Incredible Beauty (So Many Reasons 2)

“Yes. I’d forged documents in his name when I was broke and desperate for a hit. He had the ability to send me to jail for a long time. So I left. You were happy with them, I could see that. I moved across the country where I met Phillip.”

“It must have been so hard for you to leave me,” I mumbled.

“It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. The day you emailed me, I can’t even tell you how I felt…” she sobbed as the words caught in her throat. “I tried a few times to get in contact with Garry to see how you were going, but I never got a reply. Mom would update me.”

“Gran never told you about the attack?” I said, surprised.

“I think she didn’t tell me because there was nothing I could do. I couldn’t reach out to you, or help you. I think she was trying to protect me.” That sounded a lot like gran.

I stood up and moved closer to Maria, wrapping my arms around her. I could almost feel her let go of the anxiety and guilt she’d been carrying for the last twenty years.

“I love you Maria and I’m so glad you’re here,” I whispered, kissing her cheek. She kissed me back, her face wet with tears. The front door opened and the girls and Simon walked back in. I glanced at my watch, surprised they were back so early. Five o clock! We had been talking for nearly three hours!

“Hey,” Simon smiled, handing me Mirabella, “you two look happy,” he joked, referencing our tear stained faces.

“We are happy,” I agreed, cradling my daughter as Maria held her tiny hand.

“Well we spent an absolute fortune on Maddie,” he announced, flopping into an armchair. “And the girls were rather impressed with the mall,” he added. Maria smiled and raised her eyebrows at the girls, who nodded.

We ordered Chinese for dinner and watched movies, Maria and the girls finally agreeing to stay with us rather than the hotel. The evening was perfect.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Emma

The next few days were flat out busy, between helping Maria get set up in the new house and looking after the baby, I was exhausted. Simon had been trying to convince me to take things easy, but there was so much to be done I couldn’t stop my mind from running when I rested anyway.

Saturday rolled around before I knew it. Today was the day of Maddie’s birthday and the first time I would’ve seen Claire since she kissed Simon. The thing that surprised me the most was that it was not so much the leaving the house, or the attending a party that had me worked up, it was the talk I had decided I was going to have with Claire. The one where I let her know that kissing my fiancé was just not on.

Maria and the girls had taken Mirabella out for the day. I loved how quickly she had fallen into the grandmother role, especially since my parents had resumed their trip in Europe as soon as I was released from hospital. That got to me. It hurt me that they hadn’t stuck around to make sure I was coping. I knew Simon had told them Maria was coming over, but I didn’t think that was a valid reason for them to skip the country so soon after my near death experience.

“Fuck you look amazing,” Simon had crept up behind me and was admiring my reflection in the mirror. I had to admit I did look pretty good in my tight black pants and cream shirt. I looked sexy, but not inappropriate for a child’s birthday party. Turning around with his arms still around me, I placed my own arms around his neck, playing with the hair on the back of his head.

“You don’t look too bad yourself,” I said, raising an eyebrow as I took in his tousled dark hair, fitted shirt and jeans. “I’m a lucky woman.”

“Yeah?” he said, his hand trailing around to my front, playing with my shirt buttons. The top one popped open, followed by the second, revealing my white lace bra. He leaned down and kissed my breast, the feel of his tongue on the soft skin of my breast sending me into a spin. “I like this,” he mumbled, tugging roughly at the cup of my bra until my nipple was visible. I sighed as it disappeared into his mouth, pushing my body against his as the need for him began to grow inside of me.

In an instant, my top and bra were on the floor and he was working me out of my pants, continuous kisses trailing down my body.

“You sure you’re okay with this?” he asked, undoing his jeans. I responded by grasping either side of his shirt and ripping it open. I giggled as buttons flew everywhere. “Really?” he muttered, hoisting me onto his hips and pushing me onto the dressing table. Perfumes and make-up scattered everywhere as he thrust his hard cock inside of me.

“Ahh!” I yelped, as that first thrust pushed deep inside of me.

“You okay?” he kissed me, his lips again on my nipple, sucking it. I grasped the back of his head as he ground himself into me harder and harder.

“God you feel so good,” he gasped, wrapping me in his arms as he released inside of me. “Why did you have to go and look all damn sexy?” he grumbled, kissing me, his mouth on mine.

“I’ve missed that,” I panted, dizzy from the euphoria of my own orgasm.

“Arms around my neck,” he ordered suddenly. I did as I was asked, crying out as he lifted me onto his hips again. He carried me into the shower, testing the temperature of the water before dumping me in it.

“Now I have to re-do my hair and make-up,” I protested.

“Yes, but was it worth it?” he asked, chuckling. I nodded.

Definitely.

We were only ten minutes late to the party, which was pretty good considering the ‘unexpected delay’ we had faced.