Page 28 of Vicious Temptation
I’m not entirely sure I believe her when she says it’s just a headache from the sun. Something felt off. But everything she tells me is good, the first day apparently seamless, and I dismiss that fleeting concern.
I don’t see her again until just before dinner. I’m in the living room, flipping idly through a book I picked up on the history of naval trade, when I see her walk past on her way to the stairs.
She must have just come in from a run. She’s wearing more form-fitting clothing than usual—a pair of tight black leggings and a long-sleeved shirt that was probably loose when she started out, but is now clinging to her body with sweat. Her clothing choices always confuse me—it’s far too warm out to run in a long-sleeved shirt—but that thought is quickly overrun by the quickening of my pulse as my gaze sweeps over her.
She’s more beautiful than any woman should be. Her chestnut brown hair is up in a high ponytail, bits of it sticking to her cheeks and the nape of her neck, and my fingers suddenly tingle with the urge to brush them along her skin and sweep those fine bits of hair back. Her skin would be hot and damp—and with that thought, my cock is instantly rock hard.
Fuck. I grit my teeth, and for a brief moment, I can’t bring myself to look away. My eyes sweep over the curves of her thighs and ass, hungrily taking her in—and then I realize what I’m doing as my cock throbs painfully.
I look away, shaking my head in an effort to clear it. When I glance back, she’s gone, headed up the stairs, and I lean my head back against the armchair, trying to tamp down my arousal. I can feel my cock straining against my fly, hard and eager, and the desire feels far stronger than anything I’ve felt in recent memory.
After a few minutes of scanning the pages of my book, trying to focus on the details of historical ship rigging instead of the perfect shape of Bella’s ass and the softness of her hair clinging to her neck, my arousal finally eases. I sink back into reading, pushing all inappropriate thoughts away, and stay there until it’s time for dinner.
When I walk into the dining room, Bella is already there, helping Agnes and the children set the table. I’m surprised to see her jump into helping so quickly—this isn’t exactly part of her job description—but it’s clear that she wants to be a part of things, and pitch in wherever she can. It’s what I want, too, and I feel a warm flush of pleasure at how easily things seem to be falling into place. I notice that she’s changed into a pair of loose joggers and a long-sleeved t-shirt a size too big for her tucked into the waist, and all I can feel is relief.
Agnes brings in the main course—a glazed pork tenderloin with mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables for sides—and a decanter of wine along with a pitcher of water. Aldo comes in from the backdoor, his hair still damp from the shower, and sits down next to Agnes as we all take a seat at the table.
I was glad that Bella accepted the invitation to dinner two nights in a row—I hope it means that she’ll eat dinner with the family on a regular basis. I find myself looking over at her as the dishes are passed around, and I tell myself that the reason I’m so glad of it is that the more often she shares time with the family, the more stability there will be between her and the children. It’s not just because I like having her around, I tell myself, but it’s hard to deny that that’s also the truth. She’s still a bit nervous and jittery, something that I notice now that Agnes has pointed it out, but she seems more at ease than she was yesterday.
“Are you settling in alright?” I ask her, once the food is dished out and I’ve poured myself a glass of wine. Agnes and Aldo both pour themselves each one as well, but Bella declines. “Is there anything that you need?”
Bella shakes her head. “No, everything is perfect,” she assures me. “I don’t have any complaints.”
“I saw you went out for a run. Did you enjoy getting to see the grounds?” Inwardly, I’m kicking myself for asking the question as I say it—the last thing I need is to recall the sight of Bella coming back inside in her running clothes again.
Bella nods. “It’s beautiful. The gardens are lovely—I want to go out and take some pictures.”
“You like photography?” I ask, and Bella flinches slightly, as if I’ve asked something wrong. But she recovers so quickly that I almost wonder if I imagined it, and she nods.
“From time to time,” she says flippantly. “The path is a really nice running trail, though. I’ll definitely use it more often.”
I find it curious how quickly she moved past the topic of taking photos, especially since it seemed to interest her so much. But it’s clear that she didn’t want to keep talking about it, so I leave it alone.
Cecelia tells me about the baseball ‘practice’ that they had outside, and going for a swim. Bella chimes in occasionally, complimenting Danny’s throwing skills, and filling in the details of the nature documentary that they watched.
It impresses me how easily she’s fallen into a rhythm with both of them. Even Cecelia seems to have warmed up to her quickly. And despite her obvious nerves, there’s a brightness to her that adds something to the dinner conversation. I find that I like having her here, as much as I did during our ‘business’ dinner.
If things continue on like this, I think, reaching for my wine glass, I’ll want her to stay for as long as she possibly can.
Masseo won’t be pleased with that. But I know his weakness is money, and connections. If I can offer him either—or both—of those things to keep Bella on as long as she wants to stay, I might be able to talk him into it.
Of course, the problem is that if Bella stays for a long time—years, even, until the children don’t need her any longer—arranging a marriage for her will be much harder. It’s ridiculous to me in the extreme, but most men in the world she occupies have no interest in a woman nearing or in her thirties, not unless she’s a widow. Bella will struggle to make a match, and I have no doubt that will influence Masseo’s decision.
I’ll worry about it when the time comes, I tell myself. For now, Bella and the children are happy and thriving, and Masseo is pleased with what I’ve paid him for Bella’s first month’s employment. I don’t doubt that money is going directly into his pockets, and not into a trust fund for Bella, but everything Bella needs is here. That’s another problem I can address later, if need be.
“What do you say to a movie?” I ask Danny and Cecelia as we’re finishing dessert, and Danny lets out a small cheer, Cecelia nodding eagerly. I glance over at Bella. “Do you want to join us?”
She hesitates for just a second, and then nods. “Sure,” she agrees, and then stands up. I can’t help but notice that she’s only eaten a very small amount of the fudge brownie that Agnes served for dessert. She only picked at her dinner, as well. For all that she claims she doesn’t have any food aversions, she seems to have a hard time eating.
It’s just part of her settling in. It’s clear that she has some anxiety, but it hasn’t affected anything important, so I don’t ask her about it. If she wants to tell me, I assume, then she will.
We all help Agnes clear the table, and then the four of us head to the movie room, after the children tell Agnes and Aldo good night. I pick out a cartoon that I know they both like, pop some popcorn, and let them pick out a box of candy to split. Bella curls up on the opposite end of the couch from where I’m sitting with Cecelia and Danny, but as I dim the lights, I can see that she’s relaxed into her corner of the couch, a blanket tugged up over her feet and a glimmer of a smile on her face.
I can see her relaxing throughout the movie, even laughing occasionally, leaning over to whisper something to Cecelia during a particularly funny moment. I find myself glancing over at her, and seeing her interact with my children, seeing her making them smile, fills something in my chest that has been aching for a very long time.
When the movie is over, Bella gets up, folding her blanket. “I’ll take them upstairs and get them ready for bed,” she tells me, and Cecelia and Danny both lean over for kisses goodnight, before Bella corralls them to take them up to bed. I watch as she ushers them out, and a sense of peace washes over me.
This was a good decision, I can’t help but think, as the door closes behind them.