“No. As long as I’m just right for you.”
She smiled as he opened the door, and stepped aside so she could enter before him. She walked over to the sofa and sat down. Even after everything they’d just shared, she felt a shyness creep over her. She picked her book up off the coffee table. Holding it made her feel a little more secure.
“Carpe diem,” he said.
“What?”
“Seize the day. Or in this case the night.”
“Oh my God!” She raised the book up to him like an offering. “That’s exactly what Hannah says. Have no regrets. Carpe diem, seize the day. You have read her books.”
“You could say that.”
Who was this man? Was he for real? She watched as he lifted the phone and placed a call to someone, probably room service, and asked for a late night snack. He also said something else but his voice was low and she couldn’t quite hear the rest of it.
“What was that about?”
“I thought you might be hungry.”
To give herself time to regain some sense of control, she liked the idea of taking the time to stop and eat. “Yes. I could use something.” She got an idea. “How about while we wait, I read you some of my favorite passages?”
He sat down beside her and took her legs up placing them across his lap. “Sure. But first can I ask you something?” He said this as he took off the slippers the spa provided them with, and began massaging her feet. “Why are you really trying to find Hannah Grimes? What do you think she can tell you that’s not already in one of her books?”
It took her a moment to reply because what he was doing felt so good. “It’s not so much what’s in her books, but the thought or even what’s behind it. Reading her work at times is like reading bits and pieces of my life. Like she’s lived it already and came out okay. She figured it out, ya know. I’m hoping she’ll fill in some of the pieces for me.”
She almost jumped out of her skin when he kissed a toe. Who knew that was an erogenous zone?
“But life’s not really like that. No one can fill those pieces in for you,” he said as he planted a kiss on the other foot. “That you have to do for yourself.”
“Wow…oh yeah.” Wait, something he said got through the sensual haze he seemed to be weaving around her. She opened the book, still clutched in her hand and flipped through the pages until she came to the section he was talking about. “And I quote” she read, “‘Walk in no man or woman’s shadow, fill in the holes on your own.’ So that’s what she was saying.”
“Yes. When I first started boxing that was my world. I didn’t know anything else existed. I lived for two things. Women and to be the best middleweight boxer that ever lived. To take the title away from the guy who held it. I’d already taken away his girlfriend now I wanted his title. I walked in his shadow most of my professional career. I thought if I beat him, if I won, then my life would make sense. I’d prove to myself and the world that I was the best.”
“So what happened?”
“I got the girl and the title, and a broken nose for my troubles. But it wasn’t enough. Those holes were still there. That’s when I realized I had to do something different with my life. The girl and I realized we didn’t much like each other and if I never set foot in a boxing ring again that was fine with me. It was time to move out of other people’s shadows, other people’s expectations, and find those missing pieces in my life.”
“Hey, that’s the title of a chapter in the book. Finding the Missing Pieces. So how did you find yours? How’d you end up here, owning a restaurant and a spa?”
“Santa Rosa, New Mexico is home. I came home. That was five years ago. My grandmother encouraged me to wr…to keep a journal, setting short-term goals. My restaurant used to be a little hole in the wall bar that I used to hang out in, and I would write in my journal. Then when the owner died, his son put it up for sale and I bought it, fixed it up and never looked back.”
His story touched her. She could understand exactly how he felt. All her life had been about other people’s expectations. But what were hers? “Maybe I should start keeping a journal.”
“Later,” he said kissing her calf. The knock at the door interrupted whatever else he was going to say or do. Hank stood up, tightening the belt around his robe before he opened the door and took a tray from the person in the hall. She heard him say thank you then step back into the room, letting the door swing shut.
“Here you are.” He placed the try on the coffee table in front of the couch. There were two covered platters on the tray. “Go ahead and remove the covers. I’ll see what’s in the bar. What would you like?”
“Sparkling water.”
“Coming right up.”
Removal of the first cover revealed shelled shrimp with cocktail sauce. The second tray held an assortment of cheeses and crackers.
Hank handed her the bottled water and sat down again. She didn’t think she’d really be hungry but the shrimp looked great and she told him so.
“Taste good too. Here, try this.” He picked up a shrimp and dipped it in the sauce, and held it in front of her lips. “Open for me, babe.”
She took a bite to the tip of his finger. “Mmm, that is good.”
“Oh yeah.” He popped the remainder in his mouth.
She took a sip of water from her bottle, and as she lowered it, he took the bottle out of her hand and placed it on the table. Holding onto her arms, he drew her to him and covered her lips with his. “Mmm,” he moaned. Opening his mouth, he rubbed his tongue against her full lips until she parted them, inviting him in. She didn’t need to ask him twice.
He tasted of the spices from the shrimp sauce and a little of the Champagne they’d been drinking earlier, like his taste had been made just for her. She leaned closer to him on the couch, reaching for his robe. She had to feel him, touch him. He must have wanted the same thing because he parted her robe and had his hands on her breasts the same time she pushed his robe off his shoulders.
“Yes, touch me.” His voice was hoarse, sexy, and she loved the sound of it.
She’d wanted to touch him from the first moment she’d laid eyes on him. He was hard. Her fingers touched nothing but steel. She got the robe off as he lay back on the couch, taking her down on top of him. Pushing her robe completely aside, he had full access to her naked body. But she also had access to his. She could feel his sex pushing against her belly button. Breaking their kiss, she sat up on him, straddling his thighs. “Now where were we?” she asked.
He reached up and brushed his thumbs over both nipples. She arched her back in response.
He groaned. “Here. We were right here.”
He moved his hand to her waist, and held her while he sat up and adjusted their positions until he was sitting up, his back to the couch and his feet on the floor.
“Comfortable?”
“I will be,” she said.
“Good.” He fumbled in the pocket of his robe and pulled out a condom.
“Where’d that come from?”
He grinned sheepishly.
She smiled. Ah, room service. She didn’t mind, not in the least. Taking it from him, she opened the packet. “I hope you got more than one.”
“What do you think?”
Still smiling, she placed it on his rigid length. Rising up on her knees, she sank onto his hardness. There was a simultaneous moan. Atlanta leaned her head back and let herself relish the moment, and the man. She felt every inch of his many inside her. She squeezed him with her woman’s muscles, taking them steadily higher into the nether. He pulled her closer so he could suckle at her breasts, and she wrapped her arms around his neck to hold him to her. She groaned as he raised his hips to take them further than she’d ever been before. He released his mouth from around her areole. “Look at me,” he commanded.
She hadn’t even realized her eyes were closed, so lost in being a part of him, sight held no meaning for her until she opened her eyes and looked into his. “Mine,” he said.
“Mine,” she repeated back to him and knew it was true. As soon as his mouth covered her own, she exploded. Falling. She was falling. She’d climbed up into the heavens where no one should go and now she was falling for her pleasure. But oh God! The pleasure was so great it was worth the fall, but Hank was right there with her. He held her in his arms, so if she had to fall, it was with him.
Her body leaned forward and her head rested on his shoulder. She barely felt him lift her up.
“Wrap your legs around me.” Holding him around his neck, he grabbed her thighs and stood up. As he began to walk, her senses revived enough for her to know he was taking her to the bedroom, and he was still firmly inside her.
He got them on the bed without once withdrawing from her core, and as soon as her bottom hit the mattress he began to move in her. He drew her legs up so her knees were at his shoulders, spreading her open to him even more. The only sounds she could hear were the sounds of pleasure her lover breathed in her ear and the music their bodies made every time they clashed together, until even those sounds were dulled by the pressure building in her system. Building until she had no choice but to release the pleasure. On a cry of his name, she came.
And Hank was right behind her.
Chapter Eight
Atlanta sat in a booth looking over the breakfast menu. It was just as massive as the dinner one. “So many choices,” she mumbled to herself.
“May I recommend the Ringside Special?”
Atlanta looked up and saw one of the waitresses smiling at her. “What would that be?”
“It’s a Spanish omelet, hash browns, sausage and bacon, biscuits and gravy and your choice of coffee, juice or milk.”
“Wow. Well I do have a bit of an appetite.” Especially after last night, she thought to herself, grinning. “I’ll have that, with coffee.”
“Looks like you’re going to be a regular here. My name’s Kate.” She stuck out her hand.
“Oh, I’m Atlanta. What makes you think I’m going to be a regular?”
“Look sweetie, you came here for dinner last night, hung out with the boss, and you’re back for breakfast. Tells me you’re sticking around.” She winked at her.
Atlanta felt her face blush. Could she tell something happened between them? She couldn’t be that transparent.
“Ahh, see. Hey, I’m not hatin on ya. All the girls love Hank. We just haven’t been that lucky. Be back with your coffee.”
Atlanta wanted to sink into the booth. She reached for her purse on the side of her and took out her book. She flipped to her bookmarked spot: Life Is Not Always As It Seems.
“Hey, baby.”
She looked up to the baritone voice of her lover. “Hey there yourself. Care to join me? I ordered the Ringside Special.”
“Excellent choice.” He scooted in the booth and kissed her mouth. “I wish I could join you, but a little problem came up with one of my vendors. I have to drive over to meet with him. I should be back in an hour, and I’d like you to stay. But hey, enjoy your breakfast, and when I get back I’ll show you around.”
“And maybe she’ll come in today?”
“Ahh… maybe. But today is busy. “
“Oh, that’s right the crowds. Okay, then I’ll see you when you get back.”
Hank kissed her one more time and got up. “Okay, Kate, take care of my lady here.” He got up and moved out of the way, while Kate poured her coffee. “By the way, everything is on the house.” He moved away before she could thank him.
“Have you seen Miss Grimes?” she asked Kate after she finished.
“Uh…n…not lately. But then she could be on a book tour or something. It’s about that time for her to start coming out with another book.”
“Really? Oh, I can’t wait. I have all her books. They speak to you. Don’t you think?”
“Oh, yeah they speak to me alright.” She turned to Hank and tapped him on the shoulder. “I need to see you in the back.”
“I was just telling Atlanta, I need to see a…”
“In the back!”
Atlanta looked curiously at the duo, as they headed in the direction of his office and disappeared.
Atlanta shrugged her shoulders. Kate probably didn’t have her cup of coffee yet. She turned her attention back to her book.
These past couple of days had been a whirlwind. She found the exact city and hangout that Miss Grimes frequents. She meets the very sexy owner of the very place she hangs out, and he’s good friends with her. Then overnight, she becomes his lover. There had to be a chapter in one of her books on that!
She was flipping through the index as another server approached. “The Ringside Special.” He placed two large plates down.
“Wow. I think this will be the first time I need a doggie bag for breakfast,” she chuckled.
“You’ll be surprised how much you can finish. This food is so good, you won’t realize you’re done until the last bite. And you’ll be hollering for more.”
“All right then, I’ll take your word for it.” Atlanta placed her book back in her purse.
“Say, you have one of the Life books.”
“Yeah, you’ve read them?”
“No, just that I know they’re very popular. By the way, I’m Joe.”
“Atlanta.” She shook his hand. “Hank told me the author comes here. He says he knows her very well.”
“Han…uh…where is Hank?” Joe asked looking around the place.
“He went back to his office with Kate,” she said as she took her first bite of food. “Mmm…mmm. This is heavenly. You’re right, I…” She looked around, but Joe had disappeared. Well, it was busy around there. She continued eating, savoring every bite.
“I can’t believe you haven’t told her. Of all people, you should have told her!” Kate screamed nearly knocking him against the wall, with that finger pointed at his chest.
“I swear I was going to. I tried.”
“Yeah, right. You didn’t try hard enough,” she said her hands on her slim hips. “You slept with her…”
“Whoa! How do you know that?”
“She’s glowing. And we all know you left with her last night.”
“When has my private life become your business?” Hank said trying to walk out the door.
“Ever since you took me and Joe into your confidence.”
As if on cue, Joe came bursting into the office. “You didn’t tell her?”
Hank threw his hands up and walked to his desk. He could see right now that he wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. “I tried.”
Kate threw her hands toward Joe. “He ‘tried,’” she said quoting with her fingers.
Joe shook his head. “Man, this is wrong on so many levels.”
“I’ll tell her!”
They both stood there staring at him with their arms folded over their chests.
Hank wondered from time to time if it was a good idea letting them in on his secret. However, they’d been friends since his boxing days and they were supportive when he quit and took up writing. Even so far as to help him when he first opened the restaurant and was short handed, and since stayed on. Right now, all of that was coming back to bite him in the butt.
“I mean it. When the right time comes, I’ll tell her.”
They both threw their hands up. “What, when your hundredth book hits the shelves? Which will be in thirty years,” Kate stated.
Hank rubbed the back of his neck. “No, no, you’re right. I’ll have to tell her soon.”
“Good,” Kate said.”
“When are you going to tell her?” Joe asked.
“Right after I talk with this vendor. There was a mix up with the beef. Besides, I want to talk to her somewhere more private.”
“Okay. You know we’re holding you to this,” Kate said turning to leave.
“You have my word,” Hank said holding up his right hand.
“Good. Let’s go before the natives get restless.” Joe escorted Kate out.
They’d only just begun, but he didn’t want to lose her over a stupid misunderstanding. And he knew he would. This was a woman who demanded honesty and integrity. Why else would she love his books?
Well it was time he practiced what he preached. He opened his top drawer and took out his cell, punching in Elliott’s number.
“Morrison Publishing.”
“Yeah, this is Hank Gaines. I need to speak with Elliott Wright.”
“Oh yes Mister Gaines, one moment”
He sat there listening to the rings when the call finally switched over to voice mail.
“You have reached the office of Elliott Wright, Please leave your name and number and a detailed message, and I will return your call as soon as possible.” Beep!
“Hey, Elliott, this is Hank, call me back ASAP.”
He disconnected and took out his organizer. He needed to have a long meeting with Elliott about his next book, and the decision to publish under the pseudonym. He marked out a time, before getting up to leave. He was running way behind.
On his way out, he saw Atlanta. She was just finishing up her meal when she glanced up, and saw him. He couldn’t stop at her table, but he blew her a kiss.
Yeah, he wanted to wipe the slate clean with her. He wanted the chance.
Chapter Nine
Too stuffed to move, Atlanta wiped her mouth with the cloth napkin. In fact, she was hoping someone would come over and roll her back to the hotel for a nice nap. It would be very embarrassing if she took one in the restaurant. She was scooting out of the booth to go to the restroom, when she heard someone yelling.
“I can’t believe this! You can’t do this to me!”
Atlanta saw a short blond man running from the kitchen.
“I gave you the best years of my life! Hello! Hello!”
He was screaming into a cell phone while rushing to the exit.
Three Sisters Series: Ringside Page 4