Threads Of Desire (Creative Hearts Book 3) (25 page)

A smile grew wide on Gabby’s face as the smooth voice floated over to her ears. “I thought you’d never get here.”

She turned around and practically fell into Steve’s arms, relief washing over her. Pulling back, she looked up at her friend, her mouth going wide. He was smiling down at her with one eye sparkling and the other turning purple, and there was a cut on his bottom lip.

“What the hell happened to your pretty face on that island?”

He laughed then winced at the pain. “Not the island. New York, and you should see the other guy.”

Gabby frowned. “What other guy?”

“This other guy.”

She stilled at the sound of Nick’s voice in her ear. It flowed over her body and that same familiar tingle came rushing back. Gabby turned around and her breath caught in her throat. He looked amazing in that superfine tuxedo, ultra white shirt, and black tie. But a gasp escaped her lips when she saw his black eye that perfectly matched Steve’s. “What have you two been up to?”

Nick walked over to her, his steps tentative, his eyes searching as he took her hand in his. “Sorry we’re late. We were fighting over who would get the first dance. I won.”

“But—” Nick cut off her words with a kiss. It was strong and commanding then went to gentle and pleading. It took her heart, and melted it from the inside out and back again.

He pulled back and looked at her. “No buts, Miss Russell. Though this may not be the last time I say it, because I’m sure that in the future I may work late, or forget your creamer, or just may not always move your shoes. But I want this to be the last time I ever really hurt you, and I have to say I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been a coward, yet again. When I saw that you left, I was hurt.” He shook his head. “Now that I think of it, I think it reminded me of when I went back to that closet and saw that you were gone. But just like then, I should have gone further and I should have chased you all the way back to New York and told you how much I loved you. I can’t go back in time, but I want to fix it now. I want you to know I love you and cherish you. I want you to be mine and I want all of New York—all the 
world
—to know it. Between you and me, we can make this work. You know it just as well as I do.”

Gabby wanted so badly to have a quick comeback, but his deep eyes, so full of honesty, stopped the words from even forming. All that came were the tears. Tears she had held back successfully for so long. Had kept hidden from him for so many years. He leaned down and kissed at her salty cheek and she muffled a sob, leaning into his strong chest. He pulled her in tight and she fit right in, molding into place as if they were made for each other. His warmth was a pleasure and a comfort that made the week apart suddenly feel like an eternity.

“Don’t tell me I shut you up again?” he asked, and Gabby looked up at him, catching the questioning hesitation in his voice.

She looked around and noticed there were small pockets of people now staring at them, no longer focused on Sam and Mark, but on the side show on the fringe of the dance floor. CEOs, moguls, paparazzi… and even Claire Elliot, who was looking on with her family. Gabby looked over at Sam who gave her a wink, and Steve who was looking on with unchecked pride. This was the height of PD freaking A’s.

She looked back at Nick. His black eye was starting to swell. “Did you and Steve really get into a fight?”

“I deserved that first punch, but he deserved the second. You have always been my girl at heart. It’s about time he knew it.”

Her heart clinched tight as all their years and their past came flooding back, the fights and the pain and even his words and beliefs came bubbling up to the surface. “And what do you know, Nick? How can we make it work?” she whispered.

His eyes went dark and got serious. Gabby’s heart picked up speed at an impossibly high rate. “I’ve learned that I’m not my father’s son. At least not in the way I’ve made myself out to be. I can be so much better. And with you, I want to be better.”

Gabby put her hand over his mouth stopping him. “You don’t need me for that, Nick. You’ve never been anything like you’re dad. You’re your own man. You always have been.”

“And you’ve always been your own woman. I see how you try to hide who you really are behind quick quips and bravado, but you don’t need to do that. You are glorious. Just as you are. Whether you’re being smart and snarky or you’re just being your sweet and vulnerable self. There is no hiding how special you are. How beautiful and how talented. If I’m not who my father says I was, then you’re not who your mother made you out to be either. So maybe we can both just be Nick and Gabby.” He smiled at that. “Nick and Gabby. Come on, love, you have to admit it does have a good ring to it.”

He was right. She wasn’t sure about all of his speech, though it was damned good and she was warming up to it, but he was right about how good their names sounded together. And she was so tired of fighting herself and her foolish pride in this battle.

With that Gabby leaned up and wrapped her arms around Nick’s neck, her lips connecting with his as all the pain of the past melted away. It was as if she was floating on air as she let him lead her out to the middle of the dance floor. As he spun her and the chiffon of her dress intertwined with the superfine wool of his suit, she grinned up at Nick, eyes wide and heart open, then laughed when he spun her again, dipping her low and bringing her back up, careful not to let her fall when she got a little shaky on her heels. Gabby looked deep into his eyes and something in her heart bloomed, as a deep ache faded to nothingness. Maybe this, she thought finally, was what forgiveness felt like.

Epilogue

“I can’t believe this is all for me,” Gabby whispered to herself. It was fashion week. It had been ten months since she had taken the job as designer and creative director for Sutton Industries’ new line of women’s wear and the day of her first runway show was finally here. She was currently backstage, taking a moment behind a rack of clothes, catching her breath after one of her models had just slipped into one of her new spring creations. It was a glorious recreation of one of her favorite personal outfits. The beautiful, curvy, six-foot model was wearing a tight, off the shoulder, black, silk, stretch leotard that accentuated her sexy figure in all the right places. Over the leotard, her skirt was yards and yards of delightful tulle in the palest blush color, and at her waist she wore a hand-beaded crystal belt, breathtaking in its stunning craftsmanship. She would be one of the ten “ballerinas” represented in Gabby’s finale, each in a different color skirt and each a different size, showing that true beauty came can come in all sizes.

Gabby let out a long sigh as she blinked back a tear. It had been happening a lot over the past year, but she felt incredible, and at times she still had to pinch herself when she thought of the whirlwind the past twelve months had been. Leaving Zenia, taking this job, and now here she was having a show during fashion week featuring her designs. Hers. The collection highlighting the fact that she was committed to making all women feel like their most beautiful and most treasured self. Her dream was finally coming true. “I can’t believe it’s real.”

A familiar hand snaked around her waist at the same time his warm breath hit her ear, sending that shiver down her spine that she didn’t think she’d ever tire of. “Believe it, love. It’s real, and it’s all for you.” Nick leaned down and kissed her in that spot between her ear and neck and her eyes closed on their own as her body instinctively leaned back into his warmth.

Gabby took in a much-needed restorative breath then pushed forward, moving out of his embrace. “Nick, I don’t have time—there’s so much to do and it’s just a few minutes before the show. I have to make sure the models are perfect, that everyone is seated… do you know if Samara and Mark made it? What about Mika and Alejandro? I also need to check with the runner to be sure that the DJ has the set list right—”

Nick’s kiss caught her off, before her rant could go full steam. He took her mouth swiftly, his lips firm but still soft, his tongue caressing her with just the right amount of pressure to wipe all thoughts of trouble out of her mind, leaving her with nothing but a feeling of solid warmth and pleasure when he finally pulled back and looked into her eyes.

She looked at him and raised her brow. “You know, there will come a time when that clever little tactic of yours is not going to shut me up.”

He laughed at that, a hearty laugh full of the Nick confidence she’d now come to love. “I sincerely hope not, love. Because I do live for your rants and this method of attempting to quiet you down. Now, you relax. All your friends are in attendance, and even your mother and her husband got the memo and made it. I will say your mother is enjoying her moment in the spotlight as the famous designer’s parent.”

Gabby rolled her eyes. “I wouldn’t doubt it. That woman never met a camera she didn’t like.” She shrugged. “Oh well, let her have her fun. Why not? Without her motivation, or sometimes lack thereof, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

Nick leaned in and kissed her again, attempting to nuzzle her neck. “That’s the spirit. You are so hot when you’re being all sweet and open-minded.”

It was her turn to laugh now as she swatted his arm. “Well don’t get used to it. I’m a hard assed creative director now.”

He pulled back a bit. “All right, Miss Creative Director. You can be as hard as you want as long as you know I just want you to relax, at least as much as you can, and enjoy this day. Enjoy every moment. You’ve worked hard for it. And I’m so proud of you.”

Gabby felt her cheeks start to heat. She still found it tough to take the compliments that Nick so freely gave her. “Don’t go giving praise before the show. Wait until the review for that. The critics may trash me.”

Nick shook his head, and his eyes were dark when he looked back it her. “It doesn’t matter what the critics say. I know your talent. I know this will be a success.”

“You can’t.”

“I can,” he countered. “And I also know it doesn’t matter, because I believe in you. Which is why I hope you forgive my timing.”

Gabby frowned. “Your timing? What are you talking about, Nick? You’re not going anywhere, are you? You have to stay for my show.” She swallowed, suddenly afraid he would run off and disappear at the time she needed him the most.

He took her hand in his. Damn, was it shaking?

“Of course I’ll be here.” He swallowed too now, making Gabby just that more nervous. “It’s just that I wanted to do this now, before your big success, so you know that this is for you. For the you you’ve always been. The Gabby I’ve always loved and always will love.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a beautiful oval-set diamond ring that was somehow both modern and old-fashioned. Gabby instantly knew she wanted to wear it forever.

Her hand definitely shook—could this dare be real? Gabby looked at him opened mouth as she took a small step back, hitting a rack of clothes at her back. She gave him as shaky smile. “Damn, Nick, once again you’ve got me stuck up in racks of clothes.”

Nick looked around, and his eyes got wide. Then he shook his head and smiled. “Well then, would you make me the luckiest man in the world and marry me and finally get me out of the back of the closet?”

Gabby’s lips met his once more in answer as Nick put the sparking oval on her finger, taking his hand in hers before they stepped through the racks together and into their future.

The End

If you enjoyed
Threads Of Desire
you’ll love
Bounce.

Turn the page for a sneak peek into the sizzling and sexy world of Sabrina and Sean Jacobs.

Bounce

Chapter 1- Blindsided

12:45 A.M.
 

Sean reaches over and pulls my body in close to his, cradling my backside into his groin. He’s sleeping soundly, but his erection is strong and wide-awake.
 

Even at rest my husband is horny.
 

Me? Not so much. I look around at the shadows the moon makes on the wall and wonder what’s going on in his dreams right now to make him so excited. Am I in there? The thought puts a heavy weight on my chest and as Sean’s hand trails from my waist to my breast, my body involuntarily tenses up. I know I should relax and just enjoy it but it feels almost impossible right now.
 

Snapshots of our life together run through my mind: The golden couple. A charmed life, rags to riches and all that. Two kids, three-car garage. All the things that say my life should be perfect.
 

As if.
 

Sean’s thumb grazes my nipple. A definite heat rushes through my body. I can do this. All I have to do is just relax and let my body take over.
 

Don’t think. Do.
 

But it doesn’t work.
 

I can’t turn off my brain and stop the thoughts from coming. Thoughts of the night Sean ripped my heart out and changed our world forever.
 

Don’t think Bree, I tell myself. Just let go. You let him back in the house, now you need to let him back into your heart.

Sean kisses the back of my neck then flicks his tongue out and licks at the spot where he kissed me. A shiver runs through me and wiggle against him. I can feel his smile spread against my back and his erection grow stronger. He’s definitely not asleep anymore and damn it he’s winning again, as he always does.