Four Shades of Recovery: Boxed Set (18 page)

“I’ve put Jared on her tail to keep tabs, starting yesterday.” He looks somewhat smug about closing that loop.

“Suppose that Jillian and Marissa decide to extract some favor from you? Could they plot against you?” I propose.

“It’s possible. Jillian doesn’t see herself as a peer of Marissa’s though. Further, I’m paying both of them a lot of coin to divert Kingsfield.”

“Do either Marissa or Jillian know about me? If so, they could unite against you.”

“They know nothing about you at this point. All they know concerns my interest in making sure this real estate deal comes through with flying colors.”

“Well, Matt. I think we should expect that there’ll be flaws in the plan. Things can and will go wrong. Count on that!”

“Remember, I’ve got Kingsfield’s signature on the real estate development deal already.”

“He could be suspicious about all of this good fortune heading his way, however.”

“Yes, he could be. Therefore, I want you to write him a thank you for the flowers. Tell him that Abby seems to be recovering from her coma. That’ll signal your belief that he had nothing to do with her injury. Then, we’ll notch it up a bit with Marissa,” he directs.

Matt’s scheming knows no bounds.

“Do you think that my thank you note will bring an end to his chasing after me? Will it reduce his feelings of guilt over the role he may or may not have played in the accident?” I wonder aloud. I breathe deeply since there’s no way to tell how Michael might react to my note.

Matt seems confident. “I think it’ll bring closure to your relationship. He may not feel guilt if he’s a sociopath, though.”

“I have a better idea. Let’s have Abby write him a thank you note about the flowers. Then, he won’t be reminded of me at the moment. He can give his full attention to Marissa and the real estate development. Then we can all quietly slip out of town,” I smile and give him a hug.

“Let’s do it, Megan. Why don’t you speak with Abby’s rehab coach to determine how soon she can be moved to Portland via plane?”

“OK. Also, we’ll have to think about closing up her condo here in Miami. Abby may want to return to town once she’s recovered from her rehabilitation. I’ll need to call about her utilities, etc.” It’s an elaborate plan but it just might work.

We both get busy with the next phase of Matt’s plan. I’m amazed at the extent to which Matt has taken my issues on as his own. He truly loves and wants me. Thank goodness for overzealous, love crazed, millionaire boyfriends!

MEGAN’S POV

I investigate the possibility of transferring Abby to Portland. Her insurance will cover medical care elsewhere but, as Matt anticipated, we’ll need to arrange for and to fund her transportation. Dr. Carl believes that Abby’s well enough and can be transferred at any time.

Matt makes plans for our departure with his private jet and pilot. I go about the task of turning off my mother’s utilities and shutting up her condo for the time being. I also complete forms for the postal service and let her employer know that they can contact us in Portland. This process takes us a couple of days.

Matt pays for a private nurse to accompany Abby on the cross-country flight. I find a rehab facility near our condo. My millionaire boyfriend covers all the necessary expenses. He astounds me on so many levels. Everything moves smoothly. From all reports out of Atlanta, Michael Kingsfield and Marissa are getting along well. Abby remains confused about the time and place but seems comfortable with her therapy in Portland. I return to work at The Oregonian.

On our first night back at home, I nearly jump Matt’s bones. “Have I told you, baby, how much your generosity impresses me?” I ask when we’re finally alone. I grab the lapels of his suit jacket and pull him close to me. He enjoys my enthusiasm. His gorgeous smile won’t quit. The look in his eyes tells me he’s delighted with my show of appreciation.

“You can show me how impressed you are, Megan,” he intones with a seductive look on his face. He holds my face between his palms.

“With pleasure, Matt,” I gush and snake my tongue into his sexy mouth. He moans as our kiss deepens. “Let me count the ways,” I begin after a bit. His grin widens when I begin to kiss each of his eyelids. It takes so little to make him melt.

“First, you flew all the way to Florida to spend time with me, even though you were having financial problems at your company. That deserves recognition,” I claim and kiss his forehead. He’s relishing the attention.

“Your greeting in Miami was more than memorable,” he adds with a lascivious grin. He pulls my body impossibly close to his.

“It works both ways, baby. Then, you created an elaborate schema to divert Kingsfield from inflicting more pain on Abby and me.” I kiss him full on the mouth. He pulls my head to his lips and secures our position with a hand at the back of my neck. We feast on each other’s mouths for a while before I proceed.

When I finally pull back from the kiss and take a long breath, he pulls my face to his. “The plan for Kingsfield also diverted his attention from my interests,” he adds with a wink.

“You gave me support when Abby began to recover from her coma and you flew all of us back to Portland for safekeeping, at your expense,” I snuggle against his chest for a bit.

Then I begin to strip off my clothing and his. He’s definitely pleased with that move. As soon as we are down to our underwear, Matt picks me up and holds me in both arms as if I’m his bride. I throw my head back and laugh with joy. He likes the sound of my giggle.

“Matt, do you know what I feel for you, right now?” I look him fully in his gorgeous hazel eyes.

“That I am the sexiest man alive?” Matt jokes and then pulls me to his chest as he carries me in his arms.

“I think I need to tell you something very important, baby,” I announce with gravity.

He pauses while walking us toward the bed and looks into my eyes with an intense stare. “Yes, I’m listening!”

He’s breathing in a shallow manner. The moment of reckoning is at hand. I take a breath before telling him my latest insight.

I gaze fully into his face and pronounce with full confidence, “I love you, Matt, so much. You are the best!” My heart overflows with emotion for this beautiful, generous and caring man. I have no idea how I resisted him for so long. Now, I want to spend my life making him happy.

Matt stops in his tracks and puts me down in front of him. We’re standing face to face at the entrance to his bedroom. He tilts my face up to his and looks at me for a moment without speaking. His eyes actually tear up. Wow!

“Do you love me without any doubts, now?” He continues to look into my eyes very closely. He’s nearly interrogating me.

I nod my head, with confidence, to affirm what I’ve just told him. “I love you unconditionally, Matt. You make me complete. I want to make you happy, baby, for the rest of our lives.”

“Megan, you don’t know how long I’ve waited to hear you say those words,” his feelings of relief are palpable. The look of wonder on Matt’s face is priceless. “You make me incredibly happy, Megan.”

I kiss his neck. “I think this recent crisis, with Abby and Michael, demonstrates to me how much I need you…want you… love you. I can’t begin to tell you how grateful I feel toward you. You’re a great guy and I want to spend my life with you.”

“I want you to depend on me, Megan,” he whispers into my ear, “in all things.” His lips make contact with my throat.  Then, he’s trailing kisses from my jaw to my collarbone. I can feel him harden between us.

“Thank you for being there for me when I was frightened and  down,” I pronounce with gratitude. Then I kiss his chest and remove his undershirt. His naked chest and gorgeous six pack makes me wet in all the right places.

“Thank you for returning to me and giving us another chance,” he adds. “You don’t know how many months I dreamed of our reunion. What you’ve just told me is better than any daydream I imagined, Megan,” his forehead contorts with a difficult memory.

My heart melts when I think of the emotional pain Matt suffered while I explored my options. “My time away from you helped me realize that you’re the only man I truly want. I’ve tested the waters and I’m convinced now, Matt.”

“The reality of my feelings about our reunion actually exceeds my fantasies,” he gushes. “My ideas about how I’d feel once you returned to me were impressive but they can’t compare to what I’m experiencing at the moment,” he confesses. His mega-watt smile lights up the room.

I pat his cheek and continue my proclamation. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Matt.”

He stares at me with a look of disbelief. “Are you telling me that you feel confident enough about your feelings toward me that you would marry me, Megan?” He’s actually holding his breath as he waits for my response.

“I’d be a fool not to marry you, Matt. That’s if you really want to commit to me on that level.”

“Megan, I want to spend every moment of forever with you. Of course, I want to see my ring on your finger. The world needs to know that you belong to me.”

“Matt, I’d be more than overjoyed to wear your engagement ring.”

“Good. You need to wear one, baby. There’s no way I’ll let another Kingsfield attempt to entice my girl.”

“Matt, that’s very romantic. I don’t know how I’ve been able to resist you for so long. But, all my fear is in the past. The future belongs to us, as a couple, and a family.”

My heart overflows with emotion as I speak. I kiss him with all that I can muster.

“Megan, you’ve just made me the happiest man on the planet, so let’s celebrate with a demonstration,” he announces and then moves into his sexpert mode.

He tosses me playfully on his mattress and we make love all night long. It’s the most passionate night of our relationship. We’ve just declared our undying love for one another. Matt’s enthusiasm knows no boundaries. I meet his every thrust with all the power I can muster. It’s the most satisfying night of my life. How have I become so lucky?

MATT’S POV

My sleeping beauty rests soundly next to me. It’s nearly five in the morning and I’m wide awake. I feel ecstatic. The coupling we experienced in the last few hours were the best of my existence. How have I become so lucky? I’ve finally won Megan’s heart and she’s convinced me that her feelings for me are real, at last. Perhaps I ought to thank Michael Kingsfield for being such an overzealous creep. His obsessive pursuit of Megan, in Florida, drove her back into my arms like a charm.

The recent drama that Kingsfield created with Abby and then my own business loan scare were actually useful. They allowed me to demonstrate my capacity to work through a complicated threat with skill. I think Megan finally realized she loved me when I resolved those issues in a rational and even creative manner. I pat myself on the back for avoiding the typical revenge option that I might have used in the past to solve our problems. Thank goodness for Dr. Stone.

However, I’m also really happy that I kicked Michael’s ass at first. His vengeful response proved to be sobering. My second resolution to that threat demonstrates how rapidly I learn from negative experiences. Now Megan knows how much protection I can provide when the world throws a challenge down.

I need to think about finding a suitable time and more formal way to ask Megan to marry me though. I want our engagement to be perfect. She’s mine now and we need to make our commitment special. What sort of location should I choose for the event? I want my proposal to be a surprise. Perhaps an upscale restaurant or stunning viewpoint will do the trick. Maybe the proposal should take place on my yacht. I also want to find just the right kind of engagement ring. We need something that declares my love yet avoids being ostentatious. That seems more appropriate.

Should we live at my condo? That topic requires a discussion between the two of us. In my view, we’ll eventually need to find a home to raise our family in. Anyway, if we have children, that is. Do either of us even want to go down that road? I don’t have any strong feelings about them. We’ve not even broached that topic, yet. We’ll have years to work those questions out, however.

I wonder what sort of wedding we’ll throw to celebrate our big event? I certainly want the world to know that Megan’s my wife. I want a very public display of our union. Of that, I have no doubt. Maybe Megan wants something elaborate. I’ll give her whatever her heart desires. She’s all that I really cherish in life and I want to make her so happy.

I should wake Megan up to talk about our options but she looks so contented in her sleep. I really enjoy seeing my angel at rest. She’s had quite a scare with Abby’s accident but it all looks good now. The rehab specialist thinks Abby will be almost back to normal in another week or so. She needs to work on her speech and memory skills but there’ll be little lasting damage since her head injury’s healed quickly.

When I last checked with Jillian, my plan for Marissa and Kingsfield was moving in the right direction. Marissa’s been resisting Michael’s efforts to have sex but lets him take her to dinner nearly every evening. She tells him about her paintings and training in art school. He’s been hinting about taking her on a trip to Hawaii. That must be one of his favorite moves. I smolder when I think of how he attempted to entice Megan into his clutches with the amazing trip to Maui. It didn’t work with Megan, however. Perhaps Michael will have better luck with Marissa. 

What do I think will happen with Michael and Marissa? Is it too much to hope that they’ll develop a relationship and possibly get engaged or married? Marissa needs her sugar daddy but she also needs to feel cherished. I could never feel that way toward her. I do hope that Marissa gets enough guidance from Jillian to avoid ever mentioning my name in Kingsfield’s presence. If it ever comes to it, however, I’ve actually done him a favor. He should thank me for resolving the problems in his love life as well as with his real estate investments.