“More than you know, but I have a feeling you’d enjoy it too.”
She smirked. “You’d be right.”
She couldn’t have been more comfortable with this man. They shared many intense moments of passion, could laugh, he held her when she cried, and he always seemed to know what she needed. She felt like anything was possible with him by her side.
~ 14 ~
The next day he surprised Cali by coming home a little early. Owen noticed something different about her as soon as he laid eyes on her.
“You straightened your hair.”
She ran her fingers through her silky, brown hair. “Yeah, when I packed the suitcase at the townhouse I grabbed my flat iron. Do you like it?”
He took a few steps toward her and reached to feel her hair as well. The brown strands felt as smooth as they looked. His fingers brushed the hair over her shoulder, but a few pieces fell forward, not quite long enough to stay back. He tucked the pieces behind her ear.
“I do. You’re beautiful, Caliana. Even if you cut your hair off you would still be the most attractive woman I’ve ever seen.”
Looking into his eyes, she said, “Compliments like that will get you everywhere.”
“Good, I’ll cash in later,” he said with a wink. “Now, let’s go eat. We have places to go.”
Dinner was outside on the patio since the weather was cooperating and he was glad it was. The surprise he had depended a lot on the weather. They needed to eat a little earlier than normal since they needed to arrive at the destination a couple of hours before sunset.
He decided to blindfold Cali to really throw her off. The car ride lasted roughly thirty minutes. She kept asking where they were going and when would they get there, but nothing was given away.
Stopping the car, Owen got out and went to the passenger side. She would need help getting out since the blindfold was still on. Once outside of the car, he walked her a few feet until the sound would give her a clue. It was a very distinct sound, almost like a whoosh. The second the noise went off Cali gasped.
“Do you know what that is?”
A smile spread across her face. “I think so, but I want to have a look to be sure.”
“Take off the blindfold.”
She stood still for a few seconds, eyes wide. “I was right! We get to go up in a hot air balloon?”
“Yes, we do. The ride will last about an hour over the mountains, valleys and rivers.”
She started bouncing in excitement. She jumped up catching him off guard, throwing her arms and legs around him.
“Thank you! I’m so excited!”
Laughing he said, “Really, I couldn’t tell.”
Inside the building they met an older man with grey hair and a lean build. Both had to fill out some paperwork before heading out. He walked them over to a multicolored balloon that was already filled with air, waiting to take off. The colors on the balloon reminded him of a rainbow.
They both climbed into the basket and soon started drifting upward. She was leaning over the edge, making him nervous. She wasn’t scared in the least. As the ride went on, the owner mentioned interesting facts regarding the areas they were flying over. He was surprised how quiet she was, seeming to be in awe of everything.
Being in the air was the oddest feeling. It felt like they were floating along on a cloud. He thought the ride would have been a little bumpier, but it wasn’t at all. The balloon glided along the air. He felt at peace looking down on the valley below.
As they started making their descent, Cali leaned into him. He put his arms around her waist, nuzzling his face into her neck.
“Thank you for the surprise. I would have never guessed this.”
“After all you’ve been through, you deserved something fun.”
Leaning toward his ear, she whispered, “Hang on to the blindfold.”
He looked down at her, nodding. Now his mind raced with the different things he could do to her while she was blindfolded. Yeah, he was definitely keeping it.
Once the balloon safely landed on the ground, one of the workers escorted them to a champagne picnic. A quilt was laid out on the grass and chilled champagne waiting. Owen filled both of their glasses and made a toast.
“Caliana, it’s been a non-stop whirlwind since you’ve come back into my life. I cherish every day with you and take none for granted. You make me a better man. You stole a piece of my heart years ago and today you have it all. I love you. I always have and always will.”
He noticed her bottom lip trembling. “I love you too, Owen. You’re a dream come true. I only thought men like you existed in books or movies. You’re the real thing and I can’t believe you’re mine. All that you’ve done, the care you’ve taken. You’ve placed me on a pedestal I don’t deserve. You’re amazing,” she said, her voice full of emotion.
“Cali, you are the one who is amazing. You are strong and courageous, passionate and caring. I didn’t used to believe in fate, but having you like I’ve always wanted, that has to be it. Fate knew our story wasn’t finished and brought us back together.”
His hand reached up to caress her cheek. She leaned into him, closing her eyes. This beautiful woman was in love with him. He felt like he was still floating in the air. Moving closer, he brushed his lips against hers. He could taste the champagne on her tongue when she opened her mouth to accept his kiss.
He sat back with a sigh, afraid he wouldn’t be able to restrain himself from taking her on the quilt. He doubted the owner had that kind of picnic in mind when he put it together.
They sat outside until the sun set. Thanking the owner on the way out, Owen also gave him a generous tip for being able to arrange the flight on such short notice. Cali nodded off during the ride home. He guessed she had a little too much champagne.
Once in the garage with the door closed, he looked over and saw her Jeep inside between the Benz and the Caddy. He had to admit he really liked having her stay with him. He wondered if she would consider moving in. She practically has anyway, he thought. Owen knew their relationship was still in the early stages, but wanting her most of his life, the length of time didn’t matter. The two weeks they’ve been together solidified what he always felt for her.
He turned toward her, thinking he really didn’t want to wake her. She was sleeping soundly in his black, leather seat. Tomorrow they had to go back to the cabins and close them for the year.
He had a cleaning crew go in and remove everything damaged from her cabin. The crew was also going to clean it thoroughly. She had no idea, but he also replaced all of the damaged furniture, dishes and linens. Owen didn’t want her to have to worry over buying anything new and hoped she didn’t mind.
He hoped some items were left untouched that she could salvage. The thought of her losing precious items of her aunt’s put an ache in his chest. She had been through enough, to lose priceless belongings was too much.
Quietly opening his car door, he exited the vehicle and shut it as gently as he could. He walked to the passenger side, opened the door and bent to lift her into his arms. When he pulled her out of the car her eyes blinked opened and she looked at him.
“What’s going on?”
“We’re home. You were sleeping so peacefully. I didn’t want to wake you.”
She nuzzled into his chest and said, “That was very sweet of you.”
He kicked the car door shut with his foot. Walking upstairs with her in his arms was effortless. He was in great shape and Cali didn’t weigh much at all.
He went to the bed and gently laid her down. As he was taking her shoes off, she stirred once more.
“Don’t worry about that. I can do it.”
“I know you can, but I want to,” he said.
She smiled and let him take her shoes, shirt and shorts off. He left her in her bra and panties, but she moved and unclasped her bra. She pulled on the bedding to cover herself, sighed, rolled over and drifted off to sleep.
He wasn’t tired yet, so he wandered downstairs to s
ee if Steven or Erik were still up and about. Not seeing either, he entered the security room. Steven was seated at one of the chairs, typing away on the keyboard.
“Anything new?” Owen asked.
“No and it’s really pissing me off. This asshole didn’t leave any kind of trail. The police reviewed the footage and don’t have any leads. The lack of fingerprints and the fact that the suspect dressed in all black in the middle of the night doesn’t help either. All we know is the person is tall. That really narrows it down.”
Owen ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. “I don’t know what to do besides keep her in the house until the perpetrator is found. Staying here day and night isn’t a life for her. I know she is fine with it short-term, but she’s going to get bored and irritated eventually.”
“You said she doesn’t work, right?” Steven asked.
“No, she quit her job. Her aunt left her money when she passed. Cali doesn’t need to work, but likes to keep busy.”
“Why don’t you bring her to the office a couple of days a week with you? She would get out of here and Erik or I would be with her at all times.”
“That’s not a bad idea,” he said, rubbing his chin. “But what would she do? I doubt she wants to hang by me all day. I’m boring.”
“As much as she likes being with you, yeah, I don’t think so. Does she have a degree in anything? Do you know what she likes to do?”
“She has her MBA in Finance, but I don’t know if she likes doing that kind of work anymore.”
“Cali told Adeline she wants to do something with purpose, not just a boring desk job.”
“Okay, I’ll have to see what I can come up with. I’ll ask her about it too. Maybe she has some ideas. I’m open to anything as long as it makes her happy.”
“Good plan,” Steven said.
“Where’s Erik?” He was curious since he didn’t see him in the house and not in the security room either.
“I sent him home for the night. He’s going to be needed when we go to the lake tomorrow. Figured he should get a good night’s rest.”
“That was a good idea. Is he married?” Owen asked.
“No. He doesn’t have any kids either. That’s why this job fits him so well. He can work any hours needed without worrying about other obligations. When he is on protection detail he takes it very seriously.”
He did notice how Erik always looked ready for anything. He rarely let his guard down. Even when talking to him and joking around, he seemed to never completely let loose.
“I like him. I know Cali feels comfortable with him too, which is important,” Owen said.
Standing, he clasped Steven on the shoulder, telling him to go get some sleep. Steven grunted and brushed him off making Owen smile. He knew that man as well as his own mother. He wouldn’t rest until the person trying to harm Cali was caught.
He stopped in the kitchen to grab a bottle of water for her before heading upstairs. Adeline was sitting at the kitchen table flipping through a magazine.
“Why are you still up?” he asked.
Adeline looked up at him and smiled a warm, motherly smile. “Oh you know me. I don’t always sleep well when Steven’s not in bed. He said he was going to look through a few things for a bit, so I figured why not tag along. Brought some of my trashy magazines to look at.” She lifted one to show him the cover.
It had a picture of one of the reality television stars on it, but their body looked like it didn’t fit their head. Whoever created the cover did a bad job, he thought. The person whose body it was had their arm around some random guy making it look like the woman was cheating on her husband. Laughing he thought, Like she would be that stupid to go out in public with another guy and pose for a picture.
Pointing to the magazine, he asked, “You know that’s not real, right?”
“Of course I know it’s not real. Why do you think I read it? This is all trashy, fake stuff, but it’s entertaining as hell.”
“Okay, whatever makes you happy.” He leaned in to kiss her cheek. “Night.”
“Owen, before you go.” He stopped and looked at her. She had a gentle soul. Always thinking of others and knew that was one of the qualities Steven loved in her. He thought they were a perfect match. One balancing the other.
“Cali’s a good person. I know you care for her, but she’s a little scared. I think she’s worried about keeping her independence with you. She still wants to be her own person, not someone who sits around all day waiting for her man to come home.”
“I know. I feel bad keeping her home. Steven and I were discussing the situation a few minutes ago. I’m going to talk to her about it this weekend.”
“Good, because Owen, that girl is crazy about you. I can see it when she speaks of you and how you two are when you’re together. And you,” she said, smirking and shaking her head. “Well, you have it bad. It’s such a wonderful thing to see. She’s the one, isn’t she?”
“Always has been.”
“Night, dear.” Adeline squeezed his hand as he walked by.
“Night. Don’t stay up too late. I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be a long day.”
She nodded and went back to reading the magazine. Adeline was coming along for support and to help Cali with anything she may need.
Once he reached the bedroom door, he very slowly pushed it forward. The moonlight coming in through blinds on the bay windows was shining directly onto the bed. Cali was on her side with her arm tucked under the pillow. Her bottom leg was covered with a sheet, but the other leg was on top, uncovered and bare.
He could see the curve of her hips and the contour of her leg. She was stunning even when asleep. He pulled off all of his clothes, brushed his teeth and crawled into bed behind her. She didn’t fully wake, but pushed against him and clutched his hand that had found her smooth stomach.
On a whisper he said, “I love you, Cali.”
Her only response was a slight mumble. He knew she was asleep and didn’t really hear him, but he would tell her every day. Owen didn’t want a day to go by where she doubted his feelings. She was his happily ever after. He only hoped he was hers too.
~ 15 ~
The sunlight warming Cali’s face woke her Saturday morning. She stretched and reached over to Owen only to find him absent from the bed. Her eyes searched the room for him. The bathroom door was open slightly and she could hear the faint sound of the shower running. They were driving to the lake and she was hoping she would be able to save some of her belongings.
She swung her legs so they were hanging off of the bed. A nervousness was building in her stomach. She knew Steven and Erik were going to watch for anything, but all she really needed was Owen by her side. His care and support was what she craved.
Pushing herself off of the bed, she walked into the bathroom. The steam from the shower fogged the mirror. She used a towel to wipe some of the steam away.
Owen must have heard her come in. “How did you sleep?”
“Really good, but I don’t remember getting into bed. The last thing I can think of was being in your car.” She grabbed her toothbrush, putting some toothpaste on the bristles.
“Yeah, you were sound asleep when we got home. I carried you upstairs.”
With a mouthful of toothpaste, she asked, “You did?”
He chuckled a little. “Yeah, why does that surprise you?”
“I don’t know. All of the movement should have woken me up.”
“You did wake, but only for a second. And I have ninja skills. When I move, it’s catlike.”
Now it was Cali’s turn to laugh. “All right, whatever you say.”
He shut the shower off, grabbing the towel on the shower door. He opened the door and strode out naked. He used the towel to dry off his hair. She had to mentally tell herself not to stare. She had seen him naked plenty of times, but never tire of it. Especially now, with the water running over his muscular chest, to his abs and the V that formed between his hips.
/> Owen cleared his throat, snapping her out of the haze. “You better stop looking at me like that.” Her eyes finally moved to his face and she noticed the lopsided smile he was wearing.
“You’re right. I want you in the worst way, but I want this day over with more.”
He walked to her, putting his large hands on either side of her face. He placed a sweet, gentle kiss on her lips before she leaned her cheek against his warm chest.
He smells so good, she thought. If I snake my tongue out I could lick the little tiny droplet of water from his chest before it makes its way over his nipple. Dammit Cali, get your head straight. Now’s not the time.
“Everything is going to be fine,” he said softly, his hand rubbing her back soothingly.
“I know. I really want to see if some of my things survived. And to think of all of the stuff that was ruined. It’s awful. Rhea had bought those things. Makes me feel like another tiny piece of her is gone.”
Cali never replaced the dishes, furniture, or anything really after her aunt died. She kept the cabin how it always had been. The home by the lake felt warm to her with Rhea’s touches still there and reminded her of good times.
“Hopefully, some things will be okay. I did have all of the damaged items removed. They saved whatever they could, but I don’t think there was much,” he said.
Cali moved her head from his chest and tipped her face toward him. “Thank you for taking care of things. I don’t know if I would have been strong enough to throw all of it away, even if it were damaged.”
He ran his hands up and down her arms, warming her skin. “You’re welcome. We should get moving though. The sooner we’re done, the sooner we can come back and relax.”
Relaxing sounded good to her.
They took two separate vehicles to the lake. The sky decided to open before they left. Taking Owen’s pick-up was no longer an option. Steven and Adeline rode in the Escalade, since the SUV had the most interior room. While Cali, Owen and Erik led the way in her Jeep. She begged Owen to let her drive it. She really missed her trusty Jeep and it felt good to be behind the wheel again.
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