Goodbye Isn't Forever (10 page)

Alex
checked her appearance one more time before leaving her apartment.  She
had opted for a more casual style than Zand had seen her in last night. 
She glanced down at her fashionable jeans and trendy sleeveless top.  She
shrugged.  Normal attire for her on a weekend.  Maybe she did take a
little extra care with her hair and make-up, but she refused to analyze the
reason.

She
just needed to get answers from Zand and then be on her way.  It was too
late for anything more, right?  Right!

Alex
had this particular conversation in her head several times before she reached
Zand’s hotel.  And each time she was left unconvinced.  She still had
the image of the grown-up Zand from the club in her mind.  Hell, that
image had haunted her dreams.  If you can call the hour that she had taken
to rest her eyes sleeping.  It had become pointless when her mind kept
bombarding images of Zand into her subconscious.

If
Alex had thought that Zand was handsome at eighteen, it in no way prepared her
for the Zand of today.  He was simply gorgeous.  Alex had to admit
that Zand was without a doubt the sexiest man that she had ever seen. 
Considering that Alex ran the circuit of actors and male models every day, that
was no small feat.

Alex
looked surprised as Zand’s hotel loomed before her.  She had been so lost
in thought that she didn’t remember the drive from her house.  The things
that thoughts of Zand were causing already!  She needed to get this over
and done with while she still had an ounce of sanity left.

Alex
pulled up in front of the hotel and gave her keys to the valet.  She
smiled as the young man tried to hide his excitement at the prospect of driving
the sleek sports car.

“In
one piece, if you can manage, Billy,” Alex teased the valet.

“Of
course, Miss Kensington.  I’ll take care of her myself.”

Alex
laughed as she left her car in Billy’s capable hands.  She often met
potential investors for drinks in the hotel’s bar and had become acquainted
with the young valet.  She tipped him well for his meticulous care and he
considered himself lucky just to sit in the seat of her Mercedes.  A
beautiful car befitting a beautiful woman.

Alex’s
smile faded as she made her way through the hotel’s entrance.  Its beauty
was not awe inspiring today.  She barely noticed her surroundings as she
made her way to the front desk.

“Hi,
Tom, how are you today?”  Alex greeted the concierge.

“Fine,
Miss Kensington, thank you for asking.”  He looked down at his notes and
looked perplexed.

“No,
Tom,” Alex answered his unspoken question, “I don’t have any business scheduled
today.  Actually, I need the room number of a friend that I am wanting to
surprise.”

Tom
had too good of a business relationship with Alex to deny her request.  He
trusted her and didn’t hesitate at all.

“Of
course, Miss Kensington.  What name are you inquiring for?”

“Zand
Gabriel.”

If
Tom was surprised at Alex’s request, he was too well-mannered to let it
show.  “He is in the Penthouse Suite on the eleventh floor.  Shall I
ring Mr. Gabriel for you?”

Alex
hid her surprise.  The Penthouse Suite?  The entire top floor was the
Penthouse Suite and it was owned by Gaddy’s family.  Why was Zand staying
there?  Gaddy had some serious explaining to do.

“No,
Tom.  I would rather surprise him.  We are old friends.”  Alex
didn’t waiver in her explanation.  She had been rehearsing it in her head
since she had decided to visit Zand.

“Of
course, Miss Kensington.”  Tom pressed a button that was unseen by Alex
and a hotel staffer appeared almost instantly.

“Jay
will escort you to the proper lift, Miss Kensington, and get you accessed to
the suite.”

“Thank
you, Tom,” Alex smiled her appreciation.

“Enjoy
your visit, Miss Kensington,” Tom smiled as he answered.  Miss Kensington
was one of his favorites.  She was genuine although she moved among the
famous and pretentious.  Not to mention she was beautiful and a very
generous tipper.

Alex
followed Jay to the lift in silence. He was too well trained to question his
mission or to aggravate a guest with idle chit chat.  He politely motioned
for Alex to proceed him into the lift and upon securing the access for the
suite, he smiled at Alex and took his leave.  The door closed and the
floors began to pass by quickly as Alex watched each number change.

As
she was staring at the same number longer than the others, the lift door
suddenly opened, revealing a male in workout apparel still taking a long drink
from his bottled water.  A baseball-styled hat sat low on his head and the
brim was pulled down, concealing most of his features as he kept his head down
and turned his back to Alex as he entered the lift.

From
Alex’s position in the back of the lift, she absently let her eyes wander up
and down the glistening body.  Clad in knee-length mesh shorts and a
tight-fitting sleeveless shirt, it was obvious that this man was in top form.
 Alex was thankful for his presence.  It gave her mind a reprieve
from the constant bombardment of everything Zand Gabriel.

With
the lack of sleep taking its toll, Alex was not her observant self.  She
looked up as the last number visible was 10.  She knew from here on up
were floors of suites and idly wondered which floor this toned, well-muscled
body belonged to.

When
the door opened to the Penthouse Suite, the man moved over for Alex to take her
exit.  As Alex passed by, her idle curiosity could not be contained. 
She wanted to know if his face looked half as good as his body.  After her
talk with Zand, she might just have to look him up.  As she passed by the
magnificent and muscular man, she let her eyes dart sideways to get a quick
look.  Alex’s breath caught in her throat.

“See
anything you like?”

Alex
stopped in her tracks as not only the words, but the voice, were very
familiar.  She felt like she was in slow motion as she watched the lift
doors shut before she could exit through them.

She
inhaled deeply, and, fixing a smile on her face, turned to greet the
sweat-covered passenger.

“Hello,
Zand.”

Zand
only smiled as he turned to face Alex more fully.

“You
didn’t answer my question.”

Alex
couldn’t get passed Zand’s smile.  She watched as those luscious lips
formed words, but the pounding of her heart prevented anything from being
heard.  She licked suddenly dry lips and struggled to maintain any sense
of decorum.

In
her sleep-deprived state, Alex was quickly falling victim to Zand’s unusual
looks and charm.  An image suddenly flashed through her mind of a crying
teenager being consoled by her mother.  Her Gran had been buried that day
and still no comforting word from Zand.  Her mother had set her own
grieving aside to placate her daughter.

Alex
felt a renewed sense of anger and her body awoke to the task at hand.  She
wasn’t there to fall under the spell of Zand’s womanizing ways.  She
wanted answers to the questions that had plagued her teenage mind for years
until adulthood had allowed her to shove the memory deep inside.  It had
surfaced a few times in the past when she would hear Zand’s name, but she had
become quite adept at shoving it right back in.

“I
came to see you,” Alex went straight to the point.  She was not going to
let Zand sway her like he did on the dance floor.  “I saw Jennifer last
night, or rather, this morning.”

Zand
frowned at this news.  “
My
sister, Jennifer?  I didn’t know
that you two had met,” Zand was trying to process that information.

“I’ve
used her bakery for my business.  I didn’t know until recently that she
was your sister.”

Alex
saw the questions in Zand’s eyes and before he could barrage her with them, she
smoothly continued, “Not important at the moment, Zand.  Another story for
another time.  I went to see Jennifer not long after I left the club, but
I didn’t go in.   Let’s just say I was sidetracked.”

Zand’s
eyes narrowed at the mention of the club.  “I wondered what happened to
you.  I thought that you were just going to the ladies’ room. 
Anything you want to say?”

Alex
stared at Zand.  Was he that arrogant?  “Such as?”

Zand
took another drink from his water bottle and wiped his brow with the
towel.  “Oh, I don’t know, Alex, maybe an apology for standing me up?”

Alex
felt the fury rise within her.  She calmly reached past Zand and pushed
the open door button.  She took a couple of deep breaths, trying to stay
calm, as she watched the door slowly slide apart.

The
last thing she wanted was to lose her temper and let loose twelve years of
pent-up fury.  It wouldn’t get her answers and that was what she
wanted.  What she came here for.

Nothing
more and nothing less.

She
glared at Zand and exited through the lift doors with Zand close on her
heels.  Alex allowed Zand to access the entry door and without waiting for
an invitation, followed him inside.  The suite was luxurious, but Alex was
not in the mood to notice.  She had been here before with Gaddy, anyway.

Zand
paused in the foyer to place his key on a table and dab at his face with the
end of his towel before putting it around his neck.  He glanced at Alex as
she stood there, silently watching his movements.

“Well?”
Zand pressed.

One
minute Alex was staring at Zand, and the next, she had him pinned against the
side wall.  Alex hadn’t realized her intentions until she looked into
Zand’s shocked face.  Her sleep-deprived brain was a slow step behind her
body’s movements.  Her hands, she realized, held Zand’s arms against the
wall.  She felt herself lean forward and her lips grazed Zand’s.

The
moan she heard spurred her on and she pressed her body fully into Zand’s as she
deepened the kiss.

Zand
didn’t hesitate for a second as he willingly responded to Alex’s kiss.  He
had waited years for this to happen and last night’s version had not left him
satisfied.

As
he tried to move an arm from Alex’s grip, he felt the blonde start to pull
back.  Zand eased his right arm out quickly and put it around Alex’s back,
pulling her even tighter against his body.

Alex
felt as if she had no control over what was happening.  She wanted to pull
back from Zand but nothing in her tired body would respond.  She could
hear soft, seductive moans, and to her dismay, realized it wasn’t coming from
him.

Zand
pulled back for a much needed breath, and Alex wasted no time in breaking the
contact.  She turned away from Zand and walked into the living room,
running her fingers through her hair in exasperation.

“What
am I doing?” Alex mumble to herself.  “Shit, shit, shit!”

Zand
had slowly followed Alex as he tried to cool his now inflamed body.  His
erratic heart beat was gradually slowing down.  Zand couldn’t believe how
much Alex could make him feel with just a few kisses.  If kissing her was
that arousing, how much more would he feel if he took her to bed?  Could
he handle it?  Having sex with Alex just might kill him!

Alex
stood in the middle of the room and Zand let her regain her composure.  He
realized that he was still in his sweat dampened clothing and desperately in
need of a shower.  As he walked passed Alex, he barely glanced her way.

“Make
yourself at home, Alex.  I’m just going to shower and get out of these
sweaty clothes.”

“Why? 
Did I make you hot and bothered?”  Alex was appalled that those words came
from her.  She belatedly clamped a hand over her mouth.  Shut up,
Alex!  Just shut the hell up!

Zand
stopped in his tracks.  As the shock wore off, he realized that Alex had
more than likely not gone to bed and he remembered how the blonde used to be
when she was that tired.  If she thought it, she said it.  And with
the cutest southern accent.  She was a Californian through and through now,
but the North Carolinian influence was still there, seeping out when Alex was
at her most vulnerable.

At
least that part of Alex hadn’t changed.  Zand had been able to detect the
southern influence in Alex’s words since she had arrived.  Well, in the few
words that had actually been spoken.

He
could imagine Alex’s thoughts on voicing those words.  Even so, Zand
couldn’t help himself.  He turned around and faced Alex with a slow and
sexy smile.

“Do
you want to feel and see?” Zand asked suggestively, running his fingers around
the waistband of his shorts.

Alex’s
eyes widened in fear and Zand couldn’t suppress a laugh.  “You don’t have
to answer that Alex.  I’m just messing with you.  Still can’t control
yourself when you are sleepy, can you?”  Zand laughed again as he
sauntered down a hallway to the master suite.

“Please
help yourself to whatever you want.  I won’t be long,” Zand called out as
he entered the bedroom.

Alex
had watched Zand disappear from sight, choosing not to answer.  She wasn’t
sure what her treacherous mind would blurt out.  Before she moved toward
the sofa, Zand leaned out from the master suite doorway.  It was evident
from where Alex stood that he no longer was encumbered with a shirt.

“If
you decide that you do want to see, or rather feel, how bothered I am first
hand, Alex, I believe that the shower will accommodate two,” Zand raised his
eyebrows suggestively and disappeared into the room.

Alex,
realizing that her mouth was gaping open, wiped her chin in case there was
drool.  How could there not be?  She was still stunned from her
partial view of Zand’s muscular chest.

Was
it just the shirt or were the shorts off as well, she wondered.

Alex
inwardly berated herself.  Focus, Kensington!  Just focus!

You
are here to get answers and that’s it!  She reminded herself.  Oh,
why had she came here without sleep?  Even Zand seemed to remember that
she was not capable of functioning without a few hours of sleep.

She
found the couch and let her tired body sink into its comfortable
cushions.  She leaned back and decided to close her eyes for a moment
before Zand returned.  She would need all of her facilities functioning
properly to get through the conversation that she wanted to have.

#

Alex
thought that she could hear the water running as she made her way to the master
suite and the elaborate shower that held Zand’s toned and sleek body.  She
could see, through the clear glass doors, the water cascading out of the
overhead faucet and watched as it ran down Zand’s supple form.

Little
streams ran from Zand’s neck, down the muscular chest and joined a full river
across his taut abs, before disappearing around his erect manhood.  Alex
continued to watch fascinated as the meandering stream reappeared and ran the
length of his muscular thighs, down the front of his legs, until it pooled in a
swirling vortex of water at his feet.

It
was almost trance-like as Alex opened the door and reached out to stop the
stream just above Zand’s chest.  She didn’t feel the water as it ran the
length of her own arm.  All she could focus on, as she leaned into the
spray, was stopping the trickle with her tongue before it ran down Zand’s
chest.

“Alex?”
Zand whispered her name.

“Hmmm?” 
Alex moaned back to Zand.

She
didn’t want to stop now.  Alex let her hand trail languidly down Zand’s
body, seemingly following the cascading flow of water.

It
was starting to feel cold.  Alex didn’t understand why Zand let the water
get so cold.  She didn’t like it, so she let her hand follow the contours
of Zand’s body in search of something warm and inviting.

Alex
moaned again as she heard Zand say her name. She only smiled in answer as she
licked her lips and leaned in for a nice, long, kiss.

#

Zand
stood in front of the couch and continued to watch Alex as she moaned and
groaned in her sleep.  He had showered and dressed in record time and
practically ran back to the living room, only to find Alex already
asleep.  Zand had gently tried to wake her, but to no avail.

Alex
must have been exhausted, Zand had surmised, to fall into such a deep sleep so
easily.  And she was cold.  Zand could see the chill bumps on Alex’s
bare arms, so he grabbed the throw from the back of the couch, and gently
covered her sleeping form.

Zand
chuckled as he heard Alex moan again.

“Penny
for your thoughts, or rather your dreams, Alex,” Zand whispered.

“Hell,
with all of that moaning and groaning, I’d gladly make it a full months pay!”