Enthralled: A Box Set

by Pamela Ann

  He earned it, Anton’s words echoed in my brain, barely registering.

  “I’m not ready.” To lay my heart for him to fuck with. “I can’t let go of the past, Anton. It’s hard to fathom, I get it, but I’m not ready.”

  My best friend appeared disheartened. I knew he had my best interest, but he would never understand where I was coming from. He and Kells adored River—I did, too—but I wasn’t going to give up this newfound freedom because River made my heart beat once again. Besides, Kyle and I were having fun; what was the harm in that?

  “As long as you know what you’re doing, that’s all I’m saying.”

  I believed I did. Why else would I be doing this?

  With that conversation out of the way, Anton and I concentrated with our mission at hand—sparring each other. I wasn’t sure why our instructor mandated such a task since Anton and I were both horrible; throwing odd punches that lacked strength indicated that we were such novices. I’m sure it was an entertainment for the others.

  Even if my entire body ached, I still managed to get ready for lunch with Kyle. I had to compromise by wearing flats because wearing high heels would be overkill for my throbbing stems.

  Just like before, I drove to our meeting spot, which was two blocks away from my place. Kyle was already waiting for me when I got there, dressed in his usual ensemble of cutout jeans, white shirt, and leather jacket. He had the sexy bad boy written all over him, and he never looked better. It was just a great coincidence that it was one my favorite seafood restaurants.

  We lunched on superb crab cakes and succulent lobsters while sipping marvelous white wine. And like always, Kyle charmed me with his animated storytelling. It enabled me to enjoy the moment. He didn’t inquire about my past, nor did I mention that I was orphaned at a young age. Divulging my past was a painful ordeal I would rather not venture.

  We then carried on by walking toward the pier and had ice cream for dessert before we strolled the beach. The seagulls were flying over us as I listened to the calm waves hit the sandy shores.

  When was the last time I took a moment to appreciate my surroundings? I couldn’t recall the last time I stopped and glanced about.

  “This is nice,” I murmured, looking up the bright sky before taking a lengthy lick of my coned treat.

  Kyle nodded before murmuring his agreement. “I haven’t done this in forever.”

  The hint of melancholy was unmistakable. It was that woman in England who broke his heart, the one he grew up with.

  “Let me see, the last time was with Sienna?”

  Lost in thought, he seemed a thousand miles away. “Yeah. It seems ages now, but I can still remember that day. It was right after she turned down after being proposed to by her husband now,” he stated, as though it was another man’s story, not his.

  That sounded beyond complicated, but I wasn’t going to pry further. I knew the subject was still raw.

  “Memories have a way with a broken heart.” I hoped he would find peace someday.

  “I try. I guess that counts for something.”

  “So do I.” We were on the same journey. We were brought together with some hope that he and I could mend each other.

  “I like talking to you, Cara. I can be myself. I tell you things because I know you won’t judge me.” He smiled, a soft crinkle in his eye when he did so.

  “The feeling’s mutual.” He was a gentleman, a genuine kind. Not like Parker, who had fed me empty words and had masked his true self until I began exclusively dating him.

  He looked pleased, smiling before glancing toward the beach. “I have this thing on Saturday, a fundraiser in Palm Springs that I already made a commitment to. Was wondering if you wanna be my plus one.”

  “It’s not an overnight thing, is it?” I heard myself say, still unsure about what to say next.

  Kyle gave me a considering look. “Unless you don’t want to. I meant to drive back after dinner, anyway, but if you find that taxing, then we can stay the night.”

  What harm would it be to go out and have fun at the same time?

  “I’ll go as long as we drive back. I have a lot of things to do before going to Vegas with my friends for a few days.”

  He bestowed that dashing smile of his. “Deal.”

  Palm Springs definitely was happening, then. Surprisingly, I found myself eager to go with him. Maybe it would show me a different aspect of the man. He sure had a lot of depths, and I didn’t mind wanting to know each and every one of them. I wasn’t sure where this was going, but what I was sure of was that our friendship was building, and I was grateful for it.

  Saturday was a few days away, so I had time to figure out what I would wear for the event. For the time being, I had to get my butt in gear for tomorrow’s class with Anton.

  When River called that night, I weighed in if I should disclose what transpired today. It was right after he invited me to visit him for a short trip that I decided telling him would be for the best.

  “I went out with Kyle again today.”

  There was silence on the other end before I heard him say, “I see.”

  “I’ve been upfront with you since the beginning.” I had never failed on that. I made sure to drill it into his skull so I wouldn’t have to deal with this outcome. “Just thought I should let you know, River.”

  “You keep saying that nothing’s going to change no matter what. I believe you, Cara. I just hope you’re not doing this to hurt me. Because, if you are, you’re only fooling yourself.”

  Aghast from his retort, I was ready to dish it out to him.

  “What the hell—”

  “Listen, I gotta go. I’ll call you soon.” He sounded crushed, but it didn’t seem to quell the fire within me.

  “Sounds good!” I bitingly retorted back, still raging.

  “And Cara?”

  “What?”

  “I love you.”

  Groaning out loud, I ended the call before I said something I would regret. River had a way of releasing this well-kept temper that wanted to come out and play when provoked. Even in the height of my discord with Parker, he could never rouse this much response from me.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Kyle’s swanky sex machine of a car sped through the vast aridness of the desert as we headed toward Palm Springs. It was barely past ten in the morning and the heat permeated through the glass even though the air conditioning was on full blast. Though barren it appeared, sparse cactuses sprouted sporadically, evidence that one could survive in harsh conditions. That was there’s beauty to be found in places that one never thought of. One had to find the beauty in the ugly things in life, only then one could appreciate and reflect on the meaning it presented. Happiness was a state of mind, a practice that I had yet to perfect.

  My eyes roved toward the long lined of colossal windmills fueling the city we were heading to. Kyle had been accommodating in making sure I had my coffee and other refreshments before our drive. He kept his phone on silent while he drove. We didn’t suffer the awkwardness of small talk. Being with him felt great, so much so that I felt utterly comfortable in his presence. There were no frivolities between us and I found that mildly refreshing. Stylishly dressed in his Dolce suit and aviator shades, he was too hot to resist, and normally, I would be a neurotic blabbering mess, but I was calm.

  The fundraiser was held in one of Palm Springs’ elite golf resorts. Donning a low-back olive silk dress and minimal gold jewelry and makeup, I was glad that party was indoors instead of being held out on the open. Given the blazing heat, a heat stroke would go hand in hand with a cocktail.

  “Did anyone ever notice that you have a very sexy back?” Kyle murmured into my ear while trying to suppress a laugh. “It sounds stupid, I know, but it fucking is. The arch, the silkiness—it’s perfection.” His hand gently brushed through the exposed expanse of my spine.

  We were in the midst of a meal with other guests at our table, but he didn’t seem to care if anyone minded his appropriatene
ss.

  “Really? Do your dates buy that second-rate line?” Where was he getting his lines? From Justin Timberlake?

  His eyes crinkled as he gazed at me with profound amusement. He then closed the gap and whispered into my ear. “In all seriousness, though, it makes me wonder how your skin would taste on my tongue.”

  My cheeks flamed as I diverted my eyes downward at my lap. “Behave you little pervert,” I murmured back in the same tenor and fervor.

  Earlier on he had been the epitome of a gentleman, but after two drinks, his inner slut was ready to come and play. Kyle was a tease, but goodness, when he channeled all of his sexiness into that smoldering hazel eyes of his, that shit melted my underwear.

  I held River in such high regard, but Kyle came a close second. But with Kyle, things were fun, new, and there was no high price to pay. That appealed more to me more than I cared to admit. He was a sexy diversion I welcomed with great enthusiasm.

  I didn’t have the affinity for rubbing shoulders with socialites, the wealthy, and the like, yet I tried to stay afloat with the conversations. It was a trick that always came in handy when I had to attend these stuffy events, pretending this was a set and I had to figure out lines. A role-play.

  I looked around me and wondered if any of these souls had the same childhood I did. Doubted it. My unfortunate background was something I tried not to dwell on. It wasn’t shame, but it put me in prickly position when people pried and began questioning.

  My past couldn’t be undone, and it didn’t define me. The pain I had endured gave me depth, some credibility that my past didn’t cripple me like some of the children who went through the same ordeal. It gave me shades of gray in a black and white world. Though I was still figuring out myself, my life in general, I was proud to say that I had a moral compass to guide me, thanks to lovingly sweet Mattie. Without her guidance and encouragement, steering me to better pastures, who knows where I would have ended up.

  After our meal, Kyle became deeply imbedded in conversation with a few male guests whom he introduced as some of the executives in the movie industry. They were trying to broker a deal for a TCC documentary. And since I was an outstanding date, I didn’t want to be a nuisance, so I tried to brave it out and mingled on my own, venturing socially to people who seemed to give me the silent disdain through their eyes.

  After a failed attempt of trying to hold a conversation for the umpteenth time, I began to wander toward the bar and befriended the vivacious bartender named Fergus.

  “I’m so sorry. I hope you don’t feel like I’ve abandoned you. I didn’t expect to be going through the details today.” Kyle approached me from the back with his hand securely on my lower back.

  I shrugged, not minding much that he had to work. “Don’t worry; I know how these things work.”

  “Well, I hope you won’t mind for another couple more hours? We’re invited guests to Mr. Woodhull’s private home. There’s a pool, a spa, and a tennis court if you feel like breaking a sweat.”

  I could tell that he was ashamed to ask, which was cute, but he needed not fret. I wasn’t one of those high maintenance women who needed around the clock attention.

  “Stop worrying. I’m sure I’ll figure something out. A swim would be nice.”

  “Thanks for being understanding.” He kissed my cheek, his way of showing gratitude. “I’ll make it up to you.”

  I was sure he would.

  “Thanks for the fun convos, Fergus.” I saluted the man before locking my arm around Kyle’s before we headed toward the exit.

  After giving our ticket to the valet, we drove toward Mr. Woodhull’s palatial estate. The sprawling Italian villa had private bungalows specifically for his guests. It reeked big money and, given Kyle’s status in the music business, I was sure he and his father were amongst these kinds of folks. River was rich, but the person who cut his checks were the wealthy ones.

  For the first time, I became agitated as I thought of being such a disadvantage for Kyle. Hopefully he wasn’t embarrassed having me as his date. Whoever this Sienna woman was, I was sure she was part of this lifestyle. It intimidated me to wonder if these people knew her, and if so, were they comparing me to her? Instead of wallowing for how I came up short, I focused on the butler who ushered me toward the sprawling gardens that led toward the bungalow, which apparently had its own private pools as well. Kyle, on the other hand, was possibly sharing a cigar amongst those stiff elderly folks.

  “Everything you need is here. If you need anything—anything at all—just give us a ring. If you also fancy something to eat, the chef will whip up whatever you so wish, Miss Quinn,” the butler aptly named Martin graciously stated as he showed me into my temporary home of solitude.

  Once he left, my eyes took in my surroundings. This setting had romance in mind. It transported me back to old world Mediterranean—the earthy décor, archways with thick cream curtains slung on each end, the pink flowers in every flat surface, the blissful scent of candles burning in the air and the azure swimming pool with a beautiful waterfall cascading at the end of it. It was a place to lure the senses. And goodness, I was beguiled since I had never really been in places such as this.

  With a buzz of anticipation, I slipped out of my heels and set my feet free to feel the heat on the Marazzi limestone tiles that were bordered with trimmed grass.

  “If only Anton could see me now,” I murmured, grinning as I softly strolled toward the chilled champagne was stationed in a silver bucket. After pouring myself a glass, I closed my lids and directed my face toward the sun, loving the heated rays kiss my skin, greeting it.

  When was the last time I had enjoyed a decent swim? That had never happened since I didn’t have a pool nor did I have the habit of barging into other people’s homes to do just that. Growing up poor didn’t give a lot of opportunities to enjoy such delightful past times.

  “Kyle will take forever anyway, so why not?” I shrugged as I giddily took off my dress, blushing as I did so, even though no one was watching me. I felt naughty. I had been a good girl for so long.

  I swam to my heart’s desire, naked and free. It felt fantastic to feel the water glide over my skin as I powered through, swimming to the other end of the pool. It took me another half an hour or so before I decided to pluck the champagne from its icy cocoon and drink its contents straight from the bottle. Once that fizzle deliciousness was finished, I peddled on to the next and opened a vintage red wine. There were an array of cheese selections and fruits, so I lightly nibbled on those before resuming back to the pool.

  Flipping to float on my back with a content smile splaying on my face, I shut my eyes and thought of nothing. Then I heard someone clear their throat.

  Fack!

  My eyes immediately sprung open, and I spotted Kyle standing against one of the archways, eyes openly feasting on my breasts with unmistakable expression written on his face. He was seeing my naked body, so acting modest and covering my breasts and nether regions would be pointless. Yes, I was palpably nervous, but I was also in the same measure emboldened somehow.

  As graciously as possible, I unhurriedly treaded toward the stairs of the pool and began to ascend from the water before facing him with unperturbed expression. “Would you be a gentleman and get me a robe please?”

  His hazel eyes flickered, burning as they roamed over my body, praising with adoration and burning desire. “Who said I was a gentleman?”

  “What do you intend to do, then? Stare at me all afternoon?” I was a quivering mess as I tried to meet his intense gaze.

  His eyes spoke for him. They were like liquid gold, fiery and indubitably mesmerizing. They drew me in with the power to make my body pulsate and throb for him. My body reacted like it did when River would cast a spell on it—a feat that exhilarated me to no end.

  River, the very thought of him, killed me a little. He would hate me if he knew what I was up to.

  “That’s a good question, Cara,” he said as he gradually closed the gap between
us. “You have one of the most beautiful body I have ever set my eyes on. And the best thing about it is … it’s all real.” He gently massaged my breast, molding it against his palm before tugging on my nipple. I bit into my lip and moaned out loud. “May I taste you, Cara?”

  “Just … kiss me,” I begged, cementing my fate with the consequences that was about to happen next.

  His lips came upon my own with such ferocity it made my head spin. Kyle, like his bad boy persona, didn’t do gentle. His fervor was consistently felt through his kiss, his hands, and his cock that was about to combust in his jeans. He didn’t dare take me to bed. Instead, he hastily took his clothes off as he deepened our kiss. Once he freed himself, I heard the sound of a foil opening before I felt him apply it on his rigid phallus. Then I felt his fingers probe and violate my opening, slightly sliding into my wet channel, testing if I was ready for his throbbing onslaught.

  “You take my breath away, Cara,” he groaned before plunging into my depths. He did it in such an acute manner that I almost bit his lip in the process. He wasn’t as big as River, but Kyle was way beyond normal, so it took a few strokes to finally get my body in sync with his. And once it did, I became the lustful unbidden woman I was.

  He unapologetically took me right there on the spot, against the heated limestone searing against my back as he pounded into my pussy without restraint or inhibitions. I welcomed it all, each stroke, each kiss, washing my sins away, hoping to erase what my heart tried to quietly tell me.

  Kyle had a way to silence the riotous madness in my mind. Being with him here was a reprieve from my chaotic life. Isolated in this sweet paradise, the outside world barely existed.

  Much to our luck, Mr. Woodhull and his wife had to head back to Los Angeles that very same night, but extended their offer in letting us stay in their mansion that had round the clock staff and chef to cater to their guests. Who in their right mind would resist such a tempting offer?

  I knew that I was beyond saving, and no matter. Kyle was unbelievable as a lover and even an amazing person to converse with. If we weren’t busy dirtying the sheets, we would eat and swim, enjoying the time together. We didn’t visit our past or present—we simply existed.