In Pursuit of His Wife Read online

  After the aged businessman hobbled away, Sebastian slid his arm around Nasira’s waist. “Clearly I have lost our two-contacts wager since I was recently confronted by your first contact, the lecherous Milt.”

  “He’s harmless,” Nasira said.

  “And flirtatious, I gather.”

  “Slightly, yet nothing I could not handle.”

  Sebastian glanced to his right. “Would you care to dance?”

  She looked at him as if he had lost all reason. “This is not a cotillion, Sebastian. It’s a cocktail party.”

  “I hear music coming through the speakers and I believe I spy a dance floor.”

  She followed his gaze toward the bar before bringing her attention back to him. “Yes, that seems to be a dance floor. With no one using it.”

  He clasped her hand. “Then perhaps it’s time to get this dance party started.” When she began to protest, he pressed her lips with a fingertip. “Let’s be bold for a change. Let’s show them the portrait of two people who do not give a tinker’s damn what anyone thinks.”

  Her grin came out of hiding. “Let’s.”

  * * *

  After Sebastian guided her onto the modest wooden dance floor, Nasira walked into his arms. Yet when she noticed several people staring, she immediately went rigid.

  “Relax,” Sebastian whispered.

  “How can I when we are making a spectacle of ourselves?”

  “If anyone takes exception, it’s only because they’re jealous.”

  She reared back and leveled her gaze on him. “Jealous of two people who are clearly wacko?”

  “Jealous of me for having such a remarkable wife. Jealous of you because you are the most beautiful woman in the room. In the world, in my opinion.”

  “If you put it that way...”

  Deciding to ignore the attention, Nasira rested her cheek against Sebastian’s shoulder and swayed in time to the soft sounds of a bluesy instrumental. She relished the feel of his strong arms holding her close, the aromatic scent of his cologne, his skill. She had learned that he was a great dancer the first night they had met, when he had asked her to dance at the gala, much to her father’s chagrin, whose cautions had gone unheeded. When she took inventory of her life and the decision she had made, only one regret remained. A dream she might have to disregard to keep her marriage intact.

  Sebastian suddenly stopped moving and only then did she realize the music had stopped, and they were now surrounded by several other couples who had taken to the floor.

  Her husband presented a proud smile. “See? We have started a trend.”

  She laughed with pure joy. “Yes, we have.”

  “Shall we dance again, fair lady?”

  She had something else in mind. “Actually, unless you care to stay, I would rather return to our room.”

  He made a show of checking his watch. “It’s still early. We could have a late dinner.”

  Obviously he did not approve of her plan for some unknown reason. “I have had enough appetizers to last for several days.”

  “I have not.”

  “Room service is still available.”

  “True. I will gladly accompany you to our quarters, as long as this does not entail heavy conversation.”

  That would come later. Much later. “Agreed.”

  Reclaiming her hand, Sebastian led her through the lobby to the glass elevator that would take them to the executive floor. They entered the deserted car and took in the plethora of city lights dotting the Dallas skyline as they ascended. Unfortunately the view left Nasira breathless, and not in a welcome way.

  As if he sensed her trepidation, Sebastian wrapped his arms around her from behind and held her close. “I’m right here, sweetheart.”

  She leaned back against him. “I know, and admittedly it is a nice panorama.”

  He brushed her hair aside and kissed her cheek. “At least this time you’re keeping your eyes open to enjoy it.”

  “You take good care of me, Sebastian.”

  “You deserve it, Sira. You deserve everything your heart desires.”

  If only he could agree to give her the most important of her heart’s desires. Nevertheless, she wanted to spend the evening in a lighthearted mood with no old recriminations to intrude on their time together. She also intended to bask in the glory of winning the wager about making connections at tonight’s party, and if good fortune prevailed, convince him to allow her to take an active role in the business. If she could not immediately become a mother, she could certainly establish a career beyond charity work.

  Those plans began to fully form as they entered the penthouse suite a few moments later. She immediately crossed the suite and walked into the bedroom with Sebastian trailing behind her. Once there, she removed her jewelry then fished through her pocket and withdrew the best part of her plan.

  She turned to find her husband seated in the club chair next to the sliding glass doors leading to the veranda, his hands draped on the chair arms as if he were the king of the castle.

  She approached and offered him a handful of business cards. “Here are a few more contacts.”

  He took the stack and looked through them before regarding her again. “You are amazing.”

  She smiled. “Yes. Yes I am.”

  He set the cards aside and returned her smile. “I’m glad you have finally come to that conclusion.”

  She perched on the edge of the mattress opposite him. “I am teasing. I simply struck up a few conversations and that led to mentioning the company and what we have to offer.”

  “We?”

  She prepared to plead her case. “Yes. I assume that since I made the effort, I should be rewarded with a measure of involvement. Also, three of the contacts are women and it would only be natural that I would be the best candidate to communicate with them. Of course, I would have to be allowed access to the contracts and the shipping routes...”

  He effectively cut off her thoughts when he reached over, clasped her arms, pulled her up and brought her into his lap. “You have done a superb job,” he began. “And you definitely deserve to be rewarded.”

  She could not resist rolling her eyes. “Exactly what do you have in mind?”

  He pressed a kiss on her cheek and suddenly looked very serious. “I want to give you what you want most.”

  She clung to hope and prepared to be disappointed. “You know what I want most, yet you have been adamant about not giving it to me.”

  “I’ve had a change of heart.”

  Did she dare utter the word? No. She had learned not to assume. “Please end the suspense and say it.”

  “I want to give you a child.”

  This almost seemed too good to be true. “Are you certain?”

  “Yes. As long as we adopt.”

  Eight

  In a matter of moments, Nasira went from euphoric to disappointed. “Why is that necessary when we know we can conceive?”

  “Because there are many children out there who need homes. We have that home, two in fact, and enough money to provide a solid future.”

  She pushed out of his lap and turned to look at him. “I truly want a baby who is a part of both of us.”

  Frustration clouded his expression. “You’re a humanitarian, Sira. I thought the idea of giving an orphan a home would appeal to you. There are plenty in Eastern Europe.”

  “It does appeal to me in the future, yet I want to know how it feels to carry our child to term. As a man, perhaps you find that difficult to understand.”

  “I do understand, but I’m only considering your health. Why put you through the risks of another pregnancy if it’s not necessary?”

  She worried he would never understand. “The doctor said—”

  “I kn
ow what the doctor said.” Sebastian shot to his feet and began to pace. “I’m certain they said the same thing to my mother, and we know how that turned out.”

  Now she was completely confused. “I do not understand.”

  He paused to face her again. “No, you don’t, because I didn’t tell you the entire set of circumstances behind her death. She was pregnant because my father insisted she go against medical advice and have another child.”

  Shock rendered Nasira momentarily silent. “When did you learn this?”

  “At the same time I learned how he was neglecting her health issues right before she died.”

  “More hearsay from the staff?”

  He glanced away. “Yes, but I’m sure they spoke the truth.”

  “How can you be sure, Sebastian? You were a child yourself. Perhaps you misunderstood.”

  “I didn’t misunderstand,” he said, his tone full of anger. “I heard a reliable source say she’d had several miscarriages and each one took its toll on her. My father apparently ignored the danger and impregnated her once again. I will not put you through that.”

  At some point in time in the near future, Nasira vowed to find out all the details, no matter what it took. “I am not your mother, Sebastian. I have had one miscarriage and only one. I have no reason to believe I could not see the next pregnancy to term. I am willing to take that chance, and I hope you are as well.”

  He walked to her and clasped both her hands. “Please don’t ask that of me, Sira. The thought of something happening to you is unbearable. And to know I would be responsible is inexcusable.”

  When she saw the vulnerability in his eyes, Nasira realized she might never break through his fear. A fear she had never witnessed in him before. She still hung on to a shred of hope that maybe with time, and more medical intervention, he would come to realize that childbirth wouldn’t detrimental to her health.

  She felt compelled to hold him, to tell him all would be well, yet she felt as though he had erected an invisible wall around himself. “All right. We will stray from this topic for now and attempt to enjoy the rest of our evening.”

  He released a rough sigh. “I’m not certain that is possible.”

  “It can be. Perhaps we should take a walk.”

  “I would prefer to stay in for the remainder of the evening.”

  Normally she would expect an invitation into bed. But this was not a normal situation, as evidenced by the fatigue in his tone. “If that is what you wish.”

  “It is.”

  She struggled to come up with a plan that might buoy his spirits. She returned to their mutual past and better days for inspiration. “I have a proposition.”

  His smile arrived slowly. “I’ve always enjoyed a good proposition.”

  The bad boy billionaire had come back to life. “This involves dessert.”

  “Interesting you should use that term.”

  The real Sebastian had arrived, and she felt a modicum of relief. “I meant dessert as in cake, on the veranda. We have not done that in a very long time.”

  He turned her hands over and kissed both her wrists. “Perhaps it’s time we begin to recapture what we’ve lost.”

  Nasira chose to interpret Sebastian’s statement as reclaiming the routines that had once given them pleasure, aside from lovemaking. She gently wrested her hands away and walked into the living area to retrieve the menu.

  While she flipped through the selections, Sebastian came up behind her and peered over her shoulder. “The raspberry truffle cheesecake looks good,” he said. “Shall I order that for us?”

  She closed the menu, laid it aside on the desk and then turned, which placed her in extremely close proximity to him. So close she could barely catch her breath. “Actually, I would prefer to order for myself.”

  “My apologies. I’ve already forgotten one important lesson—let Sira make her own culinary decisions.”

  In light of the sexy gleam in his eye, she would forgive him this slight slipup. “Apology accepted. And I would like the sampler that includes several choices.”

  He frowned. “Are you certain you can handle that much food?”

  “I can because I am suddenly starving.”

  Oddly, her appetite had increased over the past two days. In fact, the last time she had been this hungry...

  That was not possible, not after only one time. Not so soon. She was being silly. Optimism over resolving their issues was simply driving her cravings. That had to be the case.

  * * *

  Seated at the small table on the hotel’s veranda, Sebastian watched his wife eat with total abandon and couldn’t quite believe his eyes. “In all our years together, I have never seen you entirely clean your plate.”

  Nasira dabbed at her mouth with the napkin and set it aside. “It was very tasty.”

  “Apparently. Should I order you more?”

  That earned him a frown. “I could not eat another bite. I believe the country air is making me very hungry.”

  “Sira, we’re in the city.”

  “True.” She shifted in the chair and studied the horizon. “I had no idea Dallas would be so metropolitan.”

  “Did you believe you’d find people riding around the city streets on horseback?”

  “Of course not. However, I did see a horse-drawn carriage downstairs.”

  “Perhaps we should make use of one.”

  She brought her attention back to him. “It is rather late.”

  “Not too late to enjoy the sights.”

  “I thought you wanted to stay in.”

  Sebastian was so restless, he wasn’t certain what he wanted, except to be close to his wife. “It will be a nice diversion,” he said as he pushed back from the table and stood.

  “All right.” Nasira came to her feet and pointed at him. “No funny business.”

  Damn. “I only wish to have the honor of your company.” And that was a colossal lie, though he vowed to respect her wishes.

  By the time they reached the hotel lobby and walked out the revolving doors, the sidewalks weren’t as crowded as Sebastian had expected. Fortunately he spotted a carriage stopped near the curb only a few meters away. He approached the gentleman dressed in Western garb positioned in the driver’s seat. “Good evening, sir. Are you currently for hire?”

  The man stared down at him. “Actually, I was just about to head to the house.”

  Sebastian withdrew his wallet and offered the man two hundred-dollar bills. “Will this make it worth your while?”

  The driver eyed the money for a moment. “My wife’s got dinner waiting.”

  He pulled out another hundred. “Now you can buy your wife dinner.”

  “I s’pose I could take you a few blocks.”

  Greedy scoundrel. “I would think that amount would buy us a few kilometers.”

  Nasira elbowed him in the side. “Darling, the poor man wants to go home to his wife.”

  Her compassion had him looking like a pitiless cad. “Of course. My apologies. I only want to show my brand-new bride a memorable evening.”

  The driver grabbed the reins and sneered. “Then let’s get this show on the road so you can get on with the honeymoon. Just don’t get it on in my carriage.”

  “For three hundred dollars, I should be allowed to prance naked in a parade,” Sebastian muttered as he helped Nasira up into the seat.

  After they settled in, he draped an arm around her shoulder. “Was that jab to my ribs necessary?”

  “Were your derisive comments necessary?”

  “The reprobate seemed determined to stiff me.”

  “He clearly holds his wife above work. And what compelled you to claim we’ve recently married?”

  His faults had been laid bare. “Well, in a w
ay I feel as if we are newlyweds. We’ve discovered quite a bit about each other over the past few weeks.”

  She mulled that over for a moment. “It is odd to think that two people who have spent so many years together would still have the capacity to learn more about each other.”

  He had told her things he had never uttered to another soul. Details he had planned to take to his grave. Yet he did feel less burdened knowing she now understood why he did not want her risking carrying his child after her previous miscarriage. “Let’s promise that we’ll continue this unusual pattern in the upcoming weeks.”

  She laid her head on his shoulder. “A stellar plan.”

  As they rode through the streets of Dallas, serenaded by the clip-clop of horse hooves, Sebastian tugged Nasira closer to him. Without a blanket to conceal them, she was not in danger of any funny business, as she had so aptly put it. That did little to quash his desire for her. That did not stop him from rubbing her shoulder with one hand and tracing slow circles on her thigh. She responded by making small sounds that served to heighten his need for her, and drove him to kiss her thoroughly. And she kissed him back with enough passion to make him want to say to hell with propriety, pull her panties down and take right there in front of the entire town...

  The sound of applause forced them apart. There was a crowd gathered at the corner where they had stopped for a traffic light. Sebastian did what any good Brit would do—stood, executed a bow and gave them a royal wave.

  When he settled back in the seat, Nasira began to laugh and he followed suit. Once they recovered, he leaned and nuzzled her neck. “You smell like lavender. Is it a new perfume?”

  “You gave it to me for my birthday.”

  Unfortunately that purchase had been made three months ago by Stella when he had forgotten. “Ah yes. Now I remember.”

  She swatted his arm. “You do not, but you are forgiven.”

  “For everything?”

  “For now.”

  He refused to ruin the mood by asking her to elaborate. Instead, he decided to put all his cards on the table at the risk of rejection. “Would you mind if I take you back to the room and ravish you?”

  “Not in the least.”