by S. L. Siwik
“You’ve also said a million times that Trent is incapable of love. So, if that’s true, and he would never do this for Kendall, then what does that say about Blaze? It doesn’t take a genius to realize this guy is special.” I frown, very uncomfortable with where this conversation has gone. “Get your head out of your ass, Victoria!” she hisses at me.
I glare back at her, but Andrea doesn’t back down. She never does, born with nerves of steel and been through too much in life to be intimidated by me.
“I’d like us to go to one last store if you don’t mind,” Blaze says, walking over to us.
“Sure,” I reply robotically.
I make my way for the door.
***
What I’m doing in Tiffany’s I haven’t a clue, in the jewelry department no less. But, Kendall and Blaze are very busy chatting with each other while looking into the glass cases. Andrea has joined the traitor’s club, too, and is staring intently into a case of diamond and sapphire necklaces after a few whispered words from Blaze. This is where I’m putting my foot down. Kendall will never recover from this if I don’t put an end to it.
I stalk over to the two. Grabbing Blaze’s arm, I hiss from clenched teeth, “I need to speak to you.”
Unfazed by my anger, he replies, “Sure.” He glances at Kendall, “Remember what I told you.”
She nods solemnly. “I’m on it.”
My teeth gnash together.
Yanking him across the room, I say, “You can’t buy Kendall jewelry. I’m appreciative of all the clothes you bought her, and I expect you to take it from the money you owe me. We’ll keep this arrangement up at least until I’ve paid you back all of the money for the outfits and shoes. But, no jewelry.”
In the calmest look I’ve ever seen, he shakes his head. “You owe me nothing for the clothes. It was my pleasure buying them. I told you it would be my treat; I enjoy her company.” Staring into my eyes, he brushes my hair behind my ear. My heart goes into overdrive from his subtle touch. Leaning in, he whispers, “And the jewelry isn’t for Sunshine.”
“I found it!” Kendall exclaims excitedly. Blaze leaves me standing there, confused, as he walks back to her.
What the hell is going on?
“What did you find, Sunshine?” he asks, and she points to something in the case.
“Perfect,” he replies.
Andrea comes over, glancing in the case, and Blaze watches her with eager interest at her reaction. Andrea, my former best friend now turned traitor, nods.
A saleswoman comes over, and Blaze tells her which necklace he would like. The lady, with dollar sign gleaming in her eyes, takes out the piece asked for.
“Victoria, please come over here,” Blaze says, glancing over his shoulder.
Unsure what to do and needing to protect Kendall, I walk over to him. He turns around with the necklace in hand and places it around my neck, clasping it in place.
“What do you ladies think?” he asks, stepping back to admire the piece.
Andrea is beaming as she nods. Kendall looks like she’s about to weep.
“She looks so beautiful,” Kendall whispers.
Oh, hell no.
“What is going on?” I ask him, barely above a whisper.
Asking the sales woman for a mirror, Blaze holds it up for me to see. “What do you think?”
I glance in the mirror and see diamonds and platinum in the shape of an elegant key hanging from my neck. My fingers trail over the pendant. Wow. That’s a lot of diamonds. I glance carefully and the top of the key is in the shape of two intertwined hearts. The end of the key is diamonds in the shape of leaves. It is breathtaking, and the intricacy of the piece mesmerizing.
Without even thinking, I whisper, “I love it,” as my fingers trail over the silver- looking chain.
“Good,” he replies, “Then it’s settled.”
I blink, as he takes the necklace off my neck. Handing it to the saleswoman, he nods.
“What’s going on?” I ask. I’m fairly certain at this point that Blaze took me so hard in the kitchen, he fucked my brains right out of me.
“It’s a gift…for you,” he states.
I open my mouth, unsure what will even come out. But, before I can utter a word, he brushes his fingertips against my cheek, persuasive eyes pleading with me. “Please allow me to buy this for you. It would make me very happy.”
The air whooshes out of my lungs and no words come.
After the span of several heart beats, I ask, “Why a key?”
He is staring at me so intensely, that his eyes are practically radiating with warmth. “I’m hoping you’ll eventually figure that out.”
My forehead scrunches up. Why is he talking in riddles today?
“You can’t buy this for me…” I whisper out.
“Why not?” He asks. “On Monday, you’ll have been working for me five years. Another office perk is that on your fifth anniversary, you are given a large gift. Company rules and such.”
“But, you already gave me the perfume,” I protest weakly.
He shakes his head. “That was a….have a good weekend gift.” He sighs, frowning. “That was a present long overdue.” My eyebrows shoot up to my hairline. “No, this is your real present.”
“How am I supposed to accept this?” I ask.
“Easily. Just take the box I give you. If you don’t like it, you can always sell it.” His eyes pull to the side away from me, and he looks heartbroken.
Instinctively, I place my hand out on his cheek, caressing his shaven skin. “I would never sell it,” I whisper.
His eyes draw back to mine, and I hope he sees my sincerity.
“Will you answer a question for me?” he asks. I nod, incapable of speech at the moment. Taking my hand, he walks me away from Andrea and Kendall. Now alone, he asks, “When you first started working for me, I asked you several times if you would accompany me on my boat. You declined every time. Four times, to be precise. May I ask why?” There’s a strange defensiveness in his eyes. But, for the first time since he’s showed up at my place, I’m not nervous. This answer is easy.
“Because all of the times you asked me were within my first year of working for you. Kendall had been with me for a month before my interview with you. She had serious abandonment issues; both her parents had just died. If I said I’d be home at five, I had to be or she would have a panic attack. I couldn’t stay away from her on the weekends.”
Blaze seems deep in thought. Finally he asks, “Why didn’t you tell me that?” His voice isn’t accusatory, rather wistful.
“Because Kendall’s mom, Evalyn, was in banking. She had been overlooked for a promotion several times. Her boss acted very negatively around any talk or pictures of Kendall. Evalyn said to me that the business world hates families and children. So, when I started working for you, I decided to keep quiet about Kendall, because I didn’t want you to think that I was unreliable or that I wouldn’t get the job done.”
Blaze nods his head slowly, deep in thought. “If what you said is true, then come out on my boat with me this weekend.”
“I can’t leave Kendall,” I reply, still feeling two steps behind.
He brushes my cheek, and my eyes close with the contact as the electricity runs down my skin to my heart. “Andrea and Kendall are welcome to come, of course.”
“Ask them. If they say okay, then it’s a yes.” The words come out shaky as his finger brushes over my bottom lip. I can’t stop myself as I close my lips on his fingertip, my tongue swiping across the pad.
His breath comes out in a rush, his eyes hooded as he stares at my mouth. “Be careful, Victoria. Unless you want me to bend you over that glass counter and take you right here, right now. I will do it. Believe it.” With my eyes wide, I shake my head, although my mind is screaming for him to.
Blaze turns around, pivoting his body away from me. I feel saddened by the loss of his beauty and his attention. “Ladies, would you like to go on my yacht? It’s suppose
d to be beautiful weather all weekend long.”
Both nod, not even a question asked. The two fold like cheap suits. Unbelievable. Where’s my support team when I need them? Too busy melting at Blaze to even throw me a passing glance.
He turns towards me, smiling devilishly. “It seems you’ll be packing up your bathing suit.”
I roll my eyes at him, but fail keeping a smile off my face. I’m panicking inside, yet at the same time I’m screaming in joy. Being with Blaze for the whole weekend? I’ll take that overtime. No, I don’t care about the pay. This is a bad idea.
“Blaze,” I whisper, touching the necklace, “I can’t accept this…”
He places his hand on my lower back, pulling me into his body. I can’t help but be drawn to him, his warmth, his muscles, his breath tickling my neck, the scent of his cologne. The whole package is just too irresistible. “You can accept it. And you will,” he murmurs low in my ear, his voice seductive, enticing.
“Okay,” I reply meekly. Looking into his eyes, at that moment, it doesn’t feel like I have another choice.
Blaze slips his hands around my neck, pulling me into his chest. I can hear my heart beating wildly, feeling my lungs trying to suck in air as my face is pressed against his silk dress shirt, his hard chest.
He holds his hands out, and I realize that he pulled me close to take the necklace off. Stepping away, he hands it to the saleswoman. “This is the one,” he says.
“Excellent choice. This piece is a beautiful one.” The woman takes the necklace from him and begins placing it in a Tiffany’s box.
I stare at Andrea in shock, but she only smiles softly. Eventually she mouths, “About time.”
Kendall is excited again, thinking about the boat trip.
With the small bag finally in hand, Blaze turns to me holding it out. As I extend my hand to take it, he quickly grabs my hand. Turning it over, he kisses the back of my hand as a smile plays on his lips. His lips hold against my skin for a while, longer than they should as his eyes watch me, before slipping the bag onto my fingers.
“For you, Victoria…and all that you’ve done for me. May I have you for another five years, and another five after that,” he says, his voice husky with emotion.
“Put it on me,” I insist.
Blaze takes the necklace out of the blue box. My heart speeds into overdrive as he pulls me close again, clasping the necklace on. I want to stay here, pressed against his chest, hearing his heartbeat through his shirt, his hands around me. I want to stay in this moment forever where Kendall is happy, Blaze doesn’t know about my past and rejects me, and I haven’t caused harm to the people I love and would die for. I want to remain standing at the edge of this cliff where all I feel is excitement and nervousness and the damage hasn’t been done yet. I want to stay in this place where he still thinks I’m worth beautiful diamond necklaces from Tiffany’s. Most people say that treading water is bad, that you should always be swimming, going forward, even if the waves knock you back a few times. I disagree, because right now treading water seems perfect. If I could, I’d tread water forever for just a little more time with him. I glance down, smiling as the diamond key rests between my cleavage. I have no idea why, but I feel better now that the necklace is back on me- complete somehow.
Blaze’s fingers trail down the necklace, caressing my skin. They stop at the apex of my cleavage as he smiles seductively. My fingers trail over his, lacing in his as I squeeze. Our eyes meet and the warmth coming from Blaze is making it hard to think rationally.
“I guess I have some packing to do, huh?”
His return smile steals my breath away. Boy, am I in trouble.
***
After running around the apartment trying to remember everything that we could need, Blaze finally assures me that whatever I’m missing, we could buy in the Hamptons.
As I carry our duffel bag into the living room, I stop, seeing Blaze sitting there quietly, pensively on my couch.
Seeing him sitting there, I am captivated by his beauty. Also, I’m surprised that he doesn’t even look annoyed, even though he’s been sitting there for at least five minutes now. It’s as if he actually wants to be here. I shake my head of that thought; that’s dangerous territory to allow myself to enter.
Blaze glances up, smiling. “Ready?”
I nod and he stands up. My eyes take him in unapologetically, his large shoulders, his muscular chest, his eyes staring intently at me as though he’s already undressing me. The man is a gift from the gods to all womankind who have had the pleasure of gazing upon him. Who needs espresso around him? He has the same effect on my body as a shot of caffeine.
Blaze slips the duffel bag off my shoulder and places it on his own. I try not to swoon. Between yelling at me in anger this morning, being sweet as sugar to Kendall, following her around all day, fucking me until my bones turned to jelly, buying me jewelry, and now being such a gentleman… I’m starting to forget why Blaze is a terrible idea.
Resisting him is getting harder than I thought it would be.
I glance down at the key hanging from my neck. Why a key? What’s the meaning? When I asked him, he said that he was hoping I would figure it out, which means there’s definitely a hidden meaning.
Kendall skips into the room then and pulls me from my train of thought and swooning by asking, “How long are we going to be gone for?”
“As long as you want, Sunshine,” he replies. I don’t even care that he hasn’t asked me how long I want to be gone for, rather leaving the decision completely to Kendall. I’m swooning again. Someone, give me a fan.
She beams up athim, and Blaze’s phone beeps. Sliding it out of his pocket, he says, “Andrea and Daniel are downstairs.”
Blaze, so thoughtfully, had Daniel take Andrea back to her apartment so she could pack.
Holding his hand out, he encourages me to take his arm. Trying not to grin like an idiot, I wrap my arm around his as we make our way down the stairs.
***
“Wow. Just wow,” I sputter out, staring around wide-eyed at Blaze’s Hamptons mansion where his boat is located. It’s about eleven o’clock at this point, and we stopped on the way down to eat dinner at a five star restaurant, which Blaze paid for. I’m feeling a little tipsy from the champagne.
“Do you like it?” Blaze asks, and I can feel his eyes on me intently.
“Blaze, this house is breathtaking,” I reply, finally meeting his gaze.
“Victoria, it’s just a house. You, on the other hand, are breathtaking,” he replies.
My train of thought flies out my ears, and I can’t remember if I am going to say something. I just stare at him.
“Blaze, this is so beautiful. Where can we sleep?” Kendall asks from the living room.
Andrea walks in then from looking around the house. “Now this is living! Absolutely gorgeous.”
He nods in her direction. “I’m glad you approve. Rooms are down the hall, ladies. Take whatever ones you’d like.”
Kendall skips down the hall, while Andrea rolls her four pieces of luggage down behind her. Talk about over packing. I love Andrea to death, but she can be a little high maintenance sometimes.
“Would you like to see the master suite?” he asks, his voice seductively low as he raises an eyebrow at me.
The man is pure sex. Against my better judgment, I nod.
Taking my hand, he leads me down to the last bedroom in the hall, my heels clicking against the cherry oak floors.
Opening the door, he pulls me in quickly.
Gasping in surprise, he pins me against the door. With my weight against it, the French double doors clicks closed. Blaze locks the door. My heart is in my throat. He presses his body against me as his hands slide to the sides of my face.
“It was a long car ride,” he explains.
I nod fractionally. “I know.”
His head tilts sideways. “Do you?” His eyes search mine.
“Yes,” I breathe out, “I always want you.”
With hooded eyes, he leans in and I close my eyes waiting for his lips to meet mine.
“Why don’t you try out the bed?” His breath tickles my lips as his deliciously low voice makes all the blood in my body gravitate to my lower belly.
“Okay.” He doesn’t move his arm, but doesn’t stop me when I slide beneath it. Walking over, my eyes widen at the four poster, canopy bed. The sheer cream fabric is drawn around the bed, like curtains.
“Ever tie someone up in those sheers?” I ask over my shoulder.
He lets out a short, excited burst of air. “I want to tie you up in those sheers. That way I know you’ll still be here in the morning.” My heart clenches painfully at his words, and all of the vulnerability I hear leaking out. I turn around, seeing him flush against the wall where I had just been. “Come lay down with me.”