Chapter Twenty-Three
James
Gabrielle squealed with joy as I tackled her to the sand, rolling us so that she landed on top of me.
“Say that you’ll try it,” I demanded. Her hair fell in soft waves around us, blocking out the world. Her eyes danced with mischief as they locked with mine.
“Never,” she breathed, her wet bikini heaving against my chest. “I hate heights, James. How about scuba diving instead?”
“You want me to go down to all the creepy crawly shit?” I feigned horror, my eyes wide.
“You love going down.” That much was true. I couldn’t get enough of Gabrielle.
“On you,” I stated the obvious. “The unknown depths of the ocean? Did you not see Jaws?”
She rolled her eyes at me and bent her head to kiss me. “I’ll protect you.”
“From a genetically engineered shark? I think I’ll pass.” I was actually willing to try scuba diving, but I still wanted her to go skydiving with me.
“Fair point, but at least we’d go together. That’d be something. The dolphin that got eaten by the genetically engineered shark with that girl who was about to take the bar.” Her eyes crinkled as she laughed.
I tucked her hair behind her ear and planted a kiss on her collarbone. “You are so much more than the ‘girl who was about to take the bar.’ If they made a movie about our untimely, grisly demise, the girl who plays you would be the main character.”
She punched my arm and rolled off of me. “Gee, thanks. While you’re thinking about scuba diving, wanna give me another go at the jet skis?”
I cocked an eyebrow at her. “Are you sure that you’re ready to face that level of defeat again?”
“Oh, I plan on schooling your ass this time, Mr. Skye.” She brushed the sand off her body as she stood. Her ass jiggled in the most delicious way. Blood surged to my cock.
That motel beckoned to me again, but first, we were going to hit play on the race she’d paused the first time that we’d gone jet skiing. “Are you now? I’d like to see you try, Ms. Ralls.”
She ran all the way to the man renting the jet skis, gestured to me, accepted her life jacket, and then mounted her jet ski with the expertise that she’d shown the last time. She gunned the throttle before I’d made a single move towards the stand.
I stood watching her for a second, transfixed by her. I sighed and ran a hand through my hair, then jogged to grab my own life jacket and jet ski.
She shrieked as I came up behind her. “Motherfucker, how are you so fast?”
“I have many hidden talents that I’d be willing to demonstrate for you. For instance, did you know that I can juggle?” Her jaw dropped at the exact moment that I spun and raised my prop to send a shower of water over her.
“You asshole,” she sputtered as she laughed.
She took off, her delicate wrist pulling the throttle all the way back. The jet ski skidded on the wake of an incoming ski boat, and she lost control, flying into the air and landing with hardly a splash in the water.
My heart pounded in my chest as I raced over. I couldn’t breathe. My mind swirled until I saw her curls break water. She laughed and swam toward her jet ski. It had cut out when she’d been flung from it.
I angled to her carefully, not wanting to make any extra waves for her to deal with. Worry clouded my vision. I couldn’t think straight. She looked fine, but I wouldn’t believe it until I heard her say it. “You okay, Gabbi?”
“I’m fine, babe. Really, the wake just caught me off guard. Don’t worry about it.” Icy fingers clutched at my heart as she called me babe. It just seemed so easy. I knew I should not be feeling these kinds of things. Especially not with Gabrielle.
We played around for another hour or so before I decided that it was time to break for lunch.
“Only if it means that we’re even,” she insisted.
I was miles ahead, and she knew it, but I was willing to let it go for her. This one time. My competitive side groaned, and I pushed it down. “Okay, but then we’re having lunch where I want.”
I hadn’t taken her to the Spanish place yet, and it was only a short walk up the beach from where we were.
“Fine, your pick for lunch, but you better make it good.” She took off and beached her jet ski with expert precision.
“Don’t I always?” I muttered to myself and took off after her.
The Spanish place was exactly as my teammate had described it, and it didn’t disappoint.
Gabrielle clapped her hands together as she inspected the platter of tapas that the server placed on our table. “This looks divine!”
“I thought that you might like it.” I smirked and gave myself a mental pat on the back.
She sampled some of the cold meats from the platter. Her eyes lit up, then fluttered closed. I loved that she appreciated good food the same way that I did and that she didn’t give a damn about pigging out in front me.
“You have to try that one,” she said. “It’s delicious.”
She dove into the rest, trying everything at least once, and spouted off random facts about the different tapas that she had learned from her mother.
She had pushed her sunglasses up into her wet hair, and her blue eyes sparkled. Her cheeks had a rosy hue thanks to our time in the sun. Her small hands were animated as she talked, a permanent smile lighting up her face.
It was captivating. She was breathtaking.
I found myself hanging on her every word, completely enthralled by her. It was completely ridiculous how easy it was being with her, how she relaxed me and wound me up all at the same time. It felt right. Or something that I couldn’t quite put my finger on.
The buzzing of my phone on the table distracted me.
The name on the display set my heart pounding as reality came crashing into me. “Richard calling.”
Gabrielle fell silent, spotting her father’s name at the same time that I did.
“It’s okay, answer it,” she encouraged softly. I looked at my phone like something that was about to bite me. This was it. The call that would determine my future.
“Richard, my man.” I tried to keep my tone light and my voice steady. Like I didn’t have a care in the world. Like I wasn’t sitting across the table thinking dangerous thoughts about his pride and joy.
“James, how are you?” His voice was brisk, but he sounded the same as always. It didn’t sound like he was about to shatter my dreams with a shitty offer or tear me limb from limb for being with his daughter.
“I’m good, Richard. Really good, actually. How are you?” My eyes met Gabrielle’s and held them.
“Probably about to make you feel even better,” he said, chuckling. Lightness and relief creeped into his tone.
“Yeah? You’re calling me with good news, then?” Hope surged in my chest. I knew that Richard would have done anything to keep me happy and to make me stay, but I wasn’t sure whether he would be able to meet some of the better offers on the table.
“I am. I had a look over our financials and talked it over with the bean counters. I think you’re really going to like what we’ve put together for you.” Fuck yeah.
Gabrielle smiled brightly at the expression on my face. Or maybe she could hear some of what her father was saying. The point was that she looked genuinely happy. She knew how much it meant to me that the contract restructure went well.
My heart did something strange when I realized that my happiness meant that much to her. That she gave a single fuck about me getting what I wanted. The best of both worlds, as she’d so aptly put it.
“That sounds promising.” My dreams were within reach. All I had to do was reach out and grab them.
“It is. I’d like to get you in here as soon as possible to talk it over. Lock it down.” I wanted that, too. More than fucking anything.
“Sure thing, I’ll come by whenever you’re available to see me.” Fingers crossed, it would be later that day. The sooner I got my new contract signed, the better.
“Are you kidding me? I want that ink drying on the contract like yesterday, my boy.” My heart constricted, and my stomach clenched. He’d called me that so many times in the past. Why was I having a different reaction to it now?
Gabrielle’s eyes drew me in, and Richard’s voice pulled me back out. “Unfortunately, though, I’m out of town today. Otherwise, I’d have gotten you in here this afternoon. I’ll be back in the office tomorrow morning. I’ll be there all day. Stop by anytime.”
“I’ll do that. I’ll see you first thing in the morning, Richard.” Hell, I would’ve slept outside of his office if I thought it would make a difference.
“Good to hear it. I want you to know that we appreciate you, James. A lot of players would’ve upped and left in your situation. You’re a good man.” My chest puffed at the compliment. Then a frisson of guilt ran through me as I studied Gabrielle’s beautiful face.
I pushed the negative feelings aside. Richard and I were close, but being with Gabrielle? It was worth it.
“Thanks, Richard. I appreciate what you’re doing for us, too. Thanks for sticking to your word and making it happen.” I meant it. I wasn’t the only one that could’ve approached the situation very, very differently.
“Of course, I meant it when I said that I’d do whatever it takes to make you happy. I’ll see you in the morning, James. I really hope that I’m right about you liking the new deal.”
So did I. “Yeah, me too. I’ll see you then.”
“Good news?” Gabrielle beamed at me from across the table. My heart did the weird thing again.
“I think so. They’ve had a look over everything and put together a new contract for me. Your father thinks that I’ll like it.”
Her eyes lit up, and she reached across the table to squeeze my hand. I took hers firmly in my grasp. “That’s great news, James. You said that he’s seen the other offers, right?”
I nodded. I didn’t know if he’d necessarily seen them, but he knew what the terms were. “Then that means that he could beat them all. If I know one thing about my father, it’s that he wouldn’t have called to give you the news if he didn’t have a rock-solid offer that he honestly thinks you will take.”
“You think he beat them?” I hadn’t expected that. A match, at best, had been what I hoped he would come back with.
Confidence rolled off of Gabrielle in waves. She squared her shoulders and looked me straight in the eye. God, she was stunning. “Yes, I do think that. He doesn’t do things halfway. It’s all or nothing with him. He wouldn’t have jumped the gun with an offer he didn’t think that you would accept.”
The world became clearer with her words; everything brought into sharper focus. “That’s true. He does shit properly or not at all.”
“Exactly.” Gabrielle nodded, a slow smile spreading on her full lips. “It looks like you’re about to get the best of both worlds. Congratulations. Your dreams are coming true.”
“Yeah, it looks like they are. I couldn’t be any fucking happier right now.” I squeezed her hand, still in mine, and locked eyes with her. “I am exactly where I want to be.”