Breathless (68 page)

“Yes, but I like bathing suits instead of winter coats.”

“Look at your pretty pink coat. Don’t you like it?”

“I guess.” Nichol looked at her mother’s coat. “You need a pink coat too. Then we can be twins.”

Just then, Emily came up behind Nichol. “A pink coat—definitely—is what you need, Claire.”

“Only if all three of us can match?”

Looking down at her growing midsection, Emily laughed. “Oh, I’d be a sight in pink.”

“Are you feeling all right? The travel wasn’t too much for you, was it?”

“I’m fine. I’m just tired. I don’t think that it’s the pregnancy as much as the time difference.” Hugging Claire, Emily continued, “Thank you, sis, for this amazing getaway. We’ve had a fabulous time. Traveling on your plane sure beats the heck out of flying commercial.”

“We’re so glad that everyone could go. Having everyone together made Nichol’s birthday even that much more special.”

Emily bent down and hugged her niece. “I love you, sweetheart. Be good for your mommy and daddy.”

Nichol grinned. “I’m always good.”

Emily’s brow rose as she peered up toward Claire.

“Mostly.” Claire corrected.

“Love you, Aunt Em,” Nichol said as she rushed toward Phil and the warm, waiting car.

“How about you?” Emily asked as the two women approached the cars. “Are you all right, being home? I know you don’t like winter much.”

Taking in the accumulating snow, Claire watched as Tony, Brent, and John, white flakes melting upon their hair, shook hands, bidding each other goodbye. Although the time away had been good for all of them, Claire was ready to be back to her intimate family. Two weeks in the presence of everyone had been a long time. Contemplating her sister’s question, Claire replied, “I am. We’ve enjoyed being with everyone; however, I’m happy to be home with Tony and Nichol.”

Emily smiled. “I understand. I’m ready for a little quiet time myself.”

Just then, Michael ran toward his mom, sliding his tiny feet upon the snow-covered runway. “Wheeee!” he yelled, as he held on to Emily’s leg for dear life.

Laughing, Claire said, “Good luck with that quiet time. You better enjoy it now. Once my little niece arrives, you’ll be pulled in every direction.”

“Two children aren’t that difficult,” Emily replied wistfully. Peering toward Nichol, she said, “I miss having two.”

The lump in Claire’s throat was difficult to swallow. Unsure how to respond, Claire was saved by the sound of Phil’s voice.

“Claire, the car’s ready.”

Looking his direction, she saw Tony in the backseat, already talking on his phone, and Nichol sitting beside him, her little booted feet swinging as she tended to the needs of her new doll. With full concentration she worked to wrap her prized possession in a blanket, protecting it from the cold. Earlier, Nichol had proclaimed that the doll was her favorite Christmas gift, and she was obviously concerned about its well-being. Claire had ordered the doll specially: the tiny replica looked identical to Nichol. Turning back toward Emily, Claire gave her sister a parting hug, and, changing the subject, she said, “See, we’ve barely touched down and Tony’s already back to work. I think I’ll have plenty of that quiet time.”

“I’m sure John’s doing the same thing. His phone started vibrating the second he took it out of airplane mode.”

“Thank you, Emily. I hope we can do more things together.”

Emily nodded. “Me too.”

“Mommy, we go home!” Michael proclaimed, as he tugged at Emily’s hand. “Bye-bye, Aunt Care.”

They said their goodbyes and moments later, Claire settled in the warmth of the waiting car and snuggled close to her daughter. “Are you cold, sweetie? Do you wish you were back on the island?”

Looking up to Tony and back to Claire, Nichol shook her head. “Uh-uh. The island doesn’t have pretty snowflakes, and I wanna be with you and Daddy.”

The car eased forward with Eric driving and Phil riding shotgun. Claire glanced toward Tony, expecting to see his concentration on the phone call at hand. Instead, at their daughter’s comment, their eyes met and he winked. Smiling, Claire helped Nichol with her doll’s blanket and replied, “We like that too, sweetheart.”

Chapter 2

Late December 2016

Nothing can bring a real sense of security into the home except true love.

—Billy Graham

THOUGH THE HOUSE on the island always seemed large and remote, it was nowhere near as big as their new home on the Rawlings estate. The fact that the island retreat had been occupied by four families, with a total of seventeen people, for the last two weeks helped to make the estate feel that much more secluded and private. Well, quiet, except for Nichol’s happy glees at being reunited with her nanny, Shannon. It wasn’t that Shannon hadn’t been invited to the island: she had. Nichol’s nanny had chosen to spend the Christmas holiday with her family. Claire completely understood; besides, Claire enjoyed spending more one-on-one time with her daughter.

After Nichol was tucked into bed, Shannon had retired to her suite, and the rest of the staff left the main house to go to their own apartments, Claire settled into the nice, large bed Tony had mentioned earlier. As she rested on the soft sheets, every muscle in her body relaxed. The quiet bliss of their suite filled her with peace while outside a growing blanket of white frosted the panes of glass that covered one wall of their bedroom suite. Even in the nocturnal darkness, the freshly fallen snow reflected a sheen of brilliance of the world beyond their bubble.

The bare, leafless trees were a far cry from the palm trees of their paradise; nonetheless, as Claire stared toward the windows, she didn’t miss the white sand and multicolored flowers that covered the lanai. No, as she stared outside and saw the large and small frozen flakes continue to cascade from the sky, Claire relished her home and her family.

The radiating glow from the fireplace added to Claire’s delight. Embers and remnants of fire, set earlier by the staff, filled the master bedroom suite with warmth while the sweet aroma of burning timbers permeated her senses. With the cold outside the windows, the roaring fire had been inviting, welcoming them upon their arrival. As she relaxed against the soft pillows, Claire marveled at her reality. She was home. Suddenly, a childhood story—a favorite of generations—came to mind while simultaneously an unconscious smile came to her lips. Dorothy had definitely been right: there was no place like home.

Other than a break for dinner with his family, since their homecoming, Tony had been occupied with all things Rawlings Industries. Though the island was no longer hidden, Internet service was less than stellar. Even with all of Phil’s knowledge and connections—those that only money could buy—attempts at communication, in any manner other than email, were painfully slow. While they were away, Tony had been kept abreast of the happenings at Rawlings, but until this afternoon, his input had been limited. After dinner he was back in his home office.

With their new house, the home office was much different than it had been. The new one lacked the dark cherry paneling and regal mahogany desk. Instead it was homier and lighter, containing two equally sized desks. Truly it was
their
home office. As lady of the house, Claire had the responsibility of the household staff and the daily operations of the estate. When Tony had the new house built, he purposely chose to share the space that at one time had been declared his and his alone. Though Claire had complete access, on their first day and evening home, she chose to not spend her time catching up on her responsibilities. There would be plenty of time for that. Instead, she worked to help unpack and acclimate Nichol back to Iowa. Now, as she neared sleep, Claire pondered the length of the day. With crossing the international dateline, and in essence, going back in time, the day had lasted forever.

Though the heat of the flames lulled Claire toward the blissfulness of sleep, her mind spun with countless possibilities for fun, snow-filled activities. She knew that if she were excited about the snow and cold, Nichol would be also. Then, without warning, her consciousness filled not with aroma of the burning wood, but the unmistakable scent of cologne. Without visual confirmation, every fiber in Claire’s body let her know that she was no longer alone. Though she hadn’t heard her husband enter their suite, she knew he was there.

Still not opening her eyes, Claire’s lips moved to a slight grin as she heard Tony moving quietly around the darkened suite. It wasn’t until he settled into the big bed that she scooted closer and molded herself to his side. Immediately, his arm wrapped about her petite frame and his baritone voice filled the suite, which moments earlier had contained only the crackling of the simmering fire.

“I thought you were asleep. Aren’t you exhausted?”

“I am…” She admitted. “…but I’m also enjoying the peace and quiet.”

“Next time we go to the island, it would be all right with me if we had fewer guests.”

Claire nodded against his chest.

“Speaking of guests,” Tony continued, “what were you and Emily talking about at the airport?”

She lifted her head. “What were you, John, and Brent talking about?”

“I believe I asked first.”

Propping her chin on her fist, Claire replied, “She was thanking me for a wonderful getaway and saying how much they enjoyed it.”

“Hmmm. That’s pretty much what Brent and John were saying too.”

“Tony?”

“What?” He answered as he pulled her back to his chest.

“Did you hate it? I mean, you didn’t seem like you did. Yet I know you didn’t used to like to be around so many people.”

“I didn’t hate it. There were times I wanted to be alone with you and Nichol, but I didn’t hate it.” He sighed. “We’ve both been alone, and I know how much you enjoy having other people around. If that’s what you want, I want it too.”

Claire smiled against his bare chest, enjoying the tickling sensation of his soft chest hair. “I do. I’m happy to be with people and with friends. I know the Meredith thing was strange at first, but no one knows how much she helped me. I love seeing her with Jerry and the kids. The risks she took for me…well, I can never thank her enough.”

“I think you have. Just like you enjoy seeing her happy with her family, she probably feels the same way. Once in a while, I’d notice her watching you with a hopeful smile. I may have been skeptical when I first heard about her connection, but not anymore. I’m glad she and Jerry took us up on our offer and came with us.”

“I also love this,” Claire added.

“This?”

“Being alone, just the two of us, or three of us.”

“Or six, if you include Eric, Phil, and Shannon,” Tony corrected.

Claire sat up quickly, pulling the blanket dramatically around her nightgown-clad body, and mocked, “What? Eric, Phil, and Shannon are in
here
?”

With only the embers of the dying fire illuminating his devilish grin, Tony reached for his wife and pulled her close. Laughingly, he said, “Mrs. Rawlings, what have I said about that smart mouth of yours?”

Raining a trail of kisses from his chest toward his lips, Claire replied, “As I recall, you said you like it.”

Suddenly, her world was reversed. No longer was she above him: now, with her head on her pillow, Tony hovered mere inches above her face. The weight of his chest pressed against her suddenly sensitive breasts.

“Oh, I do, Mrs. Rawlings, but what I like most is its versatility.”

Claire insides tightened as she watched in amazement and wonder at the emotions swirling through her husband’s chocolate-colored eyes. The suede of exhaustion mixed with the shimmer of amusement both faded into the darkened abyss of desire. How had there ever been a time when she couldn’t read his every thought? His current thought—his current intention—was not only visible, but becoming more prominent by the moment. “Versatility?” she baited.

“Hmm, yes,” Tony cooed, as he teased the slender strap of her nightgown. “Those amazing lips can not only spew smart comments and retorts, but I believe they’re also capable of untold marvels.” Kisses to her exposed shoulder interrupted his words. “I don’t
believe
. I know.”

With his continued encouragement, Claire’s previous thoughts of sleep quickly morphed into a smoldering heat: one that possibly exceeded that of the one burning in the grate. As the tension within her continued to build, the seclusion of their private suite lifted any inhibitions they may have maintained during their crowded retreat. “You seem quite confident, Mr. Rawlings.”

Easing her nightgown over Claire’s head, Tony tossed it to the floor, creating a puddle of silk near their bed while his lips moved from her collarbone to her breasts. With deliberate precision and painstaking leisureliness, he moistened each nipple causing them to harden as his abrasive cheeks brushed the sensitive skin. Arching her back toward him, Claire’s playfulness turned sultry. No longer did she want to offer bold retorts. The only thing on her mind was the man skillfully teasing and caressing her exposed body. Despite the warmth of the crackling fire, goose bumps formed on her arms and legs. Each move of his mouth, inch by inch downward, over her stomach, nearing the place she needed him most, helped to build the frenzy within her.

When his advances met the only remaining obstacle, Claire lifted her hips to help him remove her panties. Tony’s deep voice pulled her from her endorphin-induced trance. “There were definite advantages to my previous rules.”

At that moment, she couldn’t have agreed more. Grinning, Claire began to ease the lace panties from her hips.

“Wait,” Tony commanded. Sitting upward on their large bed, Tony reached for Claire’s hand. “You’re so damn beautiful. I want to watch you take those off. I want to see you…all of you…as you give yourself to me.”

Blood rushed to her cheeks as tried to hide her gaze. Tony cupped her chin and pulled her green eyes towards him. “Don’t look away. I love you. We’re finally alone. I want to see all of you, including your beautiful eyes.”

Watching the man before her, Claire smiled, accepted his hand, and stood. With the soles of her feet upon the soft satin puddle, Claire waited. It wasn’t the warmth of the fire that filled her with the confidence to do as he’d asked. No, it was the sultry heat she witnessed in his dark eyes. The fire within him wasn’t a reflection of the one burning across the room. It was the culmination of weeks surrounded by too many people, the need to connect to one another, and the desire that stems from a connection that surpasses all boundaries.