Second Chances

by Nicole Andrews Moore

  “I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Isabella warned, laughing. “It is a tangled mess. This place has been great for my soul, but it has wreaked havoc on my skin, hair, and nails.” She ran his hand over her arms to demonstrate. “I thought I was supposed to come back from vacation looking better that when I left.” She pretended to be upset, but her smile gave her away.

  Gabriel smiled, shrugged, and announced, “That can be arranged.”

  “Oh, and what does that mean?” Isabella challenged.

  “Oh, Bella, give me some time. I will have a splendid surprise for you tomorrow afternoon.” Then he bowed out to make some phone calls, but promised to meet her on the beach as soon as possible.

  Coming down the stairs, Isabella glanced into the study and saw him talking on the phone with his back to her. He whirled around in the chair, smiling, and jokingly shooed her outside. She laid down for a few minutes, then when he still hadn’t joined her, decided to return to the bedroom to collect her book.

  As she passed the study, she found him on the phone with his father. He had the speaker phone on as she rushed up the stairs. She dashed past the room so she wouldn’t be accused of spying, but a snippet of conversation caught her ear and she paused just beyond the doorway.

  “So, Gabriel, how are things going between you two?” His father asked suggestively.

  Gabriel laughed, “Father, I have never gone without sex for so long, nor have I ever been so happy.”

  “You take her to Aruba and still nothing?” His father queried in shock. “Aruba is one of the most romantic places I know!”

  “No, Father,” Gabriel interjected. “I don’t want her body.” Isabella’s heart sunk. “I want her heart and soul as well. I don’t want to rush her. She is worth any wait. And by the time we consummate our relationship, it won’t be sex that I’m having. For the first time, I’ll be making love.” She could hear him sink down in the leather chair and spin around.

  “I just hope you know what you’re doing,” his father countered, “I just hope she’s not using you.” The words stung Isabella to the core. Was that it? If she didn’t put out she was using him. Was this trip supposed to seal the deal? Forgetting about her book, she darted out the door to her waiting blanket. She had to think.

  No, she reasoned, Gabriel wouldn’t think she was using him. His father simply puts ideas into his head. She smiled to herself. And Gabriel shot those ideas down. He really truly cared about her.

  They slept in the ninth day, their last full day on the island, and Isabella already thought about how much she would miss him when she returned to her everyday life. She expected to miss not only seeing him every day, but the closeness of lying with him every night. She woke up sighing.

  “Why the sigh, darling?” Gabriel queried as he kissed her cheek.

  “Just thinking about going home,” Isabella responded as lightly as possible.

  “Don’t you want to go home?” Gabriel looked confused.

  Do I tell him how I really feel, Isabella wondered. Do I open myself up to him like that? She sat up and looked down at him, laying there on his side, staring up at her with concern. She bit at her lip as she pondered the risk, then…, “I’m going to miss you.” The words came out a whisper.

  He smiled slightly then sat up to take her into his arms. “You won’t be able to miss me,” he replied. “We will speak every day that we are apart and spend every weekend together, unless I have to go out of town with my father on business.” He sounded so confident of their future.

  Stunned by the realization that he had a plan in mind, she momentarily forgot what she intended. “No, I mean, miss this,” Isabella struggled to explain.

  “What?” Gabriel cocked his head to one side, but Isabella could see a light dawning over his face. He wanted her to say it. He was forcing her to admit her feelings, to open up.

  Inhaling deeply, she burst, “Laying with you, having you close, touching you, being touched by you, all those things that can’t happen long distance.” Now finished expressing herself, she slumped there shaking, and pink.

  Gabriel beamed and crushed her to him. “Me too,” he said earnestly.

  Impulsively, Isabella pulled back, and made eye contact. Her eyes said to him, brace yourself. And somehow he knew. His face became serious. He took her into his arms and let her lead. She brushed her lips against his at first, coaxing them open then slowly opened her mouth to his. With one hand on the back of his neck, holding him insistently, and the other on his chest, measuring his racing heart, Isabella kissed him with all she had to offer. The kisses were tentative at first, then came with an urgency that frightened her. She pulled her lips away, but leaned against his lips with her forehead, hands still in place.

  His heart continued racing, threatening to burst, when he collapsed back onto the bed, taking her with him. “If that hints at your idea foreplay,” he managed, out of breath, “I’m not sure I am ready for you.” He smiled at her. They laid together, soaking in the sunlight, warming in the glow of what had transpired, until Gabriel glanced at his watch and interrupted their reverie.

  “Oh, darling,” he began lazily, “I almost forgot. I have a surprise for you that begins immediately following lunch. How about we stick close to home today? We could start with an early morning swim?”

  They sped from the bed, rushed into suits, and raced out to the beach. Time passed too quickly. Gabriel had intended to drop Isabella off at her surprise, but his father telephoned about some business as they were about to walk out the door.

  “I’m sorry,” he apologized, “but I have to take this call. I promise I will pick you up, okay?” He leaned over and kissed Isabella lightly on the lips. She nodded, waved, and headed out to the jeep where the driver waited.

  They chatted some as they drove along. At last he said, “You must be pretty special.”

  “Why do you say that?” Isabella asked intrigued.

  “Well,” he began too slowly, “Mr. Gabriel has never brought a woman here.” He paused and Isabella tried not to show her shock. “I used to ask him about that, why he doesn’t bring some lucky lady to spend time with him here. He always said she’d have to be more than lucky. She’d have to be amazing and incredibly special, too. So, see, that’s why I say you must be special.”

  Isabella smiled, then looked out to study the landscape while she mulled over what she had learned.

  To her surprise, when the Jeep stopped they were in front of Cosmos Spa. She walked in, gave her name to the receptionist, and immediately found herself being treated like royalty. She strolled to her changing room to undress and put on a robe and slippers. For her first treatment, she received a manicure and pedicure. The French nails looked wonderful with her tan. Already she felt better. Next, she found herself in a hydrotherapy room, then being exfoliated from head to toe, and left to feel softer than the day she was born. A steam treatment followed, opening the pores of her face, and signaling the beginning of her European facial. The stylist shampooed her hair, gave her a deep conditioning treatment, and cut.

  “We’ll leave the actual hair style and makeup for last,” the woman explained, putting her hair into a turban, “Mr. Charmant has a special treat for you.”

  “Another one?” Isabella asked in awe. She barely recognized herself. What more could she need done?

  They reached a room labeled ‘massage’. As she entered, she found Gabriel lying on a table waiting for her. She rushed over to him, wrapped her arms around him, and murmured, “Thank you.” She punctuated her words with a soft kiss on the lips.

  He smiled and motioned for her to lay down on the table parallel to his. And so the first massage Isabella received in her adult life just so happened to be the one most coveted by women everywhere: the elusive couples massage. They held hands and gazed at each other with undeniable adoration. The candles lent a soft glow and with the scented oils being rubbed into their body, the experience stimulated in every sense.

  The women giving the mass
age obviously believed them to be more intimate than they were, so they weren’t overly cautious about the draping. Several times, Isabella realized that a portion of her buttocks or breasts were exposed. Gabriel noticed, but didn’t stare in such a way that made her want to rush to cover them up. He studied her like one might study the Mona Lisa, or the Venus de Milo, with appreciation, not ogling. So, Isabella laid back and truly enjoyed the experience without being self-conscious.

  Following the massage, Gabriel gave her a kiss and told her he would wait for her in the reception area. Her hairstyle and makeup completed, she headed back to the changing room to get dressed. She thought she had the wrong room at first, as she didn’t recognize any of the clothes or jewelry. Then she glanced at a card lying on top of a Victoria’s Secret box. “Bella.” She opened the card, one of those blank ones with a beautiful beach scene on the front. Inside he wrote:

  Bella, I just wanted us to have a wonderful last night together. Please

  don’t feel that I expect anything from this. I just want to make you as

  happy as you have made me. Yours, Gabriel

  Isabella stood momentarily stunned, but dressed quickly. The sea green sun dress fit perfectly. It looked even better upon being accented by black strappy heels, and matching onyx necklace, earrings, anklet, and bracelet. She felt like a princess. Shyly, she walked from the room to meet Gabriel at the front desk. They were the last clients in the place, and Isabella realized that the day spa had stayed open late, just for them.

  She thanked them all profusely then walked over to where Gabriel eagerly awaited her entrance. He stood there, staring at her expectantly. He wanted desperately to touch her, but she looked so…perfect, so utterly unattainable. For a moment he simply wondered how he could be so blessed as to have her in his life. Silently, he vowed to treat her as precious as she was. He inhaled a deep, steadying breath.

  Tentatively, Isabella stepped toward him. She could see him staring at her intensely. What was it she saw there? She cocked her head to the side. His eyes spoke of deep feelings, feelings she already fought against. She shivered slightly, knowing that she was entirely too close to him already, too used to his presence and attention. Fighting the panic that threatened to surface, she strode towards him, her gait more self-assured than she truly was. She offered him her hands and waited, a soft smile playing on her lips.

  Suddenly shy, he rose to kiss her on the cheek, looking as though he feared marring her. She pulled his head toward her and whispered into his ear, “I’m yours too, you know?” He pulled away, nodding, eyes sparkling. If Isabella didn’t know better, she’d have thought he might actually be fighting back tears.

  They dined at Papiamente Restaurant, where their meals were cooked on stones before them. And as the meal wound down, Gabriel queried, “Would you like to go dancing?”

  “No,” Isabella responded so resolutely that he seemed taken aback. She smiled.

  “A boat ride then?” He asked, determined to make their last night memorable.

  Smiling shyly, she shook her head again.

  “Go for a drive?” He asked though he thought he might be getting the idea now.

  Shaking her head again, Isabella revealed her heart‘s desire. “I want a quiet night, just the two of us, since goodness knows when we’ll have one of those again.”

  Gabriel agreed whole-heartedly, so following the meal they headed for the beach house. They began to walk under the stars as they always did. Tonight, Isabella carefully removed the jewelry and placed it into her handbag before she paused and asked, “Midnight swim?” He nodded and headed towards the verandah to get changed. He turned back when discovered he was alone.

  Isabella stood amid a pile of clothing with her too small hands working desperately to cover her ample breasts. Gabriel’s jaw dropped. Then he, too, rushed to undress and follow her into the water.

  No moon shone upon them on this night; otherwise Isabella might not have had the courage to do what she did. She swam around playfully, trying not to get too close to him. She remained unsure of whether or not either of them had the will power to stop after the romantic day they had together. It began with their first kiss, continued with their massage, and now seemed to be culminating with skinny dipping. Isabella giggled to herself.

  Gabriel reached out to her, longing to touch her silky skin, but she slipped beneath the water and glided away. Still, his hand grazed her side, then her back, then flowed over her buttocks, and on down her thigh. He shivered at the contact. He could have stopped her. He could have reached out with both hands and grabbed a wrist, or foot, or something. But instead, his hand had slid down her slick, wet body, just like he was swimming with a dolphin. And though he couldn’t bring himself to capture her, he knew she had already captured a part of him that he thought long dormant. Somehow, without even trying, without games or trickery or a hint of the usual female deception, his Bella had captured his heart.

  Without speaking, they seemed to understand that this night would not involve the balcony. Isabella hummed happily to herself in the bathroom as she brushed out her long silky locks. While she groomed, she had considered how far she was willing to take their relationship. She felt powerful, knowing that Gabriel gave her full control over the direction and speed they traveled. Sighing, she admitted some truths to herself. Naturally, she was attracted to him. He had the looks and physique of a Greek god and the manners of a chivalrous knight. Since she had known him, he had remained attentive and devoted. Though she hadn’t allowed a physical relationship, he hadn’t expressed an ounce of frustration or dismay. If he had a flaw, she had yet to find it. Of course, all she could think about were her flaws. Swallowing, she turned off the light and exited the bathroom wearing only the floral bathrobe. By candlelight, and upon seeing Gabriel’s exposed thigh, which had been slung carelessly over the sheet, she could tell that he lay in bed naked again tonight. The last few nights he had been sleeping in the nude. He never acted as though it were anything other than completely natural.

  She stood before him at the end of the bed, nervously wondering if she made the right decision. He smiled, seeing the robe and remembering the last time she wore it. She untied it, letting it fall open, slide down her shoulders, and slip noiselessly to the floor in a floral silk heap. He inhaled sharply. She knew that the light flickered across her body seductively, and she wanted to ensure he understood her intentions.

  “I don’t want to give you the wrong idea,” she murmured, crossing the floor to sit against his side on the bed. He moved over hurriedly to make room without taking his eyes off her face. She could see him aching to touch her, but fearing her reaction. His hands were hanging mid-air. His mouth opened slightly as though trying to think of something to say. Ignoring this, she pulled the sheets back, so that she could climb in. She laid parallel to him, shielding her breasts with an arm. She must have his complete attention while she finished what she had to say.

  “I’m not ready yet, but I want to get closer. I want you to get to know me, know my body. I want to get comfortable with us naked and alone together.” She bent her head slightly so as not to look him directly in the eye while she awaited his response.

  He lifted her head, forcing the eye contact she dreaded. “I can live with that,” he whispered, as his lips closed the gap to hers. Again they kissed, softly, then more passionately. He opened his arms to welcome her, and they lay there skin to skin. The fan whirred over their heads. The ocean crashed against the sand outside the balcony doors. And for the first time in a long time, all was right in Isabella’s world. And in that moment, without a care in the world, she easily drifted off to sleep.

  For a second time since they had begun sharing a bed, Isabella awakened alone. She wasn’t at all worried this time. In fact, the moment she glanced around and saw the trail of white rose petals leading out of the bedroom, she bounded out of bed in anticipation.

  Today they were returning home, and Isabella had mixed feelings about it. She loved her tim
e in Aruba, time spent with Gabriel. She had never felt so free, so alive. And yet at the same time, she had missed her kids so much that she could hardly express it. Being away from them had left a constant ache in her heart that only seemed to intensify after speaking with them each night.

  Usually, little Kyle would ask when she was coming home, and didn’t she miss them? And Rebecca was quick to criticize Jack. She seemed to tally a list of his wrong doings. “Daddy doesn’t give us a bath every night like you do, Mommy.” Or, “He let us watch a scary movie.” It was in moments such as these that Isabella felt she couldn’t get home quickly enough.

  So, now, hours from departure, she prepared to follow an endless trail of white rose petals to goodness knows where, and found herself giggling like a school girl. Isabella rushed to the end of the bed, where the silk robe that she had so hastily discarded on the floor the previous night remained untouched. She paused for a moment to pull her mass of shoulder length honey brown hair into a messy bun. Then, she meandered down the stairs, following the fragrant petals out to the verandah where Gabriel, wearing his own robe, patiently waited.