Chapter 10

Gael chuckled as Zoe left the room. He’d woken in the middle of the night and realized she was in the bed, and for some unfathomable reason, he could not wake her, so he went back to sleep.

The sensations coursing through him as her body snuggled into him were puzzling. He thought he was dreaming about a sexy body next to him, and his member had responded rather violently. The heat curled deep within his belly as he dreamed that he was about to make love. The woman’s silken skin was the smoothest he’d ever felt. He groaned at the memory.

He turned over on his stomach, trying to suppress his still ignited body. How could someone who annoyed him so much evoke such sensations? Was he starving of sex? No, he didn’t think so. Then her breasts flashed before him.

They weren’t large nor were they small, but they were real … very real. And she had been right about that flight attendant’s boobs; he could feel the hardness of them as he squeezed. They were definitely silicone. But the Unicorn’s breasts were firm, taut, and natural. He imagined that they were just the right fit for his large hands.

Gael had no clue what was going on. Why was she so evasive about her identity and what was this between them? He could feel the force-field open up between them. The thought crossed his mind that perhaps this chemistry was what made them go at each other.

Maybe she was fighting it as much as he’d been fighting the pull she had on him. He wondered what lay beneath that tough exterior of hers. Perhaps he should take another approach. Rather than battling her head to head, he’d tame her.

Raising himself from the bed, he smiled. Now he had her exactly where he wanted her and knew exactly how to break down her walls. Maybe he’d see if perhaps there was something else beneath, other than her rainbow hair and foul mouth.

After calming himself and regaining some control of his tension, he showered and dressed. As he left the room and peered across the hall at the closed door of her room, his heart somersaulted at the anticipation of seeing her. He shook his head and moved along.

Maybe he should check on her. “Naw,” he said to himself. Let her come out when she was ready.

David and Marla were up and about the kitchen making breakfast in their Christmas sweaters and hats. Gael had completely forgotten about the holiday. He was also hoping that the weather had cleared enough for them to travel.

He heard his father and stepmother chatting animatedly in the kitchen. He passed through the living room and opened the front door. Apparently, the snow had fallen severely during the few hours he’d arrived. The SUV was buried under several inches of whiteness. It would take him all day to get the ice off short of pouring on hot water.

“Merry Christmas son,” his father announced, coming up behind him. “I knew I heard the front door.”

He turned and grunted, “Merry Christmas.”

“There’s another snowstorm on the way. You can’t be thinking of going out.”

“I need to call the office,” he said.

“It’s Christmas; will anyone be at the office today?”

His father was right. Beth would certainly be home with family, and the office would be closed for the holidays. He had no one to call. If he were back home, he’d be alone in the office or his penthouse apartment. Christmas would be spent either working or watching a football game on his own.

“Come, son; breakfast is ready. Is your friend okay? How is she?”

“She’s fine the last I saw of her. The fever is gone, and she isn’t sniffling much,” he told David.

His father eyed the stairs. “Why isn’t she coming down? Should you go check on her?”

“Let Marla do it. She might not want to see me.”

“Did you have another argument?”

Gael nodded. “You could say that.” How could he tell his father that they’d spent the night in the same bed, alone, and she was freaked out?

“Why can’t you admit that you like her?”

“I don’t know her, Dad.”

The man smiled and patted his shoulder. “I bet you know enough. Come, let’s have breakfast.”

What did he mean he knew enough? He wasn’t in the mood for any advice from a man who couldn’t do anything to save his own family. He wanted to ask, but knew it would lead to an argument or at least a lecture.

They went to the kitchen where Marla set the breakfast table. Breakfast was usually served in the kitchen and dinner in the dining room. That was the routine when he was a child. He was surprised to see Marla doing the same thing.

He watched how his father and wife interacted with each other. When his father had brought her home twenty years ago, all he saw was how young she was. He remembered the anger and the pain of seeing his father with another woman who could be his daughter.

Now he was seeing his father’s wife with new eyes. What she’d done still baffled him, and he was just trying to understand it. But if what they said was true, he had a newfound respect for her. At least she didn’t actually run off with the man like his mother did.

“Merry Christmas, Gael,” Marla greeted, looking up from her task.

“Merry Christmas.” He managed a smile.

“Where’s your friend?” she asked, peering behind him. “Not to worry, I’ll go fetch her. I hope she’s better.”

* * *

The knock at the door startled her, and she almost jumped out of her skin. Her heart started racing, and her cheeks burned as she thought that Gael had come to check in on her. Zoe could not get his nakedness out of her mind. She could picture him knocking the door without clothes on.

“That’s silly,” she whispered. “Ugh!” She shook the images of his muscles from her mind, but his deep blue eyes kept looming before her. “Go away,” she whispered.

“Hello?” Marla’s voice came through the door. “Are you awake? Breakfast is ready.”

Her stomach had been complaining for the past half hour as she hadn’t eaten since the previous morning. Tentatively, she opened the door and peered over Marla’s shoulder. He wasn’t there.

“Hi,” she said.

“Merry Christmas. How are you today?”

She smiled. “Much better, thank you.”

“You still sound a bit stuffy, so you’d better put a sweater on,” Marla advised.

She’d dressed in the usual jeans and T-shirt, but the house was so warm she’d forgotten how cold it was outside. Even the floors were heated so much she wore only one pair of her thick socks.

After donning the sweater she withdrew from her luggage, she followed Marla downstairs. Her knees wobbled as she took each step. She could feel Gael’s presence down there. Something had changed during the course of the last few hours. Those moments they were in the bed together had awakened her in a way she had never experienced.

Marla pushed the swing door that led to the kitchen, and she hesitated to follow. When Marla was inside, she held the door for her and beckoned her to enter. There was nothing more she could do but face him.

“Merry Christmas,” David’s cheerful tone greeted her.

“Merry Christmas to you too,” she replied in a low tone while her heart backflipped all over the place.

“Merry Christmas, Unicorn,” she heard from beside David, followed by a chuckle.

She cast her eyes on the table, avoiding making eye contact with him. “Merry Christmas,” she replied in an undertone.

“Come sit,” he bade her, pulling out a chair.

“Have a seat.” David was nodding and smiling as Gael held the chair for her. “Dig in; there’s plenty, and you need to eat.”

“Dad’s right. You haven’t eaten since I met you in the café yesterday.”

As she moved to sit, she whispered to him, “What are you doing?”

“What do you mean?” he whispered back.

“Why are you being so nice?”

“I don’t know what you are talking about,” he replied. “Enjoy your breakfast.”

The table was a four seater, small and cozy. Gael took the seat to her right, his father to her left and Marla facing her. The aroma of the green chili casserole reminded her of just how long she hadn’t eaten. Her appetite seemed to have returned now that the fever was gone and the sneezing had stopped.

Though still achy in her limbs from the flu, she much preferred that to having a cold. Otherwise, she’d be laid up in bed for another week or two. That drink David gave her last evening did do some serious damage to her ailment. She woke up feeling much better.

Her mouth watered at the thought of digging into the food. Orange juice and coffee accompanied the casserole, along with a fruit salad.

“You look much better than before,” Marla said. “You look mighty familiar as well. I think I’ve seen you before.”

Zoe lowered her eyes and reached for her juice. “I don’t think so. I’m just a nobody.”

“A nobody doesn’t sign autographs and take selfies with strangers,” Gael chimed in.

Her head jerked up, and she glanced his way. He was dishing some of the casserole onto his plate. What was she to say? He saw those kids approach her. She’d never thought herself as famous, but as her career grew, her face became a popular staple, especially in New York. She was on three billboards, in one commercial, and of course, appeared in several magazines.

Three and a half years ago she’d appeared in the magazine called ‘21’. It’s a magazine that featured young women on the cusp of adulthood. That issue sold five million copies worldwide within the first six weeks. At the time, she’d already made it to Vogue, and her face was well known. Her hair had been longer and of its natural auburn color.

“Why not?” she asked. “Why can’t a nobody take autographs and selfies?”

“Yeah, why can’t they?” David asked, his baby blue eyes twinkling.

Gael gave her the plate he’d been dishing and took the empty. “Don’t indulge her,” he said to his father.

He had the uncanny ability to intimidate, even when he tried to sound casual. David quickly refrained from saying anything and hungrily dug into his breakfast. Zoe took a small bite, as Gael’s presence made her stomach quiver.

Somehow, he’d managed to chip away some of her defenses earlier by being nice. In addition, she was still embarrassed from the early morning incident, and the only reason she knew he wasn’t rubbing it in was because they were at the table.

Those weren’t the only things causing her to lose her nerve. Under the table, Gael’s thighs kept brushing hers. There was nowhere else to put her legs; therefore, she gritted her teeth and tried to eradicate the sensations running up and down her leg. Each time she tried to inch it away, his would find hers.

He shifted, and she let out a little breath, thinking he was leaving the table. Not to be so. He leaned in close, so much she could feel his heat and his hot breath on her left cheek.

“Do you need anything?”

Her heart started that annoying backflip she hated so much. Swallowing hard, she replied in a hoarse voice. “I’m good.”

“We’re probably gonna have to spend a few days together. Let’s get along, huh?” Why did his voice sound so smooth to her?

She nodded rather vigorously, hoping he’d draw back from being so close. Why was she reacting in such a way? She shook her head and blinked, pushing her nervousness behind her.

With a cheerful smile, she turned to him. “Truce then?”

It was a bad idea facing him because he hadn’t yet retreated. Their eyes locked, faces inches apart. Zoe learned soon enough that looking into his eyes was dangerous. They were like a hypnotic whirlpool. The longer she gazed, the more mesmerized she became.

Someone clearing his throat broke the spell. She blinked, her face changing color and matching the cranberry sauce Florine served at Thanksgiving.

“Marla and I are volunteering to help serve Christmas meals to the less fortunate. We’re hoping we can get there and back before the storm hits,” David announced. “We’ll be back early afternoon.”

“Can I come with you?” Zoe asked without thinking.

Her heart had started going at an erratic pace the moment David mentioned leaving her alone with Gael. The man frowned, his disapproval evident.

“That’s not a good idea for various reasons, my child,” he replied, affectionately patting her hand. “You’re not well, and I don’t want you getting worse. Also,” he paused and glanced at his son, “I don’t think my son would approve.”

“But I’m feeling better,” she protested.

“Do you want to give those poor homeless people your virus?” Gael cocked a brow, staring pointedly at her.

She pouted. “No.”

“Don’t worry, Dad,” he said. “I’ll take good care of her.”

“If you’ll excuse me,” she said, pushing her chair back.

Her stomach was full, but she knew she hadn’t eaten much. The prospect of spending even a few hours alone locked in a house with Gael wasn’t sitting well with her. She needed to dredge up her courage, and one way to do that was to go hide in her room for a few minutes.

“You haven’t finished eating,” he observed.

She shot him a cutting look, but he didn’t seem affected by it.

“I’ll finish when I return. I won’t be long.”

Marla rose from the table and picked up her husband’s empty plate. Gael had eaten a huge chunk of his casserole while hers was still sitting on the plate. It was delicious, but she found she could hardly enjoy it with him sitting so close.

“We’ll get going now,” David said. “Come, honey. Leave the dishes until you get back.”

Before David and Marla could leave the kitchen, she headed through the door and up the stairs. She was in the room within a minute. Her heart was beating heavily as though she’d been running. She placed a hand on her chest and took several deep breaths.

“Why am I scared?” she asked herself.

For the last thirty something hours that she’d spent with Gael, she’d not felt anything but contempt for the man. But since he brought her home, something had changed. Her confidence had slipped, and she was scared to be around him, especially now that they’d seen each other.

His torso flashed before her, and she closed her eyes. Bad idea. Emerging before her was the man complete in his birthday suit. She’d never seen a man so magnificent. Even the models she’d worked with could not compare. The beating beneath her ribcage increased, and she stopped breathing.

But it wasn’t seeing him naked that scared her the most; it was the way he’d cared for her. Underneath the scruffy jerk was a decent human being. There was a gentle caring person somewhere hidden inside the hard shell of a man.

From the moment he picked her up from the floor at the airport until now, she’d been pondering the situation. He could have left her there as she’d been nothing but mean to him. Even now, she hadn’t even told him her name.

Someone knocked the door, startling her from her thoughts. “Unicorn, are you okay?” Gael asked through the door. His voice again was surprisingly gentle. Not the commanding intimidating tone he’d used before.

She’d never been so wrong about anyone before. The Gael she met at his shipping company, the one who screwed a complete stranger aboard the aircraft was somehow different from the one checking on her. Something was off. The realization then hit her. He was putting on a show, trying to seduce her.

She was a challenge to this man, and he wanted to prove to himself that no woman could resist him. She grinned as the realization dawned on her. Two could play at this game, she thought.

“Are you in there?” he asked when she didn’t answer.

“Yes, I’ll be out in a minute,” she replied sweetly.

She needed a plan. He would certainly not get away with this game of his. But what if she was wrong? She’d just have to find out, wouldn’t she?