“No.”
Alec chuckled. “Thought so, but I had to ask. Alternatively, will you let me do a few things for you? I’m figuring out other ways to monopolize your time.”
“Like what?”
“Like throw you a party. Throw Angelo a party.”
“Okay…” She sounded hesitant.
“When is your birthday, for example? And Angelo’s?”
She answered him instead of trying to talk him out of the idea—a good sign. Alec grinned. This was going to be too easy.
“So I’ve been thinking of taking you guys on a trip, and since Angelo’s birthday is coming up and yours is so far away, plus he still has school for another few months, we’ll start small—a trip to LegoLand. No doubt he’ll like that, right? And his birthday is, luckily, on a Saturday.”
“My god, he’ll love it.”
“Great,” Alec said. “We’ll spend the day there. Then we’ll go to Disney.”
“When?”
“The next day. Disneyland, I mean—it’s just a county over.”
He heard her let out a breath. “And what is it I owe you in return?”
“Your company, Dahlia. Your enjoyment. Just be happy, and that is enough for me. I like to see you happy. I get a kick out of it. You’re beautiful already, but when you smile…”
“Talk about laying it on thick,” she said. Then, with a lowered voice, she added, “You already talked me out of my underwear.”
“That’s not why I’m saying these things, Dahlia—I know I can have you in my bed again without them. I just want you to know how magnificent I think you are.”
She went quiet, and he imagined her eyes widening, her heart thumping, and her breath, taken away.
“I’ll take care of everything,” Alec continued. “It’s no big deal. Even if we were heading to Hong Kong Disneyland, it’s no big deal—which, by the way, is quite likely on the list for a summer trip. Just don’t feel guilty, Dahlia; at least this time we’re still staying in California, for crying out loud—a hop, skip, and a jump away from your home. This isn’t some lavish gift—you haven’t seen anything yet.”
Dahlia remembered Alec with his clothes off and immediately moistened.
What the hell was he talking about? She had seen quite a lot. Perhaps too much.
Her cheeks erupted in flames at the memory of his naked form—the broad expanse of his firm, muscled chest, his practically throbbing size-able member. Those deliciously well-formed, strong arms.
Then he follows up with such words? Such sentiments? He could definitely take her to bed anytime, anywhere. If she wasn’t careful, he’d have her violating her rule of not having sex in the apartment with her child asleep in the next room, sooner than later.
And the way he was making sure to include her son—she wasn’t sure what to think. He didn’t act like Angelo was an inconvenience at all; in fact, here he was, proposing to take them both to two places that had been on her list of places to take Angelo in the near future.
Dahlia felt a number of emotions fighting within her—joy at Alec’s proposals, embarrassment that her voice had come out sounding so wondrous, and guilt for not having already taken Angelo to these locations he would obviously enjoy.
And why did she trust Alec so quickly? What was it about this ridiculously handsome guy—who could wear the hell out of a suit—that made her want to throw caution to the wind?
She found herself redialing his number, although she wasn’t sure what she was going to say.
“Blue elephant,” she said when he picked up.
“Excuse me?”
“If you have to pick Angelo up for any reason—I mean, he’ll probably run to you anyway, but if anyone asks you for the code before they call the police on you, it’s ‘blue elephant.’”
She could almost hear the smile in his voice. “Okay, Dahlia. Is that the only reason you called?”
“Of course not.” But she certainly couldn’t tell him that she just wanted to hear his sexy bass again. Instead, she said, “I wanted to remind you that this whole thing is a big deal. My son…he really likes you a lot. He’s quite attached to you, and asks about you all the time—whether you’re coming to pick him up, or if I think you want to see what he’s working on next…”
“Then you made the right choice agreeing to do this for him, Dahlia. I have a whole lot more in store for you, too, you’ll see.”
Dahlia hung up, smiling, heart hammering, and feeling a joy she hadn’t felt since her early college days.
Angelo couldn’t hide his excitement on the way to, or when they got to LegoLand. His round face contorted in joy so many times, Dahlia felt like her heart would burst.
She caught Alec sneaking glances at her, as if to gauge her own responses, as if looking for her approval.
“Thank you,” she said, her voice leaving her throat a squeezed whisper, suppressed tears of joy on behalf of her son causing a sudden constriction.
As Angelo went on about his plans to try to recreate a version of a lego statue she missed while looking into Alec’s eyes, another voice eventually settled into her consciousness.
“Dahlia? Dahlia Bridges? Oh my gosh, is that you?”
Dahlia turned toward the voice and saw a familiar face she couldn’t place.
She racked her brain for the name of the woman looking at her in shock and slight pleasure, and tried to remember where she had met her.
“It’s me, Dena—Darren’s cousin!”
Dahlia’s heart fell. A connection to Angelo’s dad? Dahlia made her face form a smile. “You’re kidding me! Fancy meeting you here.”
“You’re telling me! And who is this handsome little guy?” Dena asked as she bent to Angelo. Dahlia thought she saw a flash of a frown darken Dena’s light brown face. Had she figured it out?
“My son, Angelo.”
Dena stood, a definite frown creasing her brow. “He looks about the same age as my son,” she said, and then turned to the little boy with her and introduced him. “He’s four,” she continued. “How old is he?” she asked, indicating Angelo.
“Four.”
Dena nodded, still frowning. Then she flashed a bright smile. “They almost look related, don’t they?” she said, indicating the young boys.
Dahlia could no longer get her face to cooperate.
She noticed Alec look from her to Dena, and then relief flooded her as he spoke.
“I’ve always been amazed at how much strangers can resemble, while some blood relatives can’t look further from each other. You should see my brothers—they’re twins and still don’t look a thing like each other. And definitely nothing like me.”
Everyone was smiling again, and Dahlia felt her body relax.
“I’m hungry, Mom,” Angelo said, tugging at her jeans.
She gave Dena an apologetic look.
“I’m sorry, duty calls. Gosh, it was so nice to run into you again!” she said, giving her an awkward hug.
“Likewise. I’ll tell Darren I saw you! He won’t believe it.”
Dena briefly flashed Alec a grin after sizing him up, gave Dahlia an approving look, and then waved to Angelo as she departed, son in tow.
Dahlia realized she had been holding in a large breath when it all came whooshing out and her body sagged, no longer under pressure.
Alec’s eyes scrutinized her intelligently.
“What do you think you’d like to eat, bud?” he asked Angelo, his eyes lingering on her just a moment longer before turning his full attention to Angelo.
“Hot dogs!”
“All right, let’s see what your mom thinks.”
Dahlia suddenly felt embarrassed. Did a guy like Alec even eat hot dogs? Did it all seem like dog food to him? After the dinners he had provided her, it already almost felt like dog food to her.
“Let’s do it,” Dahlia said.
“I can’t wait,” Alec said, looking at her in a way that sent a thrill through her.
Alec knew he had to wait until he
had Dahlia all to himself again, until an exhausted Angelo had been put to bed after two days of nonstop activity.
As Dahlia pulled Angelo’s bedroom door to a near-close, she cast him a look from underneath her eyelashes—one that didn’t quite read as coy—one that read more like embarrassment, nervousness.
“I’m not going to seduce you here just yet,” he said. “I respect your rules, and your desire not to have to answer certain questions just yet. I don’t blame you for not wanting to give your child the memory of hearing your bed frame shake as I reacquaint myself with your body; I don’t think he needs to hear his mom moan and scream my name. Besides, there are far more romantic environments for that kind of intimacy.” He paused. “I’m no control freak, I promise you. But I do want to see you in certain things for our next few dates. No questions, no protest, Dahlia—I will send you a personal shopper who will take you to a few places to pick out some outfits and help you accessorize etc. Anything you want, Dahlia—money is no object.”
“But where are we going these next few dates? And when exactly? I have to arrange…”
“Please, Dahlia—babysitting has been taken care of as well. I’ll confess: I have been paying Beth too, and I’ve had her return the money you’ve given her on our date nights to your home. I believe she has put it away in some jar hidden somewhere; she’ll tell you where it is. Me taking you out shouldn’t cost you a thing, Dahlia, I already told you that.”
Chapter Seven
Bridging the Gap
Dahlia smiled as the limo pulled up to their destination.
“Oh, subtle, Alec.”
“It’s not just any hotel, Dahlia.”
“Well, that I can see. This looks like part of a Trump or Buffet estate or something.”
Alec gave a small grin. “One of the top restaurants in the world is here. I wanted to experience it with you.”
Dahlia gave him a look. Obviously the food wasn’t the only thing they were here to experience.
After dinner, and with an unmistakeable look in his eye, Alec said, “I had dessert delivered to our penthouse suite.”
“Of course you did,” Dahlia said, smiling as her body came alive even more.
With his focus, and the clear intention dancing in his eyes, it took everything in her not to grab his hand and run all the way up to their suite, he looked so sexy in his desire.
His blue eyes smoldered, he smelled divine, and those expensively clothed broad shoulders, chest, and arms needed to be against her, surrounding her.
She needed him inside of her.
Call me dessert, she thought, unable to pretend she didn’t want to devour him right there.
The dessert went untouched as Alec came right to her and began helping her out of her clothes, beginning with unzipping her dress.
As she stepped out of it, his mouth was suddenly at her neck and her mind blanked, sensations taking over her.
She let him continue undressing her as his mouth never left her body, kissing its way down her chest, her waist, and down her leg as he pulled down her red thong. He stayed there on his knees and brought his mouth to her middle, lightly licking her, and making her cry out in pleasure, and soon, desperation.
“Alec, take me!” she begged, but his hands roamed her thighs and her buttocks, resting there only to clasp her to him as he licked her more fiercely, adding his fingers to the mix as one found its way inside of her, mimicking the movement of the organ she really wanted.
She pulled at his hair, unable to stop her body from rising to the needs of her arousal, and soon her body exploded in rapturous pleasure, pulsating.
He stood, lifting her up, and he took her to the bed where he continued giving her body the royal treatment, caressing, kissing, and massaging all parts of her.
By the time she realized he was now naked and over her, about to enter her, she had been worked up all over again, ready to feel that other part of him in her, filling her, and unable to stop herself from calling his name over and over, and the feeling that she never wanted moments like these to end.
Alec had fresher dessert delivered to their suite, and delighted in watching a very satisfied-looking Dahlia consume it.
She was still modest, holding the sheet over her chest as he brought the rich dessert to her, and his heart warmed at the sight of her eyes lighting up over and over again.
She was delicious, soft, and beautiful, and everything he thought she would be—and more.
He felt like his life was finally complete.
He wanted this woman with him wherever he went, needed to see the way her eyes emoted and to make her happy. Her smile made him feel like everything he had ever done, and everything he had ever gone through, was worth it; it was like he had unknowingly done it all for her. He wanted her to experience every joy that life had to offer, and he wanted to start sooner than later.
“I hope you’re not getting fatigued of me, Dahlia,” he said lightly, but surprised himself by how invested he felt in her response. Of course she wouldn’t be, but he thought he had caught a brief impression of her feeling pressured and harassed by his constant contact with her—whisking her away to lunch, and then grabbing her for dinner once she got home from work.
Dahlia burst into a giggle, happiness radiating from her.
Alec’s heart swelled.
“Please, who can ever get tired of this?” she said.
“You’d be surprised. One can get used to anything rather quickly.”
She frowned a little. “There’s that sentiment again. I hope this doesn’t mean you’re getting bored with me already.”
He immediately slid next to her on top of the sheet, unashamed of his own naked body fully available for her viewing.
“On the contrary, Dahlia. I want more of you than you can imagine. Listen, I’m honored you’ve been able to squeeze me in on all your free times. I know that you work very hard, and after five long days a week, the last thing you want to do is go out in the evening…”
“No, Alec. You’re right—I’m tired after a long day, but there’s more than one way to relax.” He watched color flush her cheeks. “I mean, when I get home, I still have to take care of Angelo, you know? I can’t really relax until after he goes to bed around eight p.m. Then I’m in bed by eleven. You taking me out like this gives me something exciting to look forward to all day, energizing me in a way you can’t imagine. So thank you. I love my son, obviously, and a few days of not seeing him right away after work makes me miss him and appreciate everything that much more. I may have to rush to get ready for you as soon as I get home, but I’m definitely in a different zone by then. You’ve done wonders for me, Alec.” Her hand reached out and caressed his arm.
Alec found himself unable to respond with words, so instead he wrapped his arms around her, enjoying the soft, warm, delicious feel of his woman.
As far as he was concerned, her words gave him all the permission he needed to take things up a notch.
Dahlia was still unwilling to leave the state without Angelo, even if only for one day, but she had no problem with Alec taking her to top restaurants all over southern California—from Providence in Los Angeles, to Cut in Beverly Hills to Addison in San Diego.
“I have a place in Napa,” Alec said one day, “and I’d love to take you both there.” So the following weekend, they made the one and a half hour flight, and soon pulled up to one of the most beautiful homes Dahlia had ever seen in person.
“It seems a crime that no one actually lives here full time,” she couldn’t help saying, imagining the beauty sitting there, waiting for its intermittent tenant.
She wanted to ask Alec how many homes he had, but she didn’t want it to come off the wrong way. But it seemed he read her mind.
“I love California,” he said. “And Italy. And The Bahamas. I have a home in each of those places, and my brothers and I have a sort of time-share going on with a place in Hawaii.” Dahlia couldn’t wrap her brain around it. “I will show you all of them—if y
ou’ll let me.”
The way he seemed to instinctually know what she would like for dinner, the way he proudly showed her around his Napa home, with almost an expectant look on his face as he seemed to wait for her approval, the way he watched her carefully, relentlessly, and, if she wasn’t crazy, quite adoringly, Dahlia knew that there was nothing she could do.
Even before her heart sank as it did when they returned from Napa, once Alec told her he had to suddenly fly to England to take care of some business, she realized she had no defense against a man like him. Had he been slimier, colder, or less sincere, there would have been nothing he could do to convince her that going out with him was a good idea. But the man who existed behind those open blue eyes, the one who looked at her like she was beautiful, and who had no shortage of amorous words for her so unabashedly, the man who held her in such a firm embrace—she was powerless against him.
He stirred not just her body, but her mind, and definitely her heart. She couldn’t think straight; she couldn’t refuse him much, if anything, and it scared her. She was a mother, and she had to be more careful with a young son, but to make things worse for her, this wonderful man also seemed to welcome Angelo like a child he had always wanted.
There was no going back now—she belonged to Alec, and would go wherever he wanted her to go.
Now, she just had to wait for him to get back in three days, and it would be the longest three days of her life—she knew it.
“Mommy, a man tried to pick me up today, but he didn’t know the password,” Angelo said as she picked him up from school.
Dahlia tried to hide her panic.
“Have you ever seen him before? What did he look like?”
He pointed to his arm. “He’s like you and me—not Alec. And he said he was my daddy. But I’ve never seen him before, and you said my dad died, so I didn’t believe him.”
Dahlia hugged him. “You did the right thing, baby. Just like we talked about.”
Dahlia ran the possibilities through her mind, concluding that she needed to talk to Alec.
What to Read After FSOG: The Gemstone Collection (WTRAFSOG Book 7) Page 123
