Chapter 18 - Bailey

The next few days with Gina are absolute bliss. But deep inside, a sense of unease grows within me.

We get up early together every day, and there is no more awkwardness. Sometimes, we even shower together before we make breakfast. She sends me off to work with kisses, and we often make sure we take our lunch break at the same time. When we get home, we make dinner and laugh and tease each other, and almost always go to bed early… but not because we need sleep.

I could never have imagined being this happy. And seeing Gina happy as well, and knowing I’m responsible for it, is beyond all my expectations.

But is she really happy?

This thought plagues me constantly, and as the days go by, it just gets stronger. The anxiety bubbles in my guts and constricts my chest. Ignoring it is only making it worse.

I woke up before Gina did today, and being alone in the kitchen has left me completely alone with my doubts and fears. I’m trying to put all my efforts into creating the perfect French toast—Gina’s favorite—but it isn’t helping.

I want her with me. I want every day of our lives to be like this, just as the last week has been. I never want it to end.

But I can’t stop thinking about the way her face lit up when she talked about performing in Denver. Even though she was nervous, she also said she found her true strength there and fed off the energy of the crowd.

Who am I to take that away from her?

I don’t think she has played the piano since she returned home, and this makes me feel even worse. Even in high school, it was obvious that music is part of her soul. Not just a hobby.

“Hey!” Gina says, startling me a little. “You got up early.”

“I did,” I reply, turning around to wave her over to the stove. “I’m attempting French toast, but I’m not sure I’m conquering it.”

Gina wraps her arms around my waist and snuggles against me. “You can conquer me anytime you like.”

“Oh, yeah?” I laugh as I throw down the spatula. “Don’t say you didn’t ask for it!”

I reach down, grab her around the waist, and lift her up so she’s sitting on the counter, then tug her close to me and kiss her. She responds by wrapping her arms and legs around me and writhing against me as she lets me explore her mouth with my tongue.

I pin her close with my left arm and reach for her breast with my other hand. When her fuzzy robe falls open, I realize she’s completely naked under it and groan as I knead at her breast and kiss her even harder.

“You vixen,” I mutter. She giggles.

“That’s den mother to you.”

“As you wish, dear lady.”

We might have done it right there on the counter if the smoke alarm didn’t go off, alerting me to the burning toast. Gina leaps off the bench and waves a towel at the smoke detector while I attempt to rescue the toast.

I turn back to Gina with the blackened frying pan in my hand and an overdone, melancholy expression. “I regret to inform you, there were no survivors.”

“That’s okay,” she says. “Let’s grab some donuts on the way to work.”

I happily agree, and we get ready to leave. Watching Gina prepare for work and hearing her talk on the way there, I don’t see or feel any sense of regret or loss.

But she had no choice but to stay… it was the fated mate bond that made her stay, nothing else.

Over the course of the day, I think about Gina’s birthday and what I can do to make it extra special for her. It’s the day after tomorrow, and she’s specifically told everyone not to make a fuss. She doesn’t want a big party, but I still feel like I need to do something to show her how much I love her and want her with me.

It occurs to me that there is a beautiful garden and nature walk attached to the cemetery where Gina’s grandmother is buried. The idea of a visit to the grave and a picnic lunch grows in my mind.

And one very special surprise for when we get home.

On the big day, I have to get up early to set up, then race back home before Gina wakes. I manage to get in before she notices I was even gone, and I’m in the kitchen, slaving over a hot stove again when she comes downstairs.

“Hmm, I don’t know if you should attempt to negotiate with the stove again,” she teases, coming over to hug me. “It was a tragedy last time.”

“Indeed it was,” I answer, focused on flipping the toast. “But this time, you will not distract me, you temptress.”

“Really?” she says coyly. She reaches around my waist and drags her fingers across the zipper of my pants.

“That’s it!” I yell, turning around and grabbing her. She laughs, throwing herself into my arms and reaching up for a kiss.

Even with her distracting me, I manage to cook the toast, then garnish it with sliced strawberries, caramel sauce, and whipped cream. I set it down in front of her without burning a single thing.

“Thank you,” she says. “I’m really touched you’d go to so much trouble for me on my birthday. I know I said I didn’t want a big fuss, so this is perfect.”

“Well, I actually have a couple of surprises. But don’t worry, it’s nothing involving formal wear.”

“Thank God,” she says, taking a bite of toast. “I just want to relax and not get forced into a tiring party or family dinner.”

“I can promise you that’s not going to happen.”

We finish breakfast together, and I wash up while Gina gets dressed. When she comes downstairs, she’s wearing her most comfortable jeans and an oversized sweater.

“I hope I’m not overdressed,” she grins.

“Well.” I squint, looking her up and down. “Maybe just a bit. I think you should lose the pants.”

She laughs, hurrying over to kiss me. I hold her tightly against my body, breathing in her scent and feeling the sweet weight of her in my arms. She is so soft and comforting, I never want to let her go.

“Okay, so, weren’t you taking me to tea or something?” she mumbles against my chest. I give her one last, really tight squeeze.

“You got it,” I say. “Out to the truck.”

We aren’t on the road long before Gina realizes where we’re going. The town isn’t that big, and there is only one cemetery.

“We’re going to visit Gran,” she says. For the first time, I worry if this idea might be too sad for her birthday.

“I hope that’s okay?” I say uncertainly.

“Yes, it’s fine. I wish I had been able to say goodbye, that I had some warning so I could come home sooner. I’d really like to say a few words in a place where she might hear me.”

We pull into the parking lot and head up the track towards the cemetery. I’m praying that my carefully laid out picnic is still intact as we go through the gates and up towards the burial plots in the very back.

Gina stops at the foot of the grave, looking at the stone. I can see tears in her eyes, and I don’t know what to do. Should I leave her alone with her pain?

“Do you want me to go—” I begin.

“No, stay. Stay with me,” Gina says, wrapping her arms around my waist. I hold her against my chest, stroking her beautiful, long black hair. She cries quietly for a few minutes and then steps back, wiping her nose.

“I have another surprise,” I say softly, pushing her dark curls back from her face. She smiles.

“What are you planning now?”

“Pure deviancy,” I say with a straight face. She laughs.

“Fine,” she says. “Take me, you devil.” she holds out her hands. “I’m yours.”

Are you? Are you really?

I lead her out of the cemetery into the nearby gardens. To my relief, my pink checkered blanket is still laid out, and my basket of goodies appears unplundered. There’s even ice left in the champagne bucket that hasn’t melted.

“Bae!” Gina exclaims. “Did you do all this?”

“No, of course not. It was the goblin folk.”

“Clearly.” Gina nods, her expression very serious. “I’m sure they knew all my favorite treats and even my favorite wine, too.”

We sit down on the soft blanket, and I pour two glasses of bubbly. I tap my glass against hers.

“To you, my darling love,” I say softly.

“To us,” she answers, taking a sip and then kissing me with the sweet taste still on her tongue.

While Gina enjoys her champagne, I open the basket and get out finger sandwiches, crackers, cheese, biscuits, and a big slab of chocolate mud cake with “Happy Birthday” written on top in white chocolate.

“Bae, I can never eat all of this,” Gina says breathlessly.

I point at her with a stern expression. “You’ll just have to try! I didn’t go to all this effort for you to waste the food. I’ll hold you down and force-feed you if you dare to stop.”

She leans towards me, grinning. “That sounds hot. Will you kiss me while I’ve got a mouth full of chocolate cake?”

“Most definitely,” I whisper, pressing my lips to hers. Now I’m thinking about crushing the cake in my hands, smearing it all over her gorgeous body, and licking it off with agonizing slowness.

“Bae,” she giggles. “Do you really want to do it right here on the hilltop?”

I pause, grinning. While I was having my cake fantasy, I dropped my champagne glass and pushed her onto her back without even realizing it.

“Well?” she says.

“I’m thinking,” I answer, cocking my head.

Gina giggles. “I’m at your mercy. Do as you will.”

“Oh, you siren!” I kiss her hard, groping her as I lose control and rub my body against hers. I indulge us both for a few minutes before I disentangle and roll to the other side of the blanket.

“You stay there!” I command, pointing at her. “And I’ll stay here.” I put the picnic basket between us for emphasis.

“You started it!” she laughs.

“I did not. I was very innocently minding my own business when you threw your sexiness at me and stole my will.”

She winks at me. “That was always the plan.”

I feel that fire in me again, and I almost shove the picnic basket out of the way and jump on her. I literally cannot keep my hands off her, and now I’m wondering why I even bothered to try.

Once we’re done eating, we lay stretched out on the blanket and watch the sky.

“Gina…” I begin.

“Yes?”

I wanted to ask about her life in Denver, if she misses it, but now I’m afraid to know the answer. I can’t stand the thought of losing her.

“I hope you had a great birthday,” I say instead.

“I did, thank you. We should head off soon, though. That cold wind is picking up.”

I refuse to let her help me pack or carry anything. We hold hands as we head back to the truck, not needing to say anything.

When we pull into the driveway, Gina heads for the door, but I grab her hand, pulling her towards the garage.

“Hmm, what are we going in here for?” she asks. “Do you have some tools to show me?”

“Only one that’s really impressive,” I say, laughing.

I unlock the roller door and push the button for it to slide up. As the door moves out of the way, Gina gasps in surprise.

“Bae!” She hurries inside, and I flick on the light so she can see better.

In the corner of the room sits a huge, classical piano made of rich, dark wood. It was the very best I could find, and I had to order it from out of town.

“Do you like it?” I ask nervously. Gina is walking around it, running her fingers gently across the shining, smooth finish.

“It’s beautiful,” she gushes.

“I know you said your Gran left you hers, but—”

“Gran’s is an antique,” Gina says. “I could have it polished, tuned, and refitted, but it would be a lot of work, and she may never play well again. Not like this one…” Her voice trails off as she sits down on the seat, lifting the cover over the keys reverently. “This baby is ready to play, right now.”

She runs her fingers over the keys, pressing one here and there. The instrument resonates, filling the small space with the odd notes.

“Well,” I say, walking up to her and sitting at the other end of the bench. “Play me something.”

She blushes, looking away. “I don’t know—”

“Go ahead, Gina, please,” I whisper, leaning over to kiss her cheek. “Show me all of you.”

She looks into my eyes for a second, looking very shy and unsure. Then she kisses me lightly and turns back to the keys.

She begins to play, and the notes fill the air. I’m not sure what she’s playing—maybe something she composed?—but it’s beautiful. The spiraling, lifting notes form a haunting tune that moves me, making me contemplate deeper things.

Meanwhile, I’m just watching her. Watching her nimble hands dancing up and down the keys, watching her body sway to the music, and watching her beautiful face as she lights up under the power of her talent and skill.

Not only is it the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen, I am now utterly in awe of this woman. The more I understand her, the more I realize I can’t ever let her go.