Page 64 of Embracing Love

“Tell you what? I needed you to agree to the campaign. I had to be nice to you, not provoke you further. I was desperate to make you want to work with Flight. That account means so much to the company.”

He hung his head in shame. “Russell asked me how the Flight campaign was coming along and I—” he wiped his hand over his face. “I told him you’d come for a meeting but that you’d left.”

“I suppose you forgot to tell him you’d been on a phone call while I waited?”

“I’m sorry, Tanya. I had no idea that it had blown out of all proportion. It was stupid. A small thing, I didn’t think anything of it. But I can see how it spiraled out of control, going all the way to the top and back down to you. You must have hated me?”

She smiled, remembering how mad she’d been. “I did.”

“And yet you did a great job of covering up your feelings. You were so sweet and nice to me. I must admit, I did think something wasn’t quite right. But I couldn’t put my finger on it.”

“I am nice.” She insisted, sitting up and covering herself with the sheet. “We got off to a shaky start. That’s all.”

He laughed. “You remember that first day?”

“Each and every detail.”

“All that, and still you remained calm. You hid it well. And that’s why I—that’s why you interest me even more.” He leaned in toward her and kissed her on the lips, long and soft, and awakening her desire once more.

“Come here,” he said, and she moved up alongside him, sitting in between his legs, her back to his chest. He pulled the sheets up around them both. “You amaze me,” he whispered, kissing the skin on her shoulder. “Anyone else would have slapped me.”

“I was tempted to, believe me.”

He laughed, and she felt the hairs of his chest against her naked back. But being held in this way, so secure, as though she belonged there forever, felt right. He made her feel special. To be with him was to feel wanted, and cherished, and no man had made her feel that way for years. She wanted to savor the moment forever, fearful as always that this would be fleeting and could never last.

She had to enjoy this night for what it was.

“I’m lucky to have you.” Gabriel whispered.

No, she thought. I’m the lucky one and she arched her back as his hands slid further down her stomach and he made her moan all over again.

~ ~

He made love to her for what seemed like hours, and by the time she closed her eyes, the birds were already singing their wake up call. Tanya looked over and saw that Gabriel had at last fallen asleep.

She needed to slip out now, to get back to her room before she ran into anyone. Like Zimmerman, or Nadine. She didn’t want news of her rendezvous to get out. She didn’t want to be known for slipping into a man’s bed so easily.

This night with Gabriel had been more than she could ever have imagined. Could it go on? She had no idea. She wanted it to. But she wasn’t sure and she had no idea what he wanted, nor did she want to raise her hopes beyond the night they had shared.

She would settle for whatever he could give her.

Quietly, she slipped to the edge of the bed then hopped around once she had located her clothes. With her underwear back on, she slipped her feet through her dress.

“Where are you going?” Gabriel asked, and flicked on the lamp so that she was now bathed in soft light. He crawled out of bed before she’d managed to pull the dress up to her waist. Instantly, her stomach tightened as he walked toward her completely naked.

Her body readied in anticipation for more. He grasped her hands, so that the dress still hung around her waist.

She laughed lightly, “I should go.”

“Why?”

“It’s late.”

“It’s early.” The clock radio showed 4.20am

“You know what I mean.” If she slipped out now she could get back to her room undetected.

She still wore the clothes from last night, and goodness knew what her face and hair looked like. She didn’t want to risk anyone knowing she’d spent the night with Gabriel. She didn’t want her business to be anyone else’s business.

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