Chapter 7: GABRIELLA

I’m going to make a fool of myself; I just know it. My heart was racing so fast that I was surprised he couldn’t hear it, and my palms were sweaty. I couldn’t bring myself to look at him; he was just so much everything that I would’ve dreamed of if I’d known he existed.

And to think, I used to feel sad and left out when the boys back home chose the other girls over me. Use to think that Dale Thorpe was the coolest thing on two legs.

Hah! Well, it stands to reason that if I couldn’t even catch the attention of Dale that there was no way this man would ever notice me.

And what are you thinking, Gabriella Harper? Since when do you let your head run away with you? Maybe it’s true what they say about big cities; they have a strange effect on people.

Whatever the case, maybe, I know that I’ve never felt this way before. My tummy hurt, and I felt like crying for no reason at all.

Well, there was a reason; I was mooning over a man that wouldn’t even spit on me if I were on fire. He was probably just bringing me to eat out of pity, or aunt Marion had paid him to.

I’d thought that maybe my reaction to him at the train station was an anomaly; I’d convinced myself that it was just because it was my first time here, and he was a handsome stranger.

Then I told myself that maybe all the men here looked like him somehow to a little farm girl like me, and just as soon as I got used to it, I’ll settle down some.

But the waiter hadn’t been as handsome, and I didn’t have the slightest interest in him, nor in any of the other men sitting at the tables around the room, though I did notice some of them giving me looks.

It was him; even from his seat across the table from me, it was as if he were touching me somehow. And the way he looks at me when he speaks like he could see right through me.

I don’t recall ever being the object of such intense focus from the opposite sex before, and it was only adding to the queasiness in my stomach and my new heart affliction.

I needed to be alone, so I could take out these new emotions and examine them more closely, but that would mean being without him.

And why that thought should bring a heavy sadness with it was something I’ll have to think about later as well. I wasn’t here to lose my head over some man that was way out of my league, only to be cast aside when he was through having his way with me.

Momma had had this conversation with me just a few nights ago, the night before I left home to start out on my life’s adventure.

At the time, I’d thought she was being fanciful, having watched too many of those old black and white films she was so fond of. But now I’m not so sure; now I’m beginning to think that momma knew only too well of what she spoke.

I bit my lip and pushed the hair back behind my ear again as I reached for my water glass for something to do.

The silence was getting to me, especially since I could feel his eyes studying me. What was it that he saw? Was I as lacking in his eyes as I was in mine? How could I be anything but?

This is New York; I’m sure he’s accustomed to beautiful, sophisticated women who fall all over him; what would he want with a rhubarb like me? The thought was even more depressing the second time around.

My hands shook slightly as I reached for it, and that’s why I spilled water all over my sweater. I could swear I heard him hiss, but when I looked up at him with my face fire engine red with embarrassment, he still looked like the same composed man.

“I’m so sorry.” I was probably embarrassing him, and that thought had tears springing to my eyes.

“Hey, it’s okay; it’s just a little water; come here.” He took my hand and pulled me around the table to sit next to him in the booth. Now I knew I wasn’t going to be able to eat, not sitting this close to him.

...

CALLAN

...

“So tell me, Gabriella, what are your big plans now that you’re in our fair city?” I started talking fast to take her mind off of her little accident.

It was more for self-preservation than anything else, though. I’d seen the big fat tears sparkle in her eyes and knew if one fell, I was in deep fucking shit.

That’s right; I’m a sucker for a damsel in distress. Like I said, she was ringing all my bells. If I didn’t know any better, I would swear that this was a set-up.

She’s almost like the perfect candidate, my perfect mate. Something only I know, though, so it would’ve been hard for anyone else to have pulled this off. I kept her hand in mine for no other reason than that I wanted to, no needed to touch her.

She was so soft, her little hand fit perfectly in mine, and that first touch was like opening a seal. I felt that shift grow wider and deeper, accepting, what? Was left to be seen.

But I knew that something in my world had been drastically changed in the last couple of hours. For all that, it seemed like the perfect set-up; the situation couldn’t be worst.

It was a fucking mess and something I was sure was going to cause more hurt before it got better. It didn’t matter, though; that overwhelming feeling that was even now riding my shoulders wouldn’t be abated unless I got what I wanted.

“I want to take acting classes at night; at least that’s the plan.” Her soft, uncertain voice brought me back to my question.

“You like acting?” She seemed to be giving the question some thought, and I admired that as well; most young women in her position would’ve just jumped right in.

Most people didn’t see past the glitz and the glamour to the hard work and heartache that came on the road to that particular success.

“The truth? I’ve done some plays and stuff and got nice reviews even in the local paper; that’s why I chose acting.

I just really didn’t want to spend the rest of my life at home. It’s a nice place, don’t get me wrong, but I wanted something more.

Momma and daddy worked really hard all their lives, and even though the farm’s doing well now, sometimes it was touch and go. I…I need more stability, I guess, do you understand?”

She turned those bright blue orbs up to me, and I wanted in. I just nodded my head and pretended an interest in the bread on my plate while I gave myself time to get the wolf on the hunt look out of my eyes. “So how come you didn’t choose some nice boy back home and get married and have babies?”

She giggled, actually fucking giggled, and my cock laid down on my thigh and gave it up. Are you fucking kidding me?

“I don’t have a boyfriend, I was always too busy for that, plus the other girls were much better looking, so….”

She trailed off, and I heard the touch of sadness in her voice. I squeezed her hand and finally relinquished it since there was really no reason for me to hold it any longer.

I missed the contact right away but chose instead to concentrate on the conversation. There’d be time enough later for hand-holding and a whole lot more, I’ll see to it.

Either the boys back where she came from were blind fucks, or she just hadn’t noticed their interest. There’s no way I’ll believe the other girls were prettier as she seemed to think.

Not unless the town was full of some sort of Mengele experiment or some fuck. She was almost too fucking perfect for words like a painting made exactly to my specifications.

Wait a minute, no boyfriend… “So you’ve never had a man?”

Her head flew up at that one. Yeah, Cal, you didn’t do a very good job of veiling that one, and if her face got any redder, they were gonna have to call out the fire brigade.

At the slight shake of her head, I felt my whole body heat up. Untouched; fuck me, this was really happening.

“Your answer still didn’t really answer my question; how serious are you about this acting thing?” I didn’t want to steal her dreams after all; I’d followed mine and was the better for it.

But if she was off chasing this stardom shit, that wouldn’t fit in too well with the plans I had going in my head.

“It’s not a matter of how serious I am, I guess; I did some research, and the only way anyone ever made it out of places like my hometown was through acting, singing, or some kind of sport. Unless they were really intelligent and landed one of those corporate jobs.”

“And you’re not smart enough?” she ducked her head again and picked at her sweater. By now, the water had dried, but the way she was pulling on the end was making it stretch across her very ample chest.

Wow, where the fuck had those come from? They weren’t huge, probably a C cup, but on her slender frame, they were spectacular.

I shifted in my seat and warned myself to go slow. If this was strange for me, I can only imagine what it would do to her to have a man she’d only just met start pawing at her, which is exactly what I wanted to do, like a fucking teenager.

“It’s not that; I just missed a lot of school sometimes when I had to help out on the farm. I understood the work fine, just didn’t really have enough time to apply myself; at least that’s what one of the counselors had said. I did graduate, though.” She hurriedly tacked on that last as if to convince me that she wasn’t dumb, which I already knew.

Just then, the waiter returned with our meals, a burger platter for her and steak for me. I watched her under hooded lids as she looked at the food on her plate as if it was going to bite her.

“Problem?” She bit that fucking lip again; what’s with this girl anyway? Did she come all the way to New York to give me blue balls? I adjusted my cock again when she looked back at her plate.

“It’s so big.”

Well fuck I hadn’t meant for her to see that; oh, she meant the burger.

“Here!” I pushed my plate aside and moved hers in front of me so I could cut her burger in half for her.

If she keeps this shit up, she’ll never see the inside of Marion’s apartment. I’d have her on a plane so fast headed for my little Island hideaway, where no one could find us until I came up for air. The thought had my already unruly cock straining at my zipper.

...

We ate the rest of our meal in silence, and I tried to talk her into dessert to prolong the night. “I couldn’t eat another bite; I’m stuffed.” She rubbed her tummy and smiled at me.

“Okay, then let’s get you home.” I paid the check and led her out of the restaurant with my hand in the small of her back.

I never knew it was possible to be so aware of another human being. I felt the heat of her skin through the thin material of her sweater and the slenderness of her form.

I couldn’t resist rubbing my thumb ever so gently in small circles in the small of her back as we headed back to the car. Her indrawn breath and near stumble told me that maybe she was as aware of me as I was of her.

“So your plans are to be a success at something but not necessarily acting.” I resumed the conversation as we sat in the car on the way home.

I needed to have this shit clear in my head so that I could get my shit organized. Not that it would make much of a difference in the end, it wouldn’t matter what she was after if it conflicted with my wants. I know myself well enough to know it wouldn’t stop me. But neither did I want to kill her dreams.

“That sounds about right; aunt Marion says she has a job for me for now, though, so maybe I can take my time and decide what I want to do.”

Shit, I’d almost forgotten Marion. I had become so caught up in my inner plans that I’d forgotten the proverbial white elephant in the room.

How the fuck was I going to play this shit so that my little farm girl doesn’t get hurt?

I placed my free arm along the back of her seat as I drove, my fingers teasing the ends of her hair. I don’t think I would ever be able to be in the same space as her without some form of contact.

I knew what that was, what it was that I had already started doing, but I was sure it would be lost on a little innocent like her.

I’d have to be careful, though, until I got this straightened out to my satisfaction. I’ll have to keep my baser instincts where she was concerned under wraps.

There were some who might use it against us, and I couldn’t have that. When I go after what I want, it isn’t wise for anyone to get in my way, and things could get messy.

To avoid too much bloodshed, I’ll have to play the fucking diplomat, something I have no training for.

She eased her head back just a little to feel my fingers in her hair, had I not been so attuned to her every move, I would’ve missed it.

The secret smile that played across my lips was well hidden in the dim interior of the car. Better and better, for the first time in a long while, I was actually looking forward to the chase.

...

When we got to Marion’s place, I felt my anxiety return. How was I going to leave my sweet innocent girl here at the mercy of this vulture? I schooled my features as we approached the apartment door, though.

For my plan to work, I couldn’t let on in any way that I was interested, and until I talked things out with Gabriella, I would have to play it smart.

This was a fucking mess for a man like me. It went against everything in me to do it, but how crazy would she think I am if I told her she was coming home with me where she belonged? If I didn’t want more than just a quick fuck that might’ve worked.

Marion opened the door with her big fake smile plastered on her face. My poor baby girl was looking at the woman who’d been so generous towards her like she’d hung the moon, and I felt sick.

She was too fucking innocent for this shit; between Marion and myself, I wasn’t sure who was safer. Marion would eat her alive, and I wanted to bury myself in her until I owned every inch of her body and mind.

The smile slipped off of Marion’s face as she looked from one to the other of us as though she thought I’d brought the wrong girl home.

“Gabriella?” there was a faltering in her voice.

“Yes, aunt Marion it’s me.”

I didn’t miss the sour look that crossed Marion’s face, but she was a pro; as soon as it appeared, it was gone.

“Come in, come in. I’ve been waiting for you. How was your trip? I hope everything went okay; you didn’t have any trouble on the way….” She was babbling away, which had to be a first. The very composed Marion was always on top of things.

Gabriella followed along behind her as she walked her through the apartment to show her to her room. I stood in the living room waiting for them to return.

I should’ve known that she would pull what she did when they came back. It was only now settling in that I’d just spent the last few hours with this hot young thing and what that would do to Marion’s ego; granted, she’d been the one to ask me to pick up Gabriella.

As soon as they came back into the room, she walked over to me and placed her hand on my chest.

“Thank you ever so much, lover.” I moved my face away just in time when she reached for my mouth, my eyes never leaving Gabriella’s over her head.

I saw the look of devastation that crossed her face before she looked down at the floor. I felt it in my gut, and that, more than anything else that had happened in the last few hours, was very telling. It hurt me to hurt her, fuck.

I would’ve set Marion straight right then and there, but I knew if I did that in front of Gabriella, it would only make things worse for her.

As it is, Marion wasn’t too pleased when I pushed her back away from me and moved towards the door.

I had to get out of there before she pulled something else, something that I might not be able to combat for the safety of the young girl I was about to leave in her clutches.

“Well, ladies, I guess I’ll call it a night. Gabriella, it was very nice meeting you. I hope you enjoy your stay in the city; Marion, I’ll see you at the office tomorrow.”

“Oh, you work with aunt Marion?” Oh, shit, baby, don’t sound so interested; this bitch will eat you alive. I played it cool as I turned the door handle.

“I’m her boss.” I looked back at her one last time before saluting them both and heading out the door.

All the way down in the elevator, I felt like a bastard. I hated leaving her there, but what else could I do? For now, there was nothing, but I meant to change that soon enough.

I had a lot of work to do and not a hell of a lot of time. When I woke up this morning, I had no idea my life was going to take this turn.

That it happened so effortlessly was neither here nor there, I’m not one to question fate, or as gramps used to say, ‘never look a gift horse in the mouth.’

Back at my place, I walked through, trying to see it through her eyes, imagining her there. There was no doubt in my mind that I would make it so no matter what.

Convention might call for me to take a step back and make doubly sure that this was what I wanted, that she was the one. I’m pretty sure that she’s not the type to go for a quick fling, but I knew in my gut that this was it; it had to be.