by Nicki Night
Alana was booked on the first flight out, giving her a full day when she arrived in Austin. Drew advised her that he wouldn’t be able to see her until later that day since he was going to be attending meetings with the Delgado team as well as completing the testing and qualifications that were required before each race. She planned to kick back during her free time. She’d downloaded several books on her e-reader and planned to get a massage.
On her way to claim her baggage, she was met by a pudgy gentleman in a black suit holding a sign with her name scribbled across it. He seemed to have known who she was before she confirmed it.
“Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Tate.” The mature man smiled and nodded warmly. “I hope your flight was wonderful. Let’s get your luggage, and we will be on our way.”
She nodded back. “Thank you—”
“Harry, ma’am.”
Alana noticed his heavy Texan accent, which was more obvious in those two words than it had been in the several sentences he’d said previously.
She smiled. “Thank you, Harry.”
Harry stepped aside to let her go first. Several moments later, a light flashed and the belt began to move bags of all shapes and sizes past them. Alana’s bag was one of the last to come out—possibly because it was one of the first to be loaded onto the plane back in New York. She’d arrived at the airport rather early.
Harry grabbed her suitcase and led her to the limousine. Making sure she was comfortable, he offered water before driving off.
“I recognized you right away, Ms. Tate. You’re even prettier in person.”
“Thanks. Did you see a picture of me?”
“Sure,” he sang. “Mr. Barrington told me to take good care of you too. I promised I would.”
Alana closed her eyes and smiled. Their last kiss came to mind, and she could almost feel it. She moaned low in her throat. Her eyes popped open. Alana looked up front to make sure Harry hadn’t been watching. He was busy humming a jovial tune. He drove slowly onto the expressway. It was a good thing she wasn’t in a rush. Drew was slipping inside of her forbidden territory. Alana was supposed to be protecting her heart, using her rules as her security brigade. She needed to get a handle on herself before things went too far.
After this weekend, she was going pull back from Drew. With his racing season in full swing and his father in the hospital, it wouldn’t be hard to avoid him. This weekend would be their grand finale.
Harry broke into her thoughts, offering a history lesson about the city as he exited the expressway. The rest of the ride to the hotel was a guided tour, piquing Alana’s interest about the trendy city. Harry spoke affectionately of Austin, his hometown, as if he was beating his chest with pride. When they arrived at the hotel, Harry delicately handed her over to the accommodating hotel staff, bid her a wonderful trip and told her he looked forward to seeing her later. Alana wasn’t sure why she’d see him later but smiled politely as she thanked him and tried to put a tip in his hand.
“Oh no, Ms. Tate. All of that has been taken care of—quite handsomely, might I add.” He tipped his hat. “Enjoy your stay.”
“Thank you, Harry.” Alana could get used to this special treatment.
Inside, she quickly checked in and headed to her room with a bellhop at her side. She opened the door and gasped. The suite was massive and elegantly decorated with an amazing view of the banks of Lady Bird Lake. In the center of a living room, there was a round, wooden table with an exotic spray of flowers with her name hanging from a bow. Slowly, Alana approached the table, noticing chocolates and chilled wine with an envelope bearing her name.
“Will there be anything else, ma’am?” The bellhop’s voice reminded her that she wasn’t alone.
“Oh. No, thanks. One moment.” Alana reached for her purse.
“That’s okay, ma’am.” He held up his hand, nodded politely and exited.
Alana turned back toward the table and picked up the envelope. Carefully, she slid her finger under the flap and pulled out a card that had a beautiful white lily drawn on the front. It had to be a coincidence. Had Drew paid enough attention to know that lilies were her favorite flower?
Inside the card, Drew had written a note. She couldn’t wait to see him later either. Telling herself otherwise would have been a lie. Alana walked over to the wall of windows and peered at the city. The clear skies were inviting and summoned her to come out. Alana rolled her suitcase toward the bedroom and propped it up on the luggage stand. The bedroom was as elegantly decorated as the living area. The bed made her think of Drew.
Abruptly, she turned and tramped through the suite in search of a second bedroom. There was none.
“Oh, Mr. Barrington! You don’t think you’re staying in this room with me this weekend?” she asked shaking her head. She started back toward the bedroom.
Second-guessing her decision to come to Austin, Alana plopped on the bed and fell back. Would she really be able to resist Drew if he came on strong? She had to. With new resolve, she stood. “I’m not going there with you, Drew.” She shook her finger and spoke as if he were right in the room and then opened her suitcase.
While sifting through her clothes, there was a knock. She had all of her bags and wondered who could be at the door.
“Just a minute.” She peeked around the door before pulling it completely open. Two women stood smiling.
“For your service,” the taller one with the jet-black bun said with a slight bow before she stepped past Alana into the room.
“Service?” Alana instinctively scratched her head and watched the two waltz inside.
“Yes. Is here fine?” The shorter woman directed her question to the taller one. She answered with a nod and the shorter woman set up a massage table right next to the windowed wall where the sunlight poured in the brightest.
“What service is this?”
“You are—” the taller one looked at her clipboard “—Ms. Tate?”
“Yes. I am.”
“We have you scheduled for a massage, spa pedicure and manicure.”
“Oh, you do?” Alana dipped her chin and raised a brow. “Then let’s get this party started. Where do you want me?”
For the next hour and a half, Alana took in the lavish comforts of her treatments and the soothing sounds of water fountains. The masseuse drew the sheer curtains and lit several candles. By far, it was the best massage she’d ever had. By the time they were done, room service had arrived. Alana lifted the cover off the plate, threw her head back and laughed aloud. Of course, she preferred a burger over a salad and, on cue, her stomach growled. Alana sat facing the beautiful view as the ladies cleared the massage area and she ate her delicious burger. The meat was tender and juicy. She had to tap the corners of her mouth after every bite.
Once she’d eaten her burger and drank her sparkling water, she sat back wondering what would come next. The knock on the door was sure to answer her question. Alana lifted herself from the sofa and strolled to the door. An attendant handed her another envelope, nodded politely and walked away.
Alana grinned and shook her head. Closing the door, she slid open the envelope, now enjoying the game. There was another card with Drew’s scratchy handwriting. Alana was lucky to be able to decipher the messages. This time, Drew told her to enjoy the sights and make sure she stopped by a certain shoe store to pick up some flats in case she hadn’t brought any. He ended with noting that he looked forward to their meeting at sunset.
Alana scrunched her brows. “Flats?” She wondered why.
Harry was waiting for her when she reached the hotel lobby. Alana hit the shops on Second Street and East Sixth Street and found the shoe store on Congress Avenue, where she bought not one but four pairs of sandals.
After Alana had spent hours perusing the downtown area and shopping, Harry ushered her back to the car. “We’v
e got to head back now, ma’am.”
“Why, Harry?”
“I can’t tell you that.” His laugh was big and full and shook his shoulders and his belly. Harry’s laugh beckoned Alana to join in.
Back at the hotel, Harry opened the door and told her they would be leaving for her next stop in exactly thirty minutes.
In the room, there was a fresh bottle of wine chilling on the round table. A new note told her to dress comfortably, bring a light sweater and wear the flats. Alana giggled as she put her bags away and changed. She was back downstairs in twenty minutes, filled with a wondrous sense of anticipation. She knew it was time to see Drew and now she couldn’t wait. When Harry took her hand and led her into the car, she felt as if she were going to prom all over again.
During the ride, Alana called Cadence. “You won’t believe this.” She shared her entire day.
“Are you kidding me? This is Drew Barrington we’re talking about, right?”
“I know. I can’t lie, Cay. He’s been so sweet and considerate that he is really starting to look a lot less froggy to me.”
Cadence’s cackled. “You’d think so after all of this. How romantic.”
“Yeah, I guess it is romantic. No one has ever done anything like this for me before.”
“Well, you deserve it.”
Alana became silent.
“What’s wrong, Alana?”
“In the past few weeks, I’ve seen sides of Drew that I’d never seen before. I don’t want to get excited just for him to walk away again. I don’t need another frog notch in my belt. Part of me wants to see where this will go, hoping that it works out, but there’s another part of me that’s a little scared and wants to pull away.”
“Aw, I understand. Just have fun. Don’t think about it.”
“I mean, what can really come of Drew and me? He spends nearly nine months out of the year away. How would I know if I could trust him?” Alana’s fear spoke for her.
“You won’t know unless you try. Blake and I were talking about this the other day. Drew really seems sincere. Even his brothers are surprised.”
“Here we are.” Harry’s announcement cut through Alana’s conversation.
Alana looked around. She didn’t see anything but trees. “Hold on, Cay.” She looked around again. “Where is here?” she asked Harry.
“Your last stop for the evening.”
Harry got out, rounded the car and opened Alana’s door.
“What’s going on?” Cadence asked.
“I have no idea. Harry has driven me to some remote area way behind God’s back. What is Drew up to this time?”
“What do you see?” Cadence asked.
Before Alana could answer, she spotted Drew walking from a structure that resembled a hangar. Heat pooled in center of her core. His ruggedly sexy gait carried him toward her on a smooth cloud. A freshly trimmed goatee framed luscious lips that gave her pause as she instantly remembered how they felt.
“Alana.” She heard Cadence call her name. She sounded as if she were far off in the distance.
Alana had been besieged by the sight of Drew confidently strutting her way, his taut chest strained against his T-shirt. His light leather jacket gave him an edgy appeal.
“Alana!”
“What?” she responded to Cadence’s shout, startled.
“What’s going on?”
“Drew’s here. I’ll call you back.”
“You better.” Cadence ended the call.
Drew walked up and kissed her. “Did you enjoy your day?”
“Yes,” she answered breathlessly as if he’d done more than give her a peck on the lips.
Drew took her by the hand. “Good. Let’s go watch the sun set.”
Drew walked Alana across a large field. She was so caught up that she didn’t notice the hot-air balloon until they got closer. A woman greeted them with flutes of champagne. A gentleman walked up and introduced himself as the pilot and a few others as the crew. He gave Alana and Drew a few instructions and then they signed waivers before climbing into the basket of the air balloon with the woman and pilot.
Alana nervously clung to Drew. He rubbed her hand reassuringly. “You’re okay with this?”
“Yes. Just a little nervous.”
The balloon was fired up. The ground crew held the balloon until the pilot gave them further instructions. As the balloon ascended majestically above the treetops, Alana became less and less nervous until she was shrouded with a serene sense of peace. Drew never let her hand go.
It was quiet up there, allowing Alana to absorb the stillness. She closed her eyes momentarily as they soared higher. She opened them to find Drew smiling at her. He lifted his arm and she stepped into the crook of it, nestling against his side. They drank champagne, but being in Drew’s arms proved more intoxicating.
“Look at that.” Drew pointed to the sun changing colors as it lowered toward the horizon. He held Alana’s hand in his.
“Isn’t it beautiful?” Alana slowly took in the fresh air as she admired the picturesque sky.
“Are you enjoying this?”
“Drew, this is amazing. I’ve always wanted to do this. It’s one of the things on my bucket list.”
“We’ll have to take a look at that list and see what else I can scratch off with you. What else have you dreamed about doing?”
Alana paused for a moment. “Having a relationship like my parents’ and a family of my own.”
“Lots of kids?” he asked.
“A few.”
“Hmm.” Drew nodded.
“What about you?”
“I’ve always wanted a little girl who I could spoil. I imagine being wrapped around her little finger.”
“Really? That’s sweet. I guess I never really thought about you wanting kids with you being a racer and all.”
Drew looked directly into Alana’s eyes. “With the right woman, anything is possible. I don’t plan on racing forever.”
Alana’s cheeks burned. Could she be the right woman?
After a while, the pilot directed their attention to the sunset again. Alana had never seen one so stunning. She wished they could stay there in the balloon, taking in the splendor of God’s evening performance forever.
Once the sun fully set, the pilot landed the balloon. They ended up in a different location, but there was a car waiting, which they called a chaser to take them back to the area where they had boarded the balloon. Their driver Harry was ready for them when they returned.
They drove through the blackness of Texas. By the time they arrived back at the hotel, she’d forgotten to be upset with Drew for assuming that it was okay to set her up in a room with only one bed. She hadn’t even asked where he planned on sleeping. She was still caught up in the magnificence of her day. Instead of going straight to the room, they spent some time at the bar, sipping cocktails, holding hands and talking more about their dreams. Alana found herself giggling. She considered putting distance between her and Drew, but she had to admit that she was smitten. Drew doting on her in this way was new and wonderful.
“You’re probably tired,” Drew said as they headed to the room. “I’ll see you in, and I’ll be back early in the morning.” He kissed her in the open door.
“You’ll be back?” Alana was puzzled.
“Yeah.”
“Where are you going?”
“To my room.”
Alana was disappointed, but she was supposed to be relieved. She cleared her throat. “Where’s your room?”
“Right next to yours.” He pointed to his door.
“Oh, okay.”
“Good night,” Drew said but didn’t move.
“Good night,” Alana said after a moment. Drew’s sultry gaze was like a las
er that set her insides on fire. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
Drew stayed there and licked his lips. They sparkled in the moonlight shining through the window. Alana wanted to feel them again.
“Bye,” she said again before slowly stepping back. She closed the door, cutting through the rising temperature around them.
Behind the door, Alana panted. She dropped her forehead into her hands. Why was she upset that he wasn’t staying in her room? Her heart thumped. She’d only closed the door seconds ago and missed him already.
Alana walked circles around the living area, fighting the desire to run after him. Trying to busy herself, she went to the bedroom and turned on the TV, filling the space with background noise. She brushed her teeth and changed her clothes. It was well past ten, Texan time, which meant it was past eleven, New York time. Alana had been up since four thirty that morning. She was exhausted yet couldn’t sleep. She texted Cadence pictures of the sunset from the balloon ride. Cadence expressed her awe with emoticons.
Why am I fighting this? she thought to herself, but couldn’t answer. Alana stood, grabbed her key and left the room before she could talk herself out of it.
At Drew’s door, she knocked softly. He opened immediately. He had been waiting.
Chapter 16
Drew yanked the door open, cupped her head in his hands and covered her lips with his. The taste of her incited a wild hunger; it was sweet and hot—decadent in the most indulgent way. They moved together, him stepping back, her moving forward. Their lips never parted. They danced that dance all the way to the bed in his room.
Drew pulled back for a moment and searched her eyes. Her kiss-swollen lips parted, begging for more.
“Only if you want this.”
Alana nodded.
“I need to hear you say it.”
“I want this.”
Greedily, Drew devoured her lips, pressing his rising erection against her belly. He scooped her up, carried her to the bed and gently laid her down. Hastily, they tore off each other’s clothes. Drew revered her naked body as if it were a rare piece of fine art. Caressing her skin, he drew a line from her neck, around her breast and down to her navel, and then kissed that blazing hot trail.