by Lori King
She hesitated. “What if I can’t choose?”
“We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it, honey. Michael is right. We pushed this whole thing way too fast, but give us a chance to fix it,” Kendrick said, moving up to stand shoulder to shoulder with Michael. Austin followed, and they stood facing her as a united front. Her eyes touched each of them in turn before she nodded slowly.
“Okay. It’s a date…er…three dates. Who goes first?” she asked, narrowing her gaze on him again. Michael just threw her a grin.
“I do, of course. It was my idea.”
Kendrick and Austin both protested, but Gaby burst into laughter, just as he hoped she would. The fear and shame of the moment was gone, and now they could move forward. If they could make her more comfortable with each of them individually, maybe they could warm her up to the idea of a permanent ménage.
Gaby turned back to him with a grin on her face. “When’s our first date, Romeo?”
He couldn’t resist pressing a quick kiss to her lip before he answered her. “Tonight. We just need to get back to the dock to drop these two goons off first.”
“Oh no! Not tonight! After everything today I need to go home and soak in a bubble bath for a bit,” she said with a shake of her head.
Concern filled him, and he reached for her hand as she made to move away. “Did we hurt you? Answer me honestly, sweetheart.”
He watched as pleasure filled her eyes, and she lifted a hand to his cheek. “I’m okay, Romeo, but I haven’t used some of those muscles in a while, so I need to baby them a little.”
“Good, then we’re going out tomorrow night, because I’m not sure I can wait a minute longer,” Michael said, pressing a kiss to her palm.
She rolled her eyes, but he could see the pleasure in them. “All right, I close up the shop at six during the week. Now, move that cute ass so that I can pull up anchor. We need to get back to the dock before sunset.”
“You think I have a cute ass?” He preened and felt his chest inflate as the sound of her laughter filled the air. He could die a happy man with that sound in his ears.
The rest of the boat ride was uneventful, and by the time they reached the dock, Gaby was back to her laughing, joking self. Michael didn’t want to leave her, but as they each took a turn kissing her goodnight, he could see the exhaustion on her face. It was better to give her some time to herself and avoid pushing her too fast. Austin and Kendrick headed across the parking lot toward the car, while he lingered, holding Gaby’s hand.
“So, tomorrow night, six o’clock?”
Her eyes lifted to meet his, and his breath caught. Standing there in the glowing light of the setting sun, her hair looked like a bronze-colored halo around her head, and her dark-brown eyes seemed to swallow him whole. He had to force himself to stand still and not drag her into his arms.
“I’ll need time to change after work tomorrow…”
Michael grinned. “Of course, six thirty then. Wear jeans and tennis shoes. I want you to be comfortable.”
“Okay, I’ll see you then, Romeo.”
He pressed one more kiss to her lips and then released her hand so that she could climb into her car. She gave him a wave as she pulled out of the parking lot at the marina, and he watched her until her taillights disappeared. Austin honked the car horn behind him, and he headed their way with a sigh. Only one day until he saw her again, but it already seemed like forever.
“Crap!” Gaby felt the box slip from her fingers and heard the clatter of hangers hitting the hard tile floor before she felt the pain in her shoulder. “Stupid wall!”
She glared at the corner of wall that she had just run into, causing her to lose her armful of wooden hangers and merchandise placards. She couldn’t decide whether or not she was mad at the wall or mad at the three men who held her thoughts captive, but a bruised shoulder didn’t brighten her outlook on an already crappy day.
Tristan had left another nasty voicemail message threatening to send scandalous pictures of her to all of the major news outlets if she didn’t return his calls. She knew that he couldn’t possibly have pictures to back up his threats, but it still twisted in her gut. His chaotic mood swings had her baffled. One moment he was begging her to come back to him with words of love and promises of a future, and the next he was viciously threatening her with slander or worse. It was like he was two different people, and neither was the man she had dated back in New York.
Her father had introduced her to Tristan Rogers her last semester of design school, hoping that she would take to him because he came from blue blood old money. Having made all of his money on oil as a younger man, her father had a ridiculous preoccupation with old money versus new money, and he seemed determined to marry her off to someone with a prestigious name.
After ten months of dating she had called it quits. Tristan was an arrogant man, and he had no intention of an equal partnership in his relationships. Tristan believed that their initial breakup was just a phase, and when she moved to Sunset Point and started Designs by Lark, he got angry. Now he was downright belligerent, making ridiculous threats and calling at all hours of the day and night. If he kept it up she might have to file a harassment complaint with the SPPD. The man was driving her nuts with his inability to let the relationship go.
It wasn’t like she needed any more feelings of chaos in her life. Right now she was still struggling with herself over her behavior the day before. She couldn’t shake the intense emotions that making love to Michael, Austin, and Kendrick had stirred up inside of her, and it was driving her nuts. This was not the time in her life to be contemplating love or permanence, and she certainly wasn’t ready to think about a ménage relationship. She needed to be focused on her shop and creating new designs.
Designs by Lark was the main reason she came back to Sunset Point from New York. Going to design school had given her the education that she needed to fulfill her dream of creating her own line of clothing and then creating her own boutique. Nearly every item in the store was designed by her hands, and a good portion of it was sewn by her, too. She employed several seamstresses on the island who assisted her in making the creations that spilled from her imagination, but she loved sitting behind a sewing machine turning raw material into beauty, so she made time for it.
Forcing herself to scoop the dropped materials back into the dented box, she walked it back to her design room and dumped it on the cutting table. The decision to ignore it for the time being was an easy one, and she walked away rubbing at the tender muscle of her shoulder.
Standing in the doorway she looked over her shop for a moment, just taking in the beauty that surrounded her. Whenever she remembered the original bare-bones coffee bar that had been vacant for more than a year, she nearly burst with pride at the transformation. From dirt and grime, she had designed a sanctuary for the women of Sunset Point. She had wanted it to feel like a luxurious closet, with soft antiqued ivory shelving, and huge windows across the front. There were decadent crystal chandeliers over the two dressing platforms that were each centered in front of six-foot-long mirrors that leaned against the wall instead of hanging on it. The lighting was perfectly set to create a spa-like atmosphere and deter that fluorescent trauma that most women felt when they are in a department store dressing room.
Each piece of the furniture was hand selected by her to mix and match with the rest of the lush interior. There were two matching Queen Anne sofas each facing a respective platform, and several slipper chairs in various contemporary designs. Clothing hung neatly on racks by color, and all of the shelving was lit to display the accessories and lingerie pieces perfectly. It was her dream space, and it had cost her every dime of the money she had borrowed to get it off of the ground floor, but it was absolutely worth it.
A small antique ladies’ writing desk was one of her major indulgences, and it held her cash register and bookkeeping information discreetly in one corner. When planning the space it was important that women felt as though they w
ere being treated to a day of dress up instead of shopping for clothing. Based on the sales figures she had to date, she had been successful in the endeavor. The shop was rapidly paying back the loan at a rate much faster than the terms required, and she was hoping to bring on a second part-time clerk soon to help with the books and the upkeep.
The young woman that helped her out three days each week around the shop was an old friend from high school who had been a full-time stay-at-home mom. When her youngest daughter started kindergarten this year, Lilliana decided to branch out, and Gaby had hired her on the spot. Just a few hours a week of Lilliana watching the shop gave Gaby the freedom to work in the back creating or set up conference calls with suppliers and buyers.
A quick glance at her watch told her that she would be able to lock up shortly, and she moved to the desk to start tallying the day’s sales. The numbers just spun in front of her, and her thoughts drifted back to her upcoming date with Michael. She was nervous and excited all at once. Several times today she caught herself staring at the phone considering cancelling, but she just couldn’t bring herself to disappoint Michael. He had been so sweet during her freak out yesterday, and he seemed so excited when she agreed to the date. She just wasn’t sure she could conceal the turmoil she was feeling over whether or not she could handle a ménage. She didn’t want to be put in a position where she hurt any of them.
“Gah! Gabriella Larkin, you are being absolutely ridiculous!” she yelled at herself just as the front door to her shop opened and the tiny bell hanging from the handle dinged out the visitor.
“Um, is this a bad time? Should I leave while you have a chat with yourself and come back later?” Her eyes landed on Michael, as he stood watching her with laughter in his beautiful ocean-blue eyes.
“You’re early!” She gasped, feeling a blush climb her cheeks.
“Yeah, sorry, I couldn’t sit at home waiting another minute, and I wanted to get a peek at your shop. Holy shitcakes! This place is a female palace!”
She grinned at his sweet words and then laughed. “Thank you, it did turn out pretty awesome, and no you don’t have to leave. I was just doing the books, and well, you can tell how much I enjoy it.”
Michael moved through the doorway, making his way over to her side and capturing her lips with his own. She sighed into him, feeling a sense of completion roll through her body now that she was with him again. He was a master at kissing as he caressed her bottom lip with his tongue and then moved into her mouth. She felt the heat of his body envelop her, and yet the only part of them intimately connected was their mouths. When he lifted his head he smiled. “Missed you.”
She could feel the goofy grin that spread over her cheeks. “Whoa! If that’s hello, I have to wonder what goodnight consists of!” she said shakily, leaning against the edge of her desk while he grinned back at her.
“I’ll show you the first chance I get to have you over for a slumber party, sweetheart,” he said with a seductive wink, and she laughed.
“A slumber party? Really? Will there be pillow fights and s’mores?”
His eyebrows rose, and the fire in his eyes flared up. “I won’t fight you for the pillows, but you will probably be begging for s’more by the time we’re done…”
She laughed loud and long, “Good grief, you’re just full of sexy innuendos aren’t you? So where are we going on our date tonight?”
He looked a little uncomfortable for a moment before he spoke, “Well, yesterday you took us with you to do something you love, and today I want to do the same. I thought we would go for a hike, so that you could show me the conservation land. I even brought a picnic for dinner.” He paused watching her face, “but if you would rather do something else…”
Gaby’s heart fluttered in her chest as she took in his jeans and hiking boots. He even had a backpack slung over his shoulder. She loved to be outside, but she had never dated anyone who enjoyed it like she did. What a surprisingly sweet and unpretentious idea. “No! I think that sounds fantastic! Let me lock up and change so that we can go.”
He threw the deadbolt lock while she flipped the sign to closed, and then he followed her upstairs to her little apartment. It was small but adequate. According to her father it was ridiculous and cheap, but she liked the fact that it was hers. If she had accepted her father’s offer to live in his property on the island it would have come with stipulations and conditions that she wasn’t willing to agree to. Instead she had bought some secondhand furniture, splurging only on her bed which was a work of art handcrafted by a design school friend of hers, and she had put her tiny apartment together until it was a work of heart.
Michael looked around when they reached her living room, and she waited with baited breath for his judgment on her space. It meant more to her than it should when he smiled and said, “It suits you. I like it.”
“Thanks! I’m just going to change clothes real fast, and then we can go. Make yourself at home.” She hurried into her bedroom feeling like a teenager with a schoolgirl crush. With his broad shoulders, lean hips, and sexy smile, he made her apartment seem ridiculously small, and all she could think about was launching herself at him. She could still feel his hands on her ass as he slid his cock into her aching pussy yesterday. It wasn’t something she would soon forget, and the urge to repeat the activity was too strong to hang out in such an intimate space for long.
Jerking on a pair of worn blue jeans and an orange college T-shirt, she dug through the bottom of her walk-in closet for the hiking boots that she knew were there somewhere. The piles of clothing and purses and shoes were slightly overwhelming, and she fumbled when she saw one of the boots in the back corner under a Gucci purse. Her head hit the wall when she fell, and it rattled a pile of bags on a shelf above her so that the whole mess came tumbling down onto her head.
Michael heard the commotion, because it was barely a moment later that he was standing in the doorway of her closet staring at the pile of fashion rubble with both fear and awe in his eyes. “Dayum!” he murmured before he seemed to remember what drew him to the scene originally, and he held his hand out to her. “Are you okay? Did you get hurt?”
Gaby could feel herself blushing as she took his hand, and he stood her up running his hands over her body once she was out of the chaotic closet. “I’m fine. I was looking for my boots and slipped. The only thing I really hurt was my pride. Now you know my secret.”
Michael chuckled. “Your secret?
She nodded solemnly, trying to keep a straight face. “Yes. I have a powerful addiction to clothing, shoes, and accessories, and I tend to hoard them. I suppose I’m a hoarder. Maybe I should apply for that show on TV.”
His chuckles rolled into a rumbling laugh, and he grabbed her by the hips to plant a loud smacking kiss on her mouth. “Love, if that’s the only secret you have, then you’re too perfect for me. I need you to have a few flaws.”
She felt her eyes widen, “Are you saying that you want me to have flaws?”
“Well yeah. I mean, don’t we all have baggage? Austin and I lost our parents when we were in high school. We signed up for the Army the day I turned eighteen just to escape the cloud of grief and pity that seemed to follow us in Apache Crossing. I don’t want perfect, because I’m not perfect.”
Gaby stood there shocked from the top of her head to her toes. What man admitted that he wasn’t perfect? Who was this guy? Feeling a little rattled, she rubbed at the bump on her head and looked anywhere but at Michael.
“What’s PNSD?”
“Huh?”
He gestured to the college T-shirt, and she giggled.
“Parsons New School of Design. The college I went to.”
He nodded. “See that’s one of my flaws. I never made it to college. I traded in my cap and gown for boots and fatigues. Law enforcement seemed like the best career for me when we got back to the states and got out of the Army.”
She sat on the edge of her bed and pulled her hiking boots on while he chatted. When she
was finished she looked at him seriously. “Did you ever want to go to college?”
“Not really. School wasn’t my thing. The best part about high school for me was the girls. College just isn’t my style I guess.” He shrugged, and a look of embarrassment crossed his face.
“It’s not for everyone. My dad wanted me to go into business, but it didn’t suit me to work in an office all of my life.”
Michael seemed to sigh with relief at her easy acceptance, and she smiled as they went back out into the living room. His next works had her blushing again. “I would love to see you in a power suit and sexy heels. Any chance you want to play dress up for me sometime soon?”
Swallowing hard against the wave of lust that surged into her chest, she managed to mumble, “Yeah, sure, maybe. Why don’t we get going now?”
Hurrying them out of the apartment while he laughed was a memorable moment, and she was sure that the rest of the evening held many more innuendos and laughs.
Michael had crawled through the gates, and he was now in heaven. They were basically surrounded by rainforest. Lush forest and dense undergrowth lined the path they followed, and tropical flowers scented the air around them. In all of his traveling with the Army, he had never found a place so beautiful. It was possible that it had more to do with the company than his surroundings, but he realized that he was happier in this moment, than he had been since the night he learned his parents plane went down. In just forty-eight hours one beautiful woman had nearly erased eighteen years of numbness. Like a fog had lifted from his eyes, and he was able to see and enjoy the world around him again.
Watching Gaby’s denim-encased ass sway in front of him was keeping his cock rock hard in his jeans, but still, he wouldn’t trade this evening for anything. They chatted easily, filling each other in on their backgrounds, and Gaby made sure to point out sights and features of the island around them. She surprised him by being comfortable in the outdoors. Even after seeing her on her boat, he had been worried that taking her hiking wouldn’t be the best choice for a woman as polished and put together as Gaby, but his worries were for naught. She seemed to be enjoying herself immensely.