Chapter Five

Grace’s dreams were filled with erotic wonders. Mac’s hands were everywhere, and her body shook with the eruption of multiple orgasms. Part of her could sense this was a dream because where was their baby? It seemed that every time they tried to get something started, he’d need to be fed or changed. The interruptions were expected, but she was a little frustrated that their sex life had yet to return to normal.

She woke up with a start when she looked at the clock and saw it was nearly four in the morning. Terrified that something was wrong with the baby, she rushed into the nursery to find Mac rocking their son.

With a sigh of relief, Grace whispered, “How long has he been awake?”

“Not long. I woke up when I heard him fussing a little about an hour ago. I managed to get him to fall back asleep by rubbing his back. This time he was a little more vocal, so I got him up and changed him. He seemed pretty content with a clean diaper, so I thought I would rock him a bit until he complained, and then I would wake you up to feed him. He’s so cuddly; it just melts my heart.”

Grace sighed. “I can start pumping more so you could take some of the nighttime feedings if you want,” she said softly.

If she lived a thousand years, she would never forget the loving look Mac gave her.

“Really?”

He was utterly smitten with their son, which filled her with joy.

“Of course! I don’t know why I didn’t think of it sooner. Instead of both of us waking up every time he does, we could tag team. That will be very helpful when I start working more.”

“Thanks, babe. It means a lot to me. I really want to be a hands-on dad.”

Grace felt her heart squeeze a little when she thought about how Marcus, the man Mac had thought was his father for most of his life, probably hadn’t lifted a finger to help with the kids, even when he believed they were his. The revelation that Mac’s father was actually Marcus’s twin brother, Dominic, had come only after the death of Mac’s grandmother, Mimi. In a letter to Mac, she revealed that Marcus hadn’t fathered him or his sister, Aislyn. It later came to light that Aislyn’s father was one of their neighbors. It all felt very much like a soap opera to Grace.

Mac’s mother, Lorraine, was the most hateful of the bunch and had duped Marcus into marrying her, insisting that Dominic’s baby was actually his. She’d chosen Marcus over Dom because he had more money and status at the time. What a piece of work!

It was all water under the bridge now, as Dom had met and recently married Addie. While it was a little weird that Addie was only a few years older than Mac, it was beautiful to see his dad find the love of his life. Grace was grateful for the nurturing that Dom and Mimi had provided for Mac throughout his life. He may have been rough around the edges when they’d first met. But looking at him now, holding their son, it was clear he had learned the importance of love and family from them.

“You’re such a good daddy,” Grace said as she took DJ from him to nurse. “I fall in love with you all over again every time I see you with our son.”

Mac’s eyes got misty. All he’d ever wanted was to be a good husband and father. For a long time, he figured those things would always elude him. He was so grateful for the day Grace walked into his life.

“Meet you back in bed,” he whispered as he kissed her temple.

“To sleep?”

“Well, I had other ideas, but sure, we can sleep too.”

When Grace eventually climbed back into bed, Mac had drifted off. She felt a little disappointed, but she couldn’t blame him. She was exhausted as well. Parenting, while very rewarding, was hard work.

Instead of pouting, she snuggled up against her husband and felt him protectively slip an arm around her, pulling her close.

She smiled as she felt sleep take her. Sometimes just the intimacy of being held like this was enough.

Chapter Six

For the next several days, Grace fell into a routine as she eased back into working part-time. She’d enjoy early mornings with their son before bringing him down and placing him in the bassinet in her office. Then she’d spend the rest of the morning attacking the list of items their Admin, Avery, compiled for her. Avery was extremely efficient and would organize the daily list in order of importance. That way, whatever Grace didn’t get to could either wait till the following day or was a task he could handle for her.

“I promise I will work up to full time soon, Avery,” she said, feeling a little exasperated one day as she felt herself nodding off at her desk.

“Please don’t worry about it, Grace. I’m happy to pick up the slack for as long as you need. I’m not just a handsome face that can file and answer phones,” Avery laughed.

“Your skill set goes far beyond that, Avery,” Grace commented. “I couldn’t do this job without you. Especially now, with DJ needing so much of my time.”

“He’s such a sweet baby,” Avery said. “I know his first name, Dominic, comes from Mac’s dad. But where does his middle name, Jordan, come from?”

Grace felt her eyes well up a bit. “Jordan was my father’s name,” she said wistfully. “I wish he were alive to meet his grandson. I miss him and my mom so much more since having this baby.”

She hadn’t meant to blurt that out and was grateful when Avery said nothing.

“I’m going to make one more phone call before I call it a day. I need to have a serious conversation with Andre Boivin.”

Avery raised his eyebrows and said, “I’d feel pity for the man, but his performance these past several months has been disappointing.”

Grace bit her bottom lip. “I know he has been having issues in his marriage, but there comes a point at which you either pull yourself up by your bootstraps or move on, right? I mean, am I being too harsh?”

“Not at all, Grace. You’ve been more than patient with him. It may not be my place to say it, but the Paris office is floundering and needs a stronger hand at the wheel.”

“I value your input, Avery. I think you’re spot on, and now I need to make the difficult call and figure out what needs to happen next. What time is it in Paris?”

“Half past four.”

“Thanks.”

Grace dialed the number for the Paris office and got Andre’s Admin.

“Bonjour, Stewart Enterprises Paris, Comment puis-je diriger votre appel?”

“Bonjour, Chantelle, this is Grace Stewart. I’d like to speak with Andre. But first, didn’t we discuss the last time we spoke that I’d like you to answer the phone in English?”

“Oui, Ms. Stewart, but Monsieur Boivin said it would be better to answer in French.”

“Chantelle, most of the clients we deal with speak the language of business, which is English. I would appreciate you doing as I asked going forward.”

There was an awkward moment of silence. “Would you please say so to Monsieur Boivin? I don’t wish to be reprimanded again.”

“Again?”

“He was agitated that I wouldn’t lie to his wife and say he wasn’t available earlier. She was insistent, and he wasn’t busy at the moment,” Chantelle explained.

“I see. Well, connect me to Monsieur Boivin as I would like to have a chat with him. I will tell him I expect you to answer the phone in English. If he gives you any more trouble, please contact my Admin, Avery, and he will let me know.”

“Merci, Ms. Stewart.”

“De rien, Chantelle.”

A moment later, Andre Boivin picked up the phone and barked, “What do you want, Grace? I’m in the middle of a rather important meeting.”

Grace was surprised he had the audacity to lie to her.

“Oh? Who are you meeting with?”

Andre stammered and was about to dig himself in deeper, but Grace stopped him in his tracks.

“I don’t have to tell you that your performance these past has not been up to what Mac and I have come to expect from you,” she started, trying to be diplomatic.

“Really?” Andre fumed. “What you expect? Weren’t you just an assistant when your husband took over this company? In fact, you weren’t even married to him then. How is it that it’s come down to what you expect?”

Grace was taken aback but let him spew.

“What qualifications do you have to critique my job performance, nom de dieu, poutain?” he shouted into the phone.

She couldn't be sure whether he had slipped into French without thinking or did so in order to swear at her without remembering she spoke fluent French. Either way, it was rude and unacceptable.

“Stop right there, Andre,” Grace warned him. “You need to remember who you are speaking to before you take a step you can’t take back. I may have moved up the ladder faster than you deem appropriate, but I assure you I have a resume that proves my ability to do this job. I have cut you slack because I understand you have issues at home.”

“You understand nothing. My wife is a crazy person right now. She accuses me of sleeping with other women when I try to stay late at work to get things done. So, I leave early to make her happy, and then I fall behind. I cannot win.”

“Are you sleeping with other women?” Grace asked bluntly.

“You have no business asking me that. What I do on my own time is my own business.”

So, he didn’t deny it.

“Except when it affects my business,” Grace corrected him. “And it has been doing so for some time now. I’m going to give you two months to get your act together. Make whatever adjustments you need to make in your personal life and get your job done in a timely manner. I will arrange for Brendan O’Sullivan to spend time in your office. He’s our go-to guy for any issues that come up in Europe. He will help you get back on track. I will have him contact you regarding when he will arrive. Please provide him with office space and whatever else he needs.”

“I don’t need a babysitter…”

“You need to understand that you’re being thrown a lifeline here, Andre. Grab hold or move on. Which is it going to be?”

“You can’t fire me. I want to speak with your husband.”

“I’m the Chief Operating Officer, and my job is to oversee day-to-day administrative and operational functions of the firm, including staffing and company strategy. So, yes, I can fire you. But, instead, I’m giving you one more chance to fix this before I tell you to take your shit and go. Don’t push me, Andre! I’ve given you plenty of leeway, and you’ve taken advantage of my concern for you and your issues. But my patience will only last so long.”

Andre was silent.

Grace continued, “I want to give you one more chance to make this right, you’ve done a remarkable job in the past, and I feel like you have what it takes to keep running the Paris office if you put your mind to it. Or am I wrong about you and your abilities?”

Andre waited another moment before responding. “No, you’re not wrong; I can do this job. I apologize; you have been more than fair and patient. I know I need to get a handle on things,” he admitted. “I can’t say I care much for this side of you, but you are just doing your job. I will prepare for Brendan’s visit and accept this opportunity to keep my job.”

Grace wasn’t convinced his sudden change in demeanor was genuine. But she would send Brendan to Paris and check in with him frequently.

“Is there anything else?” Andre asked in a tone bordered on curtness.

“Yes, as a matter of fact, there is. I’ve instructed Chantelle to answer the phone in English. With clients located in many different places, we find it best to communicate in the standard language of business. If clients are more content to speak French once they reach their intended party, that’s fine. But we want English as the initial greeting, do you understand?”

“Perfectly,” Andre answered.

“Tres bien,” Grace said in a tone that was just shy of condescending.

Once she hung up with Andre, Grace quickly dialed Brendan’s number.

“Ah, the feckin’ genius of the firm,” Brendan said as he answered Grace’s call. “To what do I owe the pleasure of a call from you, lass?”

Grace felt herself relax. Her conversation with Andre had left her stressed and annoyed, but Brendan was so friendly; he always put her at ease.

“You’re a smooth talker, Brendan,” Grace laughed. “I need your help in Paris.”

Grace spent the next few minutes explaining the issue and outlining what she wanted him to do.

“I’m on it, dear Grace. You can count on me.”

When she was finished, she closed her eyes for a minute. She was so tired that she could have easily fallen asleep sitting up. Then DJ started to fuss, and that was that.

As she lifted him out of the bassinet, she could smell why he’d started to fuss. “Let’s get you upstairs and cleaned up before I feed you, young man,” she said, planting kisses on his chubby little cheeks.

Avery looked up from his desk as she headed out and asked, “All done for the day?”

“Yes, I’m whipped after dealing with Paris. Will you let Mac know that I handled it? This little guy needs a new diaper and some mama time.”

“Of course. Grace, you’re doing a fine job balancing things. I have to hand it to you; I really thought you’d have hired a nanny by now.”

Grace’s brow furrowed. She wasn’t sure how she felt about what Avery had just said. But she let it go and headed to the elevator.

Should she hire a nanny?

Chapter Seven

While Grace was upstairs in the nursery, Mac’s phone rang.

“Hello, Andre,” Mac greeted him tentatively. “Why are you calling my direct line? Not that I’m not available to you, but I understand that you went around Grace when you asked for more time on the monthly report last time.”

“I apologize for the intrusion, McKinley, but your wife threatened to fire me earlier. I wanted to speak to you about her overstepping her bounds.”

“Seriously?” Mac asked. “Andre, you need to understand that employee concerns fall under her jurisdiction. I won’t undermine her by discussing this with you. Of course, I will ask her what transpired, but if she threatened to fire you and you still have your job, I’d say you should be thankful and do whatever she directed you to do to keep it.”

“She insisted on sending Brendan O’Sullivan her to fix things. She had the audacity to ask if I was cheating on my wife. I told her my personal life isn’t her business, and she says it is if it affects my job. How does it matter who I fuck?” Andre said furiously.

“Why.”

“Excuse me?”

“It’s why does it matter who I fuck, not how. And if it’s causing you to slack off and not attend to your job, it matters a lot. I’m guessing Grace has reached the end of her patience with you but gave you one more chance out of the goodness of her heart. She’s a tough but fair boss. If you want my advice, I highly suggest that you follow whatever plan Grace and Brendan lay out for you. If you’re not interested, you should tell me now and save us all the time and trouble Grace has gone to help you stay in our employ.”

Andre was dumbfounded. “I should have never sold my company to you,” he fumed. “I had a good thing going with my job, my wife, and my mistress. I could do things on my own timetable, and everyone was happy.”

“So, why did you let me buy you out?”

“I suppose it was the lure of easy money. I figured I’d have more to spend on my mistress without my wife noticing.”

“Am I supposed to feel sorry for you, Andre? Because I don’t. It’s none of my business what you do in your personal life. But it has become an issue because you aren’t leading your office the way we agreed upon during the acquisition.”

Andre was quiet. He hated that McKinley was right. But he was struggling as his personal life spiraled out of control. His wife was suspicious, his mistress was whiny, and his bosses were up his ass.

“Your house is on fire,” Mac said abstractly. “Brendan is coming to help you put out the metaphorical flames. If you need help from us, call Avery or Grace. I won’t contradict any decision Grace makes. I trust her implicitly. She’s a shrewd businesswoman; be grateful she also has a heart, or you’d be gone.”

Andre made a disparaging sound but agreed before ending the call.

Mac walked out of his office and told Avery he was taking an early lunch and would be upstairs with Grace and DJ. He got on the elevator and headed up to the sixth floor.

He entered the nursery to find Grace on the floor with their son on his tummy on the adorable mat their chef, Claudette, had given them at the baby shower.

“Tummy time is important,” Grace mused as she sensed Mac’s entrance.

“Mmmm, I’d like to spend some time with your tummy on mine,” Mac said seductively.

Grace looked up at Mac and grinned. “Well then, why don’t you grab us some lunch while I nurse this little guy and see if I can get him down for a bit? Then we can have some tummy time of our own.”

Mac felt his cock twitch. “Sounds like a plan.”

Chapter Eight

Forty-five minutes later, they were tearing off each other’s clothes. Grace pulled Mac onto the bed with her and made her way down between his legs.

“Grace,” Mac moaned as she licked a seductive wet line from his balls to the tip of his cock.

“Mmm, I’m just gonna show him a little love and get him nice and wet so he can slide into me,” Grace purred.

“Not gonna argue with a deal like that,” he laughed. “Oh, fuck, Grace! God, you have the most amazing oral skills.”

She teased him a bit longer, letting the head of his cock dip into her throat a few times before she straddled him, impaling herself on his rigid pole.

“Oh, God, your pussy feels fabulous on my dick. That’s right, fuck yourself with my shaft, baby. Look at your amazing breasts.”

He was reluctant to touch them, feeling like they were off-limits while she was nursing. But Grace took his hands and guided them to her chest.

“My breasts need a little attention, too,” she cooed. “Not too hard, but a little massage would feel…Oh, God, yes. Just like that!”

“Mmm, you’re so fuckin’ hot, Gracie. I love you so damned much!”

Grace moved up and down slowly, teasing Mac until he thought he’d go mad. He grabbed her hips and held her in place as he bucked wildly, fucking her fast and furiously – just like she liked it!

“Yes! Yes! Yes!” Grace cried out in a hushed hiss. “Oh, God, baby, I’m cumming hard!”

Mac took her cue, rammed her hard, finished strong, and took them both over the edge.

Collapsing on the bed next to Mac, Grace panted, “Best quickie ever. God, I needed that so much!”

“Most new moms are not quite so interested in sex this soon after having a baby,” Mac remarked.

“Most new moms don’t have a husband who is sexy as fuck and hung like a horse. How can I not be interested in sex?”

Mac laughed and pulled her into his arms.

“After he goes down tonight, I’m gonna feast on your pussy and drive you wild.”

“Mmmm, it’s a date.”

As they got dressed again, Mac laughed. “So, I heard you had a run-in with Andre this morning.”

“What a fucking branleur!” Grace replied.

When Mac frowned, Grace explained. “You know, wanker, jackass!”

“That he is, which really disappoints me.”

“Me too! He was amazing last year, but apparently, having to work with timelines cuts into his playtime with the mistress, and now the wife is pissed. How do people live like that?”

“And, yet, you gave him another chance,” Mac said as he slid a finger along the side of her face and tucked a red curl behind her ear.

“I couldn’t fire him for being a dirty rotten cheater, but I did put him on notice that if he doesn’t get his shit together, he’s gone.”

“Atta girl!” Mac said as he nuzzled her neck. It didn’t matter that he had just enjoyed an afternoon romp; he wanted more of her. He could never get enough.

“I’m sure you need to get back to work,” Grace said. “I suppose I could put in another hour or so.”

“No need, Grace. You’ve accomplished a great deal today. I want you to have time to enjoy being a mom, too.”

“Avery said something earlier about thinking we were planning to hire a nanny. Are we?” Grace asked.

“I haven’t given it much thought,” Mac said, shrugging. “I mean, once you go back to work full time, I think we will need some help, but that doesn’t need to be any time soon. I think you’re doing a remarkable job working mornings. Let’s not forget that I survived without a COO for years before you took on that role. I am thrilled with your performance and was actually planning to give you a raise.”

Grace scoffed, “Oh, let’s give the naysayers another reason to suggest I’m a gold digger.”

Mac frowned. “Grace, you’ve been in this role for about a year. It’s time for you to get an increase the same way any other employee would get.”

“If I were any other employee, I’d be making less for working part-time.”

“You do more in a half day than most people accomplish in a full day. And, technically, you should have had more time off, but you came back early.”

Grace shrugged.

“You’ve got to stop letting people like Andre get inside your head. If anything, you are overqualified for the position you hold. And fuck it, I’m the boss, and I get to decide who I want to pay what!” Mac said, visibly annoyed.

Grace inhaled sharply and blew out her breath. “You’re right.”

Mac tilted his head. “What was that now?”

Grace raised an eyebrow. “You heard me. You just want me to say it out loud again.”

He smirked. “Damn straight, I do. I like being right. Go ahead, Gracie; say it again.”

“You’re right. Most of the time, I am confident I earned my place in your firm. But every once in a while, I wonder if I’d be where I am without sleeping with the boss.”

“Of course, you would. I’m not a complete idiot. Once I realized your capabilities, I knew I could never let you go. And that was before we were having sex, baby.”

Grace smiled at her husband. “You’ve gotten quite good at making me feel better.”

“Wait till I make you feel better later when I’m between your legs.”

Fortunately, the rest of the afternoon passed quickly, and, at Bentley’s instructions, the house was free of all staff by six o’clock.

Mac ate dinner while Grace nursed DJ. When the baby was fed and changed, Mac rocked him and told him stories about a prince who fell in love with a red-haired princess while they traveled around Europe as Grace finished her meal.

The moment the baby was asleep, Mac picked Grace up and carried her to bed, making her squeal with pleasure.

“Shh! You’ll wake that baby, and I have plans that don’t include him for the next hour or so,” Mac admonished her playfully.

Within seconds, they were naked on the bed, and Mac was kissing the insides of Grace’s thighs.

Pure contentment covered her face as he drew wet circles with his tongue on her bare mound. Grace's back arched when he let his tongue flick her hard little nub.

“Oh, God, more. Please!”

His tongue dipped inside and out again as he slid a finger into her wet heat. The erotic sensations had her hips rocking and her hands gripping the sheets. He teased her by easing off now and then until she thought she’d go mad with need.

“God, baby, I need to cum so badly. Please, don’t make me wait anymore!”

Tempting as it was to deny her orgasm, he figured tonight wasn’t the right time to do that. They were never quite sure how much time they had and the last thing he wanted to do was leave her frustrated.

So, instead, he picked up the pace, added another finger, and brought her to an intense orgasm that had her screaming into a pillow.

“Now!” Grace hissed impatiently. “Fuck me now! I need you inside me!”

Mac grinned. He didn’t need to be asked twice.

He scooted her to the end of the bed and entered her in one swift thrust. He watched her eyes roll back in her head as he gave her what he knew she wanted and needed – a good hard fuck.

He moved slowly at first, but after feeling the vibrations of another intense orgasm, he picked up the pace and hammered into his wife. She dragged the pillow back over her face and screamed into it while Mac repeatedly brought her over the edge. When he could hold back no longer, as his balls ached for release, he cried out and emptied himself deep inside her.

Grace froze for a moment, then relaxed when she realized Mac hadn’t woken their son with his noisy orgasm.

“Babe, he’s in the next room,” he reassured her.

“I know, but jeez, I had to scream into my pillow for my orgasms.”

“That’s because your noisy climaxes could wake the dead.”

“Very funny.”

Mac cuddled up next to his beautiful redheaded wife and kissed her shoulder. “I love when you scream for me, just sayin’.”

“I love you, Mac. But I’m exhausted. Would it be weird to go to bed at eight o’clock?”

“I love you too, Grace. Nothing weird about it. The book says we should feel free to sleep when the baby sleeps.”

Grace tilted her head. “You’re reading the book?”

“I’ve read it cover to cover.”

Grace giggled.

“What’s so funny?” he asked, mildly annoyed.

“I’m just comparing the man lying next to me, who read the book on being a father, to the man I met last year who made it clear that I’d be expected to sleep with him but that the relationship was a sham.”

Mac sighed. “That guy was an asshole. But he’s awfully damn glad you agreed to his shenanigans. I think he’s learned a lot along the way.”

“Yes, but since he still likes to fuck bareback, we need to consider what form of birth control we should start using so we don’t end up with babies less than a year apart.”

Mac looked suddenly ill. “Oh, my God, that’s a possibility?”

Grace wiggled her eyebrows. “It would be, but Dr. Francis and I already took care of that. Relax.”

“That was mean, Gracie. You nearly gave me a heart attack. I think that deserves a spanking.”

“You keep threatening to spank me, but my ass is still creamy white,” Grace taunted.

“Soon, my love. Very soon. When you least expect it.”

Grace smiled. “I look forward to it. Now, let’s get some sleep while we can.”