by Violet Paige
“But I showed her the picture of you and told her how insanely crazy I am about you and how you’re my future.”
“You said that?”
He nodded. “I did. I wanted her to see how happy I was with you. How happy you make me. So I shoved the damn picture from the lake in her face. But then she started crying and I left my phone for a few seconds. I guess it was long enough for her to get the photo. Now I realize she was approached by one of the outlets to get the scoop on me. She did it for the money. She doesn’t care about who you are or that she cost you your job. She doesn’t care about what it did to me to see you hurt. She’s always been a tunnel-vision kind of person.”
“And a complete bitch,” I added.
He laughed. “And that.”
“I didn’t want to leave the Goddesses, Sam. Not like this. I was really starting to like those gold boots.”
“I know, baby. But I think I have something that’s going to cheer you up.”
“What is it?” We had been on the road for over an hour and we were getting closer to the city.
“You’ll have to wait and see.”
I felt as if I could finally breathe. I believed him. I believed the entire story about the ex and the picture. The whole thing made sense. Sam didn’t have to drive to Austin to kidnap me. He did it because it mattered to him whether I believed him or not.
“Do you forgive me, Natalia, for putting you in this situation? It is my fault the picture is out there.”
I took his right hand in mine. “I do. I’m sorry I jumped to all of the conclusions I did. It seemed logical at the time, and now I realize I was a crazy person.”
“Nah.” He shook his head.
“Okay, no, I was completely justified and sane.” I smiled. I liked the feel of his hand against my palm. It was warm and strong, just like him.
If people only knew what I knew about Sam Hickson.
Thirty-Three
Sam
I shouldn’t feel nervous, but I fucking did. I drove under the building and parked in my usual spot.
“We’re here.” I pulled the keys from the ignition and walked around to let Natalia out of the passenger side.
“And here is where you live?” she guessed.
“Come on.” I tugged her behind me and led her to the elevator. I punched in the button and we rode to the top floor.
“You’re not going to tell me anything?”
“Give me five seconds and you’ll see for yourself.”
I shoved the key in the lock and opened the door for the new apartment. She walked over the threshold and turned to look at me.
“What is this place?”
I grinned. “It’s ours.”
“What?” Her eyes darted back and forth.
“Yep. I bought it for you. For us.” I pulled her hand. “This is our living room, the kitchen, the master suite is back there, but this is really what I want you to see.” I opened the door and waited for her reaction.
“Oh my God.”
“Do you like it?”
“You built a studio for me?”
“I did. I wanted you to be able to dance here. And look, there’s even a place for your turntable from Madame Collette built into the wall. I had them add speakers so we can tie the whole system together. And the chandeliers are like the one you have, I think, but you can change anything you don’t like.”
“Sam, this is unbelievable.” She threw her arms around me, and I hoisted her from the floor.
My lips landed on hers as I drew her close to my body. I wrapped my arms around the curve of her waist.
“I’m glad you like it.”
“You were sure of yourself, weren’t you?” She smiled.
“I was not going to use the picture.” I eyed her. “But, yes, I know you belong with me. Here.”
She stepped out of my arms and walked to the barre, pressing on it. She lifted her heel on one edge and leaned over so her body was folded in half.
“You know that this is a turn on for me, right? Watching you dance? Watching your body move like that?”
She smiled at me wickedly. “That’s good to know.” She switched legs and stretched across her ankle, letting her fingers flow to her foot.
“I’m serious. I see you in the mirror and I think about the night in your apartment.” I walked behind her.
“I think about it too,” she whispered.
I kissed her neck. She tasted sweet and wild. God I wanted her. I wanted to christen this room and the entire apartment.
But it wasn’t ready. There was dust everywhere and wires sticking out of the walls. I didn’t know when one of the workers might walk back in from a break.
“Can I take you to our temporary home?” I suggested.
She looked around. “There’s more?”
I waggled my eyebrows. “Yes. I live downstairs.”
I threaded my fingers through hers and maneuvered her through the debris in the apartment. We headed down the flight of stairs and I opened the door.
No sooner had we walked through the door, than her lips were on mine and our clothes were flying to the floor.
“I missed you,” she whispered.
It seemed like more than two weeks had passed since we had been at Canyon Lake.
“God, I missed you.” I devoured her lips, not taking my time to be gentle or easy. I wanted her to know what she did to me.
Her fingers trailed over my chest and unsnapped the button on my jeans. “I missed this,” she purred.
Fuck. My cock was hard. Two weeks away from her and this wouldn’t last long.
I grabbed her by the back of the head, but she was already sinking to her knees, struggling to get the denim off my legs. I had her gasp when my cock bounced freely.
Her hand clasped around it and tugged gently before her tongue lashed over the head.
“Fuck, yeah.” I jerked forward, smiling at her. I moved backward toward the couch and sat. She positioned herself between my knees and I watched as her lush lips inhaled my dick with swift sucking movements.
I reached for her tits, and squeezed her nipples. I could feel the tight spasm in my spine as I was about to come. I pushed her away. I wanted to come inside her.
She looked up. “Everything okay?”
“No,” I growled. “Get up here. Lie on your stomach.”
She crawled over me and did as I asked. I palmed the smoothness of her ass with one hand as the other found the wet heated entrance.
She bounced up as I slid my fingers inside her. I smiled when I felt her clench around me. I pumped in and out of her watching her ass move with the rhythm. I lowered my lips to her bottom and kissed her.
“Ohh, Sam.”
“That’s it?” I teased.
I added another finger and she whimpered. She was so fucking tight and wet. My thumb traveled lower to her nub and playfully slid it back and forth while she fucked my fingers more wildly than before.
“J’ai envie de toi,” she moaned.
I spread her legs and my tongue slipped between her slit. Fuck, she tasted sweet. I nipped at her bottom.
“Say more than that,” I demanded. “Tell me what you want.”
She clung to my fingers, panting and shaking. “Baise-moi, please. Baise-moi.”
I loved hearing the dirty words on her lips. I nestled my cock at her opening, letting her get adjusted to me again. She was slick, and within seconds, I’d be buried so deep inside her, she wouldn’t care. But I wanted to remember this feeling. What it was like with the head of my cock on the precipice of taking what was mine. With her body writhing under mine, wanting me, needing me to soothe her ache.
I began to push inside her, when my head reeled back. I lowered myself to her back, so she could tilt her hips upward. I slid so deep in her we both groaned at the intensity. I grabbed her hands and kissed her neck as I pumped in and out. Each thrust stronger than the last. And then we both began to jolt and shiver with the same momentum.
“Come
with me, Natalia. Come all over me.”
“God, yes,” She whimpered. “Oui. Oui!” I felt the orgasm spiral through her as mine finally released me. I buried myself in her, claiming her, making her mine again.
“You’re mine,” I growled, hilting myself inside her.
“I am,” she whispered. “Don’t ever stop fucking me like this.”
“Don’t ever stop talking dirty.” I laughed.
I collapsed against her back, trying not to crush her with my weight.
She kissed my fingers.
“I know today has been full of surprises.” I rolled to my side and rotated her so I could see her beautiful face. “But I have one more.”
“You do?” She traced the side of my jaw.
“I’m in love with you.” It was the first time I had said the words and knew they were being said to the right person.
She smiled, her hands sliding around my neck. “I’m so in love with you.”
My lips crushed down on hers and I held her damp body against mine. I finally had her, and I wasn’t going to let go.
Epilogue
Natalia
Five months later
“Miss Natalia Dupont.” I sat on the bench behind the stage with my eyes closed. I could hear my name called over a small microphone. “Natalia Dupont?”
“Yes, yes. I’m here.”
I darted from the bench and motioned to the stage hand to let them know I was making my way from behind the curtain. I was in a fog, but I was walking through it. I had to walk through it. I had to push the doubts and the fears to the side with vicious kicks and shoves, or else they would trap me and suffocate me into paralysis. And that wasn’t an option today.
The three members of the ballet troupe auditions committee sat in the front row, each holding a clipboard. I hoped to see a familiar face—someone who would remember me from a year ago—but they were strangers.
The man in the middle spoke. “It says here you are performing an original piece.”
“Yes, that is correct.” I hoped my voice didn’t sound as shaky to them as it did in my head.
I had been here before. Two years ago, I was a part of this exact audition. I had been selected from that performance and spent the year working to become prima ballerina. It almost seemed unfair that I had to start over, but I couldn’t focus on those things. Life wasn’t fair.
I was stronger now. Stronger because I had to struggle. Stronger because I had to work through my injury. Stronger because I survived as a Goddess and made it on my own. Looking back, all of those things seemed so clear to me.
“Are you ready to begin?” He pulled his glasses to the bridge of his nose and scribbled something on the paper. I wished he would make eye contact with me, but he was reading my bio.
“I am. Thank you.” I pranced to the center of the stage and smiled when the lights dimmed.
The fear evaporated as I raised my hands toward the ceiling and held my pose, waiting for the music to begin. I heard the slight crackle of the record before the piano and violin started.
This was home. This was where I belonged. The music flared to a crescendo and I took off across the stage.
It didn’t matter that it was March in Texas, the sun hit me in the face when I opened the back door to the theater. I dug through my bag for my sunglasses and walked across the parking lot.
Sam stood with his feet planted solidly on the asphalt and his arms folded, making his biceps flex to epic proportions.
“You’re killing me, here. Your face is blank.” He slid the aviator shades from his face. “What happened? How did it go?” He held my shoulders. “Natalia, say something.”
I wasn’t sure who was more nervous going into the audition today, Sam or me.
He had driven to Austin with me and we stayed in the same hotel where we had our first night together. He thought it might help with the jitters, and he was right.
I looked up at him. His head blocked out most of the sun.
“Well? Did they tell you? Are you in?” His voice was urgent.
I bit my bottom lip before I cracked a smile. “Yes.” I jumped into his arms. “They loved the dance. I’m officially a professional ballerina again.”
He held me close to his chest. “You had me freaking out, out here. You know that?”
I giggled. I didn’t want him to put me down. “I love that you’re so nervous.”
“I didn’t love it.” His brow pinched together in annoyance. “But I love that you made it. I’m so proud of you.”
His lips were tender at first, but soon were kissing me hungrily. I sighed. “Not in the theater parking lot,” I warned.
He laughed. “God, please don’t tell me the ballet has rules about you dating a Wrangler.”
“It’s not so much that, but as the prima ballerina I need to keep a certain image.”
“Holy shit! Natalia!” He spun me around. “Why didn’t you say that part first?”
I shrugged. “I like keeping you on your toes.”
He carried me to the passenger side of the car. “In you go.” He dropped me in the seat and closed the door.
I waited for him to slide in behind the wheel. He shook his head. “I can’t believe it. We have to celebrate. Here, or do you want to head home?”
I was too giddy to latch on to either idea.
“You decide.”
He pulled out of the parking lot. “I think I know the perfect spot.”
He started driving west and I guessed we were headed back to our apartment. Since moving in together five months ago, Sam and I had been through our share of challenges.
There’s nothing easy about moving in with someone, no matter how much you love them. We both discovered that the hard way. I was used to quiet, while Sam seemed to revel in the noise of football games and rock music.
He wasn’t wrong about being an amazing cook, but he never mentioned that he didn’t clean the kitchen after he prepared a delicious meal. I don’t think I ever told him about my extensive fingernail polish collection that took up two drawers in the bathroom.
But we figured it out. We learned how to move around each other, and to move together when it was right. I loved what we had. I loved the studio he built for me. I loved sharing a home with him, a bed, a life.
I looked up from my phone. “Wait, a minute. Is this?” I recognized the turn off road he had taken.
“What do you think it is?”
I chewed my bottom lip. “What if they don’t have a cabin? What if it’s booked?”
He looked at me over his sunglasses. “Darlin’, it’s March. I don’t think anyone is tubing down the Guadalupe right now. Don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of everything.”
The gravel crunched under the tires as he parked under the same scrubby oak tree. I looked over at Cottage 11.
“Wait? Did you already plan something?” I was suspicious. He had driven past the reservation office.
He shrugged. “Let’s see.”
I closed the door behind me and looked out over the lake. It was a gorgeous spring day, but the sun was setting on the edge of the lake and the hues of deep orange and pink were stunning.
“Look at this, Sam.”
He circled the car and took my hand. “It didn’t look like that last time we were here, did it?”
“No. I left in the morning. It seems even more amazing now.”
“I’ll grab the bags from the back.”
“Would you mind if I made a quick call out here?”
He opened the trunk. “I’ll get these inside. Take your time.”
I pulled out my phone. There was one person I needed to tell about what happened today. I scrolled through my contacts and tapped her number. I knew with the time difference I was calling late, but I hoped she would answer.
“Hello?”
I smiled when I heard her voice.
“Madame Collette, it’s Natalia.”
“Natalia, my dear. It’s so late. Is something wrong?”
“I’m sorry. I hope I didn’t wake you. I had news I wanted to share with you.”
“Ma chérie, it’s good to hear your voice. It’s never too late.”
I could picture her. Her hair pulled back in a dark bun. I never knew how old she was—she kept her age concealed with frequent trips to the hair salon and excellent skin care. She was like most French women—elegant and flawless.
“You too. I’m sorry I haven’t called more often.”
“Tell me. What is your news?”
It was wonderful to share today with Sam. I wouldn’t trade his support for anything, but this woman had raised me in ballet. She had held my hand through shin splints and twisted ankles. She had taught me how to choreograph an entire routine. And when my parents told me they were divorcing, she was the one who let me cry on her shoulder. She was strict, and at times arrogant, but I loved her.
“Madame Collette, I made prima ballerina today.” I leaned against the car and watched as a pair of geese flew close enough to let their wings skim the water’s surface.
“Oui, oui, such wonderful news.” She was quiet. “I knew you would be back on stage.”
“I didn’t.” I spoke quietly.
“You are too talented of a ballerina, Natalia. And one day you can be like me. Teaching those to dance.”
I grinned. I doubted I could be half the instructor she was. “I’d like to think so.”
I tried to imagine what that life would be like. Would I retire from the ballet and open my own dance studio? Would Sam be there? Would we stay in San Antonio or leave if he were traded to another team? My head swam with all the possibilities.
“Au revoir, my sweet. Thank you for the call.”
“Au revoir. I’ll call more often. I promise.”
I hung up and stuffed the phone into my pocket and turned to face the cottage. Sam was waiting for me inside.
I climbed the small steps. When I pushed open the door, my breath caught under my ribs. “Oh my God.”
Everything was the same as our first night here. There were flowers and candles, and a crackling fire in the fireplace. It was the same except for the man down on one knee holding a diamond ring between his fingers.
