"Mr. Morgan, your mother keeps calling. In all these years, I didn't know you had a mother. I need instructions on how to field these calls, sir."
He closed his eyes. The last thing he needed was knowing how to answer questions on how to deal with his mother too. She had left the house and never returned. Right now he reimagined the day he was a boy and sat on the steps as she stormed out the front door.
He swallowed and thought if she could storm out the door, she could have taken him with her. She didn't, though. The thought haunted him, though he didn't say anything.
Instead he laced his fingers with Belle and told his secretary, "You've been more of a mother to me all these years. Please tell my mother that I'm busy and will call her later. Once I create a battle plan, I'll let you know."
Belle mouthed to him 'battle plan.' He read her lips.
His secretary then ended the call in her usual fashion, "Very good, sir. Goodbye."
As he hung up the phone, Belle reached out and placed her hand on his cheek. "Battle plan. Family isn't a war zone. There is no one shooting at you."
This wasn't what he wanted to talk about. Belle's gently fingers were lady-like and was the only part of his life at the moment that offered him safe haven.
He let her brush his five o'clock shadow as he said, "It feels that way. We're here. Can we forget about the rest of the day and what life brings us and just relax?"
She kept her voice low, as she said, "Hmm. Okay. One condition."
"Besides speaking to my mother?"
"Yes, besides that."
He'd give her anything. His heart soared. "What's that?"
She winked and took her hand back, though she met his stare with her own. "Let's talk about how you want to work out the whole girlfriend question. I want details."
The limo stopped at the dock. He'd have kissed her, but he'd prefer no more interruptions. Once they were gone, they'd be alone, and he could wrap his arms around her.
He offered his hand as they stepped outside. "Perfect. I have champagne waiting."
Chapter Twenty
As soon as the yacht took off, Peter's shoulders dropped considerably. He seemed almost human as he filled her wine glass. This week had been out of this world, and despite his stress, he'd been nothing but a gentleman. Her mind screamed to get details before her heart became his.
Despite the thought, Belle's body hummed as they sipped wine in the afternoon sunshine on his air-conditioned yacht. The wine was perfect, crisp but sweet, like him. She glanced at him, and he let the sunshine hit his face with his eyes closed. He seemed relaxed.
She scooted her chair closer to him, and brushed his arm as she asked, "How are you?"
He reached out and placed his hand on her knee again. Clearly he was peaceful. He massaged her gently. "I'm happy you're here."
She sipped her wine and wondered what it would be like to make love to him in the afternoon with no one around. Both other times had been at night where they had fallen asleep. She licked her lips and studied his profile as she recharged her nerves.
"Peter, this whole girlfriend thing, it comes with perks?"
His eyebrows lifted, and he turned to stare at her. His brown eyes narrowed as he leaned closer. "What kind of perks do you want?"
She swallowed. Perhaps she'd get details later and told herself it was better to not know. She let her legs run up and down his. "Your undivided attention as you touch me everywhere."
He took both of the wine glasses and placed them on the table beside him with the wine bottle as she stood and then sat on his lap.
"Belle, I'm surprised."
"So that's a no?"
She wrapped her legs around him and felt his growing erection. This was what she wanted right now. They were utterly alone, and his staff would not enter without him summoning anyone. No one could see them inside his yacht with the black windows. She leaned down and kissed the space between his ear and his neck.
"I guess I'll stop."
He wrapped his arms around her, and his hands roamed all the way to her butt. Tingles of awareness grew over her as he touched everywhere.
"The opposite. It's a yes. I thought I'd have to convince you."
This was it. She leaned behind her and lifted her dress in the air. She threw it across the room and stayed on his lap. His eyes drank in what they saw as she unclasped her bra and threw it onto her dress. Then she leaned forward and grabbed his belt buckle.
"Peter, you need TLC right now."
He swallowed. His erection grew, though he pressed his lips together as he said, "You don't have to..."
Her lips curled up as she leaned just a fraction of an inch toward his mouth and whispered, "This is what I want, and you said I could have whatever I wanted."
"True."
He closed his eyes and kissed her. He was hard, demanding, and he lifted her as he stood, carrying her across the room. She lowered her legs as he placed her on an adjacent couch. She laid on her back, though she sat to watch him strip his shirt and pants off. She then reached down and threw her panties with her other clothes.
He dropped everything in a pile and came toward her on the couch. She leaned down as his lips suckled her breast. A sigh escaped her as he stopped, but then he moved to her other breast.
Her hands wrapped around his naked body as her own quaked in a sea of desire. Then his lips moved upwards and he kissed her.
She could taste him, and she was hot. He quickly rolled a condom, and her body was lax as she accepted his length inside her.
His voice was gruff as he asked, "How about this? Do you like this?"
"Peter...wow."
She couldn't say anything else, panting as he pushed in and out of her. Heat built inside, and she lost the ability to think. Fireworks exploded inside her as he once again ejaculated.
She couldn't move she was so relaxed and warm. Peter leaned over her and stared at her as consciousness returned to her body. She licked her lips and stared into the eyes of a concerned man. His eyebrows angled down as he stared at her. She swallowed and tried to find her voice. She sighed. He was in so many ways the perfect man.
Her lips curled into a smile and then asked, "What's wrong?"
"Belle..." He pressed a short kiss on her lips, and she moaned. Then he petted her hair until she stared at him again. He didn't blink as he said, "You deserve better than me."
She sat fast and covered her breasts. She shook her head and refused to look at him. "Everyone always says that about me right before they leave."
His hand went to her knee again, and he massaged it until she looked at him. Her heart stopped its fast racing as she licked her lips.
He then whispered, "I'm more afraid of losing you."
A surge of something in her blood grew. She leaned into his muscular chest and stared at his big hands. "Really?"
He kissed the top of her head. "Belle, I've never been with a woman who didn't want me for my money. The price tag meant that no one wanted me for me. I could keep my distance. With you, it's like I'm seeing the world differently."
She sat and kissed him as her pulse quickened. "Peter, that's sweet."