"I am so jealous of you right now" Vivian sighs with her arm linked with mine.
We're at the mall shopping right now because I wanted to get some new bikinis for my trip with Christian. We leave tomorrow so I'm kind of last minute shopping which is why I'm glad Vivian volunteered to come with me.
"But jealous like omg I wanna go with you, not jealous like omg I wanna be you" she clarifies which makes me laugh. "I'm currently obsessed with this cowboy man but we're definitely not going on vacation anytime soon"
"I don't know" I nudge her. "It happened pretty fast for me"
"Very true" she wiggles her eyebrows as we walk into a store that's filled with summer clothes. "Maybe you should get some new sundresses too! You said he loves those on you right?"
"Yeah" I blush. "But I also love wearing them"
"Girl we are gonna make you look so good on this trip!" Vivian squeals. "Oh this red is perfect!" she darts for a rack of bikinis, taking out the one in red.
Being with Vivian reminds me of how much I've missed having a girl friend. It's been almost two months now, and I'm really grateful for her friendship. She treats me like I've been in her life forever, both her and Travis, even though they haven't known me as long as they've known each other.
We shop around in this store and I pick up a few cute bikinis and a white sundress. Vivian gets a bikini for herself too. Just as I'm in line to check out, my phone rings.
"Hey" I answer with a smile.
"Hi Pumpkin" Cal drawls in that deep voice that does things to my body. "How is the shopping going?"
"It's good" I reply and Vivian wiggles her eyebrows at me as we move forward. "We just finished at the first store, we're in line right now"
"You're using my card, correct?"
I bite my bottom lip, chewing it lightly. He gave me his card this morning before I left his apartment to meet Vivian at the mall. "I can pay for own things you know. I got this great new job that pays me a great new salary"
Vivians eyes widen and she looks at me like I'm crazy. "Take his money!" she mouths silently.
"I pay for things that I enjoy" he states. "And I will enjoy seeing you in your new clothes while taking them off. Let me pay for them in case I damage them in the process"
My cheeks heat so much that I feel my skin tingle just slightly. "Well when you put it like that..."
After reassuring that I'll use his card to pay for my clothes, Vivian and I both check out and then we head back out into the main part of the mall to walk to a different store.
"So how are you and the cowboy man?" I ask. It's been almost three weeks since she met him that night when we all went out. "What's his name anyway?"
"Nash" Vivian smirks but I have a feeling it's to hide her smile. "Nothing really, we've been out a couple of times since then. We're going out tomorrow night"
"Tell me about him" I nudge her elbow playfully.
"He is the oldest of five brothers and two sisters" she hooks our arms together. "He runs the ranch that his family grew up on, I think one or two of his brothers might live with him. But anyways he's like a big time cowboy rancher guy. I mean he like saddles horses and everything"
"So you like them rugged" I tease.
Vivian rolls her eyes and shrugs her shoulders. "I've never had them rugged" her cheeks redden just slightly. "But enough about me, what-"
"Nora?"
My body freezes, hearing the familiar voice call out my name. Vivian turns around, and since our arms are linked she tugs me with her.
My eyes land on Sonia. Sonia my ex-best friend who, if I'm being completely honest, looks worse for wear. Her once bright brown eyes are now more dull and clouded. Her cheeks that used to have a natural blush to them are now bland and a little hollow. Her hair is done and outfit pretty. She looks put together, but she doesn't seem put together.
Sonia makes a movement to walk closer, her eyes flitting to Vivian and then to me. When she sees how Vivian and I are standing together, her eyebrows furrow and her frown deepens, as if she's sad that I have a new friend that isn't her.
"If you want to speak to Nora you have to go through Callahan Media and ask for permission" Vivian squares her shoulders and narrows her eyes at Sonia. "And even then you may not get through to her" she snaps.
Sonia looks at me but I just blink, completely frozen in place. I don't move until Vivian drags me along with her towards the direction of the food court.
"Let's get some ice cream" Vivian rubs my arm while walking us over to the place that serves ice cream and milkshakes with some other sweet delights. It's like she read my mind because I've been wanting some all day.
After eating some chocolate ice cream and having time to unthaw my body (ironically with something cold), I'm finally able to speak again, even though I'm not sure that I have much to say.
"Are you okay?" Vivian asks, eating a spoonful of her mango sorbet.
"I don't know" I twirl my spoon in between my fingers. "I thought I-" I sigh not really knowing what to say. "I don't know"
"Has anyone tried to contact you yet?" she asks with a concerned frown.
"Not that I know of" I shake my head. "Cal hasn't said anything"
Vivian nods. "Let's shop for some sandals next" she smiles, trying to brighten the mood.
I smile softly and nod my head in agreement.
I always thought that seeing Sonia in person after what happened would be soul crushing. I thought I'd miss her so much that I might forgive her and be her friend again, or at least I would want to.
But when I saw her I just felt...I felt bad, for her. These last almost two months, I've surrounded myself with people who make me know what my worth is, and I've been so comfortable and happy with them, that I never want to have people in my life who make me feel less than I am. Not anymore.
Vivian and I spend the rest of the afternoon shopping and then I take all my bags and James drives me to the one place that's started to feel like home. To Cal.
Christian
Nora stares out the window as James pulls the car onto the tarmac. She's been so excited that I haven't been able to look away from her.
I try to ignore my phone that has been going off the entire car ride. I've never taken a day off of work and now I'll be off for a whole week. I trust Melanie and my brother to keep things up and running, but I'm fully prepared to have to deal with a tornado when we get back.
James gets out and opens the door for us as people head to the trunk to gather our luggage. I get out first and take Nora's hand to help her out.
Nora slides her hand into mine and looks up at me with a smile. My eyes roam down her body, seeing how beautiful she is. Her curls are pulled back into a bun, a few of them flying astray around her face, and she is wearing a blue t-shirt dress with white sandals.
"It's so loud!" Nora yells over the loud sound of the plane.
I chuckle, rubbing the back of her hand with my thumb. "Come on" I murmur and lead her over to the staircase of my private jet.
Once we're in the air, I settle on checking some emails. My jet has voice over wifi so I'm also able to receive calls too. I can never stray too far from work.
Nora is sitting a few feet away from me on the cream leather couch. Her legs are crossed under her as she works on a jigsaw puzzle that she brought. She brought two just in case, she told me, but the one she is working on is one thousand pieces so it will probably take her both trips to get it done. Especially considering she keeps taking a break to stare at me.
"Can I help you Pumpkin?" I smirk, keeping my eyes on my laptop as I type out a response to an email.
"Where are we going?" she asks, fidgeting in her seat with anticipation. It makes me smile.
"I thought you wanted it to be a surprise?" I raise my eyebrow.
"Well I changed my mind, now I wanna know" she chirps.
My eyes slide over to her and she looks at me eagerly. "I think I'll keep it to myself until we land" I smirk.
Nora drums her finger on the glossy cherry wood table, chewing on her bottom lip. "Can you at least tell me how long the plane ride is?"
"Almost ten hours" I reply.
Her eyes widen. "Well good thing I brought a ton of things to do. I'm about ten seconds away from being bored of doing this puzzle"
I chuckle, shaking my head. We've only been in the air for less than an hour. My phone rings and I look to see that it's Melanie before answering.
"Hello?"
"I know you said to filter your calls and only patch through the important ones" she says. "I wasn't sure if Nora's family fell under the important category"
"Who is it?" I inquire.
"The mom"
I think for a moment before deciding. "Patch her through"
The line clicks and I lean back in my seat, spreading my legs a bit. "Christian Callahan"
"This is ridiculous" Nora's mother, Andreia, snaps at me. "If I want to speak to my daughter, I will speak to my daughter"
"You'll speak to me" I say lowly so that Nora doesn't hear me. "Do you have a message?"
"I would like for my daughter to call me" she says firmly.
"Nothing is stopping her from calling you. If she wanted to speak to you, she would" I reply.
She is silent for a moment before speaking. "When I called last week I requested her attendance to the charity event that is in two weeks, she is expected to make an appearance with her family"
Yes, the charity event that my family puts on every year. If I knew they were on the invite list I would have personally revoked their invitation, but my mother puts the whole event together so I didn't know.
"I can assure you that she will be there" with me is what I leave out. The surprise will be rewarding.
"Tell her that we are wearing white and black"
Of course colors that are used to dull her personality and keep her shine in check. No. She will be the brightest one in the room and I will make sure of that.
I hang up the phone and slip it back into my pocket. I've been filtering messages from her mother for the better half of three weeks now. She calls enough for it to be annoying.
"Who was that?" Nora asks, walking over to me.
I pull her onto my lap and run my hand over her soft thigh. "Just a business associate" I murmur placing a kiss on her jaw. She wraps her arms around my neck and gazes up at me with a sparkle in her eyes. I love that sparkle because it's only there when she looks at me.
"Did I mention that there is a bedroom on this jet?" I raise my eyebrow. Her eyes widen and she shakes her head. "Do you want to go check it out?" I whisper against her lips. Her body shivers and she bite her bottom lip.
"What if the plane didn't have a bedroom?" she asks softly.
I tilt my head, amused at her insinuation, and I stand up, keeping her legs around my waist as I walk towards the back of the plane. "I would have made it work either way"
~
My eyes roam over Nora's naked body that is tangled in the sheets. Her chest moves up and down softly, having been fucked into a deep slumber. Her hair splayed against the pillows because I tugged it out of the bun it was in to have a better grip.
I lean down and kiss the back of her shoulder, running my hand over her perfect ass and massaging it lightly since it's so red. She squirms a little and then sighs in content, snuggling deeper into the mattress.
After another few seconds, there is a knock on the door. I stand up and pull on my jeans before going to the door and opening it. The stewardess stands there, putting a respectful distance between us.
"Sir, your phone is ringing"
I step out and close the door behind me. "Thank you" I walk over to where I left my phone on the seat, seeing my brother's name on the screen. "Could you grab a sweet iced tea and a yogurt parfait from the kitchen?"
"Yes sir" she nods and walks away.
"Lucien" I answer the phone.
"Why did I have to hear from Melanie that you're taking off to Aruba for the entire week?" he cuts straight to the chase.
"Nora wanted to go on a vacation" I reply. "It seemed like a good time to go"
Lucien is quiet for a while. "What's the status on her?" he asks eventually.
"Nothing yet" I run my hand through my hair. "I've been watching her carefully and she hasn't said anything"
"So the vacation is really just an excuse" he drawls.
"I never need an excuse, Lucien" I cross my arms over my chest. "She wanted to go on vacation so I took her on vacation"
He hums like he doesn't believe me.
"You need to make an appearance at the charity gala in two weeks" I change the subject. "Preferably with someone"
"I'll be there, but I'm not sure that she will be ready by then" he replies.
I pinch the bridge of my nose in frustration. "You had to pick someone complicated, didn't you?"
"I like the challenge" Lucien chuckles.
"Mom and Dad won't be happy about it Luce" I remind him. "And you know what your end of this entails. This is an important event. I need you to at least try"
"I'll see what I can do" he placates me which doesn't mean much. "Have fun on your vacation"
Lucien hangs up the phone and I slide it into my back pocket just as the stewardess comes back with the yogurt parfait and sweet tea. I thank her before taking them into the bedroom and closing the door behind me.
Nora stirs, and peeks her eyes open to look at me. I put the food and drink on the nightstand and then get into bed with her, wrapping her in my arms.
"You brought me food" she smiles softly, looking up at me with those brown eyes.
"Need to keep your energy up" I kiss her nose. "I'm not done with you yet"
Nora runs her fingers through my hair and gazes into my eyes, making me tighten my hold around her as I feel possessiveness flood through me.
"Can I tell you something?" she asks quietly while biting on her bottom lip.
"Of course" I run my hand up and down her back.
"I'm actually craving an ice cream sundae" she winces a little like she didn't want to tell me that she doesn't want the yogurt parfait.
I chuckle and kiss her pouty lips. "Chocolate and caramel?" I ask.
"Every single ice cream topping you have" she smiles. "And more chocolate than caramel"
When I get out of the bed, she sits up, watching as I grab the yogurt parfait. "This might sound weird" she chews her lip. "But can you sprinkle some salt on the ice cream too?"
I smirk, opening the bedroom door. "Of course Pumpkin, I'll be right back"
She has no idea how happy she's made me with those seven words.
~
Secrets in Aruba?
Next week will be fun...see you then!
Much love,
Xx