“What are you doing here?” she asked when he was standing so close, she could reach out and touch him.
“You left me this morning, Becca.”
Yes, she’d left him, but only because…
“I left you a note.”
He shook his head and moved closer. Barely an inch separated them now. An inch and layers of warmer clothing. “After the past week, I deserve more than a note.”
She looked down, ashamed. “I know.”
“Why did you leave me?” he demanded softly.
With her head bowed, she rapidly blinked back the tears that were once again threatening. “I just…”
“It’s no use trying to hide the fact that you’re crying, Becca,” he murmured gently. Then his large hand came up, cupping her cheek, and she lifted her eyes up to him. “Why are you crying, love?” he asked so gently that she knew she was going to burst into tears again.
“Alex,” she whispered, unable to say anything more since emotion was choking her. The tears rolled unbidden down her cheeks and she leaned her head into the warmth of his hand.
He moved closer and lowered his head, kissing her ever so softly. Before the kiss could get out of control, he lifted his head. One more brush of his thumb against her cheek and his warmth was gone. “Come with me,” he commanded, stepping back and taking her hand. With his other, he lifted her suitcase, carrying it over to a black town car and stuffing it into the trunk when the driver opened it up.
“Where are we going?” she asked, following him because she couldn’t do anything else. This was Alex. If he wanted her to walk into fire with him, she’d probably do it.
“Some place quiet where we can talk and you can explain why you left me this morning.” He waited until she was inside the vehicle before he followed her, nodding to the driver to go ahead.
The driver slipped into the front seat and pulled away from the curb. Becca didn’t feel comfortable talking in front of a stranger, so she simply leaned her head against Alex’s shoulder, enjoying the scent and feel of him for a little bit longer.
When they pulled up outside of a beautiful hotel, she wasn’t sure what was going on. But he held his hand out to assist her from the vehicle and she took it, staring up at him with obvious questions in her eyes.
“Come with me,” he ordered and led her through the lobby. She glanced behind her, seeing that the driver was lifting her suitcase out of the trunk of the black town car and handing it over to the hotel’s doorman, who turned and handed it over to a bell hop.
“What’s going on, Alex?” she asked when he pressed a button on the elevator. The button for the penthouse, no less.
“We’re going to talk.”
He stared up at the numbers indicating floors, but didn’t say anything else, so Becca remained quiet as well. She was confused and exhausted, but she was with Alex for a while longer. If he was going to be here for the rest of the weekend, she’d take whatever time she had with him. She never should have left New Orleans this morning. Becca knew now that she should have braved it out and stayed with him, enjoyed his company until their time was officially over.
This penthouse was completely different from his place in New Orleans. His apartment or suite or whatever one called a place where someone like Alex lived, was done in heavy, masculine colors. This penthouse was ultra-modern with a lot of white. Almost blinding white! It was so typically New York that she hated it on sight. She wanted to go back to the milder temperatures in New Orleans, where the humidity soothed one’s soul as the jazz played in the background.
“Okay, explain.”
She turned to face Alex and smiled, loving the stern expression on his handsome features. Good grief, she loved this man.
Walking towards him, she tossed her coat onto one of the white leather chairs. “I missed you.”
He shook his head, watching her with a stern expression on his handsome features. “No, Becca. That’s not going to work this time. We’re going to talk. We’re going to clear the air and get some things straight between us.”
“We are?” she asked, her fingers touching the buttons on her blouse. She watched as his eyes darted to her fingers and she saw the immediate hunger there. He wanted her. And yes, she was going to use his distraction to make love with him.
But then he looked away, shaking his head. “No, Becca.” Grabbing her wrists, he pulled her hands away from the buttons. But she’d already gotten one of them undone and he looked at the gaping material.
Inhaling sharply, he looked directly at her. “Becca, this is important. Why did you leave me this morning?”
She pulled her arms free and walked away, feeling raw and needing his arms around her. But he was right. If he touched her, they wouldn’t talk. Maybe it was best if they just got it all out in the open.
“I needed to leave without saying goodbye.”
“No, you didn’t,” he argued. “But tell me why you felt that you needed to do that. Why the sudden departure when you weren’t supposed to fly out today?”
“Because…” she swallowed past the lump in her throat and tried hard not to cry again. But the tears flowed anyway. Angrily, she wiped the tears away, looking out the window. “Alex, you live in New Orleans. I live in New York City.”
“That’s not a reason, Becca. That’s just geography that can easily be fixed.”
She swung around, looking at him with a stunned expression. “And…” she hesitated to ask the next question. “Well, would you want to fix that problem?”
He stared back at her, his eyes looking stunned. “Are you kidding?” He walked over to her, his hands gripping her upper arms. “After the week we shared, how can you even ask that question?”
Becca blinked, hope flaring to life in her chest. “You wanted…more?” she asked carefully, wanting to be sure of what he was really saying.
His hands shook her slightly and Becca had to tilt her head back to see his eyes. “Yes. I want more.” Alex sighed and pulled her into his arms, almost crushing her against his chest. “You want more too, don’t you?”
She swallowed, but couldn’t deny what he was saying. “I want so much more, Alex. But I just don’t see how it could work out.”
Pulling back, she looked up into his handsome features and caught his smile. Instantly, her resentment flared. “What’s so funny?” she demanded.
“You don’t think things can work out between us because of what you think I do for a living, right?”
She blinked, having forgotten about his job. Biting her lip, she stared up at him and slowly shook her head. Understanding dawned on her, making her feel more than a little foolish for her initial assumptions. “No. I made a mistake about what you do for a living, didn’t I?”
He chuckled and she loved the sound. “I’m glad that you finally figured that out for yourself.”
“You weren’t going to correct me?”
He dropped one of her hands but kept the other as he led her over to the white leather couch. Sitting down, he pulled her onto his lap and she automatically wrapped her arms around his neck. “I thought that you’d eventually figure it out. And it was a matter of trust. Once you got to know me, I thought you’d realize that I was a bit more than simply a male escort.”
She smiled, feeling special with his arms around her like this. “Well, to be honest, I didn’t figure it out until today.” She thought about it for a long moment. “But to give you credit, I didn’t think about it because I was too wrapped up in being with you and enjoying your company to really consider your occupation.”
He kissed her head and Becca laughed. “I guess that’s a good thing.” His hand slid up her back. “So, what do you think my real occupation is?”
She shrugged. “I have no idea, I only came to the realization that you most likely weren’t a male escort this morning on the flight home.”
“I own the hotel,” he admitted.
She froze, not sure she fully understood. “I’m sorry, but…what?”
His hand slid un
derneath her blouse, but she shifted so he couldn’t distract her. “I own the hotel you were staying at in New Orleans.” He waited a moment, continued, “I own this one too.”
Becca wasn’t aware of her mouth falling open. “Both?”
He tilted his head slightly. “Actually, I own about forty hotels all over the world.”
She pulled back and stared at him. “So…you’re sort of like Marriot?”
He laughed. “No. Marriot has thousands of properties. I have a bit of a different business model. My hotels are more boutique. Each one is different and focuses on reflecting the city in which each is located. They are different and special.”
She smiled. “So, forty hotels, huh?”
“Yep. And you know what would be perfect?” he asked, shifting ever so slightly.
“What’s that?” she asked.
He pulled a diamond ring out of the pocket of his jacket. “A wife. Someone who will help me increase the number from forty to eighty over the next ten years.”
She stared at the diamond ring, not sure she understood. “A wife?” she whispered, not moving her arms from around his neck.
“Yes. I’m asking you to marry me, Becca. I want you to be my wife.”
That was the last of her control. The dam burst and she buried her face against the warmth of his neck as the tears of happiness began to pour. “Marriage?”
He shifted so that she was laying on her back while he hovered over her. “Marriage. Kids. The whole shebang.” He looked at her carefully. “No picket fence though.”
She smiled, thinking that the future was looking more wonderful by the moment. “No picket fence? Why?”
“Because you’ll have to get used to living in a hotel. With me.”
“What’s wrong with living in a hotel?”
“Well, my meals are usually prepared by the hotel chef. I have them delivered to my apartment or whichever room I’m staying in,” he explained.
She laughed, thinking he was adorable in a rough, sexy, manly kind of way. “But no picket fence?” she teased.
His hand moved from her back to her stomach, inching upwards. “Woman, I know you love me just as much as I love you! So you’d better say yes so that we can move on.”
She threw back her head, laughing again, delighted with his proposal. But then his hand moved higher and she yelped in between bursts of laughter. “Yes!” she screamed, trying to get away from his marauding hand. “Yes yes yes! Okay?!”
“And you’ll never run away from me again, right?” he asked, looking down at her with a serious expression.
Immediately, all of her laughter faded away and she put a hand to the side of his face. “I’m sorry I ran this morning. I was just…I loved you too much and seeing you again, hearing you tell me goodbye or ‘it was fun’ would have hurt too much. So I left, wanting to just end things on a perfect moment.”
“Last night was perfect?” Alex teased. He kissed her for that confession. “When you put it that way, I guess I’ll forgive you,” he told her.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, loving him more than she’d thought possible.
Becca and Alex’s Wedding
Becca stepped out into the warm night and gasped, staring in delight at the lights twinkling in the trees, the crystal prisms amplifying the light and shooting additional “stars” across everything. But then she saw him. Alex. He was standing at the end of the courtyard by a trellis covered in white and soft-pink roses. Alex wore a beautiful dark suit and white shirt. No tie, just Alex and his dark eyes watching her as she approached.
It was a small wedding compared to the others she’d attended recently, only about twenty of their closest friends and family. Twilight shimmered through the leaves of the trees and the soft, evening breeze caused the leaves, lights, and crystals to dance overhead, it was perfect.
When she stepped forward, Alex took her hands and she smiled up into his eyes. The past few months had been beyond anything she could have hoped for. She’d quit her job and moved all of her stuff out of her tiny, shared apartment. Her roommates had been furious with her for leaving them without a roommate, but their lease was up anyway. And they weren’t very nice to begin with. So she had no regrets about leaving the two selfish women and joining Alex in New Orleans.
She had a wonderful new job, working in Alex’s organization, loved waking up in his arms every morning, and traveling around the country with him to inspect his hotels.
And now she was about to become his wife. Life really couldn’t get any better, she thought.
“I love you,” she whispered as soon as she stepped up to the archway decorated with hundreds of white roses. Alex took her hands and pulled her closer, his eyes conveying his love right back to her.
The minister chuckled, but continued with the service. She knew that Alex had heard her because his fingers gently tightened around her own.
When she said her vows, sliding the platinum band around his finger, she almost choked with the emotions flooding her. It was only his touch, the look in his eyes as she promised to love, honor, and cherish him for the rest of her life, that got her through that moment. His voice was strong and clear as he promised the same, sliding a simple, matching band over her finger, right above the beautiful diamond ring he’d given her only a few months ago.
And when the minister announced them husband and wife, Alex took her into his arms and kissed her. It was almost as if he were conveying his heart in that moment. Becca sighed with happiness as she smiled up at him.
Then she turned and…laughed. The reception area was filled with picket fences. Everywhere! He’d given her his love, they would soon start a family but he’d found a way to give her picket fences too!
Excerpt from The Seductive Truth
Tallia’s story – Coming out December 2, 2017
So much for the four of them grabbing a bottle of champagne, Tallia thought as she sipped the bubbly liquid from a crystal glass. Normally, she hated the stuff. But perhaps spending a thousand dollars on a single bottle versus the ten bucks she usually spent at the grocery store was the difference in quality. Go figure, she thought sarcastically.
“You look bored out of your mind,” a deep voice said from behind her.
Tallia spun around, almost spilling the boring champagne as she tried to find the source of that voice.
When she spotted the man in the alcove behind her, she glared up at him. “Lurk much?” she asked, then wanted to bite her tongue. “Sorry, that came out sounding snippy.” She bowed her head slightly, feeling ashamed. “I don’t usually come across as so irritable.”
He chuckled and pushed away from the wall, his glass of something-more-interesting-than-champagne in his hand. “Sorry for startling you like that.”
Tallia took in the man’s sandy blond hair and almost gold eyes. He wasn’t quite rugged, but nor could she call him handsome. He was somewhere in between but the voice…goodness, his voice was amazing! It was like melted chocolate with a touch of satin to really make it smooth. And so deep that it caused her to shiver as awareness raced through her whole body. Even her toes were tingling as he moved closer.
Tilting her head back, she held her breath as he stood nearly toe to toe with er. Something about the man seemed familiar, but she couldn’t quite place where she might have run into this man.
“Do I know you?” she asked.
“Stephen Markum,” he told her, extending his free hand. “Friend of Phillip and groomsmen for the week. And you are…?”
She took his hand warily, still thinking that he was…
When it came to her, it was too late to pull her hand back. With a hiss, she tried to pull away, but he was too quick for her. “You’re that reporter-turned-commentator Stephen Markum that spouts the conservative republican drivel on the radio once a week!”
He chuckled, not releasing her hand. “And you must be one of the annoying, bleeding heart liberals that call in to challenge me on a regular basis.”
She
laughed, impressed with his quick wit despite her dislike of his political views. “Bullseye.” She tilted her head slightly as she looked up at him. “I thought all of you guys had horns.”
His smile was quick and easy, relaxed even. “I fluffed my hair to hide them tonight. Where’s your tambourine with all of the ribbons hanging down to the ground?”
She grinned right back up at him. “In my closet back home. I thought the sweet sounds of my tambourine would clash with the quartet at Lillian’s wedding.”
His soft laughter, combined with the interesting crinkles around his eyes, captured her attention and she pulled her eyes away, shocked at the way her body tingled just from the sound of his laughter.
“So you’re one of the groomsmen. How do you know Phillip?”
“College,” he replied.
“Same with me and Lillian,” she replied and the two of them turned to look out at the crowd of mingling guests. “So you went to Toulaine with Phillip?” she asked, wanting to hear his voice again.
“Yes, and ran track with him. He’s also the one who suckered me into several political classes.”
She turned and looked at him, startled. “So you weren’t an evil Republican from the beginning?” she teased.
He laughed right back. “Shocking, I know. I was actually pretty apolitical until I started hearing the tambourines.”
“And by tambourines, you mean…”
“The dreamy political ramblings of naïve college students who think they can change the world.”
She laughed, shaking her head. “As opposed to the republicans who just want to pave over everything, right?”
“Exactly!” he returned, smiling and Tallia had to turn away because that smile made her heart thud a bit too loudly.
Oh – So much more coming up!
A Christmas Wedding
Three more Novellas to go! $0.99 Each
Released Each Week from November through December 2017
Four college friends, one wedding date – three More Weddings!
Passionate Mystery Page 8