by Ju Ephraime
“I’m not good at guessing, so please tell me what it is,” she said, as they fell into step.
“No, you have to have at least one guess.”
“Okay, they found the driver who pushed us off the road.”
“Good, but not good enough; however, I won’t put you through this. I've got your coat. I picked it up from Wolfe, so you should be happy and will have no reason to remain on the island any longer.”
“What do you mean? Are you so anxious to get rid of me?”
“You know damn well that’s far from the truth, but by the same token, I don’t want you to remain here because you were being held hostage by your inability to get your property.”
“Stop it, Raymond. Where’s the coat?”
He glanced over at her. She had been through a rough time. She had smudges under her gorgeous eyes, and he felt even worse when he saw the bruise on her temple. Even though he was not responsible for putting it there, he still felt bad about it because he’d been the one driving when it happened.
When he remembered how brutal he’d been when he’d made love with her, what seemed now like ages ago, he could kick himself for being so greedy. He should have been gentler with her. The more he saw of her, the more convinced he was that he’d misjudged her terribly. For all her poise, she was very naïve. She had a good heart. He hoped returning her coat to her, having satisfied for himself there was nothing untoward in her coat, they could move on and enjoy the remaining few days she had on the island, if she chose to stay. He’d used her coat to keep her with him a bit longer, but he was now out of excuses. He had to return the coat.
“Where's the coat, Raymond?” she asked again.
“Hang on to your hat, darling. It’s in the trunk of my car.”
They walked into the parking lot. He was about to pop the trunk of the car when she placed her hand on his arm.
“Wait, Raymond, you’ve got a new Jag, and it’s identical to the one that got wrecked.”
"Yes,” he said. “I told you that’s what I was doing today. It took a while with the insurance company to get all the documents finalized with the dealership, the motor vehicle department, and recovering the wreck from the police. I’ve had a hectic day, and then I went to Wolfe’s restaurant to get your coat. You seemed very disappointed every time you had to spend another day without it. Hopefully, now your mind will be at rest. You won’t feel as if you are being jerked around.”
“Raymond, I didn’t feel jerked around, as you so delicately put it, not once since I’ve been here. The situation was beyond your control. I’ve had a fabulous time, and I intend to remain on the island and enjoy the rest of the time I have left here with you.”
He turned and gave her a searching look. “Are you sure about that?”
Gabrielle lifted her gaze from the coat, which was lying in the trunk, to Raymond’s face. He was standing absolutely still. His face could have been carved from granite, as it was so utterly devoid of expression. It was frozen. Her heart did a funny little flip, and a million butterflies took flight in her stomach. She loved this man. She had to admit to being a skeptic about love at first sight, but having met Raymond, she was now a convert. She supposed everybody had their perfect match, and she’d found hers in Raymond. She had to look away, not wanting him to guess how she felt about him.
Giving her a disarming smile, Raymond brought her into the warmth of his body. “I’m sorry I took you away from your little friend,” he said, giving her a kiss on her nose.
“What little friend?” she asked, returning the kiss with one of her own, but to his succulent lips. “I was waiting for you. I didn’t invite him into my space. I was just being polite not telling him to bugger off.”
“But you were talking and laughing with him the first day you arrived here. You can’t mess around with the local men, Gabrielle; they are very passionate. If you encourage them, they won’t back down until they’ve claimed the prize.”
“For your information, I was sitting with the tourist couple when he invited himself into our conversation. We were too polite to tell him to bugger off. And I didn’t know you considered me a prize,” she said, kissing him on the lips again.
“Don’t go kissing my lips and think it will end there,” he told her. “I’ve told you before, chérie, you bring out the beast in me.”
“Okay, I apologize,” she said, laughing. She felt carefree, as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Strictly speaking, it had. She’d feel even better after she had handed the coat and its content to Pierre when she got back to St. Barth, and she was no longer responsible for it. She was so relieved that the coat would soon be in her possession; she didn’t feel the urgency she’d been feeling to take possession of it. She would take it when she was certain she’d be alone in her room; now she wanted to have fun with Raymond.
*****
He couldn’t help thinking there was something he’d missed about the coat, seeing how her whole demeanor changed upon learning she’d be getting her coat back. The transformation was remarkable to say the least. It was as if she had been under a cloud from the moment he’d met her at the airport, and now that she had the coat in her possession, the true Gabrielle was shining through. He wasn’t one to look a gift horse in the mouth but, boy, he was sinking fast. He knew he had strong feelings for her, and now that she was beaming at him with so much love in her eyes, he knew he was falling hard, and fast.
He wanted to take her on a drive around the island, but his body was screaming at him to take her back to her room and have his way with her. He didn’t want her to think he was a horn dog, but that’s the effect she had on him, and evidently, she wanted what he wanted because he smelled her heat—aroused female with undernotes of wild orchids. And, as had usually been the case, his body went from being relaxed to rock hard before he could bat an eyelid. What was it about this woman that had him panting after her like an animal in heat? Not that he was complaining. The rewards were too fantastic.
“Do you want to go up to see if housekeeping is done with your room?
“Not really,” she replied, but he was pleased to see she was heading back to the hotel lobby. Taking her hand, he fell into step with her as they entered the lobby, and made their way to the elevator. They had to wait a few minutes before it arrived, but blessed relief, it was empty.
As the elevator door closed on them, she was on him before he had the time to react. Is this her way of thanking me for returning the coat? I’m becoming as cynical as Wolfe. I’ve spent too much time around him, he admonished himself. But he couldn’t keep the skepticism from clouding his mind. If she kept it up, he would have no other choice but to take her in the elevator, something he didn’t want to do. He was not good at quickies.
He circled the nape of her neck with his hand, his fingers going around her throat. He pulled her to him, savoring the feel of her body against his—welcoming the heat that ran hot through his body, the moment he touched her, the moment her nipples brushed against his chest and the scent of her arousal enveloped him. It sank into his lungs, and the world faded—there was only Gabrielle.
He looked into her eyes. That was the wrong thing to do. He felt her body melt into his as she moved farther into him, her breasts rising and falling, her breathing ragged. Those amazing eyes seemed to become even more luminous as he bent his head to her. Holding her gaze, he slowly lowered his head toward hers. Her breathing became even more labored as he touched her lips with his, giving her enough time to stop him.
“Raymond,” she whispered against his mouth.
An objection? Agreement? She didn’t pull away, but plastered herself even closer against him. Her eyes closed, and his mouth wrapped itself over hers. A firestorm of lust raced across his skin through his body and pooled in his groin. He felt his cock extend, hardening to the point of pain. He was afraid he would burst through the material of his pants.
The only thing that saved her from him taking her there and then in the elevator was the d
oor opening, depositing them at her floor. Holding her against him, and not giving an inch, he walked the short distance to her door. God help him if the hotel staff was still in the room.
He was in luck; the suite was empty. Continuing into the bedroom, he threw her across the bed and followed her, not wanting to be separated from her any longer than he had to.
His dick was throbbing. He had no sense of self-preservation. He was truly in trouble around Gabrielle. His body seemed to rule his head, not the other way around. He had to find a way to control his insatiable hunger for her, or he’d be in deep shit when she returned to Paris, but he would deal with that later. For now, he wanted one thing and one thing only—his cock buried deep inside her and her nails raking his back as she screamed out his name in the throes of passion.
If this was what she was willing to give, he would take it for now, even if he felt as if he was being manipulated. He couldn’t help it. His need for her was too strong. He was well and truly screwed. At the back of his lust-filled brain, he couldn’t help thinking there was something very familiar about the way this thing between Gabrielle and him was progressing, but he was powerless to stop it. He’d worry about it when the time came. Now he knew how first Foxx and then Wolfe had felt. These were two powerful men in their own rights, yet they had been played like a toy by the women they loved.
He helped her remove her jeans and her panties. Before he could get to her top, she had it over her head and off. She was wearing no bra beneath it. She was naked on the bed, and he was still fully clothed. That gave him an even bigger kick.
She was beautiful. Her skin gleamed in the sunlight streaming through the window. He hadn’t taken the time to admire her body the last time. Now it was exposed to him in all its glory—she was beautiful. Lowering his head, he kissed his way from her gorgeous breasts to the delightful arch of her feet and back up to her flat stomach, paying homage to her.
The closer he got to the object of his desire, the more intoxicating he found the scent of her arousal. His mouth began to salivate as he ran his finger through the brown patch of hair at the apex of her thighs. He had to have a taste of her.
Placing his face between her legs, he ran his stiffened tongue along the lips of her pussy before his mouth latched on to her clit, and then he alternated between licking and sucking. She tasted wonderful, salty and sweet at the same time. He could feast on her for hours, but he knew this would not bring him the relief his body craved. So he concentrated on bringing her to orgasm.
The noises she made deep in her throat fueled his fire to a level that had him gasping against her clit. If he wasn’t careful, he would be the one spilling his seed in his pants.
Her hips were off the bed as the whimpering sounds increased in volume, signaling her approaching orgasm. Feeling desperate, he unwrapped her legs from around his head, unzipped his pants, and, angling his pelvis he entered her just as she was cresting the orgasm.
He triggered another orgasm as he thrust into her impossibly tight sheath. She came apart for him, singing his name in slow play, the sweet release of her feminine scent playing havoc with his senses.
He raised her legs to his shoulders as the final tremors quivered through her body, and her inner muscles grabbed his cock and pushed him over the edge. He threw his head back, letting out a roar and grinding his teeth as he fought the release. When she continued to use her muscles on his cock, he leaned down and sucked one taut nipple into his mouth, and rode out the release.
Using the leverage the change in position gave him, he ground his pelvis on the hard nub of her clit. She arched her back off the bed, her nails digging into his back. “Raymo‒.” His name was a choked-off scream.
Her reaction pushed him over the edge to a release more powerful than any he’d ever experienced. It claimed him, shook him, and left him wrung out as wave after wave of sensation coursed through his body.
When he was finally able to lift his head from where he had buried it against her breast, he felt as if he’d been reborn. As if he had not been alive until her.
He slipped out of her, but he was still as hard as ever. Stripping off, he went at her again. He lost count how many times he had her screaming. He knew when they finally called it quits that he could barely stand, and he knew Gabrielle had to be feeling the effects of too much love-making.
They took a shower and got dressed together. The plan was to go out to dinner. Sitting on the bed, watching her dress, he had to keep telling himself that Gabrielle couldn’t take any more. She had to be allowed time to recover. But he was still hard—still hungry for her. He loved the way her pussy grabbed his cock when she was having an orgasm. The stimulation kept him in a constant state of arousal, even after he had claimed his release.
Knowing this was probably hard on her, and not wanting to appear selfish, he had to have a silent conversation with himself—down boy.
“Do you really want to go out to dinner?”
“Yes. Don’t you?”
“Yes.” Liar.
“Where do you have in mind?” she asked.
“We could go to Foxx’s. It’s nothing like Wolfe’s, but it can hold its own and it’s ranked up there with the other five-star restaurants.”
“All right,” she agreed. “Is it in the same area as Wolfe’s?”
“No, Wolfe’s is on the northern end of the island. Foxx’s is on the southern end. We are closer to Foxx from here.”
“I’m ready,” she told him, turning around from the mirror, where she’d been putting her hair up with a hair clip. Her hair was so thick the heat and humidity of the island was causing it to curl riotously on her head. He could well appreciate her preference for wearing it up.
Chapter Sixteen
It was on the tip of her tongue to ask him not to let Foxx know they were stopping by for dinner. Not that she was scared of his brothers, but she preferred to handle one of them at a time. Foxx and Wolfe together were just a bit much for her, especially if neither of their wives were present.
Walking out to the car, she felt her excitement building. She loved Raymond. There was no denying it, and she loved spending time with him. She wouldn’t allow his brothers to rain on her parade. All was almost well with her world.
Raymond was correct. Foxx’s restaurant was indeed close to her hotel. They were already pulling into the parking lot of the restaurant. The atmosphere of this restaurant was indeed very different from Wolfe’s. Foxx was a fun-loving, happy-go-lucky, mischievous man, and his restaurant reflected this.
The atmosphere was friendly and the restaurant airy, with plenty of space between tables. It was situated on a hill with a stunning view of the Diamond Rock, Rocher du Diamant. The place was geared more toward families with young kids, unlike his brother’s. This was one huge open space, not secluded rooms like Wolfe’s. She recognized this as an excellent business move. Between the two brothers, they managed to cater to every taste.
Even the menu was more kid-friendly. Every item on the menu was offered in the smaller kid’s size. This made the menu more affordable to families with small kids. The food was fresh and delicious, a mixture of Cajun, Créole, and French cuisine.
Foxx interacted with all the customers, stopping at random tables to find out how everything was going and if there was anything else he could do. It was truly a unique experience. She was laughing at something Foxx had just told Raymond when she saw him look over her shoulder, and the widest grin spread over his face.
The transformation was so remarkable that she had to turn around to see who or what could bring about such a transformation on the face of a man who went about laughing and smiling all day. This was a special smile. What he gave to other people was a poor apology to what he was bestowing on whomever it was that had just walked into his restaurant.
Seeing Wolfe walking toward them, accompanied by two beautiful women, she couldn’t help saying to Raymond, “I should have known the entire family would show up.”
“Of course you can
expect la famille to show up. We get in each other’s business. It’s what we do best, especially Wolfe, but this is by no means the entire family.”
“It’s not?”
“No. Would you like to meet the entire family? That is, with the exception of my sister, Franchesca, who is still in Paris?”
“You have a sister in Paris?”
“I sure do. So far, you have only met Wolfe and Foxx, but I also have two sisters, and an older brother. There’s Cecilia, who is married with three children. She’s older than Wolfe and Foxx, and an older brother, Brian, married to Sofee. They have one son. Brian is my parents’ firstborn, followed by Cecilia, then Wolfe and Foxx, then Franchesca and then me.”
“I can’t even begin to visualize the lot of you together. It must be something.”
“I can do you one better. I’ll have you meet them all tomorrow evening. My maman loves to entertain, and if I were to tell her I’ll be bringing someone special to meet her, I won’t have to say anything else. So, do you want to meet them?”
“I have two more days left here, and then I have to return to St. Barth. If you think it's okay, then I’m all for it.”
“Sure it is, or would you like to return after you are through with your job on St. Barth?”
She couldn’t help grasping at the straw he was extending to her. “Yes, that’s a better plan. It will give your parents time, and it will allow me to spend some time with you all to myself while you show me more of the island.”
Wolfe had gotten through talking with Foxx and came over to their table accompanied by his wife, Daphne, and Foxx’s wife, Therèse, whom she had already met.
“I hope you don’t mind Wolfe and his wife being here. I couldn’t get him to stay away. The moment he learned we were going to be dining at Foxx’s restaurant, I knew he’d invite himself. I sort of expected, possibly Therèse, besides him but I was not expecting Daphne,” he said.”