room. It was the first time he let me inside and I couldn’t even
appreciate it. I woke a few hours later when he started rubbing my
back. I moved around to let him know I was awake, and then I felt his
hand between my legs. He parted them and pressed himself against
me. “Are you too sore for this?” I was, really I was. My legs hurt, and
I felt like I wouldn’t ever be able to walk right again. But the more he
rubbed, I just couldn’t say no. I moved my behind to press against
him. He grabbed my breasts and pulled me to him. He started kissing
my neck, and then he was inside me. The fourth time was my idea.
He was asleep, and I saw him getting hard under the sheet. I ran my
hand over him, and lowered myself to it. He eyes flew open when I
took him in my mouth. He leaned up on his elbows and closed his
eyes. “What are you doing to me?” he asked.
“It was hard. I thought it was an invitation.”
Chapter ten
The next morning Norah woke to another empty bed and
another note.
Sweet Norah,
I am sure you are sore from our activities. Please feel free to
take a swim in my tub to sooth your pain. I would love to join you but
fear I would cause you more pain and be of no help. I had some
business to take care of this morning, but will be home for breakfast.
Thinking of you,
Liam
She took a long stretch and surveyed the damage to her
body. He was right she was sore. While the bath water ran, she went
to her room and picked up some clothes, her hair stuff and tooth
brush. She soaked for a while then cleaned herself up.
Liam had a few loose ends at the office to tie up, but was
sure he would be home before she woke up.
He sat at his desk and signed the documents finalizing the
Stackhouse deal and answered three emails. While he typed the
intercom buzzed to get his attention.
“Marcy, I didn’t know you came in this morning?” he asked as
he continued to type.
“Mr. Hastings? I have Nancy Sheldon on the phone for you.
She left a message around 8 o’clock this morning for ‘the
representative for Norah Chandler’, I called her back and have her on
line one.”
“Representative for Norah? What does that mean? Ok, thank
you, Marcy.” He stopped typing and picked up line one. “Liam
Hastings.”
“Mr. Hastings, sorry to call so early but I am in a pinch and
need your help. My name is Nancy Sheldon from Star Bound Models.
Do you represent Norah Chandler?” Liam had no idea what this call
was about and was more confused than ever.
“I’m sorry. Do I represent Norah? What does that mean?” he
asked.
“Oh, goodness. I just read here this picture was taken at a
private dinner party last night. So she isn’t….and you’re not…” Liam
could hear her tapping a pen against something. “Ok, let me start
from the beginning, Mr. Hastings.”
“Yes, that would be helpful.”
“Like I said, I represent Star Bound Models, we are here in
London doing a photo shoot for Glamorous Bride magazine. We
brought seven models with us, and now three of them have the flu
or something. Anyway we were looking for models in the area and
my assistant came across this picture of Norah Chandler on the
internet, apparently it was taken at a dinner party last night. I
assumed she was a model because she looks absolutely stunning.
Anyway, getting to my point, we would love to work with her.
Actually we need her. Is there any way she could be at the Garden
Inn Hotel at 7 pm tomorrow evening?” Liam didn’t know what to say.
****
Norah dressed in a jean skirt, black sandals, and pink tank
top. She went downstairs and saw him sitting at the dining room
table reading the paper.
“Good Morning,” she said. He folded the paper and stood
when she entered the room. He took her hand and lightly kissed it,
pulling her toward him. He nestled her neck and took a deep breath.
“Good Morning, if you can still call it morning” he breathed.
He started kissing her right where her tattoo was behind her ear,
went down her neck, to her jaw and made his way to her mouth.
“You’re very happy this morning,” she said with a smile. “I
am. I am indeed. Please sit.” He gestured for her to sit next to him. “I
enjoyed last night, very much. Not just the sex, although that was an
unexpected pleasure.” He winked at her. “I enjoyed having you with
me, showing you off. It seems Mr. Stackhouse has done a very good
job of spreading the word through my business world about you.” He
let her hand go and they started to eat. “I’m a little afraid people
might think I have gone soft.”
“I had a good time too. I liked seeing you in action, talking
about business, but also personal things. Dancing with you, holding
your hand, it was all very nice….really normal.” He laughed.
“You didn’t mention the sex. Was that not a pleasure for you
too?” he smiled.
“No, it was. I enjoyed that too. But I always enjoy being close
to you. I just wanted it to be right for you.”
“Why would you think you’re not right for me?” He looked at
her and she lowered her eyes. “Is it because of what Nick said? He
and I used to share women?” She didn’t answer. “We did. We did
share women a long time ago.” She cringed and closed her eyes.
“But Norah, good lord, I would never do that to you, you have to
know that. Those women were willing, and I wanted to share them.
But I could never share you.” Norah looked at him. “Please don’t
think that. I don’t even want to think about it myself.” She nodded.
“I thought we would go shopping today, buy little Josefina a
gift, and take it to the hospital. Then we can go out to lunch, if you
like?” She smiled at him. Shopping for the baby did sound fun.
She walked to the door and put her bag across her body. “Am
I dressed okay?” she asked gesturing to her skirt.
“You look fine.” He took her hand. “Listen, I would like you to
think about moving to my room.” He smiled and touched her face. “I
realize we just started this, but I want you closer to me.” He kissed
her lips softly. “Is that alright?” he asked. She nodded. She wanted to
ask him about other women, but couldn’t muster the courage. He
had said he wouldn’t share her, but never mentioned if he would be
willing to be with someone else besides her. If Jane had her way she
would be first in line.
Instead of Trig driving them around, Liam decided to take one
of his cars. They went to several baby shops. Norah picked out some
clothes, two blankets, a stuffed giraffe, a pink diaper bag, and some
hair bows.
“Hair bows? Really?” Liam asked. “Does she have any hair?”
“Yes, she does, and she will grow more. She has an Irish
Father and a Spanish Mother, she is destined to be a beauty.” Liam
gladly whipped out his credit card and paid for everything. They
went to the hospital and got updated on everything the baby had
done the last two days, which was mostly drool, sleep and eat.
Everyone was so happy to see Liam and Norah. Rosa wouldn’t stop
saying how happy they looked together. Liam finally had to pull
Norah out of the room.
“I have another surprise for you,” he said. Norah looked up at
him and smirked. They were standing in front of his car. “Here, I
want you to call your family,” he handed her his phone, “and I have
something I need to discuss with you.”
“Really?” she asked. She looked down at the phone, not even
acknowledging the second part of his comment. She looked back at
him with confusion on her face.
“What’s wrong?” he asked. He leaned back on the car.
“What do I say?” she looked up at him. “I was supposed to be
back three weeks ago, and I told them I gave up my internship for a
job here.” She took a deep breath.
“What do you want to tell them?” He asked. She didn’t
answer. “Give them my name, they can look me up on the internet
and see I am a real person. And if work is that important to you, I
have an opportunity for you.” Norah looked up at him.
“An opportunity? What kind of opportunity?” she asked.
“This morning, I got a very interesting call from an agent at
Star Bound Models. It seems the pictures from the dinner last night
have already hit the web, and this one of you has attracted some
attention.” Liam handed Norah a picture of herself. She was standing
alone on the dance floor, arms by her side, with her eyes lowered to
the ground. Her dress fit like a glove and the ruffles at the bottom
were perfectly laid out behind her. She looked up at Liam and
smiled.
“This doesn’t even look like me. I look beautiful.”
“You are beautiful and it looks exactly like you, although I
prefer the real thing.” He touched her cheek. “Star Bound is here
with a few of their models doing a photo shoot for Glam Bride
magazine and they would like to meet with you about being a part of
the shoot.” Norah didn’t know what to say. He pulled her to him.
“What do you think, little one?” He ran his hand over the exposed
part of her stomach.
“I don’t know. What do you think?” she asked him.
“Well if this is what you want, then this is what I want too.”
“I’m not tall enough to be a model, Liam. I’m barely 5’4”.”
“No, you will never be a runway model, but this would be
wedding dresses. And if you don’t like it you never have to do it
again. Just meet with them and see how you feel about it.” Norah
was shocked. A few weeks ago she wasn’t allowed to leave her
room, and now he was telling her to take part in a photo shoot that
would be seen in a magazine by millions of people.
“And if you don’t want to model for them, I have a camera,
so you can do some modeling for me.” He pulled her closer and
growled in her neck.
“You are an animal, you know that?” she asked. “You’re
actually okay with this? Okay, with someone, possibly a man, taking
my picture?” she asked.
“Well I wouldn’t want you to model for Victoria’s Secret, but
wedding dresses, I can handle.” She looked back at the phone. She
tried to focus on making this call. She needed to make this call. She
started pushing the buttons and soon it was ringing. At the sound of
Lorraine’s voice Norah started to cry. Liam held her hand while she
talked and paced back and forth. She told her of her travels
throughout Europe and how she had met Entrepreneur Liam
Hastings, and was now staying with him. She explained how she had
been discovered by a model agency and was meeting a
representative in a few days to discuss being a part of their photo
shoot. Lorraine seemed very impressed.
She had always thought of herself as the model of the family.
She past the phone to Maggie and they talked for a while. She
informed Norah they had chosen four colleges they really liked but
were applying to more just to be safe. Norah asked to speak to her
mother, but was told she wasn’t there. Both girls asked several times
about when Norah planned to come home and she avoided the
question by telling them things she had seen, or that she had bought
them something. Finally they demanded an answer. “Home? Well, I
don’t know.” Again she looked at Liam. “I hope to be able to come
home for Tiffany’s wedding,” she looked for any sign of agreement
with Liam. “But I don’t know, this job could be really demanding,” he
smiled when she said that. “I should know something soon though. I
will talk to Liam about a trip home soon. I miss you guys. Tell Mom I
said hello, and I miss her too. I love you guys.” She pushed the end
call button and handed the phone back to him.
“So you want to leave me already, huh?” he asked. He tucked
some of her hair behind her ear.
“And I thought things between us were just starting to get
normal.” Norah wiped the tears from her eyes.
“No. I was thinking maybe we could both go visit my family.”
“How do I know you won’t run from me?” he asked. He had a
smile on his face like he was joking, but it was the elephant in the
room. Liam worried that with any new freedom, Norah would run
from him. As long as he was with her he could keep track of where
she went, and who she talked to. Norah knew he didn’t trust her,
