What a Rich Man Wants by Billie Summer (self help books to read .txt) 📗

Cat looked up to find Claudia still standing in the doorway of Allison’s office. Hatred flashed at Cat from her cold eyes. Eric turned to follow the direction of Cat’s glaze, Claudia quickly concealed her expression, pinning a smile on her face. “Congratulations to you both. I’m sorry Eric but I really need to go over some things with you now and they can’t wait.” Giving him her 100 watt smile “I’m sure Cat can be without you for an hour, can’t you.” She directed the last part to Cat. Cat raised an eyebrow at her, the woman really did have two faces. Cat said to Eric “I’m fine honest, go.” “Yes, you go Eric I’m going to take my soon to be daughter in law out to lunch, a long lunch so we can arrange this wedding.” Allison said happily smiling at them both.  “Ok” standing up Eric said to Cat “ I know you took the bus this morning. You will wait for me, I’ll take you home. Be ready at 5pm.” Cat was about to argue when she saw the look on his face, so she just nodded. Eric kissed her forehead. Turning he said to Claudia “Come on, let’s head to my office.” As they disappear from sight Allison said “Nosy isn’t she.” Meaning Claudia “I’m sure she was just waiting for Eric.” “He does have a mobile phone, she could have just called him.” Allison disagreed “I really think men are blind when it comes to women like that. Then again she is always careful not to act up around him.” Cat gave a small smile never one to bitch about other women even though she really wanted to. She had taken away Eric from Claudia. If Claudia was in love with Eric then she had a right to be pissed. Allison gave her a sceptical look “Knowing you Katherine, I bet you’re feeling sorry for her!”  Cat shrugged “I did take away the man she was dating Allison.” She couldn’t say loved out aloud. Allison gave an unladylike snort “I think she was just convenient and knowing Eric the way we both do. I would say she knew the score.” Helping Cat up she added “ now let’s get that late lunch.”   Hours later Eric picked her up from Allison’s office and uncaring of anyone seeing them together Eric escorted her to his car. Cat knew she couldn’t hold off speaking to Eric any longer. She would wait until they got back to her townhouse,  they stopped for a meal on the way home, Cat got more and more worried with every passing minute. Once she let them into the townhouse “Do you want a cup of coffee?” She asked heading towards the kitchen. Eric followed sitting on a bar stool. “Cat what’s wrong. You have been jumpy since I picked you up.” Cat turned a face him. Where to start! twins or Rachel. Both could be touchy subjects. In for a penny.  “Eric can you tell me about Rachel.” She asked softly  Eric froze “how did you find out about her.” Cat still didn’t want to point fingers at Claudia so said instead “The first time I fainted at the office I heard you and Allison talk about her. I just need to know is there another child.” “No, there isn’t another child. Rachel lied she wasn’t pregnant.” Eric sighed “Rachel had always been around growing up. Her family and mine had been friends. Business connections really of my fathers. She was a real rebel growing up. Almost like a constant live wire, fun to be around. It was until later I realised how exhausting it could be. Anyway I was about 22 and building a name for myself in the business world also the media. Rachel’s family was connected just not like mine and as I friend I asked her the come to a few events as friends. She liked the attention this gave her. Don’t get me wrong it wasn’t all Rachel I did find her attractive. So when she made a move on me I didn’t knock her back and Cat she wasn’t a virgin or innocent. I was only 22 not ready for anything serious, I really thought we just enjoyed each other’s company. As I said before someone with Rachel’s personality can be exhausting. I started to pull away. She then told me she was pregnant. I felt trapped” Cat went white, did he feel that way with her. Laying her hands on the counter she looked down feeling tears prick her eyes. Eric put a finger under her chin and lifted her head to meet his glaze saying “Cat you are nothing like Rachel. Think about it. You hate anyone knowing about us. Also you almost ran.” Eric reminded her.  “Ok.” Cat gave a weak smile. “Tell me the rest. Please.” Eric took one of her hands and pulled her around the counter sitting her on a stool beside him. Not letting go of her. He lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed her open palm. Causing Cat’s breath to hitch. Was she that easy? Heat spread through her core.  Eric smiled knowing exactly what he was doing to her.  “I might have only been 22 but the child was mine and Rachel was my responsibility. I asked her to marry me.” Eric squeezed her hand as she tensed up. “ let me finish. I went to my father and talked to him. He told me it was the only decent thing to do. So a date was set for us to marry, Rachel didn’t slow down on the partying and wanting to go out as the wedding date got closer. I even caught her drinking one night. I later express a wish to move out of the city to find a home for our family. She lost it, she wanted to live in the city, it’s where everything was happening. I told her that as young parents we couldn’t go out all the time and living in a apartment wasn’t ideal. When we could afford to buy a house. That night when I got home she wasn’t home. Then she did turn up around 1am she was drunk. We got into a fight. It was then that she told me she wasn’t pregnant and she had lied. She only wanted me because of the attention the media gave me and I was becoming a real killjoy. She didn’t love me or really like me that much I was to much of a stiff shirt in her eyes. This all happened just 3 days before the wedding, It wasn’t until the wedding was cancelled that I found out her family had put her into rehab that not only did Rachel have a drinking problem but she also had a drug problem. It was all hushed up of cause.” looking at her straight in the eye “and do you know what I felt the most, relief.” Giving a critical laugh “ I was relieved, I was to young to be a father, I was relieved it wasn’t with Rachel.”  Cat was glad she had asked him about Rachel. Sad for him, how cruel was it to lie about being pregnant because you wanted a life style. “Why do you think I have never asked you if the child was mine. Any other woman I have dated I would have done. I don’t trust very easily.” “I was a virgin when we met.” “That’s part of it. Also the fact you would run rather than demand support. It’s not in your nature to be deceptive.” Pulling her up into his arms Eric moved Cat between his legs while he still sat on the bar stool. He leaned forward and kissed her sweetly. Cat idly wondered if now was a good time to bring up Claudia and his feelings for her. Cat didn’t know how she felt about hearing the truth. Because Eric never lied to her. How would she feel if he told her he loved the other woman. Instead she pulled back. “Eric, I’m so sorry about Rachel. Do you know where she is now?”  Eric pulled a lock of Cat’s red hair and rapped it around his fingers. “Yes, Rachel now lives in America and is married to someone in Hollywood. No one big but just famous enough for her to appear in the papers every so often. I’m not heart broken Cat. I was mad, I felt used. I don’t wish Rachel ill. I’m just glad I didn’t have to marry her. I’m sure we would have been divorced before the year was out. We really didn’t suit.”  Nodding Cat excepted “ Eric….” Cat bit her lip. Not sure how to tell him Eric pulled her abused lip free with his finger before placing a kiss on her lips. “Talk Cat.” Placing another kiss, then a longer kiss.  Cat laid her hand over his mouth stopping him from kissing her anymore. She couldn’t think when he did that. “Eric.. I really need to tell you something. I’m not sure how your going to take it.” Swallowing Cat continued, Eric’s arms tightened around her “I was really sick in the beginning of the pregnancy, due to the fact of having low iron, the doctor said it might not have been so bad. But this pregnancy is especially draining.”  Eric frowned “Is there something wrong, are you in danger.”  “Oh no.” Cat reassured him “It’s not that. I’m fine now I’m taking the right vitamins and eating well.” Eric relaxed pulling her forward and removing her hand from his mouth. Eric angled his head to the side of her neck and started nuzzling her skin, Cat closed her eyes. Turning to focus on what she had to say and not on the heat spreading through her body. “Eric, I really have to tell you, the reason it’s draining is because I’m carrying two babies not one.” Cat spilled out in a rush before she lost her nerve or she lost her head with the sexual excitement running through her body.