Second Chances (56 page)

“Do you want to stay here with me, or take one of the guest rooms?”  He asked the question as they walked rapidly up the stairs and made their escape to his wing.

Isabella stopped in the hall and gazed at him intently.  She thought about it for a moment.  “I would feel more comfortable if I could stay with you.”  She paused for a reaction, but saw none.  “Is that all right?”   In her mind she imagined recapturing the previous night’s experience, wrapped in the comfort of his strong arms.  She slept so well then, better than she had in months. 

Gabriel picked her up and whirled her around in the hall.  He placed her gently back on the floor and hugged her close.  “Bella,” he murmured into her hair, “I can’t imagine a time I wouldn’t want you in my bed.”  Then he grabbed her hand and they rushed down the hall to his room.

Slowly, she became more daring.  Tonight’s pajamas would consist of a jersey knit spaghetti strapped, mid-thigh nightgown.  The periwinkle color would go well with her tan.  Jessie insisted she wear it.  When she returned to the bedroom from changing, she found Gabriel in only a pair of boxer briefs that left very little to the imagination.  How could she sleep next to him in those?  Murmuring, “Lord, give me strength,” Isabella climbed into Gabriel’s magnificent bed.

She moved tentatively at first, biting on her cheek as she drew closer to him.  Her eyes were wide open, as though in fear.  Could she be afraid?  Gabriel found that emotion hard to imagine in his Bella.  She seemed so strong, so prepared to handle anything life threw at her.  And goodness knew that she had already endured enough already.  He scowled as he thought about the pain that Jack must have inflicted upon her for her to kick him out.

Without a word, Gabriel reached over and tucked Isabella against his side.  He could feel her warm breath coming in short spurts against his chest and paused.  Slowly, afraid of what he might discover, he nudged her chin upward. 

“Bella, darling,” he began quietly, “are you crying?”

Eyes wide, she shook her head feverishly.  “I don’t cry,” she announced, as she stuck her chin out defiantly.

He pushed her away from him so that he could study her.  “Ever?”  He was skeptical, having known so many women who cried indiscriminately.

“Ever,” she affirmed, her voice but a whisper.

“Since when?”  He was concerned.  How had she survived without the necessary release of emotions?

Isabella inhaled slowly and exhaled evenly.  “Since I was about twelve.”  She looked at him with her enormous expressive brown eyes that at present showed more than a hint of pain.  Her head dropped for a moment, but when she gazed at him moments later, his heart went to his throat.  “Could you please just hold me?”  She shrugged to diminish the importance of her request.

Yet Gabriel saw through her.  Slowly he reached out and stroked her cheek, stared into her eyes.  He paused, swore for a moment that he saw them watering slightly, that she might even now be blinking back tears.  Suddenly it came to him. 
I could really love this woman.
  And some of the ice he had safely encapsulated his heart in slowly began to melt.

After a night that seemed entirely too short for Isabella’s liking, the time arrived to get ready to head out to the airport.  Gabriel and Isabella managed to share the bathroom in the morning with none of the issues of the previous afternoon.  And before long their luggage had been carried out to the limousine that would drive them to the airport.

Mr. Charmant
met them in the driveway to wish them well on their trip.  Isabella was feeling more comfortable with him than she had previously, as she walked over to him and gave him a warm goodbye.  “Thank you so much, Mr. Charmant.  Thank you for making me feel so welcome, allowing me to stay in your home, and helping to arrange this trip for us.”  She paused before adding, “And yet, at the same time, thank you seems truly inadequate.”

Gabriel’s father planted a kiss on her cheek, then marched over to his son.  He shook his hand and embraced him, while whispering in his ear.  Gabriel smiled and nodded, then joined Isabella in the back of the limo.  She didn’t ask what was said, and Gabriel didn’t offer to share, yet still she remained unconcerned.  Right now she had to concentrate on bigger distractions, such as her first time in a limo, and the fact that they would be flying out first class.  She was unaccustomed to all the trappings that came with having money and found herself feeling awkward and out of place.

In Aruba, Gabriel’s driver unloaded their luggage and deposited them in front of the most amazing vacation home she had ever seen in person.  It had the feel of something out of a magazine.  While
she studied the enormous beachfront property, Gabriel instructed the driver as to which room the luggage would be deposited in.

Then he turned his full attention back to her.  “So, what do you think so far, my Bella?”  He moved behind her and wrapped his arms around her, steering her to face the impressive ocean view. 

“It is so beautiful here,” Isabella said warmly. 

“I have always thought so.  That’s why I wanted this to be our first trip.  It’s also very secluded,” Gabriel noted.  “We have our own private beach.  We don’t even have to wear clothes,” he added nonchalantly.

Isabella shivered slightly at the thought of being naked in front of him.  Did he not understand how pregnancy could ravage a body?  Try as she had, she still bore stretch marks, which sealed the end of her bikini days as far as she was concerned.

“Let me show you our house,” Gabriel suggested, leading her up the steps of the back veranda, through the French doors, and into the home.

The home had a very contemporary feel to it, decorated in white.  The two stories contained five bedrooms, five and one half baths, a formal living room, dining room, kitchen, study, and great room with a bar for entertaining.  The two bedrooms that faced the ocean had balconies, and the verandah steps ended in sand.  The staff consisted of a driver, a cook, and a maid, which seemed foolish to Isabella, as infrequently as Gabriel claimed they actually were able to use the place.

Gabriel had chosen for them one of the bedrooms that overlooked the beach.  The balcony had a wicker loveseat and small coffee table on it in addition to the lovely pots of flowers and a potted tropical tree.  The room itself held a queen size bed made up in luxurious white silk sheets and gauzy curtains hung from the canopy.  But the bathroom really took Isabella’s breath away with its tropical paradise feel.  The Jacuzzi tub, the focal point of the room, sat surrounded by greenery and candles, centered directly beneath a sky light.

“I guess I know where to find you at night, eh?”  Gabriel smiled as he pulled Isabella out into the bedroom.  He sat on the bed, and patted it for her to join him. 

Excited and scared, Isabella slowly lowered herself to the bed.  He tilted his head, a question.  Isabella struggled to explain.  “We’ve never been alone before.  First, it was my children, then your father...” Her voice trailed off.  What did she really have to worry about?  Gabriel would never take advantage of her.

“And now we have the
house staff,” he said matter-of-factly.

Suddenly, Isabella recognized the accurate assessment of their situation.  She wasn’t as alone as she felt.  And Gabriel obviously wasn’t thinking about going back on his word.

“Let’s talk about what you would like to do until dinner.  I propose we lay around on the beach until seven, then change and dine on the verandah.”  He looked at her for a reaction.  “Any objections?”

Isabella sighed, “Nope, sounds perfect.”

Despite Gabriel’s comment about swimwear being optional, Isabella emerged from the bathroom in a black tankini with a matching sarong tied neatly around her waist.  Gabriel noticed her apprehension about her attire.  He walked over to her in his bulging Speedo with his sculpted physique and wrapped his muscular arms around her, hugging her tightly.

“You don’t have to worry what I will think of you,” he whispered into her hair.  “I find you unbelievably attractive.  I don’t care what you look like naked.  You could never disappoint me because I know how beautiful you are on the inside.  Do you understand?”

Isabella nodded, managed a weak smile, and in an act of undeniable bravery, reluctantly left the sarong on the bed.

They lay side by side on a huge beach blanket and took turns rubbing lotion on each other’s shoulders.  Gabriel’s hands seemed strong and sure as they traversed the length of her back and snuck along the two inch gap between her top and bottom.  He rubbed much longer than necessary for the lotion to disappear.  Torn between letting him continue massaging her, and concern about starting something she considered herself unready to finish, Isabella rolled onto her side to gaze at him from above her sun glasses.

Blushing, Gabriel ceased straddling her back, fell on his side to mirror her, and artfully changed the subject.  “What would you like to see and do here?”  He asked seriously.

“Everything,” Isabella said with a sigh, then seeing the shocked look on his face she added, “Let me rephrase that.  Everything, but that.”

Pretending to be slightly deflated, Gabriel began, “Well, let me tell you about some of your options.”

The list of possibilities appeared endless.  Apparently Aruba and the Charmants had it all.  They could go out on the boat, go out on the wave runners, go snorkeling, scuba diving, hiking, shopping, sight seeing, clubbing, and on and on.

Laughing, Isabella suggested, “Why don’t you surprise me?  I’m game for just about anything.  I just have to make sure to call home a few times, okay?”  She attempted to make the comment sound insignificant, but her eyes looked as though she feared he might actually refuse her.