by Jane Keeler
The last time it slid right into her throat. Karlee had never managed to deep throat anyone before. In fact, she had never really wanted to. Now she could not get enough of Gabe’s cock. She wanted to give all of herself to him in every way possible. She took him in so deep that she felt her lips against his abdomen. She knew that he was about to come so she let the end of his cock move into her mouth and felt his hot spunk hit the back of her throat. She sucked until she was sure that he had nothing left to give.
The ‘reluctant virgin’ remained intact, for now, but Karlee thought that the chances were good that she wouldn’t stay one for long.
After a quick shower she put on her new outfit and showed Gabe.
“Ta da!”
“Wow, you look amazing!”
Karlee could see he meant it. She was wearing a pair of tight black jeans—tighter than she was used to—with a white vest and black ankle boots. It was all very rockstar. The shop assistant had told her she didn’t need any accessories to go with it because her red hair and her blue eyes were all the accessories she needed.
“I’ve never owned anything like this. Thank you, Gabe. I will pay you back. I promise.”
“Why? It’s a gift.” He seemed surprised at her. She forgot how normal it was for him to just throw money around. He would probably be shocked to find she had a spreadsheet where she calculated all the money that went in and out of her account.
She sighed. “It must be nice never having to worry about money. I don’t know how it feels to be so free.”
“Free? I don’t know so much about that. I mean, it’s nice to have money, but I definitely don’t feel free. If I’m not being monitored by my father, than I’m being watched by the paparazzi. ‘Free’ is definitely not the word I would use, even though it might look that way to others.”
Karlee looked at Gabe and saw the pained expression on his face. She realized that, even though he didn’t know much about her life, she also knew nothing about his. She just assumed that money solved everything for him, but clearly it didn’t.
“Sorry,” she said.
“That’s okay. We all have our problems, I guess.”
“So true.” She grinned and told him if he didn’t hurry up and get ready they were going to miss the bus. It took all her might to say it to him, because at that moment all she wanted to do was drag him back into bed.
There was a knock on the door. Karlee hoped the bus wasn’t already there. Gabe looked through the peephole then looked at Karlee, his eyes wide. He moved his hand across his throat in a cutting motion, pointed at himself, shook his head, and then pointed at the bathroom.
Karlee didn’t understand all the sign language or the sudden need for silence, but she knew something was very wrong. She jumped when the knocking sounded again, even louder this time. Gabe walked into the bathroom and quietly shut the door.
Karlee took a deep breath and opened the door to find two men in black suits staring down at her. They were tall and built, as if they spent most of their waking hours working out (and not the kind of ‘workout’ she and Gabe had just enjoyed). She doubted they had anything to do with the bus schedule.
“Uh, yes? Can I help you?” she said timidly. Karlee wasn’t usually intimidated by people, even if she was small, but these guys looked mean. Neither of them had even offered a smile yet. In fact, they looked angry and annoyed.
“Karlee? Karlee Gold?” The taller of the two said. Her name sounded strange coming out of his mouth. Why on earth was he here to see her? She felt as if she had been transported to a Men in Black movie or something. In fact, one of the men looked very much like Tommy Lee Jones. Now was probably not the time to tell him that, though.
“Uh, yes. That’s me. What’s going on? Is something the matter?”
“We’re looking for Mr. Gabriel Braxton. We have been informed that he has been spending time with you.”
Karlee’s heart began to race. There was no sound coming from the bathroom and she knew Gabe was listening in. She gulped. Then a strange calmness came over her.
“Gabriel? Ugh, I gave him the boot. What an idiot.”
“What do you mean?”
“Yeah, he tried to put one over on me with his damn money and his sweet-talking ways. Sure, he’s a good-looking man, but I’ve had my fair share of idiots in the past. Can you believe he tried to get me into bed with him? Like, just because I’m not as rich as him or as good-looking as him, doesn’t mean I’m just going to fall into bed with a complete stranger.”
She tossed her head. “He better apologize to me though. I’ll happily tell the world what a horrible and rude man he really is if he doesn’t watch out. He messed with the wrong woman!”
“He’s not here?” the man peered inside.
“Here? Are you crazy?”
“When last did you see him?”
“I actually saw him this morning. At breakfast. He flashed me a smile but it didn’t work on me. Who knows where he is now? I told him he better not be on the same bus in the morning. He’s rich, why is he on the bus anyway? Is he in trouble with the law or something? I wouldn’t be surprised. He acts like he owns the world.”
“Oh, he’s definitely in trouble. Well, okay, we’re sorry to have disturbed you, but if you see him please let us know. We’re just as upset with him as you are. Trust me.” The man handed Karlee his card. It was completely black expect for his name and number printed in gold. Karlee tried not to grimace at how ridiculously showy it was.
“Oh, I will! And if you see him before I do—tell him he messed with the wrong woman!”
She closed the door and waited until she could hear their footsteps receding before opening the bathroom door.
“Wow, you were amazing!” Gabe said. He leaned down and kissed her squarely on the mouth.
Karlee chuckled. “Man, I’m shaking. I was so nervous. I was hoping my nervousness would be interpreted for anger. Looks like it worked. I cannot believe they bought it. Who were those guys?”
“Those were the guys I was telling you about! I think they’ve been following me. One of them really looks like that actor.”
“Tommy Lee Jones?”
“Yes! That’s the one!”
“Why would they be following you?”
“I think one of them stole my bag, too.”
“Okay, why would they follow you and steal your bag?
“I don’t know! Unless… it might have something to do with the deal I just put through for Braxton Industries.”
“The Johnson process?”
“Wow, you’re very well informed. It was all hush-hush, too.”
“I keep my ear to the ground.”
“Anyway—yes, the Johnson process. It’s a new way to split hydrogen off from water using sunlight as a power source. It’s cheap, efficient, sustainable, and, most important of all, non-explosive. Once we have mass production up and running we could make safe, clean energy for everyone. There are interests that don’t want to see that happen.”
Gabe put his hands in his pockets and looked down. “We also stand to make a ton of money. I’m sure lots of people would love to get their hands on the process so they can replicate it. I don’t know why they think I have it, though. It should be locked up in a heavily guarded room in the main office.”
“Wow!” Karlee felt her reporter’s curiosity come to attention. This was the story of a lifetime.
“I can’t believe how you kicked their asses out of here. You were great!”
“I surprised myself. I was so convinced they were going to come in and look for you. I figured I was talking for no reason. Clearly I was better than I thought.”
“I hope you didn’t mean some of those things you said. You really sounded convincing.”
Karlee chuckled. “I tell you one thing, Mr. Braxton—you do confuse me. Those things I said about you, well that’s exactly how I’d assume you’d be. But now that I’ve met you… Well, you’re different. You’re not at all the man I thought you were. I
have no idea which one is the real Gabe, but I’m hoping it’s the one you’ve shown me. Because, between you and me, you’re pretty cool. Now, we better hurry if we’re going to make that bus. We need to get on it as soon as possible. Just keep an eye out for those guys. The last thing we need is to bump into them.”
They got their bags and headed out. The men were nowhere to be seen, but the moment Gabe and Karlee stepped outside and started walking towards the bus stop, they saw the tall, black-suited figures in the distance.
They were looking up and down the road, but thankfully Karlee and Gabe were too far away to be noticed. The only reason they could see the men was because of how much they stood out from the casually-dressed crowd. They were also taller than anyone around them. Just in case though, Gabe and Karlee ducked behind an SUV.
“Yikes! Maybe they didn’t actually believe my whole story. Either way, they’re clearly waiting to see if you get on that bus. Now what?”
“I don’t know. We can’t get on that bus. There’s no ways we can get in without them seeing us. Well, this has certainly thrown a wrench into the works.”
Karlee waited with Gabe to see what the men would do. Eventually the bus pulled up and everyone got on. There was no way they would make it without the men seeing them.
“Okay, we need another plan!” Karlee said.
Chapter 14
“Tell me again how you got me into this predicament? Because if things had gone according to plan, I would be at work now having a serious discussion with my boss about whether or not he’s going to fire me. He must be wondering where the hell I am. I’d better phone him soon.”
Gabe laughed. “Clearly, I swayed you by being so absolutely incredible in bed.”
Karlee could feel her belly clench just at the thought of being in bed with him. He was joking, but he was absolutely right. Karlee hadn’t enjoyed sex this much in a very long time. It wasn’t just that he knew what he was doing in bed, but she felt a connection with him that didn’t usually come so easily to her. She was also following a huge story with worldwide implications. She wasn’t going to leave anytime soon.
They were walking down the road with their bags. So far, there was no sign of the men in suits and the further they walked, the better they felt.
“Can you check how far it is to the next bus stop? We can catch the bus from there and be on our way. Those men probably think I found a way to get out of here. I doubt they’ll even consider the bus anymore,” Gabe said. “I’d do it, but they might be tracking my phone… Shit, they knew your name. They might be tracking your phone, too.”
“Shit.”
They mulled over the problem while they walked. It was lovely out—the sun was shining and they were on a quiet country road. It was a pleasantly cool fall day; some the leaves were starting to turn, but most of the trees still retained their green summer colors. The air smelled sweet and, in spite of their worries, they appreciated the beauty around them and walked in silence for a while.
Gabe finally broke it. “I need to call my father. He’ll know what to do. Shit—he might be in danger too. Maybe those men are planning to kidnap me and ransom me for the process.” He walked faster, and Karlee, with her shorter legs, had to trot to keep up with him.
“We could try knocking at someone’s house and asking to use their phone,” Karlee said.
“We haven’t seen all that many houses. This is a country road.”
Just then they heard a soft musical sound, like wind chimes but lower in pitch. They walked over the next hill and were surprised to see where it was coming from.
It was a white one-story house with a well-kept garden and a wide, welcoming front porch. On the front lawn was a small dead tree. Its lack of leaves didn’t make it bare, though. Someone had put bottles of varying shapes and sizes over the ends of the branches. The bottles were all different shades of blue, from almost clear to deep cobalt. When the wind blew they clinked gently against the tree.
“I wonder what that is?” Karlee murmured. “Here, I’ll go up and knock on the door,” she told Gabe.
“Yes?” A middle-aged lady answered. She had short iron-gray hair and brown eyes with laughter lines etched around them. She looked both kind and no-nonsense—like your favorite teacher, retired now, but still able to bring order to an entire classroom of unruly children with a single look.
“Good morning, ma’am. My name is Karlee and this is Gabe. We were wondering if we might be able to use your phone?”
“Car break down?”
“Actually… well, it’s a long story.”
The lady looked them up and down. What she saw, she seemed to approve. “Come on in. You must be thirsty. Would you like some tea?”
“Yes, please, ma’am. Thank you very much.”
The house was small but spotlessly clean and obviously very loved and cared for. There was a painting in the place of pride on the opposite wall. It was of a man in a pair of overalls and a red cap, out in the garden picking an armful of flowers. It was very amateurishly done, but the artist had caught the man’s sweet smile.
The lady saw them looking at it. “That’s my Charles. Went to his rest twelve years ago but not a day goes by that I don’t miss him.”
“It’s a wonderful painting. A lot of heart in it.” Karlee said.
The lady led them to the dining room and motioned for them to sit down.
“Back in a jiffy.”
A couple of minutes later she was back with a tray containing a pitcher of iced tea and three glasses full of ice. “I’m Sarah Abbot.”
The tea was refreshing after all that walking, even if it was sweet enough to put one into a diabetic coma.
“So,” said Mrs. Abbot. “Tell me your long story.”
Surprising enough, they did. Gabe didn’t know if it was the simple hominess of the room or the expression of good will in Mrs. Abbot’s brown eyes, but he trusted her, and he told her everything.
“What people get up to nowadays will never cease to amaze me,” she said. “The next bus stop is thirty miles away—way too far to walk. I’ll call my grandson and he can give you a ride. Come into the parlor with me.”
She had an old-fashioned black rotary phone. The young duo had seen pictures of them on the internet, but never in real life, and watched with interest as she made her call.
“Fenton? Hello dear, would you come by quick as you can? I need a favor.” She turned to Gabe and Karlee. “He should be here in about ten minutes. Long enough for you to call your father, Gabe.”
“Thank you so much, Mrs. Abbot! You’re a lifesaver. I can’t think what we would have done without you!” Gabe smiled at her with real gratitude.
“It’s nothing, I’m always happy to help a fellow creature in trouble.” She nodded to Karlee. “Now come on back to the dining room, dear, and let’s give Gabe some privacy for his phone call.”
They sat down and drank some more tea. “Mrs. Abbot, can I ask you a question?”
“Yes, dear?”
“What is that sculpture in your front yard?”
“That’s a bottle tree. It’s a tradition around these parts. The folklore is that it protects your house from evil. Wicked spirits hear the sounds of the bottles and they fly in, but they can’t get out again, and so they’re trapped. Some people might say they’re a little bit pagan, but I think they’re pretty.”
She took a sip of her iced tea and winked at Karlee. “And I’ve never had any trouble with evil people in my house, either.”
Gabe’s palms were sweating as he dialed his father’s personal number.
“Hello, who is this?” Westley sounded disturbed. Gabe almost didn’t recognize the voice—he was so used to thinking of his father as cool, calm, collected, and always on top of everything.
“It’s me, Dad.”
“Oh, thank God! I’ve been worried sick about you! You disappeared without a word.”
“I’m sorry, Dad. I was angry and I wasn’t thinking… Dad, has anything strange be
en happening at the office? The production line documents for the Johnson process are still the in the vault, right?”
“Why do you ask? As far as I know it’s been locked up since last week when you finalized the details with Dr. Johnson… Jeannette, would you fetch the Johnson documents for me please? Now, son, what is this all about?”
“These two men have been following me. They tried to bully their way into my hotel room and I’m pretty sure one of them mugged me for my duffel bag. I don’t know who they are, but they looked tough and mean.”
There was a murmuring on the other end of the line.
“WHAT?!” Gabe had never heard his father yell before. That was two firsts in one day. “Gabriel, the document folder is missing.”
“Shit. That doesn’t make sense, though. If they have it, what are they doing following me around?”
“I do not know, but trust me, I will find out. Describe these two men.”
“Well, one of them is dead ringer for Tommy Lee Jones.” Gabe described the men as best he could. “I didn’t see them up close. Karlee got a better look at them than I did.”
“Karlee? Who is Karlee?”
“My friend.”
“Girlfriend?”
“Is that really important right now, Dad?”
“I suppose not. Your description rings a bell, actually. I think one of the new hires… Jeannette, get me the head of security… Now, son, I want you to stay where you are and I’ll send a car to pick you up.”
“That’s okay, Dad. We’ve got it under control. I’ll meet you in the New York office. I wish you’d stop treating me like a little kid who can’t tie his shoelaces without your help. Oh, and don’t call my phone, I’ve turned it off so no one can track it. Bye, Dad. Don’t worry about me.”
Gabe rejoined the women in the dining room. They were chatting comfortably and seemed to have become fast friends during the few minutes he’d been gone. Karlee gave him an inquiring look and raised her eyebrows. He gave her a nod and a carefree smile, although he didn’t think it fooled her—or Mrs. Abbot, either, for that matter.