One month After
Lorraine's gaze drifted off into the distance before her as she gently cooed her baby boy to sleep.
The door pushed open and Dylan walked in, "Hey honey?" He called and apologized in a whisper as she scolded him not to wake the baby up "sorry" he apologized again, in an audible whisper.
Lorraine gave a small laugh "what is it?" She gently stood up from the rocking chair and placed Dane in his baby bed.
They both walked to the other end of the room and Dylan smiled down at her "you look really beautiful" she rolled her eyes.
"Don't lie, Dylan" she sighed "I know I don't" he cups her face in his hands almost immediately.
"You're just perfect for me" he smiled down at her. "I want to show you something today" he smiles.
"Really? What?"
"It's a surprise"
"Dylan, I don't think my head can handle a surprise" she sighed
"This one is amazing" he smiled encouragingly
"I'm not up for it, the baby and all"
"We'll have Rosa take care of him"
Lorraine's face twist "I never wanted someone else to raise my child" she sighed "but it's just for a bit and I need the rest" Dylan smiled content.
"It's settled then, get ready" he kissed her cheek.
***
She squint at herself in the mirror. She looked pale, and now she had to get ready for Dylan's surprise.
She's wearing a gray pencil skirt and a sleeveless blouse.
Right!
Her inner goddess gets out her harlot-red nail polish.
She undo two buttons, exposing a little
cleavage.
She wash her face then carefully redo her makeup, applying more mascara than usual and putting extra gloss on her lips.
Bending down, she then brush her hair
vigorously from root to tip. When she stands, her hair is a black haze around her that tumbles to her breasts. She tuck it artfully behind my ears and go in search of her pumps, rather than flats.
***
They drive to a location she didn't know of and drove into the estate.
It was a old house but it still looked beautiful and elegant.
Lorraine admired this house and smiled "why are we here, Dylan?" She asked and he smiled.
"You like it?" He asks and she nodded suspicious "Good" he smirked "because I bought it, it's ours"
Lorraine's face beamed with surprised and she jumped to hug Dylan "it's beautiful!"
They emerge into the living room of the house, Dylan has the house plans spread
out on the dining table. He has music playing from a source she couldn't place.
“What’s this?” she ask after taking a look at the plans.
The music is stunning.
“Fauré’s Requiem. You look different,” he says, distracted.
“Oh. I’ve not heard it before.”
“It’s very calming, relaxing,” he says and raises an eyebrow. “Have you done
something to your hair?”
“Brushed it,” she mutter.
“Dance with me?” he murmurs.
“To this? It’s a requiem.” she raises a brow, shocked.
“Yes.” He pulls her into his arms and holds her, burying his nose in her hair and swaying gently from side to side.
He smells heavenly himself.
"You're something, Dylan Walker"
He chuckles and the captivating sound reverberates through his chest. He
tightens his hold on her.
“A requiem?” she murmurs a little shocked that we are dancing to it.
He shrugs. “It’s just a lovely piece of music, Lorraine.”
The driver, Tony walked into the room "Miss Paula Smith is here, Sir"
Dylan hummed "Let her in" he replied simply.
"Who's that?" Lorraine asked with a raised brow as they stopped dancing.
"The interior decorator" he replied.
Paula Smith is a good-looking woman. A tall, good-looking woman. She wears her short, salon blonde, perfectly layered and coiffed hair like a sophisticated crown. She’s dressed in a pale gray pantsuit. The slacks and fitted jacket hug her lush curves.
Her clothes look expensive.
At the base of her throat, a solitary diamond glints, matching the single-carat studs in her ears.
She is well groomed. One of those women who grew up with money and breeding, though
her breeding seems to be lacking this evening. Her pale blue blouse was undone too
far. Like Lorraine's.
She flushes.
“Dylan! Lorraine!” She beams, showing perfect white teeth, and holds out a
manicured hand to shake first Dylan’s, then Lorraine's.
It means she had to release Dylan's hand to reciprocate.
She’s a fraction shorter than Dylan, but
then she’s in killer heels.
“Paula ” Dylan says politely. Lorraine smile coolly.
“You both look so well, and you Lorraine... You look good after the baby,” she says smoothly, her brown eyes gazing at Dylan through her long mascaraed lashes.
Dylan puts his arm around Lorraine, holding her close. “Thank you.” He brushes his lips against her temple, taking her by surprise.
She grins.
Right now... she really loved her husband.
She slip her hand around his waist then into his rear pocket of his pants and squeeze his behind.
Paula gives them a thin smile. “Have you managed to look over the plans?”
“We have,” Lorraine murmur. She gazes up at Dylan, who grins down at her, one eyebrow
raised in wry amusement.
Amused at what?
Her reaction to Paula or her squeezing his butt?
“Please,” Dylan says. “The plans are here.” He gestures toward the dining
table. Taking Lorraine's hand, he leads her to it, Paula following in their wake.
Does he know that she’s attracted to him and is being too obvious about it?
It gives Lorraine a small rush of pleasure when she realize maybe he’s trying to reassure her.
Or maybe he’s just sending a message loud and clear to this woman that he’s taken.
"I think Lorraine has some opinions on the glass wall, but generally we’re both pleased with the ideas you’ve come up with.”
“Oh, I’m glad,” Paula gushes, obviously relieved, and as she says it, she briefly touches his arm in a small, flirty gesture. Dylan stiffens immediately but subtly. She doesn’t even seem to notice.
Leave him the fuck alone, lady.
Lorraine screamed in her head
Stepping casually aside so he’s out of her reach, Dylan turns to Lorraine.
She makes him uncomfortable.
“Lorraine, you have some issues with the glass wall?” Paula asks.
“Yes. I love it—don’t get me wrong. But I was hoping that we could incorporate it more organically into the house. After all, I fell in love with the house as it was, and I don’t want to make any radical changes.”
“I see.”
“I just want the design to be sympathetic, you know . . . more in keeping with
the original house.” Lorraine glance up at Dylan, who is gazing down at her thoughtfully.
“No major renovations?” he murmurs.
“No.” I shake my head to emphasize my point.
“You like it as it is?”
“Mostly, yes. I always knew it just needed some TLC.”
Dylan's eyes glow warmly.
Paula glances at the pair, and her cheeks pink. “Okay,” she says. “I think I
get where you’re coming from, Lorraine. How about if we retain the glass wall, but
have it open out onto a larger deck that’s in keeping with the Mediterranean style.
We have the stone terrace there already. We can put in pillars in matching stone,
widely spaced so you’ll still have the view. Add a glass roof, or tile it as per the
rest of the house. It’ll also make a sheltered al fresco dining and seated area.”
Got to give the woman her due . . . she’s good.
“Or instead of the deck, we could incorporate a wood color of your choice into
the glass doors... That might help to keep the Mediterranean spirit,” she continues.
“Like the bright blue shutters in the South of France,” Lorraine murmur to Dylan who is watching her intently. He takes a sip of wine and shrugs, very noncommittal.
Hmm. He doesn’t like the idea but he doesn’t overrule her, or make her feel stupid.
Paula is looking at Dylan, waiting for him to make the decision. Lorraine watch as
her pupils dilate and her glossed lips part.
Her tongue darts quickly over her top lip.
When Lorraine turns to Dylan, he’s still looking at her... not at Paula at all.
Yes! Lorraine's inner goddess fist pumps the air.
She was going to have words with Miss. Smith.
"Lorraine, what do you want to do?” Dylan murmurs, very clearly deferring to Lorraine.
“I like the deck idea.”
“Me, too.”
She turn back to Paula.
Hey, lady, look at me, not him. I’m the one making the decisions on this.
Lorraine wanted to say
“I think I’d like to see revised drawings showing the bigger deck and pillars that are in keeping with the house.”
Reluctantly, Paula drags her greedy eyes away from her husband and smiles
down at her.
Did she think Lorraine was not going to notice?
“Sure,” she acquiesces pleasantly. “Any other issues?”
Other than you eye-fucking my husband?
Lorraine thought
“Dylan wants to remodel the master suite,” she murmur.
There’s a discreet cough from the entrance to the great room. The three turn as one to find Tony standing there.
“Tony?” Dylan asks.
“I need to confer with you on an urgent matter, Mr. Walker.” Dylan clasps Lorraine's shoulders from behind and addresses Paula.
“Mrs. Walker is in charge of this project. She has absolute carte blanche. Whatever she wants, it’s hers. I completely trust her instincts. She’s very shrewd.” His voice alters subtly. In it Lorraine hears pride and a veiled warning... a warning to Paula?
He trusted Lorraine's instincts?
Lorraine was grateful that he was telling Miss Provocative and unfortunately good at her Job just who was in charge. She caress his hand as it rests on her shoulder.
“If you’ll excuse me.” Dylan squeezes her shoulders before following Tony.
She wondered idly what was going on.
“So . . . the master suite?” Paula asks nervously.
Lorraine gaze up at her, pausing for a moment to ensure that Dylan and Tony were
out of earshot.
Then calling on all her inner strength and the fact that she's been seriously piqued for the last five hours, she let her have it.
“You’re right to be nervous, Paula, because right now your work on this project
hangs in the balance. But I’m sure we’ll be fine as long as you keep your hands
off my husband.”
She gasps.
“Otherwise, you’re fired. Understand?” Lorraine enunciate each word clearly.
She blinks rapidly, utterly stunned.
She couldn't believe what Lorraine just said.
Even Lorraine couldn't believe what she'd just said.
But she hold her ground, gazing impassively into her widening brown eyes.
Don’t back down. Don’t back down!
She'd learned this maddening impassive expression from Dylan who does impassive like no one else.
She knew that renovating the residence is a prestigious project for Paula’s architectural
firm. A resplendent feather in her cap.
She can’t lose this commission.
And right now Lorraine didn't give a hoot that she was Xander's friend.
"Lorraine... Mrs Walker . . . I-I’m so sorry. I never—” She flushes, unsure what else she could say.
“Let me be clear. My husband is not interested in you.”
“Of course,” she murmurs, the blood draining from her face.
“As I said, I just wanted to be clear.”
“Mrs. Walker, I sincerely apologize if you think . . . I have—” She stops, still floundering for something to say.
“Good. As long as we understand each other, we’ll be fine. Now, I’ll let you know what we have in mind for the master suite, then I’d like a run down on all the materials you intend to use. As you know, Dylan and I are determined that this house should be ecologically sustainable, and I’d like to reassure him as to where all the materials are coming from and what they are.”
“Of c-course,” she stutters, wide-eyed and frankly a little intimidated by Lorraine.
This is a first.
Her inner goddess runs around the arena, waving to the frenzied crowd.
Paula pats her hair into place, and Lorraine realizes this is a nervous gesture.
“The master suite?” she prompts anxiously, her voice a breathless whisper.
Now that Lorraine had the upper hand, she felt herself relax for the first time since the whole day.
You can do this!
Her inner goddess was celebrating
her inner bitch.
Dylan joins them just as they were finishing up. “All done?” he asks. He puts his arm around Lorraine's waist and turns to Paula.
“Yes, Mr. Walker,” Paula smiles brightly, though her smile looks brittle. “I’ll have the revised plans to you in a couple of days.”
“Excellent. You’re happy?” he asks Lorraine directly, his eyes warm and probing. She nod and blush for some reason that she didn't understand.
“I’d better be going,” Paula says again too brightly. She offers her hand to Lorraine
first this time, then to Dylan.
“Until next time, Paula,” Lorraine murmur.
“Yes, Mrs. Walker. Mr. Walker.”
Tony appears at the entrance of the room.
“Tony will see you out.” Lorraine's voice was loud enough for him to hear.
Patting her hair once more, she turns on her high heels and leaves the room, followed
closely by Tony.
“She was noticeably cooler,” Dylan says, looking quizzically at me.
“Was she? I didn’t notice.” Lorraine shrug, trying to remain neutral.