This time, I was the one to stop, and I stroked her face, taking in every inch of her, while my other hand stroked her thigh. “This isn’t going to work,” I said.
Her expression fell, but she collected herself and nodded. “Right,” she said. “You’re right. It’s a dumb idea.”
I grinned. “No, I mean that sitting on this sofa isn’t going to work. I need to take you upstairs. To my bed.”
She didn’t say a word, but her lips were on mine again as I stood up, still holding her, carrying her out of the room. At the bottom of the stairs, she slid down the length of my body, her feet coming to the floor.
“I’m scared someone might see us,” she said.
“Don’t worry. I gave everyone the night off. I had a feeling I wouldn’t be able to resist you.”
I took her hand and led her upstairs, and for the first time since Amy’s death, I took a woman into my bedroom. Not just any woman, either. As much as I resisted, there was something about Rachel that seemed to sweep me along helplessly and break through the walls I’d built. It didn’t even make sense to me. How could this happen so quickly? I barely knew her, but I absolutely wanted to know everything possible about this beauty in my arms. And I was tired of fighting so hard against it.
When I closed the door, we melted together, exploring each other for hours, tasting every part, giving each other the kind of pleasure that can’t even be put into words.
We fell asleep, our bodies entwined as we slept until the morning, when Rachel slipped away and went back to the apartment before Noah could wake up and find us.
Chapter 25
________
RACHEL
One of my favorite comedians used to say that she wished she was as thin as the line between love and hate. She was absolutely right. Back home, as I put the kettle on to make a pot of tea before Dad got up, I thought long and hard about whether I’d been confusing the two all this time.
I didn’t hate him. I was falling in love with him, faster than my brain could keep up with. I hadn’t been prepared for the way my feet had been swept out from under me so easily, or how helpless I felt. And I didn’t want to get ahead of myself, but I was becoming more and more convinced that Alex might feel the same.
Alex. For the first time, I said his name without some sort of anger attached to it. He was no longer the austere Mister Maitland, and he wasn’t even the arrogant Alexander. He was Alex. Someone I was getting to know more every day, and I liked what I was seeing.
Dad came into the kitchen, yawning, his hair tufted up like a baby pigeon’s. “You’re up early,” he said. “How was last night?”
“Really good,” I said, smiling. I put the teapot on the table and took out two china mugs. “Noah’s a real cutie.”
“Sorry I didn’t hear you come in,” he said. “I was down for the count last night.”
Working outside has always meant that Dad goes to sleep with the birds, and wakes up with them, too. He seemed tired and I knew why; preparations for the Fall Bash had started and it always took its toll.
“What would you like for breakfast?” I asked.
“There’s some fruit in the refrigerator, picked fresh from the orchard yesterday,” he said. “Some of that with yogurt will do nicely, please.”
I gave him his breakfast and went for a shower. I found that while I was under the hot spray, I was humming to myself, and soon the hum became a song. I thought back to when we’d danced to Enrique in the kitchen, and Alex had grabbed me, marching me off to the bedroom, where he’d claimed me in more ways than one.
Last night was different, though. Previously, we were fucking out our frustration, relieving our bodies, scratching an itch. Those times were incredible, too, but like I said, last night was different.
We made love.
Alex had held me to him with such tenderness, his fingers so gentle. He’d taken his time with me, not wanting to rush anything. He wasn’t all sweetness and light the whole time, though; there were moments he’d grabbed me, flipped me over and bit at my ass, but he kissed it afterward, too. He was the perfect mix of angel and devil.
I’d worked my own way down his body, my tongue trailing the valley between his solid abs. I’d moved farther and farther still, my goal the highest peak of all, stiff and twitching with desire.
When I took him between my lips, the control was no longer his. I was the one in charge now, and I relished it, moving my hand up and down his long shaft, teasing him with the tip of my tongue, making him cry out. I could feel the power in him, the strength; it coursed through his veins and throbbed in my mouth.
But where were we meant to go from here? What did it mean?
After what we’d shared last night, I was beginning to see a brand new side to him, one that I felt not many people ever got close enough to see.
Even so, I needed to tread lightly, stay sober and not let all this go to my head. I couldn’t put everything I’d worked for so hard, on the line. Working for Elemental, for Kate, had been a dream of mine for as long as I could remember, and I couldn’t blow it because I allowed my feelings for Alex to cloud my judgment.
I decided to go back into the city. I usually went in on Monday mornings, but I needed some time away.
So, after I finished giving Noah his riding lesson that morning, I packed dad’s car, drove into the city and stayed at the apartment for the rest of the weekend. Usually, I loved the super-king-sized bed, and I’d be sprawled diagonally across it with single-woman abandon, but that night it somehow felt too large and spacious. Too empty.
Monday morning, I was in Jennifer’s office bright and early. She’d been there for a good hour before me, having been to the gym. She was busy making herself a very healthy-looking green smoothie. I’d been craving a bagel with smoked salmon and cream cheese and I was glad I hadn’t stopped at the deli to get one; eating it in front of her would only have put me to shame.
Whatever I had been eating, though, must have been doing me good, for, as she saw me, I could see the look of surprise she gave me. “Well, looks like someone’s been getting a little this weekend,” she remarked, and now it was my turn to look surprised.
“What on earth are you talking about?” I asked as I hooked my thin jacket on the coat stand.
“You’re glowing,” she said. “Either there’s a new man in your life, or you’ve bought yourself a new vibrator. Either way, it’s working.”
I laughed. “Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but it’s neither of those,” I lied. “I’ve just had a really relaxing weekend, so maybe that’s it.”
She cocked her head to one side as though examining me. “Huh. I’m pretty good at spotting a good lay when I see one, but let’s just leave it at that, shall we? I’m happy to report that, thankfully, there are no more walls to be knocked down, so there’s no reason for you to stay on-site. Besides, Mister Maitland isn’t here, so I think it’ll be fine if you work over at your office today.”
I was surprised at just how disappointed I felt at hearing that. There was no denying the fact that I was looking forward to seeing him, the sudden hollow feeling in my chest making me realize just how much.
“That’s fine,” I said. “I need to catch up on some paperwork and phone some of the suppliers, anyway. You know, put in a few calls, give a few people a prod.”
I was babbling, and I knew it.
~~~~~~
A little after lunch, my phone rang. The stab of disappointment I’d experienced earlier was quickly replaced by a leap of my heart when I saw the name displayed on the screen. I slid my thumb across it, answering the call.
“Hello?” I said, brightly.
“Rachel, it’s Alex,” he said, his deep voice unmistakable, even if I hadn’t already known who was calling.
“Hey there,” I said, in a voice that sounded a lot warmer than I’d meant it to.
“I’m going to be out of town for a couple of days,” he said. “I flew down to Halii-Kai for a few meetings yesterday. Hav
e you caught up with Jennifer?”
“Yes,” I replied. “There’s not much we can do right now until the building work’s finished. The suppliers have all been informed, and we’re waiting for the carpets to go down and then we can start—”
“Great,” he interjected, cutting me off. “I might have something I need you to look over for me. Let me call you back later this evening.”
“Sure,” I said.
But he’d already gone. I stared at the phone and a familiar twinge of annoyance pulsed inside me. Why was he acting like this, especially after what had happened between us this weekend? And I was furious, once more. Why did he need to be such a prick?
~~~~~~
It was nearly one a.m. by the time my phone eventually began vibrating on the nightstand. I looked at the screen, squinting my eyes as I did so. I’d been asleep for nearly an hour by then. I answered the call. “Yeah?” I said, groggily.
“Did I wake you?”
“It’s one in the morning. This is when I usually sleep.”
He chuckled. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I said I’d call you this evening. It’s evening.”
“Not for me, it isn’t. It’s morning.”
“Well, you don’t have to go to work tomorrow,” he said.
“Oh?” I perked up, putting another pillow under my head and leaning onto one elbow.
“I wondered if you might help me out with something down here. Can you clear your schedule?”
“I guess so. I’d have to check with Kate, but I get the impression you’re a pretty important client. She’s not likely to give me much trouble.”
“I’ll have a car sent to the apartment to pick you up at eleven in time for your flight to Hawaii. I’m afraid I can’t send the jet but I’ve booked you a first-class ticket. There’s a chopper that’ll take you from Honolulu to Halii-Kai.”
I was totally overwhelmed, and yet, at the same time, exhilarated. It was insane.
“Hang on, what?”
“Eleven. Outside. Cab. Pack light.”
He hung up. I wanted to throttle him through the phone. Why did he need to be so damn abrupt?
However, knowing I didn’t have to get up at seven now cheered me up slightly. And what girl doesn’t like to be summoned to one of the most beautiful tropical islands at the drop of a hat?
For now, I decided not to get too mad at him.
Chapter 26
________
ALEX
When Tom called me on Monday morning and wanted to know where I was, I just rolled my eyes. “Haven’t you checked your emails?” I asked. “How on earth do you manage to be part of this company without having a single clue where anyone is at any time?”
“Hang on, let me check while I talk to you,” he said, and I heard him pull the phone away from his ear. Then he returned. “Huh. Would you look at that? You’re in Hawaii.”
“No shit, Sherlock. I’m with your father-in-law.”
“My future father-in-law,” he said. “I guess you wouldn’t be interested in a game of racquetball then, right?”
“You guessed correctly.”
There was a small period of silence. “So…” Tom said, eventually. “How are things going down there?”
“Are you asking because you’re genuinely interested, or because you feel you should ask, given that you have a ridiculously large and completely undeserved stake in the company?”
“Genuinely interested, Big Bro.”
“They’re going well, thank you. Raymond’s got a very good eye for a bargain. To most people, it looked like a huge gamble. The place is basically covered in black earth from the volcano eruption about one hundred years ago. But underneath, they’ve got the most fertile soil imaginable. Turn that over, and what do you get?”
“Erm, nice plants?”
I sighed. Sometimes I really wondered how it was that Tom and I came from the same womb. “Well, yes, and if I was a botanist, I imagine I’d be thrilled. But no, I wasn’t thinking about nice plants. I was thinking about lush green lawns, perfect for rich people to come over and smack a few golf balls on.”
“Ahhhhh.”
“So, the new place is going to have a five-star luxury hotel and spa and boast the most impressive golf greens in the world. So good, in fact, that the president himself would want to come out for a game.”
“Sounds great.”
“And at what point will you be joining me to help make this plan a reality?”
Tom sucked in air through his teeth. “Well, that’s a tough one,” he said. “As much as I’d like to spend time in Hawaii, I’ve got a lot going on here right now. Sienna’s talking about starting to plan the wedding, and Mom wants me to run Dad into town a little more, now that he’s up for going out.”
“Right.”
“I wish I could do more. Oh, I filed those forms you asked me to.”
“The day I asked for them, I hope.”
“Near enough. You’ll hear back from them soon. By the way, have you really hired Rachel for the New York project?”
“If you’d actually been at the office you’d know that I had. You said yourself that she must have been good and that New York headhunters don’t come knocking every day.”
“I said that?”
“Yes.”
He laughed. “Well, I guess it’s true, then. Is she good?”
At what? I wanted to ask. At some things, she’s very good indeed. But aloud, I only confirmed that yes, I was impressed with her work so far, and she was working very well. “She’s got a good eye for the place and I like her ideas. Plus, Jennifer likes her.”
“You know, I was thinking that maybe you’re right about me getting involved a little more in the business,” Tom said, his one-eighty completely unsurprising to me. “What if I go to New York and help out with Skyline while you’re down in Hawaii?”
“That won’t be necessary,” I said. “Everything’s fine there.”
“All the same, don’t you think I should look in?”
“I think it would look a lot better to your future father-in-law if you came down to Hawaii and showed him exactly how hard you’re willing to work in order to be worthy of his daughter.”
At this, he laughed again. He told me he’d think about it, and we hung up. I was irked at the idea he might make a play for Rachel while I was away. Now that Raymond and I were making great progress with the project, I was no longer worried that it would slip out of my grasp because of Tom. I just didn’t want him anywhere near her. For my own reasons, this time.
The night we’d spent together this past weekend was one for the books. I’d allowed myself to open up to her, to be affectionate with her, to let down my guard, to allow myself to make love to a woman, rather than just possessing her for a few minutes, to scratch an itch. With Rachel, there was so much under the surface that I still wanted to explore.
And where else to explore a beautiful woman’s mind, and possibly more, than on a stunning tropical island? It meant that my mind was made up by the early evening. I checked my watch. It was after midnight in New York. She was probably asleep. And yet I got the impression that she might just pick up the phone for me.
When she arrived the following day, it was nearly nine in the evening. Raymond was already on his way back home to New York, and I was sitting on the veranda of the hotel when there was a call to the room. “Sir? Your guest has arrived,” said my assistant, Carly. I thanked her and went downstairs to meet Rachel.
She was standing at the front desk, fanning herself with her passport, wearing a thin summer’s dress, one strap barely clinging to her shoulder. As I approached, I couldn’t help but lift it back up, and she felt me touch her and turned around. I smiled at her, but she didn’t smile back.
“There’s just something about being in ninety percent humidity that does wonders for my hair,” she said sarcastically. I could see that her curls were practically bursting out of the hai
r clip she’d used to try and contain them. “I’m thinking of getting it all corn-rowed. Either that or shaving it all off.”
“It’s nice to see you, too,” I said. “And don’t you dare shave your hair. It’s beautiful just as it is. Have you checked in?”
“Yes. Apparently, I’m in room four-three-nine. Is that the top floor?”
“Yes, but it’s at the back. It’s a small apartment with its own pool on the balcony. I thought you might want to relax with a swim when you arrived.”
She immediately perked up and smiled. “Thank you. That’s really thoughtful of you,” she said.
As we made our way through the foyer, I explained that it wasn’t anywhere near as nice a place as where I usually stayed. “There hasn’t been much tourism on the island for many years. The location means that it’s too far for people to just come over for a day trip, but there isn’t enough going on here for visitors to make a vacation out of it either, yet.”
We stepped into the elevator, and I took her bag for her, slinging it over my shoulder. The bellhop had offered to take her luggage all the way up to her room, but I was happy to carry it myself. She’d heeded my advice and had packed light.
“I have to ask why I’m here,” she said. “What’s this favor you’d like me to do for you?”
As we stepped out of the elevator and walked to her room, I told her about the new plans for the island, and how, if everything went as we hoped it would, we would soon have the best luxury hotel and spa Hawaii had to offer.
“It might be out of reach for families on a budget,” I smiled, “but it’s perfect for someone with a few extra dollars to spare and who’d like a week away enjoying the best food and walking the finest eighteen holes any of the islands has to offer.”
“So, another playground for the rich and famous.”
“I find they’re the most agreeable to build,” I replied. “And they give me the best returns for my investment.”
“Are you any good at the game?” she asked.
I knew exactly what she was referring too but couldn’t resist teasing her. “Well, it all depends which game you’re referring to?” I smiled, and I deliberately narrowed my eyes and dropped my gaze to rest on her full mouth. The soft blush that touched her cheeks didn’t go unnoticed.
ELEMENTAL LOVE: A Second Chance Single Dad Romance Page 15
