All Chapters of Stealing the Heart of Mr. Steele: Chapter 91 - Chapter 100

[Cordelia]The only thing harder than running the fashion department at Steele Industries is trying to be friends with Atlas Steele and watching him fall in love with my sister all over again. And I only have myself to blame. It was after all my idea. I’m the one who ended things before they even began. He wanted to date me in secret. I don’t want to be a secret, not if I am the type of secret that breaks my sister’s heart. So I told him that we could only be friends at the office and nothing more. The first few days I was fine with the new arrangement. If anything it was a relief. I finally have the space in my mind to dig deep into my work. Now that I’ve found a way to relate with everyone in the design and production departments, they are willing to listen to my ideas. The patterns from my collection are now scanned into the system and the cutting department and sewing department have been working hard to get everything made to my specifications. Tonight, we will be working on

[Cordelia]When the car stopped in front of the most exclusive bridal salons in Los Angeles, my heart sank to the floor. I still remember the last day we were here. My mother brought me here without an explanation, letting it be a surprise that they had decided to marry me to Atlas in Angelica's place. I cannot remember the weather or the color of the shoes I was wearing when I entered the store, but I do remember the look of harsh judgment the owner made when she learned why I was there instead of my sister. The appointment had been made for Angelica, who had come the week before to have her measurements taken and her dress sized. Nobody would mistake me for her. "What kind of person takes her sister's fiance," she questioned me harshly as her rough hands cinched and pulled on a dress designed for a much curvier body. "Do you have no shame?""Perhaps," I remember answering, my body too stiff and stunned by the events of the week before, my face and arms still bruised from the acci

[Cordelia]I have no interest in trying on wedding dresses, but Angelica doesn't care. She pushes me into the room with enough force that I am sure she would lock it behind me if she could. Even without the lock, I know I am trapped. If I do not leave this room donning an appropriate wedding gown, I will have to face the wrath of the bride.Hesitantly I look through the rack of dresses. I don't know why I even bothered since it is clear that the shop owner has her own opinion about what a pregnant bride should wear, and the opinion is not kind.Still, determined to make Angelica happy, I try on each dress. I'm sure they are out there wondering about me since I don't bother with stepping out of the room to show them off. Even the ones that look like promising options make me want to cry with how terrible I look once I put them on. The worst one was a dress made of stretch satin that had so much ruching around the midsection that the champagne-colored silk made it look like I was naked

[Cordelia]"Atlas..." My breath catches as his hand touches the edges of the veil. "May I,' he asks as he gently reaches for the lace corners that trail along the edges of my bodice. Afraid to shatter the magic of the moment with words, I nod. He steps up onto the raised platform and for a moment, time stops. My lungs fill with his clean scent, his body so close that I can feel the heat of him radiating outward, melting whatever ice was in my heart. It has been so hard since I told him I wanted to be friends. The more I see him with Angelica, the more it tears at my heart. But right now, at this moment, I don't want to think about her. It is just the two of us as he lifts the veil revealing my face as he places it gently behind my tiara. "You are so beautiful," he moves a strand of hair behind my ear and I close my eyes at the gentle touch. "Such a beautiful bride. How did I ever let you go?""Atlas," I try not to cry, but a tear slowly rolls down my face."Shhh," he gently wipes

[Cordelia]Walking backward, Atlas leads me over the edges of my dress which lay puddled at my feet in a beautiful ripple of silk and lace. The tall silver pumps catch on the edge but he holds me steady with a stable hand on my waist as my back presses against the cold, flat surface of the mirror. I gasp at the sudden chill as he presses me into it gently, his hands moving up and down my rib cage sending delicate tingles of pleasure along my spine. Placing my hands on his chest, my hands reach up to wrap around his neck, bringing him closer to me as my lips part enough for his tongue to gain entrance."Cordelia," he smiles my name against my lips as he continues to kiss me, his hands slowly reaching up towards my breasts, which aching and full, press against the tight lace of my bra. As his thumb touches the edge of my areola I gasp. "Too much?" he stops, waiting for my approval. I struggle to catch my breath. Pregnancy is making everything so sensitive that just a simple touch is