Out of the Ashes (34 page)

“
Love, please finish my hair and make me some breakfast.”  He pats my hand as I go back to washing him.

After breakfast,
several cups of very strong coffee, some painkillers and three glasses of juice, Ian is finally able to sit at his desk.  I go about cleaning up the mess in the conference room and call Connor to get the decanters refilled.  I would say it serves him right but his pocket won’t even notice a dent when the bill comes to replace what he drank.  I walk back in shaking my head mumbling about 50 year old scotch being used to go on a bender.  Ian just stares at his desk.  I feel like a parent punishing their child for going out and getting drunk.  “Ian, I’m sorry I didn’t stay with you last night.  I just didn’t want to say or do anything that I would regret.  So I thought it was best to stay with Gavin.” 

He shakes his head, “I understand that you need some time.  I
’m just worried about how much time you need.” 

“Ian, I need you to need us.  I need you to want us to work above everything else.  Basically, I need you
more than I thought I would ever need anyone.  But if you’re still holding on to what happened with her, it will only destroy us.”  He knows I’m speaking from experience and I watch as my words sink in. 

“I don’t know how to let it go.  I don’t want her if that’s what
you’re worried about but I don’t ever want to feel like that again.  And if something like that happened with you…” 

“See right there.  Why would I cheat?  Why would I want anyone else?  Ian, I can’t even see anyone else
since I met you.  Other men hold no appeal to me what so ever.  Are things going to be easy for us? No, but I will do my best to never hurt you.  I think that is all we can do.” 

“I’m sorry
, Celeste.  All this is so messed up.  Don’t think I don’t need you, I do.  You hold my heart and it only beats while in your hand.”  I give him a slow kiss. 

“Celeste, that
’s probably not a good idea.  I missed you so fucking much last night.  I even got in the car twice to come over to Gavin’s and drag you back but couldn’t do it.” 

“Well
, I hope that was before you got smashed.”  He grins sheepishly and I roll my eyes at him.  Give me strength.  “Mr. Jacobs, now that everything is in order, you have a meeting in two hours and you need to straighten these numbers out before then so unless there is something else I can get you we had better get to work.” 

“I love it when you’re all bossy with me.  You make me hard.” 

I shake my head at him and giggle.  “Get to work, Mr. Jacobs.  If you’re good maybe I’ll make you some lunch later.”  I give him a wink and a quick kiss.

Somehow he manages to finish the numbers before the meeting, and I get his calendar organized for the next week.  Building projects are slowing down as the weather turns colder and eventually
the work will move indoors because of the weather.  But with several of his projects in the final stages there will still be plenty to work on and designers to deal with. 

It’s har
d to believe that in another few months I will have worked with Ian for a year.  I can’t believe all that has happened in such a short time.  I’m in the kitchen preparing lunch when he comes back.  “I could get used to this.  You look so domestic standing in my kitchen, making my lunch.  And you say I spoil you.”  He’s leaning his hard body against the doorframe and I can’t stop my mouth from watering at the sight of him.

“You shouldn’t look at me like that, Ms. Brooks.  People will talk.”

“Oh and what will they say, Mr. Jacobs?”

“Hmm, could be anything from you having a crush on me to you sleeping your way to the top.  But Ms. Brooks, you forget, I know the truth.”

“And what is that?”

“You’re in love with me.  And I’m
going to spend the rest of my life showing you exactly what you mean to me.”

Holy hell, I think the
temperature just shot up about 100 degrees.  My mouth is suddenly dry and I have completely forgotten why I am in the kitchen.  “I love when I can stun you into silence.”  He stalks over and kisses me.  Lightly at first then he presses his lips harder against mine.  I willingly part my lips for him, nipping at his lower lip. 

“We have got to stop doing this in the middle of the day; and at work no less.” 

“I happen to know your boss has absolutely no problem with your extra curricular activities on the clock.  In fact, he’s thinking of modifying your job duties to include them.”  I swat his arm and giggle.  He sets me on the counter; opposite of where I had been preparing our food, thank god.  And runs his hands over my sides and down to my hips.  “Celeste, I’m glad there are no other offices on this floor because I’m about to make you scream.”

After we finish our, u
m, lunch, things in the office are much more comfortable.  Once the meeting ends, he needs to work on a new prospectus so I leave him at his desk and catch up on some emails.  “Celeste.”  He calls me over and I sit on his desk.  “Mmm.  I like you like this too.  You are too distracting, sweetheart.”  He fingers the straps of my garter.  “Okay focus.”  He says to himself.  “I was thinking with a few of the projects winding down and before the ribbon cutting on the England property that you and I could get away.  Somewhere with lots of sun and very little clothes, preferably.”  An escape with him sounds like heaven. 

“Where are you thinking?” 

“Some place in the Caribbean.  Some place a little private but with some nightlife for us to enjoy as well.  I was thinking maybe St. Lucia.  Or if you would prefer we could go to the South Pacific.  Tahiti or Bora Bora?” 

“Oooh, I
’d love to go to Bora Bora.  I’ve seen those suites on stilts right above the ocean and the outdoor showers.  I always thought it was romantic.  It doesn’t necessarily have the nightlife you are looking for but I would be content to stay in the room all night.” 

“Anything you want
, sweetheart.  I will let Connor and the security team know.” 

“Ian
, will they have to go with us?” 

“Connor definitely will but I think after yesterday Rebecca is not
much of a threat any more and one person should be able to handle the security for us since we will be spending most of our time in and around our suite.  Speaking of Rebecca, remind me not to cross you, you have a mean right hook.  How’s your hand today?”  I look down at it; it’s a little bruised but it was so worth it.  “I will get everything in order for us for after the holidays then.”

“Ian, can I ask you something?”  I’m not even sure why I’
m thinking about this but I want to know. 

“Anything, sweetheart.” 

“When’s you birthday?”  He smiles at me.  “Actually, it’s October 21
st
.” 

“That’s only a few weeks away; when were you going to tell me?” 

“Oh believe me if I didn’t; my mother would have told you in plenty of time.” 

“29, how does it feel to be so ancient?” 

“What?  I’m afraid I didn’t catch that.  You need to speak up.  How did you know how old I was?” 

Well shit, how do I get myself out of this one?  “I think you mentioned it before.”  I shrug and he lets it drop. 

“How does it feel to date someone of such an advanced age?” 

“You won’t be getting any complaints from me.”
 

“So are you coming home with me tonight?” 

“Ian, I told you I just needed some time.  I’d like to go home but you and I need to talk.  I need to hear your reasons for letting her in.  It won’t erase what happened or change anything but I need you to tell me.”

“Let’s go home.”

“How about we just stay here then?  Order some dinner and talk?”  Hmm, talking this over at or near the scene of the crime doesn’t seem like a good idea to me.  Then I remember something Gavin said. 

“Hey,
Gavin isn’t home tonight so how about we go to the apartment and talk first.  Some neutral territory might be good.”

When we arrive at the apartment, Ian and I make our way over to the sofa.  He looks scared like he’s worried that I’ll run again so I move over to sit in his lap.  His arms wrap tightly around my waist, holding me to him.  “Celeste, I’m sorry.  I really don’t know what I was thinking.  When I heard the elevator I thought it was you coming back from lunch and then she stepped off.  There’s no excuse for not just making her get back on and sending her out.  Part of me thought if I talked to her I could get her to leave you alone.  Honestly I saw it as a way to protect you.  I just want her gone from our lives.”

“But Ian don’t you understand that by you giving in to her all the time even if it
’s just small things, she’ll always be around.  And with her behavior lately that isn’t something I can tolerate.”

“I know
, angel.  I’m sorry.  I completely understand that to move forward I need to move on from what she did to me.  I need you like I need air.  I can’t be without you.”

Those words capture my heart.
  They are same ones that I used to describe my feelings for him just yesterday.  This man has made me experience every emotion out there but it always comes back to the fact that I love him.  I feel my emotions overwhelming me and tears start to slide down my face.  “Love, please I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to make you cry.  The last thing I want is to ever see you cry again.  I feel like because of me you have done a lot of that lately.” 

I press my lips to his.  “Ian, I
’m sorry that I’m so emotional but you have no idea how much it means to hear you say you need me.  I love you so much and never want to lose you.”  I stand and kick off my shoes. 

“Celeste, I don’t want to take advantage of the situation right now and we need to talk this through.  I just don’t think in your condition…”

“Mr. Jacobs, I think I’m in the condition for lots of things right now.”  And I pull my tank top over my head.  My hard nipples rub against the lace of my barely there bra.  Ian lays his head back and groans, throwing his arm over his eyes like he just can’t stand to look. 

“You are fucking killing me, sweetheart.”  By the time he moves his arm
, my skirt is puddled on the floor at my feet.  He takes in the sight of me in my lacy bra and thong.  I step out of the skirt and kick it off to the side. 

“Mr. Jacobs,
” I say as I chew on my bottom lip.  “I think I might have been naughty.  I think you might need to discipline me.”  I climb up onto his lap and lay on him pressing my stomach into his thighs.  My exposed cheeks waiting for whatever he will give me.  I twist around so I can see him.  “Do I need disciplined, sir?”  I giggle. 

Ian runs his hands through his
just fucked looking hair and I feel a charge run through me.  “Well, considering your ‘roommate’ could walk in at any moment and you’re basically completely exposed in the living room I would say you are in need of some discipline.”  He scoops me up and rolls me over so I’m cradled in his arms and carries me down the hall to my room.  He sits down on the bed and repositions me so I am exactly as I was on the couch.  “You want me to do this, Celeste?”  His eyes question mine. 

“Yes, Ian.” 

“Tell me what you want me to do.  Exactly.”  I chew my lip.  “Leave that damn lip alone,” he growls, “and tell me what you want me to do.” 

“Ian, I… I… I want you to spank me.”  A smile spreads across his face.  I turn so I can no longer
see him.  I feel his hand rub over my ass cheeks and then he pulls it back.  I tense with the knowledge of what’s to come.  He brings his down with a satisfying smack on my ass.  Then he does the same to other cheek.  The third smack lands between my cheeks at the point where they meet my thighs right over my swollen, aching flesh.  I cry out.  “Can you take a few more?” 

“Please, Ian, please.”  He repeats the process again and again until I can no longer control myself and my orgasm pours from me. 

“You have the sweetest ass!  And now it’s a glorious color.”  He leans down and kisses each cheek.  “Celeste, this isn’t why I came here tonight.  But just so you know I’m glad I did.” 

“Ian, I missed you so much last night.
  Part of me wanted to come back and be with you then but I knew you needed time to think this all through.  Honestly, this morning when I walked into the apartment and found you hadn’t been there I worried that maybe you decided to leave me.”

“
Love, I told you that you hold my heart.”

“Ian, I love you.” 

“I know.  And you have a past of your own.  Last night I realized that you have done a lot to move past that and forge a relationship with me.  I’m sure there were times that you worried about me changing and acting like him but you always listened and gave me your trust.  I need to be willing to do the same with you.  And I am.  I know you aren’t her and that you love me.  It’s just the feelings that I have for you are so much more than they ever were with her and I know if you ever left or anything ever happened to you, I wouldn’t be able to function.”

His mouth covers mine.  I rub my hand along his pants over his hard
ening cock.  “Ian, I love you.  I need you to know that.  Only you.  Always.”