I tried to smile, but had a feeling I wasn’t convincing anyone.
“Hello, Malcolm.”
“Why so blue, Aolani? It’s a gorgeous day in one of the best cities in the world, if I do say so myself. What’s stopping that beautiful smile of yours from lighting this whole street up?”
I felt the heat creeping up my cheeks and stared out over the picturesque tombstones and green hillocks of the cemetery. What could I say?
“I… I just have something on my mind is all.”
He squinted at me, then turned and leaned over the wall, scooting closer to me, his face suddenly serious.
“It’s my brother, isn’t it,” he said. “Is he treating you badly? He always was a cold bastard when it came to business.”
I grinned despite myself, and swept my hair over my shoulder. I met Malcolm’s cool, blue gaze.
“Something like that.”
“Well, lucky for you that your new friend Malcolm is here to take your mind off things.” He winked at me.
“Oh? My new friend?”
“Of course, my bonny lass,” he said, sweeping my hand up before I could protest and kissing it again. “And your new friend just happens to be one of the best tour guides in all of Scotland, so you’re doubly in luck.”
He nodded his head toward the cobbled street, still holding my hand. “Come on. Let me show you around. This is your first time, right?”
I nodded, feeling swept up in the idea by sheer force of his personality. He was so much different than Gavin—so much wilder. Freer.
He barked a laugh, his white smile making me tingle in a way that made me uncomfortable and giddy at the same time.
“Then, you, Aolani, are in for a treat today. Just leave everything to me.”
***
When he pulled his hands away from my eyes, I couldn’t help but gasp. We were on the ramparts of the castle that had been dominating the skyline since we arrived, staring through a hole in the wall, over the bulk of an ancient cannon. Beyond, we could see the lush, green expanse of the Princess Street Gardens, and past that, the quaint streets of old town mixing into the new, all the way out to the grey-blue waters of the Atlantic.
It was breathtaking.
“Everyone needs to see Edinburgh this way, at least once,” Malcolm said in my ear.
“It’s amazing,” I said. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
I felt Malcolm’s strong hand on the small of my back as he leaned over, sharing the view with me, but I didn’t pull away. It was comforting, being here with him, touring the city, making a new friend just when I needed to be distracted from my sadness.
As we walked the walls of the castle, a breeze kicked up, and I shivered, running my hands over my bare arms. Without a word, Malcolm whisked off his denim jacket and draped it over my shoulders. I smiled up at him, relaxing for the first time in hours.
“Tell me something, Aolani. Are you hungry at all?”
I thought of the Gala, still hours away, and felt my stomach rumble.
“What did you have in mind?”
“Well, there’s one more thing everyone needs to do their first time in Scotland. Do you trust me?”
He grinned at me mischievously, and I felt my skin tingle beneath that piercing blue gaze, so like Gavin’s hazel eyes, but so different altogether.
“I barely know you,” I said, tossing my hair back. I couldn’t hide my smile. “So, how could I trust you?”
“Well, then, let’s get to know one another better over a plate of traditional fare. I know just the place, and then you’ll get to experience a real taste of Edinburgh.”
I nodded, letting myself be swept away by this charming new man, postponing a little while more the task I was dreading—seeing Gavin again and ending things like I knew I must.
I may not know Malcolm Fletcher yet, but at that moment, I would have followed him anywhere.
***
“Haggis?”
Malcolm grinned at me before taking a swig from his pint of ale. “Aye, what else?”
I shook my head, looking down at the steaming plate in front of me. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
"Oh, come on now," he said. "It's the chief of all the puddings. It's delicious. Just try it. You'll like it!"
I poked the pastry crust with ground meat spilling out of it and raised an eyebrow at him.
"You said you were up for an adventure, didn't you lass? Well, it never hurts to try something new." He winked at me. "Today's about living a little, right? Taking your mind off your problems?"
I sighed and gave him a small smile. We still had a couple of hours before I had to change for the Gala, and I had to admit, Malcolm's company today had been a welcome respite from the troubled thoughts swirling through my mind. Every time he looked at me with that devilish light in his eyes, I felt wanted again. I felt a happiness loosening the pit of dread in my chest.
"You know what? You're right," I said. I lifted my pint glass of dark beer and toasted with him. "To trying new things."
"To trying new things," he said, his eyes full of mischief.
We both drank deeply, and then I raised my knife and fork and cut into my haggis. A rich, spiced meat smell rose up, and my mouth started watering.
"I can't believe I'm about to eat this. I don't even know what's in here..." I raised a bite up and stared at it. I could see oats and meat, and that was all I could identify. I took a hesitant bite, then closed my eyes as the mix of pastry and savory filling played over my tongue.
"Well?" Malcolm said, leaning forward.
"I could see why people would be turned off," I said, eyeing the mess spilling onto my plate, "but I have to admit... It's actually really, really delicious."
He smacked the table with a laugh. "I knew it! I've converted another one!"
I laughed with him, at the joy on his face, and noticed the way his smile deepened as he looked me over.
He wants me, I thought.
Then again, what was wrong with that? We were just two people getting to know one another. Where was the harm in a little flirting?
"Cheers to new experiences, Aolani," Malcolm said and clinked his glass to mine.
I smiled shyly and took another sip of my beer. It was going to be an interesting night.
***
Gavin
I snagged a glass of champagne off a server's tray and tugged nervously on my tuxedo jacket. The ballroom looked immaculate--the ice sculptures of our yachts gleaming in the light from the chandeliers--the gigantic backdrops of Aolani leaning over the bow, a breathtaking sunset lighting her faraway gaze; the perfect scene setter. The words "Live beautifully" hung everywhere in banners, the advertisements displayed like works of art for the investors to admire as they milled and drank and ate.
Everything was going smoothly... so why did I feel so on edge?
The photography crew looked great, smiles big and proud as they chatted about the work we'd done with the white haired old men who financed the company. Members of the media snapped photos and milled between the guests, and I forced a smile whenever their camera lenses swung my way.
I hadn't seen Aolani yet, and was itching to introduce her around. She'd seemed so distant over the last day or so, and I couldn't put my finger on why. Perhaps it was just nerves about this night. After all, this was her career debut as a model and photographer's assistant, and as much as this night meant to me, I knew it was just as crucial for her. She had every reason to be proud, and every reason to be anxious as well, although her work spoke for itself.
Despite the nagging sensation of old memories that being home always dragged up, I knew I was about to turn a corner in my life. After tonight, I'd go to Aolani and hold her in my arms. If I could find the courage, I'd ask her to stay with me here in Edinburgh for another week or so, not as an employee, but as my guest, enjoying my home with me before getting on with her next projects. I also hoped afterwards to get her to stay on at my company--to keep modeling, if she was
willing, and to keep Thomas in line. Perhaps with more experience, she could take over for him.
More than anything, I wanted to see her happy, smiling beside me, taking in everything she'd earned and blossoming because of her hard work and natural talent. She deserved all of that, and so much more.
And despite not knowing how to be with someone, not after Fi, I was going to give it all I had. Perhaps in that week together, not working, but just enjoying one another's company, I'd figure out how to live again. How to love.
How to tell her what I already knew--that I loved her. That I needed her in my life.
I realized with a start that I had downed my champagne already. Keep a clear head, Gavin. This is your night. Don't let your nerves overcome you.
The doors at the end of the ballroom opened, and my heart leapt in my chest as I saw Aolani enter the room. Heads turned, the investors admiring her before taking in who she was--who she must be. Her hair fell in luxurious curls down bare shoulders, her body perfectly silhouetted in a slinky red dress, hugging her curves. She wore a crimson flower above her ear, and when she smiled at the crowd, I put a hand to my heart, unable to help myself. God, what that women did to me.
A few people applauded upon recognizing her, the crowd murmuring their approval as they glanced at the banners bearing her likeness and back again. Aolani beamed at them, moving gracefully into the crowd, shaking hands and smiling in a sensual way that made my cock stir in my trousers.
At that moment, all I wanted to do was whisk her back to my room and make her mine--to thrust myself inside of her and hear her scream my name--but I knew this was her moment to shine. I would not take that away from her.
I moved toward her, making my apologies as I pushed through the crowded floor, wanting to congratulate her, to tell her we were a hit, that the investors’ reviews of her work were positive, but at that moment, I saw Malcolm enter behind her, looking roguishly handsome in a dark jacket over jeans, a tuxedo shirt untucked and wrinkled, making him look like the rock star he so wanted to be.
He moved toward Aolani and put his hand on her back. I stopped where I was when I saw her turn and smile at him, her eyes full of laughter, her soft lips parted as she looked at him.
What the hell had I missed? When had she and Malcolm gotten to know one another?
But before I could ask any questions, the CFO was tugging on my arm, ready to introduce me to his wife. I shook my head, telling myself to calm down, that nothing was wrong.
This was my night, and duty called.
***
Aolani
The Gala was a blur of faces, of me shaking hands and trying not to give away just how anxious I was to be on gigantic advertisements, my body bared before this room full of strangers. I smiled, trying not to panic as eyes flitted first to the ads, then back to me. Oddly enough, everyone seemed impressed, wringing my hand with real enthusiasm and congratulating me instead of jeering or frowning, as I’d half expected.
Thing were going to be okay.
Malcolm’s presence at my side was a relief—a friendly face in a sea of uncertainty. Once, I saw Gavin across the room. His back was to me, and he was laughing, caught up in conversation with a silver haired man and his elegant blonde wife. I turned away, not wanting to think about what was to come later. I just wanted the night to stretch on and on so that awful moment where I told him we were through would never come.
I hugged Sandra and congratulated Thomas. Both were beaming from ear to ear, pleased with the reception the campaign was getting.
I don’t know how long I stayed, only that it was long enough. Malcolm took my hand and led me out into the night air, and before I knew it, we were at a bar, laughing together in the dim light.
We sampled whisky together, him telling me the difference between whiskey with an ‘e,’ and whisky from Scotland without, pouring some water into the glass of amber spirits to release the aroma.
I sipped, suddenly understanding why Gavin loved the stuff, but the thought of him made my heart ache, so I drank deeper. I’d have to see him sooner or later, and then I’d have to end it for good.
It was better to put it off. To savor this night, what was left of it, while I could. To enjoy myself. After all, where was the crime in that?
Malcolm took me to another bar, this one a tiny wood-paneled hole in the wall, then another, more modern with martinis and young folks mixing in dim lighting.
By the time we were wandering back to our hotel, I was holding onto his arm for support, giggling like a schoolgirl, my mind pleasantly fuzzy and my body warm. I realized I was wearing his jacket once again, and snuggled deeper into it, smelling the intoxicating smell of his cologne, musky and wild, and so unlike his brother’s.
“I don’t want to go in yet,” I said, looking up at him.
He glanced down, smiling that roguish grin of his and put his arm around my shoulder.
“Fine by me, lass. Let’s have us a walk, then.”
He thinks I’m gorgeous, I thought. He wants me. Wants to be with me.
I leaned my head on his shoulder as we walked into the rose gardens behind the hotel, getting lost in the twists and turns of the path between the bushes, the fragrant scent of the flowers surrounding me, making me feel, just for a moment, along with the stuffing in my head, and the brightness of the stars overhead, that Malcolm and I were alone in a fairyland. A place where time didn’t matter, and I could linger, outside of all responsibility, all fear; all obligation.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
I was looking up at the sparkling night sky, but when Malcolm spoke, his voice quiet and husky, I looked up into his eyes.
“Not as beautiful as you are, Aolani.”
I should have rolled my eyes at his obvious line. I should have smiled and pulled away and suggested we walk back to the hotel. I should have remembered his brother, and the talk that still needed having. But instead of all of these sensible things, I stayed right where I was, caught up in the sight of him, so beautiful in the starlight it was almost painful to look at him.
When he lowered his mouth to mine, I didn’t resist.
His warm lips on mine made my mind go blank, and the soft hiss of his breath as I kissed him back made me feel helpless to turn back. He pulled me closer, his arms strong around my back and waist, running along my curves as he held me. His tongue tasted my lips, gently probing, and I opened to him, tasting him back, the sensation of our mingling kiss making me moan.
God, it was good to be wanted. Really wanted by someone who wouldn’t mind telling people we were together. Who wasn’t ashamed to be with me. Whose heart was free to love, instead of caught up in a mysterious past.
His hands moved lower, cupping my ass and crushing me to him. I wrapped my hands in his hair as our kisses deepened, and a fire built deep inside of me. I could taste the whisky on his tongue and feel the hardness of his erection growing against my stomach. He ground against me, and I groaned, wanting him. Wanting this.
Malcolm growled against my lips, sounding like a wild man as the sparks flew between us. Through the haze of excitement and arousal and alcohol, a tiny voice inside my head told me that soon there would be no going back. This was something I couldn’t undo, and I was nearing the point of no return.
The rest of me didn’t care.
I was too hurt. Too angry. Too in love with the feeling of being wanted again. Of being cherished, if that’s what this was. Through the fog in my head, for the moment, I was hard pressed to tell the difference.
Malcolm pressed me back against the stone wall at the edge of the garden path, then lifted me up onto the wide railing. I wrapped my legs around him, whimpering as I felt his hard cock press against me through his jeans.
“God, Aolani,” he breathed.
His lips were on my neck, then, moving lower as I arched back, shivering at his touch. A deft hand cupped my breast, kneading it lightly in a way that made my nipple pebble against his palm. Malcolm ground against me, and I felt m
y core ignite, my body needy and hot in a way it hadn’t been for days.
His shaft rubbed against my clit again and again, and I bit my lip, moaning loudly as pulses of flame licked through my veins. When he kissed between my breasts and thrust harder against me, I gasped as I came undone, my body shuddering against him as he held me close. For a moment, my mind was all light, all color, all explosions and fireworks as I convulsed, my pleasure overwhelming everything—but then, I was transported back, back to a kitchen on a gently rocking boat, the smell of curry wafting in the air, the feel of Gavin Fletcher between my legs, the bite mark on my breast, and I felt a tear sliding down my cheek.
This was wrong. So wrong, it made my head spin.
“I… I can’t. Oh, God,” I said.
Malcolm still held me, but now he looked into my eyes, his brow furrowed. “Okay. Okay… no problem. What’s wrong?”
“I’m so sorry,” I breathed. My head was still spinning, but now I felt sick rather than buzzed.
“Aolani,” Malcolm began, but just then, a dark figure rounded the corner at a jog.
“Aolani? I’ve been looking everywhere for-”
Gavin Fletcher’s voice met my ears, and I cringed as he stopped short looking at the scene before him--my legs still wrapped around his brother’s waist, my arms still tangled around his neck.
He moved closer, out of the shadows, and I’ll never forget the look on his face as our eyes met. It was a look of shock and utter despair, like someone had ripped his heart out of his chest and held it up before him, showing it to him. Mocking him.
He shook his head and turned away, moving back through the bushes like a man in a daze. Malcolm pulled away from me and called after him, but I didn’t hear his words. All I could see was Gavin’s pained eyes, his face gone pale in the starlight as he looked at me in his brother’s arms.
Lush Curves 5: Undertow Page 2
