Trust in Us (5 page)

His laughter was short but humor filled. “I can’t think of one thing you have to be sorry for right now.”

“Most men don’t like to be teased.” She reached for the ties at her waist.

Gage moved in, locating the other end of the belt. “Is that what you believed I’d think?” He secured the belt for her.

“I...shouldn’t have said that.”

Gage bumped her chin with his fist and then propped it there and waited for her eyes to meet his. “Will you answer me?”

“How could you
not
think that when all your friends have had their worlds rocked by all of mine?”

As impressed as he was that she had come right out and said it, Gage was still taken aback that she had. Her voice sounded strong, but he could sense that she was very exhausted. “Maybe it’s a little early for this discussion?” he noted.

Exhaustion had indeed claimed the energetic lilt of her laughter. “
Never
is too early to have this discussion,” she mused.

“If that’s the case, I’m afraid we’ll have to find something else to talk about over dinner.”

“Another meal with the gang? Yaay.” She gave a lazy twirl of an index finger. “What time do we need to be there?”

“
You
and
I
should be there around seven.”

She blinked. “Just us? Just...you and me?”

“That’s right.” Gage realized he’d been rubbing the underside of her wrist where she had been holding her arms folded near where he still held on to the robe’s belt.

“Seven?” he queried, smiling in a manner that proved he sensed both her reluctance and her willingness.

“Seven.” She gave in to what she wanted. “What should I wear?”

Gage had a fine idea that his expression was probably all the response she needed. “I don’t really think you’d benefit from my suggestion. It’d be a pretty self-serving one anyway.”

The words made Alythia laugh until he gave the belt a sharp tug, which caused her to balance herself by bracing her hands against his unyielding chest when she jostled him. She dug in her fingers just enough to determine whether he felt as unbelievable as he appeared.

He dropped a kiss to the corner of her mouth. “Rest up,” he murmured while his lips still grazed her skin.

Alythia stood fixed to her spot when Gage moved away. She watched him make his way out of the room. She maintained her position until a minute after the main door closed behind him.

* * *

What the hell was going on? The words blasted around inside her head, which must’ve had a stimulating effect, because she stripped off the robe. She let it lie where it fell and then eased beneath the inviting turned-down bedcovers.

She hadn’t come here for this. She’d come for work and, if time permitted, a little lazing near the pool, a few drinks... She hadn’t come here to fall in—

“Stop it.” She punched the closest pillow as though it had somehow been to blame for such thoughts filling her mind. She barely had time for her friends. She surely had
no
time for a high-maintenance relationship.

Something told her that an involvement with Gage Vincent would be high maintenance. Not in a bad way, of course. She could, however, take one look at the man and be pretty much reassured that he’d keep her...busier than business ever could.

“Stop it...” She moaned the word as if begging herself for mercy.

Sex—or the lack of it—was the very last thing she needed at the forefront of her mind. The idea gave her pause and she ceased her fidgeting beneath the sheets. Giving in might not be such a bad thing after all. Well...
no,
it wouldn’t be a
bad
thing at all. Would it really matter what he thought of her later?

Chances were high that they wouldn’t even see each other after the wedding. It’d just be a Caribbean fling. Who didn’t deserve to have at least one of those? she thought, renewed drowsiness beginning to settle in as the perfect mattress and pillows cushioned her entire body, beckoning it into relaxation.

“No...a Caribbean fling wouldn’t be a bad thing. He already wants you, Aly...” she murmured, the breeze and palm leaves lulling her as surely as the bed and its trimmings.

“And he’d really be a pleasure to...have.... Mmm...” She snuggled down almost into the center of the bed, thinking of those stunning eyes of his, the flawless coffee skin taut across that amazing chest.

A Caribbean fling wouldn’t be a bad thing at all....

Chapter 5

A
lythia’s late-afternoon nap had worked wonders. The exhaustion that had threatened to buckle her knees when the plane had landed in San Juan had been effectively vanquished by the three-hour snooze. She awoke refreshed—and starving. The delicious and filling onboard lunch had worn off hours ago.

Thankfully, the hunger hadn’t affected her appearance. She looked rested and stunning. She’d showered, dressed and then critiqued her image in the full-length mirror. Unless she was going out on the town, she rarely wore foundation. Her usual enhancement was a light dousing of eye shadow and lipstick. She’d packed a nice supply of all things makeup related but decided in that moment that they would remain packed. A healthy dose of sleep, rustling palm-tree leaves and a heavenly bed were the real secrets to radiance!

There was a knock and she felt a twinge of self-consciousness then. “Let’s hope my date thinks so.” She checked the gold-filigree clock on the dresser across the bedroom. She spared a minute for one last twirl in the mirror, loving the way the long hem of the lavender halter dress whirled around the flat sandals that highlighted her fresh pedicure. With one last quick toss of her blue-black waves, she headed for the door.

Had she had any concerns about whether Gage would disapprove of her joining him barefaced, she did away with them the instant she noticed the brilliant smile that set his gaze sparkling.

“You already answered my first question—did you sleep okay?” he asked with a striking grin. “Hungry?”

Alythia threw back her head as though she were depleted. “Starved, but sleep had to come first for me.”

“Surprised that you got three uninterrupted hours of it.” He leaned on the doorframe while voicing the observation.

“I still can’t believe that, either.” She blinked as if the remark gave her pause. “Did I miss anything...best left unmentioned?”

Gage bowed his head, studying his thumb as it traced the links of the silver timepiece he sported. “I think it’s safe to say that everybody had a pretty quiet day.” He pushed off the frame then, invading Alythia’s space to course his hands over her bare arms.

“Got a wrap or anything?”

Gage’s question went unanswered, his touch having rendered Alythia speechless and immovable for a weighty second. “I, um...” She motioned to the sofa, where a mosaic-print garment lay carelessly on a cushion. “Just there,” she directed, thinking that he’d intended to collect it for her.

“Gage?” she called, tilting her head curiously when he only stood there smoothing his hands across her arms. “Hey?” She gave a tug to the cuff of the black shirt he wore outside cream-colored trousers.

“Right.” He blinked and seemed to snap out of his reverie.

Alythia returned to the bedroom to grab her purse while Gage went to claim the wrap. She couldn’t resist making another stop before the mirror to tousle her naturally windswept hair.

* * *

Gage was in possession of the wrap and had come to the bedroom door to watch her fussing in the mirror. Where the devil had she come from? He posed the question in silence but could still hear the bewilderment holding the words.

How was it he had never heard of her? He posed the second silent query and then caught himself. Heard of her? Exactly how up-to-date was he on any movers and shakers in the boutique business? Besides, Charlotte wasn’t exactly a town where one saw his or her neighbors at the corner market on the regular. Still...what were the odds of meeting such a woman on a trip like this?

Such a woman? He considered that wording. Exactly what type of woman did he mean? He had a fine idea what type of women her friends were. He didn’t hold that against them, but that wasn’t Alythia.

She was very protective of her girls and he admired her for that. But was that all? Her looks and sexual appeal had captured him, there was no doubting that, but there was more. He believed that solving the mystery of her would simply ensnare him, happily entrap him far more than he already was.

Alythia offered up a sheepish smile when she turned from the mirror and found Gage staring. “Ready,” she gushed, not reading the true intensity lurking in the liquid chocolate of his stare.

She reached for the wrap, but Gage held it out of her grasp, choosing to place it across her shoulders.

“You think I’ll need this inside?” she asked.

“Doubt it.” His response was canyon deep and absent.

Alythia didn’t ask why he was draping it over her shoulders, then.

A good thing, too, because Gage wasn’t sure she’d appreciate knowing that his reason was only that he wanted to touch her. The flat sandals were chic, sexy in a totally subtle way. She would most likely have been closer to his eye level were she wearing anything with a more substantial heel. Her lithe, fragile build beautifully enhanced the full B-cups and nicely rounded bottom that Gage was more than a little curious to discover the feel of cradled in his palms.

“Second thoughts?” she was asking, seeming curious about his fixed expression. She gave another light tug to his shirt cuff and smiled a bit brighter when he dipped his head to veil a suddenly bashful expression.

“Let’s go.” He cocked his head just slightly toward the door.

Quietly, they headed out.

* * *

Alythia was surprised to feel faint pinpricks of apprehension take hold. She knew what had stirred them but had no plan as to how to approach the subject.

“So where are we eating?” she asked instead.

“The resort’s got a pretty good Italian restaurant. Um, loads of other stuff, too, if Italian’s not...not your thing.”

Uneasiness aside, Alythia couldn’t help but smile over how concerned he seemed about making her aware that the choice was hers.

“You seem to know a lot about this place.” She eased into the next phase of quelling her curiosity and satisfying those annoying pinpricks. “Must be nice to have a friend in the hospitality business.”

They had arrived at the elevator bay. Gage had already pulled Alythia’s arm into its usual place across the crook of his elbow. They walked the corridor, golden lit at night by the electric candles lining the walls. By day, rich sunlight was powerful enough to filter through the picture windows at either end of the space. Softly evocative tunes from the band on schedule for that evening piped in to enhance their stroll along the otherwise silent hall.

“Having a friend in the business is very nice but Dane, Zeke and Jay benefit more than I do.” He depressed the elevator’s down button and then hid his hand in a front trouser pocket. “My visits down here aren’t usually about vacationing.”

“Hmm...” Alythia tapped her fingers along the powerful cords of his forearm. “Sounds like
your
friends and
my
friends both have
workaholic
friends in common.” She joined in for only a moment when Gage laughed to concede her point.

“Is that all the enjoyment you get from Clive’s brainchild?” She ventured more steadily into the topic she had wanted to open since they left her suite.

“Clive doesn’t complain.” Gage shrugged. “Especially when my trips down here result in free business advice for him.”

The elevator car arrived with a melodic and subtle ring.

“Does Clive only make moves you give the green light on?” Alythia asked once the doors closed and they began their descent.

Gage leaned against the rich oak-paneled car and regarded her with a fresh awareness. “Alythia?” He waited for her eyes to rest on his. “Clive isn’t about to back out on this deal because of anything
I
say.”

“I didn’t mean—”

“Yes, you did.” His words held no accusation, only soft amusement.

Sighing disappointedly, Aly lowered her eyes to the short carpeting beneath their feet. “Orchid’s always warning me about being so anally involved in my business.”

The close confines filled with the hearty rumble of Gage’s laughter. “Do I even want to know what that is?” The question tumbled out on a chuckle.

The doors opened into the exotic music-filled lobby. Gage offered his arm, which Alythia accepted without thought.

“The explanation was forced on me,” she said in a resigned fashion. “No reason why I can’t share it with you.”

Gage’s ready laughter resumed as he led them deeper into the lively lobby.

* * *

“So I guess you finishing off our appetizers means you approve of the restaurant?” Gage drained the last of his beer and signaled the waiter for another.

Shameless, Aly scraped the last of the guacamole from a porcelain bowl. “It takes talent to make great guacamole and these folks have talent to spare.”

“I’ll have to make sure Clive keeps his cook staff, then.”

There was a moment of quiet and then a flood of laughter between the couple as memories of their earlier conversation filtered in.

“So...anally involved in business?” Gage recalled the other path of their conversation before it had veered off into Alythia’s ravings over Anegada Weeks’ West Wing Restaurant Row.

The resort boasted over thirty eating establishments all along various wings inside the resort’s main building. Each eatery carried a different theme and was staffed by Caribbean, Latin and Italian natives.

Alythia helped herself to more of the crisp sangria she’d ordered. Settling back, she studied the colorful liquid through the tall cooler she held.

“I prefer to think of it as being detail oriented. Orchid thinks I make a big deal of things when no big deal is required. It’s a flaw I’m trying to work on.” She shrugged and then drank deeply of the sangria.

Gage frowned. “I wouldn’t say it’s anything you need to stress over.”

Aly held her glass poised in the air. “Excuse me? Are you the same man I just interrogated on the way down here?”

“I wouldn’t have called it an interrogation.”

“No...you’re too polite to do that.”

The assessment made him laugh again. Alythia didn’t begrudge the attention he drew. Women turned in appreciation of the man and the sound of his amusement and Aly couldn’t deny its ability to soothe.

“You don’t know me very well.” He sobered a bit. “Being detailed or
anally
involved is often a necessity in business. Those who aren’t do so at the expense of their own interests.”

“I see your point, but I think I could really stand to be a little less curious.”

Gage tapped the base of the beer bottle while relaxing in his chair. “Questions aren’t bad things, Alythia.”

“Tell my friends that.”

To himself Gage agreed that questions could prove pesky for anyone who lived as footloose as her girls—or
his
boys. “How often do you find yourself on the receiving end of their disapproval?” he asked.

Aly appeared stumped by the question but didn’t have to locate an answer straightaway. The server had arrived with a fresh chilled beer for Gage and to take their entrée orders.

“You should try the sangria.” Aly sang her words of encouragement.

“I’m good.” Gage was pouring the brew into a tall frosted mug.

Aly was insistent. “If you try the sangria, I could order a pitcher instead of this inappropriate cooler.”

“Order the pitcher, Alythia.”

“And drink it by myself? Thanks for making
me
look like the lush.”

“It’s the Caribbean,” he chuckled.

“It is, isn’t it?” She reciprocated the waiter’s smile. “A pitcher of sangria and bring
two
coolers, please. In case Mr. Vincent changes his mind.”

“You know, I promise not to give you a hard time if you want to chug the damn thing right from the pitcher.”

Aly threw back her head and laughed vibrantly. Gage propped his chin on his fist and simply enjoyed the sound of it. Each time he caught a glimpse of her eyes, he was struck by their amethyst shade and the enchanting way the light filtered through the almond-shaped orbs.

He thought she may have spied the intent way he watched her, because her laughter quieted a bit too abruptly. She seemed to withdraw a bit into herself. He didn’t want to push, but he didn’t care overmuch for the haunted look that had suddenly crept into her eyes.

“Alythia?”

“I love my friends, but they make me nervous.” She blinked then, as though sharing the confession had all at once drawn her up and out of her thoughts.

“I can’t believe I said that.” She slapped her hands to her cheeks and watched Gage as if she was in awe. “You’re a little
too
easy to talk to.”

Gage leaned close to pull one hand down from her face. “I promise it goes no further than our table.”

“I still shouldn’t have said it.”

“Don’t you have a right to your opinion?” He gave a flip wave and reached for his chilled Samuel Adams. “My friends make me nervous all the time—I never know when I’ll need to have bail money ready.” He smirked. “But I guess they feel the same way about me. It’s to be expected when it comes to friends, especially the wild and crazy ones.” The smirk became a lopsided grin that was intended to make her smile.

Aly put forth a real effort, but clearly her heart wasn’t in it. “It’s not the same,” she said.

“Because you’re women?” he guessed.

The sangria arrived blessedly fast and Aly watched the rich red drink being poured as though she were a woman dying of thirst.

“Sir? Will you be joining your lady?” the server asked.

Alythia stopped the glass midway to her mouth. Her eyes clashed with Gage’s and she looked away, desperate for something to focus on across the dining room.

Gage didn’t appear at all displeased by the waiter’s unintentional slip. “I’d very much like to join my lady.”

“Yes...it’s different because we’re women.” Aly waited to voice her agreement until after they’d taken a few sips of the sangria.

“Alythia—”

She waved off the apology he was about to utter. “Blame it on my stupid curiosity, but I really want to know what’s going through your mind right now about my friends.”

Gage set aside his cooler, losing his taste for the fruity drink. “Honey, I don’t know ’em well enough to voice an opinion like that.”

“Not even the bride? That’s strange considering she’s about to marry one of your best friends.”