“It’s time,” he whispered.
Time?
For a moment he was gone. I didn’t feel anything. I didn’t hear anything. I wanted to lift the blindfold and peek, but I was afraid he would stop. My body waited for him.
And then he was back. Gabriel’s large hands glided up my legs to my hips before pulling me towards him, where he stood between my legs. His hands traveled over my mound then spread my legs more.
His fingers drifted over my pussy before entering me again. As his other hand moved up my stomach, his tongue flicked my swollen clit. I gasped as my body reacted to his every touch.
My head swam from all the sensations. It was too good to be true that my Prince Charming was also good in bed. He clasped his hand firmly onto my hip as his tongue swirled, then his lips brushed against me.
I couldn’t take much more. My body pulsed from my core. I grabbed onto the edge of the island as I felt my orgasm approach. Gabriel’s tongue moved faster as I reached down and ran my fingers through his hair.
“Oh, I’m close,” I said.
I let out a moan, then gasped as he slipped another finger inside of me. A rush swept over my body in waves and my hips bucked. Gabriel kissed the inside of my thigh as his fingers slowed.
My body quivered and I let out a happy sigh. Gabriel’s fingers continued and then he moved his thumb over my clit rhythmically from side to side. I laughed from the sensitivity and tried to pull away.
“Stop,” I said, giggling.
“Remember what I said before? I’m just getting started.”
His fingers thrust deep into me and a moan escaped my lips. My legs felt weak, but my body still responded to his touch. I felt my orgasm rise quicker this time, as if it never had a chance to die away. He knew my body better than I did.
“Oh, please stop,” I said, my breaths coming quicker.
The pressure from my core began to build again. I couldn’t take it. I had to at least see him, I didn’t care what he said before.
I pulled the blindfold off and watched for a moment as Gabriel caressed my body with his free hand. His face looked tender, gentle, but his fingers felt more demanding.
“I can’t take it anymore, please, Gabriel, please just fuck me,” I cried out.
He smiled and slowed his thrusting fingers, then came over and kissed my lips softly. Without a word, he picked me up and carried me to the thick rug in front of the fireplace.
As he laid me down, he moved between my legs. I reached down and felt his erect manhood and slowly stroked it as he brought it closer to my pussy.
I gasped as he entered me, my body immediately throbbing and pulsing like it had just a moment ago. His movements began slowly, then quickened, hitting deep within me.
Panting, I moved my hands down his muscular back and over his strong ass as it rose and fell with each thrust. He kissed my lips quickly and then whispered in my ear.
“I want you to come again,” he said. “I’ve never seen anything sexier than when you came before.”
I couldn’t speak, I was too close. My core pulsed as my body moved with his. I began to tremble and then the waves swelled inside of me, traveling throughout my body before crashing over me.
“Oh,” I said, the word catching in my throat as my orgasm spread over me.
I opened my eyes and met Gabriel’s gaze as he came. His hands moved into my hair, wrapping it around his fists as he held me close to him while his hips rocked slowly.
He kissed me gently and then held me in his arms as my body trembled. I rested my head against his chest as we watched the fire dance. He stood and picked me up, cradling me in his arms.
“Let’s go to bed,” he said.
* * *
Gabriel’s arms were wrapped around me as I dozed in and out of sleep. His body was solid, muscular, and lean. I pressed myself against him a little more, enjoying the hardness of his body against mine. He squeezed his arms tighter around me and kissed the top of my head.
“Cassie? You awake?” he whispered.
“Yes.”
The beep of his alarm went off, startling me. He grabbed his phone and turned it off then looked at me, his eyes a little sad.
“I’m sorry, but I have to go,” he said.
“Go? What do you mean?”
He sat up and got out of bed. I wrapped the sheet around myself and followed him downstairs to the kitchen where our clothes still were with the empty condom wrapper on the floor.
“I have an early day tomorrow,” he said. “I don’t want to wake you.”
I had a nagging feeling this had something to do with his unspoken secret. The ‘someone else’ he mistakenly mentioned. As he pulled his pants on, he turned to face me.
“No, please Cassie. Don’t look sad,” he said, lifting my chin up to look at him. “I’m sorry. There is nothing more I would love than to spend the night with you, but I just can’t right now. Not for a while. I know it’s hard for you to understand, but I need to make sure things are right before anything else happens.”
“I don’t understand,” I said, shaking my head.
“I know it doesn’t make sense now, but it will soon. I just need you to trust me, okay?”
“I do. I trust you,” I said, nodding.
I did trust him, more than I trusted anyone else. But it didn’t make his leaving sting any less.
“Are you busy tomorrow? I want to see you again. And the night after that.”
“I’ll be here,” I said. “I want to see you, too.”
“Good, I want to spend as much time with you as I can. I need more dessert,” he said with a grin.
He put his suit jacket on and put his hand over the inside pocket then smiled.
“I wanted to give you a little something for our first date, but you looked so beautiful I forgot about it,” he said as he pulled a small blue box out of his pocket.
“You didn’t have to get me anything,” I said, putting my hands up.
“Anyone ever tell you you’re difficult? I had to force an apartment on you and now I have to force you to take a present,” he said, laughing softly.
“Actually, my mother says I’m difficult all the time,” I said, laughing.
I took the gift from him and held it in my hand for a moment. The rectangular box was a robin’s egg blue with a white bow. Across the box in black lettering was ‘Tiffany & Co.’.
While he had given me the watch before, there was something different about this gift now that he was my boyfriend. I wasn’t used to getting gifts, especially not of the small box variety, and here he was giving me another small gift.
As I pulled the end of the small white ribbon, I started to get more excited. I couldn’t believe Gabriel went out of his way to buy me something. Whatever it was, I knew I would love it.
I set the ribbon on the counter and pulled the lid off the box. Inside the blue box was a hinged box. I opened it and saw glittering diamond drop earrings. My eyes widened and my mouth dropped open. I hadn’t expected anything like that.
“I hope you like them,” he said.
He took the box from my hand and removed one of the earrings. While I stood there stunned, he put both earrings on me.
“These are too much,” I said. “I can’t accept this.”
“No, they’re yours. As soon as I saw them in the store, I knew they were meant for you.”
He led me into the powder room and stood behind me as we faced the mirror. My eyes went directly to him, completely dressed in his suit, minus his tie. But his eyes were on me.
My hair was messy from being in bed and my only clothing was the sheet wrapped around me, but the earrings made even that look amazing.
I didn’t know what to say. Even though I thought they were too much and I had no idea where or when I would ever wear them, I knew Gabriel wouldn’t take no for an answer.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
He nodded, looking pleased, then turned me around to face him. His fingers slid my hair behind
my ear and then he cupped my face and kissed my lips gently.
“I’ll see you tomorrow night,” he said. “Late.”
Chapter Eleven
Cassie
I sat in my office with my desk calendar open. I couldn’t believe how fast time was flying by. Next week it was going to be Christmas Eve and while Gabriel and I had been seeing each other every day, both at work and at the penthouse, neither of us had said anything about the holidays.
Sitting on top of the calendar was my cousin Ashley’s home phone number. It had been a few days since I had last spoken to her, and I wondered if she was home.
“Good afternoon, Boone residence,” a woman’s voice said.
“Hi,” I said. “I’m calling for Ashley.”
“And whom may I say is calling?”
“Her cousin, Cassie Monroe.”
“Please hold.”
As I listened to Muzak piped through the phone, I wondered if Gabriel had this kind of set up in his home. Thinking about his home, I felt a twinge of pain in my chest. We had been together for weeks and I had never been to his house.
What’s he hiding there?
I stuffed the thought down and reminded myself that I trusted him. He cared about me. There wasn’t another woman. Or was there? The more I fell for him, the more insecure I felt.
I hated how insecure I felt at times and as a different song came on the hold music, I decided I needed to do something to get my mind off my insecurity. I was ready to hang up when I heard a familiar voice on the line.
“Hey Cassie, I’m sorry you were on hold for so long. I was changing Jacob’s diaper.”
“It’s no problem. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to calling you and hearing Muzak and everything.”
Ashley laughed. “That’s Xander for you. He hates silence when he’s on hold. How are you doing?”
“I’m good. My mother has been giving me shit about not coming home for Christmas.”
“Oh? I guess things are going well between you and Gabriel.”
“No, I mean yes.” I sighed, feeling frustrated. “I don’t know what I mean anymore. Yes, everything seems good, but we just haven’t talked about it. I didn’t think about it, I just knew I didn’t feel like making the trip home.”
“Then you have to come over! We’re having a party on Christmas Eve, just friends and family. I’d love for you to be there too. And you have to bring Gabriel. As a matter of fact, you don’t have to come, I’m more interested in talking to him alone. There’s a lot I need to warn him about.”
“You are such a bitch,” I said, laughing. “I’ll ask him. I don’t know what he’ll say, but I’ll ask him.”
“You sure you’re okay, Cassie? You know I’m here if you want to talk.”
“I’m fine, Ash. I just can’t believe Christmas is almost here. I’ll see you on Christmas Eve.”
“Great, I’ll see you then!”
As I hung up, I felt bad for lying to my cousin, but I didn’t want to get into my insecurities with Gabriel right in the next room. Maybe I was just being selfish wanting more time with him. It had to be just that. I’d feel better if I spent a few minutes with him.
I drummed my fingers on the calendar and looked over to the door that separated my office from Gabriel’s. Getting up, I pressed my ear to the door to see if he was on the phone or in a meeting. When I didn’t hear anything, I knocked, then opened the door.
“Hey hon,” he said as he turned to face the door. “I’m sorry I haven’t spent much time with you today. Just a lot of planning going on for the big New Year’s Eve fight.”
He stood up and wrapped his hands around my waist and kissed my forehead, then my lips. His lips lingered on mine, then slowly pushed my lips open. As his tongue slipped into my mouth, I forgot all about my insecurities.
His phone rang and he looked at the clock and grimaced.
“I’m sorry, Cassie. I’m still matchmaking the undercard. I have to take this call. Is there anything you wanted to talk about? Or can it wait?”
He picked up the phone and pushed the hold button.
“It’s okay, it can wait,” I said. “But I did want to ask you something. My cousin is having a party Christmas Eve and I was wondering if you’d go with me.”
“You want me to meet your family?” he asked.
“Well, I didn’t think of it like that, but yes, I do. It would really mean a lot to me if you came.”
“Absolutely. I wouldn’t miss it,” he said, smiling. “But there are a few things I need to do that day. I hate to ask, but is it okay if I meet you there?”
I felt a little disappointed. I didn’t like going to parties alone and I imagined showing up at the party on the arm of my suited-up gorgeous prince. But I knew he had a lot on his plate with the big fight, so I smiled and nodded.
“It’s okay, as long as we’re together.”
Chapter Twelve
Cassie
As I sat in the apartment’s library in my yoga pants and an oversized t-shirt, I couldn't remember the last time I felt so alone. My mother was right, I should have gone home to see her. I didn’t realize that even though I thought it was just another day, it wasn’t. It was Christmas Eve.
The doorbell rang and I ran to the door, wondering who it could be. As I looked through the peephole, I recognized Henry, one of the doormen. He was short with thick sandy hair and wrinkles around his eyes. In his hands was a large rectangular box. I opened the door to see what he wanted.
“Hi Henry,” I said.
“Good day, Miss Cassie,” he said as he entered the apartment and placed the box on the foyer table. “Mr. Kohl delivered this for you and gave me specific instructions.”
“He was here? I wonder why he didn’t come up.”
“He seemed to be in a hurry, Miss.”
“Okay, what did he say?”
Henry cleared his throat and pulled out a piece of paper from his lapel pocket and read it.
“Cassie, I bought this for you to wear tonight. Don’t be difficult,” Henry said.
I laughed, hearing Gabriel’s voice in my head.
“Thank you, Henry,” I said.
“You’re welcome, Miss,” he said as he let himself out.
I moved the box to the dining room table. On the top of the box in dark red letters was Joyeux, the name of a clothing store I read about recently in a magazine.
After removing the lid, I pushed aside the pink tissue paper and pulled out a black sheath dress with a plunging V on the back. I held it up against me and thought it would fit. Underneath the dress was a glittery clutch.
I couldn’t fight with Gabriel about it. He wasn’t even there. And for the first time, I didn’t want to fight. As I looked at the dress in front of me, I realized I never thought about what I was wearing to Ashley’s party that night.
As I put the dress back into the box, a card slid onto the floor. I picked it up, recognizing Gabriel’s handwriting.
Wear the earrings.
Love, Gabriel
Smiling, I carried the dress upstairs. It was time to get ready. I couldn’t wait to see Ashley after all this time and to spend the evening with Gabriel.
* * *
I was dressed and ready to go to Jefferson Manor, Ashley’s home, but I couldn’t shake my loneliness. Where was Gabriel? What was he doing? I was driving myself crazy with questions I couldn’t answer.
Calling down to the lobby, I recognized Henry’s voice when he answered the phone.
“What can I do for you, Miss?” he asked.
“Can you call a cab for me?”
“Mr. Kohl’s driver is here waiting for you.”
Stan was standing beside the limo when I stepped outside. He smiled and nodded at me, then opened the back door.
“By myself? Can’t I ride in front with you?” I asked.
“Mr. Kohl instructed me--“
“Say no more, I got it, Stan,” I said as I climbed into the back.
Alone in the back of
the limo, I didn’t feel any better. I fidgeted in the seat and couldn’t even distract myself with the passing scenery. If it hadn’t been for Ashley, I would have said I had a headache or something and stayed at home.
The limo shook as it went over the gravel driveway leading up to Jefferson Manor. Stan lowered the divider and looked at me through his mirror.
“We’re almost there. It’s just up ahead,” he said.
“Do you know when Gabriel will be here?” I asked.
Stan’s eyes darted away and I leaned forward to try to catch him again in the mirror. As I widened my eyes at him, he let out a small sigh.
“I don’t know. He’s otherwise engaged at the moment,” he said.
“What the hell does that mean?”
“He forbade me to say. Please don’t make this more difficult for me.”
“Difficult for you? Are you kidding me?”
“He will be here later, but I don’t know when,” he said as he raised the divider.
The limo stopped in front of the Georgian mansion, but I was so inside my head that I barely noticed anything other than the oversized wreath on the door. I rang the doorbell as I watched Stan drive away.
“Cassie! I’m so glad you came,” Ashley said.
Ashley had on a green dress with sparkling trim and a Santa hat. She threw her arms around me and we hugged each other tightly.
“It’s always good to see you,” I said.
“Where’s your man? I thought Gabriel was coming with you.”
“I don’t know,” I said with a sigh. “He said he’d meet me here.”
“Come with me. I know that look, but we’re adults now, which means you need a drink.”
I followed Ashley past a curved stairway and into the kitchen. Several people dressed in chef attire were cooking. We walked towards the back where there was a small table and chairs set up. I recognized Tara right away as she poured rum into a punch bowl.
Playing the Game Page 9
