I step into the domed room, and I’m surrounded by stars. I stare up at the sky as Gavin leads me to a blanket with a picnic basket. He sits, pours two glasses of champagne, and pulls out a platter of strawberries.
He sits me down in front of him and rubs my back. “Now tell me what happened that had you so stressed earlier.”
I moan. His hands are so amazing. “I don’t want to ruin this perfect moment with stressful talk.”
He kisses my neck, and I get lost in the moment. He massages my lower back, and his hands creep farther down. Every muscle in my back and neck relaxes as his kisses become more passionate. He caresses my hips and runs his hands over my hip bones toward my center. I crave his touch. Each time he runs his strong hands over my pelvis, I quiver. He grazes me, and I whimper. I push into his hand, encouraging more.
He whispers, “I think we should stop,” in the most seductive voice.
“Fuck stopping,” I whisper back. “If I have a heart attack, call 911. It would totally be worth it.”
He doesn’t stop kissing my neck, but his hands move from my hips up my stomach. His fingers run along the underwire of my bra. He traces the deep V of my sweater, brushing the swell of my breasts.
“Seriously, Gavin,” I say breathlessly. “Touching me everywhere but where I so desperately need it is so much worse than just going for it. All this torment is killing me. Please! I promise it’ll be okay. Don’t stop.”
He plants a chaste kiss on my lips, then moves to the other side of the blanket to fill our glasses. He drops a strawberry in my glass and hands it to me. “We need to stop.”
I know he isn’t messing around now. Playtime’s over. Always the fucking Boy Scout.
He hands me a glass of champagne. “Don’t pout. Let’s enjoy the rest of the evening,” he says.
This is probably the most romantic date I’ve ever been on, so I won’t ruin it by sulking. My girly parts will have to remain neglected for a bit longer. Curse you, McDreamy, and your Sex Embargo. “Fine. But you’d better bring me back here after… you know.”
“I promise,” he says. He kisses my hand then pulls me close so I can lean into him. “Now tell me about your day.”
I take a quick sip from my glass. “Well since I’m tense now, I might as well tell you all the stressful stuff.” I sigh. “Greene called. Max has gone MIA. His handler hasn’t heard from him. Max hasn’t been under for very long, but Greene’s spooked. He said Max was convinced the cartel was behind my kidnapping and he’s out for blood. Obviously this is bad news because Max is in great danger and my deal with the cartel hinged on me making the FBI lose interest. If Max is going after them, my deal is void and I’m back in the crosshairs.”
Gavin slams his fist into the ground. “Bloody hell! This is why you should have told them! Keeping secrets gets people killed.”
“Don’t you think I know that?” I snap. “I feel awful. You yelling at me doesn’t help matters.” No sex and a lecture? I don’t think so!
He releases a deep sigh, and rubs my arm. “Sorry, luv. You’re right. I’m just worried.”
I run my cross back and forth across the chain. “I have no idea what to do. I wish I could talk to Lorenzo.”
Gavin scoots me around so that I’m facing him. “Lily, you should tell someone at the FBI. Or, I have contacts at Interpol and MI-5. This is getting serious and we need professional advice. It’s your life we’re talking about, we have to be smart about it.”
“How can I do that without bringing Lorenzo into it?” I ask. “I can’t sell him out after all he has done to protect me.”
Gavin feeds me a chocolate covered strawberry. “I think you should talk to Greene or Sully. They care about you, and they’ll be able to keep a few details to themselves. Especially if it means protecting Max.”
I savor the strawberry in my mouth as I consider his point. “You’re probably right. The question is which one?” I ask. “Greene’s softer but more by the book. Sully’s hard core but not afraid to bend the rules.”
“I think Greene. He’ll put you first,” Gavin responds.
I think for a minute and nod. “All right, I’ll call him tomorrow.”
He refills both our glasses. “Is that all the stressful news?” he asks.
I crinkle my nose. “Urg. No.”
He turns me around again and resumes rubbing my shoulders. “Okay, tell me the rest.”
I take a long sip of champagne. “Olivia stopped by your building today to inform me, again, that I’m just a temporary resting place for your penis and I shouldn’t get too comfortable as you’ll surely kick me to the curb any moment now. I told her to take it up with you.”
“For the life of me, I cannot figure out where this is coming from.” Gavin groans and drops his head onto my shoulder.
I set my glass down. “She wants to be your new penis warmer. That’s where it’s coming from,” I say, highly annoyed. “I’m not sure how you don’t see it.”
He brushes my hair off of my shoulder, exposing my neck. “I’m not doubting you. It’s just catching me so off guard. I’ve known her forever, and she has never shown any interest in me. She’s never even looked at me like that. Plus, she’s a bit of a slapper.”
“A what?”
“A slapper. A slut,” he answers.
I dip a strawberry into my champagne and nibble on it. “That’s a real charming term,” I reply.
Gavin rolls his eyes. “O’s never been one to sleep alone. On our bloody business trip, men were constantly doing the walk of shame out of her hotel room. If she really wanted me, wouldn’t she have made a move then?”
I turn toward him. “She hacked into my email and sent you an email saying I never wanted to talk to you again. People don’t do that for ‘brothers.’ I may not know her, but I know women. She wants you. She probably put all those boys on parade to try to make you jealous. Whichever way to slice it, this is going to get messy.”
“What would you like me to do?” he asks.
“My advice is to ignore her. She wants attention and anything you do will just provoke her. If you ignore her, more likely than not, she’ll move on to some other poor schmuck.”
“You’re fine if I do nothing?” He looks at me as though he doesn’t believe me.
I shrug. “I don’t think there’s another option. I’m not threatened by her. If you leave me for crazy cakes, well, you’ve got bigger issues to deal with than me and I’ll have dodged a bullet.”
“I’m not leaving you. But I’m uncomfortable being passive. I fear if I do nothing at all, she’ll become combative.”
I take a sip of my champagne. “The train’s already left the station on that one. Just from my one encounter with her, I can tell she’s come to play. You can react and play right into her hand or do nothing and watch her self-destruct.”
He kisses me. “I’ve had enough talk of stressful things.”
He pulls me down so my head is resting on his chest. We can look at the starry ceiling.
I loved looking at constellations as a kid but Gavin never did. I point out where they all are and tell him the stories behind them. He corrects me when I identify the Big Dipper. Apparently it is The Plough over here. Of course Gavin knows nothing but still knows enough to correct me! Smartass. After a while, I get sleepy and we pack up to head home. It was the perfect date.
Chapter Nine
I dread calling Greene. I wish I could break the news in person but I don’t have any choice at the moment.
“Lily! How’s it going, sweetheart?” Greene says.
“Greene, we need to talk and you’re not going to like what I have to say. But I have to tell you. I need to know that we’re on a secure line.” I’m not exactly sure what a secure line gets me. He’s in a government building. If Big Brother wants to listen, he’s going to listen. People always say it in spy shows, so it seems appropriate.
“I’ll call you back,” he says flatly.
Ten minutes later, the phone rings, and the caller ID is un
available.
“You know it’s never good to start a conversation by telling someone they aren’t going to like what they hear,” he starts.
“I just wanted to prepare you,” I reply. I take a deep breath and pray he takes this well. “The situation's complicated. I can’t tell you everything, so you just have to trust me.”
“Out with it, Lily,” he orders
“Max needs to get out of … wherever he is. He has to stop investigating the Morelia cartel. He’s putting himself and me in grave danger.”
“I’m going to need more than that.”
Nervous, I twirl a lock of hair as I pace the room. “I found Ash’s money and gave it back to the cartel. They weren’t behind my kidnapping but they were pissed off that everyone thought it was them. They didn’t kill me because I promised I would convince the FBI they had nothing to do with it. Max being in there breaks that promise. He’s going to get me killed.”
“God damn, Lily,” he shouts so loud I have to pull the phone away from my ear. “I don’t even know where to start with you.”
“Start by getting Max out. Now.”
“I’ll do my best. I have to say, I’m hurt that you’ve been keeping secrets after everything we’ve been through.”
It kills me that he feels betrayed. I never wanted anyone to get hurt but I also didn’t know what else to do. I was stuck between a rock and a hard place and I made the best of it. “Greene, I’m grateful for everything you’ve done for me. I adore you. But as you know, there’s a pretty ugly cast of characters in this drama I’ve been thrown into. Being buddies with the FBI has protected me at times and almost sealed my fate at others. I’ve never kept anything from you unless it would put me, you, or someone else in danger.”
I hold my breath while he quietly takes in what I’ve told him.. “I expect when I retire, you’ll tell me the full story.”
Hearing his voice soften has me breathing again. “Yes, I will tell you everything once it’s safe and you no longer carry a badge,” I promise.
“Fine. I’ll push harder to get Max out. On a different note, a nurse from the hospital leaked your story. It’ll be all over the news tomorrow. Based on what you just told me, this could really put you in the hot seat.”
Son of a bitch. “Thanks for the heads up. I appreciate it.”
“Anytime, kid.”
I sit down on the sofa. “Greene, we okay?” I ask. I need for this not to come between us. Not only because I know we’ll need to work together but because I love him. He, Sully and Max, they’ve become part of my family and I’ve lost enough family already. I can’t lose anyone else.
“Yeah, kid. We’re okay. I’ve got to go and pull your roommate out of the fire, though. I’ll talk to you soon. Try not to get in any trouble.” He hangs up.
Well, that could’ve gone far worse. I didn’t reveal too many secrets and I think Greene understands the urgency. Now we just need to get Max out before I have another bounty on my head.
********
The next day, my story hits the news. The nurse knew everything and revealed every detail. All the way down to the group of photos they found in Not-Charlie’s apartment or how Max refers to it, the “cum collection.” I still get nauseated thinking about Not-Charlie getting off on pictures of me. And saving them after! So wrong!
But the news story stays true to the version I told the FBI. Not-Charlie was obsessed and took me on his own volition. Nothing about drugs or cartels or ex-husband’s debts. If they’re getting wind that the FBI is still looking into them, all of this press may help soften that blow.
So far, the coverage is complimentary. They don’t make me seem weak at all. The Today Show, which only a few months ago vilified me as a home-wrecking slut, is saying I’m a role model for women. I refused to be the victim and I was my own super hero. That’s quite the turnaround. Not that I’m complaining but it boggles my mind that journalists can flip their position so easily without the least bit of remorse.
My phone rings nonstop. Reporters, publishers, bloggers. How the hell they got my number is beyond me. For three days straight, the calls, emails and texts come constantly. I was about to throw my phone out the window when Gavin got me another new phone. It’s a pain in the ass getting people my new number but worth it. I send out an email with my new contact information to all my work contacts and the few friends I’m confident won’t sell my number to the press.
Thankfully, the media hasn’t realized I’m in London yet. I’ve been seen with Gavin but no one knows who I am. The story hasn’t gotten international attention but as soon as it catches over here, I have a feeling my life will be pandemonium.
So Gavin and I do our best to stay inside. We’re still under the radar but there’s no reason to tempt fate. We eat carry-out, specifically a lot of curry. I’m obsessed! He gives me an amazing massage and goes for a twenty-mile run. With the exception of the kibosh on sex, it’s domestic bliss.
Hopefully, all that will change today. I see Dr. Baker at twelve thirty and the appointment can’t come soon enough.
Gavin’s up and off to work before I stir, as usual. He says he’s swamped with work but I’m fairly certain he’s just avoiding temptation. I wake up from a sexy Gavin dream frustrated and wound so tightly I might explode. In just a few short hours, this will hopefully all be over.
Gavin said he would pick me up at eleven thirty, which gives me a few hours to get ready. I head back to the Four Seasons Spa for a waxing and exfoliation scrub. If all goes well today at the doctor, I want to be smooth, soft, and addictively touchable.
By eleven, my mission is accomplished. I walk by a news stand and see myself on the cover of half the tabloids. The picture is of me the night we went to the Philharmonic. Typically I hate pictures of myself but I actually look decent. American Heroine Living it up in London! My favorite is a picture of me and Gavin laughing. It says Finding Love in London!
I buy a few of them and look through them when I get back to Gavin’s flat. I’m pleasantly surprised to find I’m not called a whore once! They paint me as a strong woman who won’t be held down by the evil in the world. I fought for my freedom and am now taking some time for me in jolly old England. According to the rags, England’s happy to have me. It must be true, right? Tabloids don’t lie or anything! The whole situation makes me laugh. I’ve been a whore and a hero. I wonder what they’ll come up with tomorrow.
While I’m getting dressed, Gavin calls to tell me he can’t make it to the appointment. He has some work crisis. The price you pay for having your name on the building, I suppose. I’m disappointed I have to go alone. I’m not entirely sure what will happen today. I’m hoping the doctor will give a listen and tell me I’m good to go. He may require tests, which could take weeks! From my understanding, the health care system here moves slowly. If that is the case, it won’t be a problem if Gavin isn’t there. In fact, it would be a gigantic waste of his time. However, if the doctor is able to do an exam and does find something wrong, I’ll be a wreck without Gavin. But I don’t see that in the cards today.
I hail a cab to Dr. Baker’s, and despite getting to the building with plenty of time to spare, I’m almost late to the appointment. I wrote the suite number down wrong and end up at the wrong doctor. I get as far as filling out the forms before I figure it out. So embarrassing! Once I realize my mistake, I sprint up three flights of stairs and rush into the office, sweaty and flustered. The secretary hands me a stack of paperwork to fill out while I wait in the exam room.
“Lily, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Mr. Baker,” he says holding out his hand. It's so funny how they don’t refer to themselves as doctors here. Dr. Baker is gorgeous, like all of Gavin’s friends. I don’t know what they put in the water here, but damn!
“Thanks for squeezing me in. I know you have a packed schedule.”
He closes the door, and drops the file on the counter. “Well, Gavin and I go way back. I owe him a few favors, so this is the least I can do.”
&
nbsp; “You were in med school together, right?” I ask.
Dr. Baker leans against the counter in the exam room. “Yes, and I served with him for a bit. We went through a lot together, both in and out of uniform. It’s too bad he didn’t finish school. When we were out there, he was always the better doctor. Never met a smarter bastard.”
“Annoying, isn’t it?” I joke.
“Except when you need him.” Dr. Baker smiles. “There’s no one else I would want by my side in a crisis, I can tell you that.”
He turns around and grabs a frame off of his shelf and hands it to me. The picture is of him and Gavin in uniform. From the background, it looks as though they were at a field hospital in the desert.
I’m overcome with pride but I’m also shocked. Military Gavin is even hotter than Tux Gavin. I shift in my seat and cross my legs. A throbbing between my thighs reminds me it’s time to get this show on the road.
“Speaking of Gavin, he stormed in here not too long ago,” Dr. Baker says when I hand back the frame.
I sit up ramrod straight. “What do you mean ‘he stormed in’?” Dear God, what did he do?
He waves me off. “Nothing really. He just threatened my life and the lives of my future children if I didn’t take topnotch care of you. As if I wouldn’t!”
I feel my cheeks getting hot with my embarrassment. “He does like to make a scene, doesn’t he?”
“He clearly cares for you. So my dear, in the best interest of my future children, let’s get started. I need to do an echocardiogram and a stress test. When you’re done, we’ll meet back up in a few hours to take a look at the results.”
“All today? That’s fabulous!” I’m even more grateful I decided to visit the spa before my visit. I don’t want to waste any time after he gives me my good news!
“Let’s just say you’re on the fast track.” He smirks.
I’m ushered from test to test. For the stress test, I’m put on a treadmill. Even when they crank up the speed, I feel fine. A bit out of shape, but fine.
After I’ve completed everything, the nurse calls me back into Dr. Baker’s office. I watch him at his desk. He taps his thumbs on the desk, and I see his knee bouncing. He looks stressed.
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