Restless Harmony
Page 13
They took the ride down, and Gabe pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her from behind as they looked out at the view. That feeling washed over her again—electric and safe at the same time. When they got in the car, she blasted the radio and took off. “Next stop, Primanti Brothers!”
“What’s that?”
“Only the best sandwich shop ever.”
“Oh, really? I’ve had some pretty good sandwiches in my day.”
“Not like this.”
She found some parking and headed over to the crowded shop. “Skip the wings and pizza,” she said above the noise of the crowd while they waited to place their order. “You have to get the sandwich. What do you like?”
“You pick. I’m being spontaneous.”
She smiled. “Excellent.”
When it was their turn, she ordered two roast beef sandwiches with the works. They miraculously found two seats at the counter.
“Just take a bite,” she said. “Don’t look at it.”
He took a big bite and chewed with his brows raised. “Are there French fries on this thing?”
She laughed. “Yeah. French fries and coleslaw.”
“I never thought that would taste good right in the sandwich.”
“I know, but it works, right? The hot and the cold together. And the Italian bread?”
He took another bite, closed his eyes and chewed. “Awesome.”
They finished the afternoon with a tour of the Andy Warhol Museum. Gabe was a fan. “I had no idea Andy Warhol was from Pittsburgh. I always think of him in New York.”
“Yup.” She was having a blast surprising Gabe with all Pittsburgh had to offer. It really was a fun city.
Gabe checked the time on his cell. “It’s almost six. Let’s check in at the hotel.”
“Sure.”
Gabe checked them in at the Fairmont, a luxury hotel far nicer than she could ever afford.
“Wow!” Zoe exclaimed when they got to the room. “You got us a suite!”
He shrugged. “I wanted the view.”
She crossed to the floor-to-ceiling windows. A telescope was set up with a view of Mount Washington with the Incline and the city. She turned. The living room had a large sectional sofa, a big flat-screen TV, a desk, and a dining table. She stopped. There were a dozen roses in a vase on the dining table. She walked over to the roses and breathed them in. “Are these from you, or did they come with the room?”
“Me.”
“Thank you.” She turned; his expression was fierce, hungry. The shark was back. She quickly continued the tour, heading for the bedroom with its king-size bed—he’d ignored her suggestion of two beds—and a bathroom with a shower and separate soaking tub big enough for two. She had to hand it to him. This was advanced seduction. The stage was set. But was she ready for the heartbreak? No guy had ever stayed with her more than eight weeks. She’d counted one time when she was starting to feel cursed.
She jumped as she saw his reflection in the bathroom mirror before she’d heard him come in. “This is awesome, Gabe.”
Gabe looked around. “Not bad for last minute. I made us reservations for dinner. Did you pack a dress or should we go shopping?”
Shopping, luxury suite, dinner. A far cry from her usual dates. “Just a skirt.”
“We’re getting you a dress. Let’s go. We’ve got an hour until our reservation downstairs. It’s the hotel restaurant, but it’s supposed to be good. They have the steak you wanted.”
“I was just joking about that. We could do something casual.”
“A deal is a deal. Ready?”
“Give me a few minutes.” She freshened up in the bathroom, took off her socks, and slipped into the black wedge heels that worked with pants or a dress. She tucked stockings into her purse and grabbed her coat. She found Gabe standing by the door in a button-down shirt and suit pants. “Ready.”
He held the door open for her, and then his hand went to the small of her back, heating her as he guided her out of the room. Zoe told herself just to enjoy this weekend and not think too hard on it. Gabe wouldn’t kick her out of her apartment if things didn’t work out between them.
She hoped.
Of course not. He was sweet, even though he claimed not to be.
She smiled tightly up at him as he guided her into the elevator. He didn’t smile back. Instead his dark blue eyes burned into hers. When the doors shut, he pulled her close. “I want you in black.” One long finger stroked upward, blazing a hot trail from her hip to the side of her breast. “Something that shows a lot of skin.”
She swallowed as he placed a kiss on the side of her neck, where she was sure her pulse was beating way too high. “Are you going to pick my underwear too?” she asked, trying for a teasing tone and failing miserably.
“You won’t wear any.”
“Gabe—”
He hauled her against him, kissing the protest right out of her. She clung to him, overwhelmed with pure lusty pleasure, until the elevator dinged, and he set her away from him. She let out a shaky breath, hoping she didn’t look as ravished as she felt.
The doors opened, and he guided her out, a hand on her back. She tried to reason with him again, facing him in the lobby. “Gabe, I’m not—” Her protest was cut off by a hard kiss.
He grabbed her hand. “Come on.”
He pulled her to the concierge, where he quickly found out where he could get the kind of dress he wanted. It was within walking distance, and they were off.
“I thought this was supposed to be a fun shopping trip for me,” she said, breathless at his pace.
He stopped. “It will be fun for you”—one corner of his mouth tilted up in a devious smile—“in the end.”
She huffed out a breath. He grabbed her hand and pulled her along, seemingly eager to get her into a dress.
Fifteen minutes later, she waited in the dressing room as instructed in her bra and panties, and a saleswoman handed her a black dress in the requested size with double spaghetti straps, a V-neck bodice that would definitely show some cleavage, and a modest mid-thigh length. Oh. This wasn’t that bad. She’d thought Gabe was acting out some X-rated fantasy.
She turned the dress. Come on! There was no back. Only the spaghetti straps that crisscrossed in back and a couple of tiny straps across the lower back that she imagined kept the whole thing from falling apart. The back ended in a near V, dipping obscenely low. This was not a dress you could wear a bra or underwear with. Maybe a thong if the waistband didn’t come up too high. She set the dress back on the hook. This was definitely Gabe’s X-rated fantasy, and she was a rated R kind of girl.
“Gabe!” she hollered.
“Yes?” He sounded close. Had he breached the ladies’ changing room?
“Um, where’s the saleslady?”
“I sent her away. Does it fit?”
She peeked her head around the curtain. “I can’t wear this. It’s very slutty.”
“That’s the point.”
“I’m not slutty,” she huffed.
“It’s just a dress,” he said. “Put it on.”
“There’s no back.”
“Do you need some help?” He put his hand on the curtain to open it further, and she quickly shut it.
“Don’t come in here!” She was standing in her bra and panties, for crying out loud.
“Zoe, you’ve made this such a great day for me. Just do this one thing, and I’ll do my best to make it a great night for you.”
She grabbed her shirt in defiance of his request when it was suddenly snatched from her hand. She yelped in surprise. He’d reached through the crack in the curtain.
“How did you know?” she asked.
“I can see you through the crack here. In the mirror.”
She let out a stream of curses.
“The dress will cover you more than what you’ve got on.” She could hear the smile in his voice. “Though I like the pink satin.”
“Turn around!”
S
he peeked her head out to make sure he did. Then she slipped into the dress. It fit perfectly, if indecently. She turned. At least her ass was covered. The back ended just above her butt crack, so her panties were showing a bit. She tucked them out of sight. One false move. She sighed and opened the curtain. “Okay, I’m wearing it.”
He stared in open admiration, doing a slow perusal from her shoulders down to her bare feet, lingering on her cleavage, her waist, and hips. She let out an irritated sigh.
His eyes snapped to hers. “Take off the bra.”
She took it off and slipped it out from under the dress. “Happy?”
He snagged the bra right out of her hand and stuffed it in his pocket. “Turn around. I want to see the back.”
She slowly turned, heard the curtain close behind him, and waited. Suddenly his warm hands slid up the back of her bare thighs. She snapped her head around to find him kneeling behind her. “Gabe,” she said in a shaky voice. “What are you doing? I’m not into—”
“Hush. Not yet.” His hands stopped to rest on her hips, only those long fingers would’ve fit—
She gasped as he slid her panties down in one quick pull. He stood, swept her off her feet, slid the panties all the way off, and set her down again. She stared at his index finger, where her panties now dangled.
He kissed her gently. “The dress is perfect.”
“Gabe, I need those, you can’t—”
“How is everything in there?” the saleslady called.
Gabe stuffed her panties in his pocket, grabbed her hand, and pulled her out. “We’ll take it.”
~ ~ ~
Zoe grumbled about the drafty breeze and feeling exposed on the walk to the restaurant, but that only made Gabe smile more. What an arrogant man. Telling her how to dress. Stealing her underthings.
“How would you like it if I stole your underwear?” she asked, making a grab for his pocket.
He snagged her hand and entwined his fingers with hers. “I’d love that.”
Grrr.
They walked another block with Gabe distracting her with questions about her songwriting process when a flash of pink flew into a nearby trash can. Were those her panties?
“Gabe! Why did you throw them out?”
“Because I didn’t want to argue over them,” he said. “I’ll buy you a replacement later.”
She peered into the trashcan at her panties sitting next to a crumpled McDonald’s wrapper, and then her bra flew in after it.
“How many original songs have you written?” he asked.
She clamped her mouth shut and glared at him. That was her nicest bra and panty set, and it hadn’t been cheap. How dare he toss it!
He leaned down and nipped her neck, which made her jolt; then he took her hand and continued their walk. She fumed silently, not liking this domineering side of him one bit. He seemed unperturbed by her silence, striding with great purpose down the street, and then finally ushering her in the door of the restaurant.
Once inside, he helped her off with her coat and whistled softly under his breath. “Zoe, you are so beautiful.”
“I feel naked,” she hissed. “And that was expensive stuff you threw away!”
He just stood there, smiling his shark smile. He gave her another slow up and down that made her flush with excitement despite being pissed off at him. Next thing you knew, he’d ask her to strut the catwalk for him. Here’s Zoe in Gabe attire. Barely there fabric next to bare skin. Easier for your fucking entertainment.
“Relax,” Gabe whispered in her ear. His hand rested on the small of her bare back, burning a hole through her with his touch.
“I can’t relax when—”
“Right this way, sir, madam,” the host said.
They were shown to a table in a quiet corner with a glowing votive candle and a single rose. She quickly glanced around and noticed two things right away—the rose was just for her, and she was way overdressed for this restaurant. The other women were in business casual outfits. Gabe’s outfit could’ve fit in anywhere. She fumed. This whole dress thing was solely for his amusement.
Gabe pulled out her chair for her. How could one man be such a gentleman and such a shark at the same time?
She tucked the dress under her carefully as she sat. Then she leaned forward to quietly ream him out for toying with her, but was cut off when a bottle of champagne was delivered to the table. The waiter opened it and poured them each a glass with a flourish.
After the waiter left, she turned to Gabe suspiciously. “What’s the occasion?”
Next thing you knew, he’d be demanding a lap dance. Once he got her drunk. He knew she couldn’t hold her liquor.
He smiled tenderly at her. “I’m celebrating my first spontaneous thing. Thank you, Zoe, for coming along with me. It’s been a really rough week. Today’s been wonderful and that’s all because of you.”
Her irritation dissolved in an instant, knowing how upset he was about his stepdad. “I’m glad you took the plunge.”
“That’s what I like to hear,” he said in a low, scraping voice that made her throb.
She took a sip of champagne. It was delicious. She sipped some more and began to relax. And the more she relaxed, the more fun she had with him. He was charming and great at conversation. He asked her where she’d traveled, and she told him about all the cities she’d played in America and Europe. He’d also been to Europe, and they talked of Paris. She was having a wonderful time, and the champagne just kept flowing. And this dress just slipped and caressed her as she moved even the slightest bit. Why hadn’t she ever worn a dress with nothing underneath before?
She leaned forward and whispered, “This dress was a great idea!”
He grinned. “I thought so.”
After dinner, they took a short walk to Point State Park and stopped by the huge fountain, all lit up at night, and admired the view where the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers met. She caught Gabe staring at her instead of the scenery.
“You’re missing the view!” she exclaimed, gesturing toward the water.
“I’m not missing anything,” he said in a husky voice that made her shiver. “You’re cold. Let’s go.”
He laced his fingers with hers and headed back.
“I wasn’t cold, you know,” she said, swinging her arm with his.
“You shivered.”
“There are other kinds of shivers.”
His grip on her hand tightened. “What kinds are those?”
“The delicious kind.”
He sped up. “We really need to get to the hotel.”
She giggled and kept up with him.
When they got back to the hotel, Gabe surprised her by heading straight to the bathroom and shutting the door. She’d expected him to kiss her or throw her on the bed. She slipped off her shoes, spread her arms wide, and spun around. She heard the water running. Was he taking a shower? Huh. She’d thought at least she’d get a hot kiss goodnight. She went to the window and admired the skyline, the twinkling lights, and the hills in the distance. She padded over to the telescope and bent to look out at the night sky. Wow. So many stars. This was cool.
“Zoe.” His voice was harsh, and she immediately straightened and whirled around. Gabe stood there, fully dressed, not in a towel or robe like she’d expected. “I drew you a bath.”
“You drew me a bath?” she echoed. Her very own butler.
“Come on before it gets cold.”
She rushed to the bathroom. A bubble bath awaited, with a glass of wine and a plate of chocolate-covered strawberries on the nearby ledge. “Oh, Gabe. You spoil me.” She turned to him and beamed. “This looks wonderful!”
“I’ll leave you to it.”
And then, shockingly, he left. Zoe didn’t waste any time. She shimmied out of the dress, hanging it on a hook on the back of the door, secured her hair with a hair band into a bun on top of her head, and slipped into the tub up to her neck. Ah-h-h. She didn’t have a bathtub in her apartment. She leaned her
head back and closed her eyes. This was heavenly. She briefly wondered what Gabe was doing, she could hear him moving around out there, but she was too relaxed to care. She checked out the small bubble bath container on the side, some hypoallergenic luxury stuff. She blew some bubbles away, stretched out her legs languorously, and giggled to herself in pure pleasure. She stayed like that for a while, completely loose and relaxed, floating in the water.
She tried a strawberry. Omigod. So good. Juicy and chocolatey. She sipped the wine, which went with the strawberry perfectly. She could get used to this. She ate another decadent strawberry along with another sip of wine and had a pang of guilt that she was enjoying herself so much without the man responsible for all this wonderful stuff. “Gabe?”
He poked his head in the doorway. “You need something?”
“You want to try the strawberries?”
“Don’t invite me in unless you’re prepared to share that tub.”
She smiled and nodded, and before she could give it another moment’s thought, he stepped into the room and began to strip. She watched, not the first time she’d seen this show, but she hadn’t seen the full monty.
“Next time I want you to strip for me,” he said before hanging his shirt on the hook over her dress.
“But you’re so good at it,” she teased.
He didn’t smile. Just set a condom on the wide ledge of the tub. Okay then. In the tub. That was new and—
The belt slowly came undone, the button, a slow trip on the zipper. She realized a moment later why that trip was necessarily slow. The pants hit the floor, the navy blue briefs followed, and a massive erection sprang free. She sucked in a breath. He might’ve been taking off his socks, but she wasn’t sure because she couldn’t stop staring at what she knew was in store for her. Oh, fu-uu-ck me.
“That’s the idea,” he replied.
Had she said that out loud? Her cheeks burned, and she started babbling to cover up. “The wine’s so good and the strawberries too. They go really good together, I mean, well, I always get those two words mixed up. Anyway, you should totally try them. Did you like Pittsburgh?” Her voice came out embarrassingly squeaky at the end.
“Uh-huh.” And then he slipped into the tub behind her, pushed her up onto his lap, his erection pushing against her bottom, and she was speechless.