“A few things, Ma’am.”
“I don’t think I ordered anything from Carrington’s. Can you tell me who the delivery is from?”
“Ma’am, it’s from Mr. Andrew Carrington. Can you sign this?”
She held out her tablet and passed me a silver stylus that was attached to the top.
“Sure,” she answered. “So what is the delivery, exactly?”
“We’ll bring the items inside for you. Is that all right, ma’am?”
“Yes, of course.”
Abby opened the front door, and the two walked back to the black van parked in one of the visitor spots. It didn’t dawn on her they were going to bring back seven or eight rolling racks, with what she guessed was probably a couple hundred pieces of clothing. She thought that was it, but was wrong. The man went back to the van and returned with two large leather trunks.
“Is all of this for me?”
“Yes, Ma’am,” Marie answered. “Mr. Carrington wasn’t sure of your size, so we have a few more racks of the same items in the van. If you have an hour or two, we can do most of the fittings here at your place.”
“Sure. So what are in those?” Abby asked as Dirk wheeled another two chests inside.
“Shoes and accessories to go with the clothes, ma’am.”
By the time they brought everything into the living room, there was barely any space to move around. Marie offered to help her with the fitting, while Dirk prepared the pieces with their shoe and accessory options. They used her bedroom as a fitting room, and Dirk cleared off a rack so it could hold each change of clothes outside her bedroom door. The two had no problem making themselves comfortable around her apartment, and had even moved the sofa off to one side to make room for everything. Abby took the hint, and sat at the dining table to stay out of their way as they prepared.
“Where do you want me to start?”
“Come with me.” Maria held an arm out to point to the bedroom door. Two outfits were laid out on her bed, with several shoe and jewelry options beside each. There were also three bundles hanging on the freed up rack outside her door—the staging area of sorts, with more outfits to try.
Maria must have done this hundreds of times before. She made Abby strip down to her bra and panties, and off they went. Two and a half hours later, Abby had tried on and picked out about a third of the pieces. Marie held on to seven or eight dresses that needed to be altered, and Dirk looked to be in his element all the way through.
Her closet did not have much closet space to begin with, so they left a few racks behind. They also left a completely stocked leather chest, neatly packed with about twenty-four pairs of shoes and boots, as well as scarves, fashion jewelry, and belts. Abby flopped down on her bed when they were gone, smiling as she looked at her new, upgraded get-ups. She was certain she would never need to shop for clothes ever again, given everything that was hanging on those racks for her. From Andrew.
Chapter Four
ABBY locked up and went outside to meet the waiting limousine. Andrew had sent a message earlier. He was stuck in a meeting, and sent his driver to pick her up for dinner. She arrived in front of the hotel where he was staying. Its main floor boasted one of the top steakhouse restaurants in San Francisco. She was looking forward to seeing him more than anything.
The driver helped her out of the limousine. One of the bellmen opened the door for her to enter the hotel. She was not one for lounging in upscale hotels or restaurants, so she did not know what to expect. The lobby area took her breath away. Cathedral ceilings, marble pillars and granite everything welcomed her as she walked in.
She asked one of the men at the bell desk to point her in the direction of the restaurant. He insisted on taking her there so she wouldn’t get lost. Boy, was she glad she said yes. The place was immense. He had told her the restaurant was at the far end of the hotel and offered views of the bay and the Golden Gate Bridge. He was not kidding when he said the far end.
Eventually, he pointed to the doors of the restaurant and wished her a good evening. Checking the time, she saw she was still early. She wondered whether Andrew had already arrived. She was about to text him when she felt his arms snake around her waist and his lips on her neck.
“You look amazing,” he whispered into her ear. His familiar woodsy cologne wafted up her nose. She knew it was him.
“Hi Andrew. Thanks,” she said, turning to face him. He looked so good, she couldn’t subdue her stray thoughts. What she wanted to do was peel off his suit and crisp white shirt. Just looking at him made her feel hot.
“I’ve missed you today,” he said, kissing her forehead.
She put her arms around him. “Me too,” she answered looking up into his eyes.
“Were you waiting for long?” He asked.
“No. I just got here.”
“Great. Let’s go in.”
He held her hand and led her inside. A warm maître d’ greeted them, calling Andrew by his last name before they managed to announce themselves. He led them through a long hallway with floor to ceiling aquarium tanks on both sides. For a moment, she wished they could stop and admire the exotic species of fish teaming in the large tanks, but her feet were already a little sore from all that walking.
They rounded a bend into a dimly lit private dining room. Impressionist paintings lined the mahogany walls on one side, and the other three walls were floor to ceiling windows looking out on a stunning panoramic view of the bay. The maître d’ seated them at the table at the center of the room, and excused himself.
“How was your first day back?” he asked, looking intently at her for a response.
She took in the view briefly, and turned to him. “It was great. I had a nice run this morning. I really needed that after sitting around for so long.”
“Very nice. How did your ankle hold up?”
“Great. It was a little tight at first, but the discomfort passed in no time. After that, I went to campus and caught up with a few classmates for the seminar I missed. I didn’t miss too much at all.”
“Good to hear.” He had a dazzling smile.
“I went home after that. Your staff were at my front door. Those were your staff, right?”
“Technically, yes. They’re employees of the Carrington’s department store closest to where you live. Did you like the things they picked out?”
“They were all gorgeous. I’ve never bought that many clothes at one time. It was really sweet of you, Andrew.”
“My pleasure. Did they all fit?”
“The ones I tried fit really well. I tried some of the shoes too. Loved them all. There wasn’t enough time to check them all out.”
“I’d love to get you to one of the designer shops in LA sometime. They get you fitted, and will custom make exactly what you like.”
“More clothes? Gosh, I’m not sure I’ll ever get around to wearing all the things they brought by today. It feels like so much.”
He reached his arm across the table and took her hand. “I hope you let me spoil you a little more, Abby.”
The waiter arrived and Andrew ordered a bottle of wine before they looked over the menu.
“So what’s good here?” she asked, grateful for the distraction from talk about the clothes. Not that she was uncomfortable about his gesture. She just felt it was too much of a gift. No one had ever done anything like that for her, and now he wanted to get her more things? She felt special, but it was a lot.
“Everything is exceptional on the menu. The head chef is great, and he personally makes sure everything that leaves his kitchen is exactly to order. He may come out at some point tonight.”
“Very nice. What’s your favorite entrée on the menu?”
“Do you like seafood?”
“Yes, I love salmon, shrimp, and lobster. I’m not a big lover of mussels or crab.”
“Very nice. This restaurant specializes in steak, as the name suggests. You’d be surprised, their best menu items are the seafood dishes. I’m sure you’v
e noticed that as we’re in North Beach, many of these restaurants have a strong Italian influence as well. The food in this restaurant is very much a fusion of what’s available in the area. I can never seem to re-create the flavors when I’m at the cottage.”
“Sounds tasty. What do you recommend?”
“Hmmm. Definitely their insalata caprese to start.” He read from the menu. “It’s got fresh mozzarella over slices of a vine-ripened tomato, served with fresh basil leaves, and drizzled with their own blend of balsamic vinaigrette. Topped off with fresh ground pepperoni.”
“I’d love to try that.”
“Good. I’ll have it too. For the entrée, if you’re interested in experimenting, they have blackened swordfish. It has a wild rice medley and seasonal vegetables. I think you’ll enjoy it.”
“Sure. I’ve never tried swordfish.”
“Well some people say it tastes like a light pork chop. Others say it’s like medium rare steak. It’s worth a try.”
“Kind of like skydiving, but not as dangerous,” Abby joked.
He looked up from the menu and smiled. “Yes, exactly like that. Have you been?”
The waiter came back with the wine before Abby could answer. Andrew inspected the bottle and handed it back to the waiter. He opened it, poured a small amount into one glass, which he passed to Andrew. Andrew gave him the nod of approval after he sniffed and sampled it. Only then did the waiter fill both our glasses. Andrew gave him their food orders, and the waiter nodded and left.
“So, have you been up?”
“Skydiving? No. Why, have you done it?”
“A few times. It’s exhilarating. Not as dangerous as base jumping, though. I had a brief brush with risky pastimes in my late teens.”
“I would have loved to see that.”
He reached his hand across the table and held hers, looking at her so intently, her breath caught. “What else would you like to try, Abby?”
“Hmmm.” She looked away as she took in a breath, trying to think clearly. “Maybe hang-gliding over Indonesia. Back when I was growing up on the farm in Sparks, I’d see all these hang-gliders pass overhead. There must have been a school nearby or something. It was lovely to watch. It seemed so freeing. I told my parents I wanted to try it. My mom…she was still alive back then…she was pretty open. Not my dad, though. He said he didn’t have enough children, as I’m an only child and all. He’s always been more protective of me, especially after mom passed. Now that I’ve made it to twenty-three, I’d be open to trying it out.”
“Sounds like fun. Why Indonesia?”
“Mostly to see the Borobudur temple…and the beaches…oh, and Komodo dragons. I guess I’ve had a fascination with the place for a long time. All the pictures seem like they’re not of this world, you know?”
“Yes. I think I know what you mean.”
“I’m kind of embarrassed about this, but I’ve never left the United States. Actually, I’ve only seen California and Nevada, and a bit of Arizona, if you count our family trip to Hoover dam and the Grand Canyon when I was five. I don’t think I remember much.”
“Well, you’re not in the boat alone. There are a lot of Americans who haven’t been outside the country.”
“What about you?”
“Me? I have seen pretty much all corners of the world during my base jumping days, but you know what?”
“What’s that?”
“I won’t deny, there are so many parts of the world that are beautiful, strange, unique and breathtaking. It really is, but I have my little slice of paradise at the cottage in Lake Tahoe. I wish you could have been there during the summer, the sunsets are stunning. It’s just out of this world.”
“Nice. We’re a ways off from the summer, but I’d love to see that one day.”
“You’re more than welcome. In fact, I was going to ask you—”
The waiter came back to serve their appetizers before Andrew could finish. They continued a casual conversation as they ate, but Abby noticed he didn’t raise his question again. The waiter was soon followed by the head chef, who came to introduce himself when the entrees were served. He chatted briefly with Andrew, and soon, left them to their meals. Everything tasted incredible. After they were finished, the waiter brought two long, rectangular trays. They were tiny samples of all their desserts. Abby’s eyes widened. The little delicacies looked sweet and decadent.
“I hope you don’t mind this sampler, Abby,” Andrew said. “You mentioned you had a sweet tooth last night, so I thought you’d like this.”
“Oh no, not at all. I don’t mind at all. I’ve been craving chocolate and caramel for days.”
The waiter rattled off what was in each miniature tray, glass and bowl. Abby lost track when he pointed out the caramel cheesecake and tiramisu. After he excused himself, she dove in.
She looked up at Andrew when she remembered her manners. He looked mildly entertained. “Sorry, Andrew. I hope you’ll share some of this with me?”
He smiled. “Oh no. That’s all for you.”
“You’re not going to have some?”
“I think I’d like to wait for what’s becoming my favorite dessert.” He winked at her.
Abby smiled. “Come on. Just a bite?”
He stood up, placed his napkin on the table and walked around to her side. “If you insist.” He leaned over and nipped at the side of her neck. “Mmmm. Tasty.”
Abby momentarily forgot about the spread of desserts on the table. She tilted her neck and reached a hand up to his hair. “That feels better than having these yummy little cakes.”
She placed her fork and napkin down, and stood up to press herself into his chest. “I think your idea is better. Can we go now?”
“Yes.” He kissed her forehead. Taking her hand, they left the private room. He nodded at the maître d’, and they left arm in arm.
Chapter Five
ANDREW could barely keep his hands off Abby on the way up to his suite. He kissed her on the elevator, and felt her leg slide up and down his calf as she clung to him. They hurried off when it arrived on his floor, and by the time they were at his door, they were both panting hard with need.
He fumbled with his room key card, more so because her face was nuzzled into his chest, and rather distracting. He managed to open it, but not quickly enough. A well-dressed older couple walked past them as he unlocked the door, and shook their heads in condemnation. He nodded politely, and Abby let out a short nervous giggle as they passed by.
“You don’t know them, do you?”
“No, but they may know my father. It doesn’t matter. Now get in here.”
When they were inside, she pulled him away from the door and stepped back into the adjacent wall. Her body met the wall so quickly, he heard the back of her head hit it and bounce forward.
“Are you all right?” he asked, reaching behind her to cradle her head.
“I’m great. I want you so bad.”
He would have checked it out to make sure—it hit pretty hard—but her lips were already on his. The moment for stopping this wild ride was long past. Her slender arms wrapped and tightened around him, nearly driving the air from his lungs.
“I can’t wait, Andrew. I need you.”
Her voice was like kindling to a small flame. He groaned, and ground his already erect cock into her yielding stomach. Abby writhed at the feel of his hardness and stopped for a moment, looking around as though she had no idea how they had gotten to his suite. They were in his living room now.
“Is everything all right?”
“Perfect,” she answered, furiously undoing his belt and then unzipping his fly. She looked up, smiling seductively at him. “I’m ready for the real dessert.”
“Mmmm,” he moaned, reaching for the back of her dress. He undid her zipper from below the nape of her neck, all the way down to her pelvic bone. “I’ve got a bed in one of the next rooms over there.” He turned his head slightly and motioned with his chin.
Her eyes
pierced his as she pulled her dress off her shoulders. She tugged it down past her hips and took her panties down with it. They crumpled at her feet. She let out a sexy growl, ignoring his idea.
She growled!
Andrew let his eyes graze down her gorgeous body. She unsnapped the back of her bra and let it fall off her shoulders.
“No. Here against the wall. Rough. Dirty. Hot.”
I can’t argue with that logic.
“Okay.”
Andrew was more than willing to take that on. Reaching out, he took her cheeks in his palms, lowering his mouth back down to hers. He sealed his lips to hers, building friction by rubbing them across his own. His hands shifted to the back of her neck again, cradling her head with tenderness, tilting it up and owning her mouth with a kiss for the ages. They both groaned, pressing their bodies closer together.
Her hands dropped back to the sides of his undone waistband and deftly pushed them down until his pants fell to the floor around his shoes. He growled into her mouth as she snaked her hands into his boxers and grasped his cock.
“Christ, Abby.”
Her talented hands pumped him with impatient intensity. It was all he could do, to let his large hands fall to her ass and pick her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist and dug her fingers into his back, gripping on tightly. Clinging desperately on her ass cheeks, he pressed her against the wall this time.
He crouched down slightly, grabbed her ankles with one hand behind his back, held her aloft to work his boxers down his legs. The cool blast of air conditioning on his hot, hard member was a shocking boost to his arousal. It had him ready to let out another growl into her ear.
He maneuvered her back down to his member, and she kissed his neck hungrily. Every touch of her lips made him salivate at the thought of being inside her. Soon, very soon. When he stood back upright, locking her tiny ankles behind his hips again, he claimed her mouth in a searing, passionate kiss, moaning deeply, feeling his body shudder as her own sultry moans echoed back down his throat.
She pulled out of the kiss and tipped her head down to watch as he drove his cock into her warm, wet, hot channel. It was both stimulating and inspiring as his mind entered the next world. No wonder men had written poetry and died over this. She opened softly, like a flower—a morning glory before the rising sun.
Cabin Bear Heat Box Set: A Paranormal Fantasy Bear Shifter Romance (A Bear Shifter Romance Retelling of the Billionaire Redemption Series Book 2) Page 25