Chapter Ninety-Three

Miguel Castillo couldn’t remember a time in his life when he’d been truly and thoroughly embarrassed. But all that changed earlier that morning. He hadn’t meant to see what he’d seen, although that wasn’t the worst part. His reaction, or at least his body’s reaction to what he saw, had him feeling a little mortified.

Traffic was not as bad as he’d anticipated, and he’d arrived quite early to pick up McKinley and Grace Stewart from the Bel Aire. The concierge had assured him that he was welcome to have some coffee in the living area of their suite while he waited for them to be ready. He decided it beat sitting out in the car and helped himself to coffee and a Danish while waiting on the plush couch.

As he enjoyed the continental breakfast, he heard a crash that sounded like a lamp hitting the floor, followed by a scream. He set down the mug, the hot coffee sloshing out and burning his hand slightly, and rushed to open the bedroom door. He was concerned that there had been an accident.

He stopped short of entering the room when he realized the lamp had crashed to the floor because McKinley had his wife up against the wall and was thrusting into her as a man possessed.

Instead of backing away from the scene, Miguel stood there, his jaw dropped open and his cock instantly hard. He’d never seen such passion, and it was a huge, fucking turn-on. He knew he should back away quietly, but he was momentarily frozen. He couldn’t stop watching as Grace’s ample breasts bounced with each thrust. Her nipples were so erect they practically begged to be sucked and nibbled.  He felt ashamed but aroused as he allowed himself to be a voyeur of this erotic scene!

He stood in awe of this lustful coupling until they screamed out each other’s names as Mac emptied himself into his wife. And when Mac pulled out instantly so that his seed ran down the inside of her thigh, Miguel was afraid he’d cum in his pants.

Swiftly and quietly, he closed the door. He rushed down the hall into the bathroom, yanked his rock-hard cock from his pants, and jacked off to the vision of the Stewarts cumming together. He pictured her bare pussy glistening with her man’s seed as he came into the sink. Embarrassed but relieved, he rinsed the evidence away before washing up and returning to the living room.

Ten minutes later, Grace came out of the bedroom and seemed surprised to see Miguel. Though her face was still flush from her very recent orgasm, she was impeccably dressed in a sharp navy business suit, complete with a pencil skirt, and smiled graciously at him.

“Oh, hello, Miguel. I didn’t hear you come in,” she greeted him calmly.

Of course, you didn’t hear me; you were getting nailed by your husband.

“The concierge indicated it would be okay if I came in to wait for you and Mr. Stewart. I hope you don’t mind that I had some coffee and a pastry,” Miguel replied.

“Not at all. I’m just sorry we kept you waiting.”

I’m not. That was the most erotic thing I’ve ever seen, and I exploded like a geyser in your bathroom sink.

“No worries, Mrs. Stewart,” he said, hoping she didn’t notice he was still trembling a little from his own satisfying orgasm. “I, um, spilled my coffee and had to use your bathroom to wash my hands. I hope that was okay.”

“Why wouldn’t it be? And, please, I’ve told you to call me Grace. Mac will just be another minute or two, and then we can head to the office.”

“No rush,” Miguel said.

When Mac came out into the living area, he seemed surprised to see Miguel there as well.

“Oh, um, well…” Mac stammered. “I hope we haven’t kept you waiting long.”

“No, not at all, sir. I will just head out to the car and get it started.”

Once Miguel was out of the suite, Mac looked at Grace. “Do you think he heard us?”

“Unless he’s been recently stricken deaf, I’m sure he heard us, darling,” Grace said with a grin.

Miguel’s eyes met Grace’s in the rearview mirror when they got into the car. When he blushed, Grace gave him a wicked little grin and winked. Mac caught the exchange and cleared his throat.

“Um, Miguel, I apologize if you heard anything this morning that made you uncomfortable.”

Miguel felt relief wash over him. They thought he’d only heard them, not seen them.

Heard? I did more than hear! I saw your wife’s magnificent tits bounce wildly while you fucked her like a horny frat boy.

“I heard a lamp fall, but I assumed you had everything under control,” Miguel lied.

“Yes, I tripped on the cord,” Mac lied in return.

Miguel nodded and kept his eyes on the road the rest of the way to the office. He was afraid if he looked at Grace, she would see the truth, and he didn’t want to embarrass her, or himself for that matter.

Grace checked her email once she and Mac arrived at the office. There was a message from Ian.

I have attached the report that you requested. I’d like to set up an appointment to discuss it at your earliest convenience.

She opened and printed the attachment and shot back a quick response.

My office, eight o’clock tomorrow morning. Please be prompt.

While her reply didn’t give Ian a warm, fuzzy feeling, he felt confident that she would be impressed once she read his report. If not, he’d have to appeal to McKinley to be the voice of reason with his wife. Maybe she was dealing with pregnancy hormones or something. But he’d be damned if he lost his job without putting up a fight.

Chapter Ninety-Four

The following day, Ian arrived at the office early and spent a good hour reviewing his report. He wanted to be fully prepared to wow the new boss.

After his presentation, he sat and waited for Grace to say something, praying that he hadn’t sounded as nervous as he felt.

“Well, Ian, I have to say that I like what I see,” Grace said finally. “You certainly have proven yourself to be an asset to the firm. So, let’s talk about your goals. What do you want to accomplish moving forward?”

“So, I’m not fired?” Ian asked, blowing out the breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.

“Fired? Of course not. What would make you think I would fire you?” Grace asked.

“You basically made me prove that I was doing my job. I got the distinct impression that you felt like I wasn’t, and…”

He paused for a moment and looked at Grace.

“And?” she asked.

“And you made me jump through some hoops to prove that I was, and I didn’t care for that.”

“Ian, you came off as cocky and complacent, and I needed to get a feel for your work ethic to ascertain whether you were committed to this job.”

Ian nodded. “Am I going to have to prove myself every time you come to town?”

“Are you suggesting that employees shouldn’t continually prove their worth?”

Ian inhaled sharply. It was a blow to his ego that she might be right.

“I suppose it isn’t unreasonable for a boss to expect that of an employee,” he said quietly.

Grace tilted her head slightly. “Excellent. Now, shall we discuss your goals?”

Ian looked at Grace for a moment. It occurred to him that he’d misjudged her and certainly underestimated her. She clearly was no pushover and knew her job well. In making him prove he was competent to her, he’d realized that he had been content with the successes that he’d had and not doing much to move forward. It galled him that Grace had inspired him. But now, he had an opportunity to share some new ideas with her.

“Yes, I’d like that.”

Forty-five minutes later, Ian shook Grace’s hand and headed for the door when they had finished their very productive discussion. He paused a moment and turned.

Grace looked up. “Was there something more?”

Ian hesitated for a brief moment. “I was wrong about you, Grace, and I’m sorry.”

Grace smiled. “I’ve always found that it’s important to get to know someone before judging them. By asking you to share what you’ve done and what you hope to do, I have a much better sense of who you are. If I had gone by my initial impression, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

Ian nodded.

Grace stood and continued. “You’re good at your job, Ian. But being good isn’t enough. You need to respect authority figures and be willing to prove your worth now and then. I expect the same from myself as well. I’m constantly looking for ways to do my job better. I’m still getting a feel for how each of the offices runs so I can adjust and streamline as needed to help make our company continue to run efficiently and profitably.”

“Thanks for giving me a chance to redeem myself,” Ian said.

“Everyone deserves a chance. It’s up to you to make it count.”

Later in the day, Daniella knocked on Grace’s door.

“Come in.”

“Hey, do you have a minute?” Dani asked.

“Sure, what’s up?”

“I don’t know what happened in your meeting with Ian, but he just sent me an outline of some ideas he has for improving our social media presence. Where those your ideas?”

“Nope, that was all Ian. He really is quite good at what he does. I merely suggested that he present his ideas to his direct boss.”

“Well, he did, and it was damned impressive. It reminded me of why McKinley and I hired him in the first place.”

Grace smiled. “I’m glad. I hope that continues to be the case.”

“You bring out the best in people, don’t you?” It was more a statement than a question.

Grace raised her eyebrows and shrugged. “I try my best to, yes.”

“And you’re not afraid to be a little scary if you need to be to accomplish that,” Dani added.

Grace laughed. “Is that a compliment?”

“Absolutely!” Dani said, grinning.

Chapter Ninety-Five

Later, back at their suite, Mac asked, “What do you want to do tomorrow?”

“Aren’t we going to the office?” Grace asked, puzzled.

“Nope. We’ve both been working hard, and we haven’t done any sightseeing. So, we will start our weekend a day early and enjoy a little playtime. My COO taught me the value of making time to look around me. It’s made me a better man.”

“Then let’s go to Griffith Park. I love it there!” Grace said enthusiastically.

“You’ve been there?” Mac asked, surprised.

“Yes, I owned a home here in L.A. I don’t think I ever mentioned it, but I’m sure you learned it from the vetting report on me,” Grace replied. “Or at least when you did your deeper dive on me.”

“That seems like a million lifetimes ago. And yes, it was in the vetting report. I’d simply forgotten.”

Mac felt a pang of remorse as he remembered how hurt Grace had been when he hired an investigator to dig more deeply into her past. He felt foolish now.

“I’m sorry I didn’t just ask for more information, Grace. I…”

“Mac, stop. There’s no need to go back there. You did what you thought you needed to do to protect your interests. And it was before we were truly us. I was your escort, for goodness sakes,” Grace said, putting her arms around her husband.

Mac smirked. “My Acquisitions Liaison.”

“That too,” she laughed.

“It seems like we have been together so much longer, doesn’t it?” Mac said, kissing the top of her head.

“It does,” Grace agreed. “I feel like my life started over when I walked into your office for the first time.”

Mac grinned widely and chuckled. “You were so sassy that day; you threw me off my game. My life started over too.”

He tilted her chin up and kissed her softly. She grabbed hold of the back of his head and turned it into a passionate embrace.

“I’m guessing dessert will be before dinner tonight,” he said as the heat from her spread through his loins.

“You’re very astute.”

Grace took him by the hand and led him to the bedroom. “I need your hands on me,” she said as she stripped off her clothes.

“Where?” he murmured as he undressed as well.

“Everywhere.”

She’d thought it would be fast and furious, but he surprised her by taking his sweet time. Her eyes fluttered as he touched her slowly and seductively. She reveled in his erotic onslaught as his fingers skimmed across her skin, making every fiber of her being hum with pleasure.

“Mmm, I love how you touch me,” Grace purred.

Mac grinned slyly. “I love touching you.”

He continued to tease and torment her as he traced little swirls along her back and shoulders before moving down across her ass to the backs of her legs and up her inner thighs. He smirked a little when she moaned; he loved how touching her like this knocked down all of her defenses. She was melting in his hands and giving herself completely to him.

His fingers continued their erotic play as he circled her bare mound. Her eyes fluttered, and she whimpered when those same fingers opened her up and slid gently inside her.

“God, this feels so good!”

“Not God, just Mac,” he teased. “But I intend to make you see God before this night is over.”

While one hand worked its magic between her legs, the other hand did incredible things to her nipples, eliciting moans of pleasure. And when his thumb found her sweet, swollen nub, he sent her over the edge.

“Oh, fuck yeah!” Grace screamed as her back arched, and her body trembled as the orgasm ripped through her.

Mac grinned, feeling pretty proud of his innate ability to know just how his wife enjoyed being touched. Then she surprised him by pushing him back onto the bed and gripping his rigid manhood at the base as she guided it into her willing mouth.

“Oh, fuck, Grace!” he moaned as his eyes rolled back in his head. He had intended to continue bringing her pleasure, but she had rendered him helpless to argue. Her tongue danced and swirled, making his balls ache, although pleasurably so. Her free hand cupped and cradled them as if she could sense their need for attention.

Grace looked up at him with seductive eyes and scraped her teeth wickedly along the shaft before devouring him in one swift gulp. His hips rocked as she worked him into her throat and held him there for a moment.

“Oh, my God, Gracie! You’re so fucking good at this!” Mac cried out. He wanted this to last longer, but his little minx of a wife was making it nearly impossible to hold out. So, he gave up trying and allowed himself to give in and explode in her throat.

She purred as she swallowed every drop while Mac wondered what he’d ever done to deserve this, to deserve her. Pulling her up into his arms, he whispered, “I’m the luckiest man in the world. I love you.”

Grace nuzzled her body into his and sighed, “And I’m the luckiest woman. I love you, too!”

After a few moments, Mac broke the blissful silence. “Room service tonight?”

“Oh, hell yeah. Followed by an encore, of course!

“Of course!”

Chapter Ninety-Six

For all of the times he’d been in L.A., Mac had never been to Griffith Park. He’d never even considered it, he realized. Far too busy burying himself in his work, he supposed. But Grace taught him that there was a lot of whimsy and wonder in the world. He was no longer content to hole up in his hotel suite or head to a club to rub shoulders with other business moguls listening to mind-numbing music and drinking far too much to cover the fact that he was bored out of his mind.

So, here he was, McKinley Stewart, playing hooky on a sunny Friday at one of the largest municipal parks in North America with his pretty, redheaded wife. She looked cute in a blue checked maternity top, white cotton shorts, and her navy blue Keds. His child had her belly curving out now and it made him feel warm with love and pride.

They started with the Griffith Observatory, where Mac learned that Grace was fascinated with stars and space. It was delightful to learn something new about his wife. Who knew she was a space geek!

Afterward, when Grace suggested renting bicycles, he was a little reluctant.

“Are you sure that it’s safe for you to be riding a bike right now?” Mac asked.

Grace raised her eyebrows. “I’m pregnant; I’m not an invalid. I’m after a leisurely bike ride through a pretty park; I’m not planning on a break-neck Tour de France ride.”

“Fair enough,” Mac agreed. It had been years since he’d been on a bike, and he hoped the old saying about never forgetting how to ride was true.

Fortunately, his body quickly remembered the movements necessary, and he was ultimately glad she had suggested it.

“Don’t look now, McKinley Stewart, but you’re having fun!” Grace giggled as they rode along the trails enjoying the beauty of the trees and the view of the Santa Monica Mountains.

They made a full day of it, checking out the Autry Museum of the American West, wandering through flora and fauna, and finding the perfect spot to take pictures of the Hollywood sign. It was the perfect day, minus the disappointment of not being able to ride a scale model train at the Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum.

“Sundays only! That stinks!” Grace complained loudly. Mac wished he knew why she looked so fucking sexy with her hands on her hips and her pouty face.

“I’ll bring you back on Sunday,” Mac assured her and watched her face light up. Who knew she shared his love of trains? She was such a charming mix of a sophisticated woman with a little girl’s heart. Love washed over him as his mind flashed back to a vision of her standing in front of the Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen. He remembered feeling concerned that there was so much about her that he didn’t know and recalled how their driver had given him the best advice – enjoy these little mysteries and treasure them.

Grace turned to look at Mac and saw his eyes well up.

“Hey, are you okay?” she asked, suddenly concerned.

“I’m better than okay,” he said, taking her hands in his. “I’m so in love with you, Grace. Every moment with you feels like a beautiful adventure. I was just reminiscing about all of our travels in Europe last year. You’ve made me see life so differently. I never realized how much I was missing out on until you opened my eyes.”

Grace felt so touched. “You gave me my life back. You made me see that joy, love, and laughter were all things I could have again if I just opened my heart to let them in. I’m so in love with you, too, Mac. I find it incredible how I wake up and love you even more each day. How is that possible?”

Mac took Grace into his arms and kissed her forehead. Her vibrant red hair was sparkling with hints of gold flecks reflecting the sunshine. He tucked a curl behind her ear, lifted her face to his, and kissed her passionately.

Some teenagers rode by and yelled, “Get a room!”

Mac surprised himself and Grace when he put a hand on her pregnant belly and called after them, “I already did!”

The teens laughed and kept riding.

“Speaking of getting a room, how about we go back now?” Grace suggested.

“Sure. What did you have in mind?” Mac asked playfully. “What does my lady require of me?”

Grace giggled as he bowed formally.

“Feed me and fuck me,” she answered.

“Shocking language will earn you a spanking, Ms. Grace,” Mac teased.

“Promise?”

They spent the rest of the weekend enjoying sightseeing and lovemaking, complete with a ride on the model train and a mild spanking session that had Grace cumming like a faucet.

Monday morning, he woke with a raging hard-on and a lustful need for his wife.

“Hang on, I have to pee before we do anything,” Grace laughed, bounding out of bed, and making a mad dash to the bathroom.

Mac grabbed the bottle of lube from the side table drawer and started stroking his cock. He wanted to be ready to take her immediately, hard and fast, just the way she liked it.

However, the look of panic on Grace’s face when she returned to the bedroom had him jumping out of bed.

“What’s the matter?”

“I’m spotting.”

“What? What does that mean?”

“It means I’m bleeding.”

“Where?” Mac asked, alarmed.

“Where do you think?” Grace asked, irritated and scared.

“Should we call the doctor?” he asked, fear gripping him.

“It’s so early, though. I don’t want to wake the doctor.”

“Grace, it’s three hours later in New York.”

“Oh, right. Then yes, we should call. I mean, it could be nothing. It’s not a lot, but I’m scared, Mac.”

Mac wrapped his arms around her and said, “Everything will be fine. Let’s call and find out what we need to do.”

An hour later, Mac and Grace were at the clinic her doctor had recommended. It was better to be safe than sorry.

Mac sat next to Grace as they waited their turn. He felt helpless and was sure this was somehow his fault for not making sure she was taking it easier. What had he been thinking?

But after examining Grace, the clinic doctor said that a little bit of spotting was not abnormal and that the baby’s heartbeat was strong.

“Everything looks fine, Mrs. Stewart. But it wouldn’t hurt to take it easy for a day or two until this spotting stops. You don’t have to stay in bed but keep your activities light and stay off your feet as much as possible.”

“What about sex?”

“Mrs. Stewart, I’m sure your husband isn’t thinking about sex right now,” the doctor scoffed.

“Maybe not, but I am!” Grace blurted out.

Mac stifled a laugh as the doctor’s face turned a little red.

“Oh, well, to be safe and offer you peace of mind, I’d recommend you wait three days after the spotting stops completely before resuming any sexual activity.”

Grace’s eyes widened. But she thought of the child she was carrying and figured it would be a small price to pay. Better safe than sorry. But three days without sex would be a long time.

“Okay, how about work?” Grace asked.

“Once the spotting stops, I see no reason you can’t return to work unless it involves physical labor.”

Mac sent a text to Daniella.

We won’t be in today. Grace needs to take it easy, and I don’t want to leave her.

Daniella’s response came quickly.

No worries. Just keep me posted. I’m sure everything will be all right.

They headed back to the hotel, and Mac made Grace a cup of tea while she headed to the bathroom. He needed to be strong for her and hide his own fears. The doctor didn’t seem worried, so why was he?

Moments later, Grace came out into the living room and smiled weakly. “Well, it seems as if the spotting has nearly stopped. Not to be gross, but there was hardly anything on the pad.”

Mac felt relief wash over him. “Let’s get you set up out here,” he suggested, knowing that Grace would not agree to stay in bed. “I will grab your laptop and some magazines.”

“Thank you, Mac. You could go into the office if you want to, you know. I will be fine here.”

“Of course, you will. But there’s no reason I can’t work from here. I’d rather spend time with you than be away from you.”

“Very clever, McKinley Stewart. How do I argue with that logic?”

Mac smirked. “You don’t.”

Grace burst into tears.

“Hey, baby, what’s wrong?” Mac sat down on the couch next to Grace and took her into his arms to comfort her.

“I was so relieved when we heard the baby’s heartbeat! I was so scared that something terrible was wrong.”

“Me too, baby. But everything is going to be fine.”

Grace sat up abruptly and said, “Three days is a long time, Mac!”

“It’s just three days of taking it easy. At least it isn’t bedrest,” Mac replied.

“It’s not the taking it easy part that is the problem. It’s three days without sex. When was the last time we went three days without touching each other unless you were out of town?”

Mac chuckled. “My horny little redhead, I assure you that you won’t die without sex. And, if I’m being honest, I’d feel better if we waited until we were back in New York where your own doctor can examine you before we resume dessert-style activities.”

“Are you crazy?” Grace asked incredulously. “I’m already feeling bitchy at the prospect of three days. How the hell will I last a week without you inside me?”

“Think of the baby, Grace.”

“You’re right, of course. But I reserve the right to pout and feel sorry for myself.”

“I’ll be right here pouting along with you, if that makes you feel any better.”

“Misery loves company, so yeah, kinda,” she laughed softly.

“Why don’t we just go back to New York early? I originally planned for two weeks out here to get us out of the cold and snow. But we’ve done all we really need to do here. Let’s let you rest a few days and then go home as long as you’re feeling up to it.”

“You’re sure?”

“Of course, I’m sure. Daniella seems to have things well in hand, especially since you have Ian back on track.”

Before she could answer, Mac’s phone buzzed. It was Miguel.

I’m sorry I couldn’t take you and Ms. Grace to the clinic this morning. I had an airport pick up. Is everything okay?

Mac smiled. “It’s just Miguel checking on you. I think he might have a little crush on you.”

Grace laughed. “No, he has a girl. He’s just a sweet guy.”

“Sweet on you, maybe.”

“Stuff like that used to make you jealous.”

“I used to be less sure of myself around you. Love can make you a little crazy. But what we have together is so deep and strong that I don’t have to worry about whether I’m enough for you. You make me know that I am enough.”

Grace felt her eyes well up a bit. “You make me know that I am enough, too.”

Mac replied to Miguel’s text.

Thanks for checking. Grace is fine and resting on the couch. I’m going to stay with her today. I will let you know if I need a ride in tomorrow or not.

Sounds good. Give my best to Ms. Grace.

Will do.

Mac sat down on the couch next to Grace.

“Miguel sends his best.”

She smiled as he put his arm around her and allowed herself to curl up into the warmth and protection of his love.

“I may have overdone it this weekend. I’m sorry.”

“Stop. Everything is fine.”

“Thank you for being my best friend and taking care of me.”

“Always.”

Mac smiled as he felt Grace relax. Everything would be fine. Wouldn’t it?