The Billionaire's Secrets (25 page)

Gaelan
was right, but Chloe didn’t need much convincing. It was horrifying to think of
Sophia
growing up under Bowen's influence. Still... “But even if Bowen knew, surely no court would give him custody,” she said incredulously.

Gaelan
dropped her arms, but his eyes never left hers. He was pleading with her to understand. “I can’t take that chance,” he said. “I’ve gone over and over this, and every time I come to the same conclusion. The risk is too great.”

Chloe saw the result of that terrible struggle in his eyes. To think only a short while ago, she had thought
Gaelan
didn’t care about
Sophia
. “You love her very much, don’t you?” she asked quietly.

“As much as if she
w
as
my own daughter,” he replied. “I know I don’t show it very well, but it isn’t because I don’t love her...” Following closely on a rumble of thunder, lightning filled the dimly lit room with a momentary flash of brilliance. “It's just I'm so angry about the whole mess, I think I take it out on her.”

“But since the
car
accident...
,
” Chloe began. She had seen for herself how much
Gaelan
had changed toward
Sophia
. As near as his actions came to
causing a
tragedy, maybe Bowen had inadvertently done something right for once.

“The car
accident made me realise more than ever just how precious she is to me. It's time for me to stop dwelling on the past and
move
on. But it wasn’t just the accident that made me come to that conclusion.” He smiled at Chloe, and his eyes that
moments
ago were so full of anguish were now brimming with love. “It was you too. I need you in my life, Chloe.
Today, tomorrow, and for the rest of my life.
I knew I couldn’t ask you to be there for me without telling you the truth about
Sophia
.”

Chloe nodded, her mind and heart in turmoil
, trying
to absorb everything he was saying to her. He was not asking her to be
Sophia
’s teacher or even just a lover - he was asking her to stay forever. But first he was sharing with her the secret of
Sophia
’s birth. She knew
Gaelan
had not trusted anyone with this before - it was far too important. But he
was trusting
her, and she knew it was an important demonstration of his love.

Chloe took a deep breath. She would trust him on this, just as she knew she would trust him on everything else to come. “I think you’re doing the right thing,” she said at last. “While Bowen may be
Sophia
’s biological father, you are her true father.
Because you love her and want the best fo
r her.
But...” And there was
a
but
for Chloe. Nobody could live with a lie forever. And one day
Sophia
would have to know. “She has to know one day. I don’t care about Bowen. I think you’re right, he doesn’t deserve to know. But one day, you will have to find some way of telling her.
Sophia
has a right to know who her biological father is.”

Gaelan
nodded. “I wish I’ve
always had someone in my life as wise as you, Chloe Winters,” he said gently. “I’m sure my life wouldn’t be the mess it is today.”

He brushed back a lock of her hair that had fallen over her forehead, and she felt herself shiver under his touch. She longed for him to take her in his arms and make love to her, and she knew she would not have to wait much longer.

“Another glass of wine?” he asked.

She nodded, and he refreshed their glasses from the bottle on the mantle.

Really, in the grand scheme of things, his revelation about
Sophia
was not earth-
shattering. It could have been worse. It could have been something that would make their relationship impossible. Chloe couldn’t think what that could be - she couldn’t imagine anything so terrible that could keep her from loving this wonderful man.

She took the glass from
Gaelan
, her fingers brushing his. “Here’s to new beginnings,” he said, touching his glass to hers. He went over to the
sound system
.
“Something to go with the sound of the rain,” he said, explaining his choice of music. “May I have this dance?”

“I don’t know, I
’ll have to check my dance card,
” she said, setting down her glass once again on the mantle and slipping into his waiting arms. They fit together so beautifully. She rested her head against his chest, following the beat of his heart as much as the beat of the music as they moved slowly together. She thought back to her first night at Widow’s Cliff and how she had decided she would risk everything to spend one night in his arms. It was so much better this way. To know this was not the end but the beginning.
The first night of many
.
The beginning of a long
happy
life with the man she loved.
For she loved him - she knew that now.

“How is it, Chloe, that you have kept your life so simple?” he asked, his lips against her hair.

“My life has had its own complications,” she said.

"Like what?"

"Like the mess with Shawn and my job."

"Yes, but if it wasn't for that, I would never have met you."

"And if it wasn't for Colleen, I wouldn't be here now."

"You know," he said, laughing. "It all seems worth it." He grew suddenly serious again. "But let's not talk about the past anymore. We have a future to live
,
and right now I just want to make love to you.”

Chloe leaned against him, unsure for a moment whether her legs would be able to support her. She felt him hard against her and a moist readiness between her thighs.

He took her face in his hands
,
and his mouth found hers in a long, demanding kiss. She felt herself melt into him, opening her mouth to receive his searching tongue. She responded hungrily, tangling her fingers in his thick dark hair, pulling him
closer
against her. There was another cr
ack of thunder, and again light
ning filled the room with its electricity, firing their kisses to new intensity.

His hands caressed her first gently, then with rising passion as he discovered the curve of her hips. He pressed her against him with a moan. “How did I survive all these years without you?” he whispered against her mouth.

Overwhelmed with desire, s
he could not respond with words
and instead renewed their kisses with an increased urgency. His hands found the zipper at the back of her dress, and as he lowered it sensuously, she felt his fingers leave a trail of heat down her back.

He paused, the zipper now halfway undone. “You’re sure you’re ready for this?” he asked seriously.

“Yes,” she responded. “Don’t stop now.”

“Then I won’t,
”
he said huskily, kissing her deeply.

“
I want to tell you something
,”
s
he said
breathlessly
, breaking off the kiss.

He
look
ed
deep into her eyes
in response
, and Chloe felt as if he could see into the centre of her soul.

“I love you,” she whispered, every bit of her being in those words.

“
I’ve been longing to hear you say that
.” He softly kisse
d both her eyelids. “I love you
too.” His voic
e was dusky and full of passion
but also gentleness. He kissed her again with renewed urgency
as the rain came down even harder
.

* * *

Th
ey lay close together, entwined in each other's arms, t
heir heads close together
. He planted light kisses on her eyelids and traced the curve of her still burning mouth with the tip of his finger. “That was beautiful,” he whispered. “Better than I ever imagined. Where did you learn to make love like that?”

“From you,” she said, kissing the tip of his finger. She had never made love like that before. Didn’t even imagine such heights of pleasure were even possible.

“Hmm,” he said. “You know all the right things to say.” There was another rumble of thunder, this time a little more distant, and the roar of the rain had lessened. “I would get our wine, but that would mean not being inside you anymore, and I don’t think I could bear that.”

“Neither could I. I think we’ll have to stay like this forever.”