“Are you having fun?” Blake asked as we sat drinking wine outside one of Paris’ street cafes.
“Baby, it’s amazing. Thank you. I can’t believe we are really here actually. It’s surreal. Why did you pick Paris?” I asked, watching his face as I sipped some wine.
“Well I wanted to take you somewhere we could really be alone.” He raised an eyebrow suggestively.
“We could be alone somewhere in England. Why Paris?” I replied, deciding it was time that I didn’t let him get away with evading the subject.
He breathed in deeply, “To be honest, my sister always wanted to come here and I had planned to take her for her 16th birthday. But she didn’t make it.” He gulped down some wine at having just shared something personal with me. I knew how much it took for him to do that so I laced my fingers in his and it seemed to relax him.
“And I’d hoped it would make you happy. No-one can get to us here. It’s just us,” he continued.
My heart melted thinking that Blake had planned to bring his sister here, and it was so sad that he couldn’t do that now. “Well I love it. It’s fantastic. So what’s the plan for tonight?”
He smirked again. “That, sweetheart, is another surprise. But we should finish up here because we need to get ready.”
I clapped my hands together as I stood, “I really like your surprises but I can’t wait. I’m too impatient.”
He laughed as I pouted and mouthed ‘please’ to him.
“No, you aren’t going to get far with that. I’m immune to pouty females and their charms.”
I pulled him round the corner into an alley and checked to make sure we were alone. “You’re not immune to my charms,” I said as I stood on my tiptoes and kissed his neck, lightly licking and sucking my way to his mouth. I lifted his shirt and ran my hands over each hard ridge of his abs, then let my hand slip to the bulge in his trousers. ”Tell me what we are doing tonight, baby.” I whispered into his ear and tongued his earlobe, scraping my teeth over it gently. My body was humming and the adrenaline was pumping as I realised someone could see us if they walked past the entrance and turned their heads. He mumbled something incoherent and let out a low moan when my hands got firmer. “Tell me,” I whispered again. His head rolled back to lean against the brick wall behind him and he groaned again. He hands fisted in my hair and his speech muffled in my neck as he lolled forward, but I could still make out his words. “Dinner...Moulin Rouge,” he panted breathlessly.
My heart jumped and I smiled, “Thank you.” And I let my hands drop.
He lifted his head, “Carry on, please.”
I laughed, “I can’t. We’re in public. Later.” There was promise in my voice and he smiled as he realised what I had done. “Very clever, sweetheart,” he said shaking his head. “But you’re going to pay for that later.”
“Oh I’m counting on it, baby.”
Blake took me to Galeries Lafayette and I picked out a gorgeous cocktail dress to wear for the evening. He insisted on paying for it which I struggled with, but he said he wanted to treat me and it would make him happy, and of course, I wanted him to be happy.
“You look amazing tonight,” he said as we sat in the restaurant having dinner. “I am one lucky guy to have the most beautiful woman in Paris on my arm tonight.”
I blushed, and was relieved it was quite dark so he couldn’t see how his words affected me. I was still finding it hard to believe that Blake had actually brought me to Paris for the night. Things like that just didn’t happen in my life. He was getting to my heart. Now the safe had been cracked and he had the small box in hand waiting for me to give him the key. I had a feeling any time now I was going to give it to him and it would leave me completely vulnerable. I was falling in so deep now that if he left me or hurt me I would be completely broken. And I wasn’t sure how much more my heart could take. It didn’t sit well with me and I felt my chest tighten. I struggled to breathe and choked, coughing and spluttering in the quiet dining room.
“Are you okay? Here take this, quickly.” He came over to me and crouched down, handing me the glass of water. I gulped it down and sat bent over taking a few deep breaths. “Are you okay?” He asked again, sweeping my hair away from my face.
“Yes I‘m fine, food just went down the wrong way. Thank you.” I cleared my throat and he frowned but didn’t say anything more. I wanted to talk to him about us, I wanted to know how he felt about me but I couldn’t bring myself to let the words out so I stayed quiet.
The car picked us up after the show and I knew we were probably passing the most amazing sights of Paris but I couldn’t focus on anything apart from Blake. The nightlife and landmarks lighting up against the starry backdrop flew past the windows as we headed back to the hotel. It would have been a perfect view had I not already been occupied. I couldn’t concentrate on anything else but his big hard body taking up most of the room in the backseat. I turned my head subtly to watch his face. He was humming to himself and tracing lazy circles over my hand. My gaze dropped to our hands entwined, the contact on my skin was jolting my body into submission. His look, his smell, the feel of his touch was all so overwhelming. His silhouette was perfect, his handsome face lit up from the flash of the streetlights showing a chiselled jaw and bright eyes.
“You think you’re being subtle, but you’re not. I know you’re watching me.” His words brought me out of the daydream and I burst out laughing, “Sorry, I’m as bad as you were in the theatre.” He turned his head to meet my gaze and gave his half-smile. “You’re so beautiful, you distract me. I can’t help it.”
“And you definitely know the right words to say.” I rolled my eyes expecting a smile but his gaze narrowed.
“Sweetheart, they’re not the right words. They’re the only words I can say at the moment to tell you what you are becoming to me, but they’re certainly not the right words. I haven’t said those yet. But I will. Soon,” he promised.
My heart skipped a beat at his honesty. I was definitely feeling the same way. Those three little words were on the tip of my tongue and I knew I would be saying them in the not-so-distant future too. He clasped my hand as we got in the lift. The charge between us was making my hairs stand on end. Blake was standing behind me, his hands digging deep into the tense muscles in my shoulders. I found myself leaning back into his torso, enveloped by his presence, dominated by his touch. I shivered as he placed his hand on my back and led me to the hotel room. Something had changed between us, grown stronger in the past twenty-four hours and it was probably the admission of how we actually felt. The door shut and he was on me in an instant, pressing his body to mine.
“I want you. So much.” He let his hand roam over the silk of my dress, tracing over my curves and the other stroked my cheek as he touched his lips to mine.
“You’ve got me, Blake. Any way you want me. I’m yours.” He groaned into my neck as he trailed kisses over my bare shoulder, unzipping my dress at the side and peeling the straps away, letting it slide over my hips. “Mine,” he whispered, running his index finger over my lips then following with his mouth. He slammed it against mine, our lips locking, tongues entwining, teeth knocking. My lips were raw and swollen but the pain was sweet, burning and strengthening my desire for him.
I unbuttoned his shirt whilst we moved to the bed, our mouths still connected. He pushed me back so I landed on the mattress, and climbed up over me, “I almost forgot though. It wasn’t nice to leave me hard and begging for it in an alleyway.” He breathed heavily, reaching behind my back to unclasp my bra and threw it across the room.
“What…What are you going to do about it?” I croaked out. He smiled across my skin as he kissed from one breast to the other. “Make you pay, just like I told you.”
I moaned with anticipation as he took off my underwear and slipped his fingers inside me. He kissed, licked, sucked and teased, making me pay over and over again until we couldn’t go on any longer and fell into an exhausted sleep.
The next mor
ning I woke up to soft kisses on my arms. I opened my eyes to find Blake freshly showered, smelling of soap and his hair still damp. “Morning sleepyhead. Room service will be here soon. Then we’ve got a flight to catch.” I groaned and pulled the cover over my head.
“I don’t want to go back. Everything has been so perfect. I don’t want it to end.” I muttered.
The cold air hit me as the covers were stripped away. “Everything will still be perfect when we get back. Come on, get your sexy butt in the shower.” He pulled me up and followed me over to the door making an attempt to come in with me. “I think I’ll be okay on my own,” I smirked. “You managed it.” I raised an eyebrow and shut the door in his face before he could object.
Blake stopped around the corner from the house again. He seemed to accept the fact he wouldn’t get a welcome response but didn’t ask me about it. “Thank you for Paris.” I whispered, lifting my hand to his face. He turned his head to kiss my palm. “You’re very welcome. I had a great time. I’ll call you later.”
“Okay,” I replied and pressed my lips over his briefly and smiled back at him as I left the car. The amount of time I had been spending with Blake lately had been vast and it shook me how I had come to depend on him, how I felt about him if I was being truly honest with myself. After Dan, I swore off guys but I had a feeling this thing with Blake was going to be worth the risk.
Having already taken a shower I only had to change before driving to the florist to help Gran close down for the evening. She had a few orders she needed my help with too.
It was three by the time I got there and Gran wasn’t in the best of moods but I didn't know why. She tutted at my attempt at cleaning down the tables and yelled when I knocked over the mop bucket full of water, I thought she was going to pass out or have another heart attack.
"Gran, are you ok? You don't seem yourself tonight?" I tentatively asked, wary that she might get annoyed.
"I'm just peachy, been on my own all day and then you show up late and start wrecking the place, just peachy!" She snarled her response, and I looked away trying to work out what had got into her. My good hearted, laid back grandmother had never acted this way with me even when I was a disrespectful moody teenager. Why was she being so aggressive, as far as I was concerned I hadn't done anything wrong? She stood with her back to me at her worktable snipping at the stalks of the flowers and arranging them in the vases. As the minutes passed she continued to mutter under her breath, shaking her head and clipping at the flowers with more force than she had before. As she turned to grab some more flowers from the table her hand came out and knocked over a large vase with a huge display she had just finished. As soon as the glass shattered she screamed with frustration and I ran over to try and calm her down.
"Gran, seriously you need to stop. You are going to hurt yourself if you keep this up. Sit down over there and let me clean this up for you." I made sure my tone was just as assertive as she had been and didn't give her the opportunity to object.
"Oh Cassie. I'm so sorry," she said with her head in her hands. I watched as she was huddled over looking so fragile. Her breathing was uneven, quick at first then slowing and becoming more purposeful. She lifted her head and looked into my eyes, "I need to tell you something about Blake Richards and you're not going to like it. But you have to know, I didn't realise that you'd been seeing so much of him until Maisie rang to warn me." I rolled my eyes, because I knew someone would mention they had seen us together. To be honest I was surprised it took so long. My grandmother’s friends had a habit of getting involved in business that didn't concern them.
"Do not roll your eyes Cassandra; this is too important for a little tantrum from you."
"Well tell me then." I insisted. She took in a deep breath to steady herself and placed her hand over mine.
"Three years ago, I told you that the Police had no leads on finding the hit and run driver that killed your parents. Well that wasn't exactly true. There was one person who was investigated because their car had been seen by a witness. There just wasn't enough evidence and it was dropped."
I didn't like where this was going. She eyed me carefully, and looked down at our hands. "I thought he might tell you but he hasn't so far." She swallowed and tears were in her eyes. My mind was too focussed on willing her to say someone else's name. I could handle anyone else having betrayed me, but not him.
I whispered to her, my voice hoarse with trying to contain the unshed tears threatening to drown me. "Don't say it Gran. Please. I love him."
She looked at me with all the emotion of a mother watching her daughter's heart break. Her eyes were full of sadness and grief. "Cassie, I don't know anything for certain but I do know he hasn’t been honest. Blake's car was seen speeding away from the crash site."
"He can't, he wouldn't," I shook my head furiously, trying to make sense of her words. He knew how I felt about my parent’s death. Was this the secret he'd been keeping from me? Why the woman at the restaurant told me to stay away. She knew. He hadn't told me he loved me but he was close. I felt it when he held me, when we made love, when we flirted and joked around. It was there in his eyes, his words, his touch. It was all a lie.
I snatched my hand away and a steel wall came up around my heart. "What can I do? I want to hate him but I love him. And I want to love him but I hate him. I feel like I'm suffocating and the only air I can breathe is going to kill me anyway. I have to get the truth and then I can deal with it." I stood, my legs felt like they were going to give out.
"Cassie, please don't go. What if it's true, he might be dangerous." She warned.
"He wouldn't hurt me like that Gran. He's just ripped my heart out but I know he's not a danger to me physically. I have to go."
"Be careful, sweet girl. I love you."
"Love you too. I'll be back soon," I shouted over my shoulder.
Chapter 15
I couldn't even remember driving the few miles to Blake's house. I shifted, slowed, accelerated and stopped at traffic lights on automatic. Before I even realised it I was pulling through his driveway and parking the car. My hands were shaking and my eyes were glazing over, filling with tears that couldn't be spilled yet and it was painful. My heart was pounding in my chest, trying to break out of my ribcage, and I prayed to God that my Gran was mistaken. Every little detail that had made me pause and wonder at the time was now buzzing through my brain on a mission. The disapproving looks, the conversation changes and the awkward pauses, had they all known? How could he not tell me? As I sat in the car, I tilted my head up so I was staring at the felt on the roof. I took in a ragged breath and counted to ten. I needed to get this over with.
I jumped out and rushed towards the house, feet stumbling and unsteady. I pounded on the door, my hands hurting from the force but the pain was nothing compared to how torn up I was feeling inside. The neighbours could probably hear me, probably thought I was a crazy person. When I didn't get a reply I let out a growl of frustration and kicked the door with all the power I could drag from my body. It shuddered and cracked but didn't open. Just as I was about to turn round and leave, the door swung open and Blake filled the doorway, drying his hair with a towel. His frown turned into a grin when he realised it was me but slowly dropped as he took in my face and body language. Words were stuck in my throat, anger coursed through my veins, and I let out a half sob, half grunt as I brought my hands up to cover my mouth. Was I to blame? I had trusted him, let him in, let him lie to me, let him break me.
Words were jumbled in my head, so many thoughts, emotions and questions as I struggled to put them in the right order to form a sentence.
"Cassie. Sweetheart?" The sound of his words stabbed me like a knife and I cringed away from his outstretched arm. I shook my head and backed away down the concrete steps.
"You know." Those words were like a kick to my stomach. "Baby, wait. Stop and talk to me." His voice was soft, pleading, begging forgiveness, acknowledging betrayal. I wanted to scream, to yell, to inflict pain
so he knew just how much it hurt. Something snapped inside that had me hurling myself into him. The release in my body jolted tears and they were freefalling down the side of my face. He hardly moved as I shoved my body against his and dealt blow after blow against his chest.
"They were my parents!" I yelled.
I was hysterical at this point. I felt his strong hands trying to contain my flying arms. Words were pouring from his mouth but with each one I shut down even more. I was so focussed on trying to hurt him. "I was going to tell you I love you!" I screamed.
I stopped fighting him to bend over and hold my face in my hands. Sobs were racking my body and my hands were soaked with tears.
He wrapped his arms around me, words and explanations and apologies tumbled out of his mouth but not one was good enough.
"Don't cry, I hate seeing you like this," he whispered as he rocked me gently. I just wanted comfort, to be held and rocked to sleep like my mum used to do when I had a nightmare. But he was the reason I would never have that again.
I shook out of his embrace. "Maybe you should have thought about that before you chose to lie to me! My Gran told me and I came here to find out whether it was true because I couldn't believe that the Blake I knew would be a liar and a murderer."
He flinched and recoiled away from me.
"It wasn't like that, I didn't kill them."
"Then why do people think you did? A woman I had never met told me to stay away from you. That you were dangerous. I should have listened to them." I looked him straight in the eyes. I wanted him to talk to me, to look me in the eye and give me a reasonable explanation for it all, but he didn't. He was shutting down; shutting me out from whatever he was thinking, feeling, going through.
Sweet Deception (Truth) Page 11