The Tycoon's Blondie (The Tycoon Series Book 2) (10 page)

“No, it’s not
that.  I just…I have a slight fear of heights and a helicopter is so…so open.”

“Sweetlips,
all you need to do is keep your eyes on the horizon.  I promise I am a very
good pilot.”

Rather than
waste more time, Allison grudgingly gave in and got into the helicopter with
wobbly legs.  She clenched her teeth and closed her eyes when the main rotor
blades shuddered and started to rotate.  Tiaan chuckled when they were halfway there
and he realized she still had her eyes tightly shut.

“
It is not
funny, Tiaan. I am scared shitless!
”

“Easy, baby. 
I’ll never do anything to put your life in danger.  Here, put your hand on my
thigh.”

He took her
hand and placed it on his thigh, keeping his hand over hers.

“No, you need
both your hands!”

“Relax, baby. 
This is a chopper, not a plane.  I can do everything I need to up here with one
hand.”

He radioed
their impending landing to the Hospital tower and circled until they received
the authorization to land.  He sat the chopper down with precise expertise and
as soft as a bouncing ball.

He folded his
hand around her chin and turned her head his way.

“You can open
your eyes now, baby.”

Her eyes
popped open and they glittered like dark ash.  He smiled and kissed her softly.

“Call me when
you’re done.  I am literally five minutes away.”

Allison nodded
and waited as instructed while he walked around the chopper to help her down. 
He walked her to the door leading from the roof into the Hospital and drew her
against him for another hug. 

“Go, resuscitate
that kids teeth.”

“Oh, funny
guy.”

Allison turned
and ran down the stairs with a smile around her lips.  It was wonderful to have
someone who cared.

Chapter Ten

Allison kept receiving phone
calls from an unknown number but no messages were ever left.  She was too busy
to allow it to affect her.

The following
weekend Tiaan was adamant that they collect the rest of her things from her
house. 

“What is the
rush, Tiaan?  I have more than enough clothes here.  We can fetch the re…”

“What reason
is there not to fetch it, Allison?  You committed to moving in with me and now
you are stalling again.  I never do anything half-assed. Either you move in or you
don’t.  Which one is it?”

“Tiaan, don’t
be unreasonable. Of course I moved in.  I just don’t nee…”

“As long as
the majority of your things are still at your house, you are just a visitor
here.  Visitors don’t get to spend the night in my bed, Allison.  I committed
to you because I am fucking done with that. I want you here with me every day
and night.  You better decide what it is you want and you better do it now.”

He stomped out
of the kitchen where she was busy preparing breakfast and she heard a splash in
the pool as he dove in for a swim.   Probably to cool down his ire.  Allison
sighed and finished breakfast.  He ignored her call for breakfast and she ended
up throwing everything in the bin, having lost her own appetite.

She watched
him over the following two hours.  First he washed their cars and then cleaned
the pool filter.  He even assisted the gardener in the garden.  Every time he
walked past her, he completely ignored her.

Allison
contemplated her resistance to fetch her things.  Maybe she was still waiting
for him to step out of line.  She cringed.  Damn Greg for messing with her
ability to trust fully and damn Tiaan for his womanizing ways.  Allison found
it hard to believe that someone who enjoyed the freedom of random sex to transform
overnight.  No matter that he claimed there had not been that many.  She sighed
and squared her shoulders.

Come
on Allison.  Remove your granny panties and take the full leap. 

As Tiaan had
said, either she was in this relationship or she was not.  He seemed to have
committed to it fully.  It was time she did too.  Nothing in life came with
guarantees.  Love least of all.  But if she wanted him to love her, she better
be in his life.

Allison went
to look for Tiaan and found him on the side of the house, discussing fixing one
of the far fences, with his Estate Manager.  He watched her approaching, his
eyes narrowed and his mouth flattened.  She smiled at Billy, whom she had met
before.  He was the manager for both Mason and Tiaan’s Estates.  Waiting until
they finished their discussion, she fiddled with Tiaan’s belt buckle until he
snatched her hands in his and scowled at her.

“Bloody hell,
woman.  Stop that.”

Allison
blushed, mortified as she realized that his cock had hardened and bulged
against his jeans.

“What is it,
Allison?  We are busy.”

“I…ehm…was
wondering.  If you still wanted to collect my things today…we should get going
soon.”

Tiaan stared
at her for a long moment, before he dropped her hands and quickly finished his
discussion with Billy.  He dug his cell phone out of his pocket and phoned
Michael and Charles to meet them at Allison’s house.  She protested the moment
he ended the last call while he ushered her into the SUV that he used on the island. 
He pulled away and headed toward the jetty.

“It’s mainly
clothes.  We don’t need their help.  Until I decide what to do with the place I
am not moving furniture or any of my household items.”

“Maybe, but I
know the amount of
‘only clothes’
Brooklyn arrived at Mason’s with and
if you are anything like her…”

“Tsk, I am not
that bad.  We might have to use both of our cars and go back twice, but we’ll
manage.”

“They already
agreed.  Are you sure you don’t want to bring anything else with you?  We have
a truck in the hangar we use here on the island.”

“Not yet.  I
might not even bring any of my things.  My stuff suits my house, it won’t
necessarily fit in here.”

“Then I want
you to start re-decorating my…our home.”

“There is
nothing wrong with the house as it is.”

“It is not
negotiable, sweetlips. I want you to feel at home, to feel part of the house. 
Besides, I think I’d like to go furniture shopping with you.  You know…testing
out a new bed in the store, that sort of thing.”

Allison’s
dander immediately went into overdrive.  “
Are you telling me that I have
been sleeping in the same bed as your…your floozies?
”

“Well, baby…”

“Oh hell no! 
Turn this car around.  Forget about fetching my stuff.  We are going to buy a
new bed right this minute.  I refuse to sleep in that damn bed another night.”

Tiaan laughed
with delight and he fluffed her hair.  “You heard my Mom, baby.  I’ve never
brought a woman home and I have never slept or spent a full night with any
woman, except you.”

Allison
glowered at him through narrowed eyes.  “Gmphf,” she snorted and turned back to
look out the windshield.

“You don’t
believe me?”

“I think we
both know that what you do with a woman in bed has nothing to do with
sleeping.”

“I like this
side of you.”

“What side?”

“Being so
jealous.”

“I am not
jealous.  I am…as possessive about what is mine as you are.”

“Ah…so I am
yours, baby?”

“For bloody
sure, you are.”

The majority
of the rest of the morning was spent packing her clothes, shoes and bags in
suitcases and boxes that Michael had brought along.

He and Lucas
complained the most about the amount of shoes and handbags she owned.

“What the
devil do you do with all this stuff?  Wear three pairs of shoes a day?”

“Stop
complaining, Cuz, and finish packing.  There are some linens in the linen
closet I’d like to take as well.”

Uncle Paddy
and Allison’s Dad arrived just as Michael and Tiaan loaded the last of the
boxes in the back of their vehicles.  John shook his head.

“Why didn’t
you clear out what you don’t need while you were at it, my girl?”

“Exactly what
I said, Uncle John, but no…I am a man. Apparently I don’t understand.”

Allison
laughed with them, but tsk’ed at Michael.  They left soon after.  Arriving back
at Tiaan’s house, she directed the men to carry everything into the room across
from theirs.  Dolores was like a little mother hen all around Allison and
demanded to help her with the unpacking.  Her niece was visiting as well and
between the three of them they quickly unpacked her clothes, shoes and bags in
the walk-in closet in their room.  Her evening clothes, jackets and shoes that
went along with it, were put away in the closet in the room across the hall.

Allison
carried her valuable jewelery with her and went looking for Tiaan.  She found him
on the patio, in the process of getting ready for a barbeque.

“Everything
done, baby?”

“Most of it. 
You said there is a safe where I could keep my jewelery?”

“Give it to
me, I’ll put it away. Remind me in the morning to show you how it works and
give you the access code.  Michael, please give your cousin something to
drink.”

That night
Tiaan made love to her with so much tenderness and care she cried when she
came.  He kissed her tears away and started again.  It was early morning before
he withdrew from her pulsing pussy and allowed her to sleep.

On Monday afternoon she had just
finished for the day and was clearing her desk when her cell phone rang. She
answered it briskly, not recognizing the number.

“Hello
Sparkles.”

Allison
froze.  The deep, smooth voice jostled her in shock.  She cleared her throat.

“Greg. I did
not think I would hear from you again.”

“Come on now,
Sparks, we were together for far too long to just forget about each other.  I
suppose Savannah told you I am back in town.”

“Yeah, she
did.  Did Simla come with you?”

He was quiet
for a moment.  His voice was hoarse when he spoke again.  “Now, Sparkles love,
don’t be like that.”

Allison
simmered in anger but did not respond.

“I want to see
you, Allison.  I need to see you.  Let’s meet at our usual place in an hour.

Allison’s
anger spiked another notch.  The mere audacity of the man.  To continue to call
her by his special nickname for her, pretending that nothing happened and they
could just pick up where they had left off. Or rather, where he had left off.

“No thank you,
Greg.  I have no desire to meet with you.  You will have to excuse me.  I was
about to leave for the day.”

Allison ended
the call immediately and ignored it when it started ringing again.  She
snatched up her tote bag and stormed out, anger driving her stomping feet.  Her
phone rang once more and again it was the same number and she cursed.  As she
got into her car, her phone beeped.  She opened the text message.

Greg
:
“I am not giving up, Allison.  I made a mistake.  At least allow me the
opportunity to apologize and make it up to you.”

“Apologize and
make it up to me?  One would swear he was late for a date!”

Allison
grumbled in annoyance.  She saved his number to ensure she did not answer the
phone when he rang again and deleted the text message without responding. 
Coming face to face with Greg Scott again was the last thing she wanted to do.

Within thirty
minutes she pulled into an open parking space in front of Sheppard Holdings and
waited for Tiaan.  They were having dinner at Michael’s and agreed that she would
pick him up after work.  She had barely switched the car off when he appeared
and she sat watching him with glittering eyes.  He was an absolutely gorgeously
sinful man in his dark suit, white shirt and grey tie.  Her eyes narrowed as
two women approached him from the side.  He smiled politely at them and pointed
to her car with a shake of his head.  The women looked up and smiled at her. 
They turned away and Tiaan sauntered closer, a wide smile on his mouth.

He opened her
door and leaned into the car to kiss her lingeringly on her lips.

“Who were
your…friends?”

“I have no
idea.”

“What did they
want?”

“They offered
to take me to dinner.”

“What?”

“Stop
worrying, sweetlips. I thanked them and said I am already having dinner with
the most beautiful women on the planet.”

“You did,
didn’t you?”

“Most
definitely.  Besides, I am too old to cope with two women simultaneously.”

“
Wha…you…are
you telling me you had threesomes?
”  Allison was so shocked she shrieked
with wide eyes.  Tiaan burst out laughing and kissed her.

“I’m kidding,
but I do enjoy these reactions of yours.  Scoot over, baby.”

“I am not
scooting over.  This is my car and I’ll drive us to Michael’s.”

Tiaan winced
and cleared his throat. “Ehm…there is quite a lot of traffic this time of day,
why don…”

“Get in the
car, Mr. Sheppard.  Coping with my driving will be your punishment for lying to
me.”

Tiaan grunted
but walked around the car to get into the passenger seat.  He made an elaborate
show of buckling himself in, braced his feet below the dash and gripping the
dashboard, he glanced at her.

“I’m ready. 
Hit the gas, Michael Schumacher.”

Allison
narrowed her eyes on him. “You are on thin ice, Tiaan Sheppard.”

“Ah, baby…this
just proves how much I trust you.”

“I’ll have you
know I am just as good of a driver as you are a pilot.”

“Yeah, but
there was no other…shit look out…traffic to…slow down dammit…avoid.  Who the
hell taught you to drive?”

“Michael.”

“Fucking
figures.”

“Why don’t you
just close your eyes, honey.  It did wonders for me in the chopper.”

“Hell no.  At
least with my eyes open, I’ll be able to…watch out…jump out when you…holy shit,
woman!  Either slow down or stop this car.”

“Tsk…you
should learn to trust me…oh okay, but at this speed we’ll arrive when they’re
having dessert.”

“At least we’ll
be bloody alive to enjoy it!”

Tiaan only
relaxed and sat back when Allison kept to a slower, more moderate speed.  She
glanced at him with a small smile.  He kept glaring at her with annoyance.

“We are going
to have to work on your driving.  You can’t continue driving like this in the
city, Allison.  It is not safe and I will constantly worry about you.”