Fate

by Tia Wylder

Wrapping my arm around Gianna’s shoulders, I pulled her in for a kiss. “I’m sure we’ll have it,” I said. “But thank you.”

  When we arrived at the restaurant, Gianna grinned. “How did you get a table here?” She asked, unable to control her glee. “I can’t believe it!”

  I smirked. “I told them I was bringing Gianna DiFaba.”

  Gianna playfully hit me in the shoulder with her clutch. “No, you didn’t,” she said. She peered over my shoulder where a silken ivory banner printed with “Congratulations, Barnes and Gianna!” written on it. “You planned a party!”

  “I did,” I said, shrugging modestly. “And we can stay as long as we want,” I said, leaning in close. “That is, until I decide I have to drag you back to the hotel and make passionate love to my new wife.”

  Gianna flushed. She kissed me on the cheek, and everyone in the restaurant clapped and cheered. “Thank you,” Gianna said. “This is really something.”

  I’d invited everyone from Heaven Cove, as well as my best friend Jack and his wife, Adele.

  “Gianna, I’d like you to meet my best friend,” I said, putting an arm around her shoulders and guiding her through the restaurant to where Jack and Adele stood. “This is Jack.”

  “Pleased to meet you,” Gianna said. She held out her hand and gave Jack the same confident smile she’d given me. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

  Jack snickered. “All good, I hope. And trust me, not nearly as much as I’ve heard about you,” he replied. “I’m glad Barnes finally snagged himself a good woman.”

  “Jack,” Adele said. “You make it sound like marriage is a contest!”

  Jack winked. “Isn’t it?” He grinned and kissed her on the cheek. “Barnes, this is amazing. I’m starting to rethink leaving the country.”

  “Yeah,” I said. “As much as I hate myself for saying this, I’ve come to really love it here.”

  “I have, too,” Gianna chimed in. “I could never go back to Boston now.” She shuddered. “The only downside is now I don’t get to wear all of my fabulous coats.”

  Adele rolled her eyes, but Jack and I laughed.

  “Fine with me,” I said. “I don’t like seeing you covered up, anyway.”

  Gianna flushed hotly. “You’re terrible,” she said in a coy voice. “I love it.”

  I smirked. “I know you do,” I said with a grin. “That’s why I married you.”

  Music started to play, and I took Gianna’s hand, leading her out to the dance floor and enfolding her in my arms. Soon, the floor was filled with other couples, whirling around and smiling.

  “Are you sad your family isn’t here?” I asked Gianna as we rocked back and forth to the slow rhythm of a jazz song I’d requested specifically for my new wife.

  “No,” Gianna said. She rested her head on my shoulder. “Well, maybe Diane.” She swallowed. “But it’s too risky. Since we still don’t know who’s trying to frighten me, I think it’s maybe for the best that she couldn’t come. I mean, I didn’t tell her – I didn’t want her to run away like I did and cause a huge problem.”

  “Yeah,” I said. “Well, we’ll see her soon. Maybe we can fly her out when we get back from our honeymoon.”

  Gianna grinned. “Where are we going?”

  “Well,” I said, stroking her hair. “That’s a surprise, too. But it’s close – so you won’t miss any time shooting Heaven Cove.”

  “Someday, I want to take a real trip,” Gianna said. “You know – to Europe or something. I’ve always wanted to see Venice. Oh, and Rome! I want to go there.”

  “Anything you want,” I told her as I leaned in for a kiss. Gianna and I kept dancing slowly as our kiss grew more intense. I slipped my tongue into her mouth and sucked her lower lip as I moved my hands over her slender curves. She was wearing a thin silk dress that made her feel practically naked in my arms, and after just a few seconds of passionately kissing, my cock was throbbing in my trousers. I wanted to get Gianna away from the crowd.

  “I think we should get out of here,” I whispered as I pulled away. “Or else I’m going to rip your dress off and take you right here.”

  Gianna pretended to look scandalized, but there was a clear look of lust in her eyes. “Oh, Barnes,” she said seductively. “You wouldn’t!”

  I grinned. “I would,” I said. “And I will, so we should leave.”

  Gianna glanced over her shoulder. The rest of the guests were still eating, drinking, and dancing.

  “Nah,” she said. She winked at me. “We wouldn’t want to interrupt, would we?”

  “Indeed not,” I said archly.

  The ride back to the hotel where I’d booked the honeymoon suite was torture. Gianna kept running her hand over my leg, squeezing my thigh and eyeing me. She licked her lips and tossed her hair, pressing her breasts together with her arms until deep cleavage appeared.

  “You’re such a tease,” I groaned. “You’re going to give me a heart attack on my wedding night.”

  Gianna gave me an evil grin. “That’s the idea,” she said.

  When we got to the hotel, I scooped Gianna in my arms and carried her through the lobby. As soon as we were in the elevator, I kissed her hungrily. Gianna moaned and pressed her breasts against my body. She bit my lower lip, then broke the kiss and sucked on my neck, tearing at the buttons of my shirt like she couldn’t wait to get me naked. I groaned as my cock throbbed in my pants. My balls were aching, and I couldn’t wait to plunge inside of Gianna’s tight, waiting body and come harder than I’d ever come in my life.

  The elevator doors dinged open, and I carried Gianna down the hall without breaking our kiss. Fumbling in the pocket of my pants, I pulled out a keycard and swiped the door unlocked. The giant bed inside was spread with rose petals, and I pushed them to the side as I lay Gianna down on the fluffy white duvet. She looked at me with lust in her eyes.

  “Oh, Barnes,” Gianna moaned. “I want you so badly.”

  I crawled on the bed and ripped my shirt off, throwing to the side. Locking eyes with Gianna, I fumbled with my belt and the zipper of my trousers, sliding them down my thighs and crawling on the bed. I pushed Gianna’s thighs apart and buried my face in her inner thighs, inhaling her womanly musk until I thought my throbbing cock would explode.

  “Take your dress off,” I growled.

  Gianna sat up on the bed and licked her lips. She reached behind herself and unzipped her dress, sliding it off her body. I grabbed the silk material and threw it to the floor before pouncing on her and kissing her desperately. Gianna moaned into my mouth and pressed her body to mine. Now that she was clad only in a pair of thin panties, I couldn’t wait any longer.

  I reached between our bodies and pushed the crotch of her panties to the side, sliding a finger inside her wetness. Gianna moaned and thrust her hips toward me, clearly wanting more. I grinned as I rubbed gentle circle around her clit with my thumb, making her gasp and squeal with pleasure. Gianna clawed and grabbed at me, pulling me on top of her. As soon as my cock touched the soft skin of her inner thighs, I knew I had to take her.

  “I want you,” Gianna purred. She closed her eyes and threw her head back, spreading her legs.

  With one hand, I ripped her panties off and threw the ruined material to the side. Crawling between her thighs, I steadied myself with a hand on her hip and plunged deep inside.

  Gianna moaned loudly. She shivered and shook and wrapped her lean legs around my waist as I began thrusting back and forth. I buried my cock deep inside her and groaned. She felt amazing – hot and wet and tight, all ready for me.

  As we moved together in a passionate frenzy, I pinched and rolled Gianna’s nipples in my fingers. Her response was immediate, and as she began thrusting her hips against my body, I reached down with my free hand and started rubbing her clit. Gianna bucked and gasped, leaning into the sensation.

  “God, I love you,” I groaned, leaning over her body and burying my face in her neck. I could feel my balls aching and straining, and before I
knew it, I was coming hard inside Gianna’s waiting body. My orgasm seemed to set Gianna off, and after only a few seconds, she moaned and shook and quivered. I felt her tight wetness clench around my cock, over and over, until her massive orgasm had passed.

  Covered in sweat, I pulled out of Gianna and flopped onto the bed. She immediately curled up on my chest, running her fingers over my skin.

  “That was amazing,” Gianna purred. She yawned and closed her eyes. “I love you, Mr. Harrington.”

  I kissed her forehead and brought her face close to mine. “And I love you, Mrs. Harrington,” I replied, pushing her red hair away from her forehead.

  Gianna giggled. “That’s assuming I change my name,” she said with a touch of her old arrogance. “If I change my name, no one will recognize it.”

  I laughed. “Such the prima donna,” I said in a teasing voice.

  “I know,” Gianna said. She gave me a mischievous grin. “But would you have me any other way?”

  “No,” I said honestly. “I wouldn’t.”

  Chapter 11

  Gianna

  “This is so nice,” I said, reclining on the sand and closing my eyes. The warm rays covered my body with a comforting blanket of heat, and I yawned, pushing my sunglasses out of the way so I could rub my eyes.

  “It really is,” Barnes agreed in a lazy voice. He reached across and laced his fingers with mine before lifting my hand to his mouth and licking my palm. A shiver of lust crawled down my spine, and I rolled onto my belly, crawling closer to him and pressing my mouth to his. He tasted like sunscreen and beer – and oddly appealing combination – and I shivered as Barnes tangled a hand in my hair and gently yanked at my scalp.

  When we pulled away, I sighed happily and resumed my supine position under the sun. Barnes and I were having the perfect lazy honeymoon. We’d rented a beachfront mansion in Malibu for the week – just far enough from Los Angeles that we could both make it to the Heaven Cove set without much trouble, but still private and cozy. The white sand beaches and cerulean waves weren’t like anything I’d ever seen in my life, and every moment felt perfect and blessed.

  “What should we do for dinner?” I stretched, putting my arms high above my head and folding my legs together. “Sushi, maybe?”

  “Whatever my darling wife wants,” Barnes said. He looked at me over the edges of his sunglasses and smirked. “Has anyone ever told you how remarkably hot you are?”

  I flushed, but I couldn’t keep a grin from spreading over my face. “Not today,” I teased. “And be careful – you’re going to make my ego swell up like a balloon.”

  “Good,” Barnes said. He sounded content and happy. “I want my wife to know how absolutely sexy she is all the time.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Now you’re just being corny,” I said. “Come on – let’s go swimming.”

  It was hard to tear myself away from my soft, hot towel. The sand burned the soles of my feet, and I broke into a jog as I ran toward the shore, shielding my eyes from the sun’s bright rays. In all my life in Boston, I’d never been much of a sun enthusiast. I’d worn sunscreen every day – even in the winter! – and I’d always teased Diane about getting skin cancer. But now that I was in California, it was like a new way of life.

  Barnes caught up with me. He rushed into the surf, and I laughed, following close behind. Barnes yelped and ran towards me, putting his hands around my waist and lifting me high into the air. I barely had time to cry out before he dropped me in the warm, salty water.

  “Ha,” Barnes said, a triumphant smirk on his face. “I’ve been wanting to do that ever since I first saw you in that bikini!”

  With a groan, I got to my feet. I felt a momentary flicker of annoyance but the boyish grin on Barnes’s face was contagious, and soon we were giggling together as the ocean pulled and sucked at our legs. I reached for Barnes’s hand, and we waded in deeper until the water was around our waists. The waves were crashing far beyond in the distance, and while it was almost frightening, I knew that Barnes would take care of me.

  “Are you scared?” Barnes asked. “The Pacific is so much different than the Atlantic.”

  “No,” I lied. “It’s beautiful. I’m happy just to be here.”

  Barnes swept me up in his arms and kissed me passionately, like something out of an old movie. In that moment, I forgot that we weren’t the only people on the beach…or left in the world. I wrapped my legs around his waist and clung to his wet, muscular body as his tongue slipped into my mouth. Delicious pleasure crawled down my spine, and I shuddered as Barnes slipped a hand inside one cup of my flimsy bikini top. His thumb rubbed over my nipple, and I moaned, breaking the kiss and throwing my head back.

  “We’re going to get arrested for public indecency,” Barnes said with a smirk. He lowered me back into the water, and I closed my eyes and breathed in the delectable salty smell of the air.

  “I don’t care,” I said happily. “As long as I’m with you, I’ll be having a great time.”

  Barnes snorted. “I doubt jail is much fun,” he replied. “Even in Malibu.”

  I giggled. “They probably serve like, green smoothies and wheat grass shakes for breakfast,” I said, grinning mischievously at my husband. “And they probably have mandatory hot yoga and stone massages after quiet time.”

  “Okay, well, I have to admit – that doesn’t sound too bad,” Barnes said. He winked at me. “And you’d look pretty cute in one of those black-and-white striped outfits.”

  I rolled my eyes. “They all wear orange now,” I informed him. “At least, that’s what they wear on television.”

  “And you are the expert,” Barnes said. He jerked his head toward our beach towels. “Feel like lying back down for a while? I could get some sun before we leave the beach.”

  Barnes took my hand, and we waded out of the water. Just as I paused to wring my hair out on the wet sand, a group of girls walked over to me with shy expressions on their faces.

  “Can I help you?” I asked. “Is everything okay?”

  One of the girls stepped forward. She cleared her throat and blushed. “Yeah,” she said. “Um, I’m so sorry if this is awkward. But are you Gianna DiFaba, you know, Marybeth from Heaven Cove?”

  I flushed with pleasure.

  “She is,” Barnes said before I could reply.

  “Oh my god,” the girl squealed. She turned back to her friends and nodded in excitement. “It’s her! It’s really her!”

  A happy, warm glow spread through my body. It was almost as good as the afterglow from sex.

  “Can we have your autograph?” The lead girl bubbled. “Please?”

  “Of course,” I said. “Do you have a pen?”

  The girl reached into her beach bag and pulled out a ballpoint pen. She handed it over, still beaming, along with a dog-eared paperback.

  “I don’t care where you sign it,” she said happily. “Thank you so much! This means the world to me!”

  It felt more than a little silly to be signing my name in another person’s book, but I flipped open to the blank pages at the back and signed ‘Gianna DiFaba’ in big, swirling letters.

  “We watch your show every day,” another girl said, stepping forward. “We love it, especially since you joined the cast!”

  “Thank you,” I said. I cleared my throat and reached for Barnes. “And this is Barnes Harrington, he’s written some of the episodes, and recently he’s started—“

  “Directing!” The girls squealed in unison. “Oh my god, I can’t believe it’s you!”

  Barnes chuckled. “It’s me, all right,” he said. He smirked at me. “Gianna, we should get going. I want you to look over the script for next week.”

  “Sounds good,” I said. “It was nice to meet all of you.”

  The girls were still staring up at me and Barnes like they’d won the Malibu Beach Lottery.

  “Bye,” one of them said reluctantly. The leader of the group turned and slowly walked away.

  After a few se
conds, the other girls followed her.

  “Wow,” Barnes said. He whistled. “So, looks like you’ve really made it, huh.”

  I rolled my eyes. “It was flattering,” I admitted. “But I wasn’t exactly expecting them to go so crazy over me.”

  “Or me,” Barnes added drily. “Shall we?” He offered me his arm, and we began climbing the hill of sand in the direction of our towels. In the short time we’d spent in the water, the sun had made the terry-cloth hotter than ever, and I purred with contentment as I lay down and wriggled into the sand, making a perfect little Gianna-shaped crater to lie in. I rolled onto my belly and untied the strings of my bikini.

  “What?” I asked innocently when Barnes gave me a sharp look. “No tan lines this way.”