When Fates Collide

by Isabelle Richards

  I can appreciate where he’s coming from. Once I’d found out Ash was sleeping around, I was so disgusted I wouldn’t have even screwed him with someone else’s vag. No fucking way.

  I take a step back and nod toward the door. “I’m ready to go. How ‘bout you?” I ask, hoping to get out of this awkward conversation.

  The streets of Georgetown are packed. Gavin takes my hand as he navigates the crowd. When we make it to a quiet side street, he asks, “Why did you go off the pill? Where you trying to have kids?”

  The question catches me so off-guard that I trip, almost falling flat on my face. “Oh God, no!” I shout louder than intended. “Certain people should never procreate, and Ashton was one of them. I knew that a long time ago. I was in a similar situation to you. He was sleeping with anything with legs, and that was a firm boundary for me. After a while, I got lazy and just stopped taking my pills, and I never went back for refills.”

  “So how long has it been?”

  My cheeks suddenly feel hot.

  “Look at you,” he says. “This conversation is making you blush. You’re one of the most brazen women I’ve met. I’ve never seen you bat an eye at a personal question, and you’re squirming right now.”

  “I’m just nervous,” I reply. “It’s been a long time. A very long time. And from the sound of it, you’ve slept with half of England.”

  “I did not,” he says indignantly. “Well, I sort of did. But it isn’t anything you need to worry about. If it makes you feel better, it’s been a long time for me too. Why do you think I’m in such good shape? I’ve got to burn off all that energy somehow,” he says with a wink.

  I feel a faint buzzing from my pocket and am reminded that I’d turned my ringer off during dinner. I pull the phone from my pocket to see that, in addition to a slew of calls from numbers I don’t know, Em has called five times in the past hour. I quickly dial her back.

  “Em, what’s up? Where’s the fire?” I ask when I hear the line connect.

  “Um, hello? Your life just exploded all over the internet. How are you taking this so well?”

  Gavin mouths What’s wrong?, and I shrug. “Slow down. What are you talking about?” I ask.

  “Fuck. You haven’t seen it, have you?”

  “Now I’m worried. What are you talking about?”

  “There are pictures of you and a certain British gentleman all over the tabloids. Apparently, you’ve been carrying on an affair for months, and they have pictures to prove it. There are pictures of you from today for crying out loud. While I’m on the subject, you wore those heels with that skirt? Have I taught you nothing?”

  I look at Gavin. “Seems as though we’re trending.”

  We turn the corner toward my apartment, and I see a gaggle of photographers waiting by the main entrance. Gavin grabs me by the shoulders and turns me back around the way we came. “Just keep walking. We’ll go to a hotel tonight. Unless you want to spend the few days I’m here posing for the press,” he adds with a wink.

  Fourteen

  We weave up and down the streets of Georgetown, hoping that we haven’t been spotted or followed. Gavin’s hand rests firmly on the small of my back as he walks onward with commanding purpose.

  As we approach a large brick building, the door swings open. A man leans out of the doorway and says, “Good evening, Mr. Edwards. We weren’t expecting you.”

  Gavin shakes the man’s hand. “Marcus, hello. How is Julia?”

  “Very well, sir. Thank you for asking,” Marcus replies as we walk through the door.

  As I walk through the door, I notice a small sign. The Four Seasons. I stop and do a double take of the building. From the outside it looks like every other building in Georgetown. I’d never have guessed it was a hotel. I tug on Gavin’s arm. “Hold up Oxford. I can’t afford this place.”

  He glares at me. “As if I would let you pay.”

  He puts his hand on my back to nudge me forward, but I stand firm.

  “Gavin. No. One night in this place probably costs more than my rent for the month. Letting you pay for dinner was one thing. But you footing the bill while we deal with this mess is another. I’m not comfortable with this.”

  This sort of extravagance was how it had started with Ash. Expensive dinners, lavish weekend getaways, and sweet presents from Tiffany’s that come with a hefty price tag. The next thing I knew, he was paying my sorority dues and had bought me a car. At the time, it was as though I’d found my Prince Charming. Well, my lottery ticket was more like it. Without Ash’s help, I would have had to work forty hours a week to afford college and living expenses. So I’d let him spoil me. At the time, it had seemed harmless, but after we were married, I realized I was a kept woman, and he treated me as such. I’d allowed myself to be bought. Clearly, I didn’t have enough self-respect to take care of myself. Why should he have had respect for me? Even so, I don’t intend to allow that to happen again.

  Marcus steps back inside and closes the door, giving us some privacy.

  “I understand where you’re coming from,” Gavin replies. “But I did come into town for a business meeting and my company was fully expecting to pay for my lodging while I was in town, but I’d initially declined since I was going to stay with you. Don’t think of this as me paying. Think of it as you shacking up with me while I stay here. Plus, the staff here is top notch, and they place high value on the privacy of their clientele. I was here for weeks, and no one caught wind of it. I can say with absolute certainty that if we go to another hotel, where I don’t have a pre-existing relationship, someone will sell us out in a heartbeat.”

  I lean against the cool brick wall, brainstorming alterative solutions, but I come up empty. “Are you sure your company is okay with this?”

  A smile spreads across his face. “Yes, I can assure you my company is perfectly comfortable with this arrangement. Now can we please go in? Or would you rather wait out here to be caught by the paps?”

  Begrudgingly, I follow him into the swanky lobby. There are no other guests around, just a handful of impeccably-dressed staff members quietly flittering around, all eyes on us. My flip-flops echo on the pristine marble floors, drawing unwanted attention to me.

  Before we get to the front desk, a woman in a deep purple pantsuit appears and hands Gavin a key card. “Here you go, Mr. Edwards. You’re suite’s waiting for you.”

  “Thank you, Carmella,” he replies, slipping her a tip. As we make our way to the elevator, Gavin stops to chat with a few other hotel employees. He seems to know everyone’s name, their kid’s names, and their hobbies. He has this magical ability to connect with every person that crosses his path, and he does so with such authenticity that people are drawn in. Living in Washington as long as I have, I’ve certainly met enough charismatic people that possess a similar ability to work a room, but after talking to those sorts, I always feel the need to go through a HAZMAT decontamination cleaning. Gavin, on the other hand, genuinely cares about the people he meets and radiates nothing but sincerity and warmth.

  The elevator opens on the second floor, and he instinctively steers me towards the right.

  “Why am I always being shuttled off to clandestine rooms with you? With no luggage, by the way.”

  As he opens the door to our room he says, “I guess you’ll just have to be naked then, won’t you!”

  I’m flabbergasted when I enter the room. This isn’t a hotel room. It’s the size of a house. There’s a full size dining room. To the right and down a few steps is a gigantic living room with a TV nearly the size of the wall it’s mounted on. But what captivates my attention is the enormous terrace that’s at least as big as my whole apartment. I wander and find a bedroom with an amazing view of Georgetown and the Potomac. The bathroom is also to die for—a deep tub designed for two as well as a shower that’s bigger than an SUV and has more shower heads than I can count. Whoever designed this bathroom had more than simply bathing in mind.

  I’ve been in some very nice pl
aces, but this room blows them all out of the water. “It’s the Rain Man suite of DC.”

  “It is rather remarkable. I always stay in this suite because it allows me to get business done here. I have a great relationship with many of the chaps I work with, and rather than sit in stuffy board rooms, we’ll go golfing, come back here, sit on the terrace with a pint or two. Then we’ll eat downstairs. The restaurant downstairs, Bourbon Steak, is one of my favorite places to eat. It’s a great schedule, and I get lots accomplished. Not a bad way to spend a work day.”

  He’s interrupted by a knock at the door. “Hold that thought,” he says. He returns with Marcus, who’s pushing a cart laden with four bottles of Perrier Jouet, a pair of champagne flutes, and four pints of Chunky Monkey.

  “Clearly, they know you well here. It almost feels rehearsed. Is this your schtick when you bring women here?” I’d known Gavin was smooth, but to have the staff on-call to bring champagne to the room upon arrival seems more sleazy than smooth.

  “Mr. Edwards is a valued member of the family here at the Georgetown Four Seasons. We always keep plenty of Chunky Monkey on hand. The champagne is for another suite, but I’d be happy to bring a bottle to you, if you would like.” He places the ice cream in the mini fridge hidden in the bar. “Good night, Ms. Clark. Please don’t hesitate to call if you need anything.” With that, he’s gone.

  I go behind the bar to scope out what other hidden treasures may be hiding back there. “How’d he know my name?” I ask. When Gavin doesn’t answer, I stand up. His back is to me while he looks out the window, arms crossed.

  “‘It almost feels rehearsed?’ Are you bloody kidding me?”He sounds pissed, furious even. Not a tone I’ve heard from him before.

  “Um,” I stammer.

  He turns around and glares at me. “You caught me,” he snaps. “I planted paparazzi outside your home to lure you here to get into your pants. I guess the jig is up!” He spins back around to face the cityscape.

  I instantly recoil, feeling like a bitch. Too ashamed to meet his furious gaze, I look down as I apologize. “I’m sorry. Of course you wouldn’t.”

  “I’m not like your husband. Please don’t make me pay for his sins,” he spits before walking out onto the terrace.

  I’ve really stepped in it, haven’t I? He couldn’t be more opposite to Ash if he tried. Clearly, I have trust issues, and I need to learn that not all men are lying, cheating scum. All of that is going to take time.

  I touch his back, hoping he’ll turn to me. When he doesn’t, I squeeze my way between him and the railing so he has no choice but to look at me. The hurt is written all over his face, and it feels like a dagger to my heart.

  “I’m sorry. In my life, when things seem too good to be true, they typically are. It’s a knee-jerk reaction for me to always look for the catch. It’s still hard for me to believe that you’re here with me. Part of me keeps waiting for the bubble to burst. I just hope I’m not the one to pop it by being an idiot. Can you please forgive me?” I give him my best puppy-dog eyes, hoping he will come around. The last thing I want to do is hurt him. And, if we’re stuck hiding out from the press together, it will be far more fun if he doesn’t hate me.

  He finally looks me in the eye. “I know you have issues. I’m chock full of them myself. I’m overreacting a bit, I know. I’m acting like a mopey cow. What we have is… uh…” he stammers.

  He pulls away from the railing and paces a bit, which I’ve noticed he does when he’s trying to work something out. It makes me horribly seasick when he does it during our video chats. I’ve learned to just give him room to process. He’ll tell me when he’s ready.

  “I have so many thoughts and they are all jumbled. Some of this may come out poorly, so just bear with me. Women have always thrown themselves at me, and I’ve never had to work for it. I didn’t have to try. I didn’t even have to be particularly nice.”

  “Wow, Gavin. Just lay it out there, why dontcha?”

  “Just listen, please. I’m not trying to be an arrogant cad. I’m trying to be honest. When I was younger, I had plenty of women but no one I ever really cared for. I was a selfish wanker, and women would put up with it. They didn’t want me. They just wanted my money or whatever piece of Britain’s bad boy they could get their hands on,” he says with an eye roll.

  “At a certain point, I looked at who I was, and I made myself sick. Going into the army helped me grow the hell up. It helped me realize how precious life is, how hard it is. I had a new respect for the people around me. I decided I’d never use someone that way again. With Brooke, you see… Um, well how can I explain,” he stammers.

  I get queasy at the sound of her name. I really don’t want to hear about their relationship, but I know I have to. If I want to know him, I have to know all of him, and clearly this topic is upsetting him. Squashing my insecurity, I nod for him to go on.

  “She was so alive when I met her, but then she got lost. I tried to help her find her way, but because she was living this double life, she was always at arm’s length. She was in my life, but she never really shared my life. That was how she wanted it, and I went along with it because it was easy. I never had to try very hard for her because she didn’t respect herself enough to expect that of me.”

  He stops pacing and comes toward me. Grabbing my hand and looking me in the eye, he says, “Then I met you, and it was like my eyes opened for the first time. You’re not someone I have to try hard for out of necessity. I want to try hard for you. I want to give you everything. Do everything for you. I think about you nonstop, and your happiness is like oxygen to me. If you’re hurting, I can’t breathe. It shakes me to the core.

  “I’ve never felt like this before. So when you trivialize it and make it sound like you’re just another notch on my bedpost, it wounds me deeply. I’m not with you because I’m mourning and looking for comfort. I’m not with you because I’m looking for a shag. I could do that a lot closer to home if I wanted. I don’t want that. I’m with you because I’m consumed by you... every moment of every day.”

  He kisses me softly and gently, and I feel like I could kiss him forever. Slow and soft begets deep and passionate with roaming tongues and hands. He scoops me up into his arms and carries me to the bedroom.

  Our last experience had been fire and lust. This time, it’s tender and seductive. His hands move tenderly over my body, as though his fingers are trying to memorize every inch of me. Each gentle touch heightens my senses, making me yearn for him.

  He slowly peels my clothes off, and I do the same to him. While there’s a burning need to remove all barriers between us, we take our time, wanting to savor every second. The anticipation is delicious, and rushing the moment would be a sin.

  Our kisses become more impassioned as the heat between us grows. My hands can’t get enough of him. Tracing the contours of his body is erotic. I get lost on the hard plateaus of his abs, the slopes of his biceps. Every part of him is so well-defined, like a sensual wonderland for me to explore.

  Tracing along my jaw, his fingertips slowly make their way down my body. He finds my breasts and gently caresses them. Running his thumbs over my nipples, he makes me moan. Feeling the way my body reacts to him, he continues, making quick circles with his fingers. I cry out in delight and turn my hips towards him. We writhe against each other as we kiss, building the anticipation between us. His erection grows with each kiss as our bodies move together. I can feel its rigid enormity. One of Gavin’s hands travels the slow trail from my breasts down my stomach. It’s deliciously slow torture. Enjoying his soft caress but so desperately needing him to touch me elsewhere.

  I can’t wait another second. I need him. My body craves for him to be inside me. I look at Gavin as I push him to the bed and straddle him.

  “Are you su—”

  I kiss him before he can finish. I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life. I gasp as I guide the tip of his cock into me. It’s been a very long time, and he’s far more well-endowe
d than I’m used to, so I need to take him in slowly. I lower myself on his throbbing erection. Inch by inch, he stretches me.

  As he slides further inside me, Gavin lets out a primal moan, which only builds my confidence. His hands run up and down my body, caressing all the right places. Each touch sends a tidal wave of euphoria over my body. I’m lost in the sensation, not able to think or speak. All I can do is feel, and what I feel is mind-blowing.

  Once he fills me completely, I tilt my head back; he hits me in depths I didn’t know possible. Each thrust brings an explosion of pleasure. Suddenly, his thumb starts to rub my clit. The feeling is so intense and I’m hungry for more. I rock my hips against his, craving more friction.

  The pressure mounts, and I know I’m about to come. I scream his name as I climax. Not wanting it to end, I continue my ride, pounding him deeper and deeper inside me. The sensations start to build again, which drives me to go even faster and harder than before. The look in his eyes tells me he’s ready to explode. I clench myself around him as we both go over the edge.

  We collapse from exhaustion and pure ecstasy.

  Gavin rolls so I lie beside him, facing him as he cradles my face in his hands. “There are no words to describe how spectacular that was,” he says as he kisses me softly. The sex may have been powerful and intense, but the intimacy I feel in the afterglow is even more so. I feel truly, profoundly connected to this man. There’s no question about it—I’m falling for him. I spend the rest of the night showing him.

  Fifteen

  The bright sun wakes me up, and I’m disoriented. Groggy, I lie there, trying to figure out what time it is. Hell, what day it is. Gavin and I have completely checked out of the real world, doing nothing but talk, laugh, and have crazy, passionate sex for what seems like forever. I can’t remember the last time I wore clothes. We don’t even have to think about food. Good ol’ Marcus keeps sending up trays of nosh and, of course, more Chunky Monkey. It’s been pure bliss. Gavin isn’t in bed next to me, so I have a feeling our sexcapade may be over and the blinding sunlight is my wake up call.