Infinite Love (18 page)

‘Can’t I have just one coffee?’

‘No,’ he said firmly as he squeezed my hand.

‘Hot chocolate with some sugar?’

‘No,’ he shook his head. ‘Caffeine in chocolate as well, so that means no solid chocolate either.’ I went to open my mouth to object and he cut me off. ‘Normal tea is out of the question too. I have to give up sex for two weeks, you’ll have to give up all the food and drink on the checklist.’

‘There’s a checklist?’

‘I did a spreadsheet while you were having your treatment.’

‘Gabe,’ I laughed and he smiled.

‘Sorry, but this is how I’m going to be so get used to it. This is so important to me, you’re so important to me.’

‘You’re going to be an amazing Dad, one day.’

‘Fingers crossed sooner than later.’ He kissed me, then cursed as he heard Lexi calling.

‘No one answered the door when I knocked, is it safe to come in?’

‘I’ll go make your tea so you can fill her in,’ he sighed.

‘Thank you.’ I smiled as I watched him head out to talk to her and took a deep breath and looked down at my stomach as I placed my hand on top of it. ‘You’d better work,’ I whispered. ‘Because he’s really desperate to meet you, so am I.’

‘How did it go?’ asked Lexi as she bounded into the bedroom.

‘Good I guess,’ I smiled. ‘They implanted two and the rest were frozen. We’ll know more in two weeks when they run some blood tests.’

‘Can I come and sit with you?’

‘Of course you can, there’s loads of room.’

‘I meant with Hitler Austin on watch,’ she whispered as she flicked her head toward the kitchen and I giggled. ‘Won’t the dipping of the mattress cause an internal tidal wave and dislodge the new arrivals?’

‘Don’t be mean, he’s being so sweet. He’s just in alpha male protective mode. Come on, get on the bed with me.’

‘Shouldn’t you be sat with your arse on a pillow and legs in the air?’ she asked as she climbed up next to me.

‘No,’ I laughed. ‘That’s for when you need to help the sperm find their way to your egg. Ours have already met, they’ve done speed dating, hooked up and got it on already.’

‘Christ, just like their mother and father, fucking on the first date,’ she chuckled.

‘Don’t mention fucking. We’re on a sex ban until we find out if I’m pregnant.’

‘Seriously?’

‘Yeah,’ I sighed.

‘Lock jaw for you then. You’re going to need Botox for those cock lines you’ll get around your mouth.’

‘Or band aids for the split lips,’ I winked.

‘What’s wrong with your lips?’ frowned Gabe as he walked in with a tray.

‘Absolutely nothing at all, baby,’ I smiled.

‘Good. Right Lex, here’s your coffee and some chocolate as requested.’

‘Cheers Gabe, when’s breakfast going to be ready?’

‘Give me a bloody minute, I only just walked through the door. You spend that much time in here I’m going to start charging you dinner bed and breakfast rates.’

‘Lexi,’ I sighed. ‘Have you still not cooked in your place?’

‘No, and don’t start on me. Either of you,’ she warned with a pointed finger.

‘Well, Mia’s going to be healthy eating from now on, so no sneaky pizza’s or ice cream,’ warned Gabe as he set my mug on the bedside table then handed me a banana.

‘O come on,’ I groaned. ‘Seriously?’

‘Seriously, eat it.’

‘Gabe,’ I whined like a pouty child. ‘Lexi gets chocolate and your own wife, the woman who gives you sex and may be carrying your evil spawn, spawn of Austin, only gets a crummy banana?’

‘She’s got a point,’ nodded Lexi as she shoved a chunk in her mouth. ‘I mean, giving head and performing other sexual functions has to have some perks over just being a friend.’

‘Ermmm, I think the orgasms I give her are perk enough, thanks Lex.’

‘He does give good orgasms,’ I nodded. ‘He’s like Mr. Kipling.
Exceedingly
good orgasms.’ Gabe smiled and winked at me.

‘Eat the banana, Mia,’ he warned as he headed back to the door. ‘It will tide you over while I cook.’

‘Sausage, bacon and egg sandwiches on white bread with butter?’ I asked looking at him hopefully.

‘For Lexi yes, for you, no. You’re having wholegrain toast with poached eggs, no butter.’

‘Ha ha,’ laughed Lexi and waved the remains of her chocolate bar in my face.

‘You’re both evil,’ I sighed as I grabbed my mug of tea and took a sip and grimaced. ‘Seriously? No sugar either?’ I exclaimed. Gabe just grinned and disappeared.

‘You’re going to know suffering like you’ve never known it before,’ nodded Lexi as I gave her a
help me
look.

‘Come on, just a bit of chocolate,’ I begged as I gave her my best pleading face.

‘The force may be strong with you, but Gabe’s cash is even stronger.’

‘His what?’ I uttered.

‘He’s paying me to keep an eye on you and for not succumbing to your heartfelt pleas for anything not listed on his spreadsheet.’

‘You are joking, right?’

‘No, it’s right here in my back pocket. I’m surprised he’s not laminated it. I get a daily rate for keeping you on the straight and narrow when he’s not with you, then a bonus if you get pregnant.’

‘A bloody pregnancy bonus? I’m not some bloody mare that’s been put out to stud,’ I uttered indignantly. ‘Whatever, well you can’t both keep your eyes on me twenty-four-seven, especially not at work,’ I smirked. I had a snack drawer in my office full of sweet treats, including a very large jar of Juicy Pear Jelly Belly’s on my desk.

‘O please, how long have you known Gabe? He’s told the staff that you’re on annual leave for a minimum of two weeks so we can keep taking turns keeping an eye on you here. Doug’s on the same package as me so he can cover when I’m on shift and Gabe’s unavailable. And don’t bother cosying up to the cleaner because she’s on the paid Mia protection squad too.’

‘Gabriel Austin, if you don’t want a divorce you’ll get your arse in here
right
this minute,’ I yelled.

I woke up with Gabe’s arms tightly around me, his leg hooked over mine, his face nuzzled into my neck and his hand gently holding my stomach. Ordinarily I’d have smiled and felt myself warm at our closeness, but this morning I didn’t. I extracted myself from his clutches and crept to the bathroom and sat on the toilet dreading wiping myself. I already knew what I was going to see, the drag in my lower stomach, the sharp pain in my back told me everything that I needed to know. I was due to have my pregnancy test in two days’ time, but before I even reached down to wipe myself I knew that it wouldn’t be needed. As I looked at the blood on the toilet paper and my worst fears came to life, my heart sank and my eyes filled up with tears. I had my period. It hadn’t worked.

‘Mia?’ called Gabe from the bedroom.

‘Bathroom,’ I called back, trying to keep my voice calm. How was I going to tell him? I’d warned him not to get excited on the first attempt, but he’d not listened. He’d nurtured me and pampered me for the last two weeks. He was already looking on the internet for all the best furniture and baby items, talking about looking for a house to move to as our one bed apartment wasn’t practical, nor were all the stairs if I had a buggy to try and contend with. We’d done everything by the book. He didn’t have to pay Lexi and Doug to keep an eye on me because I wanted this pregnancy just as much as he did. I put my hand on my stomach and sniffed as I tried to work out how to break it to him.

‘No,’ came his sad voice. I looked up and saw him standing in the doorway watching me. I bit my lip and nodded as tears started to stream down my face. ‘O God, Mia.’ He strode over and pulled me up into his arms and clutched me to him as I willed myself not to lose total control, I didn’t want him worrying about me any more than he already was.

‘I’m so sorry,’ I whispered as I clung to him.

‘No! It’s not your fault, don’t blame yourself. We were just unlucky this time.’

‘I just wanted it to happen first time, so badly.’

‘I know, me too. We’ll wait a while and try again, ok?’

‘Ok,’ I whispered as I wiped my eyes. He tugged my hair tilted my face up to his and I saw some tears clinging to his lashes. ‘You look so sad.’

‘I am, I really wanted this and I hate seeing you so upset too. What can I do to make it better?’

‘Coffee and chocolate.’

‘Go back to bed, I’ll bring you a hot water bottle and some painkillers and go and get us a Starbucks and something ridiculously sugary to eat, ok?’

‘Ok,’ I smiled.

‘I love you, Mrs. Austin,’ he whispered as he kissed me delicately.

‘I know, and I love you back the same.’

I ran through the checklist with the male bar staff and did a final walk around of the club making sure everything was in place for this evening. I’d convinced Gabe that as Valentine’s night was on a Sunday, when we’d normally be closed, I wanted to organise a ladies night, charging a set entrance fee to include a half a bottle of champagne per head with nibbles from 26 and small heart shaped truffles. I’d sourced some classy male dancers, none of your whipped cream or banana’s down thongs type, more your high class gigolo’s with communication skills as well as the moves. I wanted them to circulate and chat up the ladies between dances.

Gabe hadn’t been overly impressed when I’d suggested my idea back in December. Particularly being on Valentine’s night as he’d wanted to plan something special for us, but I told him as business owners’ money making opportunities came first and we could go out the night before for a meal. Jess was coming up with a load of her single girlfriends and I’d taken out an advertisement for limited places, at a high enough price to cover costs and make a profit, while keeping the less classy clientele out of the running. Most of our dancers were coming too, wanting to enjoy a night off and see how the guys stacked up in comparison. I’d enjoyed rubbing Gabe’s face in it when we were oversubscribed within a week of advertising the event. I’d left him at home with Doug, they were settling in for an Xbox marathon and I was given warnings to keep my hands to myself and that he had “spies” keeping an eye on me.

‘Ok, it’s looking good,’ nodded Lexi.

‘It is,’ I smiled. I’d struck a deal with our regular florist not to rip us off on red roses which were strategically dotted around. ‘So get Luke to open a bottle of champagne for us and not the stuff we’re serving to the masses, my Bollinger Rose please, on my tab.’

‘Hey, it’s my night off, less of the bossy ordering about,’ she laughed.

‘Sorry, habit,’ I giggled. ‘Am I really that bad?’

‘No, best boss ever, best job ever. I’ve not going to want to carry on with the counselling at this rate.’

‘No!’ I exclaimed.

‘Duhhh, teasing you,’ she chuckled as she flicked my head. ‘About the not carrying on, I meant the best boss, best job bit.’

‘You know I’m never sure with you, you bluff up there with the best of them.’

‘Says the woman who still has a shot of my naked arse,’ she winked. ‘Can’t believe Gabe was cool you coming out wearing that.’

‘Why?’ I asked as I smooth my hands over my halter neck mini bodycon dress. It was black with silver sparkle edging above and under the bust area and teamed with my silver and crystal winding shoes.

‘Bit sexy for ladies night, that’s all,’ she shrugged.

‘I have to look good as club owner, besides you look sexy in your leather trousers and that red cowl neck.’

‘Yeah but my tits, legs, arse and vadge aren’t on display.’

‘It’s not that short, Lex,’ I uttered as I looked down to double check.

‘Please!’ she rolled her eyes. ‘Don’t bend over behind the bar. Luke will mistake your arsehole for one of those bloody suckers on the wall that grip the tea towels.’

‘You’re so cruising for a bruising,’ I laughed. ‘Not missing Sam tonight?’

‘Nah. We don’t do emotional and soppy. It’s hot sex, that’s all.’

‘Well, I know but it’s been a year Lex, it’s your first ever anniversary and you’re not together, it’s kind of sad.’

‘Holy shit, it
is
a year. O my God, a whole year since you French kissed me and tried to get in my knickers.’

‘Really pushing your luck now,’ I laughed.

‘Mrs. Austin,’ came a deep voice and I looked around to see Jackson, the head of our security team approaching.

‘Hi Jackson, and I keep telling you it’s Mia. Is everything ok?’

‘The male dancers have arrived, they’re in the lobby.’

‘I’ll be right there, thank you,’ I smiled as he walked off and rolled my eyes as I heard Lexi chuckle. ‘Stop it.’

‘Come on, you can’t tell me that’s natural?’ she asked.

‘So he’s a bit out of proportion.’

‘A bit! His bloody forearms are bigger than his thighs and it looks like his arms have been dislocated at the sockets the angle they stick out at. He reminds me of Odd Job from Bond, but seventy-five percent bigger.’

‘Lexi,’ I giggled. She was right, but I made it a point not to take the piss out of the staff. ‘He’s very good at his job.’

‘Well yeah, no one would mess with him.’

‘Go and sort the champagne and I’ll settle the dancers into the studio.’

‘Who’s the single one here? I should be on dancer duty.’

‘Who’s bankrolling them?’

‘Champagne, on it,’ she sighed and headed off to the bar. I made my way to the lobby and had to remind myself to keep my lower jaw firmly in upright position. They were worth the money and I hadn’t even seen them undressed yet.

‘Hi, you must be Mia,’ smiled a Taye Diggs look-a-like with the whitest teeth I’d ever seen.

‘I am,’ I replied as I stretched out a hand to meet his.

‘Dwayne, I’m in charge of this motley crew. Firm shake, I like that in a lady and even more attractive in the flesh than I imagined,’ he nodded as he bit his lower lip and scanned my body.

‘Easy Dwayne,’ I laughed. ‘I’m spoken for, happily married.’

‘That’s what they all say,’ he winked.

‘In this case it’s true. Right, let’s get you settled in, do you want to come with me?’

‘Changed your tune pretty fast, married Mia.’

‘Wow, and you didn’t even list comedian on your resume, I’m two for one,’ I smiled and nodded for them to follow me through the key coded side door into the dance studio.

‘Nice set up,’ he nodded.

‘Thank you. It’s all quite new, we’ve only been open for about six weeks.’

‘Forgive me, but you seem a bit young to be running a club like this. It usually takes industry experience.’

‘I’m twenty and I have certain experience like you wouldn’t believe,’ I winked making him laugh.

‘Have we met before, I have a feeling I know you from somewhere.’

‘I get that a lot,’ I replied quickly. It was true, ever since I’d been all over the news in November and then again in January it had become worse. ‘So if you want to get yourselves unpacked there’s a table over there, strictly water only as per your instructions and we’ll provide food a bit later. I’ll get Luke our bartender to come and liaise with you on a regular basis to see if you need anything else.’

‘You’re fine, we tend to intimidate other guys.’

‘Well, I’m sure you don’t want me wandering in when you’re all in various states of undress.’

‘Why not, you’ll be seeing us like that in a while, we’re not shy,’ he replied as he dropped his bag, grabbed the bottom of his white t-shirt and ripped it over his head. I gulped and blinked rapidly. He was built a bit like Gabe, but bigger and with a number of black tattoos across his chest and around one bicep.
Mia Austin, you’re married, happily,
I reminded myself. O well, no harm in looking.

‘Ok, then warn the boys that either myself or my assistant manager Lexi will be coming in and out throughout the night, quite possibly on a very regular basis in Lexi’s part once she catches sight of you all.’

‘I like the sound of her already. Right, you’d better show us the way to the main stage and we’ll get set up before the ladies get here.’

‘Holy shit, I’m in man heaven,’ groaned Lexi as she joined me back at our table. ‘I keep coming up with excuses to go in there. It’s like Magic Mike on steroids with a truck load of baby oil.’

‘I know,’ I giggled. ‘Even I’m enjoying looking. I mean I still prefer Gabe, but it’s like man candy heaven in there. I feel like a kid who’s at one of those pubs with a ball pit, I just want to dive in and swim.’

‘Plenty of balls in that room,’ she laughed as she topped up my glass. We were already on our second bottle of champagne and Luke had told me to stop checking on things and enjoy my night off, he assured me that he and the male bar team were in perfect control. ‘Right, well Dwayne says they’re ready to start if you want to go and get them in position and do the announcement.’

‘Hell yeah. Christ, a room full of horny excitable women chattering and screeching is more painful to my ears than pounding music.’ I stood up and adjusted my dress and headed back to the studio. ‘Ready?’ I asked.

‘Born ready,’ he nodded.

‘Tuxedo’s? Damn, and I was hoping for one of those snapping crocodile posing pouches or a mankini,
soooo
much sexier than a tux. I ask you, do you have any idea about women?’ I teased.

‘I’d be happy to prove that to you in one of those private rooms later,’ he winked.

‘Easy tiger,’ I giggled and headed out grabbing the microphone. ‘Good evening everyone, welcome to Greyson’s first Valentine’s Ladies Night. We seem to be having a serious shortage of men in here this evening, who’d like me to organise for a few to come out and entertain you?’ I burst out laughing as the screams nearly took the roof off. ‘Then put your hands together for the talented, sexy and
gorgeous
“Abs.olution.”’

I stepped off stage laughing as everyone went crazy and joined Lexi, Cindy, Max, Shey and Sarah, Doug’s girlfriend, at the best seats in the house. The noise was deafening as some of the guys took centre stage and Dwayne winked at me as he adjusted his bowtie and the music started. I watched fascinated, and seriously turned on. They were seriously good dancers, sexy, well-choreographed and buffed within an inch of their lives. I tore my eyes away for a moment and looked around at the hoards of screaming and applauding women, some fanning themselves. There was definitely a market for more nights like this. I made a mental note to talk to Dwayne about maybe booking a couple of set dates a year.

‘Wow Mia, thinking of turning to the pink side?’ laughed Max as she caught me looking behind me instead of in front.

‘No,’ I laughed. ‘Just seeing the green pound signs for more nights like this given their reactions. Anyway why the hell are you and Cindy so keen to watch this?’

‘Like writers should read, dancers should watch other dancers. Besides, where else would a couple of lesbians want to be if not in a room full of hot horny women? You’d be amazed how many are bi curious.’

‘Cunning plan,’ I nodded, then looked back at the stage as the excitement volume rose and I turned and let out a high pitched squeak to see Dwayne rip his trousers away to reveal a toned torso, thick muscular thighs and a tiny pair of white trunks with a very obvious bulge.

‘Ay caramba!’ whispered Lexi. ‘Mamma likes.’

‘Hmmm, me too.’

‘Well, he likes you too.’

‘I know,’ I smiled.

‘Ooooo, look at you all cocky and confident.’

‘I learned from the best,’ I smiled and let out a sigh as I thought of my gorgeous man waiting at home for me. I shook myself down and enjoyed the show, feeling hornier by the second. I ordered another bottle of Champagne and sent one over to Jess’ table too and we laughed and swooned at some new outfits and routines, but our table had laughed even harder when Dwayne went to walk off stage, frowned at the pole and did a half-hearted attempt at a spin.

‘Come on, give a guy a break,’ he laughed. ‘Who’s up to showing me how it’s done?’

‘Mia,’ yelled Cindy pointing at me and I glared at her.

‘Yeah, Mia’s your girl,’ shouted Lexi, with Shey and Sarah whooping as I looked at them mortified. ‘Come on, you miss performing and you get to dance with hottie Mchotterson.’

‘You tell Gabe about this and that arse shot gets displayed,’ I growled as Dwayne stepped down and held out his hand to me. I took it and stood up as everyone started cheering.

‘So, taking the dress off?’ Dwayne whispered.

‘Most definitely not, but if you play your cards right Lexi may take her trousers off.’

‘Do the two of you come as a package?’

‘Men,’ I sighed with a shake of the head and he laughed and led me to the pole.

‘So Mrs. Austin, walk me through some of the basics and give all these lovely ladies some tips on how to tantalise their husbands at home,’ he ordered. I looked at him with a wide smile. He was giving me loads of money making ideas today. I could run stripping, pole and lap dancing classes.

‘Ok ladies, let’s start with the walk up to the pole and the sexy hip roll,’ I advised as I settled into my forte for a while and enjoyed it, although my dress wasn’t the ideal item to be wearing for a spin on the pole. I’d just climbed it and wrapped one arm and leg around it and started spinning when I suddenly gasped as Dwayne launched himself up to curl around me and follow the spin as everyone cheered. ‘What the hell?’ I uttered and my eyes went wide as I felt his firm erection pressed against my backside.

‘I’m a fast learner,’ he chuckled as he pressed his body weight down on my hips forcing us down until my feet were back on the ground.

‘You liar, you can work the pole.’

‘Maybe, now I’m going to use you to perform a sexy one on one dance too,’ he laughed and I squealed as I suddenly felt him cuff my hands behind me around the pole. My breathing hitched, and not in a good way. I’d not even let Gabe cuff me, not since … I quickly looked over at Lexi who read the terror in my eyes and leapt up onto the stage.

‘Ok, performing a sexy dance on the owners wife probably won’t go down very well, anyone want to take Mia’s place?’ she yelled as I closed my eyes and tried to breathe through the panic as I heard a chorus of women screaming “Me.”

‘Mia, it’s ok, deep breathes, ok?’ Lexi advised as she turned back to me. ‘Get her out of them right now, Dwayne.’

‘It’s just a bit of fun,’ he laughed.

‘Please let me out,
please
,’ I pleaded as I looked at him and he frowned.

‘It’s not fun to her arsehole. Don’t you recognise her? She was fucking abducted last year, get her out of them,
now,
’ Lexi hissed.

‘Shit. I’m sorry, I had no idea,’ he uttered as a look of horror spread across his face. I nodded and closed my eyes as he stood behind me and released them. Lexi grabbed my hand and quickly marched me off the stage into my office as Dwayne picked someone else to take my place.