Chapter Twenty-Nine

Mac and Grace stepped outside their front door with their attorney, Michael Stone, to face the throngs of reporters. It was time to set the record straight about Alice.

“Holy hell,” Grace said under her breath. “Why are all of these people here?”

“You are a power couple in the business world, and people find you both very interesting,” Michael said, holding his hand up to quiet the crowd.

“Good afternoon. My name is Michael Stone, and I’m the legal representation for Mr. and Mrs. Stewart. They have agreed to make a statement and then answer a few brief questions, after which they kindly ask you to vacate the premises and stop blocking traffic on 63rd Street.”

The group settled down and listened as Mac stepped forward.

“As you know, my name is McKinley Stewart; I’m the CEO of Stewart Enterprises, a Global Informational Technology firm. For nearly ten years, Alice King was my executive administrator and essential to my organization. When I traveled for business, I relied on her to keep things running smoothly in New York.”

Mac felt himself relax a bit as he continued. “Last year, I hired Grace Remy as my travel assistant and quickly promoted her to Acquisitions Liaison due to her incredible business sense and ability to speak multiple languages. Over time, my respect and admiration for her grew, and we fell in love. We eventually married, at which time I promoted her to COO and made her a full partner, as she was more than qualified for the position that I’d left open for many years. Grace has been a remarkable asset to the company.”

He nodded at Grace, who returned his smile. “While traveling in Europe, Ms. King expressed great displeasure when Grace and I became more than business associates and tried several times to discourage our relationship. I didn’t recognize her actions as jealousy, although my very astute wife did, and I continued to believe that I could trust Alice to do her job. It eventually became apparent that this was not the case, and her employment was terminated. Since then, she has tried to find ways to discredit my wife and cause trouble for us.”

Michael raised his eyebrows at Grace as if to say that Alice was causing trouble was an understatement. She would have laughed if this wasn’t such a serious moment.

“Since I never had a physical relationship with Ms. King, it would be impossible for me to be the father of her child. Therefore, we believe this is another attempt on her part to strike out and create negative attention for our firm and us.”

Grace took over from there. “It’s no secret that Ms. King dislikes me intensely and, despite my qualifications and job experience, felt that I did not belong with McKinley or Stewart Enterprises. Her many attempts at trying to come between us have been unsuccessful, and I imagine that is frustrating for her. Fabricating a story that my husband was her former lover and recently returned to her bed does not make it so. Mr. Stone will be handling the legalities, but a DNA test will be requested and will prove that her child, if she is indeed pregnant at all, does not belong to Mac. Additional legal action for defamation may be taken if necessary. Ms. King should think carefully before spouting any more lies about our family or business.”

Michael stepped forward again. “We will take a couple of questions; please make them good ones.”

“Mark Cornwall, The Villager. How can you be so certain that the child is not yours? Or is that why you need a DNA test?”

Before Mac could answer, Grace spoke up. “Were you listening when my husband said he never had a physical relationship with her? That means he did not have sex with her. The DNA test is being requested to show tangible proof that she is lying.”

“Selina Martinez, Chelsea Now. What if Alice King refuses a DNA test?”

Grace resisted the temptation to roll her eyes. “Then that will speak volumes, won’t it?”

“Dylan Bainbridge, The Manhattan Express. How will this affect your business partnership and marriage?”

Mac took that question. “The only way this affects us is that we have to address this nonsense to make you all clear our street.”

“Trisha Norton, New York Times. What type of trouble has she caused you in the past?”

“My clients don’t feel it necessary to dredge up Ms. King’s past behavior,” Michael answered quickly.

“Debbie Farnsworth, ABC 7 Action News. If Ms. King’s baby isn’t yours, whose is it?”

Mac’s brows furrowed, but Grace fielded this question. “We aren’t privy to Ms. King’s private life. We have no way of knowing the answer to that question.”

“Marilynn Sanders, USA Today. What do you think Alice King hopes to accomplish with this farce?”

Grace shot the savvy reporter a grin. “I can’t tell you what’s going on inside Ms. King’s head, but like every attempt to insert herself between Mac and me, I imagine she hopes to drive a wedge between us. I guess I had hoped by now that she would grow tired of being unsuccessful and give up her vindictive scheming. Mac and I are very much in love and devoted to each other and our son. So, with that, we thank you for your time. Any further questions can be directed to Mr. Stone.”

As they entered the house, Grace turned back for a moment and said, “I used to feel sorry for her. It can be hard to be in love with someone who isn’t in love with you. I’ve been dealt that card in my past, which was devastating. But the only thing my husband is guilty of is not returning her feelings and being naïvely kind enough to meet with her recently to accept her apology, only for her to strike out yet again. But I promise you, Alice King has played her last card. We are done with her nonsense.”

The corners of Michael’s mouth twitched, but he resisted the smile that threatened to bust out on his face. Grace was formidable, and watching her shut down the crowd was entertaining.

“Well, that went well,” she said as she pushed the up button to call the elevator. “If it’s all the same to you, I’m going to head up and check on DJ, and then I’m going to take a shower to wash my stress away.”

Mac nodded, a little disappointed; he had planned to talk her into a quickie. Her strength in addressing the press had stirred his loins, and he hoped he could convince her to engage in some makeup sex.

As Grace got on the elevator, she turned and gave Mac a wicked grin. “You’re welcome to join me as long as you bring that bulge in your pants with you.”

He blushed and gave her a goofy grin. “Well, the least I can do is wash your back.”

Chapter Thirty

Moments later, he stood naked with her while the water rained down on them as their bodies moved together in heated passion.

“There’s no one, Grace, not a single soul who could ever make me feel the way you do. You’re my world.”

“And you’re mine.”

He touched her everywhere and made her body hum with desire and need. Fingers probed her while she held onto his neck as if her life depended on it. Her first climax brought tears of relief and joy. Those emotions weren’t lost on Mac. He held onto her, nuzzled her neck, and whispered promises of fidelity and devotion before sliding into her and sending her over the edge again.

He pinned her against the wall as she wrapped her legs around him. “Mine,” he said as he thrust into her. “You’re mine, and I’m yours. Nothing anyone can say or do will ever change that. No one can come between us or ever tear us apart.”

He continued to move inside her as quakes of orgasm shook her body again and again.

“I love you, Mac. I love you and need you; never let me go.”

Every thrust and caress cemented their bond. And when he sent her over again, this time, he fell with her.

With their stress now at bay, Mac wrapped Grace in a big, fluffy towel and held her in his arms. Kissing the top of her head, he said, “I’m sorry I didn’t think about how Alice would twist things…”

“Shh,” Grace interrupted with a kiss. It was passionate, slow, and sweet.

Mac felt relief wash over him. She knew his heart and trusted him. Yes, she’d been hurt and angry (and rightfully so), but her faith in him was solid.

“Let’s be done with Alice today, okay? Let Michael handle her. She’s not worth any more of our time or energy,” Grace said. “Let’s get dressed and head to the fourth floor. I’ve got some ideas for a play area for DJ and any future little Stewarts.”

Mac’s heart leapt. The idea of more kids with Grace appealed to him. Their eyes met, and he knew that this project was her way of saying their future was secure and that she was in this for the long haul. He took her hand and felt his eyes well up with tears when he said, “Thank you for being my amazing Grace and my rock. I couldn’t do this life without you.”

Grace smiled; her eyes were misty too. “Yes, you could; it just wouldn’t be as fun or interesting. For better or worse, Mac, they aren’t just words for either of us. This is a little bump in the road; we’ve weathered bigger storms before. I know I said no more talk of Alice today, but for what it’s worth, I never once believed you would cheat on me. I just hated the idea that you let Alice creep back into our lives. You’re a good man with a kind heart, and she is a vile, evil witch. She may never stop trying to destroy us, but this time, she was foolish to bring it into the public eye. She can’t prove what isn’t true and will reveal herself as the villain.”

They spent the next hours looking at ideas on Pinterest and sketches that Grace had drawn.

“How did I not know that one of your many talents was being artistically inclined?” Mac asked as he marveled over the drawings.

Grace’s smile made him sigh. It used to rattle him when he’d discover things he didn’t know about his wife. But not this time; he was genuinely pleased that she could put ideas that she envisioned to paper.

“Do you think this area will be big enough?” he asked. Grace planned to convert the Fourth Level Utility room into a play area.

“It’s more of a storage space with some play space,” she explained. “With the clear plastic tubs organizing the toys, DJ can take the bin on the floor in here or in the library with me and then return it to the shelf when playtime is over. Well, when he’s bigger, that is. We’d obviously have to help with the bins for a while.”

He loved the idea that the toys would be accessible but organized. “As long as you don’t think we need to convert a bedroom into a playroom.”

“No, I’d hate to lose the guest room space. Besides, this system allows us to have him play wherever we hang out. And it will work for any future kids as well.”

“So, when do you want to start this little project?” he asked, resting his hand on her belly.

Grace raised an eyebrow. “The playroom? Soon. The little brother or sister? Let’s wait until DJ is a bit older so we can enjoy some travel time before we try for number two.”

Mac let his hand slide down to her thigh. “Or maybe, we try for the next baby while we travel next year. There’s something naughty about the idea of planting my seed in you at any given time.”

Grace laughed. “You might have a point there, as it could take a bit to get pregnant. But we will have to plan carefully since it can take five or six months to conceive after stopping the shots. But we can spend a lot of time practicing.”

That night, after DJ was sleeping, Mac took Grace by the hand and said, “Follow me.”

Grace was puzzled but did as he asked and walked up the spiral stairs from their terrace to the rooftop. Her eyes lit up when she saw candles flickering on the dining table with a portable bed.

“The shower sex earlier was amazing, but I felt like makeup sex needed to be romantic this time,” Mac said as he turned on soft music. “Dance with me.”

As they swayed in the moonlight, Grace rested her head on Mac’s shoulder and sighed. Suddenly, she remembered a Daddy/Daughter dance when she was a little girl where her father had said, “Someday, Punkin, we’ll dance at your wedding. And the man whose hand you take to be your husband, if he’s good enough for you, will romance you with candles and moonlight. Never settle for anything less, my sweet girl.”

Grace felt overwhelmed by the memory and struggled to hold back tears. Mac felt her body tense up and lifted her chin to look into her eyes.

“What’s wrong, Gracie? Have I hurt you so deeply that I’ve made you cry? Franz will kick my ass as your stand-in dad.”

She giggled as a single tear fell. “No, you’re safe from Franz. And my real father would be delighted right now. He cherished my mother and told me once never to settle for anything less than a man who knew how to woo me with candles and moonlight. I feel like I forgot to heed his advice until I met you. But I believe he knows I have that man as my own now; it’s as if the twinkling stars are him nodding in approval. You make me feel so loved, Mac. He would be very proud to call you his son.”

Mac held Grace tightly and breathed in the scent of her perfume. “I hope he sees my heart and knows I’d never do anything intentionally to hurt you, Gracie. I may be stupid at times, but I promise you, you’re the only woman who has ever made me want to keep working on being a better man. I love you.”

“I love you, too. Is that champagne?” she said as they moved to the table.

“It’s sparkling pear juice. I know how you get annoyed having to pump and dump.”

“Mac, you might be naïve sometimes, but never stupid.”

“I’m glad you think so, but the next move is to make up for my lack of good judgment.”

“I’m pretty sure you took care of that earlier in the shower. But if you insist on seducing me, I’m not going to stop you.”

Mac kissed Grace passionately and slowly undressed her, letting her nightgown fall to the floor. There she stood, the woman he loved more than life itself, naked on the rooftop. With the reflection of flickering candles in her eyes, and the glow of the moonlight accentuating the vibrance of her red hair, she looked like a goddess.

He undressed and sat in a chair, pulling her onto his lap. His tongue traced circles around her nipples, and his fingers played among her soft, wet folds. A nibble here and there made her hot and needy. She moved so that she straddled his lap and guided herself down onto his rigid pole.

“Oh, God, you feel so good, baby,” he said as she took him inside her. “So hot and wet; so incredibly tight. You’d never know you had a baby.”

Grace smirked. “Mmm, maybe it’s just your cock getting thicker,” she teased. “Although it could be the Yoga and the frequent orgasms my husband provides.”

“Mmm, well, then, I’d better keep doing my job,” he teased back as he reached between them and massaged her hard little nub.

She rode him slowly, enjoying the long, deliberate strokes, eliciting moans of pleasure. Her back arched as her climax drew near, and she cried out, forgetting they were outside. A light turned on in the window of the house next door, so Mac and Grace kept quiet for a moment.

When the light turned back off, Mac laughed. “My noisy, hot redhead. Let’s see if you can stay completely silent for the remaining orgasms.”

He lifted her off his lap and turned her around. “Lean over the table so I can take you from behind.”

Grace did so, offering her ass to Mac. “Nope, not tonight. I want that juicy pussy. But I’ll take a raincheck on that sweet ass.”

He impaled her with one deep thrust and held her head on the table with one hand while the other reached down to play with her engorged clit. He had her bucking after a dozen strokes, and he was impressed when she managed only a whispered scream.

“More,” he demanded as his fingers continued to play. “Take my cock and cum again for me.”

The friction of his thick manhood sliding in and out, combined with his talented digits, had her cumming again soon. He was relentless, sending her over until she’d lost count and begged him to fuck her hard in a hushed whisper.

Grabbing hold of her hips, he pumped into her until they exploded together, knocking over one of the candles. Fortunately, it put itself out as the wax dripped onto the burning wick.

“I love you,” Mac said as he pulled out of her and slid her nightgown back over her still-trembling body. “Let’s go clean up inside and cuddle.”

“I love you too,” she replied dreamily.

Meanwhile, the young man next door, who was visiting his grandparents, was pulling furiously on his cock as he imagined himself pumping into the sexy redhead on the rooftop. He’d heard a cry and looked out, only to see the couple next door fucking like teenagers. He came like a geyser, covering his stomach with his sticky white seed. He’d use the sight of the redhead again, he thought, since he came harder than usual from the fantasy of being the one to fuck her.

Once they were in bed, with Mac holding Grace in his arms, he asked, “How would you like to go away this weekend?”

“With DJ?” she asked.

“No, just the two of us. I thought I’d call Dad to see if he and Addie would be available to stay here so we could get away for just a few days.”

“Oh, I’d love that!”

“Fabulous. I will reach out to them tomorrow.”

Chapter Thirty-One

The following day, while Mac was making plans for Dominic and Addie to come to watch DJ, Grace was on the phone with Virginie Becker.

“We are so excited that you are coming to visit us in a few weeks!” Grace said.

“Are you sure it won’t be a bother with what you’ve got going on?” Virginie asked hesitantly.

“What’s going on?”

“Come on, Grace. Don’t tell me this situation with Alice isn’t causing turmoil.”

“If you’ve changed your mind about coming…”

“No, of course not! Don’t be silly. I just know that the rumors are running rampant about Mac and Alice.”

“Nothing Alice said is true. If you don’t believe that, maybe it would be better for you not to come,” Grace said, trying hard not to allow hurt and disappointment to make her lose her composure.

“Grace, you misunderstand. Of course, we believe you. We just didn’t want to be a burden if this whole damn nonsense has you feeling exhausted.”

Grace felt her face go hot and was instantly glad this wasn’t a FaceTime call. She should have known better than to doubt Virginie.

“Actually, Mac and I are taking a weekend away to help with that. Your family visiting will be a nice distraction. The less we allow Alice’s shenanigans to upset our lives, the better.”

“Then we are happy to be your distraction,” Virginie replied. “Grace, your husband adores you. Everyone knows that. So, while it might be titillating to listen to gossip, the people who matter know there is no way McKinley Stewart would ever touch another woman besides you. That includes us; we know Mac has not been unfaithful.”

“Thank you, that means a lot. I appreciate your support. I’ll let Mac know you are still planning to visit. I know it will make him happy.”

“I’m just pleased that Wolf has proven to be such a wonderful addition that he can keep an eye on things while we come to America.”

“I’ve read the reports; he’s really a go-getter, isn’t he?”

“He is indeed, and that’s a boon to us all, for it allows us to come to America to meet young Dominic Jordan. It’s all Adele talks about; well, that, and the fact that she wants to play beauty shop again with her Tante Grace.”

Grace smiled. It would be a lovely visit. But first, there was the weekend away to look forward to, provided Mac got Dad and Addie to come and babysit their grandson.

Mac walked to Grace, picked her up, and twirled her around. “Where do you want to go, my sweet Grace?”

“They said yes?”

“They said yes. They are thrilled. They see coming here as a weekend away from their routine and a chance to spoil their grandson.”

“Fabulous! I don’t care where we go, just time away with you somewhere.”

“Come on, Grace. You must have someplace you’d like to go.”

“Well, I'd say Hawaii if we had more time.”

“Then let’s go to Hawaii.”

“For the weekend? That’s an awfully long way to go for just a weekend. Maybe we should save that for another time. What about a beach on the west coast of Florida?”

Mac pondered that idea for a moment. “I know just the place!”

He knew a guy who had a place right on the beach. It would be good for them to get away, and if a photographer or two caught sight of them enjoying a dinner out on the town, then maybe the doubters and the naysayers would see that he and Grace were a couple still very much in love.

Chapter Thirty-Two

After talking to his son, Dominic Stewart kissed his lovely wife, Addie. “Are you sure you don’t mind going to New York to watch the baby for the kids this weekend?”

“Of course not; they could use some time away. And I’d be lying if I didn’t say I’d love to spend a weekend holding that baby,” Addie replied.

Dom took Addie in his arms and held her close. “I know we said we were fine not having children, what with me being so old. But if you’ve changed your mind…”

“You’re not so old,” Addie said quietly. “But my eggs might be.”

“What if we let Mother Nature decide?”

“I don’t know, Dom. Wouldn’t it be weird to have a baby whose nephew is older than them?”

“Don’t let that be the thing that holds you back.”

“It’s not. I’ve always enjoyed other people’s children. And now I have a lovely son who is just a few years younger than me, plus a beautiful daughter-in-law and the most adorable grandson. I don’t need to give birth to feel fulfilled.”

Dominic smiled. “If you change your mind, just know I’m okay with whatever you decide.”

“Thanks, darling. I appreciate that. But now you’ve got my mind on sex,” Addie said, grinning devilishly.

“Oh? Do you need me to sweep you off your feet and make passionate love to you?”

“No sweeping necessary; just take me to bed, Dom.”

Moments later, they were naked, enjoying each other with their hands and mouths. But Dom decided to slow things down a bit. “Roll on your tummy, Addie.”

Addie didn’t argue, knowing Dominic liked running his fingers along her body. It was like an aphrodisiac to him, and it made her wet and needy.

He started by lifting her hair out of the way, exposing her neck to the tracing of tiny figure eights, causing her to sigh. As he moved downward, the movements expanded to make elongated infinity loops across her back until he reached the top of her sexy, firm bottom. From there, he let his finger run along the crack of her ass, eliciting sounds of pleasure and need. She spread her legs a bit, parting them to give him access to the pooled nectar that began to drip. As his thumb entered her, she gasped and rocked her hips.

Using her wetness, he stimulated her clit with his thumb and had her writhing and moaning. And as he slipped two fingers inside her, her first orgasm had her muffling a scream in her pillow.

“Turn over, baby.”

Feeling a bit drunk, she did as he asked and was treated to the sensual assault of his fingers dancing across her breasts. Occasionally, he’d capture a nipple between his forefinger and thumb, rolling it gently. Addie thrashed a bit as his talented tongue took over, and when he nibbled her eraser-hard nipple, she took his stiff shaft into her hand.

Oh, God, the feeling of her touching him was beyond anything he’d ever experienced before her. Even his son’s mother, Lorraine, couldn’t hold a candle to Addie. He thought he’d been in love with Lorraine, but she’d never given herself to him quite like this.

Dom rolled on his back and invited her to climb on top. He placed his hands on her hips and helped guide her onto his rigid pole. Gliding into her slowly felt like entering the softest, tightest space, sheathing his member like a glove. She looked into his eyes lovingly as she rode him, tits bouncing and eyes wild with abandon.

She didn’t say a lot during sex, it wasn’t her way, but the sounds that escaped her lips were all Dom needed to hear to know she was enjoying as much as he was. He let her set the pace and was rewarded with a loud cry as her climax gushed, flooding him. He grabbed those hips again, holding them firmly as he thrust them into her deeply. And when his balls tightened, he let go, flooding her as well.

Later, as they got ready for bed, Addie made eye contact in the mirror with Dom. “You are the most amazing lover I’ve ever known. And the kindest, most thoughtful man. I can’t wait to hold our grandson this weekend, but I don’t need a baby of our own. I love our life and how uncomplicated it is. I know it’s been a huge adjustment for Mac and Grace to go from world travelers to doting parents, and they are doing a remarkable job. But I don’t feel the need to jump on that bandwagon.”

Dom felt a bit of relief. He’d have been more than willing to plant his seed in her if it was what she wanted. But he loved their life as it was, too, and was happy it wasn’t what she needed.