The Flower Queen (Queen Chronicles)

by Hart, Lena

  Gina whimpered as his tongue passed over her inflamed nipple, and she instinctively clutched at his hair. His teeth grazed over her taut nipple then bit down gently. She gasped then moaned long and deep from the sharp pleasure.

  She pulled his head down for another long, passionate kiss. Gabe took the lead, sliding his tongue against hers as he tugged down her panties. His desire fueled her own and she jerked at his smooth, ivory shirt, wanting to feel his heated skin against hers. He reared up and removed the shirt, revealing his muscular chest and sinewy arms. She loved the way the faint dark hairs peppered his chest and trailed down to his navel.

  He quickly removed the rest of his clothes and came back down to her, moving his lips down her neck and sucking strongly at a tender spot. Gina raked her nails against his bare shoulders, unable to hold back the soft groan that escaped her. Wild, searing desire flowed between her legs as his urgent fingers pulled her thighs apart and spread her wide. She was ready and impatient for him.

  Gabe brought his lips down to hers again, thrusting his tongue into her mouth as he slid a bold finger into her. She gasped at the delicious sensation of being filled and pushed her body up against his teasing hand. Her inner muscles clamped down around his taunting finger as he slid it in and out of her, until she couldn’t stand it any longer.

  “Do you want me inside you?” he asked huskily against her mouth as he gently rubbed her swollen clit.

  Gina jerked her head up and down, unable to speak.

  “Tell me,” he urged.

  “Please,” she whimpered and reached down between their bodies. She grabbed his hard length, wrenching a deep groan from him, and began squeezing and stroking him eagerly. With a loud grunt, Gabe pulled her hand away and swiftly mounted her.

  Lifting her right leg over his shoulder, he reached down and guided himself into her. Gina cried out as he drove in deep. She bit her lower lip as pleasure and pain surged through her. He murmured something but she was focused on the pleasant ache building inside her.

  He began pumping into her fiercely, driving a deep moan from her with every thrust. He pushed into her harder, faster and she gasped as the pulsing ache inside her grew stronger. She ran her hands over his broad shoulders and down his hard chest. His rough breathing and the damp heat radiating from his body excited her.

  Soft, sharp gasps escaped her as he moved with force and power over her. Finally she shattered, her scream of release echoing through the room. In a distant corner of her mind, she vaguely heard his groan of release before he came crashing down into her awaiting arms.

  Chapter Three

  Gabe ran his hand over her lush hips and up to the dip of her waist. Her smooth back pressed softly against his chest and he could feel the small shivers that coursed through her. His own heart still thudded heavily in his chest as they lay in the silent aftermath of their fierce lovemaking.

  He leaned over and placed light kisses on her shoulder and up along the back of her neck. He couldn’t get enough of her. But her shivers intensified until she began to tremble, and he gathered her close.

  “Are you cold?” he whispered into her ear.

  She shook her head but the trembling continued. Gabe frowned. Something was wrong. He turned her on her back and stared down at her in the dim light of the hotel room.

  The tears running down her cheeks alarmed him. She had only cried once after their lovemaking. It had been their first night together, when he’d taken her virginity. And he had hoped to never see her cry in bed again.

  He brushed his thumb across her damp cheek. “Why the tears?”

  She just stared up at him with those beautiful doe eyes of hers. For a moment, he thought she wouldn’t answer him. Finally, she whispered brokenly, “Why didn’t you tell me about your wife?”

  That took him off guard. Of all the things for her to say, he hadn’t expected that. As far as he—and everyone else—was concerned, he hadn’t been married for three years.

  “Who told you that?”

  She tensed beneath him and shot him such a scornful look, he felt like a sleazy bastard. That irritated him.

  “You’re not even going to deny it?” she snapped.

  “I asked you a question,” he reminded her patiently.

  Fire blazed in her dark brown eyes and she tried to rise up, but he used his strength to keep her right where she belonged.

  “Let me up.”

  “No.”

  “I promise,” she said through clenched teeth, “I will scream.”

  He shrugged. “Go for it,” he drawled. “No one will hear you.” Only their more notable guests and select personnel were allowed to stay on the top floor, which made it a very private area. The chances of anyone hearing them were very slim. Besides, the sturdy walls made the rooms virtually soundproof.

  She narrowed her eyes at him. “Don’t test me.”

  He gave her a crooked grin in return. “Go for it. They’ll just think I’m giving you another mind blowing orgasm.”

  The way her eyes flared, he was lucky she didn’t know that she was staying in the suite he often reserved for himself. He could have easily gotten into the room without her but the last thing he wanted was to send her running from him—something that could soon become a reality with the vicious glare she was leveling him with.

  Gabe sighed, losing his lightheartedness. They needed to clear this up so he could get back to holding and kissing her. “Look baby, I—”

  “Don’t call me that,” she snapped. “I’m not your ‘baby’, you lying, cheating son-of-a—”

  Exasperated, Gabe cut her off with a hard kiss on her full lips then he clamped a hand over her mouth.

  Only inches from her face, he began, “I don’t know who filled your head with that lie, but I’m not married. Not technically anyway,” he added. “Meredith and I have been over for a long time now. And once this divorce is final, trust me, you’re going to be mine in every sense of the word.”

  She looked up at him, stunned, and for the first time that night, she didn’t fight him.

  He waited a little before removing his hand from her mouth. She immediately started in on the questions but fortunately for him her boiling anger seemed to have simmered.

  “Why didn’t you tell me this from the beginning? How long have you been separated?” She took a deep breath. “And who sent me that email yesterday?”

  Gabe focused on the last thing she said. “What email?”

  She quickly told him about the email she’d received yesterday from him, including the photo that came attached with it.

  “Show me,” he said curtly, too angry at the thought of his personal information being hacked into to keep the gruffness from his tone. She made no mention of the email he’d sent that morning and despite his annoyance of having his privacy violated, he was slightly relieved. This way he could tell her everything in person. Later.

  Gina scrambled out of the bed and grabbed her laptop. For a moment, he forgot about everything else and admired her beautifully naked body. Her smooth brown skin gleamed in the dim light and her dark curls were wild on her head. Just looking at her got him hard again.

  But when she pulled up the email and photo, he refocused. Then let out a low curse. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Staring back at him was an old photo of him and Meredith, in their happier days. The photo had been digitally enhanced and altered. Whoever had sent this had gone to a lot of effort to make it appear as if the photo was taken a little less than a year ago. And that he had sent it.

  Right now, he was looking, by all accounts, like a happily married man—and all kinds of guilty. No wonder Gina wanted nothing to do with him.

  “Why would she send this if you guys are getting a divorce?”

  Gabe looked up from the screen and the hurt and confusion on her face upset him. Because she wants to make my life hell. “I don’t know,” he muttered. “But believe me, I’m going to find out.”

  The uncertainty on her face bothered him. He reac
hed for her but she quickly drew back, taking him by surprise. She had never pulled away from him before. With a growl, he shoved the laptop aside and grabbed her before she could move. He pulled her onto his lap and held her tightly. She sat rigidly against his chest, silent.

  “I’m going to ask you to have a little more faith in me,” he said gruffly. “That picture was taken years ago. Way before I met you.”

  She remained quiet. But her body lost its rigidity and she relaxed against him. He kissed her lightly on her shoulder then the back of her neck. She shivered.

  “Do you trust me?” he asked.

  She turned to face him and looked at him searchingly. “Yes,” she whispered.

  He nodded, relieved at the conviction on her face. “Good. I promise you, Meredith and I are over. You’re the only girl in my life.”

  She leaned her forehead against his and smiled. “I better be,” she whispered.

  He tightened his arms around her. “You are. Now…can I get a kiss?”

  Her smile slowly widened then she leaned over and gave him the sweetest kiss. Before she could pull away, he brought his hand up behind her head and deepened the kiss.

  Now would have been a good time for him to come clean about everything else but when she looped her arms around his neck, his heart thudded heavily in his chest and he lost his train of thought. The feel of her naked warmth aroused him as nothing else could. He smoothed his hand over her legs, slowly making his way up to the warm juncture between her thighs. She parted her legs ever so slightly and just when he was about to explore her warmth, a muffled beeping came from the floor.

  It was his cell phone trapped in his pants pocket. He groaned.

  “Ignore it,” she whispered, trailing light kisses across his jaw.

  He groaned again. “I can’t.” That phone only rang when there was an emergency.

  “Yeah, you can.” She grabbed his hardened length and caressed him in fevered strokes, placing soft, wet kisses across his face and ear.

  He let out a sharp groan, feeling the familiar tingling in his groin. Whatever it was would have to wait. He grabbed her hand, ending the sweet torment and she let out a naughty laugh.

  He tossed her on her back, settled himself between her soft thighs, and plunged deep into her. He shuddered when he was once again rooted in her snug, heated passage. With a harsh groan, he drove into her with excruciating tenderness, savoring the feel of her around his hot, hard shaft. Her gasps and moans mingled with his rugged breathing and in that moment, he forgot about everything—and everyone—but her.

  Chapter Four

  Gina stretched under the heavy covers, running her hand over the spot where Gabe had slept. The cool sheets beneath her palm said he’d been gone for some time. A pang of disappointment came over her when she realized his hard, warm body wasn’t lying next her. She vaguely remembered his slow, lingering kiss on her lips before he’d left. She’d been too tired to ask questions, but he had promised to be back soon.

  She sighed. He’d have tonight to make it up to her.

  Glancing at the clock, she groaned and fell back against the pillows. It was very early in the morning and though she wanted nothing more than to continue lying in bed, she needed to get up and get ready for her long day of meetings. After a slow stretch, she left the comfort of the bed and realized her body ached in places it hadn’t in a while.

  She smiled as she went on with her morning routine, thinking of her night with Gabe. Yet the more she thought about what he’d told her last night, the harder it was for her to hold on to her happiness.

  Gina ran the flat iron over her curls, distracted by the many questions Gabe had left unanswered. Why hadn’t he told her he was going to be here?

  Though Gabe never really spoke to her about his work or the cities he tended to travel to, he had known she would be in Vegas this week. He had to have known their travel dates would sync up…

  Then she laughed and shook her head, involuntarily jerking her hair on the hot flat iron. She needed to stop being paranoid. Maybe if she had answered one of his calls, he would have told her. He had come to her and asked her to trust him. So she would.

  Gina pushed the sabotaging thoughts aside and finished dressing in a dark gray pencil skirt and silk green, cap-sleeved blouse. She was ready to impress her new clients.

  Since there was still plenty of time before her first meeting, she decided to head to one of the restaurants downstairs for an early breakfast and to get some work done. She wasn’t sure when Gabe would be back, so she went to the desk near the window and wrote him a brief note. As she searched for a notepad, she noticed the beautiful pink lilies placed in a slim vase on the center of the desk. They were hard to miss yet she couldn’t remember seeing them when she’d first entered the room. Then again, her mind had been on overload yesterday afternoon.

  The notecard in front of the vase sent a small jolt of delight through her. Gabe had never given her flowers before. Had he left these for her? She grabbed the note but her happiness faded when she read the name on the card. It wasn’t from Gabe.

  Gina pushed her disappointment aside and left a brief note for him. As she headed out of the room, she kept reminding herself that he had come to her last night and that was all that mattered.

  ***

  “Whoever this is really has a hard on for Ms. Conners.”

  Gabe was seething inside. He said nothing as he stared at the information the new chief of security, Carlos Moreno, had gathered from the flash drive found in his office. The office had been ransacked while he’d been comfortably in bed with his warm, sexy, sleeping beauty.

  Gabe was not happy.

  And he was especially not happy to find that, because of him, someone was stalking Gina. There was a ton of information on her. Regina Elizabeth Conners. Only daughter of Alfred and Maxine Conners. Graduate of Boston University. Currently employed at Holstein & Levy PR firm.

  That was just the beginning. The report was comprehensive and thorough. But what Gabe couldn’t understand was what this person had planned to do—or gain—with this information.

  “Do you really think Meredith is behind this?” Dave asked, looking wearier then he had two hours ago.

  Gabe nodded. He’d told the men about the email Gina had received from his old account. It was safe to assume that whoever had broken into his office tonight had also sent that message to Gina, and his soon-to-be-ex was the only person he could think of that would be interested in who he was seeing. Not that she wanted to save their marriage, but she certainly didn’t want to see him happy. Especially when he refused to give her a dime over what he agreed to settle on. She had made her resentment very clear by dragging out their divorce proceedings. Gabe refused to budge. And now, he’d have to hold off on taking any legal action until they could prove she was behind all this.

  Gave ran a hand through his hair. They had spent the last few hours sorting through surveillance footage to see if they could catch the perpetrator but with no luck. All they had was a small flash drive containing very private information.

  Gabe turned to Moreno. “Can you pull prints from the flash drive?”

  “I can try,” Moreno said with a shrug. “My cousin’s an ex-cop and owes me a favor. I’ll see what he can find.”

  “Okay but let’s keep this under wraps,” Gabe said. “We don’t need it getting out that Royal Courts is having security issues.”

  “I’m a professional,” Moreno said, his dark eyes unwavering. “I know how to do my job. And I’m good at it.”

  “Look, you were put on the payroll five minutes ago,” Gabe snapped. “I don’t know you. So all I’m saying is that we need to cover our ass.”

  “I’m not a newb,” Moreno said coolly. “And just because you’re paying me, doesn’t make me your bitch.”

  “Okay boys, put it away,” Dave cut in. “If you two are done, I’d like to get this over with. Now we need to increase surveillance on this floor. And we need to replace the locks and maybe a
dd a guard or two outside the office after hours.”

  “We should also change all the computer and access passwords,” Gabe added. “I doubt this guy was here just to drop that off.” He nodded toward the silver and red flash drive.

  Until they knew what was going on, they had to assume their financial records had been accessed. And they couldn’t rule out that their pass codes may have been compromised.

  Dave agreed. “Good point, though I usually carry my laptop with me.”

  Gabe picked up on the pointed message but didn’t say anything. He rarely left his computer in the office but today had been an exception. But his negligence had almost cost the casino a fortune. Only a handful of people had access to the casino’s important files and financial information and he was one of them. Luckily his laptop had locked down, blocking anyone from cracking into it. At least their computer security was topnotch. But now he would have to spend hours in the dark tech room, getting it backed up.

  “Who’s working in the Lab tonight?” Gabe asked.

  “I’ll have to find out,” Moreno said. “Why?”

  “I’d like to get my laptop cleaned and see how much damage has been done.”

  “Moreno can take it in for you,” Dave offered.

  Moreno cocked a brow at him expectantly. The offer was tempting since he wanted nothing more than to be back in bed with Gina, but Gabe shook his head. Though Dave might trust Moreno, Gabe had only just met the man. He preferred to see this through himself.

  “I can manage,” Gabe finally said. Moreno may be nothing like Jeffrey Bates, their last chief of security who had gotten the casino tied into a money laundering scheme with the Provenzano crime family, but Gabe couldn’t be sure. Their casino was young and it took humiliating to have federal agents storm through their floors. That had forced them to see how vulnerable they were when it came down to bringing in the right people. And a young establishment with weak security was easy pickings.