Boxset: Destiny Decides.. & Destiny Embraces..

by P. G. Van

  I turned around to look into deep loving eyes of the man I loved most in the world. He was standing by the entrance to the deck looking extremely sexy in a dark muscle tee that showed off his natural build paired with cargo shorts. He stood with his hands in his pockets looking at me with no expression on his face.

  “Nick,” I whispered as I literally ran into his arms as he opened them up welcoming me into his embrace. I heard the girls cheer in the background as I buried my face into his chest.

  “I am so sorry for raising my voice at you, my love. Please tell me you are not angry,” Nick whispered as he planted a kiss on my cheek.

  “Yes, I am angry,” I said slapping him lightly on his chest and asked, “Why didn’t you respond to my message?”

  Nick laughed and placed his palms on my cheeks and made me look into his eyes and said, “Because I don’t know how to tell you how much I love you over a text message.”

  “So you drove all the way here to tell me you love me?” I asked smiling at him.

  “Yes, and so I could do this,” Nick said and brought his lips to mine with utmost care and love. He moved his lips so slowly along my lips that I thought I was going to die with the pain of waiting. I pulled back to put my arms around his neck and hoisted myself to wrap my legs around Nick’s waist as I took my lips to his with a deep sense of urgency. He ran his palms on my butt and held me securely against the wall. I pressed my lips against his and said, “Nick, I am so sorry I upset you.”

  “Sam, go easy on him.” One of the girls teased and the others followed with similar comments.

  I ignored everybody and everything as I looked into Nick’s eyes.

  “Sameera, I want you baby,” Nick said smiling as he gently released me and added, “Please come home tonight. I can’t wait until tomorrow to be in your arms.”

  “You need to ask the girls,” I teased as I brushed my tongue against his lips.

  “You will need to introduce me to your friends first,” Nick said taking my hand as we walked towards my friends. The girls were enjoying the show that Nick and I had put on and were giggling looking at us.

  “Nick, you know Rhea. This is Chloe and this is Nishi,” I said smiling at the girls.

  “It’s good to meet you ladies, and I am going to tell you that I will be stealing my wife away from you guys later tonight,” Nick said smiling and added before Rhea could object, “I will make arrangements to make your day extra special and will make sure you get into the best clubs. You will also have the limo at your disposal.”

  The girls looked at Nick in shock and did not say anything. Nick smiled and said, “I will take that as a “yes” and whispered in my ear, “You will still party hard all night but only with me baby.”

  I giggled as the thrill of being in his arms ran through my body.

  “Have a good time, ladies,” Nick said as we walked hand-in-hand towards Nick’s Porsche.

  “Mitch will bring you back home and go back to take your friends partying,” Nick said smiling at me.

  “Nick, Mitch has been driving around like crazy. Can you send someone else to drive the limo for the girls tonight?” I asked looking at Mitch standing by the limo at a distance.

  “That’s very thoughtful of you love. I will figure it out a plan so Mitch can go home tonight,” Nick said smiling at me.

  “Speaking of thoughtful, it was very nice of you to come all the way to see me,” I said putting my arms around him and added in a stern voice, “You are still not off the hook for smoking a cigarette.”

  “I was hoping you had forgotten about that,” Nick said sheepishly.

  I reached up to plant a kiss on his lips and said, “I can’t wait to be in your arms.”

  “I’ll be waiting,” Nick said winking at me.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  “Sam, we never realized you had a wild side,” Rhea observed with Nishi and Chloe nodding in agreement as I came back to sit down for breakfast after Nick left.

  I smiled and said blushing, “That’s only for my husband to see. It’s unfortunate you guys got to see it too.”

  The girls burst out laughing and went on and on about how hot Nick and I looked together especially when we were slammed against the wall.

  “Girls, let’s finish breakfast and head back to the city. I am so excited about what Nick has planned for us today,” I said smiling.

  “Really? I won’t be surprised if you ditch us and go running to your boyfriend…Aargh...husband, I mean,” Rhea said laughing looking at me.

  “Stop being silly girls,” I warned all three of them giving them the stink eye.

  It was almost ten in the morning by the time we left the wine country and headed back to San Francisco. Half an hour into our drive, my phone went off and my caller ID displayed an unknown number. The phone call was to confirm a lunch reservation, spa reservation, and a room reservation all at the same hotel. The lady that had called specifically mentioned that the reservation for lunch and spa were for four guests and that the hotel suite was only for three guests. I instantly turned crimson and was thankful that the girls could not hear what the lady was saying.

  “Mitch, I take it that you already know the plan for the rest of the day?” I said hoping I didn’t have to repeat all the instructions to him.

  “I got it, Ms. Nick. That phone call was just for your information,” Mitch said from the driver’s seat.

  “We are all set for lunch, spa, and more,” I said cheerfully, conveniently omitting the piece of information that the hotel reservation was only for the three of them.

  Five hours later, the four of us stepped into the reception area feeling rejuvenated and pampered.

  “This was so much fun,” Rhea said smiling at us.

  “You are glowing Rhea!!” I said smiling at her.

  “I dozed off halfway through my massage,” Nishi confessed giggling.

  “I think we all did,” I said laughing as we approached the receptionist for checkout.

  ‘I hope you ladies enjoyed the treatments,” the girls at the front desk inquired pleasantly.

  “Oh yes, we did and we are ready to check out,” I said smiling at her handing her my credit card.

  “It’s my treat girls because I am ditching you guys later tonight,” I said as the girls pulled out their credit cards.

  “Sam, no. Rules are rules. We pay for our stuff at reunions,” Chloe interjected.

  “I am sorry to interrupt. All services have been paid for by Mrs. Bhatia,” the girl at the front desk interjected through our conversation.

  “I am sorry, who paid for the services?” I asked in surprise.

  “All the services have been charged to Mrs. Bhatia, Sameera Bhatia,” the girl clarified.

  The girls started giggling looking at my expression.

  “I am Sameera Bhatia, and I haven’t given you my payment information. Are you sure you have the right information?” I asked.

  “Yes, we do. Your assistant, Nick, had called earlier and made all the arrangements,” the girl said looking at her computer screen.

  “Oooh your assistant, Sam,” Nishi teased and added giggling, “role play tonight.”

  “Cut it out girls,” I whined as we left the spa.

  *****

  It was almost seven o’clock that night when I stepped out of the dressing room of the hotel suite, which was reserved for the girls for that night. I had on the dress I purchased at the boutique in the hotel. Chloe let out a low whistle when she saw me in the deep red chiffon dress draped in asymmetrical layers that tumbled to the floor in a sweeping high-low hem.

  “I love the dress on you Sam. The halter straps showoff your lovely shoulders,” Rhea complimented smiling at me.

  “I wonder how long the knot at the nape is going to last once Nick sets his eyes on her,” Nishi said giggling.

  I shook my head and blushed looking at myself in the mirror. The back-baring design with the dipped back was a bit too bold but not for that night. The dress had a sof
t jersey lining and felt very soft against my pampered skin.

  “Now, put on those sexy pumps Sam and give us the ramp walk,” Chloe suggested rolling on the bed.

  “Not happening, Chloe. Although, I might do it for my husband later tonight,” I mocked.

  “Okay. Too much information,” Nishi objected laughing.

  I slid my freshly pedicured feet into a pair of nude pumps with a three-inch heel that I had purchased with the dress. I walked over to the full-length mirror and looked at my reflection, and my mouth automatically curved up in a smile.

  The girls had done a great job with my makeup by focusing on making my eyes look dramatic. The deep red eye shadow made my eyes pop, and I finished up with a deep red lip stain. My hair was pulled up in a partial updo with curls dangling down my bare back, and the nude pumps gave my overall look a dreamy effect.

  I felt beautiful looking at myself in the mirror. I put on a black plain cardigan over the halter dress so I didn’t show off my assets to everyone in the hotel.

  I hugged Nishi and Chloe and said, “I am going to miss you guys.”

  “We seriously doubt it, but we will miss you for sure,” Chloe teased.

  “Rhea, let’s catch up over coffee next week after work,” I said hugging her.

  I said my goodbyes to my best friends and headed downstairs to find Mitch waiting for me in the hotel lobby.

  “Sorry to make you wait, Mitch,” I said as he reached to take my overnight bag from me.

  Mitch smiled at me and said, “You look beautiful, Ms. Nick.”

  “Thank you, Mitch,” I said turning crimson. The last thing I expected from Mitch was a compliment as he was extremely professional at all times.

  Mitch pulled in through the main entrance gate of the family residence almost forty-five minutes later, and my heart started pounding in anticipation of a promising night.

  Mitch pulled into the smaller driveway and stopped in front of the garage door. He came around to open the door for me and said, “I will have your bag sent upstairs shortly, Ms. Nick.”

  “Thanks Mitch,” I said smiling at him and headed into the dimly- lit garage through the side door and stepped into the elevator holding on to my purse. I felt my body shudder at the thought of being in Nick’s arms. I was lost in thought when the elevator doors opened to a dimly-lit dining area.

  I immediately noticed the series of battery powered tea light candles lined up in parallel curvy lines, paving a path towards the roof garden. I took a few steps following the path laid out by the flickering flameless candles and put my purse away on the corner table looking up to look out into the roof garden through the open glass doors. I gasped in surprise when I saw the sight of the roof garden lit up all the way with candles in various sizes and shapes.

  Nick was standing next to the swing wearing dark wash jeans paired with my favorite white button down shirt that looked like it was stitched on him. I saw him catch his breath, and my heart skipped multiple beats when my eyes met his dancing eyes. I walked towards him slowly as I looked around the roof garden with my eyes feasting on the romantic light cast by the flickering flameless candles.

  “You look beautiful, my love,” Nick said smiling taking my hands in his and took my fingertips to his lips.

  I smiled and did not say anything.

  “Did you have a good day?” Nick asked his voice almost a whisper.

  “I did, and I feel beautiful after being pampered for hours from head to toe,” I said taking a step closer to Nick.

  “I am glad to hear that sweetheart,” Nick said in an enigmatic voice.

  I looked into his desire-driven eyes and smiled as I took my lips to the corner of his mouth planting a light kiss. He groaned deep inside as he gently wrapped his arms around my waist.

  He took in a deep breath and said, “Meera, you smell so good that I want to eat you.”

  “You can have me anyway you want,” I said huskily and heard him catch his breath.

  I giggled as he nuzzled along the length of my neck and down to the apex of the triangle formed by the halter straps on my dress. I arched my back and ran my fingers through his hair. He flattened his cheek on my chest and said in a deep voice, “Baby, I am so sorry for the way I talked to you the other day.”

  I pulled him closer to me and said, “I am sorry for causing you pain.”

  Nick pulled back to look into my eyes and said in a soft voice, “I am not as forgiving as you are baby. If I ever met that guy, I will say hello with a punch and then ask him how he is doing.”

  I laughed and planted a kiss on his forehead and said, “I am feeling a little warm. Do you mind helping me out of my cardigan?”

  Nick gave me a puzzled look as I turned away from him. He gently pulled the cardigan off my shoulders, and I felt his breath hiss as he caught sight of my bare back that went through rigorous polishing at the spa earlier that day. I stood still enjoying his hungry eyes on me as he ran his finger from the knot at my nape of my neck to the lowest point on the dipped back. He pulled me against the length of his body running his palms along the sides and said in a husky voice, “Wooow, this is one interesting dress.”

  “I am glad you like it because you paid for it,” I said teasing him as I turned around to face him.

  He looked at me with a puzzled expression as I leaned forward to take my teeth to his earlobe and whispered playfully, “I bought it at the hotel boutique and charged it to the room.”

  He moaned loudly and wound his hand tightly around my waist as his other hand played with the curls that dangled from my updo hairstyle.

  “I also bought these shoes so I can reach your lips with ease,” I said looking into his deep eyes as I ran my thumb on his lower lip.

  He shuddered under my touch and brought his lips to my quivering lips and said with an overwhelming hunger in his voice, “I want to you so bad baby.”

  My body whimpered in reaction to his demand and his need for me. I held him close to me and broke off our kiss to take my lips to his earlobe and dug my teeth deeper than last time and said in a sultry voice, “I am all yours as long as we stay out here on the swing.”

  I felt Nick harden against me when he heard the request of passion running his fingers into my hair and pulled my head back opening my neck for his invasion. I reached for the button on his jeans and gently tugged on it pulling it open. I slipped my hand past his waistband and gently stroked his hardness over his boxers. He growled and ran his flickering tongue along my jawline while his palm caressed my chest through the soft chiffon material of my dress.

  “Are you sure you want to be out here?” he asked as he nipped on the delicate skin of my neck, and I responded by pulling his zipper open and added, “Yes, we both have been on the swing before. It’s wide enough and strong enough to hold us.”

  “Hold on love,” Nick said and moved a few of the candles that were close to the swing away from it and turned off all the other ones that were a few feet away, instantly transforming the swing into our own private space of passion. I walked over to the swing sitting down at the center and started to swing gently. Nick came back to sit next to me and put his arm around me. I leaned over on his shoulder and closed my eyes taking in the warmth from his virile body as he gently stroked my bare back.

  “Nick,” I said in a soft voice and turned to look into his eyes and added, “This is my most favorite place in the world. Never ever smoke here or anywhere else no matter how pissed off you are at me.”

  Nick looked into my eyes with pain and deep guilt and said in a shaky voice, “I was very stupid and lost it. I promise I will never do such a thing again,” he made me scoot to one side of the swing and lay down on the swing placing his head in my lap and did not say anything for a few minutes. I ran my fingers through his hair and asked breaking the silence, “Nick. What are you thinking about?”

  “I watched your dance in the studio the other day,” he confessed.

  I looked at him in shock and asked, “How? Mom was the only o
ne there.”

  “I followed you downstairs and thought you went into the backyard and went onto to the deck. I looked around and when I went into the side yard I saw you in the studio and watched you dance through the glass doors,” Nick said looking into my eyes.

  “Why didn’t you come into the studio?” I asked weakly.

  “When I saw you dance, every step you took was a punch in my face, and I let you continue as I totally deserved it,” Nick said pain building up in his voice.

  “Nick, please don’t say that. My dance was to calm myself down and not to hurt you,” I said feeling sadness grip my heart and added, “You are right. I should have never agreed to meet him. The only reason I went was because I felt like I owed him a closure and because I have you in my life because of him. What he did, kept me from falling for the wrong guy.”

  Nick buried his face into the thin material of my dress and hugged me as he pressed his face into my abdomen.

  “I also needed to make sure that I was no longer scarred by the past, and I was right. You have healed my broken heart, and it’s yours forever,” I said running my fingers through his hair.

  I felt him shudder at the intensity in my voice. He looked up into my eyes and asked in a painful voice, “What did I do to deserve you?”

  I smiled at him and said, “You were the one that pulled me out of living in a painful past. You shattered my skepticism I had about the present and showed me how to hold onto what I have. You gave me the confidence and love I need for our future together,” and added bending forward to take my lips to his, “I am who I am because of you, Nick.”

  Nick ran his fingers into my hair and pulled me closer to him, and I jerked as I felt like I was going to fall off the swing. I pulled back laughing and said, “Nick, we almost fell off the swing.”

  “I can’t let that happen,” he said as he sat up briefly only to come down on me lowering me to the swing. He planted a kiss on my forehead and then on my eyes and slowly moved down to my lips and planted a light kiss. I opened my eyes to look into his deep dark eyes as he stared into mine.