Dream Lover (15 page)

‘No, you enjoyed it, you climaxed, three times Quinn, once when I touched you twice while I made love to you. I got the shock of my life when I found you were a virgin,’ he hesitated for a moment. ‘I did think about stopping when I realised, but it was too late by then and in any case I really thought it was what you wanted. I was… thrilled I suppose is the word I was your first. But I’ll tell you this Quinn, I didn’t realise you were asleep,’ he looked straight into her eyes, ‘and you certainly didn’t make love like a virgin.’

Quinn tried to move away, his words both embarrassed her and excited her as he filled in the gaps in her dream.

‘It was fantastic Quinn, you climaxed again, I didn’t want it to end but you excited me so much when you climaxed the third time I couldn’t hold on,’ he let go of her arms and held onto her shoulders. ‘It was fantastic Quinn, you took my breath away and all I’ve wanted was for it to happen again. Was that your dream?’ he asked shaking her shoulders gently.

‘I was asleep… didn’t you know?’ she sobbed softly, ignoring the fact he was telling her how good their lovemaking had been.

Max pulled her against his chest, ‘I swear I didn’t know,’ he soothed holding her tightly against his body. ‘Was that your dream?’ he asked again.

‘I still don’t remember,’ she whispered pushing her hands against his chest, ‘and don’t you dare tell me you can remind me,’ she snapped standing up. Quinn walked toward the bathroom then stopped, ‘it’s bad enough you… had sex with me while I was asleep but why the hell didn’t you use protection?’ she demanded taking a deep breath before going on. ‘For all I know you could have some horrid disease and passed it onto me!’

Maxwell jumped up from his seat, ‘I do not have any kind of disease,’ he informed her testily. ‘And for your information I haven’t had unprotected sex for many years,’ he looked down into her tear filled golden eyes, ‘No one has ever excited me that much that I forgot,’ he informed her quietly.

Quinn’s face burnt with embarrassment once again and she quickly turned away.

CHAPTER TEN

A heavy silence hung over the room, a heavy suffocating silence. Quinn stood looking out of the window without seeing anything at all. Maxwell sat on the sofa with his head in his hands, while their refreshments sat untouched on the table.

Quinn was still standing by the window when Maxwell came and rested his hands on her shoulders. ‘I’m really sorry,’ he said quietly as he turned her to face him.

Before she could object she was held tightly to his chest. Keeping his arm around her shoulders he gently lead her back to the sofa where he pulled her down beside him and held her close to his body. ‘How do you feel?’ he asked after a few minutes silence.

She sat quietly thinking for a moment, ‘I’m not sure… shocked...’

‘Besides being shocked do you have any morning sickness?’ she shook her head, ‘you must let me know if you don’t feel well,’ he instructed her.

Quinn shook her head, ‘You must be kidding…’ she said, every word edged with disbelief.

‘I will look after you I promise, any expenses, anything at all,’ he lifted her chin and looked into her eyes.

For a moment dark golden eyes looked into clear blue eyes, she didn’t for one moment doubt he meant his promise. But she didn’t care what he promised she didn’t want anything off him, she didn’t care about his money before she was pregnant and she certainly didn’t care about it now she was.

There followed a long silence and it was Maxwell who broke it, his words taking her by surprise to say the least.

‘Marry me Quinn let me do the job properly, I swear neither of you will want for anything. I promise.’

Quinn tutted and pushed herself away from his arms, ‘Don’t be ridiculous Maxwell besides working together we hardly know each other...’ she started only to be interrupted. Ignoring

‘I think you should know you sleep walked twice,’ he saw the look of horror on her face, ‘I did not touch you I swear, I’d read your file by the second time so I was aware you were asleep.’

‘So when was this?’

‘After we rowed,’ he explained

She shook her head, ‘It often happens when I’m upset,’ she explained. ‘After which particular row?’ she asked with a forlorn sigh.

‘Paris,’ he told her watching her face carefully.

For as embarrassing as it was she had to know what had happened. ‘And?’ She asked, the one word spoken more forcefully than she intended.

His brow creased for a moment, ‘Oh, I heard your balcony windows open; I was concerned after I had read your file. I let myself into your room and found you standing out on the balcony. I brought you back into the room and put you into bed.’

Some sixth sense told her he was keeping something back, she turned her face toward him and looked straight into his eyes, ‘Just tell me,’ she demanded.

‘You asked me to stay, I said no, you said… you told me you loved me,’ he watched her face carefully and hid his smile when her cheeks went a delicate shade of pink. ‘Do you?’ he asked taking hold of her hands, ‘and don’t lie.’

When a wave of distress washed over her, Quinn closed her eyes and held back a sigh, how could she have done such a thing? She did love him and probably would for the rest of her life but… Maxwell said her name softly bringing out of her private world of torment, shaking her head she opened her eyes.

‘Lair,’ he said softly, ‘if it means anything to you, I feel something very strongly for you,’ he spread his strong hands in a gesture of … perhaps asking for her understanding. ‘I’m not sure what it is…. I’m not sure if it is love,’ he told her truthfully.

‘I wouldn’t marry for less than love, on both sides,’ she told him with feeling.

‘If not for you what about the baby?’ he said holding onto her hand. ‘A child should have both parents…’

‘Please don’t pressure me Maxwell,’ she dragged her hands from his, ‘I’m tired can we see if there’s a room for me please?’

He sighed, shook his head in exasperation then reached for the phone. After speaking for a moment he replaced the receiver shaking his head again. ‘Sorry they don’t have another room and they don’t think anyone else will, not with this conference going on, there are hundreds of extra people in town,’ he looked at her for a moment, ‘You’ve had too much upset you should stay with me just in case…’ he didn’t finish his sentence as they both knew what he meant.

‘Just in case what?’ she snapped, ‘I end up in someone else’s bed?’

His blue eyes held hers for a long moment before he answered, ‘Something like that,’ he replied smoothly.

‘Well,’ she snapped angrily, ‘at least they can’t make me pregnant!’

‘Oh for heaven’s sake Quinn just think about it for one moment. You’ve had a lot of upsets today. I wasn’t thinking about you ending up in someone’s bed, I was thinking you could hurt yourself or the baby,’ he retorted angrily.

‘Sorry I hadn’t thought of that,’ she ran her hand through her hair and sighed. ‘I’m really tired,’ she looked toward the bed; ‘could I just have an hour maybe?’ she asked hopefully, she was so tired she would have sold her soul for a bed.

‘Yes go ahead get into bed,’ he saw the uncertain look in her eyes. ‘If it makes you feel better I’ll go out,’ he said with a loud sigh. ‘What now Quinn?’ he asked when she looked even more unsure.

‘Don’t leave me please…. Stay with me just in case.’

He dropped back down onto the sofa, ‘No problem, get some rest. I’ll stay here,’ he promised. The next time he looked over his shoulder the only part of her visible was her golden head against the white pillows, and her gentle even breathing told him she was asleep.

Maxwell sighed, kicked off his shoes and lay down, albeit uncomfortably on the sofa. For the hundredth time he asked himself ‘
what the hell have I done
?’ which was closely followed by a whole list of ‘i
f only.
’ If only he had read her file sooner. If only he gone back to his own room, if only to get a condom. He cursed himself, he couldn’t remember the last time he had, had unprotected sex. He glanced toward the bed; he couldn’t remember the last time a woman had excited him that much he had forgotten about the dangers of unprotected sex. It wasn’t even that he didn’t want to be a father, he did very much, and he just wished things had happened under different circumstances. Mostly that Quinn had been awake to enjoy the experience with him.

The gentle touch Quinn’s hand against his cheek woke Maxwell from his light sleep, her soft golden eyes smiled down into his. He returned her smile and shifted his hip making room for her to sit beside him.

‘Are you alright?’ he asked taking hold of her hand, he brought it to his mouth and pressed his lips against her knuckles then held it against his chest. She nodded and smiled again, her slender fingers reaching for his already loosened tie. ‘Quinn,’ he stopped her fingers working at the buttons on his shirt, ‘are you awake?’ he asked sitting up beside her.

‘Yes of course I am,’ she smiled, that sweet heart stopping smile that turned his insides to jelly.

Maxwell wasn’t convinced and pulled her up from the sofa with him, ‘I don’t think you are, my beautiful sleep walking lover,’ he said quietly. He looked into her eyes; she certainly looked and sounded awake. ‘Let’s go to bed,’ he said keeping his arm around her shoulder and pressing his lips against her brow.

When she didn’t object he knew for sure she was asleep, the mood she was in the last thing she would do was go to bed with him. Gently he pushed her down onto the bed and covered her over with the sheets, to his relief as her head touched the pillow her eyes closed once more.

This time he did not move away but sat on the chair by the side of the bed and watched her sleeping. He wondered if they did marry what sort of relationship they would have, he gave a small smile; one thing was for sure it wouldn’t be mundane, not the way they rowed! He hadn’t thought he would ever contemplate marriage again, once had been enough, so he had thought, but there was something about the woman asleep in his bed. Looking down into Quinn’s sleeping face he sighed he’d messed up her life made her pregnant when she didn’t want to be. At least she hadn’t threatened to have their child aborted; he would have locked her up for the next seven months if she had even hinted at the word.

‘Go to hell Devlin, I won’t sleep with you,’ Quinn said clearly, practically startling Maxwell out of his seat.

Reaching across he brushed his fingers across her brow, he sighed and cursed Devlin, there was more to the brief outline on her personal file than met the eye and he intended to find out what. He shushed her gently when she murmured again.

Suddenly her long thick lashes lifted, ‘You were dreaming,’ he told her as her golden eyes looked quickly around the room then back to him.

She swallowed and took a deep breath, ‘Did I…?’

‘Yes,’ he brushed her hair way from her cheeks, ‘I put you back into bed, you closed your eyes the moment your head touched the pillow.’ He stood up and moved away from the bed, watching her as she slid from between the covers in one graceful movement. ‘Are you hungry yet?’ he asked chancing a smile, which faded quickly when it wasn’t returned.

Quinn thought for a moment, ‘Yes I think I am,’ she decided, ‘what time is it?’

Maxwell lifted his cuff, ‘Nearly seven. If you want we can eat here at the hotel or go out,’ he watched her face carefully, ‘I think out would be better the restaurant is probably busy,’ he smiled when she nodded. ‘I haven’t been able to get you a room of your own; another hotel is out of the question you’ve had too many upsets today. I want to know you’re safe,’ he waited for an argument from her but received none. ‘I need to run on an errand I’ll be five minutes, you can get ready while I’m out, okay?’

By eight o’clock they were ready to leave, he sat watching her across the room while she finished her hair, their eyes met in the mirror as she started to braid it back from her face, when she let her hands drop he smiled.

When they reached the door he stopped her, and pulled her into his arms, ‘Promise you will think seriously about my proposal it comes from my heart I mean it Quinn,’ he looked into her eyes before brushing his lips gently across hers. ‘Promise me,’ he repeated.

‘Yes promise,’ she whispered, pulling her head away to avoid his kisses and dissolving what little resistance to him she still had.

Maxwell took her to a small intimate restaurant with soft lighting and softer music. When he asked what she would like to drink she hesitated unsure if it was safe to have her usual glass of wine.

‘It’s quite safe for you to have the occasional small glass of wine,’ he said. When she looked at him questioningly he carried on telling her, ‘I went on the Internet earlier when out I wanted to look up a couple of things. I didn’t want to take any chances,’ he explained, and then added quickly. ‘I’ve never been a father before; I don’t want anything to go wrong.’

To her amazement the famously bad tempered Maxwell Cordell’s eyes filled with what looked suspiciously like tears. Quinn reached across the table and placed her hand over his, ‘I’ll take care of your baby,’ she promised and she would.

He smiled, ‘and I’ll take are of you both,’ he said taking her slender hand and holding it between his two.