Celebration (2 page)

“Makes us a perfect team,” Mike whispered.

A little jolt of electricity passed between them, one that made her tingle, one that made her clitoris hum. For a moment, Joanna was sure that Mike would stride across the room and finish what they’d started, then he turned back to the cartons and kept unpacking. For a moment, she was tempted to be the impulsive one. But the glint in his eyes stopped her. Joanna watched Mike for a moment, struck again with the sense that he had something up his sleeve.

Mike turned away quickly. He finished with the two boxes for the closet, then came to her side just as she was opening a box filled with corsets, bonds and sex toys. He sighed theatrically. “Since we’re going with your plan, you might as well leave that one sealed.”

“You don’t want to play with the toys for the next two weeks and reminisce?”

He gave her a hot look, one that revealed that he was still simmering. “No teasing.”

“It’ll be worth it,” Joanna promised him and Mike smiled.

“If you say so, sweetheart.” He stole a quick kiss. “But if you’re wrong, I’ll be punishing you for a long, long time.”

“If not, I’ll be so disappointed that I’ll have to discipline you,” Joanna replied and kissed him more slowly. Their kiss heated again but this time, her hands were sliding under his T-shirt when Mike abruptly stepped back.

“You’re not helping,” he said sternly, that twinkle lighting his eyes.

“Sorry. You’re just too tempting.”

“So, I’ll remove temptation. Why don’t I get us something to eat while you keep working here? There’s a pizza place at the corner and we might as well try it out now. Then you won’t have to get anything to eat at the airport.”

Joanna watched him with suspicion. “So, now you’re the practical one?”

“I have my moments.”

Whatever he was scheming, she’d only find out by playing along. “Sounds good. I should be able to finish here, if you help me assemble the bed before you go. The kitchen is already in good shape and my bag is already packed.”

Mike agreed. They worked together to assemble his heavy four-poster bed, then move it against the wall. When they put the box spring and mattress in place, Joanna halfway thought he’d demand that they try it out. Mike kept working steadily though, as if sex was the last thing on his mind.

Joanna didn’t believe it. She knew, for example, that she wasn’t the only one admiring the view. At one point, she caught Mike checking out her butt just as she was checking out his. They grinned at each other but instead of another hot kiss, Mike began to take empty boxes into the living room.

What was his game?

Joanna couldn’t wait to find out.

She started to shake out the sheets, playing along even as she wondered.

“I won’t be long,” Mike said, coming to the bedroom door as he shrugged into his jacket. He snapped his fingers. “Hey, I’d better lock the door. We don’t really know how safe this neighborhood is.”

Joanna turned to look, but Mike was striding to the front door already. She’d done her research. She knew it was an upscale and safe neighborhood. In fact, she suspected they’d buy a house in the vicinity. What was he talking about?

That was when she noticed that he’d closed the blinds in both the bedroom and living room already. She smiled, suspicious of his plan, and peeked in the box of sex toys. Sure enough, the black leather mask and black leather gloves that Mike wore when he was pretending to be a burglar were gone.

And he’d conveniently left a roll of packing tape on the dresser.

So, Mike her fiancé was going to stick to their deal, but his bad alter-ego was going to break into the apartment and have his way with Joanna.

Joanna shivered with anticipation. She looked around and decided to close the blinds in the bedroom a bit more, then found the box of towels for the bathroom. She opened it, but didn’t unpack it, hurrying instead to finish making the bed. Her heart was beating quickly, a sign that she was more than ready to be surprised by a thief in the night.

She scattered a couple extra rolls of duct tape around the apartment, just to be sure there was enough.

* * *

This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.

Leya drove aggressively as she headed to her appointment with her OB/GYN. She had planned to get pregnant by Rex, but she hadn’t anticipated being so sick for so long. She felt as if she hadn’t been able to keep down a glass of water for months.

That hadn’t kept her stomach from getting round, although the doctor said it was mostly bloating. Leya felt unattractive and unhealthy, as far from her usual state as possible.

Worst of all, it was for nothing. She’d conceived a baby to make the dream of her partner, Michelle, come true. Michelle wanted a child more than anything in the world, but couldn’t conceive herself. Leya had decided to solve that issue while she was young enough to have an uncomplicated pregnancy.

She’d thought her choice would ensure that she and Michelle would be together forever.

She’d thought that theirs was a picture-perfect partnership.

She’d been ready to leave the world of BDSM and shibari, giving up that life and all its pleasures to just be with Michelle.

There was love for you. It fucked with your head and your priorities. She should have known better.

Leya turned savagely into the parking lot and squealed the brakes as she stopped the car in a parking spot. She’d even bought a fucking station wagon and a house in the country.

But Michelle had left her.

Leya wasn’t used to having regrets. She wasn’t a person who second-guessed any choice she made—once the path was chosen, she stayed on it until the end. But she regretted the fight she’d had with Michelle about Michelle seeing Rex. She’d thought that Michelle just wanted to know the father of their child, and because she could understand that, she’d agreed. But Leya hadn’t counted on Rex’s raw sex appeal.

It would take a man like Rex to convince a woman like Michelle, a woman terrified of men, to give heterosexuality a second chance.

It would take a man like Rex to convert Michelle completely.

Leya had said more than she should have, but she’d felt betrayed and used. It was the puking that threw her game. She, of all people, knew the merit of experimentation. She shouldn’t have been so hard on Michelle. Now, she’d had a long time to reconsider and wished she’d kept her mouth shut. She was convinced that she and Michelle could have worked out their differences.

But she’d driven Michelle away. Without knowing where Michelle was, Leya couldn’t change her mind. She’d hoped and she’d waited and she’d even prayed, but there was no sign of Michelle. Leya hadn’t wanted to terminate the pregnancy, not after all the effort she’d gone to, but today was the day she’d ask the doctor.

She wouldn’t have a child herself. She wasn’t a maternal type. She’d solve this, go back to her old life and forget that she’d ever known Michelle.

It was a good plan and just having it made Leya feel in charge of her life again.

She locked the car and marched to the entry of the building with purpose, only to see a figure step out of the shadows.

She would have known Michelle anywhere.

The sight of her stopped Leya in her tracks.

Her lover’s hair had grown a little longer. No longer shaved close, it was about half an inch long and adorably curly. Michelle looked as shy and lovely as ever, and Leya’s heart clenched.

She was such a sweet person. Even given what had happened, Leya couldn’t hate her. When Michelle offered one hand to her, Leya couldn’t resist. She hurried toward her lover and caught her close in a hug, feeling her throat get tight. “I knew you’d come back,” she whispered and felt Michelle stiffen.

“I’m not back,” Michelle said, leaning back out of their embrace. “I came to see the baby.” She smiled, wariness in her eyes. “
Our
baby, right?”

It wasn’t exactly a guarantee—but it was a chance. Leya would take it.

* * *

It had been a long time since Rex had seen Julius outside of that man’s office, and longer since they’d met for a meal. But life was full of changes, and Rex was sufficiently curious to agree to Julius’s suggestion that they meet for dinner.

Julius chose a Friday night, and it turned out that the weather was unseasonably warm. It had rained all week, and the cold, sleeting rain had been depressing. The weather had made Rex miss Leya’s house on the beach. Earlier that afternoon the sun had come out, as if giving them all a break for the weekend. The sunshine and the warmth had made Rex feel human again.

Alive again.

He wasn’t surprised that the restaurant Julius chose was so discrete. It was hidden away downtown, steps from the bustle of a major street but tucked into an alley. Rex had never even realized there was a restaurant here, although he’d been on this particular block often. There was a doorman who took his jacket, then ushered him to a private room upstairs at the back. Rex could smell rustic Italian food, herbs and oil, tomatoes and grilled meat, and suddenly realized how hungry he was.

Julius, of course, had already arrived. He had a drink in front of him, a gin and tonic judging by the color and the sliver of lime, and was reviewing some files. For the first time in Rex’s recollection, Julius wasn’t wearing a tie. The older man glanced up, smiled and removed his glasses when Rex was ushered into the room. Julius stood up and they shook hands as they greeted each other.

“Gin and tonic?” Rex asked, gesturing to the glass. He was aware that the waiter was hovering behind him.

Julius nodded. “They make a good one here.”

“I’ll have one as well,” Rex said to the waiter, who nodded and disappeared. He sat down opposite Julius. “I’ve been trying to remember the last time we had dinner together.”

“Seven years ago,” Julius said with his usual precision. “In November. The French restaurant that closed down.”

“The one near your office,” Rex agreed, remembering. “The time Athena was so late that she cancelled. We met later at your office.”

Julius smiled. “The Plume survived longer than I ever anticipated it would.”

“Do you have a number for Athena now? I’d like to talk to her.”

“And she would like to talk to you, I’m sure.” Julius took out one of his cards and wrote a phone number on the back. That he knew it by memory didn’t surprise Rex: Julius had an impressive memory and he expected that Athena had been using Julius to wrap up the business of the Plume. “She’s in London. Remember the time change when you call.”

“Thanks.” Rex would also keep in mind that Athena was never awake in the morning, regardless of where she was in the world.

The waiter brought Rex’s drink just then. Julius ordered an appetizer for them to share, showing a familiarity with the menu that hinted he was a regular. The waiter left the room as Rex took an appreciative sip of his drink. He felt himself relax a bit, enough to feel worn down by the changes he’d faced recently.

“But now the Plume’s all gone,” he said, unable to keep a sad note from his voice. He knew he had to find a new purpose in his life, but he felt adrift. He’d sold his condo and put a few things into storage. He didn’t know where to go or what to do, but he felt a need to develop a plan. His plan to liquidate everything was complete, and he still didn’t know what came next.

One thing was for sure: Rex was going to have a child. Leya was going to have his child, and thanks to the custody agreement, he’d be seeing his child sometimes. He wanted to be a good father and have a life by the time his child was born.

Too bad he didn’t know what that life should be.

He glanced up to find Julius watching him, the other man’s expression thoughtful.

“Not all gone,” Julius corrected. “The merchandising contracts have been generating a surprising amount of revenue since the club was in the news.”

“That’s not exactly what I mean.”

“No, but it’s not inconsiderable.” Julius opened a file and pushed a sheet of paper across the table to Rex. The revenue numbers made Rex’s eyes widen briefly. “I believe it would be foolish to terminate those contracts,” Julius added softly. “Whether or not the club itself exists, the idea of it is clearly powerful to many people.”

Rex put down his drink. “You’re not suggesting that we open up again?”

“I’m not suggesting anything. What I’m saying is that you created a very successful venture. There might very well be a way to build upon that success.”

“You have an idea.”

“I have no ideas.” Julius smiled as he spoke. “It’s not my gift to have ideas, Rex. I buttress the ideas of others and give them their best chance, but I don’t come up with them myself.” He sipped his drink then gestured to Rex. “You were always the one with ideas.”

Like the Plume. The unspoken words hung between them.

Rex watched the ice cubes in his glass. He’d been assuming that the Plume was gone forever. As much as he missed it, he wasn’t sure he had the energy to create it all over again.

Or the optimism.

“What are you planning to do?” Julius asked quietly.