“You said that they want to be with you for your name, why?”
My head rests against the elevator wall and when I turn to look at Sirena she meets my eyes. “I own a small chain of luxury hotels and villas,” I admit. “All everyone sees are dollars signs.” I chuckle bitterly.
“Instead of the man beneath,” Sirena adds. “That’s a shame.”
Silence follows and as I let it wash over me I realize that I’ve admitted more to Sirena in those few sentences than I have to anyone else. I also have a feeling that she has done the same when she talked about her bastard of a husband.
“What do you think is taking so long?” Sirena asks and starts to fidget.
“I don’t know. Are you okay?” My body turns toward her and I catch a wince of pain flicker in her eyes.
“For the past month I get back ache and it can get rather painful.” She lets go of my hand and slips it against her back.
I can’t bear to see her in pain so I quickly stand and hold my hands out to her. She glances back and forth between my hands and my face and then slips her hands into mine.
With a tug I have her on her feet and turn her to face the wall. “Take your jacket off and I’ll rub your back for you. I can’t just watch you suffer.”
She hesitates but then her jacket comes off and drops to the floor.
“You really don’t have to do this.” She bites her lip, which I see through the mirrored wall.
“I know I don’t,” I whisper as my gaze wanders over her slender back and curvy bottom that leads to legs that I’ll be dreaming about later.
I push back my arousal and slowly start to rub her lower back. I clamp my jaw shut tightly in determination to be nothing but respectful toward her. Her hands rest against the wall facing us and when she moans in pleasure it goes straight to my balls. It doesn’t help when I watch her reaction through the mirror and notice the tight buds of her nipples against her thin shirt. My eyes quickly lift to her face and that’s when I feel a blush start to rise up my neck at having been caught.
“Sirena,” I whisper.
“I know.” She dips her head so when I slowly start to massage up along her spine, I move her hair to the side and place a kiss to the nape of her neck.
She shivers and presses against my hands as I continue to massage her lower back. I move my lower body away so that she doesn’t discover exactly what her moans are doing to me.
“Oh, she kicked.” She smiles and presses a hand to her stomach.
I watch in amazement as her baby kicks and stretches in the safe confines of her mother’s belly.
Our eyes meet and she nervously chews on her swollen lip, which drives me crazy. I want it to be my mouth that chews and licks along her deliciously plump lips. It makes me sad to realize that it will never happen—can never happen.
“Do you . . . um, want to feel her kick?” she offers and my fingers twitch. “It’s okay.” She smiles. “I think we’ve gone past the awkward stranger stage.”
Sirena taking my silence as agreement, slips her hand over mine on her hip, and slowly slides it up to her belly and holds it close. My body heats at being so close to her and blood rushes south at the feel of her against my front . . . and then her baby pushes against my hand and her smile lights her face and does something to my heart.
“A miracle, Sirena,” I whisper into her ear as my other hand goes to her hip to keep her close. I nuzzle closer and inhale the subtle scent of her apple shampoo.
My eyes go to the mirror and the look of arousal on Sirena’s face as her eyes drift closed causes my hands to tremble, the want running through my body.
I know this is wrong but I want this one moment in time with this beautiful woman. I kiss the curve of her neck and move my hand from her hip to cover hers on the wall. Our fingers intertwine and the fingers of my other hand spread over her belly.
Sirena opens her eyes and locks on to mine, letting her head drop back against my shoulder. She turns her face up to meet mine . . . and the elevator makes a sudden and loud cranking noise before it starts to move downwards.
I curse softy under my breath and slowly step away from her, making sure that she doesn’t stumble. “Let me help you.” I grab her jacket from the floor and help her back into it before scooping up my own and grabbing my briefcase.
Knowing that I can’t leave her without someway of getting in touch, I ask, “Cell phone,” and hold my hand out for it.
Sirena looks almost relieved when she passes it over and watches me input the numbers. “My home number is in there along with my personal cell number. If you need anything . . . anything at all call me. Even if you only want someone to talk to.” I pass it back to her and the doors swish open.
“Sirena.” In a whirlwind of movement, her brother dashes inside and wraps her up in his arms. “Are you alrig
ht? The baby?”