The Best of Forevers

by Hargrove, A. M.

  “Gabby, quit telling those lies! Danny wouldn’t do those things. You need to stop making those stories up. Get your head out of those books you read and get a grip.”

  “Dad, I am telling the truth.”

  “There you go, being difficult again. Drop it, girl!”

  “Gabby! What the hell are you doing out here? All alone?”

  His voice jolted her out of her horrid memory. It was Kolson.

  “Um, running.” He was dressed much like she was—running attire from head to toe, except he wore fancy earbuds and carried a phone.

  Chestnut tendrils swept over her face, and she pushed them away. Her breathing was heavy from running and he fixated on her mouth … the one that was slightly too wide, but in the dim light, all he wanted to do was touch it, lick it. Her pink tongue poked out to dab her bottom lip and it nearly undid him. He wanted to bind her hands behind her back and bury his own in her dark strands. Then he wanted to haul her body up close so he could bite her wet lips. Hell, his dick was probably making a damn show in his shorts right now.

  He clamped a hand around her arm and pulled her to the side of the walkway. “Are you intentionally trying to put yourself in danger?”

  Who was this guy and why was he doing this to her? “Why are you so interested in my welfare?”

  Kolson stared at her for a moment. Her question caught him off guard. He had to admit he couldn’t come close to having a good answer for her. Why was he doing this? He couldn’t very well tell her he wanted to fuck her. Nor could he tell her that he felt like they were kindred souls. She would think him crazy.

  “Because someone has to, damn it. It’s obvious you’re oblivious to the dangers around you. Your cousin Danny could be out here. Or have you forgotten already?”

  “Of course I haven’t forgotten!” How could he possibly think that?

  She tried to snatch her arm out of his grasp, but he only tightened it. “You seem to be some kind of, oh, I don’t know, magnet for danger. Or maybe you’re one of those women who seeks out danger. Are you, Gabby?”

  “No! I can’t believe you would even suggest that.”

  “What would you think if you were in my shoes? Look around you. How many single women do you see out here jogging?”

  She took a quick look around and didn’t see one.

  “That’s right. There aren’t any. Do you have any pepper spray with you? Anything to protect yourself with?” He shook his head. Then he marched her in the opposite direction of her apartment. She had to jog to keep up with him.

  “Let go of me.”

  He paid her no attention. They entered a large, beautiful building and she remembered it from the other morning. It was his building.

  He punched the elevator button with the side of his fist. When the doors opened, he nearly threw her inside. That’s when he released her to enter a series of codes on the elevator panel. No doubt she would have a bruise where he’d held her. But worse than that, he frightened her. Lids dropping to half-staff and mouth forming a thin crease, his nostrils flared as he stared her down. She backed into the corner, afraid he was going to hit her.

  When the doors opened again, they were in his penthouse. “Come on,” he said, voice curt.

  Shaking her head, she said, “I’m not going in there. You could be a lunatic.”

  “If that were the case, you would’ve seen crazy way before now.”

  “I’m not going and you can’t make me.”

  He glowered at her and said, “Oh, yes, you are.” He picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. She kicked and pounded her fists into his back, but it didn’t faze him in the least.

  Gabby wasn’t sure whether she was more frightened or infuriated by his actions. When he reached the den, he plopped her on to the sofa. She scrambled to her feet, spitting fire.

  “What the hell was that all about? You can’t just pick me up and toss me around like you own me!”

  “I told you. You have no business being out and about like that, all by yourself, unprotected.”

  “And just who do you think you are? My dad or something?”

  “I would like to think your father would protect you better than that.”

  “Oh, yeah? Well, for your information, my dad doesn’t give a rat’s ass about me. He thinks I’m nothing but a pain in the ass. I don’t even speak to him!” And then her fingers covered the lips he was dying to touch as the pink coloring her cheeks turned ashen. She’d never breathed a word about her past to anyone. Ever. Her hands flew to her head as she stood there, shocked that those secretive words had rushed past her lips, words she kept tightly locked away from everyone.

  She sucked in her breath and darted out of the room, knowing it was silly to do so, because she had no idea where she was going. She opened the first set of double doors she saw. Pushing one wide enough for her to slip through, she stepped inside and kept moving. She didn’t stop until she reached a huge window that overlooked the park and stared at the view as her ridiculous actions replayed themselves in her head.

  Damn it, Gabby, what the hell were you thinking?

  “What exactly did Danny do to you, Gabriella?”

  The words were soft and the fact that he’d used her full name didn’t register. But the question itself did. It sounded like he screamed it at her.

  “He didn’t do anything to me!” she shouted. Deny. Deny. Deny.

  “Yes, he did. Your words contradict your actions.”

  She pushed her tangled hair off her face and that’s when he caught a glimpse of her scars. His hand wrapped around hers and he pulled it toward him. With his index finger, he lightly probed the raised lines left behind by the box cutter. She tried to wrench free from his grasp, but he wouldn’t let her.

  “Oh, Gabriella. Everyone carries scars. You, of all people, should know that.”

  “Yeah, well, had I been smart enough to know I needed to run the blade in the direction of my veins, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

  “Is that what you wanted? Would you have preferred death?”

  “At one time, yes. But I don’t feel that way that anymore. Having experienced that gave me my life’s mission. To make sure no one ever has to go through what I did and deal with the shit the way I did.”

  Kolson furrowed his brow as he stared at her. “What did that bastard do to you?”

  In a low voice fraught with unease, she said, “Don’t you remember what I told you, Skippy? I’m the great secret-keeper. I’ll never tell.”

  Kolson took a deep breath and clenched his teeth. Gabby saw the tiny muscle in his jaw twitch.

  “Yeah, you will. One day I’ll get it out of you.”

  “Oh? How’re you going to do that?”

  He blinked, once, and then said, “Like this.” The hand that was holding hers tugged her hard and she fell against him, right into his arms. Before she knew what he’d planned, his mouth crashed into hers, and he kissed her. Hard. Without apology. Taking everything he wanted. And he smiled inside when he felt her respond. Her arms weren’t gentle when they grabbed him around his neck. She pulled him closer, as if that were even a possibility.

  Gabby sighed against his lips and realized she had been kissed in the past, but never like this. Kolson kissed her with ruthless precision, exacting everything he wanted from her, his tongue merciless against hers as he tantalized and teased her into a state of sexual need. Without any deliberation, her hands fingered their way into his thick hair and seized it by the fistfuls as he continued to caress her mouth with his own. Dizzy with passion, all thoughts of resistance were gone as Kolson grabbed a chunk of her hair and tugged her head back. Her lips were puffy and glistening from his kisses. He took the tip of his tongue and ran it beneath the curve of her lower lip, ever so slightly, so she barely felt it. He heard the whistle of her breath as she inhaled, and he heard it again when he repeated the motion on her upper lip.

  She looked like a picture, posing in his arms, pink and flushed from his kisses and h
e had an urge to kiss her for hours. But he didn’t. He brought her hands from his head back in front of her and she opened her eyes.

  Gabriella was a passionate woman, and Kolson had just unleashed that passion. There was no telling what would happen if he really got down to business with her.

  He lifted her arm. Turning it so her scars faced upward, he dropped his head and ran his lips over them, barely touching them. Gabby’s breath rushed through her teeth in a hiss, but Kolson didn’t stop. He took her wrist and rested his stubbled cheek against it momentarily and then let it slide across his face, before moving to kiss it again. This time, his tongue peeked out and painted along the lines of each jagged edge, right before his mouth closed over the group of them and sucked. Gabby squirmed, not from discomfort or unease, but from sexual tension. Her skin grew taut as goosebumps erupted along the soft flesh of her inner arm. Kolson’s lips moved from her scars up her arm to the crease of her elbow, whispering over her sensitive skin, sending shivers through her body. By now she was panting. Her hand moved to his shirt and crumpled a fistful as she moaned beneath the slight workings of his tongue and lips.

  How could he turn her on by licking those awful scars? They had always repulsed Gabby and made her ashamed of herself, and here she was feeling more sexually aware than she ever had in her life.

  “Gabriella, tell me. Are you wet for me?”

  “Yes,” she moaned.

  “Has anyone ever kissed you like this before?”

  “No,” she breathed. The air rasped through her lungs and she squeezed her thighs together, trying to ease the ache he’d stirred up.

  “One day you’re going to tell me all of your secrets.”

  His mouth skimmed up to her shoulder and his tongue left a hot, wet trail as he licked.

  “You’re a very sensuous woman, Gabriella. Soon, I’m going to unleash that passion. I want to hear you scream my name when you come on my tongue. Have you ever come on anyone’s tongue before?”

  “No.”

  What she wanted to say was that she’d like to come on his tongue right now. She refrained because was ashamed at her response and she didn’t even know this man, yet he was doing maddening things to her body, wicked things that she wanted more of.

  Then he was back to kissing her mouth, demanding everything she could give. And she gave. Without hesitation. He forced his knee between her legs and she rubbed herself against him, but it wasn’t enough to give her relief. Heat burned through her as she gave herself into her desire, letting herself fall into him, but suddenly the kiss ended. She opened her eyes to see him looking down at her with a shrouded expression.

  “Some secrets aren’t meant to be kept, Gabriella. Some are meant to be shared. And I intend to discover all of yours. Not only are you going to tell me, you’re going to pant and beg for me to do things to you before you shout them to me. And by the time I’m through, I’ll know all your secrets. Every. Single. One. And you know something else? You won’t regret for one minute that you told me. And that’s a promise.”

  Chapter 7

  Kolson escorted Gabby down to the waiting car and lectured her on the way about the dangers of not only running alone but also of not carrying a phone with her.

  “Stop lecturing me. I’m not twelve.”

  “Then stop acting like it.”

  “Who do you think you are? You don’t own me. And you can’t tell me what to do. I know it wasn’t the smartest thing to run when it was so dark out, but …”

  “Wait! Did I just hear you agree with me?” Kolson asked.

  “You are the most annoying, irritating man.”

  “And you are the most stubborn woman who has no concern for her safety.” By this time, they had reached the car. Kolson opened the door for Gabby and told Sam to take her home.

  “Good morning, Dr. Martinelli,” Sam greeted her. “Hope you’re well today.”

  “Thank you, Sam. I am, now that your bossy boss has relinquished his hold on me. I hope you are also well.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He laughed. “Mr. H. says I’m to wait and then take you to work.”

  “You don’t have to do that. Besides, I need to stop and buy a phone on the way.”

  “Yes, ma’am, I do. Mr. H.’s orders. And that won’t be a problem at all.”

  Gabby people watched as Sam drove through the increasing traffic. Pedestrians were already dressed in suits and work attire, carrying briefcases as they hustled down the sidewalks. Most talked on phones as they walked. The avenue was clogged with a sea of yellow for as far as Gabby could see, indicating the enormous number of taxis in the city.

  Gabby figured Sam would be a good source of information for her. “So Sam, tell me about Mr. H.”

  Sam’s eyes caught hers in the mirror. “What do you want to know?”

  “What does he do?”

  “Well, ma’am, he works at HTS.”

  “And what’s that?”

  “It’s this car service, ma’am.”

  “Oh.”

  “You know, Hart Transportation Service? It’s the biggest car service in New York City,” Sam said with pride.

  “I see. Have you worked for Kolson for a long time?”

  “Yes, ma’am. Well, for as long as he’s had HTS. I worked for his father before that.”

  “Oh, so you’ve known him a while?”

  “Yes, ma’am. Here we are, ma’am.” Gabby didn’t live very far from Kolson.

  “Um, Sam, you can call me Gabby.”

  “How about if I just call you Dr. M.?”

  Gabby laughed. “I guess that’ll work fine. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  “Take your time, Dr. M. I’m in no hurry.”

  Gabby didn’t want to take advantage of Kolson’s generosity, so she rushed to get ready for work. By the time she got back to the car, she was huffing. Sam said, “I told you not to rush, Dr. M.”

  “Yes, but I am running a bit late.”

  “Well, I’ll have you at your office in a jiff.” On the way, they made a quick stop at the cell phone store where she purchased a new phone. It was an unexpected expense that angered her. She cursed Danny as she exited the store, especially since he now had her phone number. She would’ve loved to have changed it, but that was impossible since it would impact all her patients.

  Running late had forced her to reschedule her first patient and now her day was going to be all scrambled up. Gabby normally hated disorder, so this further soured her already unpleasant mood. Danny had tossed a damn monkey wrench into what were usually smoothly run days, starting with that stupid hangover the other morning. And it had been downhill ever since.

  To make matters worse, upon unlocking her office door, she found a past due notice for her rent taped to it. She was behind on all her bills so she was going to have to figure something out regarding her finances. Last month, her accounts receivables didn’t come close to covering her rental fees. Mentally ticking off all her nonessential expenses, she was down to nil. She had cut out coffee purchases, and the only time she’d spent any extra money recently was the night she’d gone to that bar—and not even then as Kolson paid that tab. She didn’t know what else she could possibly cut. The last time she’d spent money on a haircut had been months ago, and that was at a cheap walk-in place.

  A long low sigh escaped her when she looked at her desk. It was piled with medical journals, charts and files, among them one holding the bills that were making her brain hurt. Disarray did not sit well with her, and she never left her desk this messy so she hurried to the mountain of clutter and started to rearrange things. Her life was starting to resemble her desk—cluttered and chaotic. Ever since Danny reappeared, things were topsy-turvy. She needed to pull herself together.

  The buzzer sounded, indicating her first patient had arrived. She was surprised because the appointment wasn’t for another hour.

  Poking her head around the corner, she was getting ready to say, “Hi, Mrs. LaRue.” But it wasn’t Mrs. LaRue. Gabby was
surprised to see a young woman standing there. Huge brown eyes shadowed by purple half moons stared back at her from a tiny face. Her eyes were sunken and haunted looking and Gabby thought if she got any smaller she would poof into thin air.

  “Hi, can I help you?”

  “M-my name is Juliana and Case told me about you.”

  It was the girl that Case was hoping would show at the NA meeting.

  “Oh, yes. Hi, Juliana. Please come in. I’m Gabby. Have a seat.”

  Gabby knew the girl was in trouble. She had all the physical signs: sweating, tremors, rubbing the arms, runny nose, and agitation.

  “Juliana, is your stomach hurting?”

  “Yes,” she whimpered. Her arms hugged her body. “I want to quit. I do.”

  “Can I take you some place that will help you? They’ll make your withdrawal easier. But if I do, Juliana, you have to promise me that you’ll follow up with the treatment. And that you’ll go to Case’s NA group.”

  She huddled in the chair hugging her stomach and rocked back and forth. “My boyfriend beats me. He doesn’t want me to stop using.”

  “Listen to me, Juliana. There is help out there. I promise you there is. I work at the women’s shelter. We can protect you from him. But I need your commitment to get clean first. One step at a time. You can stay at Case’s NA house until you’re clean and stable and then we can put you in the women’s shelter. We’ll keep your boyfriend away from you. But I need that commitment from you before I can help you get off the drugs. Will you give me that?”

  “Oh, I’m so sick right now. I need something.”

  “We can help you. We can ease those withdrawal symptoms. But I’m not going to lie and tell you it will be easy. It’ll be a hell of a lot easier than this though.”

  “Okay,” she nodded.

  Gabby grabbed her phone and called Case. “Hey, Juliana is here. In my office. Can you come? She wants to commit to withdraw. In the clinic.”

  Gabby pulled a chair over in front of Juliana. She went and grabbed some paper towels and dampened them with cold water and then placed them on her forehead. “I know this isn’t much, but it’s the best I can do for now. How old are you?”