It's Got A Ring To It (25 page)

“What are you doing with my bag? How did you
—
when did you?” We’d been going strong,
but not quite to the point of exchanging keys or giving each other a drawer,
yet. “What’s going on
,
Myles?”

“I’m trying to surprise you, if you’ll let me.”
His
eyes still steamy with lust.
That small grin crept back into the corners
of his mouth.

That was all it took. I was putty in his able hands. “Can you at
least tell me how you got into my place to get my things?”

He cut me a
side-glance
and stared for a few seconds before returning his eyes to the road. He was contemplating
whether
to tell me
, I knew him well enough.
After a moment, he must not have found any way for me to compromise his
surprise. “Lena is my accomplice.”

I made a mental note to yell at Lena and confiscate my key.
Strangely, the thought of him seeing my messy house bothered
me
more than
the possibility that he might have been digging in my underwear drawer. Lena
would get it later, but it was comforting to know she was there with him.

Instead of arguing with him, I decided to kick my heels up and ride
the wave. The sun had already come and gone, leaving strokes of orange and
purple painted in the sky. Silver speckled stars hung in the distance as we
cruised through the desert into the mountains. My intentions were to stay up
and keep him company, but the f
a
rther
we drove, the lower my seat reclined. The day had wreaked havoc on my tightened
muscles and achy bones. Laboriously, I shimmied out of the stiff tailored black
blazer and slid out of my pumps. My toes tirelessly squirmed in the carpet and
my head fell back. As soon as the night breeze kissed my cheeks, that was the
end of the
ill-fated
attempt to keep my eyes open.
“You don’t mind if I relax for few, until we get to wherever we’re going, do
you?” I asked under closed lids.

“Nope. Relax for a little while and leave the rest to me.”

By the
time I awoke, the sun beamed again. Groggy and cramped, I managed to contort my
limbs every which way for a vigorous stretch. Outside, the view had changed.
Gone were the palm trees and neon lights of the arid desert. In
their
place,
r
ed-breasted sapsucker,
American
o
aks,
p
ine siskin, and
e
vergreens. Cracking the
window, a brisk mixture of moisture
,
and the spicy aroma of the
e
vergreens in the distance
,
hit
my senses
. Even from the winding road we
were on, the sight of their grayish brown bark and lustrous leaves made me want
to inhale the freshness.

Quickly, I
twisted in my seat to look through the rearview
mirror. Amid the embrace of cotton-like clouds, the Golden Gate Bridge peeked
through at me with a smile from afar. I knew this place. We were passing
through Marin. California? “Myles, how long have I been sleep?”

“
Um. About nine and a half hours.”

“
I’m sorry. You must be so tired. Want me to take
over?”

“
But you don’t know where we’re going
,
”
he
teased. “It’s ok
ay
. I stopped for a while to
catch a few winks. I’m al
l
right
now.”

“
Why didn’t you wake me?”

“
You looked so peaceful. I couldn’t.” As he lifted
his hand to follow the curves of my face, I leaned into it. It was nice being
so sweet with each other.

“
Any way you’d consider giving me a hint?” I
pleaded
, b
atting my
eyes.

“
Uh. Let’s see. You have to take the 101 highway to
get there,” he stated just as we passed the sign.

“
Aw. You’re no fun, Myles.” Turning back toward the
window, I let the wind wash over me. Myles slid his hand in mine. And with a
gentle squeeze, I held on to all the promise that hung in such a small gesture.

“We’re here
.
” I heard him say as my
eyes fluttered open for the second time as we turned on Silverado Trail. Along
the Napa River, nestled amid sweeping verdurous terrain, was an idyllic
countryside estate. The vision leapt off the page. It was the
i
nn from the
t
ravel
magazine that Myles and I looked at together. While he humbly shared his
featured photo, the adjacent page displayed this picturesque getaway. We
scanned the magazine from cover
-
to
-
cover
,
found our way back to the page
,
and dog-eared it. In
between tangents in the conversation, we agreed that Milliken Creek Inn was a
place we’d like to visit one day. I just didn’t know he meant that we’d go
together
—
on a surprising whim, at that!

It
was better than the pictures.
Charming
brick and wood lodging.
Grounds spanning acres of
luscious garden landscapes.
A harmonious combination
of relaxation, luxury, romance, and comfort at its best.
The air back
home was stifling compared to the crisp air at the
i
nn. It had the luxuries of a hotel, but the
atmosphere exuded the warmth of a dream home. Many times, I’d envisioned myself
held up in a quaint bed and breakfast, savoring the robust flavor of an aged
merlot or cabernet. It was not small by any means, but it’s just far enough off
the path to make it feel secluded, like our own secret sanctuary.

As Myles check
ed us in, I wandered about the property,
exploring, taking it all in.
Great lawns lining the river.
Balconies overlooking vistas of never-ending vineyards.
A lady
,
beneath plush linens, being massaged.
What possible stress could she
have here? Off in a charming nook, a couple partook in a romantic picnic. I
couldn’t tell whether they had been together for a few days or a few decades.
From their eyes and body language, neither time nor distance could stand
between them. They were discovering and rediscovering each other without the
din of life and its trials and tribulations blaring in the background.

From behind, the
sound of grass folding under feet
neared.
I didn’t look back. His virile frame brushed against my back. Myles enveloped
me in his embrace. Instinctively my eyes closed. I was in the arms of the man I
loved am
ong
the most
idyllic backdrop I’d ever seen.

“
Are you happy?” Myles whispered
.
H
is lips
were
so close to my ear, the warmth sent a
flash through me as they grazed my lobe. I wanted him to kiss me here. In this
place that felt more like a figment of my imagination than reality.

Yes,
I thought to myself. But, such a small word
wouldn’t suffice. Myles had given me a little piece of myself back and
continued to build me up. It wasn’t that I was just feeling happy. I
was
happy.
To the
core.
On some level, I’d come to terms with the constancy of self-doubt.
Though, every day with Myles made it less so. I hadn’t yet figured out how to
convey it. All I could say, “I’m with you.”

“
You’ve been with me since the day you stepped foot
in my world.” The words were heavy. Whether they
were
real or not, I didn’t know. But,
wholeheartedly, my mind needed to believe them. So badly, I wanted to tell him
the secrets of my heart. Why it had been so hard for me to let go. What he
meant to me. How I couldn’t imagine a life without him any longer. When he
turned me around to face him, there was no escape. Should I? What would he say?

As my lips part
ed, only a stilted gasp came out as his lips met
mine. A kaleidoscope of fireworks went off between us as our mouths
intertwined. Tasting the sweetness of his confectionary kiss. Inhaling the
fresh scent of soap and lemons. I took him in. Every inch of him as his hands
gently caressed either side of my face. This was where I belonged.
With him.
Suddenly, it
was
what its all cracked up to be. Reciprocity.
Rainbows and butterflies.
Daydreams about
princess dresses, honeymoons, and diamond rings.

When he finally
release
d me, I refused to open my
eyes for fear that I might awaken from his spell. The only thing that mattered
was still there. Myles.
Still with me, with a wicked smile
behind those hungry eyes.
“
Laila
, can I make
love to you tonight?” We had been at this point before, though it never came
with a question or “love” attached. Still, something about this place and this
version of us felt right.
Just the two of us.
No
apprehension or preconceived notions.
Just a woman, a
dangerously handsome man, and our hearts on our sleeves.
Again, I wanted
to give him the simple answer, but his word choice lingered.

“
Do you, Myles?”

“
Do I what?” he questioned. Not quite following me.

“
Myles
…
,”
I hesitated, wondering whether I really wanted to know the answer.
Whether I’d be okay with either answer. “Do you
…
love me?” Erratically, my heart beat and my
skin throbbed as I held my breath for his response. If he said no, would I be
al
l
right? Had I built
a strong enough wall around my heart? Would it be Ethan all over again?

Interrupting my mind
going haywire, he
spoke without
pause, “I do.” And I knew in that moment, I wouldn’t have been the same, given
any other answer.
Maybe not ever again.
Myles wasn’t
Ethan. I wouldn’t recover from that fall.

The world around us fell
silent, and I knew what he wanted to hear in return. Still, I said nothing.
Back and forth, I juggled with responses as my throat closed and my watering
eyes threatened to spill. I swallowed hard, trying to think of something less
clich
é
than “I love you, too.” If only, he would have kissed me so deeply, I didn’t
have to think.

“Mr. Donovan, your bags
have been taken to your room, and the limo for the wine tour will be here at
noon.” He glared in my direction before turning his attention to the guest
attendant. That look drained me. It wasn’t anger or rage, but disappointment
that had colored his face. When the attendant left, he didn’t return his
attention to me.

“
Myles?” I reached for his forearm, but he set off
on a brisk stride toward the inn. Sheepish, I trailed behind him with my eyes
fixed on the ground. Once inside, he finalized our check-in and we weaved
through the tree-skirted corridors and wound our way on the cobblestone path
toward our room. I opened my mouth to finish where we left off, but a
quarreling couple followed on our heels. The petite woman nipped and nagged at
the man on the other side of her insults and accusations, while he dragged his
ego behind, red with embarrassment. Loudly, she filled us in on his indiscretion.
She’d caught him ogling a leggy brunette in a green dress, on this trip that
was meant to reignite the spark in their relationship. It felt like we had
intruded on their private matters. As awkward as the situation was, my eyes
darted pass the fidgeting man with the pleading eyes, toward Myles. As the
couple approached, he hung off to the side to let them pass, giving the man a
sympathetic shrug along the way. No sooner had they made it by, Myles continued
toward our room where the bellman stood awaiting our arrival. Quickly, I
glanced down at the hands on my watch. Eleven thirty. There was still time.

Momentarily, I was
sidetracked. From the outside of the inn with the picturesque vistas and
verdant landscape, I knew it would be gorgeous, but I halfway expected to see
the homey shabby chic floral explosion of the everyday B&B. But this was so
much more. Walls the color of sand, flickering candles, flowing white sheers
billowing in the wind from the terrace, and a formidable king
-
size
d
bed with a down comforter am
ong
a cloud of pillows,
doused with rose petals at the center. A romantic gesture
,
I knew
Myles made with warm-hearted intentions. Behind the headboard, a stand-alone
wall flanked with entrances on either side, separated the bathroom, where an
inviting garden tub centered the room. I wandered through the room, momentarily
exploring with rose-colored glasses.

“
Myles
.
”
H
is name fell
from
my tongue languidly and immediately my
heart hollowed. He’d planned this beautiful getaway and I couldn’t even conjure
up the words to reciprocate his love and generosity.

“
We better hurry,” he demurred roughly, missing my
outstretched hand as he staid his course for the bathroom.

Listlessly, I
searched through my tote for a change of clothes.
He needed some space to cool down and I was still trying to wrap my mind around
the wedge that divided us. The guest attendant had mentioned a wine tour.
Hopefully, it wasn’t a black
-
tie
affair. Who even knew what he and Lena had picked out for
me.
I lifted the tote onto the bed. There were a few pairs of shorts,
T
-shirts, and two dresses
with sandals, pink
Keds
,
and
a
small toiletry bag. It wasn’t much, but I
could make due.
Wine-tasting
could be casual or
semiformal, but it was a date night, so I opted for the less revealing black
halter dress with the
A-line
hem that fell just above my knees. I laid it out on the bed and awkwardly
rounded the corner of the partition between the bedroom and bathroom. Our eyes
met in the mirror and for what seemed like eternity, I felt the pangs of loss.
I still hadn’t answered him. He needed to know that I loved him. Myles broke
the link and exited from the other side of the partition. Tonight, I would tell
him. There would be wine and all the romance of a starlit sky blanketing the
countryside backdrop.