by Lorenz Font
Greg responded by reaching over to grab the bottle on the glass table. After pouring another shot for himself, he leaned back and waited for Simon to continue. His friend and employee, although pushing fifty, looked healthier than most people in their thirties. Simon had always been a private person and seldom talked about himself. All Greg knew was that he was an ex-marine, had never married, and had lived alone until this bodyguard arrangement began.
“I believe there’s a connection between Cade and Cassandra. I could tell even before you guys went to Alaska, when your wife …” He stopped, seeming embarrassed by the word. “Cassandra visited you at work. I observed the obvious attraction between them. But I knew that Cassandra loved attention, so I shut my mouth because none of it was my business. When you got shot, it wasn’t hard to connect the dots.”
“How come Trevor still can’t provide solid evidence?” This cat-and-mouse routine had gone on long enough, and Greg’s patience was wearing thin. He glared at the city’s twinkling lights.
“I think Cade and Cassandra are just waiting for the right time, or they plan to meet somewhere. They’re going to crack soon. Thanks to your mother’s involvement, I’m sure the cops are all over this. I’m just hoping you’ll give up the revenge you’ve been plotting. Don’t take matters in your own hands. Wash your hands of these people, and go on with your life.”
They were both taking alternate swigs of their whiskey. This was what he’d wanted all along, someone to whom he could unload some of the weight he’d been carrying. Although Sarah had expressed willingness to listen several times, he shied away from airing his dirty laundry with her. Having a wife who had cheated on him had done a number on his ego and brought his confidence to an all-time low. Sarah had been his redemption, and scaring her away was a risk he would not take.
“You think my mother is screwing Cade?” That was the question of the year.
Simon’s mouth fell open before he shook his head. “You can’t think she’s that bad.”
“I don’t know what to think anymore. Of course I want to believe she’s incapable of cheating, but I don’t know my mother well.” Greg sighed and took another quick swig from his glass.
“I think some people are just not meant to be parents. Yours love you in their way, but they just don’t know how to be parents to you.”
“You and your meaningful insights,” Greg said, continuing to glare at the luminous lights in front of them.
Simon chuckled but then sobered. “This girl, Sarah … I think she feels the same way about you, but the timing isn’t right.”
Greg nodded.
“You guys ought to straighten out your own lives before you try to be together, if that’s your destiny. I’m concerned she’s not built for life here in the big city. She’s very simple. Her needs are minimal, and everything about you overwhelms her, although I can see she’s been trying.”
“What do you suggest I do?”
Simon shook his head. “I wish I had an answer for you. I’m just dissecting what I observe. I’m sure you know what your options are, but you’re just too confused to see.”
“Dr. Phil would’ve done better.”
Simon shrugged. “But he’d charge you an arm and a leg.”
“True, but I can afford him.” Greg sighed.
“According to your father, he can take it all back.”
That was an empty threat, in Greg’s opinion. “That’s what he’s held over me all along, as far back as I can remember. At first, it scared me because this life of luxury is all I’ve ever known. But after a while, it got old. I didn’t go to business school to be harassed into believing his lies. It’s just too bad for him that I conduct business better than he does.”
“What do you mean by that?” Simon eyed him with caution.
Greg chuckled, despite his misery. “Even if he does decide to pull the rug out from under me, I wouldn’t be as destitute as he wants me to believe I’d be.”
“Ha!” Simon laughed. “I knew you were too smart for your own good.”
Greg’s expression turned solemn, and he continued to stare at the view without seeing anything. “I want you to promise to look after Sarah if the time comes when I can’t.”
“Stop talking like that. I’m not going to do your job.”
Greg tore his gaze away from the view. “I have a feeling this arrangement will blow up in my face soon. If Sarah decides not to keep her side of the bargain, I won’t force her to stay. But she has nothing to go back to and no family to look after her. I’ve been making arrangements for her. There’s a trust I’ve created in her name that will build a decent hospital in Beaver. Once she’s done with school, she’ll have a place she can work, if that’s what she wants.”
Simon gave this information a lot of thought. When he looked back at Greg, his face reflected deep sadness. “It sounds like you’ve fallen hard for this girl.”
“I have,” Greg said. “But I’m not the right man for her. I’m, what? Ten years older? And we’re worlds apart—you said so yourself. I’d hate her to have to live a life of anger and hypocrisy; my baggage isn’t something she should have to share. But I can’t even bear to think of what will happen to me if I lose her.”
“Does she have any idea how you feel about her?” Simon asked, patting Greg’s shoulder.
Greg let out a deep sigh. “No.”
“Your life, your call. I’m just here to listen.” Simon leaned back, crossed his legs at the ankle, and closed his eyes, leaving Greg to dwell on the things he’d said.
Greg must’ve been asleep for a good hour when a sharp, agonized cry woke him. Disoriented, he reached for the clock on his bedside table and then sank back against the mattress with a groan. He thought he’d been dreaming, until the cry sounded again. Awake now, he bolted out of bed, stubbing a toe in the process. Cursing, he grabbed a shirt and managed to put it on while he rushed out of his room into the darkness of the hallway. He had no idea where the cry had come from until he heard it again—Sarah’s bedroom.
Simon appeared in the hallway looking bedraggled. “You heard it, too?”
“Yeah,” Greg whispered. “I got this. Go back to bed.”
“Call me if you need anything,” Simon said, looking over his shoulder while he walked back to his room.
Greg turned the knob on Sarah’s door, trying his best not to make a noise. When Sarah cried again, he all but ran to her side. Kneeling on the side of the bed, he found her flailing but still asleep. “Sarah, wake up. You’re having a bad dream.” He kept his voice low and soothing.
He gave her shoulders a gentle shake. In the darkness, her beautiful face contorted into the picture of agonizing fear. He was almost grateful for the excuse to touch her.
“Sarah, wake up.” He gave her another light shake.
Sarah woke up feeling like Armageddon had unleashed its fury on her. Her body shook, beads of sweat ran down her temples, and her last scream still lingered in her throat.
“Sarah …”
Greg’s voice sounded near her head, and her eyes shot open. She stared at him, not knowing if this was still a part of her nightmare.
“Greg?” She reached out and touched his face. “Am I awake?”
“Yes, you are now.” He took her hand in his.
She blinked and pulled her hand back. “I hate nightmares.”
Sarah scrambled to sit up while Greg rose from his kneeling position at the side of her bed.
“I heard your screams, so I came in to check on you.” He watched her with a worried expression. “What got you all scared?”
She tried to remember but came up empty. “How can dreams turn you upside-down, and then leave you wondering what got you all riled up in the first place?” Blinking, she tried to compose her thoughts. “I can’t remember.”
“Do you want a glass of water?” Greg asked without moving from his spot.
Sarah shook her head and shivered, still feeling the effects of the forgotten nightmare. “Lie down with
me?”
Why did she always end up speaking without thinking first? This was so wrong on all levels, but she was giving in to her heart’s desire. If it was a mistake, then she’d learn her lesson pretty soon.
Greg hesitated. She couldn’t blame him. He must know how she felt about him, although she’d fought hard to keep her emotions hidden. Greg was far too beautiful for his own good, and she had been mesmerized by him from the first moment she’d laid eyes on him.
She closed her eyes, waiting for him to turn her down. He didn’t say anything, but then she felt the mattress dip under his weight. “I’ll hold you until you fall asleep.”
Sarah nodded and then turned her body in his direction. Greg eased himself onto the bed, and face-to-face, they stared at each other in the darkness. No words were necessary. They were just two people struggling with their lives and everything around them, and they needed each other. That much is evident, Sarah thought.
“Greg, hold me now?”
He considered her for a moment before reaching out and circling an arm around her waist to pull her closer. She lifted her head and rested it on his shoulder, her face brushing the crook of his neck. He swept some errant hair away out of her eyes and planted a soft kiss on her forehead.
“Sleep, my little girl,” Greg murmured.
Sarah felt a sudden urge to kiss him, and it was too strong to fight. With her heart in her throat, she lifted her head and caressed his lips with hers.
Greg stiffened, but then he returned her kiss with surprising passion. Applying pressure to her spine, he drew her closer. She closed her eyes, savoring the hardness of his body rubbing against hers.
Greg had never felt quite as shaken as he was by Sarah’s kiss. “I like being close to you.” He could hear the tremor in his voice when he spoke.
“Me, too.” Her words were low and seductive.
Sarah threaded her fingers through his hair when he pushed his tongue between her parted lips. The warmth of her mouth was inviting, and it mixed with her cedar and mint scent, sending his mind into a whirlwind of desire. Sarah circled her tongue in his mouth, stroking, teasing, and making him ache to taste more of what she had to offer. He felt her shudder.
“God, Sarah, you have no idea how much I want you.” His voice sounded strangled, mirroring the conflict inside him. He wanted her, and his body was crying out to take her.
Tracing his hand on her thigh, he worked his way up along the curve of her body. She arched to meet his slow fingertips.
She moaned. “Greg, make love to me.”
Greg hesitated, not sure whether he’d just imagined her invitation. Searching her face, he saw the same urgency he felt reflected in her eyes. Making love with Sarah would be the epitome of perfection. Joy stole through his veins.
He wanted to give her everything she asked for. But would it be right to her moment of vulnerability? This was Sarah, not some woman he could just jerk around and forget.
“Greg, have I offended you?” Sarah was still breathless from their kisses, but he could feel her draw back.
“There’s nothing else I would rather do than make love to you.” His voice sounded pained and defeated. “I want it more than anything in this world, but I …” He stopped himself.
“Greg, I’m asking you to make love to me. I don’t care about the consequences. I want you—right here and now.” She kissed him again, this time on the tip of his nose, and smiled.
“I don’t want to hurt you.” How could he deny the request of the only woman he’d ever loved?
“You said you’d never hurt me.”
Greg couldn’t see her expression in the darkness, but she waited for him to accept her statement without any sign of doubt.
“Never.”
It was a solemn promise, not just to her but also to himself. Emboldened by her assurance, Greg eased his body into a more comfortable position and snaked his arm back around her waist to pull her closer. He traced his fingertips along her face and at last crushed his mouth to hers.
“God, I never thought I’d taste heaven,” he murmured when they surfaced for air. Hungry for more, he skimmed his mouth down her jawline and then caressed her neck with his tongue. Sarah’s back arched again at the sensual motions on her neck.
She dug her fingers in the small of his back, scraping his skin with her nails. Her touch elicited a primeval hunger within him, throwing him into a frenzy of lust. Unwilling to wait any longer, he tugged at her pajama top.
“Sarah, I want to see you now.” He was beyond rational thinking. All he knew was how much he wanted to take her right that moment. Sarah held her arms up, and he slid her pajama top over her head to expose her taut breasts. Excitement welled up within him, and he proceeded to strip away her pajama bottoms, revealing a black, lacy bikini that glorified her breathtaking curves. He devoured her almost-naked figure with his eyes, from her breasts and the curve of her waist, down to the juncture between her thighs, still hidden by her underwear.
Sarah panted in anticipation. “Don’t make me wait a minute longer.”
There is no turning back now, Greg thought while the last thread of his self-control began to slip away. He would take her now. There was no doubt about it. A low growl escaped his lips before he captured her nipple, caressing it with his tongue while he pleasured the other one with his finger.
A surge of desire manifested in Sarah’s eyes while she curled underneath him, moaning in pure ecstasy. He glided his tongue down her chest toward her belly button, holding her with his hands at her waist and rubbing himself on her. He could feel her responding to every movement.
Sarah tugged on his shirt, which he discarded on the floor in one hurried motion. She tilted her head, probing the contours of his chest with her fingers and moving along his skin, bringing a delicious tingle wherever she touched.
The strong outline of Greg’s half-naked body took Sarah’s breath away. She rose to a sitting position to get a better look at him. His skin glistened with sweat in the glow of the city lights that streamed in from the big picture window.
He watched her trail her fingertips from his jaw line to his collarbone and down to his chest muscles, where her hand at last came to rest. The warmth of his skin sent rippling sensations through her body.
“I don’t know how much longer I can hold on,” he groaned in her ear.
Looking up at him, Sarah gathered her courage and pulled his shorts down to expose his boxers. Her gaze fell on the bulge underneath, the sight of which created a flurry of goose bumps on her skin. She watched Greg hungrily while he slid his boxers down to the floor, revealing muscular thighs and powerful legs.
Her heart started thumping hard, and her body begged for fulfillment. Greg had to satiate her need now. Reaching out for him, her gaze remained locked on the powerful man before her.
Greg studied her face while she drank in his appearance. He took a deep breath, and she knew he’d recognized in her expression the same desire he was feeling. He slid down on the bed next to her, and she got on top of him. Her legs brushed against his when she adjusted her body to the length of his strong frame.
“You’re perfect, Greg.”
“And so are you, Sarah.”
“Let me do this,” she breathed into his ear, and Greg nodded his understanding. Sarah realized he’d give her whatever she asked. They were on the edge and ready to plunge. She adjusted her body just so, and he moved to accommodate her.
Sarah’s respiration quickened and heat sluiced within her at the feel of his body underneath her. This is it. The warning flashed in her head, but it was more to nudge herself into believing a beautiful thing was about to happen than fear of her first time. Greg didn’t have to know she was a virgin. She didn’t want to distract him now, when they were about to share something more magical and meaningful than her supposed virtue. She ached for him. She couldn’t even think. All she knew was that she wanted him so much, she would scream if this stopped now.
She eased her throbbing center
and moved her hips around him until she felt him inside her, all of him. Greg jerked when her warmth surrounded him. They both moaned at the contact, and Sarah stilled once Greg filled her. Tight and hurting where he’d penetrated her barrier, she ignored the pain and concentrated on the union of their bodies. She wanted his love, even the discomfort that came with it. She loved this man—it was the one thing she knew for sure.
“Sweet Jesus.” He gasped and groaned in her hair.
Time was forgotten, their desire for each other reaching its ultimate intensity. They came almost at the same time, Greg’s hand at her waist when his final thrust took Sarah to her own blissful high. She cried out when the pain gave way to a pleasure and happiness she’d never thought possible.
“Sarah, thank you.” Greg had tears in his eyes when he cradled her face in his hands. “I’m humbled.”
She blinked back her own tears. I will never forget this moment, she told herself. She responded with fervent kisses meant to communicate her feelings for him without words.
They continued to explore each other, experiencing every intricate pleasure they could throughout the night. Sarah marveled at the gentle way Greg held her, praising her with his hands, his eyes, and his mouth. This was how she had imagined love to be—sharing with the man she loved. The truth startled her, but now she knew deep inside that it had been the driving force behind everything she’d felt from the moment she’d first met Greg. This was all she’d ever wanted, something close to a fairytale. Something she would never have had with Trimble.
Neither one of them said anything after that. Contented, Sarah relaxed, letting the even beat of Greg’s heart lull her to sleep. She pushed the hurtful words his father had hurled at her to the back of her mind. Greg isn’t his father, she kept repeating to herself, and she crossed her fingers that, for once in her life, her belief wouldn’t lead her astray. Instead, she basked in the afterglow of their lovemaking, enjoying the warmth Greg provided and loving every second that their bodies were entwined.
Chapter 16
Sarah’s senses awoke to the lingering scent of Greg on her pillow, her body, and everywhere around the room. Thinking of the night they’d spent together made her tingle inside, and she blushed from her neck up to her face. She smiled at the memory of their shared passion and his kisses on her skin and all over her body. The thrilling sensation of his arms around her still burned, sending a delicious shiver through her body. His heady aroma was a beautiful reminder of the time he’d held her in his arms.