I'Ve Got You (18 page)

Belle sidled next to Kabe. ‘Thanks, Sis.' She knew this was just Lexie's excuse to see if she was all right, though her sister didn't really need an excuse.

Eyes sharp, Lexie looked from Belle to Kabe and back, examining them both thoroughly. Then to Kabe she said, ‘I don't know what happened, but you'd better not be the jealous dickhead type I'm thinking you are!' She glared. ‘Because what I felt in the car was damned ugly.'

‘I promise you, I'm not.' Kabe slid an arm around Belle.

Belle didn't miss Lexie's eyes slice straight to Kabe's hand on her hip.

Lexie pointed at Belle. ‘Come and dress for tonight's dinner in
my
room. If you don't, I'm dragging you to the nearest available motel.' She threatened, ‘Or we hire a hot guy and his boat to get to Pop's, and you
will
explain everything.' Eyes narrowed at Kabe, she gave a low short growl, then turned on her heel and walked off without a backward glance.

Grinning, Kabe closed the door. ‘Fabrini women, you gotta love 'em.'

* * *

Belle fussed with her hair and make-up, hoping her explanation about Greg and the whole ‘car' episode being a misunderstanding satisfied Lexie; and that tonight's dinner wasn't going to end in a stare-down between Kabe and her protective sister.

With the final touch of lip gloss, she was ready, but unsure about the dress Lexie had urged her to buy and talked her into wearing tonight.

Belle stood in front of the mirror. She'd never worn anything like this. Staring at the hem and tugging at it wasn't going to make the red, backless mini-dress any longer. It clung to her like a second skin. And you couldn't wear a dress like this and not have the right shoes. So she'd bought red four-inch strappy stiletto sandals to match. With hair up in a messy bun, a few curly wisps around her face and down her neck, she was ready for dinner. She walked out of the en-suite to see her sister strapping on her shoes.

Lexie stood and, smiling, looked her up and down. ‘You are going to rock Kabe's world … and Dan's.'

‘I don't want to rock Dan's, but you definitely will in that dress. Is it silk?' Belle asked running her hands over the fabric. ‘You know, the brother you wanted?'

‘Don't be silly.' Lexie grinned. She twirled and her little dress of red, blue, yellow and green splashes on a white background shimmered. The kick-out hem stopped above the knee. It fit snugly around her waist, moulded her breasts in a deep-cut V, and finished halter-style around her neck.

‘Come on, beautiful, let's go.' Belle smiled. ‘We have to pick Kabe up on the way.'

‘Go ahead. Marilyn's changing and I told her I'd wait. She won't be long.' Lexie looked her up and down again and giggled. ‘You won't get out of Kabe's place, ever. I'll have to slide food under the door, you'll have to live off spaghetti noodles, wafer biscuits, and maybe the odd licorice strap.'

Belle laughed, remembering how she and Lexie saved their pocket money to buy licorice when they were kids. ‘I doubt it,' she said, but her heart tripped. ‘See you at dinner.' She kissed Lexie on the cheek and, back straight, headed for Kabe's wing on the other side of a small courtyard. She opened the door and called out as she walked in. ‘I'm back, are you ready?'

‘Are you kidding me?' he said, from the lounge room. He turned off the TV, swung off the couch, took one step towards her and stopped. ‘Fuck me!'

‘What?' she looked down at her dress. ‘I knew this was wrong. Too skimpy, too short, and look,' she turned around, and head over her shoulder pointed out the obvious, ‘no back.'

As he prowled towards her, his mouth eased into a quirky lopsided grin. And he took his time, taking her in from head to toe and back up again.

‘Oh my …' Belle whispered, seeing the wicked gleam in his eyes.

Standing directly in front of her now, his hands slowly caressed her arms all the way up and over her shoulders, the pads of his finger pressing into her flesh as he stroked down her bare back.

‘You're not really hungry, are you?' He kissed her left cheek, moving to the corner of her mouth, then her chin, then worked his way around to her opposite temple, while his fingers made lazy patterns on her skin, dipping lower with every pass.

‘What are you driving at?' Belle panted.

‘Let's stay here and fool around, you in this dress …' He tugged her into him and brought his mouth down on hers, hard, hungry. He was a masterful kisser, in control and just enough tongue to make her tingle. His mouth moved to her neck, nipping, licking. ‘
Hmm
, you make me hungry,' Kabe hummed against her skin.

Belle leaned deeper into him. ‘Oh God, yes,' Belle whispered back.

A loud knock on the door made them both flinch and Kabe curse.

‘Come on you two, I know you're in there,' Lexie sang out.

Then his mother's voice, ‘Are you sure, Lexie? I bet they left
ages
ago.'

‘I think your Pop has the right idea,' Kabe whispered. ‘An island with a no-go zone sounds good right now.'

‘Is it safe to go out or do you need a moment?' Belle asked, looking at his groin.

With Belle in front of him and his arm around her waist, he propelled her forward saying, ‘I'm good, let's go.'

She laughed. ‘I see you're not taking any chances.'

‘Nope.' He opened the door just as Lexie was about to pound on it again.

‘You
were
in there,' Marilyn accused.

‘Yep,' Kabe began, ‘I was admiring Belle's backless red dress … then she attacked me and I couldn't get away.' He gave all three women a wicked smile, complete with sexy dimples, and a wink. Belle elbowed him in the ribs.

Marilyn quirked an eyebrow and gave him a
who're-you-trying-to-kid
look. ‘Of course Belle did, she's such a slip of a thing, she'd overpower you any day of the week.'

* * *

Belle sipped her Kahlua liqueur and enjoyed the flickering candlelight reflected off Kabe's tanned skin. With his chin lowered, his dark eyes fixed on her, and sporting a blatant, sexy smile, Kabe sent blood racing to Belle's erogenous zones—switching them on, snap-snap-snap, mouth, nipples, pelvis.

Ooh
, she thought, clenching her thighs while her mind screamed,
take me!
He'd been toying with her all through dinner, and now with everyone gone, and without trying, he was upping the ante.

As if he could read her thoughts, Kabe extended his hand and asked pointedly, ‘You ready?'

‘Hmm?' His baritone, rumbling voice, coupled with his question, led to all manner of imagery, all extremely hot.

‘Belle?' Kabe tugged at her hand.

‘Oh … ready? Sure, where're we going?' Belle asked as they headed away from the houses.

He took her through the garden and out to a rocky outcrop overlooking the jetty. Tiny lights twinkled on distant Islands and from a few boats anchored off the coast for the night.

‘Come here, sit for a while,' Kabe said, leading her to a patch of short grass.

Belle sank down and gazed out to sea while Kabe made himself comfortable beside her. He didn't touch her. Nor did he put an arm around her as she expected he would, and wished he would.

Time went by and nothing happened.

Kabe lay down, arms behind his head. ‘Try this,' he said, ‘It almost feels as if the sky could fall on you.'

‘Great,' she said, a touch of humour in her voice, ‘I've always wondered what that felt like.'

‘Just relax and go with it.' Kabe settled back. Not long after, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed his chest take on a rhythmic movement, and Belle wondered if he had fallen asleep. She turned to look at him, and saw his eyes were open. ‘What?' he said, ‘You thought I was asleep? Hmm?'

‘Well, maybe.'

‘How could I with you right here. Watch the sky, Babe.'

Belle lay quietly on the grass gazing up at the Milky Way and bright nearby stars.

And there it was, the feeling Kabe was alluding to—it hit her; holding her breath, she hoped the sensation would linger.

‘You okay?' Kabe turned on his side, and propped himself up on an elbow to look at her.

‘No,' she said, her voice barely a whisper. ‘I'm not. I feel smaller than a grain of sand and I just had the feeling the universe moved without me.' She felt that was the perfect description of what she had just experienced. She turned her head towards him. ‘Thanks for sharing this with me; it's unbelievable … magic.'

A thoughtful smile curved his mouth. ‘My pleasure. This place, right here, is why I wanted to buy the land, and why I …' he petered out, and slipped his hand around her neck and up into her hair. Slowly, his gaze drifted over her face as if scanning something he'd never seen before, but really liked the look of. ‘Belle …' he murmured, his tone serious. A flutter erupted in her stomach of what was to come; what was he intending to say? ‘Sometimes you baffle me,' he whispered, ‘and I love it. At the same time, you're not a game player, or a schemer. You're Belle, straight up and … I love the way you are.'

‘Oh my God … Kabe!' He hadn't said
I love you
exactly, but it was close enough that it blew her away. She gave a nervous giggle. She would be ‘straight up' with him as soon as the moment presented itself, and she didn't care who said it first … properly.

His strong fingers cupped her face and his eyes dipped to her mouth. Belle knew what that meant and she couldn't wait. His mouth landed on hers, hot, strong, and hungry. He teased her lips with the tip of his tongue before sliding in to play with hers. His throaty moan hit the sweet spot between her thighs, already aching with need. The lush grass beneath her and the black velvet starry sky faded away. All that remained were his mouth, his broad protective shoulders and his hands.

He pulled away; his beautiful eyes focused on hers, searching, penetrating. ‘I want you,' he whispered, ‘right here, right now, under the stars.'

She grabbed his hair, lifted herself up to meet his mouth and kissed him breathless.

Chapter 10

Belle woke to the sun streaming into Kabe's bedroom. She turned around to see him sprawled beside her under a sheet that barely covered him. Her heart filled with an ache so beautiful that she thought she would cry. How could she be this lucky? Tears welled, yet the corners of her mouth turned up in a smile. She itched to kiss him, but she didn't want to disturb his peace so instead she carefully started to climb out of bed. His arm came out wide, hooked her around the waist, and pulled her into his hard, warm body. ‘Going somewhere?' he asked, voice husky with sleep. ‘Thought you'd be tired, you had another night of bad dreams.' He held her closer. ‘ 'S all right, we'll work it out.'

‘Oh, sorry. I'm fine now. Need the bathroom … pee, shower, teeth, clothes. Need coffee and food.'

‘Hmm.' His sleepy eyes focused on her breasts, and he licked his lips provocatively. Her nipples immediately went hard and pebbly. She covered them with her hands. ‘Uh-uh …' Kabe pushed himself up, slipped one arm around her back, the other under her knees, and shifted them off the bed. With Belle tucked firmly to his chest, he strode into the bathroom.

‘What're you doing?' Belle flung an arm around his neck, the other rested on his hard pecs.

He eased her down onto the tiles and turned the shower on. ‘I'm going to wash you and then you're going to wash me,' he murmured into her neck then gently nipped her earlobe. ‘I'm going to touch every inch of your magnificent body. Then I'm going to taste you, make sure you're wet for me and then … I'm going to fuck you real slow until you cry out my name.'

A full body shiver slithered through Belle and she tightened her hold on his neck. Oh yeah, judging by the grin on his face, he hadn't missed her reaction. He pulled her under the warm water cascading from the enormous shower-rose. Good to his word he started shampooing her hair, massaging her scalp and neck. Then, hands flat, fingers splayed, he soaped Belle's entire body, slipping, sliding over her skin. She raised her arms and turned for him, her bones melting gloriously. She rinsed and his beautiful hands slid down and dipped in between her legs, gentle fingers slipped into the folds, making lazy circles over her sex while his mouth covered a nipple, sucking it hard. She gripped his shoulders, arched her back and her hips bucked against his fingers.

‘Kabe …' her voice urgent, her orgasm building.

He heard her plea, let go of her nipple, and went down on his knees; mouth and tongue on her clit, he slid two fingers inside, eased them out, and pushed in harder, keeping up a rhythm, driving her to the brink.

Panting, Belle gripped his hair. ‘Kabe … Kabe … I'm …' Hips grinding against his mouth and tongue, she came long and hard, so exquisite that her legs trembled and she had no strength to stand. Instantly, Kabe was up and, hands under her bottom, he lifted her over his throbbing cock.

‘Fuck, I love everything about you.' He took her mouth and eased her down his shaft, filling her.

‘Harder,' Belle whispered against his neck, sinking her teeth into him just hard enough to make a point.

‘Fuck! I felt that right in my …' He gripped her hair and pulled her back. ‘Look at me, Babe …' he groaned into her mouth. She did as he asked and her breath caught with the passion she saw in his face. ‘Fuck,' he growled, ‘I'm there.' He thrust in and stayed. Belle felt his orgasm pulsing inside her, and it was beautiful.

* * *

A breakfast spread awaited them out on the main patio. Dan had left a note beside the morning newspapers:
If anyone wants eggs and bacon fry-up, holler, I'm in the kitchen.

Other than Dan, they were the only ones up and about. Belle enjoyed the peaceful surroundings as Kabe carried their plates of pancakes, yogurt and berries to the table, while she brought the juice.