Читать книгу A Love That Binds - Rochelle Chase - Страница 5

It was Grace’s first Christmas. We spent the day at home opening presents and Grace was crawling around under the Christmas tree playing with her countless toys. Mum had outdone herself once again with her usual traditional lunch we always looked forward to. There was so much food left over and in the afternoon, my mum had invited over a few of the ladies that she had interviewed for her book. The women were very grateful to my mother. I think some of them had lost their families and it seemed that they had been through some pretty tough times. Mum was secretive about her book, I guess she wasn’t going to reveal too much until the book was released.

Lilly and Grace spent the evening at Michael’s aunt’s house. Lilly had spoken to Michael and told him that she wasn’t sure if she wanted more children. Michael took the news well, but he believed that in a few years she would most likely change her mind.

I invited Megan and Tanya over, we exchanged gifts and sat talking for hours, watched half of a movie, and then they ended up sleeping over. It was a relaxed Christmas and I was looking forward to seeing Ben when he arrived in town the following week.

Ben and I planned to go out to dinner for New Year’s Eve, and then head into town to watch the fireworks and make an appearance at his friend’s party. We had spoken a few times since our trip and I missed him. He mentioned that when I finished my degree, I could easily find work if I wanted to at his uncle’s hotel, managing the accounts. Vegas was only a short flight away and it would be good experience for me, at least for a few years.

I picked Ben up from the airport on New Year’s Eve. He had booked to stay at the Westin Hotel in the city. We decided to drop off his bags and go for a walk around the Whitehouse in the afternoon.

My parents had made arrangements with friends and Lilly and Grace were spending the evening with Michael, so I had told them I would bring Ben over to meet them the following afternoon.

At midnight, everyone cheered, “Happy New Year!” The city was full of people celebrating, Ben held my hand through the night and asked me if he could kiss me.

We kissed until a girl accidentally bumped into us.

“I’m sorry, guys, you both need to get a room,” she said in a drunken slur, and then she disappeared. We both laughed and headed to the party.

As soon as we walked in, I saw Joe on the other side of the room talking to a girl. They looked very cosy and Ben noticed the stunned look on my face. I knew Joe was in town, but the chances of us being at the same party was an odd coincidence.

“Are you okay, Jessica,” Ben asked as he placed his arm around me.

“Yes, but Joe is here, he’s the guy I dated that moved to Chicago.”

Joe saw me and started to walk up to me with the girl he was with.

“Hi Jess, fancy seeing you here,” Joe said, happy to see me.

“Likewise, Joe. This is Ben.”

It was a little uncomfortable, but after a few minutes of small talk, Ben and I went outside to the balcony to enjoy our drinks.

“He’s still in love with you,” Ben smiled at me. “You were way out of his league,” he added proudly.

“Well, I’ve moved on,” I said as I smiled back at Ben. We stayed at the party for a few hours and danced, and then Ben grabbed me and pulled me to the side door near the lifts.

“Let’s go back to the hotel, I want to kiss you again,” Ben whispered. We both were a little drunk and stumbling around as we left the party.

The traffic back to the hotel was frantic. Some of the streets had been blocked off, and when we finally arrived at our room it was after four in the morning. We were both exhausted as soon as we lay down on the bed and we fell straight to sleep, spooning each other.

“I had a beautiful evening with you, Jessica,” Ben said to me the next morning as I woke up. I was still in bed wearing the same clothes from the night earlier. Ben had ordered breakfast in the room and had already showered. He had a towel wrapped around him and looked even more handsome.

“Thank you, so did I. I think I will take a bath,” I said, and I walked into the bathroom. As I made my way there, I slipped off my dress so Ben could see me, and I bent over seductively as I turned on the water.

“Are you teasing me, Jessica?” Ben’s voice echoed from the bedroom.

“You’re welcome to join me,” I replied, and a minute later he did.

We made love all day. Ben was very fit and obviously very experienced. He knew exactly how to please me. He made me orgasm again and again and again. I couldn’t get enough of his touch. His lips moved all over my body softly and tenderly, and when they reached between my legs, it was uncontrollable. I was shaking all over, and then he thrust himself inside me, leaving me breathless.

“You’re glowing, Jessica,” Ben looked at me as we were on our way to my place. “I’m looking forward to meeting your parents, I hope they approve of me.”

I couldn’t keep the smile off my face and my hands away from Ben.

My parents had invited some friends over for New Year’s Day. Lilly had taken Grace for a stroll and they were both out the front of the house to greet us when we arrived.

“Well, don’t you two look the happy couple,” she winked at me. “Is he that good?” she whispered as we walked in.

Mum had set up a buffet and my father and Ben clicked straight away. They spent the afternoon outside talking about business in Vegas, my father’s work in the Governor’s office, and their shared interest in mountain climbing.

After Lilly put Grace down for her nap, she came up to me and whispered, “Jess, come to my room, we need to talk.”

I followed her and sat across from her bed.

“I’m two weeks late. I’m going to the doctor tomorrow, will you come with me?” Lilly asked nervously.

I was a little shocked. “Of course, Lilly, but how is this even possible, haven’t you and Michael been careful?” I asked, knowing Lilly was hesitant about having more children.

“I don’t know, but I have a feeling we weren’t careful enough,” she replied.

“How do you feel about this, what will you do if you are pregnant, Lilly?” I asked her.

“I don’t know. Michael will be over the moon but, as you know, well, you know how I feel.”

“Okay, I guess we need to wait and see what the doctor says.”

Lilly looked tired. “I think I’m going to get some sleep. Will you say goodnight to everyone?” she said as she pulled the sheets over her.

“Sure, I’ll see you in the morning, Lilly, sleep well,” I said and I closed her door.

Ben asked me to come back to the hotel and stay the night. I wanted to, but I thought it would be best to stay home and be there for Lilly in the morning, she would need me for support.

“I’ll be with you tomorrow evening, Ben, and I can’t wait.”

He knew how much I enjoyed being with him and making love. “Well, sweet dreams, Jessica, your parents are lovely, goodnight.”

Ben drove off as I watched from the window. I was so happy, I fell asleep dreaming of Ben.

The following day, I sat waiting with Lilly in the doctor’s office. Soon, the doctor came back with the results.

“Well, Ms Stone, you’re definitely pregnant. Three and a half weeks to be exact.”

“Okay, well, that’s that,” Lilly replied, sounding a little worried.

“Thank you, doctor,” I took Lilly’s hand and walked her out. “Let’s go for a walk.” My mum was looking after Grace at home for a few more hours, so we had time to digest this alone.

We walked through the park and after about ten minutes of silence, Lilly sighed heavily. “You know what, Jess, I’ll make this work. I will tell Michael, he will be happy, he will probably ask me to marry him, and Grace will have a playmate. I’ll just put my career on hold for a few more years.”

I was amazed at Lilly’s strength. When she had an obstacle, she found a way to just adapt. We both knew that once Lilly had her baby, she would love it and would not be able to imagine life any other way.

“You are so strong, Lilly, you can do anything. I am so proud of you.”

“If you say so, Jess. Can you drop me off at Michael’s? He can bring me back home by lunchtime.”

“Sure. And Lilly, congratulations.”

“Thank you, Auntie Jess!”

Naturally, Michael was ecstatic with the news and they decided to marry after the baby was born. They planned to move in together when Grace turned a year old and Lilly would be six months pregnant. My parents were happy for them but sad that Lilly would be leaving us.

Ben and I spent the evening in his hotel room making love. I couldn’t get enough of him. We ordered room service for dinner just so we wouldn’t have to leave the bed, and after we made love for the seventh time, Ben turned to me to ask me an important question.

“There is a very good university in Vegas, you could attend part of your degree there and be an intern for the hotel if you wanted to. I can make some calls for you if you like?”

Everything was going so fast but I didn’t hesitate.

“I would like that, Ben, perhaps the middle of next year would be a possibility.”

I knew Lilly would be leaving around then and I would have started a new semester. It seemed like the perfect timing, if I was ever going to make the move, and I could fly back home often.

“Okay. I’m glad, Jessica, it’s a good move for your career, and for me,” Ben smiled.

I thought then, it seemed like the right time to break it to Ben about my true age. It was important that he knew.

“Ben, I need to tell you something,” I said nervously.

“I already know, Jessica, you’re only eighteen,” Ben whispered.

“How did you know?” I asked.

“The fake IDs at the hotel, we see them all the time.”

“Oh my god, I’m so embarrassed! Why didn’t you do anything?” I wondered aloud.

“Because we are not so strict in Vegas. It’s very different and I knew you were not going to cause trouble, so I let it slide, and I’m glad I did,” Ben laughed.

“Thank you. Does our age difference bother you?” I asked, still not quite certain.

“How old do you think I am?” he asked as he continued laughing.

“Late twenties,” I guessed.

“I’m thirty-three and no, our age difference doesn’t bother me.” He leant over and kissed me and one thing led to another.

For the next few months, I spent most of my time studying. I had to keep my grades up to be accepted to transfer and was looking forward to moving to Vegas. My mother had finished her book and was preparing for her book launch event in New York. We were all going with her in March to celebrate and Ben would meet us there. My mother had three hundred people attending the event and she had been drafting her speech. It was a big deal and I was surprised with the amount of attention her book was receiving.

Michael had asked Lilly to move into his aunt’s place with him, as they lived in a huge home and had plenty of room for Grace and the new baby. Lilly decided they would move there at the beginning of June when his sister left for Toronto. She had a job as a psychologist over there and a few friends already settled in the city, so the timing was perfect.

A week before my mother’s launch, at dinner, I asked my mother if she was nervous about her speech.

“Yes, darling, this has been a long project. My book reveals a lot about the corruption in our country. The families involved have been through hell and the people responsible are very dangerous, but they are in jail now and their families most likely won’t hear about this book,” my mother replied. She was very emotional and had given so much of herself to helping all the innocent families that were affected.

“Your mother is a brave woman, Jess,” my father said. He was so proud of her, you could hear it in his voice. “There are some very important people attending the event.”

“Especially my family,” my mother added.

“Thank you for inviting Ben,” I said as I walked over and wrapped my arms around my mother and kissed her on the cheek.

Our plane arrived in New York one hour after Ben’s. He was waiting for us at the terminal gate when we arrived. I was so happy to see him, he always looked so handsome and I had missed him terribly. I had only seen him once since New Year’s. I was so excited that in a few months we would be living in the same town. We checked into our hotel at the Plaza, where my mother’s book launch would be the following evening. There were posters of my mother’s book ‘Stolen Secrets’ already set up all around the hotel for the event.

“Mum, this is a big deal. Your picture is plastered all over the hotel, should I ask for your autograph?” I said, jokingly.

“They always make a big deal about these things, darling, and so they should,” my father replied. “The city is indebted to your mother, she helped with this investigation. If it wasn’t for her, these criminals would still be walking around.”

I was intrigued, I hardly knew anything about the book.

“When do we get to see a copy, Mum?” I asked.

“Tomorrow evening. Everyone attending will receive one. You know, the book has already pre-sold thirty thousand copies, Jess. I’m actually shocked how interested people are, I have interviews back-to-back for the next few days!”

My mother was so humble about her achievements, I really admired her.

We all met for a casual dinner that night at around seven thirty. There were people walking up to my mother, congratulating her, throughout our meal. A lot of people had come from out of town and were so impressed with my mother’s efforts.

“Thank you, Mrs Gardener, for all your hard work,” a distinguished man said before he left our table.

“That was the Mayor of New York,” Lilly exclaimed.

After dessert, Ben and I took a walk around Central Park.

“I wonder if you will write a book one day, like your mother,” Ben said to me, and I laughed in reply.

“Well, if I do, it definitely won’t be as dangerous as hers. I don’t have it in me,” I said as Ben gave me a smile.

“Would you like me in you?” Ben asked cheekily.

“Yes, I want you in me, take me back to the hotel and drive me crazy,” I laughed and we quickly walked back to the hotel.

It felt like I screamed the hotel room down, I was so turned on. I was so comfortable exploring my sexuality with Ben. He brought something out in me, I thought maybe it was because he was older – he just did it for me, it was that simple.

Ben had told me he had an affair with an older, married woman, the woman he mentioned when we first met, and it was complicated. He fell in love with her and she had promised to leave her husband, but she never did. After two years he ended it. He suffered but he was relieved he didn’t need to hide anymore.

“Why don’t you move in with me, Jessica, when you come to Vegas. It’s silly to be living on campus when I have my own place,” Ben said.

“Let me think about it.”

After making love, we took a bath and then made love again.

My mother had interviews booked throughout the next day. We hardly saw her, she was so busy. Lilly, Michael and Grace spent the day visiting the Met and a few other museums so Ben and I decided to enjoy our alone time and spent half our day in bed.

As we walked down to meet everyone for afternoon tea, Ben and I couldn’t keep our hands off each other.

“You two have a problem,” Lilly remarked, teasingly.

“What kind of a problem,” my father said as he approached the table.

“Nothing, Dad, how is Mum doing, is she joining us?” I asked, quickly changing the subject.

“She’s in another interview, then she’ll be getting ready for this evening.”

“I think I will take Grace upstairs for a nap, she’s getting tired. The babysitter should be here soon, I will see you all in a few hours,” Lilly said before she left.

My father’s phone rang as Lilly walked off. “Hello, yes, just a minute,” my father said to the caller. “Sorry, I must go find your mother,” he said to us as he stood up to leave.

“Well, that was a quick afternoon tea. More time for us, I guess,” Ben said as he kissed me passionately. As usual, I responded, and soon everyone in the dining room was looking at us.

“Maybe we should go,” Ben suggested.

“We should.”

The Grand Ballroom was set up with beautiful flowers and candles on every table. There were copies of my mother’s book on each seat and all the guests were dressed so elegantly. Our table was in the middle and when Lilly and Michael walked in, Lilly smiled at me.

“I’m surprised you both were able to leave your room,” she said, laughing.

“Give them a break, Lilly, they haven’t seen each other in ages,” Michael added. We sat down at our table. So many people came up to my mother and congratulated her during the evening and after dinner the Mayor introduced my mother to the stage.

Everyone applauded my mother as she walked up to the microphone. She thanked everyone for attending, including the Mayor and our family. She also thanked the bravery of the women she had interviewed for her book and all the investigators she had worked with that assisted her in her research. She also mentioned how the families involved had been through so much pain and suffering due to the loss of their loved ones. The crimes that were committed sounded unheard of. My mother had tears in her eyes when she talked about the cruelty experienced by so many innocent people.

“What brings me so much satisfaction, is not the release of this book, but to know that justice has been served. To know that these criminals will be executed or will be locked behind bars for life. For the last five years, I’ve made it my life’s work to expose the Jolmatta family and I would like to thank everyone who helped me make this possible. Thank you.”

Everyone in the ballroom stood up and applauded my mother again.

I was puzzled and felt a cold wave rush over me. I had heard of that name, Jolmatta, it was a name I could never forget. I remembered the time when Joe had rushed up to me years back when he had found out about Jarrah. Jarrah was part of the Jolmatta family. Was Grace related to one of the most dangerous families in the country? I was speechless.

“Are you okay, Jess?” Lilly asked me. She had no idea, I had never mentioned to her Jarrah’s surname. There was no reason to.

“I’m okay, I’ll just sit down, I think the Champagne has gone to my head,” I said, trying to keep the fear out of my voice.