Chapter Thirty-Three

While Grace and Mac were packing for their weekend beach getaway, Michael Stone filed the paperwork requiring Alice King to submit to prenatal DNA testing.

Alice’s lawyer, Dennis Conrad, seemed to have minimal experience in such matters. His interactions with Alice made Michael wonder if Dennis was more than just her legal representation. The way he laid his hand on her back and grasped her hand seemed more like a lover’s touch. He suddenly wished he’d brought Grace along. She’d have had a field day with this. But at this point, he wanted to keep his clients as far away from Alice as possible.

He'd often thought of her as a true asset to McKinley Stewart. She’d kept him remarkably focused and organized. He’d admired how well she’d done her job until she had allowed her jealousy of Grace Remy to drive her batshit crazy.

Admittedly, Michael had initially been in Alice’s corner, seeing Grace as a distraction at best. No, that wasn’t quite right; he’d judged her and decided she was a promiscuous gold-digger, especially after Alice had shared some lurid details from Grace’s past.

He was sure McKinley was thinking with his dick when he decided to marry his escort. Then he did a little digging of his own and found out she was extraordinary. Her resume was more than impressive, and she exuded class. Then she did the unthinkable for a woman supposedly after her man’s money – she’d insisted on an ironclad prenup. One that awarded her very little. In fact, she’d argued with Mac when he was adamant about giving her his rental house in Queens if they should part ways.

It made him grateful that he’d required Alice to sign an NDA. He’d been protecting McKinley by doing so, but he was thankful that it would help keep Grace’s past where it belonged – in the past.

“My client objects to having the DNA test before the baby is born. She is concerned that it will cause undue stress on the fetus,” Dennis said.

“There is no harm to the fetus in prenatal DNA testing,” Michael responded. “Your client has made a very serious claim and needs to be able to prove it. I have a cease-and-desist letter filed by my clients.”

“What does that mean?” Alice asked.

Before Dennis could explain, Michael spoke up. “It means you need to stop making baseless accusations.”

“Why do you assume I’m lying, Michael?” Alice asked tearfully.

Michael took a deep breath. “Alice, we both know McKinley didn’t have sex with you. Are you even pregnant?”

“What a despicable thing to ask!” Alice shouted. “Do something, Dennis!”

“What do you want me to do, baby, um, er, Alice?”

Alice glared at Dennis. Then she said, “Fine, I’ll take the damn DNA test. But only after I meet with McKinley in person.”

“Alice, I don’t think…” Dennis started.

“I’ll contact him to see if he will meet with you,” Michael cut him off, feeling impatient.

Mac and Grace were getting ready to head to the airport when Michael’s call came.

“Hi there. I’m with Alice and her lawyer in my office. She has agreed to the prenatal DNA test, but only if you agree to meet with her in person. Is there any chance you’d have time to stop by on your way to JFK?”

“Are you fucking kidding? Why would I meet with her? Isn’t that what I’m paying you for?”

Michael was taken aback by McKinley’s demeanor, but it was asking a lot. “I’m aware that this is the last thing you want to do right now, but I have a feeling it’s this, or she will drag things out until the baby is born. She does have that right. Do you and Grace want this hanging over your heads that long?”

Mac was silent for a moment. “Fine,” he finally said, “we will be there in twenty minutes. But I will only agree to meet with Alice if Grace is with me.”

“Of course.”

Grace squeezed his hand. “We are in this together. The sooner we deal with her, the sooner we can be done with Alice forever.”

“You’re right.”

Randall dropped them off in front of Stone and Associates, Law Offices, and said, “I will drive around a bit if I can’t find a place to park. Just text me when you’re ready to be picked up. I will stay close by.”

Grace thanked Randall and slipped her hand into Mac’s. “We’ve got this.”

When they entered Michael’s conference room, daggers shot out of Alice’s eyes. “What is she doing here? I asked to meet with McKinley, not his gold-digging whore! Why would you stay with him after he got me pregnant?”

Michael said nothing as he gestured for Grace and Mac to sit across the table from Alice and Dennis.

Mac started to respond when Grace put a hand on his arm. “I’m his wife, Alice. Did you really think I wouldn’t stand by Mac’s side in all this?”

“I think you’re a fool to stand by a man who was happy to come running back to my bed,” Alice said indignantly.

Grace inhaled sharply. “Look, Alice, enough is enough! What do you hope to gain from all this? You know damn well that there is no way my husband is the father of your child. So, what are you hoping to accomplish by all of this?”

“It is his baby. I swear it is. He came to me one night when you had been fighting and…”

“Stop! Just stop! Do you want to know how I know you’re lying? I caught Mac multiple times masturbating in our shower after DJ was born. If he had your bed to turn to, why on Earth would he need to spill his seed by hand? Are you that lousy of a lover that he still needed to take care of himself?”

Mac shifted uncomfortably in his chair but said nothing.

Alice was livid. “You know as well as I do that McKinley has a high sex drive. I’m sure the few times he was able to cum with me wouldn’t have been enough for a man like him.”

“Okay, then tell me this, Alice. What shape is the birthmark just to the right of his dick?”

Alice looked flustered. “I don’t remember; it was dark in my room when we made love. I’m shy and…”

Grace rolled her eyes.

“Is Mac shaven smooth or all-natural?”

“Well, I…”

“What’s his favorite sex position?”

Shock and disgust fell over Alice’s face.

“Come on, Alice, if he was in your bed multiple times, not to mention being your supposed lover before he met me, you should know the answers to these questions.”

“I’m not going to discuss such personal matters; I’m not crass like you, you whore!”

“No, you’re just a liar, one hell-bent on destroying my life and my marriage.”

“I don’t give a fuck about you! It’s McKinley I want to destroy!” Alice blurted out. Immediately she clamped both hands over her mouth.

“You’re not really pregnant, are you? You simply want to hurt Mac because he chose me over you. Why can’t you let go, Alice?”

“You don’t understand what it’s like to be cast aside by the man you love! I thought he loved me and was just too professional to make a move. So, I had a whole plan worked out on how I would get him to notice me that way. Then you came in and stole him away from me! You ruined my life!”

Grace took a deep breath and steadied herself before replying.

“I do know what it’s like to love a man I thought loved me, only to have my entire life destroyed when he didn’t. I do know this because I lived it,” she said quietly. “I was young, in love, and blinded by my foolish desires. But instead of loving me back, he drugged me and allowed his friends to gangbang me and then paid off local authorities to have me thrown in jail for three months when I tried to report it. I lost everything! My life was ruined by a ruthless, disgusting man who abused his power and abused me. So, don’t tell me that I don’t understand.”

Mac silently slipped his hand in Grace’s and offered strength as she continued.

“And what happened to you? A decent man who never once claimed to have feelings for you terminated your employment when you set out to sabotage him, and still, he gave you a very generous severance package. And when he thought you were in a bad place emotionally, he agreed to meet with you and walked right into your trap. I might be a whore, but you’re a horrible person.”

Grace picked up her purse and took out a small box. Mac’s brow furrowed, but Michael grinned. God, she was clever!

“Here, Alice. Here’s a pregnancy test. Go into Michael’s private lavatory and pee on the stick. If you’re truly pregnant…”

“That’s disgusting! I want more money. Lots of money, and I will go away and stop bothering you. I’ll get an abortion like you made Rebecca do. I’ll…”

“No, Alice. We are done listening to your nonsense. Prove that you’re pregnant, and we will discuss the next steps. But if this stick doesn’t show a plus sign, we’re done. And if you continue to harass us, we will sue you for defamation and whatever else Michael says we can sue you for. We are fucking done with you, Alice! What’s it going to be?”

Mac had never seen Grace like this. She was so calm and controlled, yet with rage bubbling just below the surface, he was afraid she might spontaneously ignite and set them all on fire.

Alice burst into tears. “I was pregnant, but I miscarried.”

“You’re a pathetic fucking liar.” Turning to Michael, Grace said, “We’re done here. Clean up this mess and make it clear to Ms. King that any further attempt to drive a wedge between Mac and me or extort any additional money will get ugly.”

Michael nodded. Dennis held Alice while she sobbed. Mac tried not to be turned on by his wife’s formidable display.

“Get an NDA from Mr. Conrad, please, since he is now privy to an ugly part of my past.”

“I’ll take care of everything,” Michael assured her.

“Mac, text Randall. I’m ready to go to the beach for the weekend. You’ll owe me some pretty amazing makeup sex for this nightmare.”

Mac grinned. “Yes, ma’am.”

Michael snorted and patted Mac on the shoulder. “Go, I’ve got this.”

“I loved you, McKinley!” Alice screamed. “Why couldn’t you love me back?”

Mac stopped and shook his head but didn’t answer. It was handled, and he promised Grace not to let Alice back into the space between them. Ignoring her seemed like the best way to show Grace he was serious about keeping that promise.

Chapter Thirty-Four

As they got into the car, Mac and Grace were silent for a few minutes. Mac searched for the right thing to say and was grateful beyond belief when Grace broke the silence first.

“Well, that was intense.”

Mac allowed half a laugh to escape his mouth. “And that is the understatement of the year.”

“Nothing that a magical weekend away at a lovely condo on the beach won’t fix,” Grace mused.

And just like that, in a New York minute, Mac fell in love with Grace all over again.

“You must love me madly. I’m so sorry that I didn’t see Alice for the vindictive…”

“Stop; I do love you madly. But I’m done with her; we’re done with her. I don’t want to waste any more time discussing her or letting her have another moment of our thoughts. She’s done nothing but try to make us miserable, but I have great faith in Michael’s ability to make her go away.”

Mac took Grace’s hand and brought it to his lips, kissing it gently. “I love you madly, too. I’m done letting my naiveté hurt you.”

Grace’s eyes looked misty, but she didn’t shed a tear. Instead, she changed the subject. “So, tell me about this condo on the beach.”

The condo on the beach was the perfect setting for a weekend away. Grace sat on the balcony overlooking the Gulf of Mexico as the sun dipped into the water when Mac joined her with a glass of wine.

“Everything good with DJ?” Mac asked, knowing Grace had called Addie to check on their little guy.

“He’s been an angel. I reminded Addie that she could thaw some frozen breast milk if she runs out of what I have in the fridge. I didn’t want to assume she would know to do that since she’s not a mom. Well, at least not in the traditional sense.”

“It’s still a little weird to think of her as my stepmom, but she has slid into the role of grandma really well, hasn’t she?”

“Yes, and I am so grateful for that. And for the fact that they are giving up their weekend so we can be here.”

“It didn’t seem like much of a hardship. Both she and dad seemed excited about time with their grandson.”

“Still, it’s wonderful to be able to leave him and not worry the whole time we are here. I couldn’t have done so and let myself relax and enjoy this time with you if it weren’t for Dad and Addie.”

“Then here’s to Dad and Addie,” Mac said, holding his glass up in a toast.

“To Dad and Addie,” Grace said, clinking her glass to his. “And to not wasting another minute of our time alone. Let’s take our wine inside and get naked.”

Mac felt his cock twitch at the mere suggestion of getting naked with his wife. “Who am I to argue?”

Once inside, Grace gulped the rest of her wine.

“Easy does it, my love. I imagine your tolerance level is much lower, having abstained from alcohol for the better part of a year now.”

“Don’t worry, darling. I can still suck your dick while I’m tipsy.”

“Well, then, get on your knees and show me.”

He’d envisioned a much more romantic start to the weekend, but he’d be damned if he was going to discourage his pretty wife from opening her mouth and enjoying her oral fixation. He could seduce her later.

“Oh, fuck, Gracie! Your mouth and tongue are so talented.”

Grace looked up at him with bedroom eyes, “Wait till you feel my throat.”

He moaned and felt his body shiver as she took him all the way in and held him in her throat for a moment. He’d always been a fan of oral sex, but Grace took it to a whole different level.

His resolve to be gentle flew out the window when she took his hands in hers and placed them firmly on her head. Her hair and throat felt like silk, and he couldn’t resist the need to grab hold tightly and thrust into her greedy mouth.

“Oh, God, Gracie, you little sex demon! You’ve completely thrown my plans of sensual seduction out the window and turned me into a madman desperate to fuck your throat!”

Her moaning was the sign he needed to know that this was exactly what she wanted at the moment. Who was he to deny her?

Her throat made obscene noises as he plunged into it over and over until he felt his balls tighten.

“God, yes! Drink my seed!” he cried as he exploded deep in her throat.

She nearly gagged but managed to swallow every drop. She looked up at him with those sexy blue eyes and batted her eyelashes. “Return the favor?” she asked sweetly.

He ran a finger along the side of her face, stopping at her chin, and gazed into her eyes. “Happy to oblige. Mind if I change the pace?”

Grace worried for a moment if she’d been too eager. But the look in Mac’s eyes reassured her that he had enjoyed her oral skills very much.

Taking her face in his hands and brushing his lips across hers, he murmured, “Since it’s just the two of us, and there’s no hurry, I’d like to take my time with you.”

“You’ll get no argument from me,” Grace purred as she rose and climbed onto the king-sized bed.

Mac joined her and started his erotic onslaught with a trail of wet kisses up the insides of each leg. He traced tiny circles on her smooth, bare mound, occasionally dipping his tongue inside her. Fingers played deftly along her pink folds as she dripped with arousal. He sucked and nibbled, causing Grace’s hips to grind slowly, methodically, as she enjoyed being the guest of honor at his feast.

Soon, two fingers entered her drenched hole while a thumb teased her rosebud. His tongue and teeth transformed her from a needy goddess to a wanton slut as she begged Mac to fuck her.

“Not yet,” he admonished as she whimpered. “I need to play with you for a while. Feel free to cum, darling; I won’t deny you. But I’ve spent the last few months rushing and don’t intend to hurry. I promise to make you feel so good, but we’ll do it my way, understand?”

Grace nodded. How could she argue when her entire body hummed with arousal? With his mouth and hands enjoying her everywhere, she could hardly complain that he wasn’t making her feel good. But, although he said he wouldn’t deny her, that first orgasm remained elusive.

Mac wasn’t discouraged. He had figured it would take his wife time to relax and not worry about their young son. He had promised incredible makeup sex, and he planned to deliver.

“Turn over and put your ass in the air for me,” he said in a low growl.

Grace shivered with desire and did precisely as she was told. Seconds later, she felt a cool drizzle of lubricant pooling on her puckered star. Mac worked it in with his thumb and watched as his wife showed her enjoyment by wiggling her ass and pushing back against his hand.

“Feeling needy, my love?” Mac asked as he removed his thumb and replaced it with a vibrating anal plug. Grace moaned loudly and rocked her hips.

There’s my horny little wife. She just needed something to take her mind off being a mom.

With her creamy ass cheeks begging to be spanked, Mac gave each one a sharp slap.

“More,” Grace whimpered.

“Greedy slut,” Mac teased. But he gave her more.

Spank! Spank!

With each swat, her arousal grew until her ass was a rosy shade of pink, and she begged for Mac to enter her.

Climbing up on the bed behind her, he reached under and grabbed her gorgeous breasts, massaging them and rolling each nipple. His rigid shaft poked into her wetness as he teased her nipples with erotic twists and pinches.

“Please, Mac! Please! I need you inside me!”

“Oh, do you?” he laughed as she stated the obvious.

Without warning, he drove into her and moved his hands so that one was grasping her hip and the other was tormenting her hard little nub. His thrusts were slow and provocative and drove her nearly mad.

“Oh, God, yes! Please fuck me!”

“I am fucking you, baby,” he said, smirking while he taunted her with his deliberate, unhurried moves.

He continued to take his time until he felt the familiar signs her body made when she was close to climaxing. He grabbed her hips and plunged into her, fucking her hard and deep.

“Yes! Yes! Yes!” she screamed as he brought her right up to and over the edge.

“God, yes, take my cock, baby!”

“Oh, fuck, yes!”

Grace’s entire body shuddered in waves of orgasm as if all the ones she should have had along the way exploded together. Mac felt her soft, wet walls squeeze his shaft and his sac constrict as he let go, flooding his wife’s pussy.

They collapsed on the bed and held onto each other in silence. It was Grace who spoke first. “Round one of best makeup sex ever was extremely satisfying. Can’t wait for round two.”

Mac laughed and pulled Grace in closer. “I love you so much. I promise you as many rounds as you can handle.”

“I love you, too. Let’s put on our bathing suits and go enjoy the hot tub.”

Chapter Thirty-Five

Grace woke up to an empty bed and frowned. So much for thinking he’d surprise her with morning sex. She felt a bit cross until her nose recognized the smell of something delicious.

When Mac nudged the bedroom door open, her face lit up. “Breakfast in bed?”

“Of course. I remembered there was an Einstein’s Bagels on the mainland and thought I’d get up early and get us the turkey sausage and egg sandwiches. I got yours on a pretzel bagel. Hope that was okay.”

Feeling famished as they hadn’t eaten dinner, Grace unwrapped her sandwich and took a big bite.

“Mmph! So good!”

“That’s what you said when you were on your knees yesterday.”

Grace rolled her eyes. It felt wickedly wonderful to be sitting here having breakfast in bed without a care in the world.

“I’m impressed that you haven’t called home yet this morning,” Mac said, sipping his coffee.

“I didn’t want to call too early, just in case DJ let your parents sleep in.”

Mac tilted his head. “I never thought there would be a time in my life that I’d have a wife and a child and a set of decent parents to watch the said child. It’s a little surreal.”

“I know. We are all pretty damned amazing. You lucked out big time in the best family ever category. Well, if you don’t count the wolves that raised you.”

Mac burst out laughing. “No shit!”

After breakfast, Mac and Grace headed to the beach and enjoyed the sun, surf, and sand. After a delicious carry-out lunch of blackened grouper, they walked along the shore. It was heavenly to be away like this, making Mac feel a little guilty that he wasn’t missing their son more.

As if reading his mind, Grace said, “I do miss DJ, but my goodness, it feels marvelous to be just the two of us for the weekend. Am I a bad mom?”

“If you are, I’m a bad dad as well. I was just thinking the same thing. But I think it’s normal. We hadn’t even been married for quite a year when our little guy made his entrance into the world. We are technically still in the honeymoon phase, so it’s reasonable to want time alone to enjoy walks on the beach and make love on our timetable. Relax, Grace. You’re a wonderful mother. But this weekend is about reminding you that you’re also an amazing woman and lover.”

A passionate kiss from Mac smothered Grace’s response. A group of young teens strolled by and shouted, “Honeymooners!”

Mac broke off the kiss and chuckled. “See? They get it!”

Grace laughed. “Let’s go for a swim. The water looks so inviting.”

As they dipped into the gulf water, Mac slid an arm around Grace’s waist. “I guess we never really took that honeymoon we originally planned. I’m sorry for that. I…”

“We got a little busy running a company and having a baby. We can count this as our honeymoon. It’s magical here.”

“I still have those tickets to Fiji. We could go sometime.”

“No, this is nice. It’s perfect here.”

Mac pulled Grace into an embrace. “You’re so easy to please. Some women would need a luxurious getaway, but you’re completely content with a borrowed condo in Florida.”

“We are on an island, and there are palm trees. It’s pretty damned romantic here, Mac. Besides, I wouldn’t want to be farther away from DJ quite yet. And you’ve already told me many times that I’m not like other women.”

“Indeed, you’re not. Feel how hard you’ve made me. God, I want you every minute of every day.”

Grace wrapped her legs around Mac’s waist and said, “Then take me right here, right now. Take me in the water.”

Mac grinned. He loved that she was relaxed enough to live a little dangerously. “What if we get caught?”

“If you fuck me hard, fast, and deep, we should be done before any police beach cruisers drive by.”

“My wife is so impatient and greedy!”

“You can woo me later; just fuck me now.”

But before she could change her mind, he had her legs spread apart and her bikini bottom pushed aside. Impatient fingers parted her folds and found the treasure they sought. He worked her into a frenzy while he nuzzled her neck and nibbled on her ear.

“That’s right, cum for me, baby. Cum hard, and I’ll fuck you right here, in the water, you greedy little minx.”

Grace bucked against Mac’s hand as her entire body shuddered.

“Good girl,” he murmured into her ear. “Now, hold on tight while I take what’s mine.”

He pulled his rock-hard cock out of his swim trunks and slid it into her needy pussy in one swift thrust. He grinned as he watched her eyes roll back, and her face became flush with desire. She held on as he moved inside her and nipped playfully on her shoulders. A quick glance around told him that no one was paying any attention to them, so he focused only on Grace. He quickened his pace to match her need, and soon they exploded together in the water.

“See? We have everything we need right here. Besides, we don’t have tickets to Fiji. We gave them to Sal and Johanna for a wedding present.”

“We did?”

“It seemed unlikely we would get there anytime soon, and they were running away to Fiji to elope. So, I did what any sane woman would do. I gave the present you bought me for Christmas meant for our honeymoon and gave it to your former lover and my former client.”

Mac laughed as he pulled out and put himself back together. “We are strange people, aren’t we, Grace?”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

That evening, dolphins entertained them while they enjoyed fresh seafood and live music at Seabreeze Grill. Mac marveled at how beautiful his wife was, despite the five extra pounds she insisted she carried these days. Later that night, he kissed every inch of her body and found only his lean, well-toned wife looking sexy as hell, wearing nothing at all.

They spent the rest of the long weekend enjoying the beach by day and each other by night. Unlimited sun and sex proved to be just what the doctor ordered. They felt ready to take on the balance of parenthood and running the company again.

Chapter Thirty-Six

On the flight back to New York, Mac decided a condo on the beach would be an excellent investment. This time away was exactly what they both needed.

He picked up the paper he’d grabbed before they boarded the plane and nearly spat out his drink. “Holy shit, there’s a picture of us!”

“What? Where?” Grace said, realizing she’d dozed off a bit.

“Here, in the newspaper.”

“Oh, my God, it’s us in the water! What does the caption say?”

“Business power couple, McKinley and Grace Stewart, seem unbothered by rumors of infidelity as they enjoy each other on a beach getaway weekend. I suppose it’s not a lie, although I’d be irritated by this intrusion of our privacy if it didn’t help our cause.”

Grace smiled. God bless Michael Stone.

“I assumed the photographer would catch us out to dinner or walking the beach. But this is better, even if it is a bit embarrassing to have our water tryst out there for the world to see.”

“What photographer?” Mac asked, confused.

“The one Michael hired to catch us being in love so the naysayers in the business world would ignore the ridiculous rumors of you fathering some other bitch’s child.”

Mac looked at Grace incredulously. “Seriously?”

“Yes, although I didn’t expect this to be the photo he caught.”

“Fortunately, you can’t tell from the photo that my dick is in your pussy,” Mac said, a tad embarrassed. “But it doesn’t take much imagination to see that we are fooling around in the water.”

“Are you mad?” Grace asked.

“No, just surprised. I checked around to see if anyone was paying attention to us, and I didn’t see a photographer.”

“This was likely taken with a drone, Mac. Again, it’s not the picture I was expecting, but it should send the message that we are ridiculously in love and aren’t letting rumors interfere with our lives.”

“Why didn’t Michael tell me?” Mac asked.

“Sorry, he left that up to me, and I honestly forgot about it once I was on my knees with your cock in my throat.”

While they waited for their luggage to arrive at baggage claim, Mac texted Michael.

I saw the picture in the paper. As embarrassing as it is, thanks for your clever idea. How did things go with Alice after we left?

It was actually Grace’s idea. Glad the photographer was able to give the world a glimpse of how you and Grace aren’t letting rumors screw things up. Things went fine. Alice’s lawyer/lover seemed to get across to her that she needs to be done with you after Grace made that incredibly clear. Your wife is formidable. I’m glad you followed your heart with her.

Me too; Grace suspected Dennis was more than just Alice’s lawyer. Thanks for everything. The bags are here. I’ll be in touch. But I need to know, is Alice really pregnant?

No. Do yourself a favor; stop thinking about Alice entirely. Let this be the last conversation we have about her.

Good idea. Talk soon.

“Everything okay?” Grace asked as she observed Mac texting and frowning.

“What? Oh, yeah, everything is fine. I was just thanking Michael for his clever plan, and he said it was your idea.”

“Are you upset?”

“No, it’s just a really awkward picture to be plastered in the newspaper. And here I thought that was just a spontaneous romp in the water. If I’d known you’d set up a picture…”

Grace sighed. “As I said, I had no idea when or where the photo would be taken. I had no idea that would be the moment. And it’s not like people can see through the water. We could just be embracing and making out.”

Mac shrugged. “I suppose.”

“Are you going to let this spoil our amazing weekend?” Grace asked quietly.

“No, you’re right. I guess it’s not that big of a deal,” Mac replied, trying to shake off his annoyance.

But the silence on the ride home was deafening.