Stern Desire Love Redeemed (22 page)

"No. I'm buying the system."

"You're what?" I was shocked.

"I'm buying the system."

"You are serious?"

He nodded yes.

"When did you decide to purchase it?"

"Considered it for a couple months, decided a few days ago. I've heard what you said. If there is anything I can do, I promise you I
will."

"Jared, I understand that this is a business, and you have your people telling you what to do, but sometimes you have to consider the good of the people. I know you will do the right thing." I leaned over and
kissed him lightly on the lips. Before I could pull back, his hand was at the back of my head, pinning me against his lips, and the kiss grew deeper and sweeter.

"I love you, Kyra," Jared said when we both
surfaced, breathless from the kiss.

"And I you."

"Kyra, I need to ask you something."

"What is it, Jay?"

"How do you feel about me adopting Nate?"

I was taken aback. "What!"

"Nate and I had a talk. He expressed his feelings about not having his dad around, and wishes he had a dad like his friends. He needs a
father figure in his life, Kyra. You have done an exceptional job raising him and I'll be proud to call him my son. I would love for us to be a family. Can you please give me that chance?"

I knew my son's feelings. He had never had a male figure in
his life, and I was surprised that he had expressed his feelings to Jared. Tears rolled down my cheeks.

"Jared, I can't ask you to do this."

"You aren't asking me. I want to do this more than
anything."

"Why?"

"Because I'm not going anywhere, Kyra. You are my life and I can't begin to imagine you not being in it. I want us to be a family...and when you are ready, we can let our little family grow."

When I'm ready. You've solely made that decision.

"Jared, this relationship has been like a whirlwind. It's been six months and moving way too fast. Now you are talking about
adopting my son. It's too soon and I don't want you to do this out of pity."

"Pity, Kyra? You sure know how to infuriate me. I'm not doing this out of pity. I love you. I love Nate. Would you prefer we get
married first?"

"Do not say that," I warned him. This man was a walking conundrum. There were too many unexplained questions, too much information that had been concealed, but could one really know a person? Didn't we all have
something to hide, no matter how inconsequential it might be? The problem was when the truth revealed itself: could the relationship withstand the test? Would true love prevail?

"You say this is too fast. Did you know that my mom and
dad got married three months after they met at a real estate conference? They are the two happiest people I know. They say it was love at first sight and they had the rest of their lives to get to know each other." He took my
hand in his, and the solemnity in his voice tugged at my heart strings. "You have redeemed me and made changes in me that I never thought were possible. You have brought me back from a place..." His voice cracked. "Kyra, I have not been this happy in years. I understand if you are
apprehensive about me adopting Nate, but as I have said before, I am not going anywhere. Are you?"

A huge lump formed in my throat as I held back the tears. I shook my head, unable to get the words out.
I'm not going anywhere right
now. How can I? I'm pregnant with your child. That's a bond we will forever share.

His sweet lips were on mine, kissing me ever so gently. "Thank you," he said between kisses. "And the answer to my first
question?" His hand traveled up my side to my breast and gently squeezed.

I closed my eyes as a flutter stirred in my pelvis. "You don't play fair, Jared Stern."

"Am I going to get an answer to my first question?" he said against my lips. Our eyes met; his vibrant, hazel eyes were a dull shade, begging for a positive answer.

"Yes, you can adopt Nate."

"Thank you," he said with relief.

He brushed his fingertips against my cheek as we gazed into each other's eyes. His lips moved slowly toward mine, our eyes never leaving each other's until our lips met. He took my lip between his, tasting it briefly, and
then he pulled back. He repeated the gesture, tasting my lips over and over. Each taste added fuel to the longing I had for him, until I burned inside. My lips were moistened with his saliva and I yearned for a deeper, more salacious
kiss.

Jared removed my top in a quick sweep, and I shimmied out of my jeans. I was left in the lacy underwear that I could only pray would not be destroyed by his ravenous passion. And then I heard the rip...there they went.
He was on top of me, planting gentle little kisses down my neck. The pleasure inside me built. I anticipated my nipples in his mouth and him sucking and gently nibbling on them, and when he did, my groin was set on fire. He used his
tongue and circled my nipples around with little bites. I twitched with each unexpected bite and moaned as his hand found my sweet spot. He smiled when he felt how wet I was, and I had no doubt that he could feel my sweet spot pulsating. It was too intense for him not to feel it.

Oh, my God, if he puts his fingers in me I'm going to come all over his hand.
Instead, he pulled me down to the end of the chair and raised my legs up in the air. I was spread wide open in front of him. The
cool sea breeze tickled my exposed v-jay. I closed my eyes and surrendered to him. I was all his to do with as he wished. The cool sea breeze was replaced by his warm, wet mouth on me. His tongue found its way, stroking and probing inside me. I tightened my v-jay, trying to hold the emotions in; he moaned and
his tongue sank deeper. I was about to spill all I had in me.

"I can't hold it, baby." My body stiffened.

"Not yet, babes," he said gently. He loved to
torture me.

I moaned and writhed under his tongue as it teased my clit, taking me further into the stratosphere. He was relentless.

"Please, Jared, please."

"Hold it, babes."

He knew he was driving me insane. I opened my eyes and saw the impish look on his face. He placed his right pointer finger in his mouth and sucked on it. He lowered his head and licked my clit and at the same time I
felt his finger around my butt. He gently slid his finger into my butt. The pain from his finger being inserted into my butt and the ache in my groin collided. I felt like I was being possessed. The carnal sounds coming out of me
were in no way natural. My body was taken over by this pleasurable force that soared from my head to the soles of my feet. It met my sweet spot and exploded out of me like an erupting volcano. I was spent, weak. I could not move. I had no life left in me. He was holding my legs up, still licking me gently.

Then he was on top of me. I smelled my scent all over hi

He smiled. "You almost drowned me."

"Not a bad way to die," I answered. We both
laughed. Then he kissed me and I tasted myself on his lips. He entered me slowly. I held him tight, wishing he could melt in me. I loved him so much. I had never known that I could love another man like this again. My heart was
filled with so much love it hurt, and I held him tighter, wanting him deeper in me. And the silent tears flowed: tears of joy, tears of conflicted emotion over the fetus in me, tears of possibility that Nate might finally have a dad, tears of foreboding that I had fallen so hard and fast for a man I wish I knew
better, and tears of trepidation that this might all end badly. All that was happening to me was too good to be true. At any time I was expecting something to go horribly wrong.

"You are so intoxicating," he whispered in my ear.
"Forgive me if I can never get enough of you." Then he came inside me and I wrapped my leg tightly around him, holding him in me.

He smiled and kissed me. I fell asleep in his arms.

The cool breeze on my face kissed me awake. When I woke up, Jared was still holding me closely and I was covered with a blanket. Before me was the most beautiful sunset. The reddish orange sun was nestling on the
horizon and cast an orange hue all over the ocean that got lighter in color as it approached the shore.

"You woke up just in time," he said. "I didn't want you to miss this."

"This is so beautiful. This is my favorite place right
now," I said.

"Do you like it here?"

"I like the relaxed, carefree atmosphere. It's an escape."

"Do you like the house?"

"Way too much house for me, but I love this hideaway."

We watched the sun disappear over the horizon.

"Time to go." Jared got up and pulled me to my
feet. He helped me into my blouse. I stood on tip toe and brushed my lips against his.

"Thank you," I said.

"For what?" he asked.

"For everything, but especially for being you."

A sadness seemed to come over him. He handed me my pants. He tucked my ripped panties into his shorts pocket. He took my hand and walked toward the house. It was more spectacular at nighttime, with the lights
illuminating the landscape and the house in the distance.

.

Back at the hotel, we showered together. As I got dressed in the bathroom, Jared came in and handed me his phone.

"Who is it?" I mouthed.

"It's Nate."

"Hi, baby, how are you?" I asked Nate.

"I'm fine, Mom. Your phone is off so I couldn't get you."

"Are you coming home tonight? I'll be home at about midnight."

"That's what I'm calling to tell you, Mom. I'm spending the night at Grandma's house."

"That's fine."

"Are you working the next two nights?"

"Yes, son, and we will be celebrating your birthday this weekend."

"But Wednesday is my birthday," he whined.

"Nate, I'm sorry. It's not the first time I've worked on your birthday and celebrated afterwards."

"I was hoping you'd be off."

"I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"You want me to come home tonight?"

"No, stay with your Grandma. Say hi for me. I love you until the end of time."

"I love you till the end of time and a day."

I felt so bad that I had to work. But I had already called to take today off, so I couldn't do it again.

"What going on?" Jared asked from the doorway. He looked very comfortable in sweat pants, a t-shirt, and sneakers.

"Nothing," I answered.

"Are you sure?"

"Nate doesn't want me to work on his birthday, that's all."

"So, don't. It's his birthday," Jared said as he
approached me, put his arms around my waist, and pulled me against his hard body. "Now tell me, what is really bothering you?"

I looked away, but he turned my head so I could look into
his pleading eyes. "Please, talk to me," he begged.

"Do you have any idea what's going to happen now that there are speculations that your nurse might be your girlfriend?"

"Kyra, you're worried about your career."

"I'm very worried and scared that I, along with anyone else who might have known and did not report it, may be in trouble. I'm worried about Jenn."

"Kyra, I promise you I'll take care of it."

"You are going to take care of it?" I asked doubtfully. For a moment I forgot that I was talking to Jared Stern.

"That's what I said."

He kissed me gently and all my fears and worries vanished from my mind.

"Do you need anything from the clothes racks?"

"Only the Zanotti shoes," I answered. A girl can
never have enough shoes.

He left me standing in the room. I removed the envelope I had hidden under the sofa and placed it in my handbag. There was a noticeable change of the amount of clothes on the racks. By the door were two packed bags.
The flight back home on Jared's jet was uneventful. As soon as we were at cruising altitude, I went to the bedroom, crawled between the luxurious sheets, and fell asleep.

Jared wanted me to spend the night with him, but I wanted to
go home. I called Jenn from the car, and she was at work. Her first question was if I had told Jared I was pregnant. I ran by her the idea of Jared wanting to adopt Nate. Jenn thought it was way too soon and that we should wait until
we got married. I agreed with her on that, but I was pregnant with his child; we were going to be a family. Marriage was out of the question. This pregnancy was not going to be used as leverage for us to get married. He would win again, and I had no doubt that could have been part of his plan. Who said marriage was
the only nurturing way to raise children? If I were to have this baby, it was going to be on my terms. I would not enter into a marriage contract where I believed I would be the only one upholding the vows. "Forsaking all
others." That's the part I didn't believe men could commit to wholeheartedly. My dad cheated on my mom; he died in an accident alongside his mistress. Rob cheated on me and had another child. How could I trust men? There
was always the chance they would cheat, no matter how good a wife you were to them.

Being the girlfriend who had been cheated on was very painful, but when it came to being the wife they had exchanged vows with, before God and man, that took the pain to a whole different level. The
humiliation, hurt, deceit, jealousy, shock, and anger were amplified. What made the betrayal even worse was thinking about all the other people who knew about the affair. Then there was the feeling that you were not good enough anymore. I
decided I would settle for a committed relationship.

I did not need a marriage certificate because it would not guarantee fidelity. I did not need a white dress; I was not pure or virginal, even though it signified first marriage and would do wonders for my complexion.
I did not need a ring to symbolize our endless love and fidelity. We proved our love for each other every day, but the fidelity part was a harder pill to swallow.