Blae

Author's note: I apologize for the delay with submitting this chapter. I have been caught up in many writing projects that have required my attention. Thank you for your patience. Chapter nine will follow close behind, as well as chapter ten. Thank you for reading as always!

*****

"So what did Carl want?" I asked, spurred by curiosity and a lack of ideas. The silence between Blake and myself was killing me. We had spoken very little after our romp in the conference room on the plane. He just eyed Vance the remainder of the flight and it was unsettling.

We had landed in California and were in route to our hotel. Vance and Arthur were crowded towards the front of the limo, talking with the driver, while Blake and I were seated in the back. His arm was slung around my shoulders, possessively.

Blake looked surprised by my question choice, but proceeded to answer anyways.

"Apparently Desiree called him to complain about my punishment. So, he took it upon himself to go to the board members and demand I keep my job. He thinks he's some kind of hero and since he 'saved my ass', I should take it easy on Desiree. I told him I would meet up with him on Thursday next week and we would talk. I really have nothing to say to the man. He's a bigger asshole than Desiree, if you can believe that."

I could believe that. He seemed incredibly arrogant in the few minutes I spoke with him at the merger party.

"So, what are you going to do until then?" I asked. I was terrified of him being intimate with Desiree again. Given how things were going between us, I didn't want another derailment because of his commitment to their failing relationship.

"I'm not going to worry about it right now," he said, gazing down into my eyes. "I'm just going to enjoy my time with you this weekend."

He leaned in, giving me a gentle kiss and my heart fluttered. Oh, the things this man could do to me.

We soon pulled up to an exquisite hotel. The lobby was immaculate, decorated with gold chandeliers and beautiful paintings. A grand piano sat in the middle, untouched. One would only dream of staying in a place like this, but for me it was a reality. An incredibly surreal reality.

We didn't linger in the lobby for long and I soon found myself in a more lavish living space. It was a four-bedroom suite near the top of the hotel. The furnishings were a pristine white with silver adorned on the walls. The floor was marble tile, with a silver area rug in the living room. Off each corner of the space was a door, which I could only assume led to the bedrooms. I was awestruck.

"What? You don't think we stay in rundown, shady motels, do ya?" Vance jabbed, pulling me from my trance.

"Well, I sure as hell wasn't expecting this."

Across the room, I heard Arthur let out a light chuckle, amused by my bewilderment.

"Don't worry, Kaitlin. You'll get used to it."

He turned his attention to Blake.

"Blake, may I have a word with you?"

"Of course." Blake looked at me, hesitant to leave my side and alone with Vance. I gave him a reassuring smile and a quick kiss on the cheek. Then he followed Arthur into another room.

I sat down on one of the nearby couches and continued to admire the room while I waited. Vance slid over the back of the couch and landed with his back on the seat.

"So judging by the noise coming from the back of that flight, I'm going to assume that is a no?" he questioned, throwing a golf ball up in the air.

"What?" I asked, puzzled as he continued his personal game of catch.

"To the whole friends with benefits thing that I offered?"

"Yea, that's a no." God knows I wouldn't be able to take another sexual pounding from him.

He frowned, teasingly.

"Such a shame. There is really no downside to it."

"Well, if my definition of friends with benefits is accurate, you just want sex without feelings, right?"

"Yep. Feelings make things messy." Wasn't that the truth.

I reached over a caught the golf ball, gaining Vance's undivided attention.

"See? That's where you lose the sale. I want something with depth and feeling, not just to be someone's fuck toy."

"And that's what you get with Blake?" he asked propping himself onto his elbows.

"Yea."

Vance chuckled.

"Isn't it funny that your relationship with him started out with you being his fuck toy?"

"I guess," I responded, slight disheartened. I didn't like the reminder of how our relationship started. Even though it had grown from bad beginnings, the fact that he still was with someone else made me feel like a bit of a whore.

"I never intended on sleeping with him," I continued. "It just kinda happened."

"What? Did you trip and miraculously fell right on his dick and said 'Well, while I'm here...'." Vance started to move his hips slightly, like he was fucking the air. I couldn't help but laugh at his obscene gesture. It quickly pulled me from my funk.

"No, but I hear that's what happened with you and the copy girl."

"That's my story and I'm sticking to it."

We shared a laugh as Arthur and Blake rejoined us in the living room. Blake looked perplexed by our interaction, almost frightened. I knew he wasn't comfortable with me being around Vance, but he was almost borderline paranoid. I would have to speak with him, to put this feud to rest permanently.

Arthur walked behind the couch and stared down at Vance, who was still upside down on the couch.

"Didn't I raise you not to act like a jackass?" he asked, pushing Vance's legs, causing him to flip off the couch and onto the floor.

"But that's my redeeming quality," he responded with a smile as he stood up.

"There is nothing redeeming about you," Blake said snidely.

"Some would disagree," Vance retorted, giving me a sideways smile.

***

I awoke alone the next morning in my lavish bedroom. I wished Blake had spent the night with me, but he stayed up much later than I had. I assumed he retired to his own room for the night.

I pulled open the curtains, allowing the warm California sun to trickle in. It was already high in the sky. I looked over to the clock sitting on the night stand. It was already ten thirty in the morning. I began to panic about being late when the door opened.

"Good morning, beautiful," Blake said. He was learning in the doorway with his signature gorgeous smile. My breathing began to hasten at the mere sight of him. My heart was pounding as I looked upon him. He was dressed in worn denim jeans and a tight grey t-shirt allowing me to see every defined muscle. His ice blue eyes were mesmerizing and all I could do was stare at them, my mouth unable to form words.

I hadn't realized he had crossed the room until I felt his hands take hold of my face. He pulled me in, his lips gently caressing mine. My skin felt on fire as I melted into his arms, becoming weaker with each passing moment my lips were locked with his.

"You know, it's polite to acknowledge the greeting," he chuckled when he finally pulled away. He gazed into my eyes and my heart skipped a few beats.

"How do you do that to me?"

"What do you mean?" Blake asked, perplexed.

"Every time you touch me, kiss me, or look at me, everything else just stops. You make me feel like there is nothing else in the world, but us. I've never met a guy who can do that to me like you can."

Blake smiled and brushed his lips against mine. My breathing stopped as I waited for him to crush his lips to mine.

"Because you are the only thing that matters in my world."

I couldn't restrain myself as I pulled him in, kissing him with an uncontrollable hunger. My hands snaked up into his thick brown hair, pulling him in deeper. I pushed my tongue into his mouth, massaging mine against his. I felt him moan against me, savoring every moment.

Abruptly, Blake pulled away from me.

"Don't do that," he growled through gritted teeth. His eyes burned with desire, yet he was restraining his animalistic urges.

"Why?"

"Otherwise we will be in this room all day, fucking each other senseless."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," I teased, trying to pull him back into me.

"On any other day, it wouldn't be, but I have plans for us today and I want to keep to them." He pulled away and walked back to the door. "Get dressed and meet me in the dining room."

I hurried to my suitcase, my body still aching for Blake. I wanted him so badly this morning and it was obvious that he wanted me as well. So why was he restraining? What plans were so important?

My stomach was full of butterflies as I got dressed in similar casual attire of tight, light blue jeans and a green shirt. I braided my hair into a side braid and headed to meet Blake.

He was sitting at a small, dark oak dining table. The company file was opened next to him, which he was using as a distraction. The table was filled with breakfast foods that smelled delectable and my stomach growled in response.

I sat across from Blake, who made no notice of my presence. I pulled food onto my plate, waiting for him to break the silence. I pulled a piece of blueberry muffin and popped it into my mouth without him making a sound. I was halfway through my meal when I couldn't stand the silence anymore.

"So, what do you have planned for the day?"

"You'll see." He smiled, but didn't look up from what he was doing. I admired his dedication to his work; it was one of the numerous things that attracted me to him. Remembering that this was a business trip, I finally realized we were all alone.

"Where is everyone?"

"Arthur wanted to get to know the CEO of Xcel better, so they are out golfing this morning, followed by a business dinner later tonight. We have the day all to ourselves."

"Is Vance with him?"

Blake stopped and I could feel the temperature in the room plummet at the mere mention of his name. He still didn't look up at me.

"Yes."

"Why didn't Arthur take you?" The room grew colder.

"It's a father-son golfing trip." There was a pain in his voice he was trying to suppress and I knew I hit some exposed nerve. Me and my big fucking mouth.

I sat staring at what remained of my food, my appetite suddenly gone. I didn't like seeing Blake upset, especially when I was the cause.

Finally, I stood up and walked over to him. He had resumed his work and paid no mind to me as I approached him. I knelt beside him and pulled his face to look at me. The pain from his voice was replicated in his eyes.

"Blake, you have no reason to be jealous of Vance. He is only a friend to me and he will never be anything more. I made sure he was clear on that point last night. It's you I want, Blake. No one else."

I saw the pain recede, but didn't dissipate. He gave me a weak smile and bent down to kiss me. As his lips moved with mine, all the problems seemed to evaporate in an instant. There was nothing else I could possibly think of other than being his.

I didn't want him to pull away. I just wanted to stay locked in that embrace forever. He looked at me and smiled. I bit my lip in anticipation of what he might say or do.

"Come on. We have a full day planned," he said, taking me by the hand and leading me out into the sunlight.

***

I gazed into the mirror, assessing my appearance. The dress was a tight fit, yet still classy. It was a dark crimson that clung to every curve of my body and stopped just above my knees. The straps hung off my shoulders leaving a subtle amount of cleavage. This was the third dress I had tried on and I was still uncertain of what to choose for my date with Blake tonight. My nerves were frayed, making my decision almost impossible.

Blake had taken me to an upscale store a block away from our hotel. He gave me instructions to buy a swimsuit and a nice dress for dinner before departing, promising to return shortly. This would be my first real date with him since we hooked up at the Windmore Hotel a few weeks ago, so I was jittery as hell.

Much of our relationship could be characterized by our perfect sexual chemistry, which I had always thought was needed for a successful relationship. Yet, a fear was growing inside of me at the thought of tonight. What if all we had we sexual chemistry? What if after getting to know more about me he wouldn't want anything more to do with me? What if I wouldn't like the deeper him? A lump grew in my throat as my fear grew, threatening to choke me.

'Get a grip, Katie!' I told myself. 'Of course everything will be fine.' As much as I tried to calm myself, I was still doubtful about today.

"Hey, baby!"

Blake startled me, pulling me from my internal struggle. He was leaning over the top of the door, arms resting on under his chin. He had a sexy smirk on his gorgeous face as he appreciated me.

"You look gorgeous. Is that the dress you're getting?"

"Well, since you seem to like it so much, I guess I am." I smiled at him, trying to keep the concern from my face.

Blake gave me an adoring smile, and then left me to change. I met him near the register and placed my purchases on the counter. He wrapped his arms around my waist and kept his gaze on me, his eyes filled with desire. I couldn't help but blush. I had never had a man who wanted me as much as Blake, nor a man who was so public about it. My anxiety started to ease in his presence.

Blake slipped his credit card to the cashier before I could retrieve mine from his wallet.

"Blake, you don't-"

"Consider it a gift." He smiled as he grabbed my bags and my hand.

***

The waves lapped at my legs as I moved further into the ocean. Blake had me by the hand, leading me into the water. I wasn't a fantastic swimmer, so I was thankful that he had a firm grip of me, especially if he was going to continue to pull me out to sea.

Blake abruptly stopped. The water was at my waist, but I could still easily touch the ocean floor. He turned to me and took me in his arms, bending down so that his lips were grazing against mine. My heart fluttered as we melded together, enjoying each other. He hoisted me up, my legs wrapping around his waist. I relished the public display of affection, showing the world that he was mine and I was his.

He pulled away from our kiss, putting his forehead against mine.

"Can you swim?" he asked.

"A little." I teased, brushing my nose against his.

His face lit up with a mischievous smile and the next thing I knew I was airborne, flying out into the open ocean. I felt myself hit the water and begin to sink into its depths. When I felt the ocean floor, I launched myself up to the surface, sputtering out salt water and attempting to clear my eyes.

I looked over to Blake who was laughing hysterically at his trick. I couldn't let him get away unpunished, so I jumped, knocking unsuspecting Blake into the water. I pushed him down beneath the surface in a desperate attempt to keep my head above the water. When Blake resurfaced, the roles were reversed and I was the one laughing at his misfortune.

I was prepared for his retaliation and did my best to prevent myself from being re-submerged. We wrestled in the water, each trying to dunk the other. Blake often got the upper hand on me because of his strength, but I wouldn't go down without a fight. A few times I was able to take advantage of Blake in a vulnerable position, like when his foot slipped, and was easily able to get him underwater.

I enjoyed seeing this fun, easy going side of Blake. I was familiar with the business side and the sexy side, but this side of him was entirely new. I hadn't enjoyed myself with someone I had desired a relationship with in a long time. The thought crossed my mind that maybe this was how things were going to be in the future, when we could officially declare ourselves in a relationship; when we no longer had to hide our feelings and desire for each other.

Eventually, we made our way back to the shore, soaked and winded. Blake put his arm around me and pulled me tightly against him as we walked to our spot on the beach. He had laid out a large beach blanket and set up a shady umbrella. Beneath that was a large cooler full of drinks and sandwiches, as well as a basket full of various snacks. It was a simple date, but a perfect one.

I plopped myself onto the blanket and donned my sunglasses. Blake handed me an icy cool bottle of water before grabbing the keys to our rental car.

"I forgot my phone. I'll be right back, sweetheart." He kissed me gently before running off.

As I watched him depart, I felt a new found sense of excitement about spending the afternoon with him in an intimate setting and so publicly on display. All the negative things that Vance had mentioned about my relationship with Blake the day before were disappearing. I bit my lip in anticipation of his return.

"Hey baby," a gruff voice said from behind me. I turned to see a tall, obscenely buff man in a tight speedo. His hair was thick and black and hung just over his eyes. It was not only wet from the water, but also greasy. He had a crooked smile as he eyed me up and down

"What is a pretty thing like you doing all alone?"

"I'm not alone," I responded, making no effort to hide my annoyance. "I'm waiting for my boyfriend."

He sat down next to me. He wreaked of alcohol, bad cologne, and salt water. He was as unpleasant to smell as he was to talk to.

"Well, allow me to keep you company until he gets back."

"I don't think so," I said, looking back in the direction Blake had just departed. Every second he was gone was agonizing, more so with this man sitting next to me. I hoped the man would get the hint that I wanted nothing to do with him, but something told me he wouldn't.

"Oh come on, baby. I'm not that bad, once you get to know me."

He lifted his hand to brush a wet, loose strand of hair from my face. I caught his wrist.

"Don't touch me," I threatened through gritted teeth.

"You're a feisty one, aren't you? I like that in a woman." He brought his face inches from mine, his breath creeping across my skin. I pulled my free hand around to strike him, but he caught it and tried to push himself closer to me. I tried to pull away, but he was too strong.

A moment later, the man's face contorted as a fist made contact with it. He was surprised by the impact, causing him to fall back and release me. I scurried away from him before looking up to see my rescuer.

It was Blake. Rage filled his eyes as he looked down at the stranger, who was trying to compose himself. When he finally recovered, he jumped to his feet, ready to defend himself.

"Who the fuck are you?" the man asked, still slightly disoriented.

"When my girlfriend says she's taken, that should be a clue for you to back the hell off." Hearing Blake call me his girlfriend made my heart race a little.

The stranger charged towards Blake, taking a wild swing. I held my breath in fear, but it was unnecessary. Blake dodged out of the way, connecting a punch to the man's stomach. He fell to the ground, grabbing his abdomen. Soon, two smaller men scrambled over to him, trying to help him up. He was tossing and groaning on the ground.

"Tell your friend if he comes over here and bothers my girl again, I'll sue him for sexual harassment. Now get him the fuck out of here."

The two men nodded, knowing full well that Blake meant business and carried their friend off.

Blake turned to me, kneeling down to meet my gaze.

"Are you okay?" He asked, all rage and anger gone. The only visible emotion was concern.

"Of course." I took his hand in mine, examining it to make sure nothing was damaged. He appeared to be fine.

A smile immediately spread across his face. He grabbed my face and kissed me passionately, as though we had been separated for years, rather than a few minutes. My heart danced beneath his affection. I felt like I truly belonged to him when our lips met. Nothing in the world could separate us. This was a man who was willing to fight to protect me, to have me. No other man I had ever been with made me feel so valued, so cared for. No man had ever wanted me or wanted to keep me safe. For the first time in my life, I felt like I truly mattered to someone.