“I’m a writer and photographer.”
“I see.” Lady Castilla’s attention fell back to Zahra’s palms. “Hmm.”
Hmm. Zahra shot a glance in Ava’s direction, the cryptic hmm causing Zahra distress. Maybe she should have told Lady Castilla not to tell her anything bad she saw. Wait. She inwardly laughed at herself. Why was she stressing? It wasn’t like she believed any of this crap.
“This is very interesting,” Lady Castilla said, tracing the lines in Zahra’s left hand with her index finger. “Desire drives you, but when it comes to love your heart takes complete control.”
Unfortunately, that was true. Oftentimes she used her heart instead of her head. One of the reasons she’d stayed with Braswell for far too long.
“You’re deeply affectionate. Good-hearted. Loyal.” Lady Castilla laughed softly. “But you can be stubborn.”
“Mmm-hmm,” Ava hummed.
When Zahra shot her sister a look, she shrugged and mouthed, It’s true.
Lady Castilla continued. “You fall in love easily. And when you love, you love hard. But when love is lost, you feel the loss strongly, even allowing it to cripple you. You must move forward.”
Zahra shifted slightly in her seat. Creepy. Still, she wasn’t buying into any of this because this could be true for millions of people, not just her.
“Are you married?” Lady Castilla asked, not bothering to look up.
“No.”
“When you do marry, it will be filled with passion and an abundance of love. You will have a long, happy and fruitful marriage. Four, no, five children.”
Five kids. Now Zahra knew for sure the woman was crazy, and she’d heard enough. Reclaiming her hands, she said, “Thank you very much for the reading. How much do I owe you?”
“My treat,” Ava said.
Lady Castilla gave a hearty laugh. “You can run, but you cannot hide from destiny, my child.”
It sounded like a line from a horror movie.
The second Zahra walked away from Lady Castilla, she turned to Ava and said, “Can you believe that? I mean...when you love, you love hard,” she mocked. “Who doesn’t. And five kids? Ha!”
“I do recall Lady Castilla saying something about stubborn, too. She hit that one right on the head.”
“I’m not stubborn.” Zahra gave a playful pout.
Ava stopped and faced her. “Really?”
“Yes, really,” Zahra countered.
A smirk curled Ava’s pink painted lips. “Then call him.”
Zahra eyed her sister for several seconds. “I can’t, Ava.” Her wounds were still fresh, and so were Gregor’s. This just wasn’t their time. Neither fate nor destiny would change that.
“The universe may not accept that,” Ava said.
“It has to.”
Ava threaded her arm through Zahra’s and started to move again. “Believe it or not, you’re somehow cosmically aligned with this man. Something tells me you couldn’t deny him, even if you wanted to. And as hung up as you are over him, I guarantee he’s experiencing the same inner turmoil over you.”
Gregor Carter could have any woman in the world he wanted. Zahra seriously doubted he was sitting around pining away over her.
Chapter 13
Zahra’s studio had been transformed from what was usually open space equipped with props and lighting equipment, to a backdrop of beautiful photographs and extravagantly dressed men and women in attendance to support a good cause.
She was thrilled with the number of people who’d shown up for her black-tie charity event, but far more impressed with the fact that they’d already raised several thousand dollars and the auction hadn’t even started yet.
She gave Ava all the credit for that. Her sister knew how to work a room. It didn’t hurt that most of the men in attendance had salivated over her most of the night. But who could blame them. The woman was gorgeous. The sweeping, formfitting dress she wore showed off her bodacious figure, sculpted legs—a dedication to the gym Zahra didn’t possess. And as always, both her hair and makeup were on point, along with her sparkling personality.
Zahra loved Ava to pieces. Other than her parents, no one had her back like her sister. As if Ava could sense Zahra’s eyes on her, she turned and waved what was appeared to be another check through the air.
Her sister angled her head, and Zahra’s gaze followed, landing on the Honorable Eli Chandler, one of Mecklenburg County’s most esteemed district court judges. Zahra was sure he’d added an extra zero just to impress Ava, who he’d shown interest in for the past several months. But his reputation as a ladies’ man hadn’t helped his cause.
Boisterous laughter drew Zahra’s attention to a familiar face. Nadine Trendal. The brown-skinned, mature woman held the gold for being the life of any party, especially after several drinks. Zahra liked her. Considered old money, she was always gracious with her donations.
Chatter and laughter swirled around Zahra, bringing a smile to her face. She scanned the room. Everyone seemed to be having a good time mingling and appreciating the gorgeous photos scattered through the studio. Her breath hitched, and she dragged her eyes back to where they had been seconds earlier. Gregor?
“Champagne?”
Zahra sidestepped the young woman holding the silver tray of flutes and frantically swept the room. Nothing. Releasing the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been strangling, she laughed at herself. Clearly, her mind was playing tricks on her. Her amusement ended there, though, because after a month, she still hadn’t gotten over Gregor Carter.
Why couldn’t she simply view him as just another moment in her past? She was determined to banish him from her thoughts, at least for the next two hours. Taking a glass from the tray, she downed it in one gulp. Hopefully, the sparkling wine would help.
“Everything okay?” Ava asked in a hushed tone, as she walked up beside Zahra.
Recharging her smile, Zahra faced her sister. “Yes. This is an amazing turnout tonight, right? And I see you have a not-so-secret admirer.”
“Judge Chandler.” Ava and the judge held each other’s gazes from opposite sides of the room. “He’s charming.”
“Be careful,” Zahra said, her big sister protectiveness rearing its head.
“I will. And you be careful with this,” Ava said, passing Zahra a five-thousand-dollar check from the judge.
Zahra thanked Ava for all of her hard work. And by hard work she’d meant dazzling charms that had wrapped the single and married men around her finger tonight. When Ava sashayed away, Zahra escaped to her office to deposit the check along with the others in a lockbox.
Inside her tiny space, she kicked off the three-inch heels she wore to give her feet a break. While the open-toed, black, strappy shoes were gorgeous, they were not designed for comfort.
“Excuse me, miss. Has anyone told you how absolutely stunning you look?”
Zahra whipped around and gasped. “You’re here.” The sight of Gregor in what she was sure was a custom-tailored suit snatched her breath away. Her mind and body hadn’t been playing tricks on her. The scorching heat of temptation burned through her. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m here for you.”
He’d come for her? A twinge of excitement swelled her chest.
“Friends support friends, right?” he added.
She’d totally not expected that reason. Flashing an uneasy smile, she said, “Right. Thank you for coming. Friend.” Gregor scrutinized her so attentively, it rattled her. “What is it?” she finally asked.
“That’s not the only reason I’m here, Zahra.”
“Okay,” she said.
Gregor brushed past her and propped himself on the edge of her desk. She tried—unsuccessfully, of course—to ignore how sexy and powerful he seemed there. By the look on his face, something troubled him. Even though public
commentary about him had significantly decreased, more fallout from the accident was her first thought.
“I...” He stopped and cleared his throat. “Something happened to me.”
Zahra’s brow furrowed, unease knotting her stomach. “What happened?”
“You. You happened. At Lake Lamont you became like molten lava in my soul. Then our time together was over.” He paused. “I feel your absence, woman. With every breath. I know we—”
Feeling a rush of confidence, desire and need, Zahra crashed her mouth to Gregor’s before he could finish his thought, kissing him with all the pent-up longing she’d harbored since they’d parted ways. Instantly, he responded to their connection, mirroring her hunger. One of his large hands rested behind her head as if to ensure her mouth didn’t escape his. He had no cause for alarm. She wasn’t going anywhere.
Gregor’s free hand curled around her waist, pulling her even closer to him. His kisses never disappointed, but this one was defining and made a statement. More like a confession: I’ve missed you. Oh, she’d missed him, too.
Something about Gregor made her forget that she was usually methodical and cautious. When it came to him, there was no order, no vigilance and most noticeably, no fear. She wasn’t sure whether that made her a fool or not.
Their mouths didn’t part for a long time, but when they did, it was only for a millisecond, with Gregor crashing his mouth right back to hers. Every cell in her body was aware of him.
Aware of his touch.
Aware of his taste.
Aware of his scent.
Aware of his warmth.
And doubly aware of the hardness between his legs.
Her body relaxed against him, and he wrapped her in his arms. She was so comfortable and secure in them that it almost felt as if this was where she’d always belonged. His hold was both strong and gentle. And for the first time in a long time, she felt protected.
When their kiss ended a second time, their chests heaved up and down as if they’d run several miles to get to each other.
“I’ve been waiting on you,” she said in a tiny voice, unsure if she’d actually meant for the words to come out.
“Sorry it took me so long,” he said, pecking her gently. “I’m here now.”
And while she was thrilled by his presence, she had concerns. “Are you sure you’re ready to be here, Gregor? It would be remiss of me not to mention the fact that you’re really fresh out of a relationship. And I’m—”
“You’re not a rebound, Zahra, if that’s what you’re thinking. I know you feel it, too. This insanely powerful connection between us. Can you honestly tell me you don’t?”
“If I said no, I’d be lying.”
He smirked. “I know. I also know you have reservations and concerns. But we’ll take it slow. I don’t want to force this, Zahra. I want whatever this is happening between us to happen naturally. Are you okay with that?”
“I’m okay with that.” She held his face between her hands. “I want you. We have about ten minutes before Ava comes looking for me. Undress me.”
Gregor released a tortured grunt. “There’s nothing more I’d like to do than to strip you naked right here and now, but I want to do things differently this time.” He kissed her palm. “I want to take sex out of the equation for now.”
Zahra laughed, but stopped when Gregor didn’t join in. “Wait, you’re serious.”
He nodded. “I am.”
“Are you saying you want to old-fashion court me?”
He laughed. “An interesting way of putting it, but yes. Do you have a problem with that?”
Let’s see. Did she have a problem with a man wanting to take the time to get to know her, not just her body? Hmm. That was a hard one. “No, I don’t,” she said.
Gregor kissed her hand again. “Good. Are you free on Saturday? I’d like to take you on a date.”
Zahra wrapped her arms around Gregor’s neck. “Well, I’ll have to check my calendar, but something tells me I am.”
“Where would you like to go?”
“Surprise me.”
“Okay. I can do that.”
His mouth covered hers, but their kiss was cut short when Ava entered the room. She released an audible gasp, followed by, “Holy shit.”
Zahra broke away from Gregor’s mouth and turned to face her sister. The woman wore sheer shock on her face, and her mouth hung wide open. Once her sister’s face unfroze, Zahra made the introductions. Ava clearly couldn’t contain her excitement, because she grinned so hard it looked as if the corners of her mouth would tear.
After several minutes of small talk, Ava excused himself. But, of course, she couldn’t go quietly into the night. Stopping shy of the door, Ava snapped her fingers. “Oh, Zah, I almost forgot to tell you. Lady Castilla called to say congratulations.” She smirked and was gone.
“Lady Castilla. That sounds exotic,” Gregor said.
“She’s...” Zahra stopped shy of revealing Lady Castilla’s profession. No doubt he would think she was crazy. “...my old photography teacher.” Zahra made a mental note to strangle Ava.
“Ah.”
Gregor appeared satisfied with her answer. Before she was forced to make up any more tall tales, she took his hand. “Come with me. I want to show you something. But you have to promise you won’t get upset.”
* * *
Gregor wasn’t usually into making promises he couldn’t keep. But since he couldn’t imagine anything Zahra had to show him would upset him, he agreed. “Are you sure you want to parade me through the studio? I don’t want to disrupt your event.”
“No one will recognize you with that beard and all of these curls.”
When she ran her fingers through his hair, he realized just how much he’d missed her doing that.
“Tonight, you’re just the average Joe.”
She had no idea how refreshing that sounded. Moments later, he trailed her through the studio. As she’d predicted, no one recognized him. The handful of people they’d encountered paid little attention to him.
Coming to a stop, she said, “Close your eyes.”
He looked at her with hesitation. For a man who trusted very few people, she had no idea the burden she was placing on him. She rested her hands on her hips, pulling his attention to the dress she wore—a formfitting, lacy black number that showed off just the right amount of cleavage.
“Come on. Shut them. I’m not going to take advantage of you.”
Darn. Following her instructions, he let Zahra lead him a short distance; then she gave the order to open his eyes.
“Whoa,” he said, massaging his beard.
Several framed, black-and-white shots of him, standing in the yard at the lake house, smoking his cigar, sat on easels. He remembered that moment well. It was the night after they’d made love for the first time through the fifth time. “It’s me.”
“Do you like them?”
Gregor moved closer for a better look. While none of the shots showed his face, they captured him in a way he couldn’t explain. Zahra had a great eye. He didn’t just like them. “I love them.”
Zahra stood beside him. “I know you said no pictures, but there was just something about you at that moment. I couldn’t resist. Your body is so beautiful, so commanding. It deserved capturing.”
If she were trying to stroke his ego, mission accomplished. “Are they up for auction?”
“Initially, they were.”
“Initially?”
“I couldn’t bring myself to part with them. I didn’t like the idea of you hanging on another woman’s wall.”
This made Gregor grin. “You wanted me all to yourself.”
“I can’t have you all to myself. You’re Gregor freaking Carter.” She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head against him. “I know I have to share y
ou with the world, but with these, I get to appreciate something no one else can. Our memories at Lake Lamont.” Zahra glanced up at him with tender eyes.
“There you are.”
They both turned to see Ava. By her tone and the frantic look on her face, something was up. Obviously, Zahra sensed it, too, because she hurried over to her. He stayed back to give the women their privacy. Ava whispered something to Zahra that made her go stiff.
When she rejoined him, he could tell whatever news Ava had delivered wasn’t good. He instantly felt the need to make whatever was wrong, right. “Is everything okay?”
“No. My ex just arrived.”
She paused as if to gauge his reaction. He didn’t have one. At least, not an outward one. Inwardly, he had questions. Why had she invited her ex? Hadn’t she told him at the lake that they no longer associated? Had it been a lie?
He withdrew a little.
“Of all nights for him to pull one of his foolish stunts, he chooses tonight. He knows how important this event is to me.”
Now he was confused because it sounded as if her ex had crashed the function. “You didn’t invite him?”
“God, no,” she said.
“Do you want me to handle it?”
Distress played on her face. “And risk drawing attention to yourself?” She shook her head. “No. I will handle this.”
“Okay.” But he couldn’t promise he wouldn’t intervene if he felt she needed him.
Curious for a glimpse, Gregor trailed Zahra to the main area. His gaze narrowed on the tall, brown-skinned man she approached. By the way her ex’s mouth curled into a wide smile, he was overjoyed to see her.
Gregor’s jaw clenched. Taking a glass off one of the passing trays, he tossed the liquid back. The dainty beverage did little to relax him as the scene unfolded in front of him. When the man leaned forward in an attempt to kiss Zahra, Gregor’s chest tightened in anger. She pushed the creep away, then appeared to scold him. Good.
Gregor was about to walk away when Zahra’s ex called for everyone’s attention. Once he had it, the beaming man proceeded to get down on one knee.
Then Came You ; Written with Love Page 25