The Gamble

by Alice Ward

  “You’re right.” Brandon nodded. “I don’t, but I’m not stupid. You blackmailed her, man. You threatened to force her to stay married to you if she didn’t agree to help you. Remember that?”

  I pointed at him. “That was your idea.”

  “But you did it.” He pointed back. “What makes you think she’ll want to be in your life? Look, I’m not trying to be a dick, okay? I’m not. I’m just saying that you need to distance yourself from this girl before you get hurt. You’ve already fallen for her. In a couple days, she’ll be gone, and you’ll be heartbroken. Just distance yourself a little and prepare yourself for what’s about to happen.”

  I looked away from him again. Everything he said made sense, but I didn’t want to hear it. The last thing I needed was to think about Dani leaving for good. She was already avoiding me. She hadn’t answered my calls or shown up at my apartment in days. I hated to give Brandon’s words any validity, but I couldn’t help but wonder if he was right. Would Dani really take the money and run? Would she disappear from my life without a word?

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  Dani

  After seeing Perry again, I was lost for a while. The days that followed led me down a confusing, unclear path that I couldn’t see a way out of. I painted more than I ever had as I tried to work through my impossible emotions. I was still in shock that he would dare show up at my apartment and beg my forgiveness, but he wasn’t my biggest concern. All his appearance did was solidify my feelings for Talen. Up until then, I’d been unsure how I felt. Everything was unclear and murky. I couldn’t figure anything out. Perry helped me change that.

  It had been easy to send my ex-boyfriend away. There was a part of me that would always care about him, no matter how far apart we drifted. After five years with someone, I supposed you couldn’t help but feel something for them. Still, I was surprised by how little I actually felt when I saw him. The only emotion coursing through my veins was anger. I was livid, enraged, but I was no longer hurt. All the pain Perry had caused me was gone for good. In that moment, I knew that he could never hurt me again.

  That knowledge was freeing but also terrifying. In a way, holding onto Perry would have been easier. It would have been better to throw myself into that pain and drown in it. I knew that the pain Perry caused me was minuscule compared to what I was going through with Talen. Already, my husband had managed to worm his way into my heart and my psyche. He occupied my mind more often than not, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

  After I sent Perry away, I knew I could no longer hide from my feelings. They were real, and they demanded to be felt.

  Still, that didn’t change the fact that I was confused. I cared about Talen, and deep down, I knew I was falling in love with him. He hurt me when he said our helicopter ride was just business. That one sentence broke my heart more than Perry did when he cheated on me. It was impossible, but it was true. Talen already held so much of me that I didn’t know how to extricate myself from him. Our time together was rapidly coming to an end, and I couldn’t stop it. I was desperate to slow it down and make it last just a little while longer.

  I spent the first few days hiding from him, unable to face him. He called me a few times, but I couldn’t answer. I wasn’t ready to hear his voice. Knowing I needed to fulfill my obligation, I went back to his apartment and spent the past week either locked in the guest room, at my mom’s house, or painting. It hadn’t been hard to avoid Talen since he was hardly ever there. He’d been working eighteen-hour days getting ready for the meeting, and when he was home, it was only to sleep.

  A month had never gone by so quickly or moved so slowly at once.

  When our last Sunday together arrived, I grew sad as I stood in front of the canvas, knowing we only had one day left as “husband and wife.” The investor meeting was the following day. Talen and I would meet with them together, as partners.

  I wasn’t worried. Each time we’d gone to dinner or some social outing, we’d been the epitome of wedded bliss. I wasn’t worried about the meeting, but I was worried about what came after. Once the investors left town, my job would be over. My duty would be fulfilled.

  Talen promised that he’d begin the annulment process once the investors left. He didn’t want it to become public for several more months so we’d both have to lay low for a while, which wasn’t a problem for me. Aside from my upcoming art show, I had no desire to be in the public eye. I just wanted to get Mom settled into the new assisted living home and then quietly paint while I got over my broken heart.

  Sunday evening, I decided to extend an olive branch to Talen. After all, the ruse would be over with the next day and we could begin the process of our break up.

  Besides, despite my sadness, I was desperate to see him — more than just passing in the hall. I went to the grocery store and picked up a few things for dinner. For some reason, I was nervous as I emptied the bags in his kitchen. If I was going to let Talen go, I would need some semblance of closure. I couldn’t just walk away without one last night together. I cared about him too much to do that.

  I felt him before I saw him, and turned to find Talen leaning on the kitchen counter. He wore sweats and a t-shirt that made my mouth water.

  “Hi.”

  I watched his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed. “Hi.”

  I began chopping vegetables and felt the heat of his gaze on me as I set to work. I knew he was surprised by my sudden onset of domesticity, but I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. I wanted the night to be easy and fun. It was our last night together, and I just wanted to enjoy my time with him. While I still could.

  “So,” he said, stepping into the kitchen beside me. “What’s all this?”

  “Dinner.” I tried for a bright smile. “I figured, since it’s our last night together as a sort-of-married couple, we should make it special.”

  “Special?” Talen asked with raised eyebrows.

  “Yes. Special. And to me, special usually means food. So, I’m cooking.”

  “You’re cooking,” Talen repeated. He seemed dumbfounded, and I couldn’t blame him. We’d been ignoring each other for over a week now, and then I’m suddenly smiling and making food. It was only fair that he wanted an explanation.

  “Look,” I said. “I don’t want to make a big deal about this, okay? I know we haven’t really talked in a few days, but we have that meeting tomorrow, right?”

  “Right,” Talen nodded.

  “Once it’s over, our arrangement ends,” I said, trying to keep the emotion out of my voice. “I just thought this would be a nice way to say goodbye.”

  Talen’s face was unreadable as I spoke. For a second, I swore I saw a trace of sadness fly through his eyes, but it was gone before I could be sure. He cleared his throat and plastered a smile on his face.

  “You’re right,” he said. “This is perfect. What can I help with?”

  I smiled back and instructed him to slice the tomatoes for the salad. My mother taught me to cook when I was really young, so I knew my way around a kitchen better than most people my age. I wasn’t a professional, and my meals didn’t always turn out perfectly, but I was making what Madison called my “famous” rigatoni for Talen. I never screwed up my rigatoni.

  While we cooked, I talked about my paintings and my upcoming show. Talen seemed interested, but he was quiet throughout the whole conversation. He smiled and nodded. He commented occasionally, but it was rare. He spent most of the time helping me with dinner while I rambled on like an idiot. I felt dumb, but whenever I fell silent, he would ask me a question to keep me talking. If I didn’t know any better, I would have said he liked the sound of my voice. Whenever I spoke, a look of contentment settled on his features. I didn’t know what to think of it.

  After dinner was finally ready, I laid it on the table and grabbed some plates. When the table was set, I knew there was only one thing missing.

  “Do you have any wine? I forgot to pick up a bottle, and you can’t really eat
Italian food without it.”

  “No, you can’t,” Talen agreed. “I should have a bottle of red somewhere. Let me check.”

  He went back into the kitchen to look. I watched him as he moved, my eyes trailing over his body. Now that I’d seen him naked a few times, I knew exactly what was under those clothes, and I was desperate to see it again. It was our last night together, and I couldn’t let it pass without being with him again. Just one last time.

  Talen brought the wine back to the table, and I averted my eyes. I didn’t want him to know I’d been watching. He poured us each a glass as we started to eat. The food was good, better than I expected. I was pleased with myself, and the more Talen ate, the happier I became. He helped himself to seconds.

  “You like it?” I asked, finally breaking the silence that was growing awkward.

  “I love it,” he corrected and shoveled in another mouthful. “It’s delicious.”

  “Thank you.”

  Then the silence stretched again, and I didn’t know how to break it in a way that didn’t seem forced or unnatural. I tried to keep the conversation going, but Talen seemed far away. He would answer me, but then the conversation would fade again. Part of me wondered if he was mad at me, but he didn’t seem angry. If anything, he seemed sad. He looked to be thinking about something the entire night. I wanted to ask him about it, but I didn’t think he would tell me.

  “Excuse me,” I said and stood, preparing to use the bathroom.

  “Where are you going?” The words shot out of him like a bullet, his eyes frantic as he stood too.

  He cared.

  Even if I couldn’t believe it before, I believed it then. It was clearly written on his face. He was afraid I was leaving him.

  I gave him a gentle smile, touched beyond measure. “I’ll be right back. Promise.”

  Looking embarrassed, he began to gather our dirty dishes and take them into the kitchen. I finished in the bathroom and stood in the kitchen’s doorway, just watching him as he did the simple domestic chore. He was so beautiful and moved with a purposeful grace that was so attractive.

  Before I could stop myself, I stepped toward him. I moved right behind him and kissed the back of his neck lightly. His entire body went rigid, and his hands froze in the sink. I couldn’t tell if I’d made a mistake, but I kept going. I slid my hands under his shirt, rubbing my fingers up the skin on his back. He shivered at my touch, and I could hear his breathing become unsteady.

  When he turned to face me, his eyes were dark as they searched my face. When he kissed me, it was fierce and full of desire. I’d spent days wanting him inside of me. We groped at each other’s bodies while we kissed, our tongues twining together in a sensual dance. I moved my hands under his shirt, explored the muscles of his chest again. He felt so good that I moaned against his mouth. The sound seemed to awaken him even more.

  Talen groaned and pulled me closer to him. He gripped my ass in a vice-like grip, moving his lips down to kiss my neck. I gasped for breath, my entire body alive with desire. His tongue tasted the skin on my neck, and I trembled uncontrollably. Every inch of my skin was on fire as he touched me.

  I grabbed at his body, desperate to touch every inch of him that I could. His scent filled my brain, overwhelming me as he kissed my lips again. I tangled my fingers in his hair, kissing him back harder than ever.

  His hands were still on my ass as we kissed. He slid them down until he lifted me off my feet. I wrapped my legs around his waist and held onto his neck. His hands rested beneath me, holding me up. Our kiss deepened even more, our tongues fighting against each other. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t think. I couldn’t feel anything other than Talen’s body pressed tightly against my own. I wanted him more than I’d ever wanted anyone in my entire life.

  When he sat me down on the kitchen island, I was no longer confused about my feelings. This was what I’d been waiting for. The chance to be with Talen again, the chance to feel his skin and kiss his lips. In that moment, everything became clear.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  Talen

  I never wanted to stop kissing Dani. My wife. The woman who had chipped away the ice surrounding my heart. The woman I’d be forced to let go after tomorrow.

  The very thought caused me to hold her tighter, kiss her harder so that my mouth was too busy to beg her to stay.

  With her legs wrapped around me as she sat on the enormous slab of granite, I wanted her. Craved her. Worse… I needed her in a way I wasn’t prepared to examine.

  I felt her in every inch of my body. She had awakened a hunger inside of me that I didn’t know was there. Her absence in the past few days had been torturous, and now that she was back, I wanted her… now.

  Dani broke our kiss just long enough to pull my shirt over my head. She threw it to the floor and then removed her own. I slid my hand around her back and unhooked her bra, needing to feel her skin. When her breasts were finally exposed, I growled a sound that revealed my desperation and kissed her neck, breathing in her scent. I licked my way down to her breasts, teasing each nipple with my tongue. Dani leaned back on the counter, giving me more access. Her legs clenched around me, and I knew she craved me too. I licked, bit, and kissed her skin, trying to cover and memorize every inch. I couldn’t get enough of the way she tasted. My erection pressed against my sweats, and I hated the barrier between us.

  Like she’d read my mind, Dani reached between us and pushed my pants down to my ankles, my boxers sliding down with them. I kicked them away, and her eyes trailed down my naked body, her nostrils flaring with desire. I watched her while she looked at me, and I never felt sexier in my life. When our eyes met again, she grinned mischievously and pulled me against her. Our chests were pressed together while she kissed me in that way that made me forget everything.

  Her hand slid down to my cock, and she took it in her fist, slowly stroking me from tip to root. Her hand moved up and down, and I grew unbelievably harder with each stroke.

  “I need you,” I said, breaking my lips away only long enough to say the words.

  From her reaction, she needed me too.

  In a flurry of movement, Dani’s jeans were unbuttoned and down her legs, the white silk panties following quickly behind them. And there she was, fully exposed to me, her glistening sex opening like a flower as I pushed her legs apart.

  “God, you’re gorgeous,” I breathed as I opened her farther and stood back to drink her in, memorizing every glorious curve of her body. The jut of her hipbones, her swollen breasts and the dusky nipples pulled tight in arousal. The creamy expanse of her belly, all the way down to her pink pussy lips. She was beautiful. She was mine.

  “Please. I want you,” she said as I pulled her to the edge of the counter.

  She arched up, whimpering, waiting as I kissed a circle around her navel before trailing my tongue down to her hip, her thigh, then… there. With the flat of my tongue, I licked her, opening her in one long stroke.

  She cried out my name, her hands clutching my hair as I circled her clit before stroking back down. Her scent, her taste drove me to the brink of insanity as I plunged my tongue inside of her, stroking as deep as I could reach.

  I wanted her to feel me for days, always remember this moment. Always remember me.

  I blew on her sex and she arched again as the cool burst of breath was followed by my hot tongue. “Is this what you want, Dani?” I said, letting her feel the vibration of my words on her sweet pussy lips. “You want me to eat you all night long? Feast on your flesh?” I raked my teeth over her clit. “Or do you want me to fuck you hard? Maybe slow.” I slid two fingers inside her, twisting my fingers until I found the rough patch inside her. “Make you explode with my fingers?”

  “Yes,” she gasped, her internal muscles squeezing my fingers as I worked on her clit with my tongue.

  “Tell me, Dani.” I stroked that spot, watched her face contort with the agony of pleasure. “Tell me what you want.”

  “You,” she gaspe
d, the word shooting from her like a bullet. “All. Everything.”

  I gave her all. I gave her everything. Stroking and licking and sucking until she exploded, trembling so violently I wrapped an arm around her leg to hold her down.

  I wanted more. I wanted to feel her shatter again. I wanted… damn, I wanted everything too.

  Her skin was feverishly hot as I ran my fingertips up and down her side, cupping the underside of her breast and squeezing while my mouth brought her to a second climax. Then I could wait no more. I stood and pulled her up until she was sitting, her hands in my hair as I kissed her mouth, felt her lick her taste from my lips.

  I needed her.

  With a desperation I rarely felt for anything, I pulled her to the edge, felt her legs wrap around my waist and then my cock was inside her, enveloped in her hot heat. Being inside her calmed me, and my frantic movements slowed and became more deliberate. This was what I wanted.

  Dani.

  Wrapped around me, her lips on mine, her fingers in my hair, her breasts heaving against my chest.

  Home.

  I withdrew slowly, feeling her pussy grasp and cling to my cock.

  I tasted her tears before I even knew she was crying, and then I was nearly crying too. Me, the iceman, was filled with so much emotion I wasn’t sure where it came from or how to let it go.

  It was terrifying. It was freeing. Maybe I was human after all. Maybe I could feel after all. Maybe…

  As we moved together, my body rocking in and out of hers, I memorized everything about this moment. Tucked it deep inside me where no one else could see.

  “Talen…”

  She was close again. I felt the tightening of her body, the mask of agony on her face, and pumped harder, wanting to give her everything she needed.

  She whimpered. The little sound I loved.

  Her eyes were locked on my face, her mouth open in pleasure. She whimpered while I took her harder and harder, driving her toward the edge, then watched her fly as she wailed and trembled through another orgasm.