Undeniably His

by Amanda Chayse

  “We love you, Kalin!” a female voice screams from somewhere in the room.

  Applause erupts across the room.

  Kalin lifts his chin and scans the crowd. “I love you. And although I don’t want to make any big announcements at this time, I will say that my plans for the company and for the groundless accusations in the media will be revealed soon.”

  Chants begin to erupt in the room. “Kalin! Kalin! Kalin!”

  “Just know that what we built, together, is worth more to me than what a bunch of ruthless vultures would try and sell it for.”

  Thunderous applause erupts in the room, and Kalin roars over the cheers.

  “We have run an honorable and reputable company, and as a result it has grown into one of the top advertising firms in the world. In recent months, others have sought to take from us what we have built…together. But they have made a grave error. They have confused our generosity for vulnerability. They have confused our integrity for naiveté. They have confused our kindness for weakness. And they have misunderstood our capacity to seek retribution.”

  The cheers grow so loud that Kalin is unable to finish. He motions for the crowd to quiet down as if he never missed a beat.

  “What we have done here, we have accomplished together with respect, and innovation, and fair-mindedness. We care about this company, and more importantly, we care about the people we work with. When that integrity is compromised, it jeopardizes the entire company. We have seen that in a loss of sales, in a loss of respect in the industry, and in a loss of market share. We plan on correcting this from the top down.”

  The crowd applauds and Kalin’s expression turns more somber. “You helped bring me through some very dark days in my life. Not just this latest situation, but earlier difficulties as well. Sometimes when we’re asking for direction, the answer comes in the people right in front of us. For me, that is all of you.” Smiling at the crowd, his eyes land on Madison, and then on me. I blink and glance at Madison who is smiling at me. “So thank you for all you’ve done. For sticking with me during the good times and the bad, and helping me to laugh and love during those dark hours. You’ve all been my bright light. Now let’s all enjoy each other’s company and this evening.” The group roars with applause, and Kalin moves into the crowd.

  Kalin is already back to his old self as he mingles around the room, greeting and laughing with his many friends and employees. All of the employees who baked and cooked for him are receiving big hugs from Kalin. He recalls exactly what each employee had made for him, and hugs each one of them and lets them know how much he appreciated it.

  I briefly scan the room. Madison waves at me from across the room, and slips toward me through the crowd with a bright smile.

  “Did you plan all this?” I ask with my hand to my chest.

  “We had it all set up. We knew he was getting out today.”

  “You kept this from me?” I ask with a trace of shock.

  “Yeah, you were way too close to Kalin. And you had enough to deal with.” She nudges me on the arm.

  “You guys are impossible.” I hug her, a little more convinced Madison was in no way a part of this plan. I glance around the room to see security in various areas, but no sign of the ‘frack boys.’

  Kalin has made his rounds to a few buddies, some Northwestern alumni, and to the managers. I mentally note that there are two glaring omissions from the crowd: Jeff Corman and Brian McMillan. I narrow my eyes at the thought. I’m feeling overprotective for Kalin’s safety, while at the same time feeling upset at him for never telling me about his relationship with Madison. I feel a weight of nerves flutter from my chest to my stomach. Is there anything else he isn’t telling me?

  Kalin is still making his rounds, greeting and embracing everyone, and the admiration for him in the room is palpable. A few employees want the inside scoop. “All will be revealed in due time,” he says with a playful gesture of his finger.

  A flock of twenty-something girls approach him like groupies cornering a rock star. They want to see his scar. Lifting his shirt, he reveals the curves of his abs, and the girls’ eyes grow wide. “I don’t see it,” one of the girls pouts.

  Kalin touches the scar under his arm. “It’s too high.”

  “So take your shirt off.” One of the girls giggles and they all surround him to convince him to take his shirt off. Kalin shakes his head no, smiling and laughing at their persistence. “We won’t say anything. We’ll be the curtain for you.” Some in the crowd join in, mostly female, calling for Kalin to take his shirt off.

  “Okay, listen up everyone. You baked me goodies and went out of your way for me. Many of you have asked to see my scar. Sometimes thank you just isn’t enough, apparently.” Laughter spreads over the room. “You helped me heal, so who am I to say no. I warn you it’s fresh and it’s ugly. Viewer discretion is advised.”

  “Take it off!”

  The room erupts in laughter, and Kalin puts his hands up in surrender. “Remember, you asked for this.”

  Kalin stands on the coffee table. He unbuttons his shirt and tugs it off the round, smooth muscles of his shoulders and over his chest. Adoring girls hoot, holler, and whistle from across the room. His pectorals flex briefly as he tugs the other sleeve further off his left shoulder. The shirt hangs from his glorious, muscled body as he turns toward the group and lifts his left arm. The smooth scar runs from under his arm to his sternum under his nipple. Most of the girls are staring at his chest and abs, and the imperfection of the scar only heightens the beauty of his muscular physique, like a powerful warrior with a lone battle scar. “There you have it,” he rumbles.

  The girls ooh and aah as Kalin rolls the shirt back over his shoulders. Pulling his shirt over the smooth, hard mounds of his chest, one by one he buttons his shirt from the top down. Each delicious ripple of his stomach disappears with each push of the button through the buttonhole, finally covering his lower stomach and then his belt. Kalin glances up to find a group of wide-eyed girls staring at him with unconcealed desire. His eyes find me in the crowd, and I fold my arms and roll my eyes. He jumps off the coffee table and stalks toward me.

  “You should get your crew to clean up the drool on the floor, Kalin.” I say over the noise of the crowd.

  “After that ugly display?” Kalin’s frown is betrayed by the amusement glittering in his eyes. He’s feigning innocence. Besides, Kalin’s a rock star to his employees, especially the females. I know that he’s smart enough to maintain his image that is the foundation of his company. Now his enemies just made him invincible.

  “The wounded warrior has come home to a hero’s welcome.” I grin up at him.

  “The wounded warrior has come home to plunder.” Kalin bends his head into my neck and slides his hands over my hips. “God, you always smell so fucking good,” he breathes in my ear. His warm, moist lips press into my neck, and heat rushes through me like liquid fire pushing through a broken dam. It’s been so long since I felt Kalin’s hands on me like this, and now my body is responding before I can resist.

  “No, Kalin.” Kalin ignores me and sucks on my neck like he’s enjoying an ice cream cone. His teeth trap a thin layer of skin, and sting me with pain and pleasure that shoots through my body. His sensual touch and arousal makes it hard for me to resist, but I push him away so that he makes eye contact with me. “We have to talk.”

  “Jesus, Annabelle, we’ve been talking for four weeks. I want to fuck now. What is it?”

  “Why didn’t you tell me about Madison?”

  “Annabelle, you drive me crazy and then torture me.”

  I cross my arms and quirk my mouth at him. “We have to be honest with each other, Kalin. No amount of great sex can replace that.”

  “Whatever it takes.” He takes my hand and kisses it. “Okay?”

  I nod with a faint smile, and he sucks my finger into his mouth. The warmth bathes my whole body with longing for him, but I mask my desire and slap him on the chest. “Stop it, Kalin.”


  An adorable smile spreads across his mouth. “A little taste is better than nothing,” he says while brushing the back of his hand over my cheek. “We’ll talk later?” I nod and a smile slips over my face before I can stop it.

  Kalin plants a soft kiss on my lips, and mixes into the crowd to entertain his guests. I watch him motion to his parents about the scar, shrugging with innocence, no doubt defending himself from his unabashed display. I bite back a smile and know that I want to give all of myself to him if only he would do the same for me. Why didn’t he tell me about Madison?

  A girl touches my arm and introduces herself. “You’re Annabelle, Kalin’s marketing assistant, aren’t you?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’m Tina Caldwell.”

  I snap my fingers. “Fudge brownies.” I point with a smile of recognition.

  “Yeah. Amazing,” she says.

  “Those were so incredible. Thank you so much for those. I remembered who you were because I wanted to get the recipe too.”

  “The best way to a man’s heart is through his stomach?” Tina smiles at me. “The recipe is kind of a family secret. I can give it to you if you promise not to share it. If it keeps Kalin happy, it’s worth it.”

  “He certainly has a lot of fans,” I mutter.

  “You have no idea.” An adoring smile brightens her face.

  I give Tina my email and continue to meander through the crowd, remembering who gave us what, and thanking them for the many gifts we received. I spot Kalin and he just keeps going, even though I know he has to be exhausted. He starts to say his goodbyes, and I take the cue and do the same. When the house is finally empty, Kalin smiles at his parents, Madison, and me. “You sneaky devils.”

  “We tried to keep it small, Kalin. But so many people had been asking about you and wanting to do something for you,” Lauren pleads.

  “Oh, no, Mom, it was great. It was wonderful. I wanted to thank all of them personally anyway, and this was perfect for that.” Kalin kisses his mom on the forehead and leans his head on top of hers. “So thank you. All of you. Madison can throw a party like the best of them.”

  Madison smiles up at him. “You make it easy, Kalin. Your raving fans demand it.”

  We laugh at the comment, and I take some of the dishes to the sink. “I had no idea,” I confess.

  “There was no way we could tell you, Annabelle. You were with Kalin every day,” Madison insists. “We had to keep it from both of you.”

  “You guys sure know how to keep a secret.” My face blushes as I realize what I just said. Kalin and Madison glance at each other. I rinse the dishes off and scrub at one to dissipate some of the tension racking at my nerves.

  Kalin steps between Madison and his mom and reaches for my shoulder. “Don’t do that, Annabelle. The help will clean this all up tomorrow. I haven’t had a chance to bring my help back. The only help here over the past few weeks have been the landscapers.”

  “No, it’s fine.”

  “No, it isn’t. Get some rest. It’s been a big day.”

  I place the dishes on the counter.

  “Well, thank you everyone for keeping the surprise, and thank you Annabelle for keeping Kalin occupied while we planned it,” Madison says.

  “It was a wonderful gesture. Thank you.” I hug Madison, and everyone says their goodbyes to her and thanks her for the hard work she put into the party.

  “I’m just glad Kalin is okay. He’s worth celebrating,” she says. I watch Kalin and Madison hug.

  Kalin kisses her on the forehead. “It was wonderful. Heart-stopping but wonderful.”

  “You’re as good as new, Kalin, and we’re all going to make sure you stay that way,” she says.

  As Madison leaves I realize the chances of her having anything to do with what happened are remote. I’m confused and tired, and say goodnight to Lauren and Peter and head to bed. Kalin grabs my hand from behind and pulls me to him. “We’re finally alone now.”

  “Kalin, I’m sleeping in the other room tonight.”

  “Stay with me tonight.”

  “We still have to talk. Remember?”

  “We’ll talk and then we’ll make love. I need to touch you, Annabelle. I’ve been thinking about you all day. It’s all I’ve wanted.”

  Kalin tugs me into his room and shuts the door. He pulls me toward him and buries his face in my bosom with a heavy sigh. “Finally, just us,” he rumbles.

  “I have to use the bathroom.”

  Kalin leans back on the bed and smiles as he watches me.

  “We still need to talk,” I remind him.

  “I’ll be here.”

  I freshen up in the bathroom, and do my best to look sexy. My body wars with my mind again, part of me wanting his touch that I was deprived of for too long, while my mind wants an explanation for his silence over his relationship with Madison. I open the bathroom door and amble toward him. His head is turned into the pillow, and his long legs are sprawled across the king-sized bed. I walk around the bed, and his eyes are closed. He is out cold. I move the pillow away from his face and kiss him on the cheek. Threading my fingers through his wavy brown hair, I smile.

  This is his first night away from beeping monitors and wires attached to his body to measure oxygen, air flow, and heart rate. It’s amazing he had as much energy as he did this evening. Now that we’re alone, he’s sleeping like a baby. I smile at the irony, and glide my fingers through his hair. My body tingles with gratitude that Kalin has come out of this alive and healthy. I drink in the moment, and press my lips softly to his ear. “I do love you, Kalin Davis.” I plant a kiss on the sensitive skin directly below his ear, and press up from the bed.

  Kalin is dead weight tonight. I ease out the door, savoring one last glimpse of his sweet expression through the crack of the door before I close the bedroom door and quietly wander across the hall to my room.

  Chapter Twenty One

  The back doors to the garden terrace are open, and the sweetness of the floral scents carried on the warm summer breeze mixes with the sound of songbirds to lift my spirits. It’s an appropriate feeling of renewal for the new beginnings Kalin and I are now enjoying. I turn to face the kitchen and the smell of fresh coffee slams into me, adding to the sensual delights of the morning.

  Lauren and Peter are preparing breakfast, and Kalin is on the phone in the other room. When the conversation ends, Kalin walks toward me. He looks so young and carefree now, as if the world has been lifted from his shoulders.

  “Good morning, sleepyhead,” I chirp.

  “Good morning, sexy. I slept for ten straight hours. Can you believe that?”

  Kalin’s thick hair is combed back in silky waves, and his brown eyes glitter with warmth and renewal against his light skin. He’s wearing blue jeans and a light blue linen shirt, unbuttoned enough to show a sprinkling of chest hair. A shadow of stubble runs along the strong angles of his jaw, and a fresh scent teases me. I want to touch him.

  My lips part as I watch him move toward me. “Even the gods that defy death need a good night’s sleep once in a while.” I tilt my head and smile up at him.

  His mouth twists into a lustful grin. “I have just one regret.” The warm touch of his fingers over the sensitive skin of my neck causes my head to sway back with delight. “My body was just exhausted. But you have no idea, my dear Annabelle, how much I want you.”

  “Kalin, there’s no reason to say anything. We have plenty of time. I want you to heal, and I want us to go slow. There’s no hurry.”

  “Go slow. Good idea.” Kalin moves his hand over my back and his other hand wraps around my waist. “Nice and slow.” My body aches while he pushes me close to him, and his lips crush against mine. I feel his arousal against me for the first time in so long, much too long, and my body reacts and goes on auto-pilot. I close my eyes and enjoy his strong embrace, the hot wetness of his lips, and his tongue gliding along the seam of my lip. My lips part for him. He tastes me, gently, slowly, and then with
want and need, he slides his tongue into mine. My tongue tangles with his, and his hot breath on me causes me to melt in his hands. I am so ready for him. Kalin pulls back from me, wraps his large hand around mine and tugs me to the dining area. “Come on. My parents are probably wondering about us. If they weren’t here, I probably wouldn’t eat a thing. We’d be making love all day,” he growls.

  I look up at him with a naughty grin. “Heaven forbid,” I retort with playful sarcasm.

  He cocks his head with a surprised smile. “You must be hungry too?”

  I bite my lip before a devilish grin tugs at my mouth. “Yes, very much so.”

  His dark eyes shift down to mine. “Naughty girl.” His hand moves to my lower back to escort me into the dining area.

  Lauren and Peter are making breakfast.

  “Mom, Dad. Good morning.” Kalin hugs them both and kisses his mom on the cheek.”

  “Just in time for breakfast,” she smiles.

  “You didn’t have to do this.”

  “Sweetheart, there was one good part of this. Getting to spend time with you. This is our celebration. The best part of our trip.” Lauren is glowing, and my chest lightens in the happiness of the moment. It is such a joy seeing them happy again after the hell they went through.

  “Good morning, Annabelle. You look lovely this morning.” Peter nods at me.

  “Good morning, sweetheart,” Lauren says.

  “Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Davis. What a beautiful morning. Breakfast smells wonderful. I know everyone must have been pretty exhausted after last night. I don’t know how you guys pulled that off.”