“That’s such a cute way to portray her. You do know she’s a grown woman with a child,” she teased him.
“Yeah, I know. We were all shocked when she announced she was pregnant with Daniel. She was only nineteen when he was born, and she refused to tell any of us who his father is. I think Sebastian and Sutton were on the verge of organizing a lynch mob. But she’s done an amazing job of raising him on her own, and she’s taught him a lot about compassion and sharing, too.”
“He’s a darling kid. I really liked being with him.”
Miles rolled onto his side and looked Chloe in the eye. “Have you ever thought about having kids?”
“Of course. I love kids. I always hoped I’d have two or three of my own one day. When I was with the right man, of course. I know a lot of strong women, like your sister, tackle raising a child on their own, but having spent most of my life without a father figure, I would prefer to have an involved and present father there for my children.”
Miles knew it was still early days in their relationship but it gave him a deep sense of satisfaction to hear that Chloe’s views on parenting were so similar to his own. Wanting a family and raising that family with a woman he considered his equal and enjoyed having by his side was part of the reason he’d bought the three-story town house he had back in Chicago. There was a yard out back; they’d be close to the Park for bike rides and walks. And for everything else they could always come back to Texas.
This business with WinJet and his family was a temporary thing, he was sure. While it looked bad right now, he had no doubt that eventually they’d be cleared of the charges that had been laid against them. Until that happened, though, he was bound to support his family. And, while his own personal wealth and his business wasn’t affected by this, yet, he couldn’t honestly think of or plan for a future until the present was more secure. But when it was, he was looking forward to exploring that concept of the future with the woman lying here with him on the bed.
And speaking of the woman lying on the bed, her hand, which had been massaging the muscles of his chest had begun a slow, but determined, trajectory to the waistband of his trousers. Instantly his flesh leaped to attention. It seemed that no matter the external stressors in his life, one thing remained constant. His powerful attraction to Chloe Fitzgerald.
“Is that linen you’re wearing?” he asked her.
A puzzled frown appeared between her eyes. “Yes, why?”
“That stuff creases badly—you should probably take it off.”
“Is that right?” she purred.
Chloe withdrew her hand and sat up on the bed, reaching for the tab of her zipper.
“Here, let me,” he said, also rising to a sitting position.
He brushed her hand away and reached for the tab, then ever so slowly lowered it, inch by inch exposing smooth honey-colored skin. Then he bent forward, and with his other hand, brushed her hair off her neck and placed his lips at her nape. He felt the tremor that rippled through her body in response to his touch. Emboldened, he lowered the zipper farther, placing kisses on each vertebra of her back as he did so.
It only took a moment to push the garment off her shoulders and down to her waist. Miles stood and pulled her to her feet, letting the dress slip to the floor in a heap and leaving her standing there in pristine white lingerie that was anything but innocent. Behind the sheer lace of the cups of her bra he saw her sweet pink nipples tighten, and he reached for her, thumbing those taut peaks through the fabric.
“Stay there,” he directed as he swiftly undid the buttons of his shirt and tugged it free of his waistband before shedding it and throwing it down beside him.
He stepped forward and wrapped her in his arms, bending his head to hers. She lifted her lips in response and he kissed her, his tongue gently probing past her lips to dance against her tongue before withdrawing. The taste of her, hell, everything about her, intoxicated him on every level. And he couldn’t get enough.
He reached for the clasp of her bra and, with the deft fingers of one hand, unsnapped the hooks. The confection of fabric fell free and he gingerly tugged it off her, exposing her small perfect breasts to his gaze. He didn’t waste another second. He bent his head to her breast, taking one nipple in his mouth and rolling the tight bud with his tongue. Chloe moaned and clutched at his head, holding him there as he kissed and licked and sucked her. He could spend an eternity with Chloe and still never have enough of her.
He carefully walked her backward to the bed and guided her down on the covers before tugging her panties off and tossing them on the growing pile of attire on the floor. Then, he shucked off the rest of his clothes and joined her on the bed. He lay beside her, propped up on one arm while he traced the glorious feminine lines of her body with his other hand.
“You know, these past couple of weeks have really opened my eyes.”
She writhed beneath his touch and her eyes met his. “They have?”
“Yeah. I can see that being with the right person can make anything bearable. I think you could be my right person, Chloe.”
For the briefest moment she looked conflicted and she briefly averted her gaze. When she looked back at him, her eyes shone with unshed tears. “Oh, Miles. That’s a beautiful thing to say. Thank you. I feel honored that you feel that way about me, and I have to be completely honest with you and admit I never expected to want to make your world right or to need you as much as I do. But I do.”
He didn’t know how to tell her what her words meant to him. Instead, he showed her with his body just how much she meant to him. He moved over her and settled between her legs and relished the feel of her hands as they stroked his back and clutched at his buttocks, urging him to take her and drive them both to the pinnacle of their need for one another. So he did, and as he entered her body he knew he’d found the place he needed to be—not just now, but forever—and it was with her.
* * *
It was a couple of days later, and Chloe had gone riding with Harley and Daniel, when his mother asked him if he could meet with her and Keith Cooper for lunch at the club. Ava, it seemed, was determined for everyone around them to see that things within the family were strictly business as usual and even though the news had not yet broken about the asset freeze at WinJet, Miles knew it wouldn’t be long before it was front page news.
The family had spent many hours in meetings discussing the best ways to manage the impending fallout. To that end, Zeke had been working overtime with a trusted handful of staff in the marketing department
. Miles could only hope his cousin’s preemptive damage control would do its job.
He’d been catching up on Steel Security business from the estate today, and as he drove out to the club, he decided there was little he could still do from here that was any concrete help to his family, other than showing a united front. He’d discuss it with Chloe, but he felt it was definitely time for them to head home. He knew she had classroom prep and shopping to do for the rapidly approaching start of the school year, too.