by Sandi Lynn
She held on to my arm, and as we began to take a few steps, she stopped.
“The room is spinning and I’m not feeling so well,” she softly spoke.
I swooped her up and carried her to the elevator.
“Lay your head on my shoulder and close your eyes,” I spoke. “And please, whatever you do, do not get sick on me.”
“I’ll try not to.” She closed her eyes.
Once we reached the suite, I opened the door and began to carry her to the guest bedroom, but stopped midway and turned around and carried her to the master suite. Laying her on the bed, I took off her shoes and then rolled her over and unzipped her dress. Grabbing the robe from the closet, I laid it down on the bed while I took off her dress.
“Gabriel?” she spoke as she looked at me.
“Yes?”
“I think I’m going to be sick.”
“Shit.”
I grabbed hold of her arm, quickly led her to the bathroom, and rubbed her shoulders as she vomited all the alcohol she drank. Once she was done, I ran a washcloth under cool water and placed it on her forehead.
“Do you normally get sick like this when you drink?”
“No. It must have been those fireball shots I was doing.”
“Fireball shots? With who?” I asked.
“I think her name was Lydia. Or was it Lucy? Or maybe it was Lulu. Hell, I don’t remember.”
I smiled as I helped her from the floor and into bed. Climbing in next to her, I told her good night and turned off the light. Just as I was drifting off to sleep, I heard Kate’s voice.
“I’ve been lying to my father for years,” she whispered.
I opened my eyes and turned my head to look at her.
“What?”
“He doesn’t have a clue what I’ve been doing since he went to prison.”
I sat up, reached over, and turned on the lamp.
“Kate, I don’t understand.”
She rolled over to face me and tucked her hands under her pillow.
“He thinks that I was working at a high-end restaurant as a waitress and going to school in Chicago. When I went to visit him the other day, I told him that I had just moved here because the owner I worked for opened a restaurant in New York and I asked him if I could transfer so I could be closer to him. If he knew the things I had really done, he’d be so disappointed. The last thing he said to me before they sent him to prison was, ‘Don’t make the same mistakes I did. Go out into the world and make something of yourself. Make your old man proud.’”
I lay down on my pillow, facing her, and stroked her cheek.
“You were doing what you thought you had to do to get him out of prison. Maybe it’s time you told him the truth.”
“I don’t think I can. I couldn’t bear to see the disappointment in his eyes.”
“He loves you, Kate. You’re his entire world. Sure, he’ll be upset and disappointed for a while, but his love for you will overtake that.”
“Your father’s love for Caleb didn’t overtake it.”
“My father was a different man and incapable of truly loving anyone. He let his success and greed consume him. All he really cared about was his reputation.”
She moved closer and snuggled under my arm, forcing me to lie on my back so her head could rest against my chest. I slowly closed my eyes as I kissed the top of her head.
“The one thing I always wanted growing up was a dog. A white Maltese so I could put cute little bows on the top of her head. But with the way we moved around so much, my dad said it wasn’t a good idea. I always thought that having a dog of my own would make me feel less lonely. I need to sleep now,” she whispered.
“Get some rest. We can talk about this more in the morning.”
Her wall was crumbling down right before me and I’d be there for her when the last piece fell. She was growing more important to me with each truth than I thought she would. Holding her against me felt right, more right than anything in my life. I’d held many women beside me in bed but holding her gave me a new feeling. One I couldn’t describe. I closed my eyes and drifted off into a deep sleep.
Today was the official grand opening of the hotel and every room in the place was booked. Now that this was finished, my attention and focus would go heavily into the building of the new hotel in Vegas, a hotel that was probably the most important to me. I had people to speak with and a couple of meetings to hold, so I told Kate to go do whatever she wanted and I’d catch up with her later. She chose to go down to the beach for the day. She said that if she couldn’t see parts of Hawaii with me, then she’d be happy just to sit in the sand under the warm sun and wait for me. I believed her and I could honestly say that I was fully starting to trust her.
“We need to get dressed and go down for breakfast. Are you feeling okay?”
“I am. I’m going to take a quick shower first if we have time,” she spoke.
“Good idea. I think maybe we should take one together to save time.” I smiled.
“I’d like that.” She bit into her bottom lip.
She climbed out of bed and, with her back to me, she slid her robe off her body, letting it fall to the floor. Her curves and perfectly round ass made my cock stand in an instant. She walked into the bathroom, climbed into the shower, and I followed.
As we stood under the stream of warm water, our lips tenderly met. My hands groped her breasts as hers wrapped around my hard cock, stroking it up and down, causing me to become more excited than I already was. Getting down on my knees, my tongue slid down her torso while my hands stayed firmly planted on her breasts, down her clit, and to her aroused wet opening. I circled around her as moans escaped her lips. Moans of pleasure and fulfillment. Dipping a finger inside, I explored her until I knew she was ready to take my cock inside her. I couldn’t wait anymore and the animal inside me was about to emerge. Standing up, I placed her against the shower wall, grabbing her ass tightly and lifting her up onto my cock. Her arms and legs wrapped around me and our lips met with passion. The water beat down on us as I thrust inside her. She took me all in, every inch with ease. The warmth was overwhelming and intoxicating. Our moans were in sync as we enjoyed the pleasure we gave each other. I thrust in and out of her rapidly, holding her tight and against my wet body. She came and I smiled as our lips were connected. One last thrust and I buried myself inside, straining to pour every drop of come I had in her. I was changing, she was changing, and the feeling that resided inside me couldn’t have been more right.
“Thank you,” she whispered as our eyes locked on each other’s.
“You’re welcome.” I smiled.
“I don’t mean about what just happened. I mean for being there for me and listening.”
“Again, you’re welcome. I’m here for you any time you need me, Kate. Never forget that.”
“I won’t.” Her lips pressed against mine.
“We better wash up and get out of here,” I spoke.
I set her down and she grabbed the bottle of shampoo, poured some into her hands, and placed them on my head. We laughed and joked around as we washed each other. I didn’t want the shower to end, but by time all was said and done, we needed to head downstairs.
Chapter 29
Kate
After breakfast, Gabriel had business stuff to do, so Edmond and I headed down to the beach.
“Can I let you in on a little secret?” I asked him.
“Sure.” He smiled.
“I love him, Edmond. For the first time in my life, I’m in love.”
He reached over and took hold of my hand, which shocked the shit out of me.
“I know you do and I’m pretty sure Mr. Quinn has the same feelings for you.”
“You think?” I looked over at him.
“Yes, I do.”
“I don’t know. A man like him could never love someone like me. I’ve done horrible things.”
“Listen, Kate. Don’t beat yourself up about the things you’ve done. Put it all in
the past and live in the present. Love doesn’t come around very often, and when it does, you need to hold on to it as tight as you can. Because if you don’t, you’ll end up living a life full of regrets.”
“Is that what you’re doing?” I asked. “Were you in love once?”
He let go of my hand and sighed.
“I was stupid and let love walk right out of my life. Once I realized what I had done, I went to tell her that I was wrong and that I couldn’t live without her. I stopped at the flower shop and bought her a dozen red roses. I made a dinner reservation at her favorite restaurant and I was going to ask for her hand in marriage. She was out that day running some errands and agreed to meet with me when she was finished. She said she’d call when she got home. I waited for hours and I still hadn’t heard from her. I tried calling her phone, but it kept going straight to voicemail. Then my phone rang and it was her sister telling me that Vivian was in a car accident and was taken to the hospital. By time I got there, she had already passed away.”
“Oh my god, Edmond. I’m so sorry.” I placed my hand on his.
“If you love him, hold on to him. Don’t let self-doubt and fear keep you from happiness. Believe me, Kate, it’s the worst feeling in the world when you let the one you love go and never got the chance to tell them you were wrong.”
He got up from the sand. “I’m going to get a drink. Want one?”
“That would be great. Just water for me, though.”
As I was sitting there with my eyes closed, reflecting on what Edmond had told me, I heard a man’s voice with a French accent beside me.
“Well, hello again.”
Looking at him through my sunglasses, I spoke, “Hello.”
“How is your day going so far?” he asked.
“Fine. And yours?”
“Very good now that I see this beautiful woman sitting all alone on the beach.”
“I’m not alone. My friend Edmond is with me. He just went to get me some water.”
“No Gabriel?”
“He’s busy doing work stuff. By the way, I didn’t get a chance to ask you last night since you hastily ran away, what are you doing here?”
“Gabriel is a friend of mine and I wanted to congratulate him on the opening of his beautiful hotel.”
This guy was full of shit. I could smell it a mile away.
“Are you and Gabriel an item? Because last night, you said you didn’t have a boyfriend.”
“I don’t, and no, we aren’t an item. Just good friends.”
“That pleases me to hear that. How about joining me for dinner this evening?” he spoke.
“As much as I would enjoy that, Marcel, I’m afraid I can’t. I have dinner plans with Gabriel. What kind of friend would I be to cancel to have dinner with you?”
“Understood. A woman who values her friendships. I like that.” He smirked. “I’m flying back to New York tomorrow. Perhaps we can do something before I leave.”
“I’m not sure that’s going to be possible. Have a safe flight home.” I smiled.
“A woman who plays hard to get is a turn on. Make no mistake, Kate, we will have dinner together one day. I always go after what I want.” He stood up and gave me a wink. Before he walked away, he turned and looked at me. “By the way, I never got your last name.”
“Young. Kate Young.” I smiled.
“I will find you, Kate Young,” he spoke as he walked away.
I sat there, shaking my head in disbelief. What a tool.
“Again?” Gabriel asked as he stood over me, handing me a bottle of water.
“What are you doing here? I thought you had business stuff to do.”
“I did and then I said screw it. I think we should spend the day together.”
“Where’s Edmond?”
“I ran into him as he was getting your water and I told him to go explore Hawaii. On me, of course.”
He held out his hand and helped me up from the sand.
“What did Marcel want this time?”
“He wanted me to join him for dinner tonight. I told him no and that I had plans with you. That guy is a real asshole.”
“I know he is and I don’t want you talking to him. He’s trouble.”
“No worries. He’s leaving tomorrow to go back to New York.”
“Good. The only reason he’s here is to spy so he can steal ideas. The man and his father are as crooked as they come. Guess what?”
“What?” I asked.
“I’m taking you on a yacht for the day.”
“I get seasick.” I smirked.
“I don’t really care.” He pulled me into him and kissed my lips.
Gabriel and I spent the next few days exploring Hawaii and enjoying each other’s company. Each day, we grew closer and, as we did, my feelings for him strengthened. I had never felt this way before in my life and, to be honest, it scared me a little because it was all too perfect. I wanted to tell him that I loved him but I wanted to wait for him to say it first. Even though I was pretty sure he did, there was a part of me that was scared to death of rejection. This was the kind of life I had always dreamed of. Being me, Kate Harper, and no one else. I decided that when we went home to New York, I was going to tell my father the truth. He needed to know and I needed to tell him for my own sake. My days of living as a con were over. I was going to focus on getting a real job and live my life for me.
It was our last night in Hawaii and Gabriel and I walked hand in hand on the beach along the shore. We stopped for a moment and took in the beauty of the sun that had begun to set over the ocean.
“I’ve decided that when we get back, I’m going to tell my father the truth,” I spoke.
“Really?”
“Really.” I smiled. “It’s time I take control of my life. I’ve been living in my father’s shadow my entire life. Doing everything he told me to do, and still doing it after he went to prison.”
“I don’t understand. Your father didn’t want you to do what you did. You made that choice.”
“I did it for him so he wouldn’t have to spend twenty years in prison. Being alone in a world where not one single person except him knew who I truly was, was frightening. It was easier to be all those different people so I didn’t have to face the reality of being myself all alone in the world.”
He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into him.
“You aren’t alone, Kate. You have me.” He kissed the top of my head. “And Edmond. Let’s not forget about him.”
A smile crossed my lips as I broke our embrace and looked up at him. Hues of rich orange, yellow, and red shadowed him. To me, he was my savior.
“Thank you, Gabriel. That means so much to me.”
He swept his thumb across my lips before his mouth met mine amongst the shores of ocean and underneath the sunset.
Chapter 30
Gabriel
Hawaii was perfection and Kate and I were growing closer every day. She was desperate to change her life and I trusted her. I told her that I would help her every way I could, and if she wanted a job at my offices, she had one. She wasn’t sure what she wanted to do with her life. She was still learning how to be herself and I couldn’t be prouder. I loved her. I was in love with her, and she took up every bit of space I had in my heart.
Our thirty days were almost up, and even though the original plan was to let her go, I couldn’t. I wanted her to stay in my life, and I wanted to make her mine and mine only. The words “I love you” were on the tip of my tongue every day, but I had to hold back because I didn’t want to scare her. I had a plan. On day thirty, I would spend the day with her, buy her beautiful flowers, take her somewhere special, and profess my love for her. It had to be perfect. I wouldn’t have it any other way. This love was real for me this time. I had it all. A thriving business and career I loved, a beautiful home, family, friends, and a woman whom I adored and loved with every fiber of my soul. Sex with her was out of this world, and she even let me use the handcuffs on her
. In fact, she was the one who suggested it. She pleased me in every way possible. I wanted to take care of her, but I knew in order for her to let me, she needed to figure out what she wanted first. I knew she loved me. Even though she hadn’t said it, I could feel it.
I held her in my arms, her body wrapped tightly around mine as we lay in bed. Today was the day she was going to tell her father the truth. I asked her if she wanted me to go with her and she said that she wanted to go alone. I kissed the top of her head, thankful that she was with me.
“Morning.” She smiled as she opened her eyes.
“I didn’t mean to wake you,” I spoke.
“You didn’t.” Her finger ran across my chest.
“I have to get ready for work. Are you sure you don’t want me to go with you to see your father?”
“I’m sure. This is something I need to do on my own. But, the next time I visit him, I would love for you to go.” She lifted her head and brushed her lips against mine.
“I would like that.”
I kissed her one last time and got up, hopped into the shower, and got ready for work. Before leaving for the office, we enjoyed a nice breakfast together, like we did every morning.
“Have a good day.” She smiled as she kissed me goodbye.
“You too, sweetheart. Good luck with your dad.”
I spent a better part of the day in back-to-back meetings, and when I returned to my office, Thaddeus walked in and, instantly, I knew something was wrong.
“You better sit down, Gabriel,” he spoke.
“What’s going on?” I asked as I narrowed my eye.
He threw an article on my desk. I picked it up, and as I read it, my heart began to pound rapidly.
“What the fuck is this?” I asked through gritted teeth as my grip on the paper tightened.
“I—I don’t know.”
I stood up from my chair and slammed my fists down on the desk. Rage consumed me.
“Where did you get this?”
“It was sent by messenger when you were in your meetings,” he replied. “How is this possible? Did you—”