Through The Lens (Creative Hearts Book 1) (14 page)

Ale looked down at her, then trailed his hand up her legs and slowly between her thighs. Her skin tingled everywhere he touched.
 

“Don’t you want to have dessert first? Tai packed something.”

She leaned in and licked his earlobe and was rewarded with a deep moan of approval. “Sure, but I think I’d like mine served in bed.”

*

When Alejandro woke he reached out and felt for Mika, gripping at empty sheets. His eyes flew open. Disoriented, he sat up and looked around for her, instantly angry. If she left again—

But he let out a thankful breath as he realized she was there, just sleeping on the edge of the bed. Out of his grasp.

He eased up, leaning his pillow against the headboard, and looked down at her, lit by the moonlight. She looked peaceful and beautiful, her brow smooth as her lashes brushed against her cheeks. She was content right now, a rare moment for Mika and he wished he could somehow keep her this way. Hold on to this moment. He could look at her like this for hours. But then she stirred with a soft moan. It instantly brought him to full alert and sent blood rushing to his already pulsing erection. Shit, he had it bad. But at least admitting that came more easily now.
 

He stared at her. She was now frowning in her sleep, the contentment of a moment ago gone. Yes, something was definitely off. Leave it to her to fight the few moments of peace she had even now. It was so like her to not rest even when she was resting.

Alejandro sighed and laid back down, pulling her body close to his. Mika stirred again with a small whimper, but thankfully she didn’t wake. He knew if she did, she’d have that urge to flee like she did the night before. What was she so afraid of? She stirred, and he thought she would open her eyes, but instead she snuggled her backside against his groin, bringing him even more awake.
 

Great, now he was fully up both above
and
below. But he wouldn’t wake her to make love. He wouldn’t ruin this moment. Instead, he reached out and stroked her hair, maybe more to soothe himself than her. His gut twisted as his mind swirled over these not-so-new feelings for Mika. Suddenly all his plans for the next year took on a new hue. With her not just his assistant, but as so much more. But what? His lover? His partner? Where would it lead? He frowned. Where would she let it lead?
 

Ale shook his head and pulled her sweet form closer. He didn’t care as long as she was by his side. She shifted suddenly, and he grew harder. He groaned. She was making this difficult. They’d only fallen asleep a couple of hours before, and he knew she was tired. They’d made love twice but still he wanted her more. Would he ever get enough of her now that he’d tasted her? His lips quirked. He knew the answer to that question before the question was fully formed. Once again, he thought of waking her. He was just one moment away from kissing her, and he pulled back.
 

No, they’d sleep for now. There was still tomorrow. And tomorrow after that.

*

Morning came and Ale tightened his eyes against the sun streaming across his face. Mika’s breathing slowed, and her body stiffened.
 

“I know you’re up,” he grumbled.

“As I know you are, too. Quite up and awake.”

He smiled against her warm neck. In that moment there was no place else he’d rather be. He could happily lay here next to Mika on this slightly lumpy but perfectly sexable bed forever. Then she wiggled her hips and his choice narrowed to two things—the first pleasurable and the second functional, with all that wine he had the night before.
 

But no, he didn’t want to ruin this moment, this perfect feeling. For all her toughness, she was as skittish as an alley cat. This whole mix-up with the crew ended up being a blessing in disguise. He couldn’t believe that without it, he and Mika could have gone on as they were indefinitely. Back in New York he was sure to have been his usual hard-ass self, forever going from model to model and Mika...well, she wouldn’t have given him the time of day. Why would she? They’d been fine in their familiar roles of boss and employee, and he’d never given her any sign of interest. Keeping a new girl on his arm every other week, how could she know how he felt when he didn’t even know what to do with the feelings? Had he screwed up by keeping his distance all these years?
 

Ale raked his hands though his hair. With it being their last day alone, as much as he hated to admit it, he was on edge. He knew she’d want to cut things off with him tonight. There was no way she’d continue their relationship and risk being thought of as some sort of sex assistant. But he had to convince her it wasn’t like that. Not by a long shot.
 

He twisted his lips and pulled her tighter toward him. Damn. His brother would laugh his ass off at that one. All his talk of never settling down and now look at him. He shook his head. It didn’t matter. This was
Mika
and, somehow, he had to get her to see that his feelings were not ending simply because the real world was coming ashore tomorrow. There was no way he was giving this up. Their passion was too powerful. He wouldn’t allow it.
 

He reached out and stroked her uncovered leg. Just the touch had him jumping to attention. But then Mika pulled out of his grasp and swung over to the edge of the bed. “Nature calls,” she said easily.

He laughed. “I was just thinking the same thing.”

“Don’t you hate it when that happens? But we’d better start the day. It’s our last one to explore the island, boss.”

He frowned at her use of the term “boss.” It didn’t hold her usual tone. “You don’t have to do that.”

“Do what?”

“Put up a wall by calling me ‘boss.’ Not now,” he said softly.

She bit her lip. He could see the glimmer coming to her eyes. “But you are my boss. We can’t sweep that truth under the rug. It’ll all come to light tomorrow.” She sat up and wrapped the sheet close around her breasts.

Ale fought the sudden urge to rip it from her. She was hiding behind their boss-assistant relationship just as surely as she was that sheet. “Beauty, please. Don’t go putting up walls where they don’t need to be.”
 

She sighed. “And you don’t have to do that.”

“Do what?”

“Call me ‘beauty.’ You already know how I feel about it.”

“Sorry, but I’ve already explained and you know how I feel about you.”

He watched her eyes cloud over and then change just as fast to something he didn’t quite recognize. Or maybe he did. Was that fear?
 

“What is that, some island code name to separate me from the real me? Who is the person you’ve been having sex with here?”

“Mika, stop. What are you trying to do?”

“I’m not trying to do anything. Just be real with me. This is wonderful, but what we have is today, and tomorrow is the truth, Ale. We can’t pretend anymore. I know who I am, and I know who you are. I also know how this will end.”

*

Ale reached out and gripped her by her shoulders, pulling her close to his face. For a moment, she thought he would kiss her again to shut her up. Hoped so much that he would do so. But he didn’t. Instead, he sneered. “You’re wrong. So don’t you dare go saying you know so much about me because you don’t.” Then he let her go. Her body falling back on the soft down which gave no comfort as she watched him stalk away in anger.

Mika wiped her eyes and fought to catch her breath. This was not what she wanted for their last day.

She let out an anguished moan. Perfect. She owed him an apology. Yet, another one. There was no reason to pick such a fight this morning. So why did she do it? It seemed that mornings after and her just didn’t mix.
 

But what else was she to do? It was time to harden her heart and his, too. Besides, the countdown clock to tomorrow was ticking like a time bomb in her chest and once tomorrow came, she would be a caterpillar to all the fluttering butterflies. It scared the hell out of her. She’d been hurt enough in her life. Hurt by Eric with his cheating, lies, and leading her on until someone better came along. Hurt as she watched Ale go from woman to woman. Hurt when her father left her and her mother for his other perfect family. She just couldn’t take it again.
 

No. She’d known Ale long enough to know what he wanted, what he considered beautiful. He’d do the same to her. The next it-girl ready to be made a star, and Mika would just fade to the background, where she always was. It was better to leave Alejandro and move on to the job at
Stylist
. That was her best chance at a future. At least then she would still have her dream and her pride.

She gnawed at her lip. Now that they’d slept together, she knew she’d made things worse and her fear had her knees knocking, screwing up and lashing out at him at every turn. Mika knew she should have told him about the job already. She was being a coward, but to tell him while he was so angry...no, she just couldn’t.

She wiped a tear that had fallen. No tears. She’d said that from the beginning, too. But here they were again, nonetheless. She heard him coming back from the bathroom and quickly swiped them away. Crap. More were coming.

“Come on, Mika. Don’t cry. Please don’t cry.” His voice was hoarse. Anguished.
 

She looked at him. He was beautiful. So damned beautiful. Why couldn’t they just come to each other on level ground?

“Listen, I’m sorry,” he said, and she felt ashamed. Alejandro the Great didn’t do sorrys.
 

“You have no reason to be. I was awful. I shouldn’t have been that way. This is our last day together, and I shouldn’t have ruined it.”

“No, I shouldn’t have made you cry. I never want to make you cry.”

Mika smirked at that and bit back a retort.
 

“I know what you’re thinking,” Ale said.

She arched a brow and looked up with glistening eyes. “Oh, really? What?”

“You’re thinking I’ll definitely make you cry in the future. But I won’t.”

She shook her head. “Ale, you can’t promise me that. It’s impossible.”

He sat on the bed and took both her hands in his and brought them to his lips. The old-fashioned gesture wouldn’t fit anyone but him and anywhere but here. “I won’t,” he said earnestly, looking deep into her eyes, penetrating her with his stare.

She looked away, her secret pounding in her chest. For the first time, Mika was afraid she may be the one to hurt Alejandro and not the other way around.

Chapter 10

She knew she had to tell him. Mika thought she could wait until right before the crew arrived, but each moment she didn’t tell him the truth, the omission ate away at her from the inside out. Now it was late afternoon, and still she was no closer to the words coming out of her mouth. On top of it all, the letter from
Stylist
lay tucked into the side of her camera bag just a few feet away, accusing her of cowardice.
 

The sun was getting low in the sky but it still radiated enough heat to warm her back as she lay on the sand. It had been a good day. Tong and one of his sons, Lau, took her and Ale on a tour of the island in his small sport Jeep. They spotted another usable location that wouldn’t be too much of a trek, but would be gorgeous for some of the couture gowns. She should be content here sunning in this secluded paradise, but no. Inside she was twisted in knots, her mind still racing over the turmoil of having to tell Alejandro about the job.
 

If only this day could just go on. She knew it was childish to even consider it. What was she doing thinking about going on? She was doing it again. Damn Ale for muddling her thinking. She had
Stylist
waiting. The once-in-a-lifetime job. She inwardly shook herself. Besides, she knew going on was not an option.
 

She sat up and wrapped her arms around her knees, her mother’s voice echoing in the back of her mind.
 

Never lose yourself in any man, Mika. You do that, and you lose yourself for good.
 

She remembered her mother’s face as she said those words repeatedly over the years after her father left them. Each time she tried to paint again and found she couldn’t. All the joy gone with her lost oh-so-perfect love. So many times Mika had found her mother in her little studio room brush in hand, staring at an empty canvas looking at nothing but the last finished portrait of her father that she kept hung there for inspiration. It was the last portrait she’d ever finished.

No. She’d never let herself turn into that. It was nice that she had these three days but it was time to move on.

Mika turned her head toward the water in time to see Ale emerge, looking like Poseidon’s son. A glittering dream. Yes, he was too perfect and perfect just wasn’t for her. It never had been. Even if she didn’t take the job, they wouldn’t be here on this island forever. Come tomorrow, the crew would be here and she would be the booker of his day. Handler of his life. Dreams and sighs and magical moments were fleeting like the night. Besides, the real world would come for him, too—probably dressed in couture, with a body to die for and balanced on five-inch heels.
 

He walked toward her. Tall and lean, so in control of his movement, his every action. He eased down next to her and shook his wet head over her back.