by Avery Duran
Kate’s mother said softly, “She keeps to a very firm schedule. If Gideon hadn’t agreed to walk the cat, I would have had a much more difficult time getting Kate to the doctor. He is a special man.”
I smiled at both of them. “I’m starting to see that.”
Hershey interrupted, “Sorry for my rude brother. I’m Hershey Thornton, and this is Reese.” He extended his hand to her.
She replied, “I’m Diana Trent, and you’ve already met Kate and Mr. Kitty.” She shook both of our hands.
I just had to know. “Do you mind if I ask you something?
She crossed her arms over her chest but smiled widely. “Yup, but I can’t promise to answer.”
“Was Gideon’s brother Kate’s father?”
She shifted her eyes quizzically from Hershey to me and back again. “He didn’t mention it to you?”
I shifted uncomfortably. “We didn’t talk much about him.” Hershey smothered a laugh and I bumped him with my shoulder. “What I meant was, we talked business mostly.”
Hershey whispered quietly, “Risky business you mean.” This time I stepped on his toe.
Diana started laughing. “This is all so familiar!”
“What do you mean?” I queried.
“My husband was Gideon’s twin brother. His identical twin.”
My stomach dropped, and I felt Hershey tense beside me. The loss Gideon had suffered was unimaginable. No wonder he understood me so well.
While I struggled to assimilate this new information, Hershey gave his condolences to Diana. I got my head out of my ass long enough to do the same.
“Mom,” Kate interjected, “Mr. Kitty wants to go home.”
We all said our good-byes. “It was nice to meet you, Diana.”
She took my gloved hand in both of hers, holding it firmly. “I hope we will meet again.” She gave us one last glance and walked away with her daughter.
Hershey grabbed me and hugged me tightly. “I love you, big brother.”
I clung to him, the yin to my yang. “I love you too, little brother.”
Fate truly works in mysterious ways. The walk definitely cleared my head; I knew exactly what I had to do. As I separated from my brother, I began making plans for Valentine’s Day.
TWO DAYS LATER, ON FEBRUARY fourteenth, I showed up at Gideon’s office. Dressed in black jeans and a blue V-neck shirt, toting a huge basket of chocolates and a bouquet of flowers, I greeted his receptionist, Nancy.
She giggled as she gathered her belongings. “You know where to find him; he has no more appointments for the day. I’ll lock up on my way out.”
I handed her the flowers and kissed her cheek. “These are for you. Thank you for your help.”
“No,” she replied. “Thank you. He’s been a real bear the past few days. I think you’re exactly what he needs.” Her face grew serious. “Be warned—if you hurt him, I know where you work and you don’t want to piss me off.” I shook my head and she kissed my cheek. “Okay, good luck!”
I drew in a breath and headed for Gideon’s office. I knocked on the door. “Come in, Nancy,” he called. I walked in and closed the door behind me. He jumped up. “Reese, what are you doing here? Did we have an appointment?”
I handed him the chocolates. “I wanted to give you these.”
“You came to deliver candy?” He placed them on the desk.
“No, I came to apologize. The candy is a bribe.”
“I should apologize—I was unprofessional, and I made you feel uncomfortable. I assure you, I have never done anything like that before, and I feel awful.”
I tensed. “You feel awful about kissing me?”
“I feel awful about letting things get out of control.”
I stepped closer to him. “Hey, I started it and it was what I wanted. Trust me, I know how to say, ‘No.’ ” I put my hand on his arm. “I need to explain something to you. I get a little snarky when I’m nervous. I tend to run off at the mouth and get obnoxious. I don’t care if you have a cat that you walk in a stroller—”
“But I don’t—”
“I know; I met Kate and Diana. But that’s not the point—it wouldn’t matter if you did. I just found you so attractive, the smart part of my brain went on vacation and the asshole part took over. I’m not always like that, I promise. Will you have dinner with me? I’ve made arrangements for somewhere where we can talk, and hopefully I won’t make a fool of myself this time. Nancy is gone; she locked up, and your schedule is cleared. The rest of the evening is ours—I mean, if you want it.…” I started to chew on my lip again.
“You arranged all that for me?” he asked.
I nodded my head.
He put his hands on my face and scrutinized me with those laser beam eyes; it was as if he could see right through me. “Apology accepted.” Then he kissed me. Oh, how he kissed me. His fingers trembled against my cheek while his soft lips teased mine apart. I had never felt such an intense connection to someone; I didn’t want it to end. He ran his hands under my shirt and pushed it up over my head. I whimpered as his lips left mine for the moment it took him to start removing my clothing.
His mouth returned quickly, and he ran tiny kisses to my ear and down my neck—licking and nuzzling, leaving a trail of heat behind. My body was on fire, and only Gideon’s grounding presence kept me from burning up. I needed more of his skin against mine. “Please,” I begged.
“Please what?” he asked, and he flicked my nipple with his nail.
I shuddered in his arms. “Your shirt.” I hissed when he tormented the other nub. “I want you to take it off.”
He lowered himself onto the chair, pulling me on top of him. I climbed onto his lap, my knees resting on either side of his hips. My hands gripped his shoulders through the soft cotton of his white dress shirt. “Remove my tie,” he demanded.
Running my fingers under his collar, I loosened the tie as he flicked the small shirt buttons open to expose his chest. I unfurled the Windsor knot and slid the silken ends apart, leaving them dangling. My fingers gently stroked the trimmed hair covering his broad pecs, my pinky brushing against a taut copper nipple.
He ran his hands up my spine and brought us closer. Soon our chests touched, skin-to-skin, and my cock was so hard it was painful. I reached between us and unbuttoned my jeans. Like a magnet that couldn’t resist the attraction, my mouth kept returning to his. He ran his hands below my waistband, down my ass, skimming his finger through my crease. “Off,” he grunted.
I dug my nails into his broad back and nipped his shoulder. His blond hair hung loose in his face, thoroughly destroyed by my fingers. Pulling away from him, I rose to kick off my shoes. I slid my pants and briefs off in one move. He gazed at my flushed cock and licked his lips.
As he reached for my hips, I moved away, dropped to my knees, and mouthed his nipples. His entire body tensed as I nibbled and sucked on them. He put his hand to the back of my head to hold me closer while he whimpered and trembled beneath me. Gideon mumbled my name and cursed as he started to come apart.
With a groan, he pushed me away and rose; together we started to remove the rest of his clothing. As I pulled off his boxers, I saw a perfect droplet of pre-come on the tip of his dick. I couldn’t resist sticking out my tongue for a taste. He grabbed on to my hair before I could move away and regarded me, tilting his head as if asking for permission. I gave a small nod. The corner of his mouth tilted up slightly, and he flicked his eyes between my lips and his dick. “Suck me. Now.”
I eagerly complied. He jerked as my lips surrounded him. He felt amazing in my mouth—hard and smooth. I slid the length of his cock against my tongue and took him all the way in until the flared head of his dick hit the back of my throat. I held onto his hips as I laved and sucked on his shaft.
He ran his hands through my hair and I heard him moaning above me. “I’m gonna, oh God, please—I can’t—I—Reese—” He repeated my name over and over. I felt his balls tighten up and I knew he was close. I reached u
p with my hand to pinch his nipple, hard, and his tangy essence flowed down my throat. I swallowed every drop he gave me.
I rested my head against his hip, his body quivering as he caught his breath. After a moment, Gideon reached out his hands to help me stand, traced my lips with his tongue, and licked his way into my mouth. He lifted me up in his arms and pulled me even closer, so there was not an inch of space left between us. I was completely surrounded by him, his hard body rubbing against mine, his strong arms holding me close, and the taste of his come in my mouth. Without a hand to my dick, I shot all over him. As I shuddered in his grip, he held me securely and carried me over to the couch—tucked in a corner among bookshelves filled with leather-bound tomes. He gently caressed me and murmured sweet words in my ear as I came back to earth. I had never felt more cherished.
“I have a shower here; would you like to take one?” he asked.
“Together?” I wondered.
“That’s the plan. I have no intention of letting you go anytime soon.”
That made two of us.
The walk to the bathroom was a slow one, filled with gentle touches and sweet kisses. It was a small room, tiled in shades of almond and trimmed in brown. A corner cabinet held supplies. Gideon opened it to get two brown bath towels and a washcloth. We stood nude on the shower mat, my back against Gideon’s chest as he adjusted the taps so the water would be the correct temperature.
The stall was tiny—just barely big enough for the two of us to share. I savored the sensations surrounding me: his damp hair between my fingers, the soapy washcloth he slid over my skin, the warm water gently raining over us, protecting us from the rest of the world. We didn’t speak; words were not necessary.
Gideon stepped out onto the mat and grabbed the towels, handing me one. I stood in the shower, with him just outside the stall, and we kissed languidly, bodies still damp, unused towels clutched in our hands until I started to shiver.
“Let’s get you dry and go get something to eat.”
I put my clothes back on. Gideon rummaged through a closet, changing into perfectly pressed khakis and a black ribbed sweater with a small zipper near the collar. It hugged all of his muscles in just the right way. Enchanted by the view in front of me, it took Gideon repeating my name for me to realize he was calling me. “I guess you like this,” he said with a grin.
Blushing, I gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek. “Yeah, I kinda do.”
Mesmerized by the sight of his lush lips pulling into a wicked grin, I was completely blindsided when he grabbed my arms and bent them behind my back, his strong hands holding them in place. Standing so close to him, I could feel his chest expanding with each breath. Gideon leaned down and whispered in my ear, “Only kinda?”
I actually did get chills. I swallowed to moisten my suddenly dry mouth. “More than kinda—a lot more,” I confessed.
It started in his eyes, the glacial blue melting into the warm turquoise of the Caribbean. Like a mask being pulled off, Gideon’s entire face transformed from cool to blazing hot, until a man with an open expression, glowing cheeks, and a beaming smile was revealed. “I will follow your lead for dinner since you seem to have a plan, but what happens afterward…now, that’s on me. Understand?”
All the blood rushed from my brain to my cock; it took me a moment to respond. He tightened his grip on my hands. “Are we clear?”
I managed to stammer out a response. “C-crystal.”
He let go of my arms and stepped away from me, his voice totally steady—as if he hadn’t just wrecked me. “What are we doing?”
I licked my lips and shook my head to get back in the game. “Dinner.”
“Where?”
“Steakhouse by the Seashore.”
“That’s my favorite restaurant. How did you know?” He seemed utterly astounded anyone would take the time to woo him. This man, who did so much to help those he cared for, deserved to be a little spoiled.
“I asked.” I shrugged my shoulders, trying to minimize the effort I’d gone to. He would soon see just how hard I’d worked to give him a special Valentine’s Day.
“I’ll drive.” He rested his hand on the small of my back and led me out, stopping to turn off the lights and lock up as we left. We took the elevator down to the garage, laughing and joking the whole way.
As we exited into the underground lot, I knew the dark Jaguar had to be his, and I was not disappointed. The leather seat felt amazing against my ass, and the engine purred as we moved through the narrow Brooklyn streets.
“You mentioned you met Kate and Diana. How did that happen?”
“Hershey and I were walking in the park and Kate bumped into us with the stroller. She has your eyes.”
He shook his head. “She has my brother’s eyes.”
“I’m so sorry Gideon; I can’t imagine that loss.”
“Diana told you.”
“I asked. I saw the stroller and Kate’s eyes and I thought…”
That made him laugh out loud. “That she was mine? No, she’s Gage’s. I’m here for her always, of course.”
“Of course.” There was so much I wanted to ask, but I didn’t want to ruin the night.
“I can hear you thinking, so ask your questions.”
“How long has it been?”
“He was hit by a drunk driver two years ago. You, more than anyone, can understand the loss. That’s how I get what you feel.”
I leaned over and rested my hand on this thigh.
“People tried to pigeonhole us for years, and we went along with it more than we should have. Once Kate was born, things changed. He became what she needed, not what was expected. It freed both of us.”
The streetlights sent shadows through the car as we drove. “Will it bother you, seeing me and Hershey?”
“Bother? No. I’ll always miss Gage. Part of my soul was ripped out. But I still feel him with me, and I promised to watch over Kate and Diana, so that’s what I’ll do.” He honked his horn at another driver who’d cut him off. “Are we done with the sad? I’ll talk about whatever you want, but I’d rather think about the lobster you’re buying me for dinner.”
“Lobster, huh? I guess you’re living high on the hog tonight.”
“Hell, yeah!”
Thankfully the restaurant had valet parking, so we didn’t have to worry about what to do with the car. Due to the holiday, the place was packed, but since the owner was a friend, I was able to get a private table in the back. Gideon clasped my hand from the moment we walked in until I took my seat. In fact, the entire meal, I knew I held his undivided attention.
He put his fork down after we finished dessert and pushed away his empty plate. “That was delicious. How did you get a double-chocolate cake shaped like a G?”
I shrugged. “It pays to have friends in the business.” I’d special ordered a chocolate cake with chocolate filling, topped with chocolate ganache. The fluffy cake, creamy frosting, and rich fudge were the perfect end to our dinner and ideal for the handsome chocoholic sitting across from me.
His eyes glowed in the candlelight. “Are you sure you won’t let me pay?” he asked again.
“This was my gift to you. I wanted to apologize. I know I can be an ass—”
Gideon held his thumb and forefinger about half an inch apart. “Just a wee bit.”
I kicked him under the table. “I’m sorry. I know I didn’t give you a chance to explain yourself, and I might have jumped to a few conclusions.”
Gideon pulled his lips together, clearly trying not to interject again.
“I want a do-over,” I said simply. “I want to try again. For more. With you. Can we do that?”
His beautiful blue eyes locked on mine, filled with happiness and no small amount of wonder. “Yes, we can do that. Absolutely.”
One Year Later
I COULDN’T BELIEVE THE CHANGES the past year had brought. Life with Gideon had been amazing in so many ways. He knew how to stop me from putting my foot in my mouth…mo
st of the time, and I knew how to get him to loosen up. Our families had grown close—my mother and grandmother adore spending time with Kate and she has opened up to them.
Gideon understood my need to live near the store, so he sold his condo and moved in with me. As a compromise, we bought a weekend house in the Hamptons. It’s only a few hours away, but when my family becomes overwhelming, it is the perfect escape. Hershey and I worked out alternating weekends off so I could spend time alone with Gideon.
I agonized over finding the perfect Valentine’s gift for Gideon. I was pretty much at the end of my rope when I found him. The Humane Society was at the mall holding an adoption drive. One particular cat drew me in; he was all white with a unique heart-shaped marking on his back. The heart was such a deep orange, it appeared red. He was unusually friendly for a cat—when I picked him up, he went right to me and nuzzled into my hair. I even got an Eskimo kiss, with an added tickle from his whiskers. The moment I saw his name, I knew he was meant to be ours.
I texted Gideon and asked him to meet me at the park, where I’d first spotted him pushing a cat in a stroller. As I watched him approach, I couldn’t help but admire my handsome boyfriend. He gave me a tender smile and a kiss. “Why do you have Mr. Kitty?”
“It’s not Mr. Kitty.”
He raised his eyebrows and peered closely into the cat stroller I’d hurriedly borrowed from Kate. “Whose cat is this?”
I gave him a quick kiss. “Happy Valentine’s Day and happy anniversary, babe!”
“We got a cat?”
I handed him the card from the shelter. “Check out what his name is.” I rubbed my hands together excitedly.
He read the paper, laughed, and wrapped me tightly in his arms. “This is definitely our cat.” He gazed at the furry face staring back at him. “Welcome to our family, Cupid!”
THE END
Author’s Note:
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this book. I hope you enjoyed it! If you did so, and would like to take the time to leave a review, it would be very much appreciated!
