Stanton Unconditional (3 page)

“No, of course not. I lost track of how much I had had. I just had a really shitty weekend and was trying to perk myself up a bit.”

“What happened on the weekend?” I ask.

His face drops and his eyes meet mine and he swallows a large lump in his throat. “Can you get me some breakfast, boys?”

Cameron jumps up and rubs Joshua’s shoulder. “Sure mate,” he gives him three hard slaps on the back as he and Adrian leave the room. Joshua’s eyes search mine and I smile in return.

“Alone at last,” I whisper.

He pulls me into an embrace. “I’ve missed you presh. Don’t leave me again, ok.”

I smile and nod as he runs his lips down the length of my neck. “Promise me,” I smile again. “Natasha, promise me,” he repeats.

I shake my head. “Josh you know I only left you because of my dad and all of that mess. I will never leave you again.” I smile as I kiss his neck and he holds me tight.

I run my hands around the back of his nightgown and feel his behind … he feels good.

He kisses me as he brushes the hair from my face. “Tash …we need to talk.”

My head drops. “I know, Josh. I need to talk to you too.” I sigh softly.

“Well you look much better today.” We jump back from each other as the doctor enters the room. Shit I had my hand on his butt, how embarrassing. Joshua gives the doctor a nod in embarrassment and shakes his hand.

“Thank you, doctor.”

The doctor reads his chart and gets his torch as he looks into Joshua’s eyes. “You are lucky to be alive, young man. You nearly died.”

Joshua’s eyes find mine and he drops his head. “I know … I was very frightened.” My eyes spring up to his. He’s right—that would have been frightening. “You have a lot of people waiting to see you outside. After you shower and eat I will let them in.”

Joshua nods. “When can I go home?”

The doctor narrows his eyes. “Not until you have completed five drug counselling sessions with our rehab team. It will be at least another three to four days before I sign you out.”

Joshua frowns. “I don’t need counselling.”

The doctor looks up from his notes. “I am happy to check you into a three- month rehab program if you refuse … your choice.”

Joshua glares at the doctor.

“Three days is fine thanks, doctor,” I interrupt. I widen my eyes at Joshua to signify his silence, and he reluctantly nods and heads over to sit on the bed.

“I will be back to check on you each morning around eight. If you need anything just let me know. I think they are moving you upstairs for more privacy. It seems the press has got a hold of your overdose and you are making headlines around the world.” The doctor sighs and Joshua’s head droops. “Upstairs you will be in a private wing so your bodyguards and helpers will have more room. They are making this place a mess,” he smiles. “How many do you have?”

Joshua looks embarrassed. “A couple,” he whispers. “Natasha, is Max here?”

I smile and nod. “One of them is mine, doctor,” I reply. He nods and heads out of the room.

My eyes widen. “Oh shit. I forgot about Max. I have left him out there all night.”

Joshua frowns. “And,” he murmurs.

I frown. “I don’t do that. Max has been staying with me and Mum since you left.”

He frowns as he stands. “What … in the house with you?” I smile and nod.

“I’m paying him to protect you, not play happy families,” he snaps.

I smile. Why is a jealous Joshua Stanton so simply delicious? “He has been protecting me and helping my family. This last two months have been horrific for me Josh and he has kept Brock away from me.”

“Has Brock been giving you a hard time?”

“No, just making sure everyone knows that he hates you. It isn’t as unbearable when Max is with me because he tells him to shut his mouth.”

Joshua smirks. “Shut his mouth hey.” I smile and nod. “He might have his mouth wired shut soon if he keeps going,” he adds.

I pull him to me. “No, because you love me you are going to let this thing with Brock go. For me and for Mum.”

He bends to kiss me. “I really want to kick his ass.”

I smile as he nuzzles my neck. “Take it out on my ass instead.”

“Hmm,” he whispers darkly. “Your ass is going to cop it very soon as well.” He nips my neck and I yelp.

“Promises, promises Stanton,” I giggle. God I love this man. The nurse re-enters. Hmm, this one is young and pretty and I feel a sudden pang of jealousy, especially since I have just felt that he is in full rut under that gown.

“Do you need help to shower?” she asks him.

His eyes dance with delight as he looks at me mischievously. “Maybe,” he replies.

I look at him deadpan. “I’ve got it,” I snap.

He gives me a broad beautiful smile and winks at me.
Bastard.

“No, my wife will help me shower, but can you take the drip out so I can please.”

She smiles, knowing exactly what he’s playing at. “Yes sure.” I watch as she slowly takes his drip out of the cannula and prepares the bathroom. “I will put a do not disturb sign on the room’s door for twenty minutes. Lock the door but there is a buzzer if you need any help, ok?”

I smile and nod. “Ok,” I reply. I follow Joshua into the bathroom and he shuts the door and locks it behind us. His eyes drop to my feet and back up again and he ticks his jaw and gently cracks his neck.

I smirk. “Get that look out of your eyes, Joshua. It’s not happening. You are here because you are sick.”

He drops the gown and puts his head to the side. “Do I look sick?”

My eyes drop to his perfect erect manhood … my heart drops as I go weak with want—it’s been so long.

He gently runs his hands through my hair. “I’ve missed my beautiful girl,” he whispers. His lips meet mine and he blesses me with a tender open-mouthed kiss, his tongue slowly taking what he wants. I hold my breath as he slowly peels off my clothing and pulls me by the hand into the shower. We stand under the strong stream of water kissing and embracing each other. This is home. I stand under the water with my head on his chest for fifteen minutes, his arms wrapped protectively around me. I’ve missed his strength, his tenderness, every damn inch of him. His lips tenderly take mine as he runs his hand over my breast and down my stomach and then further down to between my legs. He closes his eyes at the contact.

“There’s my beautiful tight girl,” he whispers. His hands are gentle and loving … tender. I involuntarily throw my head back as he pushes a finger inside me and then another one. His thumb circles on my clitoris in perfect pressure. He knows my body so well, knows exactly how to make me lose all coherent thought. “My beautiful girl, I love you.” He kisses me again as he slowly lifts my leg so I am standing on one foot to give him greater access to my throbbing centre. His fingers start to slowly pulse inside me and my eyes roll back in my head … this is what I need.

“I can’t wait presh … I have to be inside you. Now.”

My breathing catches. “Josh we are in a hospital room. No.”

He smiles as his eyes drop to my lips. “You don’t have a say in it. You told the nurse you were going to look after me and she can’t come back in here when I’m in this state.”

I smile. “I know what you are doing,” I whisper.

He smiles into my neck. “What am I doing?”

“Trying to make me jealous,” I reply.

He bites my neck again. “I’m too hard. It’s not going to go down and you don’t want the nurse to see me like this, do you baby?”

I smile and narrow my eyes. He’s really not playing fair. “Tash, I need to be inside you—it’s been too long. I can’t wait. Look, I’ll sit and you can do all the work.” His skin is covered in water beads, his large erection hangs heavily between his legs, his eyes are dark and his big beautiful lips are open with want. I’ve never seen anything quite so erotic in my life. He gestures to the bench seat in the shower. My eyes flick to the seat and back to his mouth. This is unbearable, I can’t stop. I grab him and kiss him hard as I push him into the seat and he groans out loud. Then he is lifting me over him and rubbing the side of his shaft through my flesh. Our breathing is heavy and the steam in the room is starting to run down the walls. He slowly brings his hand up to his lips and puts some saliva onto his fingertips which he then rubs into my weeping sex as a lubricant, like I need any. He holds his thick length up and, with the other hand, pulls my hip down. We both groan as he enters me … we stay still, panting. My eyes close, my heart races and I’m scared if he moves a muscle I am going to explode into orgasm. He rests his forehead against mine and looks into my eyes.

“I love you,” he whispers as he brings both of his hands up to my cheeks.

My eyes cloud over with tears. “I love you, Josh.”

He smiles and then kisses me, probably the most beautiful kiss he has ever given me. The depth of emotion behind it gives me goosebumps and I slowly lift myself to move.

“Presh, I’m not going to last. You just feel too good, baby.”

I smile. “Its ok, me too.” He lifts me once and my legs fall wider open.

“Fuck it.” He snaps as he lifts me again. He slams me back down and circles my hips on the upstroke and groans as he comes hard, his body doubling over in orgasm. I feel his thick length throb deeply inside as his body empties into me and I know I can’t make him keep going. He’s not well enough. Damn … I needed that orgasm. I shake my head and lift myself to pull him out of me as we both scramble for air.

His forehead rests on mine as he pants. “Sorry, Precious. I couldn’t last.”

There’s a first, I am so in love with this man. I smile broadly as I kiss him again. “Shh, it doesn’t matter.” I whisper. “We have the rest of our lives, Joshua.” His eyes search mine, and he smiles gently.

Knock, knock, knock … ”Joshua are you ok?” Joshua and I glance at each other in shock.

“My mother’s here.”

Chapter 3

H
oly crap
—Margaret—why did she have to come now of all times? We are both wet, overheated and out of breath—it is blatantly obvious what we have been doing. I wanted Joshua to myself for a few tender moments. She bloody ruins everything.

He breaks into a full-blown smile as his eyes drop to my lips. His two hands clasp my face to pull my head back to give him greater access to my neck. “Shall I invite her in to watch round two?” he whispers as he slowly pumps his hips into mine, his open mouth skimming the length of my neck down to my shoulder blade. I widen my eyes and slap him on the chest.

“Stop it, you idiot. She’s going to go ape.” He bends and kisses me slowly as if we have all the time in the world.

“Let her, I’m done with what people think. I only care what you think.” He smirks.

I smile shyly at him and pull back to look at his face. “Well I love you, Mr Stanton, that’s what I think.”

His face mirrors mine. “That’s all I need to be happy. My mother can go to hell on her broomstick for all I care.” I bite my bottom lip to stifle my smile at the thought of her on a broomstick. That analogy is so very fitting.

“Joshua, stop it,” I scowl. “This isn’t a joke.”

Knock, knock, knock … ”Joshua,” she calls.

“In a minute Mum, I’m showering with Natasha.” My mouth drops open in shock and I hold my hands over my eyes.

“Sshh, shut up,” I whisper as I shake my hands in a nervous gesture. “Stop it. She’s going to go crazy.”

He smiles a full beaming smile and raises his eyebrows at me. “I told you I don’t care anymore, she can like it or lump it.” I jump out of the shower and start drying myself double time.

“She’s going to lump it …you know that.” He turns off the shower and starts to dry himself. He stands still while I hurriedly dress. I quickly brush my hair and exit the bathroom. This is just so uncomfortable—what must I look like? He’s in hospital for Pete’s sake. I walk out into the room to find Cameron sitting on the bed smirking at me. “Really … hospital sex?” He raises an eyebrow in question. I screw my face up in embarrassment and turn to see Joshua saunter out of the bathroom in a towel, proud as punch. My stomach drops. God, this looks bad.

Cameron shakes his head at Joshua. “You look,” he smirks as he raises an eyebrow, “better.”

Joshua smiles at him as his eyes flick to me, “Yes I’m feeling much better, thank you.” Please, earth, swallow me up, I’m like a hospital sex stalker taking advantage of the sick. “Where’s Mother?” Joshua asks.

Cameron smiles. “Your little ‘I’m showering with Natasha comment’ scared her off.”

I put my head into my hands. “Oh god, Josh, you’re making it worse. She hates me enough.” I pull a worried face at Cam.

Joshua saunters over and embraces me from behind. “Presh, let me take care of my mother.” He kisses my cheek over my shoulder. “I told you I’m done with her making me feel guilty for loving you. Hasn’t this last two months shown you to not worry about anyone but me?”

Cameron interjects. “And me … and Adrian,” he winks.

I smile warmly at him. In all honesty they’re the only three people worth worrying about on his side anyway.

“I will handle my mother and if she can’t handle us being together then,” he shrugs his shoulders, “I don’t know what role she will have in my life.”

I shake my head and pull away from him. “Joshua, you are not fighting with your mother over me. I will not let you cut her out of your life. She deserves more respect. You wouldn’t even be here if it wasn’t for her. I will try to make this right and stop … all this nonsense. But I need you to stop antagonising her. You’re just making it harder for me.” He smiles and gives me a quick kiss on the cheek before he walks over to his drawer of belongings, he pulls out some clothes and starts to dress. “Can we talk about this later please?” I ask as my eyes flick to Cameron and I notice he is in a white coat.

“Oh my god Cam, you’re in your doctor’s get up. Is this the hospital you work at?” He nods and smiles as he looks down at his coat.

“Yeah, I start at ten,” he replies.

I hunch my shoulders up like a little kid. “Ohh, this is so exciting.” I bound over to give him a cuddle and he laughs out loud.

“Shit, I’m getting a photo.” I run to my bag and get my phone and turn to see a proud as punch Cameron. Probably nobody took a photo of him on his first day. I start to click away.

“I’ll send this one to the girls, so try to look hot,” I smile.

“That won’t be hard, I am hot,” he replies.

Joshua rolls his eyes. “Yeah, smoking.” I smirk at Joshua who is now sitting on the bed watching the photo shoot.

“Tash, I have an idea. Why don’t you go and find a nurse’s outfit and then let me take some photos of you looking hot,” Joshua whispers.

I fake-scowl at him and shake my head.

“Cam, where’s Murph?” Joshua’s eyes flick to Cameron.

Cameron frowns, ” I don’t think he is coming until later. The press have got a hold of your overdose and the office is swamped with reporters.”

Margaret enters the room. “Joshua,” she runs to him and breaks into tears and I know the fun conversations are over. This is about to get heavy. “You could have died. What were you thinking you stupid boy?” She nervously smiles at me and I fake a smile in return. They embrace as she cries. “I thought I was going to lose you. Don’t ever put me through that again. You have no idea how terrifying the flight was, not knowing if you were going to be alive when I got off at the other end.”

“Sorry, it was an accident. I didn’t mean it,” he replies.

She pulls back from the embrace. “Why were you taking cocaine, Joshua?”

Joshua hangs his head. “I don’t know.”

“Dear god, Cameron, do you take cocaine?” she stammers as her eyes flick to him.

“No, Joshua has never done it before either. It was a one-off thing. It just got out of hand,” Cameron sighs.

Mmm, even I can see he is lying. What the hell? Cameron too. This partying lifestyle is coming to a stop right now for the both of them. Cameron is now a doctor for heaven’s sake and Joshua is a frigging millionaire. This is just ridiculous. My mind flicks back to that asshole Carson. I hate him even more now if that’s possible.

I give a weak smile. “I will give you some privacy and get some coffee. I will be back later.”

Joshua looks at me and frowns. “Ben can get you that. You are not leaving the room every time my mother enters it. I thought we were in this together.” His eyes challenge me.

Shit, I swallow uncomfortably. “We are but … Josh, spend some alone time with your mother. I want to go and see Max and ring the girls anyway.” He holds out his hand for me and my eyes flick nervously to Margaret who is watching me attentively.

“Natasha, dear, we need to talk,” Margaret says quietly. I bite my bottom lip and look at the ground. I so don’t want to talk to this bitch, I despise her … every damn thing about her, and now I know she is a lying adulterer, I hate her even more if that’s possible. Joshua picks up my hand and kisses the back of it as his eyes plead with me to make peace with his mother.

I give a resigned smile. “Yes ok, I will make some calls and be back in about fifteen minutes.” Joshua smiles warmly and kisses my hand again. “Take Max with you baby. I don’t want you walking around here on your own.” I roll my eyes, Cam smiles and pulls me into a headlock.

“Come on Marx I will show you the hot nurses on level four.”

I pull a disgusted face. “Jeez, I can’t wait.”

An hour later I am in the lounge area talking to Max. “So have you called Holly?”

He smiles. “Yes, but she worked last night and now it’s the middle of the night there, so I have just left her a message for when she wakes up.” I nod. Max has met an Australian woman and is really quite smitten with her. She is thirty-four and widowed with two kids. She lives in the building next to mine. They would speak when they ran into each other in the front garden and it went from there. I have met her and she seems nice, and very attractive. She’s a radiologist at the hospital and does shift work. I hope it works out for him. His first wife left him because he worked too much. He came home one day and the house was wiped out with a note saying she had met someone else. Poor guy, he says she was obviously the wrong woman anyway if that’s how she respected marriage. I can’t imagine how horrific that would be. We have actually become quite good … I don’t know what you would call it … friends maybe. He’s cranky but honest with a dry sense of humour and I hate to admit it but I kind of like having him around. If the truth be known I would have told Max to return to America weeks ago if it wasn’t for this little romance he has going on. I figure Joshua has the money to pay him so why not stretch it out and see where it goes. It is weighing heavily on my mind now though, because I will obviously be moving back here.

“How are things going?” Max asks as we walk up the corridor to the room together.

I hunch my shoulders like a little kid. “Pretty good, I feel like we haven’t been apart.”

“And that’s good?” He smiles.

I smile and widen my eyes. “Yes, that’s very good.”

He nods his crooked smile.

I knock tentatively on Joshua’s hospital room door. The door opens in a rush as Joshua opens it. “Here’s my girl,” he smiles as he bends to kiss me. My eyes glance around the room. “Mother has left.” I blow out a breath in relief and put my hand up to my chest. Joshua narrows his eyes at me. Oh shit, busted … mother hating.

“Where did you go?” he asks as he raises his eyebrows.

“Cam gave me a tour of the emergency department where he is working and introduced me to the head of the psych ward,” I reply as I walk into the room.

He nods and sits on the bed. “I don’t really want you working when you move here.”

I drop my handbag onto the chair and put my hands on my hips in question. “What do you mean?” I frown.

“I thought I would take six months off and we could go travelling.”

I smile in excitement. “Really? Where would we go?”

“Where wouldn’t we go is the question.” He smirks.

“I thought you said you were in the middle of a big project and couldn’t leave work,” I reply.

He hunches his shoulders. “My priorities have changed.”

“What does that mean? What are your priorities now?” I ask.

He bends and gives me a gentle kiss. “You … making you happy is my only priority.”

Relief fills me. I like that answer … I like it a lot. “If you want to make me happy, Josh, can you please not take cocaine again,” I murmur into his chest.

“Don’t worry about that. I scared the hell out of myself. I will never touch the shit again.”

“And Cam, can you tell him not to do it either,” I ask.

He bends and kisses my neck, “Stop worrying presh. Cameron is a big boy and he is only young. I’m not being a fun cop for him.”

“Well I’m going to be and I don’t care what you say,” I scowl.

He raises an eyebrow at me in silent disapproval but keeps his opinion to himself.

“You don’t think I should work for six months to secure a good job before we leave?” I question.

“No,” he answers deadpan. “I don’t want you doing sexual psychology at all Natasha.” I frown and step back from him in question.

“Tash, I don’t want you dealing with sexually fucked-up deviants that are just dying to bang you and add you to their sex addiction,” he replies flatly as he takes a sip of his water.

“Is that a joke?” I snap. “How dare you say that to me? I did six fucking years at university, Joshua. It is my chosen career and you will have no say in what I do!” I snap. He raises his eyebrows in a silent dare and sits on the bed. “We’ll see.”

I scowl at him and head into the bathroom. He’s bloody lucky he’s in hospital because I feel like chucking a total wobbly right now. I take my time going to the bathroom while trying to calm my anger and reminding myself about compromise. When I come out there is a young man sitting in the chair next to Joshua’s bed.

He stands. “Hi, I’m Peter. I’m from the rehab team. I will be working with Joshua for the next few days. Joshua just told me you are also a psychologist.”

I fake a smile at Joshua. “Yes I am. Sexual psychologist actually.” Put that in your pipe and smoke it, asshole.

Peter raises his eyebrows, “Wow, interesting line of work.”

I smile again. “Yes, very.” Joshua purses his lips in disapproval. “I will leave you two to it then,” I smile. I give Joshua a brief kiss on the lips and go to head out the door.

“Tash, my mother is coming to take you out for coffee at four.”

My face drops but I quickly recover and smile. “Great, I will look forward to it.”

Four o’clock and I am dreading the coffee date like the plague. Margaret smiles like a Cheshire cat on heat as she walks down the corridor toward me.

“Hello, thank you for agreeing to meet me,” she purrs.

My skin prickles in contempt. “I’m only here for Joshua, Margaret. It has nothing to do with you,” I snap. I inwardly cringe because that came out harsher than I intended it to.

She nods nervously. “Right,” she replies. “There is a café across the road. Would that be ok?” she asks. Why in the hell is she being so nice? It’s giving me the creeps.

I nod and we walk to the café in uncomfortable silence. “Max, can you wait outside the café for us?” I ask. He nods and takes a seat on the sidewalk.

Ten minutes later we are seated and waiting for our order without speaking. I have nothing to say to Margaret. Last time I saw her I nearly slapped her face off. I can’t believe I actually hit her. What in the hell is going on with me and the bitch slapping lately? I frown as I try to forget the disturbing thought. Margaret grabs my hand over the table and I bite my lip to stop myself from speaking.

“Natasha … can we please call a truce … for Joshua’s sake.”

I force out a nod. “Margaret, I have never wanted to fight with you. You are the one who hates me.”

“I have never hated you dear. Please understand it from my point of view. My nineteen-year-old son comes home and tells me he’s fallen in love with his seventeen-year-old first cousin. That he has been having sex with her every day for a month and that he is going to marry her.”