His Unexpected Lover (The Thorpe Brothers) (13 page)

Axel let his breath out in a whoosh, relieved that she wasn’t thinking of leaving him in a few years.  “Of course I want to have kids.  With you!  Lots of them.  And I want to practice making kids a whole lot more right at the moment,” he told her, lifting her up onto her desk and pushing her back so she had to hang onto his shoulders to steady herself.  “I want you completely at my mercy as well,” he said, nibbling at her neck and enjoying her laughter. 

There was a knock on her door and, before Axel could give the person permission to enter, they were already coming into the office.

Axel turned to snap at whoever had been so rude but stopped when he saw his frowning brother Ash standing there in the doorway.

“What do you want?” Axel demanded, keeping Kiera in his arms even while she struggled to sit up.
She was more than a little embarrassed to have her boss see her in this kind of a compromising position. 

“So it’s going to happen?” Ash asked, his eyes taking in his best lawyer in his brother’s arms.  “You’re off to Paris?”

Kiera was trying to stand up and look professional in front of her boss, but Axel was making it very difficult.  “Um…no…we’re uh…” She couldn’t get his hands off of her waist to pull her suit jacket down properly no matter how many times she batted his hands away. 

“Yes.  She’s taking the job.”

“No.  We’re staying here.”

Axel turned to glare down at her.  “You’re taking the job.  I’m opening up a branch of the firm in Paris.  We can be there next month and I can start laying the ground work.”

She smiled up at him, already shaking her head.  “We’re staying here and I’m going to become your brother’s most brilliant lawyer,” she countered. 

“I’m all for that,” Ash stated firmly, crossing his arms over his large chest. 

Axel sighed.  “You’re taking the job.  It is a fantastic opportunity and you’ll regret it later on.  You’ll resent me for not getting you to Paris.  You can be back here in two or three years and we can work through the issues later.”

She grinned up at him, thinking she had the trump cards.  “I was kind of hoping to be pregnant in two or three years.  Maybe even with our second child.”

The picture of Kiera pregnant caused a lump to form in his throat and he had to swallow, several times, to be able to even speak.  And even then, he wasn’t very coherent. 

While Axel tried to think of a response, she turned to her boss.  “Did you need me for something?” she asked.

Ash was grinning like an idiot but at her question, he snapped out of it and remembered what he’d come in here for.  “Yes.”  He jerked up again and handed her a small piece of paper.  “Here,” he said.  “I’m marrying Mia next weekend.  She says you already have the dress to be one of her bridesmaids.”

Axel finally found his voice.  He pulled Kiera back so his arm was around her waist protectively.  “I thought you were getting married in three months.  What happened to that plan?”

Ash shook his head as if he still couldn’t believe what he’d found out.  “I realized that Mia was delaying the wedding so she could get better prices on the food and cake and such.  So I called up all of the people she’d worked with and told them to get everything done in one week versus three months and I’d double the amount already agreed upon.”

Kiera
gasped, her hand flying over her mouth in shock.  “Does Mia know about this?” she asked.

Ash laughed.  “She
does now.  We fought about it on the phone but I won.”  He winked at Kiera.  “Mostly because she wants to be married as well anyway so she was only uncomfortable about the money.”

Axel chuckled at the idea of his almost sister-in-law being so frugal.  It made him feel even better about her joining the family.  “At least she isn’t after you for your money.”

Ash grinned right back at him.  “Just my body,” he said before he turned and left.  He was just about to close the door again but he stopped and said, “By the way, stop molesting my team members during work hours.” 

“Get out of here,” Axel ordered, looking around to throw something at his brother who simply pulled the door closed while laughing uproariously. 

“He’s right,” Kiera said, trying to pull out of his arms.

Axel was having none of that.  He’d waited six years for this woman to be his and he wasn’t going to listen to anyone telling him he couldn’t touch her whenever he wanted to.  “We’ll fix everyone’s perception quickly,” he said and took her hand, pulling her out the door. 

“Where are we going?” she asked, almost running to try and keep up with him. 

“You’ll see,” he said and stopped in front of the elevator. 
She pulled her hand out of his since there were so many people waiting there as well. 

No matter how many times she asked, he wouldn’t tell her where they were going but simply pulled her out of the building and down the street.  When they were in front of one of the most exclusive jewelry store in Chicago, she pulled back, shaking her head.  “We can’t go in there!” she gasped, horrified at what he was thinking. 

“Of course we can.  I want a ring on your finger so there isn’t any confusion.  We can’t make out in the hallways if people think we’re just having an affair,” he told her, pulling her close and biting her earlobe.

She laughed and tried to pull out of his arms, but he wouldn’t let her and the effort was only halfhearted anyway.  “I will definitely marry you, but I don’t need a diamond ring to show everyone that.  Let’s just get married,” she said earnestly. 

He looked down at her and shook his head.  “We’re getting married in my backyard, in the field with my brothers and your friends around us.  We’ll have the wedding reception under that old oak tree with lights going throughout all the branches and champagne to toast our new life together.  And there will be daisies everywhere.”

Kiera’s mind was whirling with shock and surprise.  “How did you…”

“I heard you talk about it that day over lunch,” he said, his hand moving up to caress her cheek gently.  “I want it all, Kiera.  I want you, the wedding under the tree, the celebration and the kids.”

She didn’t realize that a tear had escaped her eyes until he caught the tear with his finger.  “I screwed up royally the last time.  It caused us to lose six years together.  So woul
d you please allow me to do it right this time?” he asked softly but with feeling. 

She couldn’t believe what a wonderful man he was.  “Okay,” she whispered back, not able to speak too loudly over the rapid beating of her heart. 

“Good.  Come on,” he said and pulled her into the jewelry store.  Ten minutes later, they were walking out again and Axel stopped her right on the street and kissed her, showing her and everyone around how much he loved her.  “Now I’m going to call your boss and tell him that you’re playing hookie today so I can take you to your apartment and move every box out to my place.”

She grinned. 
“Should be pretty easy since I’ve barely unpacked.”

He rolled his eyes.  “There are some advantages to your crazy mindset,” he told her and pulled her closer. 

“Are you…” Axel stopped a few steps into their bedroom, his eyes surveying Kiera in stunned silence. 

Kiera turned around nervously, smoothing the satin dress over her curves.  “Does it look okay?” she asked, her fingers
twitching with the low neckline.  “It isn’t too…”

Axel suddenly found his voice and looked
down at her.  “It isn’t ‘too’ anything,” he replied, a grin forming on his handsome features.  “In fact, I think I might just have to miss my own brother’s wedding!”

Kiera laughed,
relieved that she didn’t look horrible in the dress.  It was a lovely shade of blue but the neckline plunged, not so low that it was indecent, but it showed a great deal of cleavage.  The rest of the satin hugged her body, cinching around the waistline and hugging her hips and bottom. 

Axel came over and reached for her.

“No!  You can’t touch me,” she said and took a step back.  “You might stain the dress!”

Axel laughed and grabbed her anyway.  “Who chose this dress?” he asked as his hands smoothed over Kiera’s hips and bottom before sliding upwards. 

Kiera closed her eyes, sighing with the desire now surging through her.  “Mia of course.  She said she saw the dresses and instantly knew they were perfect.” 

Axel bent low to nuzzle her neck, enjoying the way her curls tickled his nose.  “I fully approve,” he commented as his fingers moved up higher, tracing the neckline.  He suddenly stopped and lifted his head.  “Are Cricket and Autumn wearing the same dress?” he asked sharply.

Kiera had been intent on his fingers and the way his mouth felt against her neck so she didn’t understand the question at first.  She had to blink several times before she could figure out what he’d just said.  “Similar, but slightly different.  Why?”

Axel wasn’t able to answer immediately because he was too busy laughing.  He was laughing so hard he was bent over, holding himself against the dresser, half of which was now her
s since she’d moved in. 

Kiera stood there, arms crossed over her stomach as she waited for him to regain control of himself.  In the meantime, she surveyed his fabulous physique in the tailored tuxedo, reveling in how amazing he looked in the elegant attire.  The man wore clothes exceptionally well, she thought.  No matter what he pulled on, or off, she was always amazed at how hot he looked. 

When his laughter slowed to a chuckle, she raised her eyebrows at him in silent question. 

“I think my almost-sister-in-law is doing some matchmaking.  And boy am I glad that I was already smart enough to get you before you showed up in that dress,” he explained, chuckling
again as he imagined his brothers when they got their first look at Cricket and Autumn in this dress.  “Xander in particular is going to be furious.”

Kiera immediately understood and was amused.  “You think Mia chose this dress to spur Xander to do something about his attraction to Autumn?”

Axel nodded, his eyes alight with suppressed laughter.  “And I think there’s something going on between Cricket and Ryker as well.”  He led her down the stairs and out to the garage. 

Kiera agreed with him.  “I think Cricket is great.
She and Ryker will make a fantastic couple if they can ever work things out.  Although I can’t completely figure out what’s going on with them. There’s definitely some strange vibes happening.”

“What kind of strange vibes?” Axel asked, holding her hand while she stepped
carefully into his black sports car. 

Kiera shrugged.  “I can’t really put a finger on it,” she said. 

Axel moved around the car, slipping into the driver’s seat.  “I’m glad I’m not in his shoes today,” he said as his eyes moved up and down Kiera’s curves in the figure hugging dress.  “I like knowing that I get to peel that dress off of you at the end of the night,” he said and took her hands, his thumb rubbing over the beautiful diamond ring he’d put on her finger so recently.  “I wouldn’t like to figure out how to keep my hands off of you,” he said and kissed her gently so he didn’t mess up her lipstick. 

“
Are you ready for some fun?” he asked, looking down at her with pride in his eyes. 

She laughed softly.  “Now that we get more than a wedding, I’m more than ready.  This should be an interesting day,”
she said and linked her fingers through his. 

He suddenly stopped and turned to her, his eyes serious as he said, “I haven’t told you that I love you today,” he
said, his voice warm and husky as he bent to kiss her gently. 

She sighed with happiness.  “Yes you did,” she said.  “Not in words, but in all the small, wonderful things you did this morning.”

Axel thought about their morning and raised an eyebrow.  “Small?” he asked suggestively.

Kiera rolled her eyes, trying not to laugh.  “Not all things
were small,” she clarified, understanding that he was thinking about the way he woke her up this morning with soft, feather-light kisses on her back.  All of which turned to not-very-light kisses once she was fully awake.  However, she was thinking of the coffee he brought to her in the shower, or the warm towel he wrapped around her after their shower, the delicious eggs he made her with the last of his summer vegetables or the quiet silence as he held her hand while they read the morning paper.  “But I love you too,” she whispered with all the happiness she was feeling. 

(For some fun visuals on Axel and Kiera, go to http://www.pinterest.com/elennoxromances/his-unexpected-lover-kiera-and-axel/

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