Claimed by Love (Love in Bloom: The Ryders, Book 2): Duke Ryder Page 15

  “One day,” he whispered against her cheek while she slept, “you’ll realize we can’t escape what’s between us. You’re already mine, baby, and I’m definitely already yours.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  GABRIELLA TOUCHED THE empty bed beside her as the sun crept into her room. She must have fallen asleep in Duke’s arms. She listened to the silence of her villa and knew she was alone. Longing washed through her. He knew her feelings on staying together overnight, and she was sure that was why he’d left. But she couldn’t help wishing he’d stayed.

  Stepping naked from the bed, she saw her dress and lingerie folded neatly in a pile on the chair by the window. Her heart warmed at Duke’s thoughtfulness. She showered and dressed, wondering how she’d slept through him leaving. He must have really worn her out. In the most exquisite way.

  It was an incredible feeling, being in his arms last night. She’d felt loved. She knew that was skipping way ahead, but there was no other way to explain the way he’d made her feel safe and cherished, and so much more. She felt a deeper connection to him than she’d ever thought possible.

  She was leaving today, and she had to pack her bags, but packing made her think about leaving Duke, and that made her sad. She could put it off for a few minutes. It was only seven. She padded into the living room and found the flowers, candles, lighter, and her computer and papers on the counter. Duke had cleaned up, closed and locked the back door, and without looking she knew he’d locked the front door, too.

  She turned on the coffeemaker, and her heart leaped at the sight of a note from Duke.

  Good morning, beautiful,

  I didn’t plan on making love to you last night. I wanted so much more, especially since you’re leaving today. But I’m glad we had one more night to be close. Please trust yourself, and please trust me to keep my promise. I plan on running the proposal by you before any deals are made, and I know how tough you can be. I expect you to be a harsh critic. Besides, you’re hot when you’re aggressive. And right about now you’re turning that pretty shade of pink I love so much.

  She covered her mouth, embarrassed that he’d anticipated her reaction so accurately.

  I wanted to stay with you last night. God, Gabriella, did I ever want to stay. Leaving was torture, but I know it’s what you wanted, even if I don’t think it’s what you needed. One day you’ll see.

  Love, Duke

  She reread the note as she retrieved her phone and sank down to the couch. He was so confident about them, and she was sending him mixed messages on a daily basis. Heck, she was sending herself mixed messages hour by hour. Landing in bed with him—and doing things she’d never let anyone else do to her—only solidified how much she wanted and trusted him. Obviously it wasn’t her connection with Duke that was the problem. It was her inability to create distance between them. Maybe she didn’t really need that much space after all.

  She typed a text to Duke. It was nice being close again last night. I guess we’ll catch up when you’re ready to negotiate.

  She stared at it for a long time. It wasn’t at all what she wanted to say, and it felt cold, but didn’t she need that right now? Just a little bit of a cooldown?

  Her finger hovered over the send button. She thought about how close they were last night, the things they’d done, the look in his eyes when he told her that he’d wait to make love to her without protection until she was really his. Her heart ached at the thought of leaving him. She didn’t even know when she’d see him again, and there he was, talking as if they’d made lifelong plans.

  When would this darn negotiation happen, anyway? How long would it be until she knew if he was going to kill her dreams or not?

  She deleted the message and typed a new one. Last night was incredible. Thanks for picking up. You didn’t have to. She sent the text and set the phone down. There. It was done. Why did she feel guilty? Like she was letting her grandfather down? And maybe letting herself down, too?

  Ugh! Being with Duke was like being a kid let loose in a candy store. Everything she could ever want was right there in front of her—too enticing to pass up. But if she didn’t pay attention, all that sweetness had the potential to rot her teeth. And Duke? He had the potential to ruin the place she loved most. No dentist in the world could undo that type of damage.

  **

  AS SOON AS the text from Gabriella came through, Duke was out the door of his villa and heading down the path toward hers. Leaving her last night had been hell, but he’d known that staying would cause her to freak out in the morning. Hell, he assumed she’d overthink things this morning anyway, the same way she had after the first time they’d made love. But Last night was incredible didn’t exactly translate to overthinking, did it? That sounded pretty damn reassuring to him.

  He knocked on her door, nervous for the first time in forever, and praying she was just as ravenous to be in his arms as he was to have her there.

  She pulled the door open and the second their eyes connected he tried to read her emotions, but his own were too close to the surface. He couldn’t slow them from pouring out as she joined him on the porch.

  “Hi, baby. I couldn’t wait another second to see you.” He leaned in for a kiss, and when their lips met, gone was the tenderness and warmth, replaced with tension. He pulled back and searched her eyes again.

  “You regret last night?” he asked, readying himself for whatever storm was brewing inside her.

  “No.” She pressed her lips in a tight line, holding his gaze.

  “Then what is it? Did something happen?” He glanced over her shoulder, into her house.

  “No, I just…” She paced, and he knew she had no idea that she was even sexier when she was upset. She put her hands on her hips and then faced him again. “I’m mad at myself.”

  “At yourself? Why?” He stepped closer, and she held up a hand to stop him.

  “Because I should know better than to eat so much candy.” Her eyes were narrow and serious, and her hands on her hips made her look even more adamant, but she was making no sense.

  “What did I miss? Did a candy fairy come in the wee hours of the morning?”

  “Something like that,” she snapped. And just as quickly her shoulders dropped. “God, this is impossible. I’m falling for you, Duke, and I can’t. Not yet. We need to put our relationship on hold, just until you get this negotiation over with. What’s taking so long, anyway? Can’t you just offer money to my grandfather, sign the deal, and move on?”

  Now he was beginning to understand. She was so sensitive and felt such a sense of duty to her family—and to herself—that she was tied in knots over all of it. Duke stepped closer and reached for her hands.

  “Gabriella, there’s more to it than that. I don’t invest without a clear vision, and as I said early on, my initial vision is changing.”

  “How, Duke? I feel like I’m playing a waiting game. What exactly do you have planned?” She crossed her arms, and he told her the truth.

  “I still don’t have a definitive answer. I’m going head-to-head with my partner on a number of things at the moment. I spent two hours this morning on the phone with him. I have meetings set up this week to try to make those decisions, but we can’t let that interfere with us.”

  She paced again. “You keep saying that, and I want to believe you. I tried again last night. And I believed you. But in the light of day it’s really hard to see a clear path to divide my emotions. I should just step out of the middle of whatever it is that’s going on with the investment. Because really, it’s all talk right now anyway. There’s no offer. No architectural plans, nothing concrete to deal with. So it’s like this cloud of doom hanging over me. I’m just waiting for the storm to hit. And it’s not like I have the power to change a single thing.”

  “I made you a promise, Gabriella, and I meant it,” Duke reminded her, reeling in his frustration over her inability to believe him. “Every single thing you’ve said to me is being given strong consideration with reg
ard to development here.”

  “Right. I know. I hear you, Duke. And the crazy thing is that I believe you, but I also know how business works.” She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. “How long will it take for you to get a deal together?”

  “Gabriella.” He gathered her in close. “Don’t do this. Don’t make yourself choose between us and the island.”

  “How long?”

  He could see by her trembling lower lip that she was barely holding it together, and that pained him. He hated knowing he was causing her any heartache. “I’ll have a much better idea of how things will play out after this week’s meetings.”

  Sadness filled her eyes.

  “Seems like forever, doesn’t it?” He pressed his lips to her forehead. “Don’t you see, baby? That’s how you know what’s between us is real.”

  “I’ve never felt this way before,” she said quietly. “I have never felt like I needed someone else in order to breathe, and the thought of not seeing you for even a few days is…”

  “Torture.”

  Her gaze warmed and she nodded.

  “Then don’t go without seeing me. I’m not the bad guy, Gabriella. I’m on your side, and I will not let my girl be tortured.” He pressed his lips to hers, and her body melted against him.

  “How do you always do this to me? You make me feel so much, like everything will be okay.” She rested her cheek against his chest.

  “Because it will be, and I couldn’t stop it if I tried,” he said honestly.

  “I think this only further proves that I can’t be in the middle. Even though I know you’re not the bad guy, you have the power to ruin everything I love. It’s just too hard to be in this wait-and-see mode.”

  “You belong in the middle, Gabriella. Everything in life happens for a reason. There’s a reason your grandfather asked you to show me around, don’t you think?” He held her tighter. “If you feel torn between me and what’s going to happen with the island, then you can have your space. Your family’s legacy is important, your comfort is primary, but don’t think for a second that I’m letting you go completely.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  GABRIELLA SAT IN the back of the cab, trying to ignore the ache of longing that had settled into her stomach the moment she’d left the island. Every time she returned to New York she experienced the same uncomfortable feelings. Leaving the white sandy beaches and her family behind and returning to the busy city, where grass and trees were oddities and people pushed and scowled, barely slowing down enough to eat a meal, made her feel like Dorothy in Oz. And today was even worse. Not only had she left the place she loved, she’d left the man who owned her heart.

  Feeling trapped, she rolled down the window and was assaulted by the rancid smell of the city. She looked up, searching for something bright and cheery to remind her that she wasn’t a world away from Elpitha. They were still connected in so many ways, sharing the same beautiful blue sky. She knew the sky was a beautiful shade of blue today because she’d seen it on the way into the city, but now the sky was blocked by tall buildings, and all she saw was the one place she didn’t want to be.

  She would be back on the island for her parents’ anniversary celebration in two weeks, but it seemed so far away. And it was only May, so her summer vacation was still months away. She checked her cell phone to see if she’d missed any texts from Duke, but there was only one text from Addy. Why would there be texts from him? Every time they got close she pushed him away. Why couldn’t she be like other people who left their hometowns and never wanted to go back? Why did she care about the island so much?

  Because she’d left a piece of her heart in Elpitha all those years ago.

  And now she’d left another piece of her heart behind, in Duke’s strong, capable hands.

  She needed a distraction before diving into the work she had to do to prepare for her case. She needed to see a smiling face, and Addy’s text provided the perfect opportunity. Meet for a drink when you arrive?

  She returned Addy’s text and twenty minutes later she was standing in front of NightCaps, tugging her suitcase behind her. She should have gone home first to drop off her luggage, but she had a feeling that her empty apartment would just make her lonelier.

  She tugged open the heavy wooden door, and a group of guys at the bar yelled “Thrive!”

  “Excuse us, please.” A tall, handsome man guided a pretty dark-haired woman toward the bar. A bearded guy and a rail-thin woman with tattoos on her arms both got up to hug the couple.

  Addy appeared at Gabriella’s side, looking cute in a pair of skinny jeans and a white sleeveless blouse. She was as petite as she was bossy.

  “Welcome back, sweetie. Do you know who that is?” She grabbed Gabriella’s bag and pushed through the crowd to the table she’d taken over with shopping bags.

  “Some guy who likes the word ‘thrive’?” Gabriella said as she slid into the booth across from Addy.

  “Obviously!” Addy rolled her eyes. “It’s Dex Remington. He’s that video game developer that the Waring kids talked about every time their mom was in our office, remember?”

  Gabriella had handled the Waring child custody and visitation negotiations a few months earlier.

  “Huh. I remember. Well, they all look happy, which only makes me want to drink. A lot.”

  “Uh-oh. I’ve got you covered.” Addy waved to the bartender. “I ordered a pitcher of margaritas to be brought over when you arrived. I want all the juicy details about our man Duke. And just so you know, I spent no less than the last twelve hours stalking his brother Jake. I’m going to start mountain climbing.”

  The bartender brought the pitcher and Gabriella poured them each a drink. The music was loud and the bar was crowded for an afternoon on a weekday. Addy leaned over the table with an excited look in her eyes. Gabriella held her glass up in a toast.

  “At five one with arms like twigs, you should do really well mountain climbing. Didn’t you once tell me that camping meant staying in a regular hotel room instead of a suite?” Gabriella laughed and sipped her margarita.

  “Yeah, well, that was before reading about Jake.” She tucked her hair behind her ear and dug into one of her shopping bags. “Look. I’m ready.” She pulled out a cute pair of pink hiking boots and a flannel top.

  “Ready for…? This is very unlike you to be so stalkerish.”

  Addy stuffed her boots and top back in the bag. “I’m kidding about Jake. Sort of.” She took a swig of her drink. “I mean, I wouldn’t kick him out of my bed or anything, but that’s not why I have this stuff. I was reading about all this cool stuff he does with search and rescue, and it reminded me of how I’ve never done anything.”

  “You have done everything. You’ve been practically all around the world.” Addison’s father was a big-time fashion designer to the stars, and she’d lived a charmed life. She had more money than any ten people Gabriella knew, but Addy had wanted to prove to herself she could be something other than a famous fashion designer’s daughter, that she could make it on her own. Gabriella was lucky to have her as an assistant, and she rued the day Addy would wake up and decide she wanted to take advantage of the glitter and glitz of her family’s life.

  “Yeah, but that’s just traveling, not really roughing it. I’ve never actually camped. I’ve never climbed a single hill, much less a mountain. I’ve never even seen the Grand Canyon. That’s, like, a staple of life.”

  Gabriella rolled her eyes. “You’ve been to top fashion shows all over the country. We went together to Greece for my cousin’s wedding. You’ve sailed on more yachts, been to more celebrity events than half the state ever will.”

  “Exactly. I’ve lived the life of money. It’s time to see what I’m really made of.”

  “Ohmygod. Are you quitting? Please tell me you’re not quitting. At least not today.”

  Addy sipped her drink and waved a dismissive hand. “Don’t worry. I’m not leaving work for good, just thinking about a vacation. And
not yet. I don’t know when. You’re stuck with me until the day you decide to run back to your beloved Elpitha to raise babies and eat souvlaki and fried chicken. How’s your family, by the way? I miss your mom’s fried chicken and macaroni and cheese. All that feta cheese and heavy cream, Greek spices…mm-mm.” She licked her lips. “Only your mom could find a way to make a Southern dish taste so Greek.”

  “My mom and every woman on the island. I miss her already.”

  “I know. That invisible umbilical cord always returns for the first day or two after you come back to the city. Tell me about the person you really miss. What’s happening with Duke? Did he come back with you?”

  Gabriella shifted her eyes away and shook her head.

  “Gabriella Persephone Liakos, what did you do?”

  “I might have told him I needed space.” She slumped back in her seat. “I have the McGrady case to concentrate on, and he has the proposal to put together. By the time my case is over, he should have a better idea of where he’s headed.”

  “And then?” Addy asked flatly. “What if you don’t like what he proposes? You’re going to dump a guy because of what he does for a living?”

  “I don’t know. I just know that every time I’m in his arms, all I see, all I think about is him.” She sighed. “And it’s wonderful. Magical. I’ve never felt anything like it, Ad. He promised he’d keep all of my concerns in mind when making his decisions, but you know what that island means to me. How will I feel if he ruins it?”

  “I think you mean if he saves the island. You’ll feel like you’re with a great guy who did what was best for the people there.” Addy reached across the table and covered Gabriella’s hand with her own. “I know we work among snakes and cheaters, and we both hope we don’t end up with that type of relationship, but life is all about taking risks and enjoying the ride.”