It’s fast, it’s hard, and I savor every single pulse, tremor, and moan he coaxes out of me. As good as it feels, I don’t come again. I’m just lost in watching him. He’s drenched in sweat, his expression is the picture of the kind of bliss that you can only find in really fucking amazing sex.
When he finishes and catches his breath, he takes me to the bathroom, kneels between my thighs and wipes away the smear of his cum from them.
Then, he stands up, places a hand on either side of me and pins me in place with his penetrating gaze.
“That article is not your story to tell, I won’t let you publish it.”
Chapter 41
DECIDE
DECIDE
REMI
* * *
Kal’s back straightens. Her eyes register surprise, disappointment and then nothing before she drops them from mine.
“Please move your arms.” She looks down at the hands I’ve cupped on the swirling marble counter.
“Not until you promise me that you won’t,” I say. I know I’m pressing my luck and being heavy-handed. But there’s no way in hell she can do it.
Her eyes fly to mine, the brown is flecked with gold and she’s furious. If looks could strike a man down, I’d be flat on my back.
“I’ve already promised you everything I owe you, Remi.” She delivers these words as a cryptic warning.
“What the fuck does that mean?” I step away from the sink and she hops down.
“You don’t get to forbid me from doing anything. Loving me, being my man, doesn’t mean you own me.”
Her voice is matter of fact. She grabs a towel from the warming rack on the wall and wraps it around her naked body.
“I know I don’t own you. But I own that story.” I follow her out of the bathroom and lean back on the dresser as she starts to get dressed.
“You don’t own that either, Remi,” she says, her raised voice ratchets up the challenge in her words.
“The hell I don’t. I told you half of that in confidence,” I push back.
She sighs deeply, and I can see how exhausted she is. “I would never have published it without your permission. But you have to understand that you don’t own it. None of us do. And even if I don’t, someone is going to tell it.”
“Why didn’t you tell me about it before?”
“When did I have time? When we were falling back in love and I didn’t even remember my own name? Or when your dad showed up? Or when we came back to Houston and you were busy trying to decode your family’s rendition of Hamlet? Or when you found out before I could tell you and wouldn’t let me explain?” she says in a furious whisper.
“Yes, Kal. Any of those times.”
“That’s easy for you to say now. I was going to tell you. You weren’t exactly in a great state of mind when I got to your cottage and honestly, neither was I. And I was trying to kill it.” She snaps the front closure of her bra and then pulls a long-sleeved white T-shirt out of her bag and slips it on.
“You were going to kill it? You fucking wrote it,” I bite back.
“To show you. To maybe convince you that I should tell it. That maybe it would be good for you.” She shakes her head in exasperation and digs around in her bag.
“The way you found it, I understand how angry you are. But you can’t not let me explain, Remi. And you can’t ever handle me like that again. Ever.” She points a finger back at me and then sits down to slip her jeans on.
“Where are you going?”
“The last ten days have been intense. I don’t think we should be making decisions when we’re both so emotional.”
Alarm pings from my head to my chest and back again. I drop down on my haunches so that our eyes are level. Hers are shuttered, and even though she’s sitting right in front of me, she’s never felt farther away.
“What decisions?”
“Any decisions, Remi. Except for the ones that have been made for us, I mean.” She looks so tired. Her eyes are distant and I can feel her slipping away.
“Fine, maybe get some rest and we’ll talk later,” I say cautiously, not sure I want to know where her train of thought is headed.
“I can’t focus on us right now. My daughter is coming and I don’t want any drama around her. She’s had enough of it and I want her to like it here. And I’ve got to figure things out with work. I’ve just got stuff to do. I’m going back to the hotel.” She says stiffly.
Disappointment is a cold knife to my heart. “So… you don’t want me to meet Bianca?” I ask even though I know the answer.
“I don’t know if it’s a good idea. I just need to think.” She avoids my eyes and let her because the distance in them is almost more than I can fucking stand.
The tangle of emotions that are running riot through her have tentacles and they reach out and wrap themselves around me. I feel her regret most keenly, but I also feel her anger.
She’s seething. I glance at her. She’s wrapped her arms around herself and she’s staring straight ahead.
“What can I do?” I ask, and hear the desperation in my voice.
She shakes her head slowly, her shoulder slump.
“Remi. You don’t trust me. There’s a part of me that understands. But, we have to work on that and I think maybe some space will be good for both of us. We’ve been in this pressure cooker for the last two weeks, and I’m fried. Maybe we’ll be fine. Or maybe we’ll realize that this was all too much, too soon. Either way, I think we should take a break.”
Chapter 42
WHITE KNIGHT
REMI
* * *
“I don’t understand how a man like you can be so totally clueless when it comes to women.” Regan shakes her head at me in disgust. We’re lying in a double float in her pool. It’s a warm night and the cicadas are singing for us.
Her huge magnolia trees dangle over the pool and the lights at the bottom of it make me feel like I’m somewhere far away.
I wish I could get far away from how shitty I feel. I don’t know what to do about Kal. She asked for her break, and I’m giving it to her. But, it feels wrong. We’ve spent enough time apart.
I came to stay with Regan for the weekend so I could avoid being out and about in Rivers Wilde. I don’t want to risk running into her.
She left my house and hasn’t been in touch since. I spent all day moping around, and after Regan put her kids to bed at their ridiculously early bedtime, she dragged me outside and into the pool and coaxed the story out of me. I told her everything.
“How is this me being clueless? We were at an impasse. She wanted to write a story about me. I couldn’t let her do that.”
“Why the fuck not? You think you’re The Prince of Persia?” she laughs derisively.
“No, Reg, I don’t want the whole world to know how fucked-up our family is.” I shoot back, annoyed at her nonchalance.
“Remi, there’s nothing to be ashamed of. People are going to figure out that Dad is back. He and Gigi will come up for air and someone will see him. And there’s going to be reporters flocking. Someone will write that story. Why not let someone you trust, someone who loves you, write it?”
“Why didn’t she tell me? I hate that she kept something from me.”
“Oh, for God’s sake. Grow up.” She scoops a handful of water and splashes me with it.
“Fuck you, Reg.”
“People lie. You lie. That woman loves you, dummy. She wouldn’t have hurt you or done anything to betray you. I know Mom fucked us up, but you’re lucky. If a woman is brave enough to love you again after you broke her heart, I promise she’s the one. Give her the benefit of the doubt.”
I groan, my stomach feels like someone dropped a ten-pound weight in it. “Oh, shit. I fucked-up, didn’t I, Reggie?”
“Big time. But now you have a chance to make it up to her.”
“How?”
She kisses her teeth. “You’re lucky you’re pretty, ’cause you’ve got like zero game.”
“Shut up and tell me.”
She flips a lock of hair off her shoulder and turns on her side to face me. “The way I see it, that girl has saved you more than once. You told me you wanted to make her believe in happy endings? Then take a page out of a fairy tale and be the white knight she needs right now. Go give her that story. Tell her you want her to write it. Save her job, make her career. Be her hero.”
When she says it, it all sounds so obvious.
Her phone rings. She looks at it and curls her lip.
“Work?” I ask.
“No, Marcel. It’s about time for his usual check in,” she says irritably.
“Trouble in paradise?”
“I have never lived in paradise, so I wouldn’t know. But trouble, in general, yes.” She flips onto her back and pulls her hat over her face.
I wish I’d been around more in the last year. She’s been lurching from one mini crisis to the next. Work, her husband, her kids, everything is sort of haywire in her life at the moment.
“You want to talk?” I ask after a few moments of silence.
She pulls her hat off her head and looks at me askance. “I can’t believe you’re still here. You should be running over to Kal’s place and practicing your grovel.” She shoos me away with her fingers and covers her face again.
“Are you sure?”
“Remi, I’m floating in a pool on Friday night with my three beautiful children sleeping inside. I’m grand. You go.”
“When I get back, we’re going to spend some time together, sis. We need to talk.” I slip off the raft and wade toward the stairs.
“It’s about time you remembered you have a little sister, Remi.” Her tone is light, but I know I’ve neglected her. Everyone, in the last few months.
“I’m sorry. I know. I love you.” I squeeze her hand.
“I love you, too. Don’t come home until she says yes. I’m ready to see you happy again.”
Chapter 43
CHARMED
KAL
* * *
“Bianca, don’t answer that. I’ll be right there,” I call from the storeroom. First thing I did was to install a doorbell so that we could keep the door locked without missing deliveries.
But Bianca’s opened the door twice when she wasn’t supposed to and even though I scolded her firmly the last time, I know she’ll do it again.
I wipe my hands clean of the dust that settled on them like thin white gloves and rush out. I can’t help but close my eyes and smile as I step into the store. The smell of citrus wood cleaner assails me and I’m more sure than I’ve ever been about anything in my life that I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.
“Mommy’s in the back,” Bianca says just as the small bell over the door jingles.
“Bian—” I stop dead in my tracks when I see Remi stepping through the doors, dressed in a white T-shirt and swim trunks that look like they’re actually wet. He’s wearing running shoes and sweating. In his hand is a wilted bouquet of bluebonnet flowers with clumps of dirt hanging from their still attached roots.
“Hey, Will.”
“Uh, hi.” I untie my apron and run a self-conscious hand over my disheveled hair. “I wasn’t expecting you. How did you know we were here?”
“Henny told me. I was headed to the hotel and I ran into her. So, you’re buying the bookstore?” He rocks back on his heels and looks around.
“Yeah, I went to see Lister.” I say vaguely and hope he gets the hint. I’m not keen on having this conversation in front of Bianca.
“I hope you don’t mind me stopping by,” he says smiling down at Bianca, too.
“Nope, we don’t mind. We’re just cleaning up.” She smiles up at him.
A clump of earth falls from the flowers and lands on my newly polished wood floors.
“Oh, these are for you.” Remi walks over to me, arm extended.
“Thank you.” I take them gingerly inspect the dangling root. “But, I’m not sure the Rivers Wilde landscapers will happy to see you went shopping in their flowerbeds.” I smile grimly at the slightly pathetic, but very pretty bouquet of bluebonnets.
“It was for a good cause.” He sounds nervous and I almost do a double take. I’ve never seen him anything less than very sure.
I’m glad to see him. I was so angry with him just a day ago, but this morning I woke up wishing I hadn’t asked for space. I’m glad one of us has some sense.
I lean forward, my eyebrows raised in mock surprise and whisper so that Bianca can’t hear. “Why, Remi. Have you come to grovel?”
“Absolutely,” he says, his expression completely serious.
I bite my lip to stop my grin and keep my eyes serious. “Stolen weeds are a dubious start…”
“I know. I just wanted to get over here… Will, I’m sorry.” He steps forward and puts a hand to my waist.
I shake my head quickly and step back. “Let me introduce you to my daughter, Bianca.” I nod over his shoulder at her.
He mouths, “Sorry” before he turns around.
Bianca stands all shy with her head of dark brown curls and the glasses she started wearing this year. She looks just like I did at her age. And she’s just as skeptical. She sticks her hand out for Remi.
“Nice to meet you, Mommy’s friend.”
“Bianca, it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, finally.” Remi takes her hand and bows over it like he’s meeting the queen.
She giggles.
My little girl is so like me at that age and never, ever giggles.
But then, she’s never met Remi and he could charm a giggle out of Medusa.
“Nice to meet you, too. Mommy showed me your picture. Said you’re her best friend.”
“Bianca, it’s not nice to repeat private conversations,” I reprimand her.
“I already knew that. And she’s mine.” Remi runs a hand over my daughter’s head and my heart quickens.
“We just had dinner, but there’s some leftover, if you’re hungry,” she says, batting her lashes at him. Oh boy.
My daughter is a firm believer that the path to everyone’s heart is through their stomach.
“I ate already, but maybe we can have breakfast tomorrow? Sweet & Lo’s makes a mean omelet.”
“Can we, Mommy, please?” she asks and I smile stiffly at Remi.
“Of course we can. Now, run upstairs and get me a vase for these flowers.”
She grins at both of us and then darts through to the back. As soon as I hear her feet thundering up the stairs that lead to our living quarters, I speak.
“Way to put me on the spot.” I cross my arms over my chest in disapproval.
“I wasn’t. She invited me to dinner and I didn’t want to completely disappoint her. But, I do want to talk to you.”
He steps toward me and I take a step back and glance over my shoulder to make sure Bianca’s gone.
“Come back later. After she’s asleep, we can talk then.”
“Okay. What’s her bedtime? Ten?” he asks.
“Eight thirty. She’s only nine.” I remind him teasingly.
“Oh, yeah. Of course.” He is nervous and it’s cute.
“Okay. I’ll see you later.” I say when he just stands there.
“Okay.” He nods tersely.
“And, uh…I put the trellis back up. Step up your groveling game. Right now, it’s a little lame,” I joke.
Then reach up on my toes to press a kiss to his lips.
“I love you.”
“I love you, too. I’ll see you tonight.”
Chapter 44
LOVE ME LIKE THAT
REMI
* * *
“The things we do for love,” I mutter to myself before I stick the stem of the rose I bought between my teeth and start to climb the trellis. I’m sure this window was lower to the ground all of those years ago. Thank fuck I work out.
I rap on the window twice before her light comes on and the curtains rustle.
She pulls them back and open
s the window. Her smile is wide. And on the other side of that fucking screen.
“Oh, God, Remi. I was just kidding. Why did you climb up here? I can’t open the screen, remember?”
A deafening rumble of thunder is followed by a clap of lightning that illuminates the sky and nearly gives me a stroke. I can’t speak around the rose I have gripped between my teeth.
Regan’s right. My game is so weak.
“I’ll meet you downstairs,” she says loudly, enunciating her words so her lips move in a comically exaggerated way. I laugh and the rose falls from my mouth.
I let go of the trellis with one hand to try to catch it and lose my footing. The last thing I see are her wide, horrified eyes before I go tumbling to the ground.
I land flat on my back; the wind knocked out of me and I feel a fat drop of rain fall right in the corner of my eye. In what feels like a split second that one raindrop multiplies and with another crack of thunder, turns into a deluge.
The lights come on in the back windows of the bookstore and I plant my hands on the ground to find that it’s already muddy. It’s raining so hard that I don’t see Kal until she’s ten feet in front of me. She’s in tiny boy shorts and a tank top, and she’s not wearing any shoes.
Her mouth is moving as she runs frantically toward me. But, the rain muffles her voice and I yell for her to stop.
“Kal, slow down, it’s muddy.” She keeps running and promptly slips and slides into me with enough force to push me backward into the soggy pit of dirt.
“Remi, oh my God, are you okay?” She straddles me, rain pouring down her face, mud is smeared on her shirt which is plastered to her body.
The peaks of her breasts are hard under her tank top, her boy shorts are thin and I can feel the heat of her cunt on my stomach. She run her hands all over my body, like she’s checking for broken bones and my dick starts getting hard.
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