Surrender Your Heart (9 page)

* * * *

“You bitch!
You’re stealing not only the future of my children, but those of hundreds of
employees! I made promises to them!”

Nice try, Mr.
Wellington, but I’ve been called worse.

“Oh, forgive me.
I didn’t know you sexually assaulted some of the employees so you could secure
their future, and that of your children. How unselfish of you.”

“Those bitches
lied! Not that it’s any of your business.” Furious, he walks away to discuss
with his attorney in the corner, on the other side of the room. Not that
there’s much to discuss, the die is cast, it’s not like he has any other
options.

Gillian and I
refrain ourselves from a high five, because that would be unprofessional, and
really, there’s not so much to celebrate. On the contrary, it makes me angry to
think what we’re up against, every day, even in our position that looks so much
better than the average sales person in the
Wellington
business with a boss who can’t keep it in his pants.

The concept of
wanting something and going for instant gratification, regardless of other
people’s lives involved, it’s childish, isn’t it?

Isn’t it exactly
what I have done? I shake my head to myself. This is different. It has to be,
because the main incentive is still to protect her. Otherwise, I wouldn’t look
so good in this story, would I? I can’t wait to be back with her, hold her,
make love to her. Yes, that’s what I’m secretly calling it now.

I’m in love.

The realization
shouldn’t come as a surprise, and yet it is shocking. It’s a relief I don’t
have time to dwell.

“I’ll sign this
travesty of a contract,”
Wellington
hisses, “but be aware, this isn’t over.”

“Oh, threats in
the presence of my attorney…tsk,” I make. “Didn’t yours tell you that’s not a
good idea? Don’t worry. We’ll take good care of business, and I believe the
employee performance will drastically improve with a CEO who can keep their
hands to themselves.”

His face
reddens. “Is that it? You destroy a business just for the heck of it, because
of your lesbian feminist agenda? Just be aware, rumors travel damn fast.”

That makes me
laugh, and him even angrier. “What rumors? That I’m a lesbian and a feminist?
You’ve got to come up with something better than that. Those are not rumors.”

“I believe
you’re doing business in countries where your kind isn’t welcome.”

“You forget one
thing, Marcus. My money is always welcome—and just like you, most people have a
hard time saying no to it. Thank you so much. Always a pleasure.”

I walk away with
another billion dollar company. I deserve a weekend away on a yacht with a
beautiful woman, don’t I?

I check in with
Nick and Marlene to assure myself everything is quiet at my temporary home,
tell Marlene to let Penelope have fun in the pool if she wants to. I might have
had fantasies about a prolonged vacation, but in some ways, she is too much
like me. We can’t slow down for too long.

Once all
obstacles are out of the way, in the long run, she could try out one of those
online universities to finish her degree.

I’ve never been
so excited about coming home, it’s downright scary.

* * * *

Chapter Nine

Penny

Something happened
with me. I did my homework, read a couple of more books from the book club
list, did a few laps in the pool, all the while anxiously waiting for Carter to
come back.

It’s not that I
have nothing to do—I have plenty. Marlene showed me the well-equipped gym, and
against all odds, I’ve spent some time there too. A personal trainer sat down
with me to create an individual routine, and after all, I get a chance to wear
the brand new workout gear. I’m feeling guilty, because I’ve come to feel a lot
less guilty about living in this paradise. I’ve almost forgotten how I got
here, or anything that existed before. I still want my degree, talk to my
family and friends sometime soon, but I believe Carter will keep her promise.

The fears I had
when I first woke up in this house seem ridiculous now. She’s not a bad person.
It’s a valid question why someone with her background and her wealth couldn’t
simply ask a woman she’s interested in on a date…but I’ve come to realize maybe
that’s exactly what it is, an uncertainty. Maybe over time I can make her
understand, that she needs to trust and let go too.

After working on
my paper, I settle into a chair with another book. It’s much easier to delve
into fiction when you have—almost—nothing to worry about.

This is such a
beautiful place…and the temperature seems to be steady. Of course I still don’t
know where exactly I am, somewhere in the
Caribbean
, is my guess. Maybe, if I can convince Carter that I have no
intention of going anywhere, she’ll give me my passport back.

My thoughts
wander back to the last “book boyfriend” from a title Haley had chosen. Those
fictional men always irritate me and leave me with a lot of questions. I mean,
isn’t the reason why they feel the need to go all alpha on the main character
that deep down inside, they are immature? Insecure, having to assure themselves
of their power.

With Carter…It’s
different. It can’t be the same, ever, socialization takes care of that, yet,
as an incredibly successful businesswoman, she had to play the game, by the old
boys’ rules. I want to believe, though, that she’s more self-aware, that she
can do better than them. I must be convinced, otherwise I wouldn’t be sitting
here reading books for club meetings I won’t attend, would I?

The truth is,
I’m hooked now, I’m in the story. I want to see how it ends. Carter and me,
what is possible for us beyond playing dress-up for her, the insane luxury that
still stuns me, and the amazing sex.

Am I pathetic?
She planned a year which I initially thought was crazy. Here I am, all in after
weeks
.

I lay the book
aside. It might be a good idea to explore my surroundings a bit more, not so
much to find a way out, but to distract myself from the more uncomfortable
thoughts. It’s a beautiful garden, flowers, trees—this is where all the fresh
fruit comes from—a sitting area a bit further away from the pool. A barbecue.
Somehow, I don’t think Carter is the type to entertain much. I believe she
deals with people as much as she has to and is more than happy to close the
door behind her at the end of the day, coming home to…me? That idea is both
flattering, and, in some way, disturbing.

How could she
make a decision like that on a whim? Do people really know? Does she? Do I? Is
this how it feels?

“Good morning,”
the voice startles me out of my thoughts and makes me blush, because my mind
had once again wandered into intimate areas.

I don’t know who
the man is, but I return his greeting, smiling uneasily, and walk away. Judging
from his clothes and the tools he’s carrying, he’s doing some gardening. I
realize that a lot more people must be on the premises than I thought. For some
reason, I believed the only people allowed into the inner sanctum were Nick,
the head of security, and Marlene, but of course this is a huge place for just
the two of them to manage.

“I haven’t seen
you here before. Are you a friend of Ms. Forbes?”

I realize he’s
still talking to me, and, spooked, I evade any conversation by hastily making
my way back to the pool. You’d think after being isolated from everything I
know, I’d appreciate some small talk, but the truth is I don’t.

I might have
rebelled against the circumstances at first, but with each day that passes, I
realize I don’t have that much to argue with. When people win the lottery, do
they feel guilty toward those who are less fortunate?

Carter chose me.
She’s making my life comfortable in a way it never was, in a way I could never
make it on my own—that is like winning the lottery, and I want to make the most
of it rather than spend my time dreaming up worst case scenarios.

I ask Marlene,
who serves me a delicious mango curry for lunch, about the man in the yard.

“He spoke to
you?” she asks, frowning.

“I didn’t say
anything, just hello.”

Marlene sighs.
“He shouldn’t have done that. He asked my husband to help him with a job, and
we came up with this solution. He’s not supposed to talk to you.”

“That’s okay. It
was just a friendly greeting.” I suppose I better not tell her about the
question…I don’t want someone to lose his job over something trivial like this.

“Well, thanks
for telling me. Enjoy your meal.”

I do, and
afterwards I go back to the library, enjoy the coolness of the room, and simply
the presence of this many books. For a private collection, it’s insanely
beautiful, and it makes me wonder exactly how rich Carter is. This mansion is
not her main home, I am sure. Does she keep another one closer to the
headquarters of her company, a house like this, or a condo in a high rise?
Maybe she’ll take me there, some day, when I’ve convinced her that I won’t run
away. Maybe this, whatever it is between us, can be something permanent, beyond
the probation time behind locked doors in her vacation home.

I wander back to
my rooms, finding a pleasant surprise.

It’s Carter,
sitting in one of the armchairs by the window. She gets up to greet me. My
heart skips a beat. I can’t believe how much I missed her. Sure, I have to
spend time by myself even when she is here, but that is different. One step
forward, and I’m in her arms. She kisses me gently, and every doubt, every
question becomes meaningless for long moments. Pathetic? Maybe, but I don’t
care.

“Did you have a
good trip?” I ask when she releases me.

“Not all of it
was pleasant, but the results are,” Carter says. “I’d like to celebrate with
you. How would you like spending the weekend on a boat?”

“As long as
you’re with me, I would like it very much.”

Her surprised
smile tells me she didn’t expect that answer. “Do we have to leave right now? I
mean,” I sit on the back of the bed, “I’d love to give you a proper welcome
home.”

“We have a
little time,” she says. “God, I missed you too.”

* * * *

It is on
somewhat shaky knees that I follow Carter to the deck where we board the yacht
Destiny
,
a pristine white play toy for someone who firmly holds their place in the 1%.
Crystal clear blue water, green hills in the distance, white sand and palm
trees. I had an impression from my window, and the backyard, but I don’t get
the whole picture until we’re out at sea. I can’t stop staring at this amazing
scenery. We’ll be out here a couple of hours and then spend the night in
another harbor. Carter stands behind me, arms wrapped around me.

I love the
unspoken intimacy. I love being close to her. Yes, I believe this is how it
feels.

“You trust me
not to run away once we’re in the harbor? Over night?”

Carter has a license to handle this beauty, and even though
she has staff for everything, it’s just the two of us for the weekend.

“I believe
you’ll be too exhausted to try anything like it,” she whispers, a shiver
skittering down my spine. She whispered to me like that earlier, and I know
exactly what she means. She’s probably right.

“Besides that,
yes, I trust you. I know all of this came as a shock to you at first, but
you’re over it. I can tell.”

“I think you’re
right, but—I still have some questions. I can vaguely guess where we are, of
course, but I still don’t know exactly where, and I wonder if you could give me
back my passport, all documents from my apartment, for that matter. I promise,
I won’t run away. I want to be here.”

“I know.” Carter’s
tone is partly cautious, partly frustrated, but I supposed it’s not with me.
She brushes my hair aside to place a kiss on my neck. “Can we take care of all
of this once we’re back home?”

“Yes, of course.
I can wait a few more
days.”

With that, I surprise myself, but nevertheless, it rings
true.

“Good,” Carter says. “I promise you won’t have to endure my
cooking either. I’ve had Marlene prepare some meals and fill the fridge for
us.”

“That sounds great. Your cooking can’t be that bad, though.
You’re good at everything else.”

“You must know.” She laughs softly, a promise of things to
come.

* * * *

We can hear the soft sound of the water down here, and
moonlight is crawling through the windows. All of this creates a warm, peaceful
atmosphere when we’re under deck where the space is even dreamier and far more
incredible than I could have imagined, with a sitting area, a fully furnished
kitchen and dining space, and several bedrooms. She leads me to the master
suite with a bed as big as the one in my room and every bit as inviting. The
feel of heated skin against cool soft sheet is amazing, and when I turn around,
I blush at the sight of the two of us entwined in the big mirror. Blushing
doesn’t stop me from wanting to pleasure her though, and I make her lie down,
cover her, kiss my way down her body, unable
to wait
any longer.

Soon her hands
sink into my hair—not to guide me, but to gently hold on. Carter knows I know
what I’m doing, though I have to wonder if I’ve ever been this enthusiastic,
hungry, with anyone. Her body welcomes my fingers, my tongue, power dynamics
are shifting, and it seems like we both stopped caring. There’s no more room
for questions. Paperwork and such, we’ll take care of that another day. Now,
I’ll take care of her.

In my mind, I
picture the image of the two of us in the mirror. It sends a wave of heat
through my body. Nothing has ever felt like this. Besides, Carter could easily
pick and choose whom to impress with her wealth—she wanted me. I feel her
twitch against my tongue and reach up to stroke her breasts, then link my
fingers with her. Her breathless gasp and the movement of her hips are a clear
indication. I hold on tightly, guide her through her orgasm with as much
stimulation as she can handle…maybe a little more.

When her body stills
underneath me, I move to lie on top of her listening to her rapid heartbeat.
She smiles up at me with an expression that shows, besides the undeniable
satisfaction, a hint of resignation. I brush the back of my hand against her
cheek.

“Don’t worry about
anything,” I whisper, stealing her line. I’ve got one of my own as well. “I
love you.” Carter pulls me down for a kiss, which is okay, because I didn’t
expect her to say it back to me, not yet anyway. After a few moments, she
pushes her hand between my legs. I raise myself up and let her touch become my
whole world, opening me up, filling me, completing me.

“Let me taste
you,” she says, a soft-spoken command I cannot resist. When I feel her tongue
on me, I can’t hold out any longer. Moans turn to whimpers and then rather
pathetic sobs as my body falls into a shuddering climax. Carter eases me down
on the bed. For some reason, as I curl up in her arms, I have the impulse to
cry. She holds me close, running her hand down my back as if she reads my mind.
Much as I try to tell it to myself, not everything is okay. I am falling for
her, hard, or maybe it’s already happened. That was her plan all along, wasn’t
it? The truth of it makes me more vulnerable than any locked doors or
“harmless” sedatives could. Wanting to be here, not wanting any of this to end,
it’s scary, because with that, I’m giving her back all the power, over my
future, over me. It’s not right, but that’s what we’re dealing with right now.

“Don’t be
scared,” Carter says. Damn, but she’s reading my mind. “Even if you wanted to
go once the year is over, and I hope you won’t—you will never again have to
worry about money.”

“It’s not about
the money,” I say, sounding too weepy for me liking. “I’m sorry. I swear I’m
not trying to kill the mood.”

“You’re not.”
She kisses my neck softly, her hand brushing over the side of a breast.

No, she’s right,
I’m not. In fact, the mood is still just fine.

“I know we had
an odd start, but I meant it when I said you’re safe with me, in everything.
That includes not letting you go hungry. I believe it’s time for dinner?”

Someone took
good care to stock the fridge with delicacies like shrimp cocktails, cheeses,
fruit, meat and bread. We assemble a plate and bring it on the deck together
with a bottle of wine and two glasses. On another boat in the marina, there’s a
party, people laughing and clinking their glasses together. It’s far enough
that the background noise is only in the distance, on the other side, the clear
sky with the full moon.