Freelance Love (10 page)

Morgan hugged Rick, giving him her sincere thanks. Leaving the
courthouse, she went home, thinking about how her life had just changed. Dropping
her papers and purse, she called Ian, who, when he heard the news, suggested a
celebration.

“I’ll take some steaks and wine and you can make some baked
potatoes and a salad. We’ll celebrate late into the evening,” he said.

After hanging up, Morgan sat heavily on her sofa, thinking of the
huge award she had just won. Her thoughts veered to the permanent order barring
John Mack from contacting her, then she began to think about Ian. As she
entered a hot fantasy, her eyes became unfocused.

Ian held Morgan’s hand as they walked carefully through the
trails behind “A” Mountain. Morgan, feeling the strong grip of Ian’s hand, felt
safe in his presence. She was going to admit her feelings to him – she had
fallen in love with him, hard, and her heart was his.

“I’d like to donate $10 million to the children in Rwanda,” Ian
said with a happy grin creasing his face.

“Hmm, that sounds . . . nice,” Morgan said, trying to make it
sound as if she had been following his conversation all along.

“Uh, earth to Morgan! I don’t have $10 million. Where are you?”
Ian said, waving a large hand in front of Morgan’s eyes.

“What? I was just . . . thinking,” Morgan said as a soft blush
colored her cheeks.

“Yeah, thinking. Right. You were completely gone, there,
sweetheart,” Ian said. He looked at her carefully.

“Okay, then, I’ll admit it. What did you say?” Morgan asked. Now,
her blush was more obvious.

“I suggested that we move in together. I’m completely besotted
and I want to be with you every day. This . . . shit . . . of two households is
for the birds. We’re always with each other as it is. What do you say?”

“Oh! Uh. Yes, I like that. But . . . whose house? Or do we find a
whole other place?” Morgan asked, trying to keep her heart from hammering its
way out of her throat.

“Mine. I’ve bought it and I have a lot of room in my office to
put your own office supplies in. Besides, mine’s a bit bigger than yours,” said
Ian.

“Wow, clearly, you’ve put some thought into this!” Morgan said,
with her eyes wide.

“You got it, woman. I’m in love with you and I’m doing everything
I can to make a life with you a reality, not just a dream up in the clouds
somewhere,” Ian said with a meaningful look.

“I’m in love with you, too . . . how do you know that we can keep
working as writer and editor if we move in together?”

“Where is it written in the Great Writer’s Bible that a writer
and editor who’ve worked together can’t have a personal relationship, let alone
share a home?” Ian asked.

“Oh, we-e-e-e-e-ll, I’ve never seen it written anywhere,” Morgan
said. Moistening  suddenly dry lips, she became aware that her heart was
pounding in double-time.

“Exactly. So, who’s to say we’re breaking any rules? Why can’t we
make up a few new ones of our own? I remember telling you a few weeks ago that
we’re two reasonably sane professionals. I’m sure we can keep that, along with
adding the personal relationship. Not that it’ll always be easy, and we’re
going to have to remember to keep our work and personal lives separate . . .
you’re the consummate professional, Morgan. You won’t allow your feelings for
me to cloud your judgment. We’ve been working together now for a couple years.
I know your writing and working styles – and I have the utmost respect for that
and your writing ability. Come on . . . what do you say? Let’s admit that it’s
time to move to the next level of our lives. We love each other. I miss you
terribly when you’re at your house and I’m in mine. I want us to be together,
every day,” Ian said, a sparkle brightening his blue eyes.

“What about those times when you just need some time for Ian?”
Morgan asked. She wanted this so much! But she just needed to be sure . . .

“I’ll go for a run or head to the gym. Same goes for you. If you
need Morgan-time, go to the gym or go see Grace. C’mon! I’ll work! Morgan, you’re
torturing me, here!”

Looking at Ian with a grin slowly beginning to spread across her
face, Morgan nodded.

“Yes. Okay! I just wanted to make sure that we’d talked about . .
. everything,” she said.

“Woo-hoo! Yes, she agreed to move in with me!” Ian shouted to the
sky. “When?”

“Well, I need to give standard notice to my landlady and have the
utilities shut off . . . how about one month? Oh, plus I need to put my stuff
in storage,” Morgan said, thinking.

“Two weeks. We’re already at each others’ places more than we are
in our own homes, anyway. Move in with me in two weeks and we’ll get your
things sorted out together.”

Shaking her head, Morgan came back to the present.

“Man, I’ve got it bad! And I think we’ll be talking about it
– if not tonight, then soon,” she murmured to herself. “I’d better get
started on the salad and put the potatoes in the oven. But first, I want to
call Grace!”

“Grace Scott . . . Oh! Morgan! How are you?” Grace asked.

“I won! John decided to settle and I won!” Morgan squealed.

“Oh, my God! Congratulations! How much?” Grace asked.

Morgan told her. “We had to accept a confidentiality clause that
keeps all this from becoming public knowledge. So, he’s paying damages, but
gets to keep his reputation in the business community.”

“That doesn’t seem very fair. What did Rick say?”

“To take the offer. Or John could have taken his offer back off
the table and we would have gone to trial,” Morgan said.

“But you had a strong case!”

“Very strong. But John is all about image and reputation. He
can’t do anything to me anymore, Grace. Rick put in a motion for a permanent
protective order that means John can’t even so much as
look
in my direction, much less try to
contact me. If so, he’d go to jail. I got what I wanted – his admission that
he’d defamed me and something that makes it illegal for him to call or email me
ever again. That’s all I wanted. I have my clients back and I’m getting more
work. By the way, how’s it working out with your assistant?”

“It worked out well for about three weeks, then she fell back
into her old habits. I fired her a week ago and I’m looking for a new
assistant. I have some interviews set up . . . this time, I’m going to make
sure that applicants
know
they can’t mix work with gossip time.”

“Oh, man. Let me check with Mia. She might know of some students
who need work-study funding, if the announcement is still open,” Morgan
offered.

“That would be great . . . so, how’s it going with the Hot Hunk
Editor, Ian?” Grace asked slyly.

Morgan blushed.

“Uh, actually, he’s coming over tonight and we’re celebrating
tonight,” Morgan said.

“Whoa! And, I hope it turns into an all-night celebration,” Grace
said. As she spoke, it sounded like she was grinning.

“Grace! He’s my
editor
!”
Morgan said as she whispered the last word.

“An editor who’s pretty damn hunky . . . and who happens to be
flip-flop in love with you. Come on. When are you going to admit that you two
have a viable future?” Grace asked.

“We talked about that a few weeks ago and I told him I’d think
about it. So, it could happen sooner than you think,” Morgan said, feeling
suddenly brave.

“Woo-hoo-hoo, two of my favorite people in the world! I can’t
wait! Fill me in – call me,” Grace said eagerly as Morgan giggled.

“I will. I promise you, I will! I’d better go because I have to
bake some potatoes and make a salad. Ian’s bringing the steaks.”

Morgan made a large salad and scrubbed two large baking potatoes,
making sure she had dressing, croutons, butter, sour cream and plenty of cheese
on hand. Ian rang her doorbell and, coming into the house, he dropped the
steaks on her counter and set the wine into the refrigerator. Starting the
grill, he came back into the house, where he dry-rubbed the steaks and set them
onto the grill. Thirty minutes later, they were eating, laughing and
celebrating Morgan’s victory.

After dinner, Morgan, feeling tipsy, carefully walked to her
sink, where she washed the dishes. In the living room, Ian draped his arm over
her shoulder, pulling her to his side. His other hand went over her slim
stomach, holding her close.

Morgan’s eyes closed, loving the feel of Ian’s hands around her.
She felt his fingers raise her chin, allowing him easy access to her lips. As
they kissed, Morgan’s arms fastened around Ian’s neck and her hands began
roaming over his back, sides, arms, shoulders and chest.

Ian, feeling the warmth of Morgan’s hands roaming over his upper
body, felt his breath become sharply constricted. His kisses became even hotter
and his own hands began roaming over different ares of Morgan’s body. He began
unfastening the buttons of her dark-purple blouse, giving him free access to
her breasts. He unfastened her bra and feasted his eyes on her rounded, high
breasts. He began kissing and laving them with his tongue, feeling himself
drawn to other irresistible parts of Morgan’s beautiful body.

Morgan, feeling an electric warmth radiating from her breasts to
the center of her body, felt her hips undulating involuntarily. As Ian unzipped
her skirt, she felt herself sliding down the back of her sofa until she was
lying down. Their lovemaking progressed from there, with Ian picking Morgan’s
lithe, slight body up and carrying her to her bedroom, where he set her on the
bed. Still sitting, she pulled Ian’s dress shirt open and pushed off his
shoulders, then unbuckled his belt and opened his pants. As she saw his shaft
standing stiff at attention, she drew her breath in, feeling Ian’s hands on her
shoulders, pushing her back.

Before joining her, Ian pulled a condom out of his wallet and
rolled it onto his engorged penis. Stretching out beside her, Ian returned to
loving her breasts and manipulating her sensitive center. All too soon, he
found himself overwhelmed with the need to tower over her and enter her. As he
thrust his hips, he felt her welcoming warmth pulsating and tugging at him,
welcoming him inside her. Ian and Morgan began an age-old dance of love, first
slow, then quick, gentle, then hard. Morgan’s response sharpened quickly and
she felt her climax beginning as she felt and heard Ian beginning to spiral
toward his own completion. A low cry began building in the back of Morgan’s
throat, growing higher the closer she came to her explosion. Ian climaxed at
the same moment that Morgan came. His uttered a low, wordless growl into
Morgan’s ear, then collapsed next to her, breathing heavily. Morgan, eyes
closed, felt sensation returning to her limbs. She smiled, feeling as though
she belonged here with Ian, on her bed.

Ian turned his head, looking at Morgan’s dewy face. “I am in love
with you. I hope you know that. I’ve been holding back – well, as much as I
could – for months, now. I want more than just sex with you, Morgan Adams. I
want to love you, get to know more of who you are – and I want to get into
arguments about your writing, because I like how your mind works.”

“Really? Well, I’ve been holding back, partly because I wanted to
have this lawsuit settled and partly because I wanted to make sure that being
more than professional colleagues would be the right thing for both of us –
and, while our arguments are professional, I don’t want them to push us apart,
Ian, because . . . I’ve fallen in love with you, too. I need to know that a
personal relationship won’t harm our professional relationship, because I
really can’t see anyone else editing my work.”

“Like I said, I like how your mind works.” Ian pressed his
forefinger gently on Morgan’s forehead, then touched her left breast.
“Remember, this is connected to this – and I am in love with all of you, not
just your mind or body. We’ll make it work.”

“Just promise me, Ian, that a personal relationship won’t affect
our professional roles. I’m serious – I want you to keep editing my work. I
trust your judgment.”

“Well, how does this sound? I’ve been thinking about it for some
time now, that you could move in with me – into my house. I own it . . .
well, I’m making payments to the bank, anyway . . . and it’s bigger than your
place here. We can move your office into mine or into another room, depending
on what you want . . . what do you say?”

“Oh, wow. When?”

Just as soon as possible . . . even within this month,” Ian said.

Morgan’s breath whistled out of her lungs.

“That . . . that soon? I’d need to give my landlady notice . . .
find storage for my things . . . cancel the utilities . . . get to know you
better,” she said.

“Morgan. We’ve known each other professionally for two years, and
for most of that time, I’ve been attracted to you and falling in love with you.
We can do it and make it work. Come on, love,” Ian said.

“One month. Wow,” Morgan said.

“If our personal relationship begins to intrude on our
professional one, then, you can back down – but it won’t. I know you.
You’re professional to your core. When we’re in work mode, you’ll be able to
focus completely on work . . . and when you’re in girlfriend mode, well, you
won’t,” Ian said.

Morgan, caught by surprise at Ian’s sudden fumbling, laughed
outright.

“Okay, I think you’re right. I’ll be able to be all writer, all
the time when we’re working and, when we’re not working, I can be . . .”

“My girlfriend and lover,” Ian said softly as he kissed Morgan.
“Please? I’m dying of nerves here!”

Morgan wondered why she was being so cautious. Ian was . . .
everything she’d ever wanted, but had never found in a man, until now.
Squeezing her eyes shut against sudden nerves, she released a long, pent-up
breath.

“Okay. Let’s do it. I can’t deny my feelings for you any more. I
love you and I want to spend my life with you, too,” she said.