Colette’s mouth fell open. Her mind was blown away by Carter’s admission. First Gabe, now Carter. Most women would be happy with two men pining away for her...she wasn’t too comfortable with it. Thoughts of how do you choose, which one to choose and what’ll happen if she chooses the wrong one, ran through her head. This was crazy. She looked up at Carter, his mouth was moving, words were forming on his lips, but she didn’t hear any of it. She was too stunned.
“...and I know this is a lot to put on you now, especially since I know you are having problems with Gabe. But kitten...I want you to be the one that’s in my apartment keeping it warm while I’m away and while I’m home. I want you in my bed, in my life...in...” Carter shrugged his shoulders, “...in everything that is my life. I want you to be the one that is waiting on the tarmac when I walk off that plane from a deployment. I want your arms to be the ones around me every day.”
Just as Carter finished up, Colette’s phone started to ring. Looking over at it, she saw Gabe’s face and name. She wasn’t sure she really wanted to pick it up, and that worried her.
Letting go of her hands, Carter nodded to her phone. “You better get that. I know that I’d want you to answer me.”
Picking it up with a shaky hand, she hit the green button. “H...hello?”
“Hey, I texted a few times. You okay?” Gabe asked.
“Yeah. I’m fine. We were just talking at the Mellow Mushroom.”
“I’m getting off early today. Want to come over before I start my day at the gym?”
“Ah..sure. I’ll see you in a little bit,” Colette agreed.
“Okay. Bye Amante.”
Colette hit the red button, looking up at Carter with sadness on her face.
“I have to go Carter. I am glad that you are home and I mean it...if you need anything. Call me.” Colette stood up from the booth and grabbed her purse and keys, then stopped in front of Carter and leaned down to hug him, but Carter stood and caught her lips with his. Softly and sweetly, he kissed her. Letting her go after several minutes, he watched as she almost stumbled away from him and out the door.
“If you ask me....that girl has no business being your proverbial sister when the chemistry between you two is that obvious. Call me when she gets married...if you’re still single,” Candy rubbed his back and walked away.
Chapter Thirty-Two
There was something in that kiss with Carter that Colette had never felt before. She got into her car and started the drive to Gabe’s apartment with Carter’s words filling her head. She slid into a parking spot before she realized that she was there, she was that lost in her thoughts. Grabbing her purse and keys, she made the way up the sidewalk when Gabe’s front door opened and there he was, standing there with a concerned look on his face.
“Amante?” he asked.
Colette gave him a blank stare. How do you choose? Which one do you choose. Holy hell.
“You okay?” Gabe asked again.
“Yeah,” Colette smiled and walked in.
“You look like you could use a hug.” Gabe took Colette in his arms. “Was he injured that badly?”
Colette went to answer, but was smothered in Gabe’s arms, so she just shook her head.
“It’s okay babe. He’ll be fine.”
She just nodded her head, still reeling. After a moment, it’s like her brain started firing and she came on line like a computer. She took a deep breath and released it.
“Want to come upstairs while I get ready?” Gabe looked at her wiggling his eyebrows.
“Sure,” Colette smiled back.
Gabe led her by the hand up the stairs to his bedroom where he closed the door. Colette dropped her purse and keys on the floor as he pulled his t-shirt over his head and tossed it on the floor. Colette followed suit with hers. She pushed off her shoes as Gabe pushed his ACU pants and boxer-briefs down, his erection springing forth. Colette un-snapped her jeans and quickly unzipped and pushed them down with her panties. She looked him up and down and realized that he must have taken his boots and socks off earlier. Why she realized that now...she wasn’t sure.
“We don’t have long Amante,” Gabe pulled Colette to him and turned her around so that her back was to him. “I want to take you hard.” He gripped her hair and wrapped it around his hand.
What he couldn’t tell her is that he needed this possession of her body, because she’d been with Carter. He felt like he needed to stake his claim on her. He guided them down to the bed so that Colette was bent over the side. With his free hand, he slid it down her back and over her ass to her pussy. He pushed in one finger to spread her juices around making sure she was ready. But when he found that she wasn’t excited at all, he pulled back, letting her hair go. He got on his knees and licked her pussy. Colette moaned.
“That’s right, Amante,” he whispered. Then he licked and lapped at her pussy until she was on the verge of cumming. But he didn’t let her finish.
He stood up, guiding her knees on the bed so that she was at a better height for him, pushed her shoulders on the bed and lined up his cock to her entrance. He watched as the head of his cock slid through the slippery folds of Colette’s pussy, sliding up and down, up and down. When he felt Colette relax, he pushed in to the hilt. Hard. Her intake of breath gave him pause that maybe he’d hurt her. His thoughts were almost that he didn’t want to hurt her, but show her that she was his. Fuck! When did he become such a possessive bastard? He had no right to feel this way at all. Not after what Rosa had done yesterday, but he needed this. He needed to make sure that they were alright.
Gabe started to move, slowly at first. Then, he picked up speed. He’d given her time to adjust, that’s what she thought anyway. She turned her face so that she could see Gabe. His eyes were closed, he looked totally detached to what he was doing to her. Usually, he was in the moment, his eyes open. But she wasn’t upset about it, because even though she was trying to get into the sex they were currently having, all she could think about was the kiss that Carter had given her last night when he walked in, watching him sleep for most of the night, and then his kiss this afternoon before she left to come here. She turned her face into the mattress and made sure that she could breathe but couldn’t call out anyone else’s name.
He had to have her. This possession of his wouldn’t stop. Gabe was relentless in his pursuit to bring everything back to the way it was before...yesterday. He closed his eyes so that Colette wouldn’t see the guilt of being with Rosa yesterday....NO! He had to concentrate on the here and now....with Colette. But every time he opened his eyes, he saw Rosa’s long, black hair and tan body. Not the auburn hair of Colette and her white skin decorated with tattoos.
Breathing heavily, he felt his balls draw up and his orgasm was imminent. He didn’t think of Colette at all, this was all him. A vindication of sorts. A cleansing. There was no talking, only heavy breathing and the slapping of his body against hers as Gabe grabbed Colette’s hips and tunneled in and out of her. It was rough and primal.
He felt the swelling of his cock just before he came, but he decided to pull out at the last moment and jacked himself off on her back. He still couldn’t open his eyes to see where his cum landed on her. It didn’t matter, he’d wash her off anyway.
Colette felt empty. Not sexually, but emotionally. There was a disconnect since Gabe had told her that he’d talked to Rosa, and it was made worse by Carter coming home. Usually Gabe made sure she came before he did. This time he didn’t. Suddenly, she couldn’t wait to go home to her room. She needed to sort these two out in her head.
She felt Gabe step back from her so as quickly as she could, she scooted past him and ran into the bathroom to wash off. Locking the door, she cranked the water on in the sink and reached for a washcloth under the sink. Getting it wet, she washed off her lower back, toweled dry and turned the water off. She took a deep breath before she unlocked the door and stepped out. Her clothes were laid out on the end of the bed, so she quickly got dressed, grabbed her purse
and keys from his dresser by the door and took off down the stairs.
“Amante...” Gabe started as soon as she reached the front door.
She shook her head, “No, please don’t feel the need to explain. I just want to go home.” She looked over to the kitchen doorway where he stood in a pair of gym shorts and a t-shirt, drinking a bottle of water. She opened the front door and made her way out to her car.
On the drive home, she reflected on Carter and Gabe. She was conflicted. Damn, she sounded like a damn romance novel. Things with Carter were tense because he was injured, she knew that. But, he still had that sense of humor she came to love. Their talk during lunch was like he’d never left. When she told him about Gabe the night before, she couldn’t tell him her fear that Rosa really did have something up her sleeve when it came to Gabe. She was afraid that Carter would look into it too much.
Gabe on the other hand wasn’t himself. He was jumpy. And just now...what the actual fuck was that? That wasn’t her usual lover, Gabe. That was someone else. That wasn’t even Gabe the dominant. Ever since his ‘talk’ with Rosa, he just wasn’t the same.
Pulling into her spot by her room, she parked and got out, going into her room. She got herself undressed and showered, tossed her clothes in the hamper and slid into some jammies. She texted Lannie to let her know that she wasn’t feeling well and just wanted to go to sleep, so she wouldn’t be up for dinner. Lannie texted back that they were going out. That done, she plugged her phone into the charger and picked up the remote for her stereo. She needed the sultry sound of Jared Leto and Thirty Seconds to Mars. She hit shuffle but started off with Alibi. She would get back up again, just like Jared sang in the song. But right now, right now, she was going to stay down and cry.
_____
She woke up after three in the morning having to pee like a mad woman. After using the toilet, she slid back under the covers and picked up her phone. There were a few texts from Gabe and Carter and one from Clair which was unusual.
CLAIR: Avoid Bunnie for the next few days. She’s got something up her sleeve, and I’m trying to figure out what it is.
GABE: Amante...I need to talk 2U. Pls call.
GABE: Colette PLS CALL ME!!
CARTER: Hey kitten. Seeing how your evening is going...
CARTER: Lunch tomorrow? Lemme know.
She texted Clair back that it was easy to avoid Bunnie. Colette had to work every night except Friday. She didn’t text Gabe back, not wanting to wake him up. But Carter, she texted back.
COLETTE: Lunch tomorrow...Wild Wing Cafe’ 1300
She put her phone back down, rolled over and listened to the CDs change again and L490 started to play. A guitar instrumental played by Jared’s drummer brother, Shannon, she smiled. He was her favorite. She fell asleep.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Avoiding Bunnie was easy. She’d just get up and get showered and dressed like she normally did and go to Starbucks and get her breakfast instead of going upstairs to get her usual english muffin and coffee. Too easy. After that, she’d gone to school, then had a late lunch with Carter and hung out with him at his apartment until it was time for her to go to work.
It’s like everything was before Carter had deployed, and she’d started dating Gabe. Only Gabe would text her to apologize again or ask her to call. She replied that she was busy, which was a total cop-out, but she wasn’t ready to face whatever it was Gabe wanted to talk about yet. Her routine for the past three days didn’t change.
But she was bound to run into Bunnie eventually, and that day was Friday. Thinking that everyone was gone for the day, Colette, dressed in jeans, a t-shirt and her converse sneakers, then made her way upstairs just after three. It was Bunnie’s busiest day, so running into her wasn’t even in the realm of possibilities. Walking into the kitchen, she went to the pantry to get the bread and then the lunchmeat from the fridge.
“I wouldn’t eat anything just yet if I were you.”
Bunnie.
Her voice made Colette stop in her tracks. She was not going to let Bunnie get to her, so she pulled the ham and cheese out of the fridge and set them on the bar next to the bread.
Colette rolled her eyes. “Why? Did you poison everything?”
“I don’t see you for almost a whole week and the only thing you have to ask me is if I’m trying to poison you?” Bunnie stood in the doorway of the kitchen, dressed in a black skirt, sweater set and heels. Her earrings were gold, as was her multilayered necklace. She placed a hand over her heart. “Really Colette, I’d hoped that we were over all of the dramatics from dinner last week. Besides, the Colonel will be home with take out soon. He’s picking up the twins now.”
So, this is how it was going to go. Fine, Colette thought. She picked up the lunch meat and put it back in the fridge, then put the bread in the pantry. She stood there for a moment, took Bunnie in and felt nothing but disgust toward the woman. She started to walk by her when her right arm was grabbed in a firm grasp. Colette looked over at Bunnie.
“If I were you, I’d let go of me,” Colette made no bones about going toe to toe with Bunnie.
“I have something I want to show you.” She let Colette’s arm go, but gestured that she precede her, “In my office, please.”
Colette was instantly on alert. Bunnie never invited Colette into her office without a confrontation. This was sure to be no different, but curiosity won over. So, she walked in and stood as Bunnie passed her and stopped at the bar.
“Do you want a drink? You might need one,” Bunnie offered.
“No, thank you. Whenever you are really nice like this, I always want to have my wits about me. Generally, the bottom of the boat is about to fall out, or the proverbial other shoe is about to drop.” Colette watched as Bunnie poured two rocks glasses full of vodka, put the bottle down, picked up the two glasses and walked to her desk.
She sat one of the glasses in front of the chair she motioned Colette to sit in, while she sat in her own chair behind the desk. She took a sip of the clear liquid and set the glass down. She put her hand on her mouse and the screen came to life.
“I wanted to share something with you. I was quite intrigued and wanted to inform you immediately of what was going on.” Bunnie looked sincere. She adjusted the large computer screen so that Colette could see, then she hit play.
Colette’s curiosity to flight as the images filled the screen in a slide show of erotica. No faces, just bodies in the midst of passion. She didn’t recognize the room at first, she sat back in the chair looking at Bunnie.
“You know Bunnie, I’m not into looking at porn with my father’s wife.”
“Oh, you don’t recognize the two lovers?” Bunnie asked, pausing the slide show.
“No, no I don’t. No one I know will make a porn slideshow and share it with you,” Colette rolled her eyes. She went to get up when Bunnie stayed her.
“Well, hold on, maybe this will help you.” She slid the mouse to the right and hit play again.
The image that filled the screen made Colette hold her breath. It was Rosa, strung up naked, hands above her head, tied. She was stretched from a chain in the ceiling. A man with very short dark hair was wearing just a pair of jeans was caning her. You couldn’t see his face, but at first glance it made Colette think it was Gabe. She watched as the man on the screen walked in front of the camera. But for the minute she watched, she was convinced that it wasn’t Gabe.
She stood up and looked at Bunnie. “Nice try. I have better things to do than to have you, and I’m sure Rosa gave that to you, to try to implicate that things between Gabe and I are not what they seem. I have better things to do Bunnie.”
“Oh Gabriel...more yes...”
Colette’s stomach fell to her toes. That was indeed Rosa’s voice that came from the computer speakers.
“Oh, I don’t think your little relationship is the piece of paradise that you make it out to be,” Bunnie said, sliding the bar on the movie forward. “You’ll want to sit down for t
his next part.”
Colette couldn’t think. She sank in the chair, a million thoughts running through her head. This was dubbed to make her think it was Gabe, this was way before she and Gabe got together, this was anything but what it looked like. At least that’s what she tried to tell herself.
“Good girl,” Bunnie said, smiling like a Cheshire cat, “watch.”
When she hit play, Rosa was strung out on a bed, still naked. Colette tried to look at the room surroundings, from the angle of the camera. Tan carpet, darker walls, blue sheet on the bed, sofa on the back wall with a picture of The Great Wave....NO! It couldn’t be! This was the same room that Gabe had first introduced her to the things he liked. She’d been in there before. Thinking quickly, she knew that Gabe had taken it all out. He’d changed it after she left. It wasn’t there anymore. So that meant that this wasn’t anytime recently. But that didn’t leave her with any comfort, as the man on the screen looked toward the chest that held all of the ‘toys’. He made no notice of the camera that was pointed at him or Rosa on the bed.
Pick Me (Wait for Me Series Book 2) Page 21
