Dream Lover (22 page)

He stood up quickly smoothed down his hair and straightened up his tie, ‘On my way,’ he mouthed as he headed for the door, determined to get the meeting over as quickly as possible.

Quinn was sat in the lounge when Max arrived home from work that night, in just seconds she could see he looked tired. Tired meant he would be bad tempered. Not in the mood for a row she stood up reaching for the tray from which she had eaten her dinner, intending to wash her dishes before going to bed early to read her book, anything to avoid another confrontation with him

‘Let me,’ he said lifting the tray from her reach then quickly opening the door for her to pass him.

For a moment their eyes met, just as quickly they both looked away. Quinn never imagined herself falling in love so deeply she would forgive him anything. Sadly she realised at that moment she would forgive Maxwell Cordell anything, given time, even adultery.

Maxwell had fallen asleep on the sofa; he had brought a mass of paper work home with him, it should have been attended to at the office but all he could think of was getting home. Intending to only close his eyes for a few minutes to ease his headache he rested his head against the back of the sofa, yawned and minutes later fell into a deep sleep.

He was dreaming he had to be, Quinn was kissing him, it had to be a dream the way she looked at him now she hated him so there was no way she would kiss him. Cool air brushed against his chest, closely followed by soft warm lips; yes he decided it was definitely a dream, a very nice dream. He kept very still and slowly opened his eyes; Quinn was kneeling beside him her soft hands brushed lightly across his chest and down his stomach. Clenching his teeth tightly he held back a soft groan as she tugged at the belt on his pants; he dragged in his breath when her knuckles brushed against his stomach the touch of her soft hands against his skin made his heart race.

‘Please love me,’ she whispered lifting her head from his chest, her soft lips caressed his while she tugged at his pants. ‘I want you to love me.’

Maxwell did not utter one word but took the offer of her lips as they parted over his and kissed her back as passionately as she kissed him. Ignoring the fact she was asleep he pulled her closer opened the buttons down the front of her night-dress and ran his hands over her beautifully rounded body, across her silky soft naked skin. Right or wrong he wanted her, right or wrong he would make love to her.

She had opened his pants now; obligingly he lifted his hips, pulled them down his legs and kicked them away. ‘I love you, please love me,’ she whispered taking him quickly into her body. Max settled her against his thighs, leaving her to set the rhythm until he could stay still no longer. Wrapping his fingers through her hair he pulled her mouth to his parting her lips he thrust his tongue deep into her mouth, gasping with pleasure when his kiss was met with equal passion. It was all over in minutes, but never in his life had a woman given him so much pleasure that his body shook, but it did, every time when he made love with Quinn. Long after she had fallen into a restful sleep he clung to her unwilling to break the contact with her body. Her soft declaration of love rang in his ears giving hope to his broken heart.

Max covered her over and left her asleep on the sofa, picked up his clothes and made his way into his room. He was standing in the shower when Quinn came dashing in.

‘You low life bastard!’ she screamed at him. Ignoring the fact she was in her nightdress she snatched open the shower door stepped in and started to slap his chest and arms.

He caught her hands quickly and pulled her out of the shower, ‘For God’s sake Quinn, stop that,’ he held her struggling body against his own.

‘I was asleep…’ she sobbed.

‘I know you were, it’s the only time you let me near you,’ she stopped crying quickly to glare up into his face. ‘I don’t usually take you up on your offer…. but to be honest about it Quinn we are both sexually frustrated, maybe if we weren’t we would treat each other better,’ he took a towel and started to dry her with it, gently rubbing her shoulders and arms.

‘I am not frustrated...’ she said snatching the towel from him.

‘No, you won’t be now…’ he smiled into her outraged face. ‘As usual it was bloody fantastic,’ he told her.

Quinn took a step back and gasped when he started to reach for her. Until that moment she had managed to keep her eyes on his face but as a rivulet of water dripped from his hair onto his shoulder she watched in avid fascination as it trickled down his body. Now she couldn’t stop herself from following the trail as it ran down his chest, mingled with dark wet chest hair. Without realising she flicked her tongue across her lips as she watched the tiny drop of water hover on his tight dark nipple before running down his to stomach.

‘Cover yourself…’ she stammered when his body hardened once again.

‘No let’s do it again,’ he murmured huskily as he pulled her quickly against his wet body, sliding his fingers through her hair he held her tightly. His mouth was surprisingly gentle as he coaxed and cajoled her lips into responding to his. He found no real resistance as her lips parted urging his kiss to deepen.

Quinn lifted her hands to push him away but couldn’t, instead her fingers slowly moved down from his shoulders to his chest. His heart beat hard against his chest, when her thumb rubbed across his nipple he gave a low groan and she couldn’t stop herself from responding to him.

Slowly he peeled away her wet nightdress, prising the towel from her stiff fingers he dried her damp body all the while he kissed her, not once did their lips break contact. He held back a soft groan of pleasure when she responded to his kiss; then before she could change her mind he lay her down on the bed and made love to her, slowly and lovingly. Afterwards he pulled her into his arms held her head against his chest and slept.

A mixture of emotions raced through Quinn when she woke and remembered the previous night. She was still trying to decide how she would handle the situation when the door opened and Max appeared with a breakfast tray for her, instead of his smile bringing her pleasure it angered her and in an instant she was full of rage.

‘I’ve brought you breakfast,’ he said unnecessarily, sitting on the side of the bed he smiled, ‘how do you feel today?’

‘Used,’ she told him coldly.

‘Used?’ his smile faded, ‘I don’t see why it was what you wanted…’

‘I did not!’

Max caught her chin in one hand and held her still, ‘Quinn you drool every time you look at me,’ he told her smoothly, quickly pressing his finger across her lips when she opened her mouth to speak. ‘Don’t even think of denying it. If it makes you feel any better just pretend you’re asleep next time,’ he stood up and moved toward his wardrobe and pulled out his suit jacket.

Quinn spluttered indignantly, ‘There will not be a next time!’

‘Yes there will, you’re my wife. I get no other pleasure from you,’ he flicked his eyes in her direction for a moment, ‘I assure you there will be a next time.’

Enraged Quinn snatched the first thing that her hands rested on, a dish of fresh diced fruit he had prepared for her, it hit him square in the back as he walked toward the door. It seems as though the dish moved in slow motion as it slid to the floor with a light thud leaving a trail of sticky syrup down his jacket and pants.

‘You bastard,’ she whispered, the words sticking in her throat when he turned and glared at her.

‘You know what Quinn; I think we deserve each other, because you are a first class bitch!’

Unable to stop herself she rounded on him, ‘If I am it’s what you made me, but at least I’m a faithful bitch!’

‘Shut up Quinn,’ he cut in angrily pulling on a clean pair of pants. ‘I realise its rather short notice but we are having visitors this evening. Thaw one of your wonderful casseroles they’ll be eating with us,’ he finished dressing and picked up his soiled suit. ‘Eat your breakfast, what’s left of it, and make sure you have lunch,’ he demanded as he finished dressing.

Stupidly she nodded, holding her breath when he suddenly stopped in the doorway and looked at her for a few long moments before disappearing from sight. When she let go of the breath she had been holding, her body shuddered, it seemed that even the baby had sensed they were arguing and had been surprisingly still, but now it moved again kicking at her from all directions.

Quinn rubbed her hand over her stomach, ‘I suppose you’re angry with me as well,’ she sighed, rubbing the palm of her hand across when felt very like a foot.

It was an hour before she felt capable of movement and only then because Mrs Davis her cleaner arrived. At Max's insistence she came in twice a week to do the heavy work for her.

Quinn showered and dressed then went into the nursery, she was sitting in the rocking chair reading her ‘Mother and Baby’ book when she realised she felt more relaxed than she had for weeks. A light flush touched her cheeks as she remembered his words about them both being frustrated, she tutted and told herself it was because she had unusually managed to sleep all night, ‘
oh and why was that?
’ asked a little voice in the back of her head.

Unusually Max didn’t ring her all day, even when they rowed he would still call if only to carry on their argument. Today the telephone was surprisingly silent.

Considering her day had started off so fraught she was by the time evening arrived quite relaxed. A few times over the day she speculated on who he was bringing home, it made no difference she would not show him or herself up no matter who it was.

At six thirty she heard his car pull up in the driveway, smoothing down the skirt of her dress she fixed a smile in place and opened the door ready to welcome him and their visitors.

Max was standing on the step with his arm around Azzurra De Santos; he was smiling into her face as he brushed his lips across her cheek.

Quinn’s world went out of focus, a loud pounding in her head drowned out any sounds, and then suddenly her back came into contact with something hard. Max and the woman beside him reached for her catching her shoulders before her head came in contact with the floor.

‘Quinn!’ a voice called.

She opened her eyes and tried to focus, two concerned faces hovered above her own, and both appeared to be Max.

‘Quinn,’ only one mouth moved, ‘are you alright?’ he asked.

‘I’m sorry,’ the other Max said.

‘I told you to let me go first,’ the Max that held her said. ‘Come on Quinn open your eyes, its Nigel and Chrissie.’

‘Nigel?’ she repeated shakily.

‘Yes Nigel, can you sit up now?’ Max asked supporting her back.

‘Should she be moved without seeing a doctor?’ asked a concerned female voice.

After a few more moments Quinn at last found her tongue, ‘I’ll be fine, please help me up,’ she turned her pale face to her husband who gently lifted her into his arms and carried her into the lounge.

Max sat her on the sofa and sat beside her, ‘Are you sure you’re alright?’ he asked, brushing his fingers across her cheeks.

‘I’m sorry,’ she said in a small voice as she realised her mistake it hadn’t been Max with Azzurra de Santos, what a fool she had been.

‘Me too,’ he responded, ‘I should have told you they were back in the country I also should have told you that Chrissie and Azzurra are cousins, I shouldn’t have let you think it was me you saw. All I want is for you to trust me.’

They both turned at the same time when the door opened, ‘Sorry to interrupt, but dinner looks as though it’s ready,’ Chrissie looked from one to the other.

Max pressed Quinn back down into the sofa, ‘I’ll see to it you stay there,’ he urged, and then sighed as she stood up insisting she was quite able to finish dinner.

The evening passed more pleasantly than Quinn expected. On more than one occasion the two men would pull the same facial expression or start to talk about the same topic. Chrissie laughed and turned to Quinn.

‘You get used to it after a while, you should be with them when the three of them are together,’ she lifted her eyebrows for a moment, ‘it’s quite an experience,’ she laughed. ‘How long have you got to now?’ she asked looking at her stomach.

‘Seven weeks,’ Quinn smiled and rested her hands on her tummy, smiling at her sister-in-laws surprised expression.

‘How many are you having?’ she asked with a small laugh.

‘Just the one, the doctor did an extra ultra sound scan last time I was there because even he thought I was rather big for my time,’ she looked quickly toward Max before going on. ‘He assures me the baby is the right size for the date. He just can’t work out why I am so big,’ she smiled and rubbed her hand over her tummy while she spoke.

‘Could it be you have your dates wrong?’ she asked.

Quinn and Max both looked toward each other, ‘No,’ they said together. She blushed and Max stood up, asking did anyone want more coffee in an effort to ease the surprised look on his brother’s face and look of embarrassment on his wife’s.

While fixing desert she could hear Nigel asking his brother how long he and Quinn had been together. She watched him make a quick calculation in his head, ‘Is this child yours?’ he asked creasing his brow.

‘Yes of course,’ Max replied.

Nigel’s brow stayed creased, ‘Are you sure?’ he asked again.