I peeked up at him, brows crinkling. “Five? What’s so significant about five years?”
He went stiff, just enough for me to notice before he recovered. “It’s enough time for you to finish studying for those exams.”
Mouth dropping, I tried to escape his hold and defend myself. “I will pass those exams within the next two months and on the first try.”
His laugh broke free just as the movie started. “I have no doubt, and I’ll spend the next five years making up for teasing you about it.”
“You’d better,” I said, relaxing and finding a comfortable spot on his firm chest. Tucking the five-year comment away with the other pieces I didn’t understand about Gabe, I watched the movie, letting the sensation of his fingers as they drifted through my hair soothe away any concern.
Chapter 6
Gabe
The beach trip didn’t happen the following weekend. Rain kept us inside, and I was content to spend the two days working on my computer, furthering my business endeavors while Tori sprawled out across my bed with her study guides and highlighter. My evenings remained hers as did my mornings when I drove her to work. I knew it would change as soon as training was over and they handed her a new schedule, but I planned to enjoy every moment I could.
The following weekend, I took her to a show at the theater in the city, and we spent Sunday in Saint Augustine, where we wandered the forts, took a trolley tour, and ended the day at an alligator farm. Seeing her delight at everything she saw and learned was worth every second of history I had to tolerate.
Keeping myself from touching her for more than the brief petting and multitude of kisses was becoming painful, but I was determined to make this last, even if I hadn’t figured out how to contend my need for Tori in my life with my mission and my father’s steadfast requirements. I had yet to tell Liv about her, knowing it was hypocritical after all she had sacrificed for this. How could I tell her I was in a relationship when she’d broken offthe one she’d been in just to ensure her focus was on infiltrating our father’s empire and helping me build ours?
I couldn’t, and there was the crux of my dilemma. No attachments had been our motto since that time. I hadn’t asked her to break it off with Hudson. She had made the decision, citing the conflict and distractions it caused. Besides, our father’s rule was no marriage before we turned thirty-two. A stupid rule, but one we followed because it matched our own stipulations, and we risked him cutting us off if we went against it. Liv was two years from reaching that age, but I knew if she had already reached it, she still wouldn’t indulge, not when we were so close to punishing our father. And that meant she wouldn’t approve of Tori.
“Wow,” Tori said, stopping as we reached the sand. The waves pounded the surf as seagulls squawked above us. “This is gorgeous.” She took a few steps in, adjusting her beach bag before grabbing my arm and reaching to remove her flip-flops.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” I warned, remembering the first time I’d been to a Florida beach in the summer. It had been so miserably hot the last time that I’d vowed never to return. I could already feel the sweat dripping down my back, and I’d spent four years in this blasted heat. Tori had only been here for a little over a month. She was likely to shrivel up from heat exposure.
With our regular outings, she had a nice base tan developing, but I had still insisted she slather herself with sunscreen before we left. I was looking forward to adding the finishing touch on her back again. The last time, I had almost lost control and ravaged her.
“Why not… Ouch!” Her flip-flop went right back on her foot, and I let out a loud belly laugh.
Throwing daggers at me, she put her chin in the air and continued walking.
“Pouting will only make me laugh harder,” I teased her.
“I’m not pouting. Why is the sand as hot as lava?”
“I doubt it’s that hot, but it’s close. Welcome to Florida.”
She stayed quiet as we searched for a spot to spread the blanket she had packed. Two kids ran between us, spraying sand everywhere, and I suddenly questioned my decision to subject myself to this hell. But when she picked a spot, spread the blanket out, and removed the sundress she’d worn, I was glad I had. I thought she was sexy before, but in a bikini…I doubted I’d have the control to keep my hands to myself. She was all curves and long limbs. I almost dropped the cooler and umbrella when she bent over.
I decided strings were going to be my downfall, as was Victoria Hent. Strings that exposed parts of her I had only imagined and as I glanced around the beach and saw eyes on her that she didn’t seem aware of, I suddenly had the need to cover her up.
“Are you going to put that up or just stand there all day?” she asked me, a sparkle of humor in her eyes. She knew exactly what she was doing to me…killing me with every step she made as she came over to me. Extending her hand to me, she gestured to the sunscreen she was holding. “Can you do my back?”
Good God, could I ever.Calm down, Gabe.
“With pleasure,” I said, depositing the cooler and lowering the umbrella to the ground. “Like last time?”
The flush on her cheeks was not from the sun. “Umm, maybe…I mean, no…”
“Turn,” I said, scooting her around so her back was facing me. I groaned, trying not to ogle her perky bottom. Could she be any more perfect and devilishly tempting?
Her head whipped around to look over her shoulder, and I pushed it back to face forward. I contained myself as she lifted her hair while I squirted the lotion in my hand and smoothed itover her skin instead of tormenting her like I had last time. This was not the place for me to do something like that, or I’d have to throw her over my shoulder and make good use of the backseat of my car. I rubbed my temple with my clean hand, trying to think of anything but the soft skin under my fingers and the tiny pieces of material separating her body from me.
“Is this revenge for the last time I put sunscreen on you?” I asked, rubbing in the remaining white spot before closing the lid on the bottle.
“Maybe,” she said, turning to face me. I took a step back and tossed the bottle onto the blanket. No kissing today and no touching. Not here, not like this. She gave me a devious smile, and I shook my head, realizing she wasn’t as sweet as I’d thought she was.
“That’s cruel,” I said, picking the umbrella up and positioning it over the blanket.
