurities but watching him with the


    kids made her imagine what it would be like to have him always there. Quietly she pulled out her


    camera and snapped pictures while they were preupied wanting to capture the moment.


    Nearing bedtime Macey prepared the twins’ bath and again Julius helped them dress in their pajamas.


    Aria pestered him for a bedtime story this time picked by Caden who went with Horton Hears a Who by


    Dr. Seuss. Julius gathered both in hisp to read. Macey snapped more pictures as unobtrusively as


    she could before putting away her camera to help get them to bed.


    Once the kids were tucked in Macey closed the door and again found herself alone with Julius.


    Hesitating she said, “Thank you…for watching the kids.”


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    “You don’t have to thank me for that,” Julius watched her, his gaze burning with desire as he struggled


    to hold himself in check.


    “And thank you for dinner.”


    “You don’t have to thank me for that either.”


    His arms slowly came around her and pulled her close as his lips found hers. All evening he wanted to


    kiss her and now he couldn’t hold back. A simple peck on the cheek was not enough. The only way his


    day could have been better was if she had gone to the zoo with them. Her hands reached up cupping


    his neck as he deepened the kiss. He could feel it, her desire, as her body grinded against his. Hope


    she still wanted him as much as he wanted her filled his chest.


    Yet he still felt her reluctance while her mind and body warred with each other. Julius didn’t know what


    he would do if her mind ultimately won and she rejected him. He didn’t want to face the answer. Even


    now he could sense it as he slowly ended the kiss still holding her closer. He had to leave before he


    pushed her too far.


    “…I should go…” he forced the words out not releasing his embrace waiting for her to push him away.


    “…Or…you could stay,” Macey whispered so low she might not have known she spoke aloud.


    Julius froze not certain if he heard her correctly. Sucking in a breath he cradled her face in his hands


    staring into her eyes. He had to hear it again, “Macey?”


    Her green eyes swirled with emotions: fear, insecurity, desire, need…Macey bit her lip unsure if she


    dared repeat herself. What if he really didn’t want her? What if this was just some sort of game? There


    was only one way to be sure. Barely breathing she whispered, “Stay.”


    His gaze softened and a smile crept onto his face. Leaning forward so their foreheads touched he


    pulled her tight against him. Before he captured her mouth again he whispered, “As you wish.”


    Macey blushed at the quote from her favorite movie. He remembered!


    Her arms wrapped around his neck and he suddenly hoisted her off her feet and her legs encircled his


    waist. Carrying her to the master bedroom he barely managed to kick the door closed before lowering


    her onto the bed. He trailed kisses down her neck as his hands worked their way under her shirt. Her


    back arched in response wanting him closer.


    Fighting control he peeled away her top revealing her milky, fair skin and perky breasts. She always


    hands and mouth. Sitting up Macey helped him out of his shirt and tugged at his pants surprised by her


    own boldness. She had always been shy during their love making but there was a new sort of


    confidence in her body that drove him mad with need.


    Julius quickly stripped her of the barriers keeping her body from his even as he kicked away thest of


    his clothesstly pulling out the clip tying her hair back so he could run his fingers through it freely. She


    moaned as he kissed down her neck, his hand kneading her perfect breast. He was already hard for


    her but he wanted to pleasure her first. Lowering his head he sucked on her nipple grazing it with his


    teeth earning him the sounds he wanted as she moaned. His hand slipped lower teasing her already


    moist entrance.


    Macey gasped as his fingers slid inside her, his thumb ying with her nub. She had forgotten his


    preupation with her body. Even when they were first married he liked to tease her in various ways. It


    was difficult to tell if it was his skill and knowledge or her six years of abstinence but her first orgasm


    came quickly. She moaned his name as her body clenched around his fingers. He smiled against her


    throat drawing out her pleasure.


    “Fuck,” he hoarsely whispered. “Damn Macey. Do you want me to use anything?”


    He was ready but he didn’t want her to fear the consequences of their first night together in six years.


    The thought of her carrying another of his children thrilled him but she wasn’t ready…not yet. There


    was time.


    “Mmm…no. I’m already on birth control,” Macey moaned her body stilling down from its peak. Her


    menstrual cycle had always been somewhat erratic so she used birth control to even it out.


    His tongue darted into her mouth twisting around hers. She moaned as his hand caressed her butt and


    thigh. Her back arched as he thrust into her. He pressed in letting her body amodate him. She


    groaned at the pain of his entrance but it quickly faded to pleasure as her body recalled his.


    Pulling out he thrust into her again finding his rhythm. Macey moaned rocking with him matching his


    pace. He nibbled her ear thrusting hard as his hand pulled at her hip. Her back arched. Her next


    orgasm was so close. He felt it. He teased it and groaned as her body locked around him. She called


    his name as he filled her.


    They caught their breath together. Julius captured her mouth slowly pulling out of her and holding her


    close as he rolled onto his side. His fingers trailed down her back, fondling her curves. She snuggled


    into his chest reveling in his gentle caresses. Her body quivered with the aftershocks of her pleasure.


    “Julius…”


    “…Shhh. Sleep beautiful…I love you.”


    She muttered unintelligibly but it was not clear if she heard him.


    * * *


    “What the Hell is this!”


    Katherine jolted awake as her father burst into her bedroom. She yanked off the padded eye cover and


    blinked at the bright light streaming through the open doorway. Her father tossed a magazine on her


    bed as her mother hurried into the room startled by the loud shouts.


    “Honey, what is the matter?”


    “Daddy?” Katherine asked.


    “Exin that!”


    Katherine picked up the magazine discovering it was a tabloid called the Eagle. On the cover it


    dered Trouble in Paradise and below it was an image of Katherine on the sidewalk after being


    thrown out of the DaLair office building. In the corner it asked: Who is Julius DaLair’s New Woman?


    Turn to page six for details.


    Shaking in anger Katherine tore through the magazine to the correct page to see several photos of


    Julius and his mysterious redhead. There was arge photo of her in his arms their lips pressed


    together. Another photo showed them waiting on the sidewalk for the valet as Julius ced his jacket


    over her shoulders and yet another showed him helping her into his car. The article was full of


    spection but nowhere did it offer an answer. Who was this mysterious woman?


    Katherine’s face burned with embarrassment as she saw the scenes that had yed out in front of her


    the previous night. Somehow they even captured a photo of her as she watched Juliusvish attention


    on his new woman.


    “You want to exin this?” her father demanded. “We’ve been spending money like water on your


    wedding all because you said it was a sure thing! Who is this woman?”


    “I—I don’t know. She showed up out of nowhere.”


    “She just showed up?” her father scoffed. “Does this look like she just showed up? Two years he has


    barely touched you and yet he’s all over her!”


    “D-daddy it’s not like that!”


    “Really. What have I told you? The hotel is hemorrhaging money! We are bankrupt! If we want to avoid


    the streets you need to marry someone rich! You said you had it taken care of!”


    “It’s all a mistake, daddy,” Katherine assured him. “I’ll fix it!”


    “You better or your entire family will be living under a bridge!”