Celestial Desire (11 page)

“Zane. Did you hear what I said? CK wants a face-to-face.”

Zane blinked, called back to the present by Mitch’s irritated tone. “What?”

“CK? The owner of Cosmos Digital Solutions? The company that has agreed to pay all of your start-up costs and finance Fagan Home Security Systems? Does that ring a bell?”

“Can’t you do it?” Zane rubbed the scruff on his jaw, turning the smart phone over and over in his other hand. All he had to do was activate the tracking app and within minutes he would know exactly where Celeste was. His six month deadline passed a week ago, and there had been no word from her.

Not a goddamn word. No phone call, no text, no frigging email. And she sure as hell hadn’t shown up at his door and stepped into his empty frigging arms.

“Not this time,” Mitch said firmly. “I’ve handled everything I can for you, Zane, but this is a deal-breaker. CK wants to speak with you personally or no funding.”

“What the hell for? You’ve shown him the paperwork, laid out the bottom line. Nobody can beat my systems.”

“Yes, and that has gotten your foot in the door, but CK’s old fashioned; thinks the success of a business depends more on the person behind it than a bunch of numbers on paper.” Mitch paused, looking at Zane, similar blue eyes pinning him with the force of a laser. “You really need to do this, Zane.”

Zane tried to work up enough energy to care, but couldn’t. He didn’t care much about anything. Each day was a sorry repeat of the one before it: Get up. Work out. Try to work, but spend more time staring at his phone, alternating between willing it to ring and fighting the urge to activate the tracker. Assuming she hadn’t had it removed, that was.

Eventually he’d accomplish something, enough to be able to call it a day. Then he’d drink a few beers and feel sorry for himself. Go to bed early and dream about Celeste until it was time to wake up and start the cycle all over again.

“Zane. You can’t keep doing this to yourself. You have to move on.”

Deep down, Zane knew Mitch was right, but there didn’t seem to be much point, really. What did he have to look forward to? All the things he enjoyed before held little appeal for him now. He had no desire whatsoever to start going out again. There was only one woman he wanted to be with. Other things – like going sailing, riding his Harley, listening to music – all reminded him of
her
.

“Is that what Celeste did, Mitch? Move on?”

“You didn’t give her any choice.”

Yeah
, Zane thought.
That’s because I’m a fucking idiot
. Mitch had hit that nail right on the head. He still remembered the tears in her eyes when she asked him not to go, but he had been so scared that one day she would come to her senses and leave him, too. Everyone had tried to tell him he was making a mistake, but he hadn’t listened. He was too much of a coward, being the first to walk away so that he wouldn’t be hurt later.

Now he realized that he should have pulled her into his arms and taken every minute he could with her, loving her. He should have taken every opportunity to convince her that he was the only man for her. Now it was too late. By pushing her away he had ensured that what he feared most had come to pass. Talk about a self-fulfilling prophecy.

It took most of the evening, but Mitch was very persistent, and Zane finally agreed that he would meet with the CEO of Cosmos Digital Technologies.
 

Zane borrowed Mitch’s Lexus for the drive. Knowing next to nothing about this mysterious CK – Mitch was very tight-lipped about the guy, saying only that CK was a very private, reclusive sort – he wasn’t sure how the Shelby or the Harley would come across. Mitch had been adamant that Zane’s making a good impression was critical to his future.

Zane found it hard to care, but Mitch had put a lot of work into this deal, and he owed him this much at least. Mitch had put up with him for the last six months; had endured all of his moods, moping, and general lack of interest in the world around him.

That is how he found himself driving up the coast toward the GPS coordinates he’d been provided. At Mitch’s insistence, he was once again clean and well-groomed. None of those things mattered when you didn’t go anywhere or do anything. With Celeste gone, which all but eliminated the chance of running into her, he had stopped bothering.

The sun was out when he left, but the cloud cover thickened the farther he crawled up the coastline. By the time he exited the highway and navigated the increasingly smaller roads, it was downright gloomy. It matched his mood.

When he pulled into the drive and came across the house built right into the side of the mountain, even he had to appreciate the guy’s style. It sat alone above the shoreline, miles away from the nearest town with no other houses in sight, surrounded by ancient, tall trees on the other sides. The place was built to blend in with the land around it, varying offset levels of wood and stone, reminding him of some of the architectural wonders of Frank Lloyd Wright. Huge floor to ceiling panes of tinted glass on each story looked out over the ocean.

It was the type of place Celeste would have loved.

Brutally shoving that thought to the back of his mind, Zane got out of the car and stretched. The ride had managed to eat up a few hours of his day. Not that it mattered, really. It wasn’t like he had anything better to do. If nothing else, maybe this CK guy would turn out to be interesting enough to distract him for a little while.

Following the loosely cobbled walkway, Zane made his way up to what he assumed was the proper entrance and rang the bell before noticing the small printed sign:
Bell doesn’t work. Please come around to back entrance.

Yes, Zane thought with another stab of pain, he could definitely envision Celeste here.

Zane turned the far corner of the building and froze. A beautiful stone patio spread out before him, complete with a fire pit currently boasting a welcoming blaze. Comfortable looking and stylish outdoor furniture flanked the pit. And sitting there, with her back to him, was a woman who had hair like sunlight and honey.

Like Celeste.

Zane swallowed, hard, then turned on his heel and began to walk the other way. He couldn’t do this. No fucking way. Even Fate couldn’t be that cruel.

“Mr. Fagan.” The voice called out before he could make it fully around the corner. Christ, it even sounded like Celeste. “Mr. Fagan, please wait.”

He heard the padding of pawed feet and the rhythmic click of nails on stone only seconds before the low warning growl. He stopped, but didn’t turn around. He couldn’t.

“
Zane
.”

The touch upon his arm was whisper light. The scent familiar. It couldn’t be.

“Celeste?”

He turned and looked down into the same liquid amber eyes that had been haunting his dreams. He searched her face for something – anything – that would explain this. Her skin was just as dewy and fresh as he remembered. Her hair was a bit longer, with perhaps more blonde streaks than had been there before. Beside her, a familiar furry face looked up at him.

“You’re CK?” he said as the pieces started falling into place.

She offered a cautious smile. “Celeste Karliena Harrison.”

Zane blinked, frozen to the spot. Then it began to dawn on him.
Celeste had called
. Celeste had requested a private meeting. With him. She had refused to meet with anyone but him.

“The CEO of Cosmos Digital Technologies.”

She bit her bottom lip and flushed. “Pretty much the whole company, actually. It’s getting to be a bit hard to manage. I thought it might be wise to consider a merger.”

The damn of ice that had built itself in his chest since he’d walked away from her began to crack. “Did you now?” he asked softly.

Celeste cleared her throat. “Yes. Don’t get me wrong. I
can
continue to go it alone but I would prefer not to.”

A few leaks sprung. “Given it a lot of thought, have you?”

“I have done my research. You, Mr. Fagan, are exactly what I am looking for.”

Huge blocks of ice dislodged and shattered into a thousand tiny pieces. “You are quite sure about that?”

“There is no doubt in my mind.”

There was not a chance in hell he was going to wait another minute. She had her chance to walk away. He wasn’t going to give her another opportunity. Ever.

He pulled Celeste into his arms and crushed her against his chest. Capturing her mouth with his, he claimed it. Completely. Totally. Brutally.

In a matter of seconds all of the familiar urges crashed into him like a tsunami, rolling over him and giving him no chance. Celeste’s clothes were gone, as were his. A suspiciously convenient pile of blankets became a cozy little nest.

“I don’t have a condom,” he panted against her skin, desperate to taste every inch.

“I don’t care,” she said. “I need you, Zane. All of you.”

There would be time for finesse and gentleness later, but they were way past any of that. Zane reached between her legs and found her wet and ready. Without another thought, he slid into her, nearly sobbing from the joy of it.

Her nails dug into his back as he pumped frantically, needing to brand her thoroughly before she had a chance to change her mind. Her hips rolled to meet him, deepening his penetration until every last inch was filled and aching with need.

“Celeste!” he cried out, bucking deep when he felt her squeezing around him in the grips of climax. He followed immediately, pumping his soul into her right along with his seed.

Hours later, Celeste sat in between Zane’s legs, her back to his front, with the large blanket around both of them. It was only temporary; both knew and accepted that it wouldn’t be long before they heeded the call once again. Below them, the waves swelled and crashed against the surf.

“I thought you wanted a cabin in the mountains.”

“I did. But then I saw this place, and thought of you and how much you liked the ocean. Did I mention there’s a private dock? I looked at a couple of sailboats, but I didn’t know enough about them to choose wisely, so I asked Mitch to help me. I hope you like it.”

Her words sank in. “You did this… for me?”

“Well, duh,” she said softly. “A future without you wasn’t an option, Zane.”

He didn’t know what to say. His chest felt like it was going to explode. After several long minutes, he cleared his throat and said. “Well. I guess I’ll be signing those merger papers then, huh?”

“Only if you feel it’s in your best interests,” she said, her eyes glittering. “What did your legal counsel recommend?”

“Oh,” Zane said, shifting them around so that she was beneath him. “He suggested a complete merging of assets.”

He slid into her easily, her channel still slick from their previous lovemaking.

“Hmm,” she hummed, welcoming him as she ran her nails up his back. “I do like the sound of that…”
 

Three Months Later
 

“Rrrmmphf.”

Zane ignored Jax’s soft plea and snuggled into the warm, fragrant woman in his arms.

“Rrrrmmphf.” A cold, wet nose prodded insistently in the middle of his bare back.

Popping an eye open, the brilliant daylight flooding the room registered. He yawned and lifted his head to check the digital clock display. “Celeste, wake up, baby. We overslept.”

She groaned and pulled the covers up over her head. Zane pulled them down again. “Come on, sexy genius. Mitch and your mother are going to be here soon. We’ve got to get ready.”

Celeste’s eyes popped open. “What time is it?”

“Nearly eleven.”

“Crap.” She sat up quickly, then promptly turned a sickly shade of green.

“Here.” Zane reached beside the bed and grabbed the pack of saltines and a miniature-sized bottled water. “Settle our little guy while I take care of Jax.” He punctuated his words by lovingly running a hand over the barely-there swell of her belly.

“I knew I made the right decision in agreeing to marry you.”

He chuckled and pressed a kiss to her bare shoulder. “I thought it was because of my amazing rod.”

“That amazing rod is why we overslept and will probably be late for our own wedding.”

“Totally worth it,” he said unrepentantly.

He reluctantly rolled away from his pregnant fiancé and business partner and found not one, but two pairs of soulful eyes – one brown, one blue - staring at him expectantly. Not long after Zane had moved in with Celeste, they’d made another trip to the animal shelter and let Jax pick out a companion. The dog had made a beeline towards the back, planting his haunches in front of a fluffy white Samoyed female, and Sammie became the newest member of their household.

Zane pulled on his jeans, looking over his shoulder when he felt Celeste’s gaze. Sure enough, she was staring at his backside with blatant appreciation. And just like that, his blood warmed. Since her morning sickness had taken hold, wake-up sex was not on the agenda, but he wasn’t complaining. The extended mid-day and late night sessions driven by Celeste’s rampant hormones were
epic
.

“Like what you see?” he smirked.

“I do indeed.”

“Maybe after I let these guys back, I’ll come back and we can - ”

“Have sex?” she finished, a hopeful gleam in her eye.

“I was going to say, shower together to save time, but I like the way you think.”

“Maybe we can do both.”

That idea certainly had its merits. Images of a wet, soapy Celeste had him hard and aching as he ushered their charges out of the bedroom before he gave in to his urges and climbed back into bed with her. He let them out into the large fenced-in area reserved for unsupervised outside time and started a pot of coffee. While he waited for that to brew, he toasted a couple of bagels and poured some juice, then arranged everything on a tray.

He leaned back against the counter and took a deep breath. In six months, he was going to be a father. In six hours, he would be a married man. Celeste already carried his child; by tonight she would wear his ring and bear his name as well.

By all accounts, he should have been freaking out, but as the gentle breeze carried in the muted sounds of the ocean and the ever-present squawks of gulls, he felt only peace. The wedding wasn’t going to change anything, not really. He and Celeste were already joined in every way that mattered, personally and professionally.

He’d moved in right after their “meeting” three months earlier, unwilling to waste even one more precious moment with her. Since neither of them had much in the way of furniture, they’d spent the next few weeks picking out things and decorating the place together. The result was a home that they both loved, crafted more for comfort than style.

Their businesses had officially merged shortly thereafter and their joint venture – Cosmos Digital Security – was proving to be quite lucrative, indeed. With his knowledge of security and Celeste’s mad computer skills, they’d developed unparalleled new systems for home and personal security. Not only were they receiving more orders every day, he got to make his own hours and work from his home office. They each had their own private space to facilitate getting anything done, because they’d discovered that being in the same room for any length of time could be too distracting.

One of the perks was that when either of them felt like taking a break, all they had to do was wander around until they found the other.

Best job ever.

In addition to being technologically brilliant, Celeste was loving and funny and, in his opinion, the perfect woman. He couldn’t imagine his life without her. So no, he wasn’t nervous at all. If anything, he couldn’t wait to make it all official. In a few hours, Celeste Karliena Harrison would become Mrs. Zane Fagan and that sounded damn good to him.

A soft woof at the back door informed him that Jax and Sammie were ready to come back in. Zane obliged, scooped out some dog food and refilled the water dishes.

Celeste was in the shower when he entered the bedroom with the tray a few minutes later. He wasted no time in stripping out of his jeans and joining her.

“Yes? Can I help you?” she teased when he slid in behind her.

He grabbed the body wash and the soft poof and began to wash her back. “Shower sex? Sound familiar?”

“Hmmm. Vaguely. Maybe you could refresh my memory.”

Zane abandoned the poof, gliding his large hands along her curves. She leaned back into him, nestling his now-raging erection against the soft swells of her backside. He groaned when his palms reached her fuller breasts, the hardened tips prominently begging for attention.

“You are so fucking hot,” he breathed. “How did I get so lucky?”

Celeste turned, taking him in her hand. “I think I’m the lucky one,” she said. Her once tentative touch was now bold, confident.
Perfect
.

“I think we can agree that we’re both –
Celeste!
”

She’d slipped through his hands and gone down on her knees. He tangled his fingers in her hair and fought the urge to buck his hips as she loved him with that skilled, sassy mouth. Celeste targeted every one of his weaknesses mercilessly and before long he was ready to explode. With one smooth move, he cupped her beneath the arms, turning her around as he lifted her up. Her hands flattened against the tile and he slid into her warm, welcoming depths.

“Christ, I love you, Celeste.” Zane reached around and used his fingers to hasten her pleasure; he was far too close for a slow, proper build-up. Thankfully he, like her, had been paying attention and knew exactly where to stroke and squeeze to get her to her peak quickly. She tensed and gripped him hard, pushing them both over the edge.

“Thanks,” she panted softly. “I needed that.”

“My pleasure,” he chuckled. Zane kissed her on the nose. “Think that will be enough to hold us till tonight?”

“Probably not. But there’s got to be storage closet or hidden alcove somewhere, right?” she grinned.

“Naughty girl.” He landed a soft tap on her backside. “Now let’s move. The sooner we say I do, the sooner you’re mine.”

Celeste slid her arms up around his neck. “I’m already yours. Don’t you know that?”

“Yes. But let’s do this anyway.”
 

* * *
 

It was hard to refrain from running the length of the small chapel. Zane looked so handsome in his black tux, standing before the altar; her heart fluttered against the walls of her chest at the very sight of him. She loved him so much, and soon they would officially be husband and wife.

Celeste followed behind her mother as the wedding march played softly in the background. Mitch walked her down the aisle, then took his place next to Zane. She laughed when she saw Jax already there, sporting a white silk collar and black bow tie. Facing him was Sammie, wearing a rhinestone collar draped in a glittering, soft tulle to make it look like a veil.

“Thought we’d make it a double wedding,” Zane murmured with a wink.

Celeste handed her bouquet to her mother, whose eyes shone with unshed moisture, then turned to Zane.

“Shall we begin?” asked the minister.

She took a deep breath and nodded. Zane did the same.

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today…”

Before she knew it, Zane slid the ring onto her finger and they were pronounced man and wife. When he leaned in and kissed her for the first time as her husband, her toes literally curled. And she knew, without a doubt, that their happily ever after was just beginning…