The Photograph

Gabe

“Hi,” she breathes out with a smile, and I get hard.

Michael. Think of what she did to Michael.

I straighten my back and unclench my jaw. “Ready to go?”

Somehow her smile gets bigger. Softer. And she tugs on my wrist. “Come in, I’ll be one minute.”

Her long hair sways down her back like a live silk curtain as she hurries down the hallway. As I step in and dive my hands in my pockets, I take in the cream walls peppered by black framed pictures of children playing and children’s drawings encased in thick yellow frames. She has style, but I didn’t expect the sweetness of the undertone of her house decor.Maybe it’s the sister.The unmistakably sharp clap of high heels on the wooden floor pulls my attention to Aelin walking toward me looking like a goddamn pin-up girl. A heady mix of sultriness, joy, and innocence.A beautiful liar in full force.

I relax my fists as she gets close. Her eyes hooked into mine, she touches my chest, and I zoom in on her pliable, tempting mouth.

“Thank you for the pendant, Gabe,” she whispers.

Of course, it’s about what my money can buy her.She’s good.I step back and open the front door.

“My pleasure. Let’s go, our reservation is at 7:30 PM.”

****

Seated in the private room of the restaurant with its own balcony and an ocean view, I shift back in my chair to listen to her. The small lamp in the center of the round table lights up her beautiful, animated face as she talks. Her golden eyes sparkle above a thin nose that emphasizes the dimple in her chin and the deep cupid bow of her plump mouth.

Her file states she was an above average student who graduated top of her class in her interior design program. She’s charming, smart, funny, and passionate about her work. Alluring describes her perfectly. With an emphasis on the luring. But every time I ask a question about her past, she skillfully changes the subject. I can’t even get her to reveal where she went to high school. She’s very attached to her older sister who sounds like someone who would give in to any of her whims.

When the server brings our desserts—some kind of chocolate cake for her—her eyes light up. She also loves food.

“This looks delicious,” she says, and I grit my teeth against the caress of her raspy voice.Time to hook the greedy fish.

After refusing her offer to taste the cake, I lean in. “Are you seeing anyone at the moment?”

Aelin’s face colors as she shakes her head, and her fingers fly to her mouth. She swallows. “No. What about you?”

“Nothing serious. Relationships take time and I prioritize my work.” Which is true.

Aelin frowns and sets her fork beside the half-eaten dessert. “I could never understand that. How are you … how is anyone too busy for love? It should complement our lives. Make it richer and not something that keeps us away from the rest of our lives.”

She’s good. Almost sounds genuine.But I know better. “So, no jealous lovers I should be worried about while I keep you at Holloway? No one in the wing waiting for you?” I’m aiming for a teasing tone, but my voice comes out harsh.

At the shake of her head, I shift closer. “How come?”

Clearing her throat, she sits back. Her fingertips graze the pendant, and she tucks her hair behind her ear in a studied coy gesture.

“Finding the right person is … not easy,” she whispers.

Is that how she does it? Making schmucks believe they might be the one? And who wouldn’t want to when she’s looking like that?I would laugh if I wasn’t so pissed off. Leaning back, I observe her animated face.Hooked.

At the end of the evening, I walk her to her door. The night breeze blows through her long dark hair and the light from the streetlamp hits the pendant nestled between the round globes of her breasts.

When she glances furtively sideways and curls her hair behind her ear, I track her line of sight to a curtain snapping shut across the street and edge closer.

“What’s wrong?”

She shakes her head. “Nosy neighbors.”

The woman who broke my brother steps closer, her lips part, and she touches my chest. Her hesitant smile is tantalizing. Shyness, even faked, suits her.

“Would you like to come in?”

Such a gorgeous mouth.And those eyes. I brush my thumb on her plump bottom lip. Her small hand curls on my shirt. She rolls on her toes.

My brother’s eyes full of pain.Yanking my hand down, I step back.

“Maybe next time. Thank you for a wonderful evening, Aelin.”

The woman is a menace.

****

Aelin

We’re nearing the end of stage one of the work at Holloway. We’ve laid the floorings and carpets and installed the curtains and lighting fixtures.

The furniture will be delivered in a couple of days which gives me a bit of time to catch up on paperwork. Emma will be at the office for the whole day instead of only the morning while she devotes the rest of the day to her studies, so we can work on invoices, bills, and all the essential, but not fun parts, of the business.

Emma’s impressively good at it, and I shamelessly delegate to her for all this. She’s also a genius with computers who created a curated software which allows me to show my clients whattheirnewly decorated spaces would look like.

I also miss my best friend. Since I’ve started on Holloway House, we’ve barely seen each other, so this morning I made chocolate eclairs, pancakes, as well as bacon and eggs. As I pour syrup over the plate of pancakes, her lilted voice reaches me.

“Ael?”

“In the kitchen.”

Seconds later, she stops in between the archway and grins. “Holy shit. All this for us?”

I turn off the stove and we fall into each other’s arms. I love my Em.

She holds my hands and giggles. “Morning, boss.”

“Morning, darling.”

After filling her glass with apple juice, we settle at the table. “Let’s eat because we have tons to do before I go back to Holloway.”

Holding my mug of tea, I tilt my head to the side. “How’s my goddaughter?”

Em’s face lights up as it does every time Samantha’s mentioned. “Turning four in six months and Mom’s already planning a party which starts to sound more and more like a freaking wedding!”

Mindy, Emma’s very hands-on mom, dotes on Samantha, which is great but also seems to aggravate my friend to no end. We catch up for a few more minutes then get to task.

Well into the afternoon, I roll my neck from side to side and get on my feet. As I walk past Em’s desk, I ask, “I’m going to the kitchen. Can I get you anything?”

She shakes her head but as I pivot toward the kitchen, she catches my arm. “Okay. Spill.”

What?“Spill what?”

She narrows her perceptive eyes, takes my hand to lead me to the small couch in my drawing room where we sit face to face. Her pretty face looks angelic in this light.

“You’ve been in a funk. Is the work on Holloway going okay?”

I nod. “Everything’s fine.”

She frowns and smiles at the same time, the way only she can. “So why are you so quiet? And by that, I mean not your usual dreamy quiet, you’re almost … broody.”

Oh, shoot.“I am? I’m sorry, Em.”

My best friend squeezes my hands. “Don’t be. Just tell me what’s wrong.”

I dip my chin, Cara would go into protective overdrive and be all over me, but it’s Em, so I scoot closer. “It’s Gabe… He’s uh…” I shake my head. I don’t even know how to put it in words.

She leans in. “He’s what?”

I take a deep breath. “I’m really attracted to him, and I think he’s attracted to me, too, but I’m not sure…”

I stop at her expression and sit up. “What? You think he’s out of my league?”

She touches my cheek. “Not at all. You’re crazy smart and absolutely gorgeous, but I think … in terms of experience he might be. Sexual experience…”

Ouch.I yank my hands from hers. “I’ve dated before, and I’ve watched porn,”which was a bad idea in terms of education, but still. “I’m not living under a rock.”

Emma winces. “I saw a couple of pictures of him during the opening of his palace hotel in Europe a few years back, and Gabe Matthews has this very … uh Me-Tarzan, you-Jane vibe. So, I think he probably dates experienced women.”

She’s right. I know she is. But ouch.“I get it. I’m out of my depth with someone like him.”

When I retreat to my sketch table, Emma wraps her arms around my waist from behind, and I wheel around to hug her back.

She kisses my cheek, and her hands are cool when she frames my face.

“Ael. I’m far from being an expert.” Her mouth curves in a side smile. “You know, single mom and all that. If you like him and want to do something about it, go for it. But just be careful of the blowback. This is our biggest, most prestigious contract. You’ve worked really hard for this, and if something goes wrong, you’ll lose more than just a relationship. Is it worth all of that?”

I shrug and bite my lip. “Em, I’ve never felt this way before, ever, for anyone, and I want to… I need to see where this can go. Even if it doesn’t work out it won’t impact my work at Holloway which is nearly finished anyway. It’s just—”

She touches her forehead to mine. “Okay, babe, I get it. Just be careful, okay?”

****

A few days later, I flatten my back in the nook underneath the double grand stairs to keep out of the way of the dozen movers carrying various sized boxes. When the coast is clear, I hop sideways, and startle one burly, sweaty man who growls at me. After mumbling an apology, I take refuge in the front garden where I settle on one of the stone benches.

Jen’s done a fantastic job. Amidst the shrubs, she’s mixed wild plants and flowers which gives the gardens an exotic feel.

I take a deep breath filling my lungs with the morning air. I might have been presumptuous in my assessment of the situation with Gabe. He’s not attracted to me at all. The few times we’ve crossed paths, I smiled with plenty of eye contact, or talked about restaurants or galleries or movies I’ve heard about, but … nothing. Gabe Matthews is anything but obtuse, and I haven’t been particularly subtle, so, what I thought was interest was just him being … friendly? But there’s the pendant. And the way he looks at my mouth as if he—

The roar of the movers’ trucks snaps me out of my daydreaming, and I return to the lounge. I divided the wide room with its tall arched French windows into three by using wrought iron screen dividers Gabe had custom made in Italy. It’s coming together beautifully.

The day we set them up I sent a picture of the room to Gabe, and a couple of hours later, I received a giant bouquet of roses and lilies with a thank you note I shared with my team.

As I’m laying down the heavy drapes that will become the main bedroom’s curtains on the floor, my cell beeps, and I hold my breath. It’s Gabe.

Dinner?

Yes! After I accept, another text with the details of the arrangement Gabe made for his chauffeur to pick me up at 7:00 PM has me grinning, and I go back to work singing a poppy tune about being a room without a roof.

I rush home and race to my bedroom where I pick a burnt orange wrap dress that opens high on my leg and emphasizes my small waist which I pair with silver sandals and a bottle green sparkly clutch.

At 7:21 PM, perched on the armchair of our front room clutching my cell in one hand while chewing my thumb fingernail on the other, I inhale deep. My cell vibrates. “Gabe, is everything all right?”

He sounds distracted. “Aelin, something came up I have to personally deal with. I apologize, but I have to cancel tonight.”

My heart sinks. “I understand. Is there anything I can—?”

“Have to go. Again, I’m sorry.”

“Take ca—” I watch the silent cell, he’s already gone. “Bye.”

I stare at my phone wishing it to ring again, and tears press behind my eyes. I kick off my heels and pad to the kitchen where I pour a large glass of wine I leave on the counter. After dropping my dress on the shaggy rug of my bedroom, I slip under my covers and think of rainbows.

The next day, while I trudge to the shower, the doorbell rings. God. It’s 7:38 AM. Way too early for life to be so noisy.

I open the front door and thank the delivery woman as she pushes a large black box with the white interlocked double C.

Chanel? Who would…?

My heartbeat speeds up. “Are you sure this is for me?”

The cropped blonde woman grins. “Aelin Thorne?” When I nod, she winks. “So, yes.”

After signing off the delivery, I close the door and walk slowly to my bedroom and open the box. There’s a card attached.To apologize for our missed date. Gabe.

****

Gabe

“Everything’s ready, Gabe.”

Standing by the granite fireplace in the open plan living room, I lift my eyes from my cell to my chef. “Thank you, Michelle.”

The slim woman in her mid-forties turns off the oven and unknots her black apron before joining me in the living room. “Would you like me to serve dinner?”

“That won’t be necessary. Thank you, chef,” I reply while I settle on the couch.

After she exits the penthouse, I glance at the softly lit dining room where the light shimmer of the tablecloth on the round table set for two reflects in the bay window.

Romantic ambiance. Check.

I roll up the sleeves of my shirt and check my watch. Is she going to make me wait for her grand entrance?

Canceling our date at the last minute was a calculated move to shift the dynamic between us. First, I can’t look too easy a mark and I want to see her in action. The designer dress and gold cuff are catnip to women like her, and I can’t wait to see how she’ll thank me.

My move paid off because when I called her yesterday, she didn’t even think of playing hard to get. Tonight, she’ll make her move to keep the gifts coming.

Then, I’ll make mine.

A few minutes later, Marty the doorman alerts me Aelin is on her way up. I get to my feet.

Let the game begin.

The doors of the elevator slide open, and I grit my back teeth. Her hips sway while her heels tap on the marble floor, as she approaches me. “Gabe. Hi.”

Why isn’t she wearing the dress nor the cuff?

Instead, the chiffon silky deep green dress holds her tiny waist, flares around her long legs while the V-neck cut flashes just enough of her soft skin to make me want to touch. And stroke. And lick.

Sex on legs.

Bypassing her made-for-kissing lips, I peck her cheek. “Hi, Aelin.”

With my hand on the small of her back, I lead her in the living room where she stops and peruses the large rectangle room decorated in white, dark wood, and touches of burgundy.

She sweeps her smiling eyes to mine. “This is a great space, I’ve only seen the office side, but this is completely different. Cath Summers?”

I nod. “You know your competition.”

The beautiful gold digger grins. “She’s very good, and there’s enough room for all of us.”

Nice line.“What would you like to drink?”

She bats her eyelashes. “Do you have white wine? Sauvignon blanc.”

“Sure.” I stroll to the large glass door fridge to pour her a glass and grab mine.

After a silent cheer, she sips a small mouthful before perching on the sofa where she lays her small purse as I settle beside her.

Drink in hand, I study her, almost excited. How are you going to play this?“How was your day?”

Her fingers clench around the bulb of her glass. Nerves?“Good, thank you. What about yours?”

Coy and innocent, it is.“I won’t bore you with business talk.” I wince a little at the hardness of my tone. I have to be careful until she shows her hand.

When she bites her bottom lip and dips her eyes to her glass, I wait. Come on, make your move.

She raises her head.

Here it goes.

After setting her glass on the coffee table, she shifts to face me. Her long fingers curl her hair behind her ear, and she clears her throat.

“Gabe, you’ve been very generous, and I love the pendant.”

Did they not deliver the dress?

“But the other gifts, the dress and the bangle, it’s too much…”

Ah. The I couldn’t possibly accept something so expensive bullshit. Almost admiring the dedication she keeps at her sweet sex bomb persona, I lean in as she continues.

“…and it makes me a little uncomfortable.”

Chanel not good enough for you? Let’s see how much you think you’re really worth.

“Aelin, it’s—”

“Would you mind terribly if I return them?”

Fucking what?I exhale slowly to hide my anger, but not well enough because her eyes widen while she pales.

I hook my elbow over the back of the couch. “I bought them for you. Do whatever you want with them,” I grit between clenched teeth.

She sets her glass on the coffee table and when she turns to me, her eyes are soft. “Gabe, I didn’t mean to sound ungrateful. It’s just … I understand you’re busy. You don’t need to send me gifts to apologize, your word is enough.”

Bullshit.“Good to know.”

After a couple of seconds of silence, Aelin pinches her lips and, in one graceful move, she picks up her clutch and gets to her feet. “I’m sorry. Maybe … me coming here was a mistake. I think it’s best if I go.”

What the f—?

As she rounds the table and hurries to the door, I leap off the sofa to catch her arm.

“Aelin.”

She twirls toward me, and her gaze locks onto mine. “Gabe, I don’t understand what you want.”

I tense. “What do you mean?”

She frowns and shakes her head slowly. “I haven’t… I don’t know how to play … those games, and I’m not even sure you’re—” She dips her chin before lifting her eyes up to mine.

“Why am I here?”

Because despite knowing what you did and what you are, I want to fuck you.

“I want you, Aelin.”

Her eyes darken and she touches my chest.

“I want you, too,” she whispers.

Her body softens as I catch her hips to pull her to me. When she curls her arms around my neck, I do what I’ve been craving since I laid my eyes on her and nip at her juicy bottom lip before soothing the bite with the tip of my tongue.

Her small gasp goes straight to my cock.

“Gabe.”

The sensual demand in her voice breaks a dam inside me. I wrap my palm around her nape and plunge my tongue in her mouth.

She tastes incredible. Deepening the kiss, I palm her round ass to haul her up and cage her against the wall.

Aelin’s arms tighten around my neck while her legs loop around my waist. She’s soft and warm, and I cradle my body deeper into hers crushing my painfully hard cock between us.

As I trail my mouth down her long neck and linger on her fast-beating pulse, I vaguely register the clatter of her purse hitting the floor.

I need to fuck her.

Rocking my cock slowly between her legs, I slant my head back.

“Give me your mouth, baby.”

She makes a small sexy noise at the back of her throat, and when she laps at my tongue like I’m her favorite dessert, I stride toward the bedroom.

Far somewhere, my cell buzzes as I kick the bedroom door open. The landline phone rings. Then my cell again.

Aelin pulls back. Her lips are swollen, and her face flushed.

“Gabe… Your phone.”

I set her on her feet. “Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be right back.”

At her small nod, I wrap my hand around her nape and kiss her hard. She moans on my tongue, and I have to yank myself up when my damn cell rings again. Somebody better be dead. I snatch my cell from the coffee table in the living room. “What?”

Ann’s voice spills out in huffed pants. “Gabe, it’s bad.”