Page 44 of Sex, Lust & Lingerie

CHAPTER 26

Gloria

Fifteen minutes later, Jaime and I were cruising up the coast along the Pacific Coast Highway in the vintage red Thunderbird convertible he’d rented. Thank goodness, the Santa Monica Pier was behind us; Jaime Zander had a different destination in mind. The Beach Boys were blasting from the stereo, and he was doing his finest impression of Brian Jones. His sexy voice was pitch perfect and he could even harmonize.

“How come you didn’t blindfold me?” I asked as he sang along to “Good Vibrations,” a fitting song given our most recent sexual encounter.

Without taking his eyes off the road, he replied, “Angel, been there; done that. And besides, I wanted you to enjoy the view.”

I was grateful for the opportunity. To the left, my eyes took in the sweeping Pacific Ocean with its turquoise water and white-crested waves. It never ceased to awe me. I loved the ocean and always had. It was magic.

My eyes also took in Jaime. He was wearing black Ray-Bans that sat on the bridge of his manly straight nose. The wind ruffled his silky sun-streaked hair, and I had to refrain from running my fingers through it. God, he was one sexy beast!

“Where are we going?” I had to shout to make myself heard above the wind and blasting music.

“Some place special.” He rested his right hand on my thigh and continued to expertly maneuver the sports car with the other. My braid flapped in the wind, strands breaking loose. Inhaling the fresh salty sea air, I felt all my tension release and just let myself enjoy the beautiful ride. And the beautiful sight of Jaime Zander beside me. I couldn’t resist meeting his hand with mine. A smile flickered on his breathtaking face.

About forty minutes into the ride, the Malibu coast, with its clusters of million dollar beach houses, grew more rugged. Waves crashed against jutting rocks, and soon tall trees obscured the view of the sea. Nearing Ventura, Jaime made a sharp left turn onto an almost hidden road that led to the ocean. Cypress trees and wild flowers dotted the rocky, serpentine path. Jaime put both hands on the wheel as he expertly navigated it. The bumps along the way sent jolts to my still vibrating core. The road came to a sudden end and he parked the car. I could hear the roar of the ocean below us. The scent of the sea mingled with the sweet smell of jasmine; it was divine enough to bottle. Unbuckling myself, I followed Jaime’s lead and let myself out of the car before he had a chance to open the passenger door. He came around the car and took my hand. Silently, he led me down another rustic path laden with multi-color wild flowers and tall grass until we were standing on a cliff above the ocean. The view below of the white-capped waves crashing against the rocky shore was spectacular. I could feel the cool ocean spray against my cheeks. It was just the two of us and the mighty sea; there was no sign of civilization in any direction. This place was magical.

“What is this place?” I asked, breaking our spell of silence.

Jaime gazed at the ocean and a melancholic smile splayed on his face. There was a Zen-like quality to him that I’d never seen before. A whole different side of him exposed. “This is my property.”

My eyes widened. “You own all this?”

“Yup…all the way down to the beach. There’s five hundred feet of oceanfront land.”

I gazed down at the white sandy beach. Seagulls stalked the shoreline in search of food, and dolphins danced in the distance. The ebb and flow of the crashing waves was like music in my ears. We were standing on a piece of heaven on earth.

He continued. “I bought it with the proceeds from the sale of my mother’s Bel Air mansion. It’s one of the last private enclaves along the coast.”

“It’s amazing,” I said, truly meaning it.

“Thanks. I’m really lucky to own it. My father loved the ocean. When I was little, he used to take me here and paint. Whenever I’m here, I think of him.”

My mind flashed back to the paintings in his office. Many of them were seascapes that resembled this spot. The foliage now was more abundant and overgrown. The image of a beautiful, carefree little boy frolicking in this rustic haven as his father painted filled my head and almost brought tears to my eyes.

As I held them back, Jaime kicked at a rock; it flew off the edge, disappearing into the shimmering sand below. He squeezed my hand. “One day, I’m going to build a house here and carve steps into the cliffside that lead down to the ocean.”

“You’re going to move here from New York?” I glanced down at his toi et moi ring. The intertwining heart-shaped diamonds glistened in the sun.

“I want to. Many of my clients are based in California and Asia. It would be more convenient. I’m actually looking for office space while I’m out here.”

The thought of Jaime moving to Los Angeles both unnerved and thrilled me. “Won’t you be lonely living all the way out here in a big house all by yourself?”

He remained silent for a long time, staring out to the Pacific. Then, without warning, he spun me around so that we were face-to-face, just a breath apart. He lifted his sunglasses on top of his head, and his eyes, the color of the late afternoon sea, gazed deep into mine. My heart hammered as he tipped up my chin.

“I don’t plan on living here alone. I’m tired of living in a hotel where people come and go. I’m looking for someone special to share my life with…and I may have found her.”

My heart pounded. My voice abandoned me. Words were trapped in my throat.

“Gloria, I’ve never had a relationship before. I’ve fucked a lot of women, but none of them has meant a thing to me. They’re just mindless, faceless fucks. You’re different, angel. I can never get your face out of my head. When I’m away from you, all I want is to be with you. And when I’m with you, I can’t get enough of you. I want to breathe the air you breathe and kiss the ground you walk on. I want to go to sleep with you in my arms and wake up to you on my chest. And I want to fuck you every way I know how. Make you fall apart and then put you back together. Over and over. There will never be enough ways to show you how I feel about you. Or words to tell you.”

He paused and inhaled deeply. My blood was ringing in my ears as he exhaled and softly said, “Gloria, you make me fall apart too.”

This was all too much for me. My emotions were in turmoil, and my mind was in meltdown. I gripped his shoulders before my knees gave out. Tears were forming in my eyes… and at last words. “Jaime, are you saying you want a real relationship with me?” You love me?

He nervously played with my braid. “Yeah, angel, that’s what I’m trying to say. I guess it’s not my best pitch. I don’t do relationships well.”

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