Parked in the circular driveway of a two-story Mediterranean-style home he had built for them, complete with every feature Emily unknowingly gave him over the last several months, a reverent smile broke out across Gavin’s mouth as he watched Emily’s chest rise and fall with her shallow breaths. The sight of her next to him, unaware of what he was about to show her, made him high. His little game wasn’t over just yet. No. He was going to savor the moment for as long as he could. With the flick of a button, the ornate wrought-iron gates swung closed. Gavin stepped from the car, his smile growing as he opened the passenger side door, and helped his blindfolded future bride to her feet.
“Where are we?” Feeling his arms slip around her waist from behind, Emily’s lips puckered into a smile. “I’m a little afraid right now.”
Gavin pulled her body flush against his chest as he steered her across the multicolored, sandstone driveway. His heart rate escalated the closer they got to the front door. “Take a step up,” he whispered. Emily did as he said. “Another.” Again, she complied. “And, guess what?”
“Another step?” she asked, giggling.
“You got it,” he answered.
Once on the porch, Leslie, Gavin’s housekeeper—who he’d already hired back on fulltime—quietly greeted them when she opened the front door. Gavin nodded, mouthed “thank you,” and watched her skirt down the driveway to her car.
Stepping into the marbled foyer, Gavin closed and locked the door, slipped Emily’s coat off her shoulders, and softly kissed her lips. “Stay here. I don’t want anything happening to you.”
Crossing her arms, Emily tilted her head. “You can’t see my eyes right now, but I’m rolling them, wiseass.”
“I bet you are,” Gavin laughed. He strolled over to the cascading staircase and hung his suit jacket and Emily’s coat on the intricate, hand-carved cherry railing.
“Come here,” he called, grinning. “My voice will lead you.”
“Are you kidding me?” Emily heard her words echo in whatever space she was in. “I’m about to take off this damn blindfold.” Before she could, the sound of Gavin’s quick, solid footsteps hit the air, followed by the feel of his hand pressing against the small of her back.
“No,” Gavin said, leading her into the spacious, open living room. As requested, Leslie had everything he’d asked for ready and waiting. “The blindfold stays on. I have another game we’re about to play. After that, and only if I see fit, I’ll remove it.” Gavin loved the small, sexy pout forming across Emily’s lips. He kneeled in front of her and grazed his hands down her calves. “Hold on to my shoulders for support.”
Considering she couldn’t see a thing and her body was hyperaware of his touch, Emily was more than happy when her hands found his hair. She buried her fingers through his silky strands, a smile curling her mouth. “No shoulders, but this will do. Should I pull on it?”
“The same way you beg me to pull on yours when I’m behind you?”
“Mmm hmm,” Emily hummed as she did just that. Tugging his hair, she felt him kiss her stomach. An involuntary shiver moved up her spine.
Gavin slipped her heels from her feet, smoothing his hands up her thighs. Emily’s body starting to shake had him wanting to skip his little game and get straight to business, but he would wait. His next step was the biggest part of his surprise. Gavin stood, took Emily’s hands, and guided her onto a large, cream-colored Alpaca rug circling the entire living room.
“Where are we?” Emily whispered, feeling the soft material under her feet. “And what are you doing to me?”
Hands still wrapped around hers, Gavin sat down on the rug and slowly brought Emily down onto his lap. Positioning her legs around his waist, Gavin was definitely fighting for control as his eyes scanned the luscious black straps of her garter belt peeking out from beneath her dress. Emily emitted a small gasp as Gavin lazily dragged his fingers around her waist, pulling her flush against him.
“We’re about to take a stroll down memory lane.” Gavin gently kissed her, sucking her bottom lips between his teeth. “And when we’re finished, we’ll be in our future.” Gavin reached for a canvas bag holding an assortment of their past. The first piece was a conch shell he’d brought back from Mexico. Holding it to her ear, he was about to stimulate her sense of sound. “Do you hear that?”
“Yes,” Emily breathed, hearing the distant ocean. “Is it a shell?”
“It is. What does it remind you of?” he asked, touching his lips to hers.
Emily tried to breathe as his other hand caressed her back. “It reminds of the Hamptons.”
“Close,” Gavin whispered, pulling the shell away. “It’s from our time spent in Mexico. A time that started off bad but ended very good. Wouldn’t you agree?”
Emily smiled, memories of the bittersweet time dowsing her heart. Seeking his lips, she leaned forward, coming close to hitting her mark as she placed a kiss against Gavin’s nose. “Yes.” She wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “Thank you for that memory.”
“Thank you for coming after me,” he replied softly. He reached back into the bag. Pulling out a peanut shell, he figured this memory might be a little bit harder for her to figure out. He held it under her nose to tap her sense of smell. “Sniff.”