Earning Her Love (14 page)

Catharine and Charles had Zane, and Alex was due home any moment.

Mia sat waiting in her little black dress, with her makeup and hair done. When the minutes turned to an hour and then the hour turned into two she knew where she had to go. She called a cab and waited. When she heard the taxi honk she took a calming breath in and slowly let it out as she stood and got her bag and keys.

The taxi ride wasn’t long. MacGoos Pub wasn’t far, only a fifteen minute drive. The taxi dropped her off, but Mia stood out in front of the building, terrified to go in. She would do it for Alex though.

Stiffening her spine, she walked through the pub doors and searched for Alex. She found him with his work mates in the corner with a half-drunk beer. Making her way over to him, she watched his manner. Anyone who didn’t know him would think he was happy, relaxed, but Mia knew him better. His shoulders were hunched just a bit too much, his eyes didn’t stay on his friends when they spoke, and to top it off, he ran his hand over his head. That was another thing he’d done these last days, he’d shaved his head. Mia hated it, because it made him look younger than he already did and it suited him so much so that she had to hold herself back from jumping his bones every time he entered the room.

Alex was the first to see her, and a smile spread over his face for a split second before he seemed to realize something and it disappeared. Speeding up her pace, she was two tables away when a tall body stepped in front of her.

“Hi there, gorgeous. I saw you as soon as you came in here.” The blond man before her held out his hand. “My name is Markus.”

Mia stared at his hand and took a step back. “I’m Mia. If you’ll excuse me, I’m here with someone.” She moved to the side and went toward Alex.

Markus’s hand snaked out and grabbed her arm, stopping her. “Wait. Come talk to me, Mia. You don’t have to lie. I watched you come through that door on your own.”

Snatching her arm out of his grasp, she backed away from him. “No thank you. I’m meeting my boyfriend.”

Markus smirked down at her and she shivered, and not the good kind. She didn’t like this guy. “If you were my girlfriend, I wouldn’t let you come into this dive by yourself. You’re much too pretty.”

“Argh, thanks.”

She kept backing up, trying to get closer to Alex. She turned her head and searched for Alex but couldn’t see him. Crap. She really needed him now. Twisting back to Markus, she stumbled into a table when she found him almost on top of her. Right now she wished she’d stayed home and waited for Alex.

“I’m flattered, but I really am here for my boyfriend.” Straightening herself, she glared at Markus. “I’m not interested in you.”

She weaved around Markus, and this time when he grabbed her arm she sighed in relief when she heard, “I believe Mia told you she’s not interested. Let her go now.” There was no mistaking the deadly threat in Alex’s voice. Markus dropped her arm so fast she’d have thought she was on fire.

Mia threw herself at Alex, wrapping her arms around him. She didn’t intend to let him go, especial not in this pub.

“This…This is the girl?” Markus’s voice was high. “But she’s…she so... She’s…”

“Beautiful. Yes. Yes, she is.”

Mia’s cheeks heated and Alex smirked.

“Not what you expected, was it, Markus?” Alex asked.

Markus growled and pushed past Alex, nudging him.

She took a step back. “What’s up with him? Do you know him?”

Alex threaded his fingers through hers. “Unfortunately, yes. He’s on the force, and he’s an arsehole.”

She nodded. “Yes, he is. Next time I’m here, please don’t leave me.”

Alex smiled, and she melted against him. She loved his smile. He leaned down, and his lips brushed the tip of her ear. “You look beautiful.”

“Thank you. I missed you.”

“You did?” He raised his eyebrow.

“Yes. Your parents have Zane,” she whispered.

Alex turned to his work friends. “Thanks for the beers, but we’ll see you later.”

Before Mia could even acknowledge Alex’s friends he dragged her away, but she heard their chuckles. She turned as he pulled her to the exit. “Bye.” She waved, unable to help the grin that spread over her face.

She loved Alex, and this was her chance to fix her mistake. She had to tell him everything.

She got in his car and he started it. They drove in silence for a while, until she knew they had to talk. Now. She had to do it now, before they got home. “I’m scared,” she blurted. “I’m scared that once you know me you’ll leave me just like everyone else who’s loved me or should. What if you find out I’m not what you want, what you need? You’re perfect.”

He chuckled. “I’m far from perfect.”

She shook her head. “No, you’re perfect. You’re what most women dream of in a man. You’re too good to be true.”

He laughed a deep belly laugh. “I have no idea what I’m doing half the time. I am so far from perfect it’s not funny. I’ve been focused on my career for years, and when I slowed down and took a look at life I realized what I was missing. The problem was the women I met before you I couldn’t stand...well, for longer than a night or two. You’re the sweetest person I’ve ever met. Your tough act when I first introduced myself was just that—an act.” His hand came over and squeezed her thigh. “I can’t promise you that I’ll never leave you, because my job is dangerous and I can’t always control what happens to me. But I can promise that I won’t willing leave you.” He sighed loudly. “I don’t just love you because you cook and clean. I love you because you listen to me. You put up with all my moods, good and bad, and you’ve taken my family in and not only given them Zane, but yourself as well. I love you because of your heart. And because when you hug me you hold me tight like you never want to let me go. I love you because you’re you. My Mia.” He pulled into their street.

Mia couldn’t stop the tears from falling. “Perfect,” she whispered. “To me you’re perfect.” She knew in that moment that she wouldn’t let Alex go, even if he wanted to. She’d fight for them, for him.

He drove into the garage and parked. She got out of the car and before he even got to the stairs she jumped on him, wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. Her lips captured his, and she poured everything she had into the kiss, showing without saying how much she loved him.

Alex’s hand rested on her arse and squeezed her globes as she gyrated against him. His fingers inched down to the hem of her dress, and he pushed it up higher. He backed them up against the door to upstairs. He tore his mouth from her and growled, “Panties, off now.”

She shivered at the deep, gravelly sound of his voice. Damn, his voice alone turned her on. She slid down his body and stood back. Slowly, she reached down and hooked her fingers into her panties and eased them down before flinging them off. She watched as he attacked his clothes, ripping and tugging to get them off.

She was so focused on him she almost forgot to take her dress off. She reached around for the zipper but froze at Alex’s husky command. “Keep the dress and heels on.”

Before her hand even came back down Alex was on her again. He picked her up and backed her against the door. She was so turned on her breathing came out in gasps. His fingers gilded up her thighs. It felt like years had passed since he’d touched her. Her body lit on fire at his touch, and she spread her legs further apart and leaned against the door, trying to give it some of her weight.

He sunk down to the floor. He kissed his way up her legs until she was weak-kneed, and his head disappeared beneath her dress, and she felt his warm breath on her. One thick, callused finger entered her, and she reached out for an anchor; frustrated when she found none, she squealed and tried spreading her legs further apart. His hand stopped her, coming to rest on her arse and bringing her forward so she smashed her pussy against his face. He sucked her clit into his warm mouth, and she knew she wasn’t going to last long. This was so hot. He added another digit and pumped them in and out faster and faster. She moved, grounding herself against him, now searching for the explosion that was on the horizon.

His teeth grazed her clit, heightening her pleasure. Her knees started wobbling as he scissored his fingers. She closed her eyes, overwhelmed with all the sensations bombarding her. He nipped at her clit and she exploded. The inferno that had built combusted, and she feel apart, screaming his name over and over. “Alex. Alex. Oh, Alex.”

Alex sucked and licked until he wrung every last drop of orgasm out of her. She opened her eyes and watched the sexy smirk on his face as he made his way back up her body, which had a grin of delight spreading over her own. She loved what this man did to her. She watched his muscles flex and saw his long, thick cock bounce, as he lifted her. She wrapped her legs around him, groaning as she felt the tip of his cock spread her neither lips and tease her sensitive clit before pushing his way home. She stared into dark blue, swirling pools of passion.

“I love you, Mia.” His mouth took hers before she could respond, telling him she felt the same way.

She could taste herself on him, but it only heightened her building desire. Wrapping her hands around his back, she held on as he drove into her over and over, giving her the powerful man she needed. Her back hit the door with each thrust and the noise added to the coil that was getting tighter and tighter with each slam into her. She reached for the door handle and gripped it with one hand and held on for dear life. Lifting her legs, she tried helping, pushing up to meet him each time he propelled into her. Panting hard and needing air, she tore her mouth from his and drew in deep breaths.

Alex grunted and her body tensed, coiling tight, ready to unwind. She was so close and knew just what she needed to let go. Mia watched Alex as he gritted his teeth and pounded into her. She loved watching the effect she had on him. It was the hottest thing ever. It turned her on beyond anything and built her tension so high she was close to the edge, about to explode.

Circling his toned arse with her high-heeled shoes, she dug the heels into his arse, and he pushed into her so deep she swore she saw stars as her body tensed and then broke into a thousand tiny pieces as she came hard.

“Holy fuck,” Alex yelled as he drove into her one more time on a moan and let himself go. He came to rest on her, and she was surprised he could stand after that. “That was amazing,” he moaned.

“Mmm. Yes, it was.” She slowly eased her legs down to the ground and stayed still for a moment to get her bearings.

Alex groaned and slipped out of her. He kissed her forehead, then turned and lifted his pants and got his keys. Mia let go of the door handle, surprised to find she still gripped it, and Alex opened the door. Starting to make her way up the stairs, she squealed happily when Alex picked her up and raced up them and then to the next lot of stairs and took them straight to their room. He gently laid her on the bed and joined her.

“Thanks for telling me.”

Mia clutched his arm secured around her. “Thanks for listening. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about it earlier.”

His chin rested on her head. “I’m sorry I did what you’re scared of the most. I shouldn’t have stayed away.”

Mia didn’t know how long they laid like that before she fell asleep, happy for the first time in a week. Now the only thing she needed—no, wanted—to tell Alex was how much she loved him.

Chapter 8

Mia had started university the previous week. She’d been so excited and worried about how Zane would take her being away from him, that she’d phoned the pre-school, Alex, and his mother almost every couple of hours. This was her second week at university, and Alex had convinced her that after midday, when he got off work, she would turn off her phone and he would deal with any parental issues.

Alex had barely finished work when he received the phone call from the pre-school telling him that an older couple was at the school, claiming to be Zane’s grandparents. They were insisting they had a right to see him and had visitation. Melissa, the director of the pre-school, told Alex that they even had a lawyer with them. Melissa informed him before she’d gotten a hold of him she’d spoken with his mother, Catharine, and that she was on her way to school. He told Melissa not to bother Mia and that he would deal with it, but Melissa said she’d already tried to contact Mia, but she couldn’t get in touch with her and she’d left a message. Melissa also told him that she’d called the police for assistance.

In that moment he was so grateful for a lot of things. One, that he had adopted Zane. Two, that he was a cop. And three, that he was a Douglas, because not only did people know the name, thanks to his brothers, but his mother was a woman you never messed with, and if her grandchild was involved, look out.

He knew he’d broken a bunch of laws just getting to the pre-school. How dare these people come in after not having anything to do with Mia for over four years, and probably having never even met Zane, and think they could just see him.

He ran into the pre-school and paused at the entry hall. Melissa, Zane, his mother, and his father stood before three very well-dressed people—two men and one woman. He knew the lawyer was there as a scare tactic. Alex could see the resemblance to Mia in the couple, the woman had the same strawberry blonde hair as Mia, but with a lot of white scattered through. The man had the same skin tone and chocolate brown eyes as Mia.

Alex didn’t care if they were Mia’s parents, they had no right to see his son. He narrowed his gaze on them and came up behind his parents. Zane was clutching Alex’s father’s neck, and as soon as Zane saw Alex, he squealed, “Daddy.” And jumped over to him. Alex opened his arms for his son, caught him, and kissed his forehead.

“Hey, buddy. How’s Daddy’s boy?”

Zane burst into tears, and Alex hugged him tight. His anger rose as his son’s body trembled. These people had scared him.

“Do you want to tell me why you were trying to see my grandson without our permission?” His mother glared at the people before them, and Alex could see his mother was furious. Before Alex could say anything to Mia’s parents his mother snapped at them. “Do you see what you’ve done to him? This…” His mother waved her hands around. “...was unnecessary. If you’d phoned Mia, or even gotten in contact with myself or my son, we could have talked to you about options before you charged in thinking you have rights.”