Forget Me Never (15 page)

              I turned on my side so that I could just look at him, his perfect eyebrows and square jaw, his long sandy coloured eyelashes resting on his stubble speckled cheeks. His dark blond hair was stuck up a bit at the front, it made me smile and I almost tried to flatten his hair.

              “I know you are watching me,” he grinned.

              “Sorry, I didn’t want to wake you.”

              “I wasn’t sleeping; I was just enjoying holding you in my arms.”

       “I could stay here forever,” I agreed.

              “I love you, Grace Matthews, I uh, I want…” his mobile phone rang on the cabinet beside the bed. He sat up a little and answered the phone, “Hello?”

              “It’s Jake, did I wake you?” Jake asked. I could hear it clearly.

              “No, so, what did you find out?”

              “He is here, he wants to talk to you,” he replied, Alec looked at me. “Shall we come up?”

              I sat up and shook my head, “No,” I whispered.

              “No, Grace is with me. Take him into the bar and get him a soft drink. I’ll be down in about ten minutes, alright?”

              “Okay,” Jake answered and ended the call.

              “I’ll go back to my room,” I said.

              “No, run a bath, this won’t take long and I will be back, okay?”

              “I don’t mind,” I shrugged.

              “Trust me, Grace, you will want to hear what I have to tell you when I get back.” He kissed my lips and pushed the sheet off his body. He pulled on some boxers and a t-shirt, then his jeans and slipped his bare feet into some trainers.

              “Alec,” I frowned.

              “I can handle him, Grace, don’t worry.”

              “No, um, your hair is stuck up,” he spun around and looked in the mirror.

              “Well, at least, it will have him guessing about what I have been up to.” He shrugged. “I won’t be long, I promise.” He kissed me again and left.

I ran hot water into the huge bath tub with one of the hotel robes covering my body. I added some of the bubble bath and inhaled the amazing fruity aroma as the bathroom filled with steam. I tried very hard not to think about Alec speaking with Gerald, I also didn’t want to be in his shoes. I imagined them talking about what happened and Gerald lying his arse off to drop me in it with Alec. I suppose this would be a test of trust, would he trust me over his employee whom had worked for him for years?

              Stepping into the water, the warmth relaxed me almost immediately as I sunk into the bubbles allowing them to smother me. I rested my head back and closed my eyes, I still felt tired, but knew if I had fallen asleep again, I would not sleep that night. So I made myself sit forward and wait for Alec to return.

              The door opened after a while and I turned my head. He looked so angry, his brown eyes almost looked black they were so riled.

              “What happened?” I asked.

              “He had to gall to deny it all, even after Jake told me in front of him what he had been saying about us and about you. How Ben…”

              “Ben?” I frowned.

              “Ben, he was with them the other night, I believe he referred to you as my bit of fluff, is that right?” I nodded. “Well, even he said that Gerald had talked about nothing else than upsetting you and getting rid of you.”

              “How?”

              “By chasing you off.” He answered. “He was going to lie to me and tell me that you two had got together while I was out of town. Only he needed a bit more Dutch courage to actually make a move on you. His plan was to take pictures of you with him and then send them to me so that I would break up with you.” He explained and began undressing. “The bloody idiot thought that all I would need was his word with a picture.”

              “So, what is going to happen now?” I asked.

              “I don’t know and I don’t care.” He replied pushing off his boxers and stepping into the water opposite me. “He is not my problem anymore.”

              “How so?”

              “Because he no longer works for me, I have just fired him and it’s not a moment too soon either.” I frowned, I was responsible for him losing his job. “Don’t do that, Grace,” he said and lifted my hand out of the water, “it was a long time coming and he is lucky he lasted this long.”

              “Does he have a family to support?”

              “Who’d want him?” he smiled. “He is single as far as I know, again, and like I said, no longer my problem.” He turned around and leaned back against me, “So, how are you at back rubs? Because my shoulders are killing me.”

              “It just so happens, that apparently, I give the best massages ever.” I boasted and began squeezing his tight shoulders.

Twelve

Over the next few days we were inseparable. We went on day trips out of the city, making good use of my hire car. We drove up to the lakes and made love under the stars one night. The sound of crickets and rippling water were all around us as we laid naked under the moon and had some of the best sex either of us had ever had. I would never have been so reckless before, but Alec made me feel like I could do anything I wanted to and the more sex we had, the more I wanted. It honestly got better every time.

              We talked a lot of the time, about everything and as the week wound down, I felt I really and truthfully knew everything about him. One evening, while in his bed, he finally opened up about some of his ex’s. I didn’t want to ask, but I had to know if there was anything lurking around the corner. He just seemed too good to be true and it left me wondering if there was a flaw, because up to that point, he hadn’t showed me one.

              We dined at sunset on his balcony, overlooking his private pool and would skinny dip at all hours of the night. It was becoming my idea of heaven and I wondered if this would last as long as the memories would.

The day of departure from the hotel, Alec had arranged for Enterprise to collect the car from me, as we were heading straight to Vegas. My flight home should have left at five in the morning, I had purposely picked an early flight so that I would be home that same day to help with jet lag. But now I was heading to Vegas and with both nerves and excitement in my tummy, I checked out of my suite and settle my room service bill while Daniel loaded my luggage into the car. Once Alec and I were in the car, he took my hand and kissed it. Daniel started the engine and drove us towards a smaller airport the other side of the city.

              He stopped at the steps of a small private jet and got out of the car. Two men unloaded our luggage on to a cart and wheeled it over to the jet. Daniel opened the door and offered his hand so that I could get out.

              “Thank you, Daniel.” I smiled.

              “You are very welcome, Miss, uh, I mean Grace.” He smiled. “I hope to see you again soon.”

              “Oh, you will, my friend.” Alec smiled and shook his hand, “As always, you have been brilliant, Daniel.” He handed him an envelope.

              “Sir, I can’t accept this, you already pay more than the going rate.”

              “You more than earned it. It’s to go towards your wedding, the next time I see you, you will be married.” He smiled and shook his hand again. Holding his hand out to me he smiled, “Shall we, Grace?”

              “We shall,” I smiled taking it. As we walked up the steps to the plane, I had to know, “Is this yours?”

              “Would it matter if it was?” he asked.

              “No,” I lied.

              “Well, it’s not mine, it belongs to…”

              “Alec,” Warren announced from the door. “And the lovely Grace, of course.”

              “Hello again,” I smiled.

              “Welcome aboard, hope you don’t mind us tagging along till Sunday,” he grinned as we reached the door. “Alec said he had asked you to go to Vegas and we love it there.”

              “Of course I don’t mind,” I nodded and stepped into the plane.

              “Here she is,” Elisa announced, “Rocky,” she added and hugged me. “If he had done that to me, I would have kneed him so hard in the balls, he would have two extra Adam’s apples now.”

              “Alec fired him,” I muttered.

              “He has been looking for a good reason to fire him for months.” She smiled. “Come and take a seat next to me.”

              She led me to one of the white, leather seats that looked more like an arm chair, handed me a glass of champagne and sat beside me. I felt grossly underdressed in jeans, she looked so glamorous all of the time and this day was no exception. Her tightly fitted, deep blue dress seemed to touch her body in all of the right places. She looked exquisite and I decided to make more of an effort for Alec from then on. Alec sat with Warren and we took off. We weren’t even in the air for forty-five minutes when we touched down on the heat rippled tarmac of McCarran Airport.

The heat rushed in through the door as the co-pilot opened it for us. When we stepped out in the white, hot sun, I could barely see. I put on my sunglasses after finding them in my bag and we stepped on to the tarmac we were ushered to a small security office where our passports were checked.

              “Says here that you were meant to be flying out from LA to London today, ma’am.” The tall officer said to me. I looked at Alec.

              “I sorted it all out with immigration to extend her stay for a week,” he explained.

              “Just one moment, sir,” he said and left us at the desk, taking my passport with him.

              “I did sort out it, Grace,” he assured me. I took his hand in mine and smiled nervously. Around ten minutes later the officer returned to the desk and smiled as he sat.

              “We can’t be too careful these days,” he said.

              “I understand,” I muttered.

              “Well, all is in order.” He stamped my passport and handed it back to me. “Just a souvenir stamp there for you, Miss Matthews.”

              “Thank you,” I smiled.

              “No problem, maybe you’ll win at the tables tonight.” He grinned.

              “I doubt that very much, I can’t win a fart out of a wet paper bag.” I smiled. He looked at Alec and then back at me before bursting into hysterics.

              “That’s hilarious,” he chuckled. “I love you Brits and your quirky sayings.” He said as we left still laughing as we closed the door.

Warren and Elisa were waiting in a white, stretched limo for us. The chauffeur opened the door as we approached. We climbed in and Alec explained about the security guard, he then told them what I had said and they all laughed. I had always said it, I have never even had three numbers on the lottery and did the same numbers for three years until I gave it up. I worked it out that if I had put the five pounds away every week, I would actually have two hundred and sixty pounds saved, so never did the lottery again.

              I had never been much of a gambler, yet here I was in the gambling capital of the world. This was hard core gambling though and it concerned me that Alec and Warren were both so keen to play at the tables.

Alec checked us in at the hotel and we were shown to our suit on the twenty-third floor. It wasn’t a penthouse, but was just as nice as my room back in LA, with a huge king sized bed and dark red and black covers. The bedroom had an adjoining bathroom with an enormous shower that sprayed from all directions and the living room area had black leather couches and lit candles running the length of the narrow, smoked glass, coffee table. Warren and Elisa had their own room, and apparently were a few floors up from us.

              As I unpacked my smaller case, the one I had packed especially for this trip, I gazed around the room. Alec appeared from nowhere behind me and placed his lips on my neck.

              “I wanted to make love in that jet with you, then Warren asked if he and Elisa could join us, I could hardly say no, it’s his jet after all.” He explained huskily before he kissed my neck again,

“What time do we have to meet them?” I asked turning to face him.

              “For lunch, we have about thirty minutes,” he said checking his watch.

              “Good,” I smiled and pulled my shirt off over my head, I pushed him back against the bed and began to unbutton his fly.

              “Now?” he asked.

              “Yes, now,” I grinned and pushed my jeans down my legs, kicking them to the side. Removing my new lace thong, I watched as he took off his shirt and pushed his boxers down his legs while shuffling up the bed. I crawled to join him and as he stopped moving, I straddled him, lowering myself onto his erection and allowing my insides to smother him.

              I began rocking my pelvis, riding him while he caressed my breasts with his hands. I leaned forward so that he could take a nipple in his mouth, holding his head there, he groaned into my body. Grabbing a tuft of his hair between my fingers, I pulled playfully, his head moved back and his eyes met mine, smouldering with ecstasy and desire, they had never looked more alive. We came together, our bodies smashing together, the wave smothering us until we cried out, letting it quake through our bodies leaving us panting and shaking.

              “That was incredible,” he smiled and kissed my dry mouth.

              “You are incredible,” I corrected.

              “So are you, Miss Matthews.” He said and kissed me again. “I think we’ll need a shower after that.”

              I climbed from his body, “Meet you in there,” I smiled leaving him panting on the bed.

We showered and dressed in no time. Hand in hand, we walked from the lift through the hotel lobby to find Warren and Elisa. We found them at the entrance of the huge restaurant, she smiled as we approached, I suppose it was because Alec had this sparkle in his eye and I had a red cheek from his stubble.

              “We’d almost given up on you two,” Warren smiled.

              “Grace wanted to take a shower,” Alec lied.

              “And change my clothes,” I added.

              “Why is that, I wonder?” Elisa smiled. “Did they get all messed up?”

              “And creased,” I grinned linking my arm with Alec’s. “Now then, I am starving, shall we go in?”

              I led Alec towards a staff member before they could say anything else. We were shown to a table and waited for Warren and Elisa to join us.

              “Okay, you two, are you going to be humping every chance you get?” Warren asked, “Because we can entertain ourselves.”

              “We haven’t been humping,” Alec scoffed.

              “Yes you have,” Elisa smiled and winked at me, my cheeks, already red, began to warm. “And we’re dead jealous.” She added. “I can’t remember the last time we were spontaneous.”

              “Spontaneity has nothing to do with it,” Alec smiled smugly, “she can’t keep her hands off me.”

              “Is that so?” I asked.

              “Yes,” he chuckled, “but I can’t keep my hands off her either.” He winked at me. My blush just deepened.

              “Can we change the subject please?” I asked almost dying from embarrassment.

              “We’re just messing around with you, Grace.” Warren smiled.

              “I am a great believer that what happens in the bedroom stays in the bedroom.” I retorted smartly.

              “Or the bathroom, or the pool,” Alec winked. I blushed again and was thankful to see the waiter standing beside me ready to take our order. Not that any of us had even looked at the menu. Alec ordered white wine and we all settled for club sandwiches.

After an uncomfortable few moments, I excused myself to go to the bathroom while we waited for our order. I didn’t know I was being followed until I got to the sink and gazed at my reflection, sparkling eyes and red cheeks, sinful signs of romping.

              “No amount of makeup will cover the fact that you and Alec had sex before coming to lunch.” Elisa smiled. I stiffened, straightening my shoulders. “Oh, Grace, so bloody what. Enjoy it, because it will change soon enough.” I turned to face her, watching as she touched up her red lipstick. “It’s true, the heat between you two will die down and that’s okay, that’s what makes the relationship real.”

              “So, what you’re actually saying is, he will go off me?” I questioned sourly.

              “No, I am saying when you are back in real life, at work, endless rainfall and that, the heat will fade a little bit.”

              I frowned and gazed at my reflection, “I’m not stupid, I know holiday flings never last.” I shrugged.

              “Oh, honey, if you think this is just a fling, then you really are sorely mistaken. That man is in love with you, so completely and utterly, it’s almost tragic. I am not surprised either, everyone who has met you seems captivated by you. You have this charm, this naivety and sincerity. Honestly, we both agree that you and Alec have met your soulmate. This isn’t a chance in a lifetime thing, you were meant to come here and meet him.” She smiled and pressed her lips together. “All I want to know is, when is the wedding?”

              “Don’t, Elisa, not even as a joke.”

              “I know you have only known him two weeks, but stranger things have happened.”

We returned to the table to find that our wine and sandwiches had arrived. I felt a bit better after talking with Elisa, but still not happy that our sex life was a topic for discussion and that Alec would brag about it.

              After eating we agreed to explore the strip. Elisa kept calling me the Vegas Virgin and insisted we did everything at least once. It is true, the lights did make it look as though the pavements were made of gold. Even in daylight I could see what and extraordinary place this was.