In Her Wildest Dreams (11 page)

“It’s not funny,” Erica admonished, though she couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped. “This is serious, Gavin.”

“I know. Sounds as if my man Steven is spreading himself pretty thin.”

“What am I supposed to do?”

“What do you mean?”

“I have to tell her.”

He sat back and raised his hands. “Whoa, Erica. You don’t want to get involved, believe me.”

“But how can I not? If I don’t tell the wife, then I absolutely
have
to say something to the husband.”

“No, you don’t,” Gavin said. “It’s none of your business. And who’s to say this Steven Aristophonicholi is even the woman’s husband. Maybe she’s married to another Steven Aristophonicholi.”

Erica gave him a look that said
get real
.

“Fine,” Gavin conceded. “The chances that they are not husband and wife are pretty slim, but it still doesn’t mean you should get involved. That’s not included in Your Wildest Dreams’ list of services.”

“Gavin, I’m meeting with the husband tomorrow. Am I really expected to sit across the table from him and not tell him that his wife just called to set up an experience? He’ll know that I knew about it.”

“I guess this makes a case for the choose-from-the-menu approach The Hawthorn Group wants to take, doesn’t it?”

Erica shook her head. “Not at all. In fact, I see the complete opposite. What if the husband really
was
out of town for Valentine’s Day and decided to set up an experience for his girlfriend the week after? And here, his wife spends several thousand dollars on an experience and schedules it for the same day?”

“Then the husband gets what’s coming to him,” Gavin said.

“And the wife gets hurt and humiliated.”

“Hurt and humiliation is in store for her, no matter what,” he returned. “Remember, I know of what I speak.”

Her chest tightened with sympathy.

“Don’t look at me with pity, Erica,” Gavin warned. He took a sip of water. “I got enough of that from the people at my firm before I left.”

She tilted her head to the side and studied him. “Is that why you really left?” she asked. “I know you said that you didn’t want to work for the company that bought you out, but your partner stayed on, didn’t he? Did your decision have more to do with not wanting to face the stares from the people at the company who knew what Whitney had done? It must have been so hard for you.”

“My fiancée was sleeping with the man who forced me to give up the company I’d built. Of course it was hard to swallow.”

“And the fact that she chose
him
of all people was like rubbing salt in the wound,” Erica concluded.

“Whitney Parker never does anything half-assed,” Gavin said. “If she’s going to screw you over, better be prepared to get good and screwed.”

“She didn’t deserve a minute of your time, Gavin, let alone years.”

“Nearly four years, to be exact,” he said. “But I don’t want you to pity me. What happened with Whitney was only a part of why I left Technology Concepts.” He fiddled with the artificial sweetener packets on the table. “The stress of running the company was slowing killing me, Erica. Don’t get me wrong, I loved it. But I was thirty-three with hypertension and ulcers in my stomach. I knew the hostile takeover was coming and tried to fight it off for two years, but in the end, I figured it wasn’t worth it. I saw my dad die of a heart attack at fifty-nine. I didn’t want the same for me.”

“And now you get to make chocolates for a living,” Erica said, trying to lighten the mood.  

Gavin grinned, but his expression quickly sobered again and his gaze returned to the sweeteners he’d rearranged by color in the holder.

“I did what I had to do, and in the end, it was the best thing for me.” He looked up at her. “You want to know what else was the best thing for me? Discovering Whitney’s treachery on my own. I’m not sure how I would have felt if someone had told me about it.”

She knew what he was saying, but Erica wasn’t ready to concede her point. “But what if you hadn’t discovered it, and two years later, you were still with her while she was also with that other guy?”

Gavin shrugged. “I don’t know how I’d feel,” he said. “But I still don’t think it’s your place to say anything to the wife. You could break up a marriage. That’s not what Your Wildest Dreams is all about.” He held his hands up. “I’m not telling you how to run your business. I just want you to be prepared for the fallout.”

She reached over and captured his wrist, giving it an affectionate squeeze. “There you go taking care of me again,” she said.

An incredibly wicked smile lit up his eyes. “And the night’s just getting started.”

Chapter Nine

“I had no idea the Your Wildest Dreams experience was so much fun,” Erica said as she snuggled closer to Gavin in the gondola that floated along Bayou St. John in New Orleans’s City Park.

“I can’t believe someone as thorough as you would not have tested out your own services,” Gavin said.

She shrugged. “A few of the vendors have offered, but you know how busy I am. I’ve never had the time. I won’t turn them down again, though,” she said. “That dinner was absolutely amazing, and this is the icing on the cake.”

“I’d have to disagree.” Gavin pulled her closer to his side. “The icing on the cake will be spending the night in that hotel room with you.”

His words caused a shimmer of awareness to cascade down Erica’s spine. Gavin must have felt her stiffen.

He nudged her arm. “I’m joking, Erica. You know damn well I’m not going to pounce on you as soon as we get to the hotel.” He tilted her chin up so that she could see his face. “I’m the same Gavin,” he said. “Nothing has changed.”

“Everything has changed.”

“No, it hasn’t,” he insisted. “We’ve been teasing each other like that ever since we met. And how has today been any different from a typical day together? We’ve spent the evening talking about work, just as we always do.”

“But tonight we’re going to share a hotel room,” she pointed out.

He let out an exasperated sigh. “I would be lying if I said I would be fine with us going to the hotel and sleeping all night long, Erica. You know I want more than that. But you also know that whatever happens is entirely up to you.”

Leaving the decision up to her didn’t help ease the anxiety twisting in her stomach. Despite everything within her telling her that she could trust Gavin not to hurt her, a tiny part of her heart was still unsure.

Thanks so much, Mom
.

They paddled to the edge of the water and were helped out of the boat. A car awaited them, ready to drive them to Manor Royale. She’d received a call from Beverly Jones this afternoon, letting Erica know that she would be able to provide the seven rooms needed for the remaining Your Wildest Dreams Valentine’s Day experiences. She also offered Erica a free night’s stay so that she could try out the hotel’s services for herself.

Moments after her call with Beverly Jones had ended, Erica had received an email from one of her other hotel contacts, informing her that a large company that had planned to participate in the upcoming convention had pulled out due to an emergency at their headquarters, and several hotel rooms had opened up. Apparently, Beverly Jones’s change of heart had resulted from a need to meet her guest quota.

As they settled in the back seat, Gavin took Erica’s hand and entwined their fingers. He’d done so numerous times before, but tonight it felt different. Real.

But it also felt…right.

The realization washed over her, easing the anxiety that had, to this point, hampered her enjoyment of what had been one of the most relaxing, entertaining nights she’d had in ages. Erica snuggled closer to Gavin and allowed herself to be consumed by the magic of the night she had created. For the first time, she truly understood why people came back to Your Wildest Dreams over and over again. This night had been one to remember.

And it wasn’t over yet.

Deliciously wicked butterflies flittered around her stomach at the thought of what was in store.

She and Gavin arrived at Manor Royale. They were quickly checked in and, within minutes of their arrival, were at the door to their suite. The hotel didn’t use keycards, but still relied on old-fashioned keys. It felt more quaint than outdated.

Gavin opened the door and stepped to the side so she could enter ahead of him. Erica walked into the room and fell instantly in love with the décor. The room looked as if it sprang forth from an old photo of turn-of-the-century New Orleans. The Louis XVI bed was adorned with delicate cream-colored lace bedding. In the bathroom were plush robes and slippers embroidered with an M and R for Manor Royale.

Gavin popped open the bottle of champagne chilling in an ice bucket on the ornate secretary table. After handing Erica her glass, he settled in beside her on the elegant sofa, stretching his arm across the back. Erica scooted closer and rested her head on his shoulder.

“Thank you for joining me,” she said. “Tonight has been wonderful.”

“Better than a date with some guy you met on the Internet?”

She looked up at him. “Is that even a question?” she asked with a laugh.

“There’s only one bed,” Gavin noted after a pregnant pause.

“Yes,” Erica acknowledged. She took a sip of her champagne. 

“So,” he said. “Have you—”

There was a loud knock at the door.

Gavin’s brows rose. “You expecting anybody?”

Erica shook her head. Setting her glass on the marble-topped side table, she walked over to the door and opened it, finding Beverly Jones standing out in the hallway, flanked by two young ladies dressed in white uniforms and carrying massage tables.

“Welcome,” Mrs. Jones said. “Just so that we both know there are no hard feelings, I wanted to throw in a couple’s massage. I suspect it would add to any fantasy night experience Your Wildest Dreams dreams up,” she said.

The two masseuses came into the room and within seconds had the matching massage tables side by side.

“Well, this is totally unexpected,” Erica said. She turned to Gavin. “Umm, do you want to go in the bathroom first?”

“Unless you want to go together,” he said.

Her eyes widened. She looked over at the two masseuses, who looked back at her with knowing smiles. Erica speared Gavin with a look and between clenched teeth said, “No, you can go first.”

His brows lifted, as if to say “you’re sure?” Then he shrugged and went into the bathroom.

Erica brought a shaky hand to her forehead. She was reeling at the thought of Gavin stripping out of his clothes on the other side of the bathroom door. She fidgeted with the pewter picture frame on the secretary and did a poor job of making small talk with the masseuses. A few minutes later, Gavin came out with the robe draped over his solid frame, the belt tied loosely at the waist.

“Your turn,” he said, his deep voice drizzling down her spine. She had no doubt she would spontaneously combust before the night was through.

Erica walked passed him, and the arm of his robe brushed against her arm. Her heart nearly stopped beating, and her overly sensitized skin pebbled with goose bumps.

Oh, yeah. Spontaneous combustion, here I come.

***

Erica stretched her legs out on the chaise longue and took a sip of her champagne.

“I’ll be honest,” she started. “I wanted to punch Beverly Jones in the eye when I opened that door and found her standing there, but that was one nice surprise. It’s been ages since I had a massage.”

“Hmm…” Gavin murmured.

“What?” She looked over at him.

“I’ve been told that I give a good massage.” He held his hands up, fingers splayed. “One of these days I’ll show you that these hands can make magic outside of the kitchen, as well.”

Delightfully naughty thoughts swirled through Erica’s head. Even though her muscles still held the pleasurable ache from the massage she had less than an hour ago, she was tempted to request the special Gavin Foster treatment.

“Oh, wait.” Gavin snapped his fingers. “I forgot that I’ve got a surprise of my own for you.” He walked over to the ornate Louis XVI chest and opened the cabinet door.

Erica sat up straight as he returned with a small picnic basket. “When did that get in there?”

“The hotel manager likes me a lot more than she likes you,” he said.  “She allowed me to stash this here before I met you at the Windsor Court.”

Erica choked on a laugh. “Maybe you should negotiate my hotel deals from now on.”

“I’d consider it. But we can discuss new business arrangements another time,” Gavin said. “We’re supposed to be in the midst of a fantasy night, remember. And any fantasy just wouldn’t be complete without chocolate.”

“I knew it,” Erica said. She reached for the basket, but Gavin pulled it away.

“That’s not how things operate in this fantasy.” He gestured with his head. “Scoot back.”

She obeyed, scooting up the chaise longue until she butted against its high back. Gavin sat on the edge, setting the basket on the floor next to them. He pulled out several containers and placed them on the small round table next to the chaise. The smile on his face blossomed as he uncapped one container to reveal a silky serving of chocolate ganache. Its rich scent enveloped Erica’s senses.

“That smells amazing.” 

“It tastes even better,” Gavin promised, his voice deep. Sensual.

He lifted the lid on the other container.  It was filled with deep red pitted cherries.

“This is going to be good,” Erica said.

“You have no idea,” Gavin replied. He dipped a cherry into the container and swirled it around, coating the fruit in the satiny smooth chocolate. He held it up.

“Ready?” Gavin asked.

Erica nodded. She tilted her head back and parted her lips. Gavin lowered the cherry into her mouth. She ran her tongue around it, lapping up the chocolate before biting the fruit off of the stem.

“Umm…delicious.” 

“Can I get a taste?” His deep voice brushed along her skin.