Swerve (7 page)

“My mother wants me to live at home with her,” Duane’s reported in a weak, less than convincing voice.

“Whatever.” It was then Simon appeared.

“Where is he?” Simon had been trying to talk some sense to Vernon, which he found almost impossible as the man was scared of his own shadow, when he felt an evil presence lurking nearby. Instantly he thought of Sholto.

“Who?” Mary’s tone was careful and cool as she stood up.

Simon knew she wasn’t happy with his lack of recognition of her when he came into the office. He had wanted to pull her into his arms and hold her close, breathing in the scent of the woman he was addicted to. She was his soul mate. The problem with that was that brought danger to her. That Sholto had even come to this office meant he knew there was a link between them. “Sholto.”

“He left just before you came out. How did you know he was here?”

Simon could have said he felt the evil in the room and was desperate to ensure nothing happened to Mary but he wasn’t sure, in light of her cool attitude, how she would take that. Soon Mary would know more about his life. The thought that he might scare her away, made Simon want to be careful how he handled his romance with this woman. “What did he want?”

“You and he have a lot of attitude,” Mary responded, hands on her hips, her tone less than respectful when it came to her employer.

“Mary scared him away,” Duane interjected. “If we’ve lost a shed sale because of her—”

“Oh, shut up, Duane.”

“You can’t talk to me like that.”

Simon almost smiled. He loved spirit in a woman. Mary had it to burn. “Yes, she can.” Employee relations and team building were not on his agenda. Mary was.

“I need to talk to you.”

She arched her eyebrow. “A ‘talk’ like last night?”

Yes.
“No—maybe. Would you want to do that again?” It wasn’t a subject he should have brought up. Too many people were watching them. Simon didn’t care what they thought of him, however Mary’s reputation was different.

“Did you need me to call you a taxi?”

Simon had no intention of being ushered out of her life. “Do you have a car?”

He smiled when he saw the surprise in her eyes.

“Yes, but—”

Simon went around to her side of the desk and took her hand. He liked the way it instantly curled into his like it belonged. “Let’s go for a drive. I want to show you something.”

“But I have to work—”

“I’m the boss, Mary. I make the rules.” Simon waited for her to pick up her car keys and he walked her out of the office. As they shut the door, Mary heard what her colleagues said.

“I knew she was sleeping with him.”

“She’s such a stuck up tart.”

“My mother does need me.”

Mary looked at Simon. “Please tell me you’re going to sack them.”

“Oh yeah, they’re gone.” He had already made that decision long before he met Mary. It was one of the main reasons he had come to Cairns.

“Because they said mean things about me?”

“No, because they’re useless.” He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. Simon felt the shiver that ran through her body. “What small people say about us is not important because they’re not important. Besides I know you can hold your own against them.”

“Who are you?”

“Why do you keep asking that?”

“You’re real, but you’re not.”

Simon placed the palm of her hand on his chest. “Feel that. I’m real. I’m yours.” The sweet surprise in her eyes warmed his heart. He knew he had confused her when he had first come into the office. But then, he wanted to create a distance as he was there to confront Vernon. Now? He was hers completely and there was nothing he wouldn’t do for Mary. “I want to show you something that will help you understand who I am.”

Simon’s dick was buried deep inside Mary. Her legs were wrapped around his waist holding him close and tight as if she never wanted him to leave her body. This was who he was. He was Mary’s man. He wanted her to know it and believe it.

After they had left the office, he had been going to show her the half door at the post office and explain what he really did in life and the stuff that meant more to him than amassing wealth. But he changed his mind. Simon wanted Mary to take in what extravagance and luxury could be bought with the money he had. He needed to see her reaction to it. While her eyes had widened as he had stopped at, then ushered her into the most ridiculously opulent penthouse his Sydney office had hired for his stay in Cairns, after she took it all in, Mary just stood and looked at him.

“Wow.”

“Impressed?”

She looked thoughtful as she glanced around one more time. “Not really.”

Simon chuckled. In his heart he knew that was exactly what she would say

“Why not?”

“It’s just a building and people are more than just what they own.”

He reached out and took her hand. “So you’re not overawed by my money or what it could buy you?”

“No, I mean I like money, but in the end it’s not everything.” She curled her hand into his. “You know, my mother has probably just fainted and she’s not sure why. She’s ambitious that we marry well. Unfortunately for her, Fran is the only one doing her proud by getting married to a man who frankly reminds me of bland custard.”

“And you want more?” Simon already knew the answer.

“Yes, I can’t stand custard.”

“What do you want, lovely Mary?”

I want you
. That was the answer. But was it a realistic one? Sure, they had enjoyed great sex and she felt more alive with Simon than anyone she had ever met but that didn’t spell longevity or a relationship. “Why me? Out of all the women you could have, why are you here with me?”

“Because you’re beautiful.”

“Hardly.” And yet Simon made her feel that way.

Simon pulled her into his arms. “You are and don’t fight me on that because I know better.” He leaned in and kissed her lips softly. “Mary, I want you to understand me. Yes, I have money. Yes, I can take you to a place like this and dazzle you but I want you to be dazzled by me, the man, and not the place.”

“Trust me, I am.” When she looked into his eyes she could see and feel forever with Simon.

“Are you?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because,” Mary hesitated and blew out a breath as she wondered what to say to this man. They had only just met and yet she wanted to know everything about him. Was that too needy or desperate? Was she going to come across as someone who wanted him just for his money? Because she didn’t. Visions of him naked flooded her mind.
That’s what I want. I want the man
. Naked. Clothed. Smiling.

Soulful. Happy. She could see in his eyes that Simon wanted to know more because somehow it was important to him. Mary had no idea why it would be and yet if he needed her in some simple way then she wanted to give that to him. “You make me feel good about who I am.”

“Because we have sex?”

“Yes—no, it’s more the way you take my hand and look at me like I’m important.” No money could buy the feeling that gave her.

“You are.”

“And you say things like that.”

Simon looked deep into her life. “I’ve lived a strange life, Mary. Few people can understand it. I believe you could.”

“Why?”

“Because you look at me like you want to know me. Not many people ever do that. They only want what they can get from me.”

“That sucks.” Mary knew there were people who were sycophants to wealth.

That they used Simon like that made her want to hunt them down and shake them.

“Is that why you pretend to be someone else like ‘Swerve’?” He wanted to be taken as a man and not a walking wallet?

“Possibly,” Simon murmured. “But with you I don’t think you’d care if I had money or not.”

“I don’t care.” It was true. While her mother had drilled into her head that to marry well was what made a woman great, Mary knew there was more to life than that. She would be happy being less than great with a man who just wanted to be loved by her. Like Simon.
Though he’d probably have a heart attack if I said that.

“Why?”

Mary placed her hands on his chest and felt the strength beneath her palms.

“Because…” She hesitated and bit her lip in thought. She could hardly announce she was falling in love with Simon. He would probably think she was mad. They barely knew each other. She worked for him and he was “– I like you.”

“Like is good. It’s strong and solid.”

“As are you. You make me want to—” Mary stopped herself. Words were tumbling into her mind and she wanted to say them without thinking, such was the effect Simon had on her.

“What?”

She looked at his chest and not his eyes. He saw too much. “You make me want to collapse against you and feel I’m home.”

Simon hugged her long and hard. “Thank you. I always want to be your home, Mary.”

She lifted her head. “This is going way too fast.”

“Does it feel wrong to you?”

“No.” It felt as it was meant to be.

“So how fast it goes is not important.”

Her eyes stayed on hers. “Yes—no, I don’t know. It’s confusing to feel so much. Normally I try not feeling at all.”

Simon reached down and slapped her ass. “That’s playing safe.”

“Safe is good.” So was the hand that remained on her butt. Mary wriggled in closer to him, leaving the solid mass of his dick pressing through his jeans.

“You’ll always be safe with me.”

In her heart she knew that. “You’re a lovely man.”

He shook his head and laughed. “I have been called many things but not that.

Thank you.” He dropped his other hand down to join the first on her ass, pulling her in closer as he did. “Wanna have sex with a rich man in his disgustingly expensive penthouse?”

“No, I want to have sex with you.”

“Is Mr. Mayhew in?” Sholto asked the receptionist over the phone.

“Who’s calling?” came the polite, well polished response.

“A friend.”

“I can’t say, sir, until you give me your name.”

Sholto expected nothing less than the snotty answer he got. Rich people paid well for their privacy.

“That’s okay, I know he has a lady with him.” At least he was fairly certain he and the Dalton woman were together.” Sholto couldn’t see the fascination. But if she had gotten to him, that worked in his favor. Having a pawn to play with was always good.

“Is that all, sir?”

“You’ve told me what I needed to know.” He ended the call. Sholto smiled to himself. Mayhew had a weakness. Mayhew was vulnerable. “Excellent. I’ll use her to stop him and get what I want.”

“Who is Sholto?” Mary asked as she curled her body into his.

Simon knew she was worn out from the driving thrust of his dick. When he made love, he did it was an intensity that bordered on desperation. He wanted to tie Mary to him however he could. Maybe it was silly to feel so desperate about one woman but ‘the one’ always did that to a man. Simon tangled his legs with Mary’s and hugged her close. He knew she would want to know. If Mary hadn’t asked he would have thought it odd. The problem was Simon didn’t want to think about Sholto and the fact evil had come so close to his woman. He pulled her in a little bit closer. “He’s just a man.”

“That you don’t like.”

“Yes.”

“And?”

“And he’s not after-sex conversation.” Simon leaned in and kissed her nose.

“Let’s talk about the wedding tomorrow.”

Mary snorted and slapped his chest playfully. “Oh yeah, that’s certainly something I want to think of now.”

“Not looking forward to it?” Simon had no siblings. It had just been him and his parents. They all kept in touch as families but none of them trespassed on their other’s lives.

“The wedding is going to be a pain in the ass.”

“You’re the black sheep of the family, huh?”

“Yep, me and Clare. Though she’s a lesbian, so in my mother’s eyes she’s technically going to hell first but in saying that, if Clare got married to even a woman she will redeem herself in our mother’s eyes.”

Simon laughed as he remembered the bustle of energy that was June Dalton.

“So the thing with your mother is it’s all about getting married regardless?

“Yes. It’s all about the ring on your finger which is funny because mother never married any of the fathers of her children.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, they all scarpered. ‘Can’t blame them really. She’d be hell for a man to live with.”

“Do you want to get married?” At that moment there was nothing more Simon wanted to do. He didn’t believe in long courtships and waiting periods. He knew that when something was right, there was no point wasting time on rituals that prolonged the inevitable. Mary’s eyes locked with his. Simon saw what he needed to. The lady felt the same as him, yet she was going to play it safe.

“I don’t think marriage is a cure all for everything.”

He smiled. It wasn’t a yes but it wasn’t a no. “Yeah, how so?”

“Well, too many people rush into it and make a mess of it because they don’t try. They think it’s all going to be magical and therefore, no effort is required.”

Simon felt a weird surge of excitement rush through him. It was like the day they first met but different. This was a deeper side to Mary. She was a woman who knew what she wanted and would accept no less despite the pressure of her mother.

“Sounds like you’ve given marriage a lot of thought.”

“I know what I want.” She stroked her hand up and down his arm.

Even a simple touch from Mary made his pulse race. “And that is?”

“Someone I can talk to and be with and make love with regardless of whether I have a ring on my finger.”

“That sounds like the ultimate happy ending.” It was exactly what Simon wanted. Women normally were attracted to him because of wealth. Some of them had great physical beauty but none had the heart Mary did.

Mary rose up so she was on her elbow. “Do you think happy endings exist?”

“I want to believe so.”

She licked her lips in thought. “Tomorrow at my sister’s wedding, be less—”