I Want Candy (42 page)

“I can pay for it myself,” she said in a serious tone.

“I know you can. Have you forgotten that I know exactly how much you make?” he said before thanking the cashier and taking the bag.

“Then why did you do that? You don’t have to.”

“It’s not about what I
have
to do; it’s what I
want
to do. Why can’t you just enjoy yourself? Why do you have to find something to oppose?” Gabriel asked as they left the store.

“I’m not opposing it, I just didn’t understand! I’ve been taking care of myself for…”

“Yes, years upon years, Ms. Independent. I get it. Yadda yadda yadda. Look, chivalry isn’t dead. This is who I am. I can’t believe I have to explain why I want to be this way. Don’t make this hard. Just say ‘thank you,’ kiss me, and let’s move forward.”

“Well, OK. Thank you,” she responded quietly as he took her hand.

“Where’s my kiss?” he asked as he leaned in close to her. She smiled, parted her lips, and melted into him as his tongue entered her mouth. The world seemed to disappear as they stood there. She felt her bare feet sink deeper into the sand as Gabriel embraced her tighter and tighter. Finally, they pulled away from one another, looking into each other’s eyes.

“I love you,” Candy said.

Gabriel smiled slightly. He looked at her intensely and kissed her nose, allowing his lips to once again brush against hers. “I love you too, Sweet Pea,” he whispered in her ear.

He took the sandals out of the bag and handed them to Candy. Leaning on his shoulder, she slid them on. They reached a small, crowded restaurant. Beach bodies, tanned skin, and drunken laughter filled the area. Gabriel pulled out a chair for Candy at the Tiki-style bar. “This is adorable,” she said as she sat up on the barstool and swung her crossed leg.

“No. You’re adorable,” Gabriel flirted. Candy smiled and twisted her lip. “You’re really laying it on thick,” she laughed. Gabriel stood behind her and gently massaged her shoulder blades.

“Hey, it’s part of foreplay,” he joked. “OK, I’m gonna go over here and order us some food.” He handed her a small menu printed on lime green paper. “What’s your pleasure?”

“Uh, I’ll let you choose the tapas since you’ve had them before. I’d like a Corona as well.” Candy smiled and put the menu down.

“Lime or no lime?” he asked.

“Lime please!” Candy called out as he approached a waitress. She turned away, looking back at the dark ocean. The waves rolled in and out, their majestic beauty seducing her. She was brought out of her daydreaming by a cold bottle against her shoulder. She smiled and looked over. Her smile quickly faded. A short, bald man wearing Panama Jack shorts stood there glaring at her. She immediately grimaced.

“Hello, pretty lady,” the man said, with a thick Australian accent. “Would you like some company?”

“I’m here with…my man.” Candy smiled inside, realizing she was saying it for the first time.

“What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him!” The man laughed, exposing yellowed teeth. Candy quickly turned away.

“You’re sittin’ here peckish while he’s nowhere to be found. Where is this bloke of yours anyway?”

Candy looked in Gabriel’s direction, urging him with her eyes to hurry up.

“Hey, I’m talkin’ to you!” he shouted, his words slightly slurring as he tugged her shoulder. “I’m rich. Women throw themselves at me.”

“Are you sure they aren’t just throwing up?” Candy mumbled.

“Ahhh, a smart ass I see. You’re a real bitch, you know that?” Candy turned towards the tiny man and balled up her fist. Gabriel raced over, hearing the commotion.

“Get out of here!” he yelled at the man. “She’s with me.”

“Gettin' you some chocolate pussy, eh?” the man chuckled. Gabriel lunged towards him, grabbing his collar and lifting him slightly from the ground.

“Gabriel, No!” Candy stepped in between them. “He isn’t gonna ruin our trip, and I won’t have you goin’ to jail.”

“Get the fuck out of here!” Gabriel yelled at him as he threw him down onto the sand. “Call her a bitch again and I’ll knock your little Keebler Elf teeth down your fucking throat! Don’t you have a treehouse to climb?” Candy heard people laughing nearby. She looked around nervously and grabbed Gabriel’s arm. The man turned red, stood up, and dusted himself off. Before storming off, he yelled, “Fuck both of you!” as he stumbled back onto the beach, disappearing into the night. Candy looked at Gabriel, whose facial expression was still intensely angry. They looked at each other. Both suddenly burst out laughing.

“Gabe, you’re hilarious. A bit of a hot head at times I see, but hilarious none the less. I could’ve handled him!” she said as she waved her fist in the air.

“I doubt it. He’s been drinking, heavily. He has beer muscles. I could almost smell him across the way.” Gabriel went back up to the waitress and retrieved the beers and the food. They sat together closely, talking and laughing.

“Honey, you know, you don’t talk about your family much. I know that you and your dad aren’t really close. Do you want that to change?” Candy asked.

Gabriel took another swig of his beer and looked down at his feet. “I don’t know,” he shrugged. “To tell you the truth, I really don’t think about it. He was verbally and emotionally abusive. I wanted to be the exact opposite of him when I had kids, and I even may have gone too far to the left, but I always wanted my daughter to be able to talk to me about anything, and she can. I could never talk to him. He’s a very angry person. My mom’s a really good person, but she’s weak when it comes to him and won’t stand up to him, even when he’s wrong. My two brothers and I weren’t treated well, and that’s just life, I suppose. I was the middle son, so I felt even more lost in the mix.

“Didn’t you say your mom’s Italian?” Candy asked before eating a large piece of shrimp.

“Yes, my mom’s Italian, and my father’s half-French and half-Scottish. My mother was actually born in Italy.”

“Really? That’s pretty neat. Does she have an accent?” Candy became more and more intrigued.

“A slight one. She has lived here since she was thirteen, so it isn’t very strong anymore,” Gabriel reflected. “I’d like you to meet my brothers one day. I talk to them all of the time. I just don’t talk to my parents much. My eldest brother, Mike, doesn’t either. It’s because of our dad. We can’t get to her without going through him,” Gabriel said angrily.

“I didn’t mean to upset you. I’m sorry.” Candy touched his hand.

“It’s OK. It doesn’t really hurt anymore. I just feel bad that Allison has rarely been around them, but I won’t have my child around such dysfunction. When she turns eighteen, she can do what she wants, but until then, I want to protect her.”

They finished their meal and walked away back towards the villa.

“It’s gorgeous out here,” Candy said as she admired the midnight scenery. “I can’t believe we’re out here this late. I’ve never been on a beach this late before.” She looked around, noticing that people who were once close by were gone.

“There’s our villa. Stay right here,” he said as he went inside and put down the bag from the gift shop. He quickly returned holding a thick, white towel that he laid out on the sand.

“Do you want to go swimming?” he asked as he slid his tank top off. Before Candy could answer, she watched him walk towards the black water, remove his sandals, and stand there, allowing the surf to wash up over his feet. She walked up to him, putting her hands around his waist and leaning gently on his back. He rubbed her fingers. They closed their eyes, slightly swaying as the only sound to permeate the area was the rushing tide. He slowly turned and faced her, untying her sarong.

“The swimsuit you got me is inside. I’ll go get it,” Candy said as she stopped the sarong from falling to the ground.

Gabriel leaned in close to her, pulling her nearer. “You don’t have to. There’s no one out here but us,” he said into her ear. He stepped back and removed his shorts. Candy looked at the outline of his lean, athletic body and sunk her teeth into her bottom lip.

“What if someone sees us?” she asked, still gripping the sarong close to her.

Gabriel shrugged. “I doubt that’ll happen. I made sure to pick a private area.”

“More public nudity? I think you need to see someone about this,” Candy teased. He smiled and took her hand away from the fabric. They both watched as it fell to the ground. Carefully, he led her into the water. They stood knee deep. The water bogged her feet down, causing her to move slowly as she screamed and laughed as he splashed her.

“Stop splashing!” she said, putting her hands up to block him. “You’re gettin’ me all wet!” she laughed.

‘That’s the point – in more ways than one,” Gabriel thought.

“You’re naughty!” Candy shook her finger at him. He raced towards her, swooping her up into the air. She shook her legs back and forth, laughing hysterically.

“Oh, my goodness! Don’t drop me! Don’t drop me!” she screamed.

Gabriel pretended she was falling from his arms. “Oh, no!” he laughed. Candy held on tightly around his neck. He looked down at her water-sprinkled face, planting a firm kiss upon her soft, full lips. As he carried her back up to the beach, he laid her down on the towel. With her hands still locked around his neck and the darkness cloaking his features, he became an abyss of mystery. She could only feel and smell him. He held her steady, grinding on her essence with his pelvis as he continued to kiss her all over her face, neck, and breasts. She moved from beneath him, having the urge to feel him inside of her. He followed her lead. Lying on his back, he watched as she straddled him. Slowly, she lowered herself onto him. He immediately reached for her hips as the twin sighs and moans began. The intensity grew between their bodies. She grew warm, and the water on her body trickled down her flesh in jagged patterns.

“You feel so good,” she uttered as she rotated her hips, moving up and down Gabriel’s shaft.

“So do you, Baby,” he panted between slow thrusts. “I want more of you,” he mumbled as he increased his speed and pumped deeper inside her. He held her hips tighter as she continued to rock back and forth, up and down and around his nature. Her fingers dug into his chest as she was lifted. She whimpered as she felt her orgasm building. “Oh, God. I’m gonna…oh, God!” She sighed as she felt the warmth coat her body in the carnal goodness. He brought her down onto him, forcing her face to nestle in the crevice of his shoulder and neck. He held her tightly at her lower back, pushing in and out of her rapidly. The smacking sound of his movements intertwined that of the rolling waves.

“I want to feel you cum all over me,” he sighed. “Cum for me, Baby.” Candy let go of her final bit of will power, releasing the commanding orgasm as she immersed his shaft in her appreciative honey. She lie limply on him, feeling him continue to dart in and out of her hastily. She listened as his heartbeat seemed to be booming out of his chest. His moans became louder.

“I’m gonna cum,” he grunted. “Damn it!” he shouted as he lifted her off, moving her slightly to the side as he sat up and hurriedly exited her warm canal. She watched as he grabbed his shaft, holding it tightly as he exploded into the air. He fell back on the rumpled beach towel, breathing deeply and harshly with his eyes closed. His chest rose up and down, slowing steadily while his heartbeat returned to a normal pace. Candy scooted back towards him, laying her head on his chest. Their sweat mingled together. Gabriel turned towards her and kissed her forehead.

“Candy,” he said breathlessly. “We really need to take care of this.”

“What do you mean? Take care of what?” she asked as she looked up at him.

“I can’t keep going on like this. I need to talk with HR about our seeing each other. I don’t want to keep you a secret anymore.” He rubbed his temple.

“Are you ready for that?” Candy asked, caressing his chest hair.

“I am, I’m not sure the company is though. How do you feel about it – about me wanting to tell?” He rubbed her shoulder.