They stood on the dock as his bodyguard-assistant, Miguel, paid the young Italian taxi driver and organized the luggage. But all Calleigh could see was Gabriel. He was so breathtakingly handsome, tall, and strong... He seemed a demigod… like he left Heaven and came to Earth only for her…
At this thought, she smiled slightly, almost imperceptibly. He really was there for her, to help her remember their wonderful love story, to recall how it has been between them before she lost her memory.
Seeing her wardrobe in her stepfather’s house, Calleigh knew, without the shadow of a doubt, that she had been extremely hard to handle before the accident. The way she dressed, all the useless parties, her continuous running around from one city to another… It was time to put that aside and embrace this strange, ne
The sun was starting to set, giving the twilight a pink-and-orange glow with a rapidly chilling autumn bite in the air. As a light fog blew in from the lagoon, Gabriel reached for Calleigh’s hand. His hand wrapped around her smaller one, their naked palms pressing together, and she gave an involuntary shiver that had nothing to do with the cooling night. He paused on the walkway between the piazzetta and the canal.“Cold?” She nodded, because… how could she tell him the truth? How could she tell him that his every touch exhilarated and frightened her in equal measure?“Then we should do something about it.” Behind his head, Calleigh could see the Byzantine white domes, arches, and sharp
She swallowed, staring at his profile, very aware of what he just said and the bed behind her.“Well, um… Not anymore…” Calleigh whispered.“You won’t be hearing me complaining…” Gabriel said and a little mischievous smile appeared on his lips.“Nope… Thank you very much. New me… new habits.” Anxious, she looked at the bed and the couch.“You take the bed,” he said and the smile was now long gone. Standing up, he closed his laptop. His dark gaze, which had been so hot when he’d nearly kissed her near St. Marco’s Piazza, had suddenly cooled.“I’ll work in the office so I don’t disturb you. I’ll sleep on the couch when I’m tired.”&n
Calleigh had been smiling at him, but now she felt suddenly shy and kinda frightened. She put her hand to her hair, which yesterday had hung past her breasts and was now touching slightly her collarbone.“What?! What it looks like? I just had cut my hair. I felt it was time to make some changes about myself, about my image. So, I decided to start with my hair… These romantic waves caught my eye in a magazine and… here’s the result! A new wonderful haircut.”“I can see that…”“So, since it’s so obvious, why are you so mad about it? Was I supposed to ask for your permission?” she retorted pertly, squaring her shoulders. “Come on, Gabriel! Get used to it! It’s not like I cut an arm or something. It will grow back.” H
Gabriel looked just like the dark pirate she’d imagined, the one who’d come to plunder the medieval city, to take what he wanted and burn the rest. Calleigh blinked. How had she come up with such a brutal, cruel image? Where had that come from?“I saw you coming down those stairs in a long red dress… Such a powerful, wonderful vision. Pure perfection,” he said softly. “You were on the arm of my greatest business rival, but I knew at once that I would take you away from him. He had no chance against my determination to have you as part of my life.” Slowly, he walked up the stairs toward her.“I had to have all to myself. I would have taken you from the devil himself.” As Gabriel came up the stairs toward her, Calleigh was unable to move. Un
Kissing Calleigh was like falling into the darkest, deepest hole. It was like going straight to hell. It was fire. Sheer fire running through him. His blood was boiling in his veins, hot like a volcano’s lava. Gabriel placed his hand on the back of her head, his fingers twining in her beautiful hair, as he deepened the kiss. For months, he’d constantly hated and wanted Calleigh in equal measures. All he wanted was to have her once again before destroying her. He hungered for her, for her gorgeous body, for her sweet, plump lips. Was that why finally kissing her now overwhelmed his senses more than ever before? It wasn’t just desire that had changed the kiss, Gabriel realized. It was Calleigh herself. The kiss was different because the woman he was kissing was different. &nb
Gabriel looked at her and kissed her forehead.“Yes, querida, we’re getting married today and are going to leave happily ever after,” he confirmed quite plainly. “And we have additional good news, hermano… We’re having a baby.”“Oh…” Lorenzo said, then. “Oh… okay… Now I see…” He cleared his throat, then suddenly smiled, as if it all made sense now.“Such great news… Congratulations to you both,” he replied giving Gabriel a pack on his shoulder and smiling at the future mother.“Thanks, Lory,” Gabriel added and took Calleigh's hand in his. “We need to go now, but let’s meet soon and talk some more… Bring Phoebs too.”“Let’s talk some more at my house, on Ravaiarina Island. W
From the moment Gabriel saw her in the wedding dress, so lovely and sweet with her shy, happy smile, an earthquake went through his soul. Calleigh wore a simple, modest cream-colored wedding dress, with her dark hair beneath a light veil, and she held flame-colored roses in her unmanicured hands. There was no pretense about her. Just beauty… and innocence. In the brief kiss, he gave her after they were pronounced husband and wife, his soul trembled within his body. Gabriel knew he was on a razor’s edge of seducing this beautiful woman, whose fire had once burned him so badly, but who now seemed to shine like the first spring sun after a long, gray winter. His throat choked as he pulled away from the brief kiss. Calleigh, his lying ex-mistress, his hated enemy, was now his wife. Her big blue eye
After the plane door opened and they came down the stairs, Calleigh took a deep breath. Malaga was already a magical show at night, but they had to go to Marbella by car. Gabriel’s staff and various bodyguards were waiting for him on the tarmac, along with two cars to whisk their entourage towards Marbella. They were swiftly and seamlessly escorted through customs. Within minutes, Calleigh was seated next to her husband in the back of a black limo as the chauffeur drove them to their final destination. Calleigh stared at him until Gabriel finally looked at her.“What? What is it?” he exclaimed quite bothered.“I was wondering why are you acting like this?” she asked quietly.“Like what?” Gabriel demanded.“Like a complete jackass.”&n