Alone in the rapidly deepening darkness, Annie let the last of the barriers go. The tears rushed down her cheeks in earnest, the first real tears she’d cried in years. Salty streaks ran down her flushed cheeks like a faucet had been turned on. She could only hold on to the wall for support as her body was racked with her emotional outburst.
When the sobs subsided and her face was impossibly red and swollen from her tears, she had to admit she felt better. Nothing had changed, but letting off the steam did wonders for her general outlook.
“Annie?”
At least she was feeling better. Nate’s voice called to her from across the roof, but she didn’t turn. Couldn’t turn. She didn’t want him to see her like this.
Nate’s warm hand rested on her shoulder. His firm fingertips pressed soft circles into her tensed muscles. “Are you okay?”
Annie nodded, afraid to speak out loud and give away her lie.
“Tell the truth, Annie. What’s the matter?”
“It’s nothing.” She sniffed, wiping at her cheeks in a dismissive way before turning to him. “Really.”
“You are a terrible liar, Mrs. Reed.”
Annie’s stomach sank with the way he said those words. His voice had so much concern and emotion in it that her chest tightened. She’d never had that with anyone else. Her mother didn’t tolerate weakness, and she had never really been outwardly affectionate. She loved her daughters, but sometimes it was hard to know it. Annie had learned early to keep her emotions on the inside. When she got older, poker seemed like the perfect career choice. But after years of holding it in, she didn’t know how to let it out and truly open up to Nate.
He slipped a hand under her chin and gently turned her face up to look at him. She couldn’t avoid eye contact now. The dark brown depths of his eyes pulled her into the comfortable warmth they offered. Standing there, she was almost able to forget the horrible mess she’d gotten into. At least until his hand glided around to her back and flipped the switch, turning off the recording device. At least he’d remembered before she lost her senses and started confessing to him while Gabe listened to every word.
“Do you need to get out of the hotel for a while?”
Annie’s gaze narrowed at his words. She expected him to sense her weakness and pounce on it, but he didn’t. Instead, he offered her an out and she would gratefully accept it. She wasn’t ready to admit she’d seen Tessa cheat with her own two eyes. Or to confess she was in love with him and scared to death that she would lose him in all this.
He accepted her silence as a yes and pulled her into his arms. Annie accepted his embrace, collapsing onto him. She buried her face in his chest, drying her tears and keeping her from saying the words on the tip of her tongue. That he was right to be suspicious of her and of Tessa. That she was torn between protecting her sister and losing the man she loved.
“I’ve booked dinner reservations for us at the Eiffel Tower restaurant tonight.” Nate took her hand and pressed a soft kiss on her fingertip. The loving gesture sent a warm surge through her that she wasn’t expecting. She was distraught, emotionally spent, and yet she still wanted him. She craved not only the sensations he coaxed, but the safety and comfort she found in his arms.
He planted a kiss to the palm of her hand, then her wrist, working his way up to tickle the inside of her elbow and nip the soft skin of her upper arm.
The effect was immediate and powerful. Annie pushed everything out of her mind and let her body take over. She leaned into him, arching her back to expose her neck as he moved higher. If she was about to lose everything, she was going to indulge in every minute she had with him and savor each touch as her last.
Nate curved an arm around her waist, tugging her tight against him as his lips danced across her skin.
“Nate?”
“Yes?” he breathed against her ear.
“What time are our dinner reservations?”
“Not for another two hours.”
“Good. Take me to the suite.”
* * *
Nate arranged for the hotel limo to pick them up and whisk them down the Strip for dinner reservations at the Paris Hotel. Their table at the Eiffel Tower restaurant had premium views of the Bellagio fountains across the street. It was a breathtakingly romantic setting, even more so than Carolina’s, she dared say.
He’d preordered the eight-course tasting menu with all the chef’s specialties, substituting the first course because he knew Annie didn’t care for caviar. As always, she was taken aback by Nate’s ability to remember the details and make someone feel special. It was a powerful aphrodisiac to have someone that focused on her needs and desires both in and out of the bedroom.