Always My Baby Page 6

  “Good, all we need is to have the IRS breathing down our necks, too.”

  “Now stop deflecting. What caused that nothing?” Brice asked, pointing to his brother’s hand.

  Alexander tossed back the last of his drink. “China’s dating someone.”

  “And?” Brice swallowed his own drink.

  “And it might be something.” Alexander rubbed his temples with the palms of his hands.

  “How do you know it’s something? Sometimes a date is just a date.”

  “I said she’s dating someone.” Alexander rose and looked out his office window. The thought made his chest hurt. “Someone she hasn’t even talked to me about.”

  “China’s dated before. What is it about this guy that’s making you so crazy?”

  Alexander stood silently as images of China wearing a wedding dress, walking down an aisle toward another man and being rolled out of the hospital in a wheelchair holding a baby invoked pain unlike anything he’d ever experienced. These thoughts and emotions had Alexander leaning forward, gripping his credenza.

  Brice stood. “Are you all right?”

  Alexander could hear the concern in his brother’s voice. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before turning to face him. “I’m fine.”

  Brice folded his arms across his chest. “You’re about as far from fine as you can get. Go talk to her, man. Let her know how you feel.”

  “That’s just it. I don’t know how I feel.” Alexander gripped the back of his chair.

  “I think you do, and I think it scares the hell out of you. I know I’m the last person who should be giving advice about any of this, but I think you should fight for China. That is, if you really want her. And I do mean her and everything that that means. Including giving China the children she wants and in the time frame she wants them.”

  Alexander pulled his chair back and sat down. He reached across his desk and picked up the folder. “I’ll go over these with Mom tonight. I have to go drop some other stuff off that she forgot to take home.”

  Brice held up his hands, turned and headed for the door.

  “Brice...”

  “Yeah,” he said, looking over his shoulder, his right hand resting on the doorknob.

  “Thanks.”

  “Anytime, A.”

  * * *

  China yawned and checked her watch. “Time to go.” She’d started gathering up her things when her office phone rang. China stared at the phone a moment, waiting for her assistant to pick it up, then she remembered that Joyce had had to leave early. China hit the speaker button and said, “China Edwards.”

  “Hello, Ms. Edwards, this is Ida Brown, your personal relationship coach from More Than Just Dating.”

  China picked up the phone’s receiver. “Good afternoon, Mrs. Brown. Nice to hear from you again. What can I do for you?”

  “I just want to follow up to see how things were developing with you and Jackson Weatherly,” she said.

  That’s a good question. They were going great until I made love with Alexander. “Things are going well, thank you for asking.”

  “That’s great to hear. As you know, we here at More Than Just Dating want you to be satisfied with your decision to become a part of our family as well as with the ultimate choice you make.”

  I might have been very satisfied with my decision if I hadn’t opened Pandora’s box. You’ve got to get these feelings for Alexander under control. “Yes, everyone there has been wonderful,” China complimented her.

  “We have received several additional requests from men to meet you. They have all met your very specific criteria. How would you like for us to handle these requests?”

  China had to hold back her laughter as she recalled the number of intense meetings, phone calls and special requests the management team of More Than Just Dating had to endure prior to her final decision to move forward with their agency. “For now, please change my account status to yellow.” The last thing I need is to add more fuel to this already raging fire.

  More Than Just Dating has three ways to identify their clients’ current search status; green identified clients as seeking a match, yellow as a match possibly found and red as a match found. “That’s wonderful news. I thought you and Mr. Weatherly would make a good match.”

  Initially China thought she and Jackson were a good match. However, now that her feelings had been compromised, she didn’t know exactly what that change meant and how it would affect any potential relationship with Jackson.

  “It’s early,” China admitted.

  “Do you see yourself moving forward in a relationship with Mr. Weatherly, or is he more suitable as a donor?”

  China’s eyes lasered in on a small framed photo of herself and Alexander from their law school graduation. The photo sat on a small antique table placed to the right of her desk, and her heart turned over. “I’m not sure which direction I’ll end up taking.”

  “Well, either way, Mr. Weatherly is a great choice. Oh, my, it’s after six. I won’t keep you any longer. Have a good evening.”

  “Thank you,” China said before ending the call. She stood, picked up her purse and stared at another picture of herself and Alexander. She walked over to it and ran her fingers across the picture in its frame. “No, China, you have no idea what direction you’re going to take.”

  Chapter 7

  After stopping by his place to change into something more casual—jeans, a dark blue button-down shirt and leather shoes—Alexander made his way to his mother’s house. He stood at the front door, holding two boxes of files and used his left elbow to ring the doorbell.

  “Good evening, Alexander. Let me help you with that,” offered Gregory, Victoria’s longtime devoted butler, reaching for the top box.

  “No, thanks, Gregory, I got it. Mom’s expecting me,” Alexander explained.

  The butler led Alexander through the entrance hall into a grand foyer where Italian marble ran. To the left of the hall was a formal living room, extravagantly decorated, which spoke to Victoria’s over-the-top style. The formal dining area, to its right, opened onto a large executive kitchen, and had a more eclectic feel. The two men walked past a two-sided marble staircase into a large family room adorned with dark blue and white contemporary furnishings.

  “Why don’t you put the boxes here for now?”

  Alexander dropped his box and said, “Thanks. Where’s my mother?”

  “She’s upstairs in the theater. Can I get you anything to drink or eat?”

  “No, thank you.” Alexander reached into one of the boxes he’d held and pulled out two file folders. “I just need to speak with her for a minute.”

  “You know the way,” Gregory said before exiting through a side door that led into a casual dining area and the kitchen.

  Alexander made his way back to the foyer and up the wide marble staircase, taking the stairs two at a time. To his right, at the end of the hall, was a set of closed double doors. Alexander knocked and a small voice beckoned him to enter. He opened the door and walked into a room where only the light from a seventy-inch TV pierced the darkness.

  Alexander closed the door behind him and called out, “Mother...?”

  “Yes, darling. Hit the dimmer switch and come join me,” Victoria instructed.

  Alexander felt for the switch on the wall and turned the knob until the room filled with light. Victoria was sitting in one of the ten large, dark-leather reclining chairs that faced the screen. Using her left hand, she waved her son forward.

  “Good evening, Mother,” Alexander said, leaning forward and kissing her on the cheek. “I brought the boxes you requested. They’re in the family room.”

  “Thank you, son. I’ll have Gregory bring them up to my office later.”

  “I also—”

  “Have a seat, Alexander.” Victoria reached for the remote and hit the mute button. “I just started a movie but I can restart it. Care to join me?”

  “No, thanks, I’m good.” Alexander waved off her offers with both hands.

  Victoria took a drink from her stemless wineglass. “Plans tonight...anyone I know?” she asked, smiling.

  “No, Mother, I have no plans. I brought you the boxes like you asked, along with the first-quarter tax summaries you need to review and sign. Brice would like to start the filing process tomorrow. I thought we could go over them tonight.”

  Victoria sighed and took another sip from her glass. “Sometimes I wish you weren’t so much like me. All business and no fun isn’t good, darling.” She held up her hand, stopping his protest before he could even open his mouth. “I mean fun with someone of substance. Someone you can build a future with.”

  “Look who’s talking,” he countered. “Dad’s been gone for how many years now?”

  “Oh, I have fun... I even date,” she said, offering a wicked smile.

  Alexander shuddered and wanted to kick himself for even taking the bait.

  “The difference is, son, you and your brothers are my future, so I’m set. I’ll really be good when one of you decides to give me grandbabies.” Victoria’s left eyebrow rose.

  Alexander rolled his eyes and plopped down in a chair next to Victoria. “Here we go...”

  “It’s your life. Give me the damn files,” Victoria ordered, offering her left palm.

  Alexander pressed his lips together and complied. He knew whenever his mother became annoyed or even angry there was no talking to her in that moment. Alexander handed her the file and sat back quietly as she reviewed the documents in silence.

  After several minutes, Victoria looked up from the file and asked, “Are all the Smerconish expenses included in this file?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” he replied. Alexander had learned a long time ago that the only thing that could be predicted about Victoria Kingsley was her methodical approach and detailed questions when it came to the business.

  Victoria reached into a pouch connected to her chair and pulled out a pen. She signed in all the appropriate places before handing the file back to her son. “I’d like for you to run that past China before Brice starts submitting it to the IRS.”

  “China...why?” Alexander sat up in his chair.

  Victoria turned her body slightly in her chair to face her son. “Let’s see, China is our chief counsel and has a brilliant mind for business. She has a photographic memory filled with years of our tax data and, oh, yeah, because I said so.”

  “Fine, I’ll have her look over it first thing in the morning,” he reluctantly agreed, not thinking this added scrutiny was necessary.

  “No, tonight. It’s still early and I’m sure she’s up.” One corner of her mouth rose.

  What’s she up to? “How can you be so sure?” Alexander asked, grimacing.

  “I saw her before she left this afternoon. She was talking about the dinner she was making for her date.” Victoria took a whiff of her wine before taking another sip.

  Alexander felt as though he’d been slapped but he refused to let his mother see his annoyance. “Well, I certainly shouldn’t interrupt her evening.” Although he remembered what happened the last time he’d interrupted her date and had to fight back his smile.

  “This is business and China knows how important these tax reports are. I’m sure she’ll be fine with a small interruption.” Victoria pulled a blanket over her legs. “Besides, she reads as fast as a hiccup. I’m sure the visit will be brief. Since when did you let anything or anyone stand in the way of what you want?”

  Good question.

  Victoria reclined in her chair, hit the remote control and restarted her movie. “Turn off the lights on your way out. Goodnight, son.”

  Alexander shook his head at the dismissal. “Goodnight, Mother.”

  * * *

  China walked into her clean, gray-and-white kitchen with the red stainless-steel appliances that hadn’t been used for quite some time, and by the look of things, it didn’t appear that would be changing anytime soon. She stood barefoot at her granite-topped island wearing a black lace tank top and shorts set, her hair wrapped in a towel and her face free of makeup. China reached for the bottle of Stella Rosa red that she had opened earlier and topped off her glass.

  “Nice lingerie and a good bottle of wine for another night alone? You were right to cancel your date,” she said out loud as she poured. China sat on a stool at the island, tapping her fingernails against the wine bottle. “You can’t have dinner with one man while constantly thinking about another, China.” She took a drink from her glass and held it at her chin. “It was just sex...great sex, but still sex.” She nodded. “Who are you kidding? That was a welding of our mind, body and soul.”

  After sitting in silence for several minutes, China slid off the stool, picked up her glass and returned the wine bottle to the refrigerator. She reached for the remote that lay on the glass coffee table and began channel surfing, only to quickly abandon the idea. “Too bad I read so damn fast.” China sighed. “Enough talking to yourself.”

  She rose from her chair and turned off the television and the lights, and had just begun climbing the stairs when she heard her security system being disarmed. She stopped and stared at the door. Her heart raced, but not from fear. Only two people had her security code and a spare key: her assistant, Joyce, and Alexander. Joyce would never show up at her place unannounced, even in an emergency situation. No, only one person was arrogant enough to do such a thing, and she was actually happy about the prospect of seeing him, regardless of the reason. The door slowly opened and Alexander walked through.

  China and Alexander’s eyes collided. He opened his mouth to speak, but quickly closed it as his eyes roamed China’s body. He turned his head, obviously taking in his surroundings. China could see the collision of fury and desire in his eyes, surely sending him into a barely contained rage, as though a realization had just hit him in the gut. Alexander’s forehead creased, his nostrils flared and his chest rose and fell rapidly. His left hand fisted at his side, while his right gripped the doorknob as if it was a lifeline. Alexander reminded China of a bull that was getting ready to charge after the red flag.

  “Alex, I’m alone,” China said, holding his gaze. “No one’s here. I’m alone.” She knew she should be angry about his obvious assumption and intrusion, but his jealousy and mounting rage excited her, instead.

  Alexander released a slow, labored breath, his shoulders dropped and his hands slowly relaxed. He closed and locked the door behind him but remained still. “You always dress like that when you’re sleeping alone?”

  “You always let yourself into other people’s houses with an emergency key when it’s not an emergency?” China brought her glass to her mouth and took a sip, eyeing him over the rim, trying to keep her raging hormones under control.

  Alexander smirked. “This is an emergency,” he said.

  “How so?” China’s nipples were hard as marbles, a fact she couldn’t hide in her tank top.

  Alexander’s eyes zeroed in on China’s breasts. He walked to the steps and leaned against the wall. “You didn’t answer my question. You always dress like that when you’re sleeping alone?” he asked, his voice low and husky.

  “Yes.”

  Alexander pushed off the wall and climbed the stairs, stopping one step away from China. He ran the back of his hand across the front of her stomach. “Nice. Does it come in other colors?” China shivered and took a step back. A slow, sexy smile crawled across Alexander’s face before he took a step forward. “What other colors do you have, China?”

  “Wh-white,” she whispered. China cleared her throat. “What do you want, Alex?”

  Alexander removed the glass from China’s hand and finished off the contents. He sat it on the step, pulled the towel from China’s head, allowing her damp hair to hang free. He dropped the towel, cupped China’s face with both hands and kissed her passionately on the lips. He allowed their lungs to breathe and said, “You know damn well what I want.” He picked her up, and China wrapped her legs around his waist. Alexander kissed China’s neck, shoulder and collarbone as he carried her into the bedroom.

  China felt a pull toward Alexander, and it was unlike anything she’d ever felt before. In that moment, she didn’t care about the consequences of their actions or how it would affect their friendship. She wanted him. She pulled her top over her head, letting it fall to the floor, and guided Alexander’s mouth to her breasts.

  “Oh, yes...” she cried as Alexander laid her down on the bed without releasing her nipple from his possessive grip. China could feel the pressure between her legs building. “Please, Alex...please.”

  Alexander stood over China and toed off his shoes. He took off his shirt, and removed his pants and underwear in one swoop.

  “My, my,” she said, responding to his erection. China sprang forward, captured his sex with her hand and started massaging its tip. His head dropped back and he released a growl that made her smile before taking him into her mouth. She never knew pleasuring a man could bring her so much personal pleasure. Hearing Alexander’s increasing sounds of satisfaction only spurred her to increase her lips’ pressure.

  He pushed China’s shoulders and took a step back, freeing himself, “Damn, woman...”

  China lay back on the bed and laughed. Alexander reached for his pants and removed a condom. “Need help putting that on?” She offered up a coy smile.

  “I got it.” Alexander rolled on the fine layer of protection, removed China’s shorts and separated her legs with his left knee.

  Alexander stood between her thighs, stroking himself with his thumb and index finger as he stared down at China. She, in turn, used the tips of her fingers to explore her body. She loved the smoldering look in Alexander’s eyes, the way the pupils dilated as her hand made its way to her sex. China inserted first one, then two fingers, matching Alexander stroke for stroke. As China’s breath increased and her body began to rise from the bed, Alexander dropped to his knees, pushed her hands out of the way and brought her to completion with his tongue.