His Expectant Lover (10 page)

Andie woke up the following morning alone in Antonio’s enormous bed. Looking around, she thought perhaps he was in the bathroom but when she went in there, it was already empty. It was obvious that he’d been in there, but no enormous man with magic hands was standing in front of the mirror shaving.

He wasn’t in the kitchen either.

“Have you seen Antonio?” she asked Ms. Snyder after showering herself and dressing. She was wearing one of the new outfits, but only because the dratted man had taken all of her other clothes.

And really, it did feel nice to be wearing something pretty again. Something that fit her better and was specifically made for a bulging tummy. She was still resentful of how he’d gone about getting her to wear the clothes, but she had to admit that he was right about her comfort level.

“He left for his office about two hours ago,” Ms. Snyder replied. “How about a veggie omelet for breakfast?” she offered.

Andie wasn’t really hungry and started to say that, but then her baby kicked and she froze, her hand moving to cover the spot where she’d felt the movement. A smile formed on her face and she gently rubbed the spot, almost as if she were already soothing her unborn baby. “That would be great,” she replied, truly grateful for the woman’s support. If she were back in her apartment, she’d just skip breakfast, or have a glass of milk.

Okay, so it was good that she was here with Antonio for more than just the clothes. She sure wasn’t going to admit that to him though!

“What can I do to help?” she asked.

Ms. Snyder shook her head and poured a cup of herbal tea for Andie. “Not a thing. Just sit there and relax.”

Andie’s eyes looked around at the counter, suddenly remembering her midnight raid on the freezer. But looking around, she realized that the remains of her ice pop as well as the ice cream container were nowhere to be seen. She couldn’t imagine what Ms. Snyder must have thought when she’d arrived for work.

Oh goodness, she thought, her cheeks flaming with color. Antonio had taken her, or his, shirt off of her last night, right here in the kitchen. She had no memory of him picking up the shirt or her underwear.

Goodness, more fuel for Ms. Snyder’s imagination.

Andie had to wave her hands in front of her face to try and cool down after the memories of the previous night hit her. They’d been voracious for each other. Just like that one night together in Milan, neither of them had been able to keep their hands off of each other. She blamed it on the pregnancy hormones because if she’d been in her right mind, she never would have fallen for him again.

“Oh, Mr. Alfieri left a note for you,” Ms. Snyder said as she swept some chopped up vegetables into a pan to start sautéing them. “Here you go,” she said and handed Andie the note.

“I have an event tonight and would appreciate your attendance if at all possible. A.”

That was all it said. There was no reference to what the event was, what the dress would be. But the one thing that made her feel better was that he asked. And he would “appreciate” her attendance. He wasn’t demanding it.

That made her feel much better.

Ms. Snyder slid a perfectly cooked, cheesy omelet in front of her and Andie dove into the meal. She ate almost half of it before she couldn’t eat another bite. “That was delicious, Ms. Snyder,” she told her, hopping down from the stool. “I think I’ll try to find my computer this morning. Any idea where Antonio might have stored it?”

Ms. Snyder frowned at the remaining omelet but kept her mouth shut. “I believe there is a new laptop in the office upstairs. That one could be yours.”

Andie smiled at the possibility, eager to lose herself in developing a plot to a new book. She loved writing, had been creating stories since she was a little girl. She was horrible at math and hated anything to do with science, but English and literature had been a fascinating world that she could relate to, especially murder mysteries. While other people in her school were learning the Pythagorean Theorem, she was busy researching poisons and forensic crime scene science. She thought it was all absolutely fascinating.

Sure enough, as soon as she stepped into the office, she found her laptop sitting in the middle of the enormous desk. She smoothed her fingers over the edge, loving the way it felt. A computer was her toolbox, she thought with a secret smile.

Sitting down behind the huge desk, she opened her laptop and started working through a new plot. She started with just an outline, but as she started typing, the words began to flow once more.

And so went the days. Over the next month, she rarely saw Antonio unless he was rushing into his penthouse to shower and change for the evening’s events. He would always compliment her on whatever she chose to wear, telling her she looked beautiful or stunning or whatever adjective popped into his mind.

At whatever function they attended, he would introduce her to his friends and acquaintances. He even seemed proud of her, as if he were somehow showing her off to everyone.

And that’s how Andie discovered how generous he was. The man was swamped by anyone who was important at these charity events because he donated millions of dollars to charities each year. Everyone wanted to be photographed with him. He rarely allowed public photos but the paparazzi loved him and snapped photos of him wherever he appeared.

She already knew that he was funny and brilliant, but she also found out just how dry his humor could be while standing by his side each night. Sometimes, people didn’t even know that he was teasing them but she understood and it sent a secret thrill through her whenever he caught her eye during one of those shared moments. It was almost as if they had a secret form of communication going on between them.

And every night, as soon as they walked into his penthouse, he would take her into his arms and make love to her until she was breathless and screaming out his name, begging him for the release that only he could give to her. She was craving his body now, eagerly anticipating their nights together.

Unfortunately, she wanted to understand what she meant to him. Because every night in his company, every time he made love to her, she fell a little more in love with him. She knew now that her love in Italy had been only a novice love. It had still been real, but what she felt for him currently was much more complex, much more intense.

She didn’t dare say the words though, remembering the pain after she’d said them back in Milan. Things were fine, she told herself every morning, even though she woke up alone, wishing he was still with her. She was in his life and there was no way she’d say those words of love, no matter how much her heart cried out to tell him, to express what she was feeling inside.

So now, whenever she wanted to tell him how much she loved him, every time he kissed her and made her feel like the only woman in his life, she bit her lip and kept her feelings quiet. She wasn’t going to ruin this again. She would just love him deep in her heart, never letting him hear those words that had so thoroughly horrified him the last time she’d said them.

It was a lonely existence though. She didn’t want to spend her days by herself. She loved all the extra time she had to work and she knew that her writing was improving now that she didn’t have the stress of trying to earn a living and pay the rent. It was also unbelievably nice to have servants to cook and clean, to do all the grocery shopping. It was also wonderful to have an exercise room in the penthouse so she could gently work out whenever the mood struck her.

But she wanted friends. She missed having a social life, going out to lunch with fellow models or the writers’ meetings she used to attend.

As she sat in Antonio’s office for the third week, her baby kicking up a storm, she decided that enough was enough. She would go back to her writers’ meetings and she would get out of this penthouse. It was lovely, but it wasn’t hers. She still felt like she was tiptoeing around. Looking at the diamond on her fingers, she also wished she knew what he was going to do about marriage. She’d love to talk to him about it, but that would mean revealing her feelings and insecurities. Again, she wasn’t going to mess things up by declaring anything he didn’t want to hear again.

But oh, it would be nice to just have a private conversation with Antonio. They were so busy with social engagements and she just wanted a quiet dinner with him, alone, no one else to meet and greet. She remembered sitting across the table from him in Italy and how nice it was to talk about…just anything! The way things were now, they were polite strangers that had hot, passionate sex at night.

She sighed and looked out the window. It was yet another dreary winter day, the clouds blocking out the sunshine. Just like her mood. Confusion, loneliness and desire were more a part of her day than ever before.

Andie plastered the smile on her face and tried to keep herself from yawning. Antonio had his arm around her no-longer trim waist and all she wanted to do was lean into him. Or better yet, get out of this latest event and curl up into a ball to fall asleep. She could picture Antonio’s bed where she’d stacked extra pillows to prop up her belly at night along with a few more to go between her legs. She loved the way Antonio made love to her every night, then curled up behind her as they slept. Falling asleep snuggled in his arms, surrounded by pillows was the best feeling in the world.

Okay, so it would be even better if he loved her, but she was taking things slowly this time around. If he never felt that way about her…well, she wasn’t sure how she would feel about that. One day at a time, she told herself firmly.

Antonio was laughing about something someone said so she laughed as well, even though she had no idea what had just been said. When she felt him stiffen suddenly, she instantly knew that something was wrong. No one bothered Antonio. He had a tough exterior that never faltered. Besides, no one would dare to insult him. Good grief, they didn’t even challenge him in the business world from what she’d learned after reading numerous articles about him. Antonio took no prisoners when it came to business. If there was a threat to one of his holdings, he eliminated that threat. Destroyed it. She’d heard him talking on the phone recently about a competitor who had dared to try and nudge into his territory on a sales issue. That competitor was no longer in business. It had happened so quickly too! One night the man had approached Antonio, a smug smile on his face as he explained how he was moving into Antonio’s region. The following week, she’d overheard someone else talk about how the man had declared bankruptcy. When she’d looked up at Antonio, he’d had a blank expression on his face, but she could see the truth in his eyes.

She shivered, wondering what it would be like to be on the opposite side of the conference room table with him. He really was merciless when it came to business issues.

So what was bothering him now? She looked around, scanning the crowd of beautifully dressed people, not sure who had gotten under that thick, protective armor of his.

“Antonio?” she whispered up to him, her eyes looking to his to try and find out what was wrong.

She saw where he was looking and glanced in that direction. A stunningly beautiful woman was approaching, holding the arm of a dapper looking man in a good looking tuxedo. The man didn’t compare in any way to Antonio and falling far short of Antonio’s casual elegance but the possessive look on the woman’s face as she devoured Antonio had Andie’s temper firing high.

“Hello, Antonio,” she said, leaning up to kiss him. Andie noticed that the woman aimed for Antonio’s lips but he turned his head so her disgustingly glossy lips fell on his cheek instead.

“Hello Melissa,” he replied, stiff and forbidding, stepping back and pulling Andie close once more.

The woman didn’t appear to be deterred by Antonio’s cool greeting. “How have you been?” she asked, moving back to the other man.

Antonio shrugged. “I’m fine. You?” he asked, but his tone implied that he didn’t really care.

Melissa also shrugged. “I miss you,” she said, unconcerned with the irritated look on the other man’s face.

“Married life suits you,” he came right back. “I’m Antonio Alfieri,” he said, extending his hand to the other man.

“Gerard Cheffers,” he said, his British accent coming through in his response.

Antonio turned to Andie. “This is my fiancée, Andie Knight.”

Andie extended her hand as well, first to the man and then to the woman. Melissa barely glanced at Andie while Gerard was charming and polite. “It is a pleasure,” he said. “When is the wedding?”

Andie stammered, not sure what to say. “We haven’t set a date yet,” she finally answered with the pat reply she’d been giving to everyone who asked. When others had asked, she hadn’t minded but it seemed very important to have a date in front of this Melissa woman. She was almost licking her lips at Antonio, insulting both Andie and Gerard.

“I heard through the grapevine that you have two boys,” Antonio said, obviously trying to be polite but having a hard time.

Melissa’s harsh laughter sounded grating. “Oh yes,” she said, patting Gerard’s shoulder. “I’ve produced the requisite ‘heir and a spare’, haven’t I dear?”

Gerard was practically sneering at her now. “Oh yes, you’ve done your duty, my love.”

Melissa snickered at what was a private joke. It didn’t seem very humorous to the listeners. Nor to Gerard who was glowering now. In fact, Melissa was really the only one who seemed to find any humor in her quip.

“So who is the father?” she asked Andie.

Andie stiffened at that point and looked up at Antonio. She laid a hand on his arm, gentling him because she could see that he was about to explode. “It’s okay,” she said softly, grateful that he was more than willing, eager actually, to jump in to defend her. “I’m going to go get more club soda. I’ll be right back.” Andie had no need for another drink but there was no way she was going to stand here and be insulted by a woman who was obviously an ex-lover of Antonio. Jealousy cut through her with a sharp stab but she continued to walk with her head held high, heading towards the ladies’ room.

She freshened up, applying lipstick and washing her hands, but what she really wanted was to get out of this event. She wanted to head home and just curl up, experience Antonio’s magic once more. There wasn’t a lot she could count on in this strange relationship, but Antonio’s passion, and his shocking ability to satisfy her body’s deepest cravings, was one of them.

“He’s such a delicious lover, isn’t he?”

Andie swung around, faced with the woman who had basically chased her into the bathroom in the first place.

“Excuse me?” Andie replied, but she didn’t. Excuse her, that is. Melissa Cheffers was insulting and offensive.

The woman in question sauntered closer, her brown eyes assessing Andie’s pregnant body. “Well, you obviously know all about it. So I can speak freely. He was the best!” and Melissa shivered, closing her eyes as she pretended to remember having sex with Antonio. “We were in college together. He was so dominant and demanding. Is he still?” she asked, her eyes sultry and hopeful.

Andie shook her head, amazed that the woman was actually asking her that kind of a question. “I don’t know you,” she said calmly. “And I think your questions are completely out of line. Please excuse me.”

Melissa obviously wasn’t finished though. “Oh, no, darling,” she said with a condescending voice. “I think it is only fair to warn you that I’m going to get Antonio back. I’ve done my duty to my husband and now it is time we had some fun. Not with each other.”

Andie looked at the woman’s hard eyes. They’d been so pretty initially but the look now told Andie that the woman was determined. She stiffened her spine and faced her competition head on. “It appears that you’ve already lost him,” Andie said, her hand covering her stomach with the obvious sign that she was pregnant. “So just back off and go find someone who is more receptive to your poisonous talons.”

Melissa laughed. “You think a silly pregnancy is going to stop me? Not even a wedding ring would keep me from getting back into Antonio’s bed.” She glanced at her nails, pretending to ensure that they were still perfectly manicured.

Andie had never been a violent person, but seeing this woman, hearing her declare that she was blatantly going to seduce her man made her see red. “Stay away from Antonio,” Andie grated out furiously. “You apparently had your chance, but failed.”

“Oh, I didn’t fail. I just didn’t know that Antonio would be so insanely wealthy. I only knew him in college.” She shrugged her shoulders delicately. “I’m trading up, is all. You understand, dear. It is the law of the jungle.” She looked around at the elegant bathroom. “We might pretend a veneer of sophistication, but in the end, the wealthiest are the winners in this competition.”

Andie couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “You mean that you had Antonio and you dumped him?”

Melissa’s smug smile slowly formed. “And I can get him back like that,” she said and snapped her fingers.

Andie looked at the woman for a long moment, her words running through her mind. And then it hit her. Melissa had dumped Antonio. He wasn’t a man to suffer fools easily and if she’d gone and married another man, Antonio probably wanted nothing to do with her.

“No,” Andie said, her body relaxing finally. “No, Antonio won’t have anything to do with you. And I’m grateful because he’s a good man. A kind man.” She heard the snort from the other woman and shook her head. “And if you don’t know that about him, then that only confirms that you and Antonio weren’t very close at all. He’s kind and generous and…” She’d been about to say warm hearted but she didn’t want to lie.

Andie moved closer to the beautiful, treacherous woman. “What’s more?” She paused, letting the other woman understand that Andie was not someone Melissa could walk over. “He’s mine.”

Andie turned at that point and walked out of the ladies’ room, refusing to spend another moment in that viper’s presence. She quickly found Antonio, mostly because he was so much taller than the others in the room but also because her eyes seemed to continuously be drawn to his handsome façade. There was so much about him to admire and yet, she couldn’t truly say that he was her man. Yes, she lived in his amazing penthouse and they were going to have a baby together, they spent their nights in each other’s arms and she loved him with all of her heart and mind. But at the end of the day, Andie knew that she couldn’t really call Antonio hers. She loved him almost painfully, but that love was not returned and she had no idea how he felt about her. It could just be possessiveness or simple desire. Because of that insecurity, there was a large amount of doubt as to what will happen in the future between them. She wasn’t sure of her position in his life, except to be the mother of his child.