by Ciara Cole
Adam smiled, twirling Gabrielle’s arm over her head and bringing her to face him again smoothly. “Your moves have decidedly improved since then. I knew it – all you needed was a good teacher,” he said huskily, as they met for a moment in the middle before the dance drew them apart again.
His eyes grew smoky as he gazed at her in her simple white dress that made her look like a doll, as the hem swished at her thighs. “You’re beautiful,” said Adam deeply.
Gabrielle had heard him say the words before, but something about this moment made the air tremble around them. They were barely touching apart from their linked hands as they danced, yet Gabrielle could not have felt more impacted by his intensity.
When he looked at her and smiled at her like that, she was hit with a sudden insight that nothing could ever pull them apart. Was it real, or just part of her fading dream? Now that there were just a few days left of their trip, could he be feeling the same sense of desperate hope that they could make this work?
Chapter Fifteen
How strange that Gabrielle was even more confused than she had been before they left for their Thailand trip. She’d thought she’d had it all figured out in her head but now she wasn’t sure. Adam could be thoughtful, affectionate, generous. He opened up to her in ways she’d never expected. They still had a long way to go, but suddenly being with him didn’t seem so impossible. Neither did their differences feel as insurmountable as they used to.
He’d been full of surprises all through their holiday, but on their arrival back home, it seemed like he’d saved the best for last. He drove them to the private gates of a one-story mansion, set within a scenic four-acre plot. Stepping out of the car, Gabrielle turned to Adam with questioning eyes.
He simply smiled. “Shall we look inside?”
As he led them into each corner of the awesome spread, Gabrielle could barely take in the whole scene. Six bedrooms and bathrooms, a refrigerated wine cellar, and a dream chef kitchen with high-end everything left her gasping. There was also the swimming pool, featuring a fountain, and an enormous six-car garage.
She loved the pristine theme of the overall décor: cream, white, beige, with splashes of color in the masses of flowers, paintings and accents in each room.
“I bought the place, then had it renovated over the past couple of months,” Adam said. “I’m glad they could get it finished in time for our return. I hope you like it, though you can simply change whatever you want.”
Gabrielle turned around to face him, shaking her head in confusion. “Adam, what…?”
“I think we should move in together,” he said plainly.
She just gasped again, staring at him speechlessly. He smiled and came forward, resting his big hand on her abdomen. At over four months, she was noticeably pregnant, though her waistline hadn’t totally disappeared yet. She wasn’t sure, but she felt like she’d already started to sense the baby’s movement. The awe she felt every morning when she woke up and saw a new change in her body seemed mirrored in Adam’s eyes as they scanned her all over.
“This is the part where I ask you what you want, but I want you to hear me out first,” he said, sighed deeply and then let his hand fall reluctantly from her belly. “I’m not good with declarations, so I’ll keep it simple. It took me a while, but I finally decided to stop pushing away my feelings out of pride. I just want to be with you.”
As he spoke, he sought out her hand in his left and linked their fingers. “So no matter what, hold on tight to my hand. Don’t ever think of quitting on me, on us.”
Gabrielle’s heart melted with both guilt and exhilaration. Guilt that he may have guessed all along that she’d planned on leaving, walking away from everything. She’d gone along with him on everything so far, banking on keeping a part of her locked away so she could muster the strength to give him up.
She’d been hurting, hiding feelings of inadequacy beneath her bright smiles. Never feeling really beautiful enough, nor worthy enough to be at his side.
On the one hand, was knowing that his mother and the rest of his family might do all they could to keep them apart. While on the other, was having to go over everything Adam had done to make her see he cared. The holiday, this house, and all the many ways he’d shown her regard while treating her as an equal.
Expelling a decisive breath, Gabrielle finally looked up at Adam. “Okay.”
“Okay?” His brow quirked, and she smiled.
“I’ll stay,” she amplified. She didn’t need to add that she meant not just in the house with him, but together, as a couple. Let’s stay together. She moved her body close to his and kissed his neck softly. Adam groaned and gathered her tightly in his arms. Moments later, they shared sweet, sensual kisses. Gabrielle relaxed into him and let the warmth of her man soak into her.
My man. She’d never let herself think like that until right this moment. Now, she wanted to feel completely like his woman. Squirming, she pulled back from him, then keeping her eyes on his, she started to unbutton her shirt.
Adam’s green eyes blazed. “No. Allow me.”
Gabrielle nodded, her hands falling away. He slowly rid her of her shirt and pants, before his nimble hands did away with her bra and panties. When she stood naked before him, her skin flushed shyly under his intense gaze.
“I don’t tell you enough how beautiful your body is. I’m going to rectify that from this moment. You’re exquisite.”
“Thanks,” she breathed, as she watched him tear off his clothes. “So are you.”
He gave a hot grin, took her hand and placed it around his thick, long erection. Her eyes glazed over, and she almost wanted to drop her hand from the surge of heat and power she felt in his member. The eloquence of his whole form always amazed her. Lightly tan skin, smooth muscles, rippling flesh and oooh, his big, sexy manhood. Her core sizzled between her legs, and her tongue traced her lips while Adam watched the lust leaping in her eyes.
She’d had him in her mouth before and had relished the enjoyment. She saw him fist his base and stroke on it and knew how on edge he was from the veins popping everywhere, even on his neck. He pushed her gently down to her knees in front of him, and Gabrielle went obediently. She loved to pleasure him as intricately as he did to her on every occasion.
Staring straight up at him, she opened her lips and took him in to the hilt in slow, edging swallows. Her hands stroked all over his sleek form, his torso, thighs and ass. She held to the firm cheeks with her palms as he sawed in and out of her mouth. His fingers in her hair kept her face upturned, and it was so intense this way, watching each other. Seeing the give and take intertwine and blur together, and knowing that both sides derived equal fulfilment from the act.
She knew when he reached the peak, his thrusts moving faster and deeper in her throat. She pushed down on his shaft as it stretched her lips almost painfully, not letting him draw out. Her brown eyes communicated her intentions, and Adam groaned his acknowledgment.
“Shit. Fuck, Gabrielle.”
Gabrielle watched in fascination as she saw his face contort in the same moment he ejaculated, copious amounts filling her esophagus in jet streams. Gabrielle swallowed as quickly as she could, his taste a familiar and savory delight.
Finally licking him clean, Gabrielle smiled up at him, before he helped her up and swept her into his arms. They kissed all the way to the master bedroom, where he set his back against the massive pillows on the bed and drew Gabrielle’s body up to sit astride his face.
Countless minutes of belly-clamping ecstasy passed, as Adam’s tongue and lips worked magic on Gabrielle’s sex as her thighs sandwiched his head. He didn’t stop until she came twice, and then he slid her down again, planting her over his rock hard tip and then impaling her in one swift stroke.
They’d have many months ahead of them for sex as raunchy and wild as this, but somehow Gabrielle would always remember their first night together in their new home. And how before early morning they’d christened almost every room in the mans
ion with freaky, near-crippling sex. Normal people would possibly be alarmed by just how freaky they got, but Gabrielle’s doctor had been very helpful in assuring them what was safe for the baby and what wasn’t.
Still, they had a few more hiccups ahead.
***
It came in the form of Gabrielle’s parents, who now that they knew she was back in the country, demanded she come home to visit.
Adam promised that they’d go that weekend, after he’d done some checking up at the office. Gabrielle felt wary about it, but couldn’t back out now. She knew they were going to be hard on her, but she still felt weighed down when her fears came true. It felt doubly worse knowing Adam was there to see it…. Her parents complained about everything she did, such as her life choices, including her recent predicament, which is what they called her pregnancy.
She could see how surprised he was, and yet he sent her totally into shock when he went straight to her defense. “Gabrielle did a great job while working for me and I was impressed how quick a learner she is. It felt like once she found her niche, she just kept growing and springing up concepts even I couldn’t have thought up. That’s why we both decided she’d further her studies with a Masters in Corporate Finance – and she’s already applied.”
Her parents looked startled, but were quick to recover, mumbling about just what good would another fancy degree be when she was yet to sort out her personal life, being pregnant and unmarried.
“Who said we aren’t getting married?” Adam asked, and this time even Gabrielle looked shocked. She couldn’t help but burst out in a daze, “Are we?”
His answer was to smile and lift her hand to his lips. He turned to her parents, who were by now finally stupefied into silence. Though it looked like it was exactly what they were pushing for, fretted Gabrielle, seeing as they could barely cloak their approval.
Maybe a part of her felt Adam had just said it to appease her parents, so her astonishment was real when she emerged from the bedroom one morning the following week and saw Hilda Black. “Hello, Gabrielle. I was busy in Milan for the fashion week but when Adam said I had to prepare you for a wedding, I didn’t hesitate but flew right over.”
Gabrielle was speechless as she stared all around her. It was a whole makeover scene – hair stylist, makeup artist, and a white dress.
“I’m definitely not giving Gabrielle the chance to change her mind,” Adam said from behind her, and she turned dazedly to watch him walking in with a smile.
“Change my mind? But I haven’t even said yes to anything yet!” she exclaimed, while her heart pounded as Adam slowly retrieved an engagement ring from his pocket. Hilda and everyone else present were beaming as they looked on.
He stared fixedly into Gabrielle’s eyes. “Are you going to say no?”
Slowly, a happy smile broke over her face, and she shook her head as she let him place the dazzling ring on her finger. She threw her arms around him joyously, and heard him breathe, “Thank goodness,” into her hair as he hugged her tightly back. Her grin widened at that.
Later that day, they were married before a Justice of the Peace. Then Adam brought them home for dinner prepared by none other than his favorite chef, Adele Brighton. Gabrielle gasped in awe when she saw the amazing array of food prepared. “Thank you, Adele. I’ll certainly not pass up the chance to taste your wonderful dishes this time.”
Adele nodded with a smile and proceeded to plate their courses as Adam and Gabrielle sat at the intimate candle-lit dinner table for two. It felt like they were in the most romantic dining spot in the world and not simply their own home. As they ate, they had a view from the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, displaying the moonlight over the green landscape. It was a dream of a wedding night, much later behind the bedroom doors…
Epilogue
A year later.
Gabrielle smiled for the cameras taking endless shots of her and her groom, standing on the immaculate lawn used for their outdoor wedding.
A whole lot of things were different from their civil ceremony. Also, she was now a mother of seven-month old twins, a boy and a girl. They could be seen crawling and climbing everywhere they could reach, watched dotingly by Gabrielle’s parents. She could still remember how much of a surprise the twins, Bryan and Brianna, had been!
Gabrielle had started to fall ill during her sixth month, and Adam had followed her to the doctor’s. His initial diagnose after the tests came through made Gabrielle feel a burst of fear. “Looks like the iron deficiency anemia is showing up again.”
“Oh no,” she’d breathed. She knew that the condition could heighten the risk of a preterm delivery, or a low birth weight baby.
Adam had squeezed her hand reassuringly and asked what could be the cause.
“It’s common when the mother doesn’t consume enough iron, but Gabrielle has been following her supplements,” the doctor said. “Anyway, I’ll put you out of your suspense. This time, seems the symptom is due to another common cause – the mother is pregnant with more than one baby.”
They’d gaped at the doctor, till he grinned and explained. “You’re having twins. One of the babies has been hiding behind the other, which is known to happen. The scan shows they’re both healthy. We can easily treat the anemia simply with additional supplemental iron. Congratulations a second time.” He was the doctor who’d first diagnosed Gabrielle’s pregnancy, and the joyous couple laughed at the reference, both remembering that day all too well.
We have so many memories to treasure. Gabrielle gazed up at her husband as they shared their vows before the minister, their family and friends and tons of well-wishers.
The first night we met…getting to work together and build mutual respect and closeness…our holiday in Thailand…moving into our new home…our beautiful babies delivered healthy and at full term…
Today’s wedding was extra special because it would be the first time Adam’s family would gather with them. Their attendance felt like a final seal on the marriage. Gabrielle was heartened that somehow she’d proven that she was there solely for love of Adam and not what he could offer in money or status.
Their honeymoon was a wonderful Asian odyssey, Hong Kong, Beijing, Singapore, South Korea… And finally, they planned to leave for Thailand on the final leg of their honeymoon.
They’d timed the visit perfectly to coincide with their last stay in Chian Mai a year ago. Just so they could participate in the festival they so well remembered and cherished.
In their hotel room, Gabrielle could hardly fall asleep from excitement at the prospect of flying to Thailand in the next few hours. But then her husband’s passionate touch and sweltering lovemaking soon had her sated and drowsy as she rested on his chest.
“I’m so happy for tomorrow,” she said for possibly the hundredth time.
Adam stroked her hair indulgently and smiled. “Me, too. I can already imagine feeling all that magic again. I always wondered though…what did you wish for that night?”
Gabrielle let out a dreamy sigh as she snuggled deeper against him. “That we would be together forever. What about you?”
Gabrielle’s eyes had already drooped closed as she began to drift off, but as if from a dream she heard his tender answer: “I wished…that your wish would come true.” And even in her dreams she smiled, floating away on silken night clouds of sleep.
THE END
CLICK HERE
to subscribe to my newsletter & get EXCLUSIVE updates on all offers, secret previews, and new releases!
hare-buttons">share