SmokeandMirrors Read online

  But that didn’t mean she liked being played like a member of his audience, being persuaded that what she saw and knew to be false was actually real. Distracting her with clever words and even cleverer hands.

  She shut off the water, dried off quickly and wound a towel around her hair. Dammit, she knew better than that. She couldn’t let him play her that way. She was going to have it out with him right now.

  She stalked into the bedroom, anxious to give him a piece of her mind before she lost her really good mad. She wasn’t going to let him manipulate her life like this.

  But when she opened the top drawer of the dresser, her breath caught in her throat as she pulled out the soft pink cotton nightshirt. She gathered it up in her hands and fought the stupid tears that sprang to her eyes unexpectedly. Her mad dissolved with the tears.

  So he remembered she liked to sleep in plain cotton. Remembered that fancy silk and satin nightgowns drove her crazy as they slipped against her skin. It didn’t make any difference. So he remembered she liked cotton. And the scarves. And the cage.

  Her pussy clenched as she imagined seeing the cage again. Stepping into the cage. Being locked in the cage.

  No. She tore the towel off her head and slipped the nightgown on. She couldn’t allow herself to be distracted. She picked up a wide-tooth comb from the top of the dresser and yanked it through her hair. She refused to be tempted by the promise of the cage. The promise of Alex in her life again.

  She learned long ago that she couldn’t trust his promises. She strode to the door, remembering why she wanted to give him a piece of her mind. But as she paused with her hand on the doorknob, she kept remembering all the things he’d said to her tonight.

  Dammit. She wanted to believe. Just like all the people in the audience wanted to believe in magic, Gaby wanted to believe too. Did that make her foolish? Naïve?

  Or did it simply make her hopeful?

  She dropped her hand to her side. Her grandmother used to tell her if she had a decision to make, sleep on it.

  Gaby yawned. Sounded like good advice.

  * * * * *

  She awoke from dreams of smoke and mirrors and scarves and cages to the sound of rattling dishes and a muffled curse. She opened one eye to see Foster setting a tray on the table beside the bed.

  “Please forgive me, Ms. Winslow. I didn’t mean to wake you. Simply to have breakfast waiting for you when you awoke.”

  “That’s all right.” She stretched beneath the sheets and tried to shake away the lingering images of smoke winding around her, binding her like scarves.

  Foster poured coffee from a carafe into a large black mug. The aroma was heavenly. Gaby sat up with a sigh and he handed her the mug. She leaned back against the padded headboard and took a sip. Mmm, French vanilla. “Is Alex up?”

  “I doubt he slept at all, if you want the truth.” Foster placed a huge muffin and a bowl of strawberries on a tray and settled it on her lap. “He’s in the practice room. He said to tell you to meet him there when you’re ready.”

  Gaby’s stomach fluttered and her hands trembled slightly as she broke open the warm muffin. The scent of banana made her mouth water. “Where’s the practice room?”

  “The room at the end of the hallway is Alexander’s room. If you take a left, down another short hall, it will take you there.”

  “Thank you.”

  He nodded and left her alone.

  Gaby forced herself to eat slowly. Her stomach was so full of nervous tension, there was hardly room for the food. But she chewed slowly and sipped coffee and refused to rush to Alex.

  When she’d finished every crumb, every berry and every drop of French vanilla coffee, she made the bed and cleaned up. She found a black leotard as promised and pulled it on. The first time in ten years. She was glad she’d kept in shape. This garment didn’t hide a single sin. She left her feet bare, no need for stiletto heels today.

  She pulled her hair back into a ponytail and decided against putting on any makeup, even though she found her favorite brand in the bathroom cabinet.

  She wasn’t here to impress Alex or seduce him. She’d had the awesome sex she promised herself last night. But the practice room. The things that room most likely held had cast a spell over her that had lingered all these years. She couldn’t resist. Not any longer.

  She stepped out into the hallway, drawn like a moth to a flame. When she caught the drift of his scent outside the next door, her heart sped up and a rush of joy burst through her. She’d thought it was the idea of the toys in the practice room that drew her. The bondage. The cage. But she couldn’t fool herself anymore.

  It was Alex.

  Oh God, what was she going to do?

  She rushed down the hall and found the door ajar to the practice room. There was a faint hint of smoke in the air. She pushed the door open and stepped into a room of mirrors. White pillar candles sat on the floor, ringing the room. The flames reflected in the mirror were multiplied as they leapt and flickered, until it looked like thousands of candles, thousands of flames.

  “Good morning.” Alex’s voice was deep and low.

  Gaby tore her eyes away from the mesmerizing flames. Alex stood in the center of the room. His feet were bare too. So was his chest. A pair of black pants showed off his strong thigh muscles and obvious erection.

  She found herself staring at the outline of his thick cock. The bulges and ridges were every bit as intriguing as the fire.

  “Close the door and come here.”

  She shut the door and noticed it was covered with mirrors also. She felt a little disoriented as she crossed the warm wood floor. “I feel like I’m in a fun house at a carnival.”

  He shrugged. He smelled good enough to lick. “I can view the illusions from any angle this way.”

  “Doesn’t it get distracting?”

  “You’re distracting.”

  She laughed and paused just out of reach. “Imagine, something distracting the Great Alexander Black.”

  “I’m just a man, Gabriella.” He took a step closer just as she did the same. His gaze burned as it ran over her, as hot as the flames at their feet. “Ah, this takes me back,” he murmured. “Back to when we practiced for hours to get an illusion just right.”

  She walked around a sword box that sat to one side and rubbed her hand along the smooth surface. It was flashier than the one they used to use. She tried to ignore the handcuffs that sat on top. “Why haven’t you taken another assistant? You’ve limited yourself by doing mostly solo tricks.”

  He shrugged. “I’ve hired an assistant from time to time.”

  Did he sleep with them too? She didn’t want to know. It was her fault that jealousy twisted in her stomach. “But they mostly walked around and looked pretty. They might have distracted the audience, but they didn’t become part of your act. You built your career as a solo illusionist.”

  He lifted his brows. “You kept up on my career?” He pulled her into his arms but held back far enough to look her in the face. “Do you miss it?”

  “Miss it?” Planning the intricacies of the illusions. Practicing for hours until they were exhausted. The high of performing in front of an audience. The thrill of the applause. Working closely with Alex day and night. Being a part of what he was doing. What he was creating. “Yes. Yes, I’ve missed it.”

  “I knew it. You were born for the stage, Gabriella. Not the boardroom.” He planted a quick kiss on her lips and pulled her closer. “What would you like to see first? Would you like to try the box? The cuffs? The cage?”

  She wanted to try it all, but now that she was in his arms, she didn’t want to step away. “What did you call me last night? A cat?” She rubbed against him as she remembered doing before. Her breasts swelled as they brushed against his sculpted chest. Alex splayed out his hands, sweeping his palms over her body. Elegantly. Sensuously.

  Goose bumps danced along her skin. Resting her hands on his hips, her fingers tingled where they met his hot, bare skin. She
bent her knees and swayed her way down his body. Every inch of him seared her as her breasts touched him here and her hips rubbed him there. Every bump and bulge made an impression on her yearning body. Every hard muscle made her want to cry out in joy.

  When her face met his crotch, she rubbed her cheek briefly against his rigid cock before she began to rise back up his body.

  Alex groaned and grasped her shoulders. As she straightened, she raised her right leg, brushing it against his thigh until her knee was even with his hip. He caught her leg behind the knee and dropped his head back at exactly the same time she did.

  Gaby could hear the crescendo in her head, the music to which they did this erotic dance every night on the stage. Then they brought their heads back up and she grasped the back of his head and pulled his mouth to hers.

  Eight beats. That’s how long the sizzling kiss lasted. They decided that four beats was too short for effect. Twelve made the audience a little antsy, although from time to time it may have lasted that long if they happened to get carried away.

  But at exactly eight beats, she broke off the kiss and he dropped her leg. As if it were yesterday, she began to wind around his body as soon as her foot touched the floor. She did, indeed, feel like a cat.

  One arm led the way as she stretched out her body to circle behind him, rubbing her hips across his buttocks. The fingers of her lead hand speared his hair, her trailing hand brushed against his cock. She wound around him and, in only a few seconds, she was face-to-face with him again. Her hands were outstretched, her breasts brushing his chest, her stomach pressed into the bulge in his pants.

  Had her breath always come this quickly? Had her heart always raced like it did now? She took consolation in the fact that Alex was gasping for breath as well and he hadn’t even moved from his spot.

  Depending on which illusion they had planned next, Alex usually grasped her wrists and held her arms up over her head with one hand while he bound them with the other. But today he simply caught her face gently with his hands.

  “Eight beats isn’t enough,” he whispered and captured her lips with his.

  She opened under his insistent tongue and welcomed him in. Now that she’d had a taste of Alex again, how could she live without it? Without him? She sucked on his tongue, drinking him in. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close. No, she’d never have enough of him. Not if she had him for the rest of her life.

  So did she push him away before it was too late or spend the rest of her life making up for lost time?

  “I’ve missed this,” she said when the kiss ended. “Missed you.”

  Was that a sigh of relief? “You were such a big part of my plans,” Alex said. “I never intended to do it without you.” He caressed the back of her head, stroking her hair. “Look at us, Gabriella.”

  She turned her head, rested it on his chest and studied their reflection. They were everywhere, dozens of tall, lean bodies, skin glistening in the candlelight. They almost looked like part of the same body, the same person.

  “We belong together,” he murmured. “Can you see it? Can you feel it?” He sighed. “Can you forgive me? For being young and stupid? For letting ten years get between us?”

  “Alex…”

  “I know I don’t deserve it. But I’m here now. And I swear I did it all for you. I love you, Gabriella, please believe me. I always have and I always will.”

  Tears streamed down her cheeks. Could she forgive him? Could she love him again? Or would it be the biggest mistake of her life?

  * * * * *

  Alex held his breath as he waited for Gabriella’s reply. This whole weekend hinged on whether he won her back. All the work, all the plans, all the deception, had led up to this moment. Hell, the rest of his life depended upon her answer.

  Gabriella took a deep breath. He felt her breasts crush against his chest. She caught his eye in the mirror and smiled. “I never stopped loving you. I wanted to. Believe me, I wanted to. But I couldn’t.”

  His breath came out on a rush of relief. He picked her up in his arms and swung her around the room. It scared him to think how afraid he’d been that she would tell him to go to hell.

  She still loved him! Nothing could beat that. Not mastering an illusion that had never been done before. Not any of the success he’d built up over the years. Not the theater he’d be opening soon. He set her back down and crushed his lips to hers.

  After a moment, she pulled away. “Why now, Alex?”

  “What?” He was still so swept away with relief, he didn’t understand at first what she was asking him.

  “Why did you come for me now? Why not five years ago? Why not five years from now?”

  How to explain. “I was young and foolish enough to think it wouldn’t take this long. Unfortunately, there’s no such thing as overnight success. I worked my ass off. I traveled all over the damned country for years until I could afford to build my theater. I can finally settle down. That’s why I came for you now.”

  That wasn’t the only reason though, and it ate at him that he hadn’t been completely honest with her. He had to make it right.

  “While I can’t hope that you’d want to perform with me again,” he went on, “I’m hoping you’d consider a future with me.”

  A wide smile lit up her face. “You’d want me onstage with you again?”

  “I know you have a career you love. I’m hoping there may be a way you could do some of your work here, by computer perhaps.” God, this putting his heart on the line wasn’t easy. “Maybe you could live here with me and travel to L.A. once a week or so.”

  “Wait a minute.” She cupped his face with her soft hands. “Are you saying after building your success with your solo career, you want me to be your assistant again?”

  He turned his face so that he could kiss her palm. “Why do you think I bought that?” he asked, pointing to the sword box. He picked up the handcuffs that lay on top. He turned to look at her and his breath caught in his throat. The love of his life stood there, reflected in the mirrors, her hair aglow from the candlelight.

  But the glint in her eyes when he held up the metal cuffs had nothing to do with the flickering flames. “New cuffs. Just for you.”

  Without a word, she held out her wrists. Joy rushed through him. Desire swept across his skin. His hands itched to run over her body and bind her to him once again.

  “In a minute,” he said, his voice already rough. “I have something else for you.” He strode over to the end of the room and opened the mirror-covered doors to the storage room. “This is for you.” He grabbed onto a metal bar and rolled the cage into the room.

  She gasped. His cock jerked. He could smell her arousal in the air. See it in her eyes. Hear it in her shaky breath as she exhaled.

  “Gabriella.” He closed the space between them in an instant and gathered her into his arms. He caught her mouth in a hot, hungry kiss and pressed his hard cock into her hips. It was so tempting to yank that leotard down and plunge into her wet heat. She straddled his thigh and ground her pussy against him. Yeah. She was hot and hungry too.

  But conscience struck him like a kick to the head. He had to settle things with her father and then he was going to come clean before they made love again. It was time to tell her the truth. Why he’d stayed away for ten years. Why he’d abducted her now.

  If they were ever going to build a life together, he had to tell her what really happened.

  He wasn’t used to feeling out of control and he hated it now. To hell with it! He’d had enough of this fooling around. He was going to call Winslow and get his answer. Then he was going to tell Gabriella everything, no matter what Winslow decided. Alex had no right to demand an answer from her when she didn’t know the whole story.

  Alex ran his hand down her arm, from her shoulder to her hand. When he could wrap his fingers around her delicate wrist, he clasped the handcuff around it. Then he slid his other hand along her throat and across her chest, until he cupped her breas
ts and squeezed the firm flesh.

  “Into the cage.”

  She obeyed immediately, stepping into the cage and turning to face him. The cuffs dangled from one wrist. What an incredible sight she made.

  “Beautiful.” He came up to the cage. “Give me your hand.”

  She stuck the hand with the cuffs through the bars of the cage. “Good,” he said. He kissed the tips of her fingers and then grabbed the dangling cuff. He reached into the cage and took her other wrist, pulling it out through the next set of bars. He kissed the fingers of that hand as well before clicking the cuff around her wrist. “These are a new style cuff. The release mechanism is different than what you’re used to.”

  “I can get out of them.”

  “I’ve no doubt.” He reached in and slid his hand between her legs. So hot. And wet. She moaned and rubbed herself against him. He withdrew his hand and stepped away. His cock throbbed in his pants. He shut the door of the cage but didn’t bother to lock it. The cuffs would hold her. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.” She groaned and he smiled. “Think about me while I’m gone.”

  He turned and hurried from the room. The sooner he got the damn phone call out of the way, the sooner he’d have Gabriella.

  * * * * *

  Gaby was so aroused she could hardly get her brain to work, but Alex had issued a challenge and she was determined to figure out how to escape from these handcuffs. As she poked and prodded and twisted, a million thoughts flew through her brain.

  She’d never thought she’d ever go on the stage again, but now her mind whirled with the possibility. She imagined practicing again with Alex. Performing with him. Her spirits soared even as her body yearned for his touch. They’d be together again, just like they were before. Living together. Working together. Loving together.

  When a sudden twist of her wrist snapped one of the cuffs open, Gaby shouted out with triumph. She still had it! After a couple more quick twists of her other wrist, she released the second cuff and jumped out of the cage. She’d surprise Alex. He wouldn’t expect her to have figured it out so quickly. Maybe she’d cuff him for a change. Show him they would be equal partners in this new venture.