The Cowboy Who Strolled Into Town (25 page)

Somehow, Roberta knew that he was not referring to Cynthia's departure, but rather asking if his deepest desire could possibly be growing inside her at this very moment. She looked down at him.

"Yes" was her simple reply.

Jeremy embraced her with gentle strength. He kissed her forehead and whispered "thank you".

"Cynthia", she whispered and Jeremy shared her sorrow. "She didn't have to leave."

"She is a woman who knows what she wants. That's why she left us so suddenly," He laughed. "To think, I wanted to throw her a surprise wedding, when all along she had been planning the biggest surprise of all."

Roberta kissed away Jeremy's tears, and he kissed away hers. They made love again, in the same spot that they had been with Cynthia the night before. It was a sacred spot, christened with the spirit of the woman that had orchestrated their love. She had known that they were what each other was looking for, before they even knew that they were looking.  This time their bodies intertwined more tenderly. Jeremy was gentle with her this morning when last night he had been aggressive and rough. Roberta was again satisfied, in a way that was so different from the irresistible, almost uncontrollable climax. Today they swayed together softly and took their time. They held each other for a long while afterwards.

"We have to find her" Roberta interrupted their mutual reverie.

"We have to at least try." Jeremy agreed.

Roberta went back to her bedroom and gave a start when she saw her cell phone lying on the made up bed. She had missed several calls from Marianna. It was a jolt to be reminded of her previous life, before she had felt whole and complete. She checked her voicemail. There were three in a row, all from Mariana.

"Hi Bertie, I've only just arrived. I thought that I would let you know that I landed safely. My hotel is so opulent, you would love it. We will have to come back for a girl's weekend when you complete your mystery assignment. I am going to head down to the pool and see if I can spot any bronzed bodies that look a little lonely."

"Bertie, I just met the most gorgeous man. He looks like he could be on the cover of a romance novel. He is all bronze skin, brown eyes and muscle. I am going to meet him for drinks right now, I thought I would catch you to see if you thought it was a good idea. We only just met and it's against my rules, but I kind of feel like I need to see where this is going. If I don't hear from you in the next five minutes, I am on my way."

"Bertie. He's the one. I don't know how to explain to you how I know he is the one, he just is. I am deeply and madly in love with him. I want to have his little bronze babies. Bertie, I think that I might not come home, or rather, I think that I have found my new home. It is here with him. Don't kill me, but I have to resign. Maybe we can work something out. St. Bart's is a perfect place for destination weddings. We could expand. Let me know what you think. Love you girl.

Roberta smiled to herself. It looked as if cupid was saving the two friends arrows to be used in tandem.

Roberta settled into her new life with Jeremy with surprising ease. She sold her wedding practice to a competitor and then bestowed the money upon Marianna so that she could start up her own business in St. Bart’s. Henderson made sure that she had every comfort. He fed her food that was so delicious, she swore it could not be healthy, but it was. Best of all, she had seen Jeremy's private physician who confirmed what they had hoped. She was expecting Jeremy's child. Roberta was so happy that she felt like she could burst with joy. There was only one sadness in her life now. One hole that had been left vacant, and would not be filled until they found out what had happened to Cynthia.

Jeremy tried everything in his power to trace her trail, but Cynthia was so meticulous that she had not left any breadcrumbs. He hired an onslaught of private detectives who continued to follow false trails until they reached dead ends. They had been searching for months, but had no luck. Roberta and Jeremy did not speak of it. Instead, they spoke of their plans for the baby. They decided to wait and not find out the gender of their child. They wanted it to be a surprise.

Roberta decided to enlist the help of Henderson. He had patiently admitted every detective into Jeremy's office, and lurked in the background. He never seemed shocked when they reported that the trail they had been following had come up cold. Roberta decided that he was too calm. Henderson was a professional who would die before he revealed any of his master's secrets, but Roberta knew that he also wanted Jeremy to be happy. She knocked on his office door.

"Come in"

"Hello Henderson" Roberta came into the room and shifted at an awkward angle in order to sit in the chair opposite Henderson. She recalled the first time that she had sat in that chair. It felt so much smaller now. Her stomach had grown so large, that it was now touching Henderson's desk.

"Roberta, you are growing more and more each day."

"It's because you are feeding me so well." She grinned her million-dollar movie star smile and winked. That always gave Henderson a start. She wanted to unsettle him before she made her request.

"What can I do for you Miss?"

Roberta didn't say anything for a long time, she waited until Henderson began to squirm in his seat.

"I know you miss her too."

"Who?"

"Don't play dumb with me Henderson, you know perfectly well."

"I wish that there was something that could be done."

They stared at each other again. Both of them stone faced and unwilling to show emotion or look away.

"I have sworn my secrecy Roberta. I will never go back on my word.

"I know Henderson"

"Then what are you asking me?"

"What would Cynthia do if our situations were reversed?"

Henderson was taken aback. He did not expect this question. His eyes left hers and gazed upon a spot on the while behind Roberta's head.

"Cynthia made it perfectly clear that she watched you for quite some time before orchestrating your introduction to Mr. Leon, did she not?"

"She did"

"Then do you not think that it would be ludicrous to assume that she has stopped watching you and Jeremy? Do you really think that a woman as dedicated and detail oriented as Cynthia could ever just truly walk away?"

"Henderson, you are a genius!" Roberta jumped out of her chair, quite surprised that she still could, and kissed Henderson on the top of his head before she rushed out of the room. As she left, she glanced over her shoulder in enough time to see Henderson blush for a split second before he regained his composure, put on the mask of a professional Butler, and resumed his work.

A month later, Roberta and Jeremy were sitting together in the lounge, this time curled up on a sofa. Roberta's feet were in Jeremy's lap and she purred as he massaged away her aches and pains. Her feet were so swollen now, she couldn't fit in any of her shoes. Jeremy performed this act of service every night. He said that it was his way of thanking her for sacrificing her body, in order to cultivate his child.

"Did you see the newspaper today?" She asked casually.

"No my love, I did not. Why?

"You might want to take a look at it. Henderson left a copy for you right there on the coffee table."

Jeremy gave Roberta's swollen foot one last gentle squeeze, then placed positioned them on top of a pillow. He reached for the newspaper lying of the coffee table. He flipped it open to the page that Roberta had dog-eared. Roberta watched Jeremy's face. It went from confusion, to recognition as tears rolled down his cheeks. When he finished reading, he gently folded the paper then knelt before Roberta and said through his tears.

"Thank you. It is perfect. How did you know what to do? I have been racking my brain for months, I have paced the halls, spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on private detectives who are the best in their business. None of it worked but this Roberta" He kissed her now then said. "This will work"

"I hope so" she answered, then asked "Will you read it to me Jeremy? I want to hear my words roll off your tongue. Jeremy obliged.

Local Police Report:

The Leon estate has reported that they are missing an irreplaceable part of an invaluable trio. In order to protect the privacy of the Leon family, the specifics of the object have been kept confidential. Henderson, the family butler, has issued a statement to the public, imploring anyone who might know the whereabouts of the mysterious object to come forward. "When this particular set is broken apart, the pieces are worthless. However, when the three pieces are together under the same roof, the complete set is priceless." He went on to state that Mr. Jeremy Leon would like to have the three parts of the trio reunited before the upcoming  birth of his first child, who is expected to arrive early next month. If anyone can help the Leon Estate, we urge you to report the missing piece immediately.

A week later, Roberta was fast asleep in her bed. Sleep came so easily to her now. Her body had been working overtime to produce the nutrients necessary for the child growing within her to thrive. She felt a body slip in next to her and smiled in her half-asleep, half-awake state.

"Darling," a sultry and confident voice purred. "I have returned."

The End

My Billionaire Shifter BOSS

BWWM Pregnancy Romance

By: Riley Moreno

Chapter 1

“Mama, what is going on?’’ little 8 year old Fiona Blackstone, a cute chocolate dark skinned and brown eyed girl whispered, while looking at her mother who looked to be in total distress.

She also could not understand why her mother and father had quickly woken her up in the middle of the night and quickly snatched her up in a rush to get out of the house.

They had not even let her take Mr. Cuddles, her little brown teddy bear and also one of her best friends. And now he must be lonely thinking she had abandoned him in her room.

But why then had they brought her to this scary unfamiliar neighborhood, in front of some brick made house? And what had her dad gone inside there to do. As the strange questions rushed into her little head, her mother quickly spoke.

‘’Honey I want you to take this and keep it on you.’’ Sonia Blackstone, a beautiful light skinned woman and her loving mother then said softly while placing a red ruby heart pendant on her.

Just as the little girl curiously placed her little hand on the pretty necklace which now lay on her little chest, her mother gently closed her hand around hers.

‘’Promise me honey, that you will always keep this with you. Never lose it.” her mother then said with a serious look on her face which meant business.

‘’I pinky promise, mama.’’ The little girl confidently said, hoping that would make her mother start smiling instead of looking so sad.

‘’Sonia, I have spoken with Edna and she will be well taken care of. Plus we better be quick as they are now close.’’ She then heard the deep voice of her father say as he came close to them. While she had her mother`s brown eyes, she had gotten her dark chocolate skin from her father Charles Blackstone.

Her mother then bursts into tears, enveloping her into her arms and quickly releasing her to stand up.

Her father then knelt before her and stared intensely at her with his serious dark teary eyes.

‘’Pumpkin, I want you to always remember that no matter what, we love you okay? And always be brave.’’ before the little girl could ask what was happening, her mother then pulled her father away while looking frantic.

‘’Charles lets go, they are coming!” her parents both now looking distraught then quickly kissed the little girl on the forehead and jumped into the car.

They then left, leaving the little black girl staring after them as the car moved away, causing her to scream for them to come back!

‘’Mama, Papa don’t leave me here!’’ she shouted with tears now flooding her face, even as the car was now at a far distance and they could not even hear her.

But the last thing she then spotted before closing her eyes in exhaustion and being carried away by her new care taker Edna, were large gigantic beasts.

Beasts with yellow eyes and white sharp fangs, hidden in the shadows and heading in the same direction as that of her parents...

“NOOOO!”

Fiona then found herself almost letting out a scream because of the dream but quickly opened her eyes after feeling something cold splash upon her.

“Fiona, Fiona! Are you awake?’’ she then heard a female voice shout, causing to quickly sit up on her bed, only to find herself dripping cold wet.

‘’Tracy! What the hell?’’ Fiona then said to her best friend and roommate, Tracy Thompson who was holding a bucket of water and looking guilty. They had been best friends since high school and even through college.

‘’Don’t blame me; this was the only way I could get you to wake up. It seems like you were stuck in that dream of yours where you usually wake up screaming.’’ Tracy then said to her, looking worried as Fiona had told her about this same dream she sometimes kept on having.

‘’Are you okay?’’ Tracy then continued upon seeing the sorrow which now filled Fiona`s face at the mention of that dream.

‘’Don’t worry Tracy, I will be fine.” Fiona then replied standing up and going to clean up in the bathroom.

Her hand then quickly closed around the red ruby heart pendant on her chest as she stared at it through the bathroom mirror.

She then realized that inside she was not okay as that dream was also a past memory which always reminded her of how her parents had left her at some orphanage to never come back.

Heck as a child, whenever she got adopted, she caused problems for whatever family dared take her away from the orphanage until they returned her back.

She was always a headstrong persevering child, hoping that if she stood or kept her eyes on the exact spot where her parents had left her at, they would one day come and get her only to be disappointed each time they didn’t.

She grew out of it when teenage years came but instead decided to try to find them or any family she had, maybe aunties or something. But her searches yielding no results only proved the harsh reality of how she was alone in the world with no family or relatives.

As for the beasts with the yellow eyes, to Fiona they could not have been real. Her counselor had even advised her that the beasts were just a figment of her child imagination but it still niggled her mind as to what where her parents running from?

Then there was Edna, who passed away a long time ago before she could ask the lady about what they had talked about with her dad. And as for the ruby pendant, she always had it on her and had never taken it off. It was the only thing she had from her parents.

And now after working part time jobs and paying for college and earning a degree, as a 22 year old, she was now struggling to find jobs. Luckily she had Tracy who was now working as a doctor and had offered to help Fiona with a place to stay as she tries to get employed.

Right now, she could not even count how many job interviews she had gone to and was always getting rejected.  Apparently nowadays it was now all about connections, people hiring their friends and relatives instead of giving the job to some stranger black girl named Fiona Blackstone with no family.

But today, Fiona Blackstone had just had it! She was getting that Job and nothing or no one was going to stop her.

Fiona then thought to herself after bathing as she stood in front of the mirror, putting on her power suit and tying her long raven black hair into a neat bun.

But she felt a little conscious looking at her curvy hourglass body thinking why could she not have gotten the skinny model looking body that her best friend Tracy had?

As Fiona entered the kitchen after packing the papers and everything she needed for the interview, she then saw her best friend Tracy sitting on one of the kitchen chairs while eating breakfast.

She had also dressed and now wore her white coat on top and was getting ready to go to work. Although she and Tracy got along like sisters they were as different in appearance as Tracy was a colored of mixed race between a white mother and a black father and therefore had lighter skin. 

Where Tracy sat, there was also a piece of paper on the table she was looking at and Fiona knew it was the Job Ad for the interview to which she was going to.

She had luckily found the piece of paper with the Ad in the nearby forest during a hike. And at that time, she had been depressed from not being able to find a job.

So it had been the best surprise ever to see a piece of paper lying by the ground near a tree with a Job advert from one of the best successful companies in the city. For her it meant fate was in her favor and this job was going to be hers.

‘’Are you sure you are not wasting your time?’’ Tracy then said to her and read the part about how the CEO Mr. Ashwood of the famous Ashwood Enterprise was looking for a personal assistant and the gender of the applicants had to be males only. Fiona rolled her eyes at this.

‘’Tracy, I don’t really care about that, I’m going to go there to try my luck. Plus someone has to prove to him that females can also do a much better job at being personal assistants.’’ Fiona replied looking determined as a CV job mention of ever working at Ashwood Enterprise was just the opening she needed to be able to start getting better job offers.

‘’Do you think that maybe he is gay since he wants a male personal assistant?’’ Tracy then said curiously asking Fiona and she just shrugged as she did not know either why the CEO of Ashwood enterprise only wanted a male personal assistant.

The only things Fiona knew was that he was a rich billionaire, owner of the company, 30 years old and a demanding boss.  But she wanted the Job there as his company also paid its employees high salaries while being highly famous.

‘’But gosh I hope he is not gay, as I hear that he is sexy a hell in person and I once saw a picture of him in the magazine.’’ Tracy then continued looking like she wanted to fane herself from thinking of a hot male.

‘’I think you need to just go get laid.” Fiona then bluntly said to her friend in amusement causing Tracy to fake glare at her.

‘’Oh yeah? Says the 22 year old woman whose one and only serious boyfriend that she ever dated from high school turned out to be secretly gay .’’ Tracy then replied her.

‘’Tracy you awful person, have you ever thought that maybe that ideal traumatized me off from men forever?’’ Fiona then replied pretending to wipe away fake tears which had them both bursting in laughter.

As for Fiona, to her it really was not Luke`s fault, her gay childhood best friend that she did not date often. As when she had dated Luke in high school, she already knew he was gay. They only pretended just to protect his secret. He finally came out though after graduating college.

Fiona did not usually date as she had just not found the right man, the one who made her heart rate accelerate or caused butterflies to heat up in her stomach.

‘’Good luck then.” Tracy then replied wishing Fiona luck for her interview and hugging her as she got ready to leave.

Fiona then got into a cab and drove to Ashwood enterprise.