Ace-High Flush (14 page)

"Ah, chica. Do not be so sad."

She turned away a bit, and the first thing she saw was Ace standing on the other side of the patio, practically nose-to-nose with Dahlia Drake. The other woman laughed at something Ace said, and Gabby's temper rose. She watched Ace caress Dahlia's face, exactly like he used to caress hers.

Well, if he was moving on, so could she. And here she had one big hunky guy to play with. What could be better?

"I'm not sad. Those are tears of happiness."

He was taken aback for a moment. "They are?"

She nodded and placed a hand on his wide chest. The fabric of his tuxedo was rich and smooth under her fingers. "I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong impression. There's no one else."

Ace was running his fingers up and down Dahlia's bare arm and they were back nose-to-nose. Gabby thought the top of her head might explode, she was so mad.

She threw back her head and laughed, and was rewarded with Ace and Dahlia's attention. Carlos, on the other hand, looked at her like she'd lost her mind. In a way, she had.

"Are you alright, chica?"

She nodded and forced a big smile. "Fine and dandy. I can't tell you how
excited
I am meeting you."

Carlos smiled, and turned his head, following her gaze. Chuckling, he took her chin between finger and thumb. "You could have simply told me what you wanted, little one. I am an actor; I can play my part."

"What?" She pulled her eyes back to him and realized what he'd said. "I...uh..."

His head dipped and he came close enough for her to smell his fresh breath. "I demand a kiss as payment for the role."

She couldn't see Ace anymore, Carlos was too close, but she sure hoped the stubborn Texan was getting an eyeful. Gabby puckered up and closed her eyes.

"That's about enough," came Ace's voice from three feet away. "Touch her and you'll have me to answer to."

Carlos backed up, putting both hands in the air. "I surrender." His smile was anything but repentant.

Gabby couldn't quite tell whether she was happy or angry. Maybe she was both. "Ace! What do you think you're doing?"

"Somethin' I should have done sooner." He took her by the arm and walked her toward the patio doors. When they got there, he turned back and nodded at Dahlia. The woman smiled back. Gabby could have cheerfully torn the actress' hair out.

"Stop it! You can't manhandle me like this!"

"I am hankerin' for your company."

She tried to pull away. There was glory in being marked as belonging to Ace, but even though she wanted him and wanted to be his, she didn't much like the embarrassment of being dragged through the party. "Stop. I'll go along. You don't have to drag me."

He paused and stared back at her. "That would be mighty smart, li'l girl. 'Cause whether you like it or not, you're comin' with me."

She smoothed the fabric of her dress down and put on her dignity. "Fine. Whatever." He took her hand and led her forward. "Where are we going?"

"Back to my hotel."

Gabby would have pumped her fist if she thought she could get away with it. "Why?"

"'Cause I want to." He stopped and gave her a smoldering look. "You have any objections?"

She could have melted under that gaze. "No."

* * *

It took a few minutes for the Bentley to be brought up. Ace felt a little guilty about not saying goodbye to their host. Some things were more important than the formalities, though.

He helped Gabby into the car and slid in beside her.

"Back to the hotel, Lee."

The chauffeur nodded. "Yes, sir."

They rode in silence for a few minutes. Ace tried to get his temper under control. Seeing her with that actor had chapped his ass but good.

"I don't know what you were thinkin', li'l girl. That man wasn't right for you."

"Oh, and I suppose you're going to tell me who's right and not right?"

He nodded. "Yup."

"Carlos is a pleasant man."

"
Carlos
is too old for you."

She snorted. "He's not much older than you, Ace."

He shot her a dirty look. It was true, but he didn't want to hear it. "Alright. He's too cynical and jaded."

She settled back in the buttery leather. "I'm exhausted with trying to figure it all out."

Ace reached for her hand, then stopped. "It pissed me off to see you with him, li'l girl. Pissed me off big time."

Gabby's look said
don't stop talking
.

"I don't like to think of you with another man."

She seemed to think about that for a minute. "You were with Dahlia. I didn't think you cared."

"So you decided to cat around?"

"All this sweet talking is sure to make me feel better."

He pulled his hat off and ran his fingers through his hair. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that."

"Glad to hear someone else say they're sorry for once," she muttered.

"I'm also sorry for sendin' you away yesterday. We should have talked more."

"What more was there to say? I screwed up,
again
, you'd had enough."

"Is that the way you want it?"

Her hair bobbed on her shoulders as she shook her head. "No."

He wasn't sure a woman so young could know what she wanted, but she was a strong woman in many ways. "Is that why you sent me that scotch?"

"Scotch?"

"Yeah, that 30-year-old stuff."

"I didn't send you anything. I barely had enough money to get home on the train yesterday. And I could ask you the same question. Why'd you send me all those yellow roses?"

He hadn't opened the liquor bottle, but he was suddenly suspicious about its provenance. "Jonny Chow."

"Huh?"

"I didn't send you any roses. I'll bet both gifts came from Jonny Chow."

She sat up straighter. "You think so?"

Ace nodded. It fit. "Yeah."

"Why would he do that?"

"Why would he make an effort to throw Dahlia at me and Carlos at you?" It was all falling into place. The billionaire was a matchmaker.

"Gosh. You really think so?"

"Yeah, I do." He lowered the glass between them and the driver. "Sorry, Lee. Take us back to the party."

"Yes, sir."

"Why are we going back?"

"We owe Jonny a thank you."

"For what? Pissing us off?"

"We made each other mad. Jonny just provided the fuel for the fire." He had a sudden urge to laugh, but he gathered Gabby up in his arms instead, and gave her a thorough, ravenous kiss.

She blinked several times and whispered, "What was that for?"

"Stakin' my claim."

Gabby smiled slowly.

"And when we get to the hotel, I'm gonna kiss you and spank you and kiss you some more."

Her smile slipped a bit. "Spank me? What for?"

"For fun." He wanted her sweet ass to jiggle under his hand, but not as a punishment, as sex play.

"Fun?" She appeared to think about that for a moment. "
Some
spanking is okay."

He held her in his arms and whispered in her ear. "I'm gonna spank your pussy 'till you come."

A little shiver passed over her, and he reveled in the knowledge that he was exciting her. He kissed her again, and Gabby relaxed under his hands. All too soon, they were back at Jonny Chow's party.

Ace held her hand and tugged his girl along behind him as they went up the elevator and into the party. He marched her right back over to Jonny Chow and stood firm.

Jonny saw the two of them, holding hands, and smiled, his dark eyes twinkling. "I see things have changed."

Ace nodded. "Thanks to you."

Jonny's well-groomed eyebrows arched. "Me? What did I do?"

"You are a scoundrel, Mr. Chow. But thank you." Ace glanced at Gabby and squeezed her hand.

Jonny smiled. "I owed you."

Ace made a decision and went with the impulse. Some things were just the right things to do. "We're gettin' married. I hope you'll attend."

Gabby gasped. "We are?"

Chow clapped with delight. "I love it! I love it! I feel like Cupid. Tell Cameron when the happy day is and he'll put it on my calendar. Congratulations, you two."

"We have to go now. It's been a mighty fine party. Thanks. Take care of yourself, Jonny."

Ace marched Gabby back out of the building and into the Bentley. She seemed dazed and didn't speak until they were back in his hotel room with the door locked behind them.

"Ace..."

He pulled her into his embrace and slowly slid her dress' zipper down. "Hm?"

"Did you say we're getting married?"

"Yup."

"What about my mother?"

"I guess I'm marryin' her, too."

She giggled. "Can you stand it?"

"I can build her a bungalow on the ranch. We'll get her a nurse. You can have a life, Gabby."

"But my career!"

He considered that for a moment. She might not like his suggestion, and if that was the case, there might be a big problem. She liked being independent, sometimes to her detriment. "You like animals. Animals like you. How about you take some of that reward money and start a small animal trainin' business?"

"On your ranch?"

He nodded and reveled at the soft skin on her back where his fingers played.

"That might work; I liked it there, but maybe we could visit a city every so often. I mean, I like the ranch and all, but sometimes the city excitement is kinda soothing to we urban kids."

Ace pulled back and looked her squarely in the eyes. "I have to tell you somethin' first, before you agree."

"Anything."

It might be a deal-breaker, but he had to be honest. "I gave you my share of the reward money."

Her eyebrows arched, and the shoulders of her dress slipped down toward her arms. "You what?"

"Jonny was goin' to split the $200,000 between us, but, seein' as how you needed the money so much more than me, I had him give it all to you. We were keepin' it quiet, because I didn't think you'd take it if you knew. I was waitin' for the right time to tell you. I definitely
was
goin' to let you know—probably after I went back to Texas. If you marry me, all my money will be shared with you, not just the $200,000, so it won't be like I gave it to you at all."

"You sneaked around to give me $100,000."

He nodded, feeling a little knot form in his middle. She was going to reject him; he could tell. But even if she did, he was going to make sure she kept the money, by hell or high water.

"I ought to be furious with you." She looked down at her hands where they played on his shirt buttons.

"You're not?"

Gabby shook her head. "I'm not. I know you meant well. And if you say that you were going to tell me, I believe you." Her gaze met his as he studied her face. "You really intend to share your money with me? Really?"

He nodded. "Every last dime."

"You trust me that much?"

"I do." He grinned. "Not that I don't think you'll need a little guidance."

Giggles broke her serious expression. "I think I'll try to avoid that."

He laughed. "You do that, li'l girl, and we'll keep all the spankin's to the fun kind."

Her smile slowly faded and she whispered. "Are you sure about this? Getting married, I mean."

Gabby's dress slipped to the floor. She wore a Merry Widow corset beneath it. He couldn't remember ever seeing anything sexier. He kissed the sweet shell of her ear, her neck and throat. "I'm sure. I probably should have asked you."

She sighed as he licked her collar bone and pressed kisses across her chest.

"Will you marry me, Gabriella?"

"I always said I'd never marry a man without loving him."

"You did, huh? Do you love me?" He released her breasts from their confinement and latched onto a peaked nipple.

"Oh God that feels good."

"I'll go first," he said, picking her up and taking her into the bedroom where he put her down on the bed. "I love you."

She wriggled as he lowered her panties. "You can say that about a million times and I won't get tired of hearing it, Ace."

"I love you, li'l girl."

"Am I really your girl? All yours?"

"I sure hope so." He pulled and yanked his clothes off, popping a few of his shirt studs onto the carpet.

"I love you, too," she said, reaching out her arms for him.

He climbed up on the bed and buried his face in her hair. She smelled like roses, and was dewy wet between her legs. He played there for a few minutes, until she was moaning and squirming under his hand.

"Spread your legs more, sweetheart."

She did.

He didn't warn her, didn't give her a moment to think about what he was going to do before he slapped his palm down firmly against her pussy. She gasped and moaned, but her hips came off the bed to encourage him. He did it again, reveling in the wet sounds the slapping made. Each time he spanked her, she reacted with a moan, and, eventually, when her pussy was swollen and flushed and her clit was engorged, she began to sob. She never asked him to stop, even when she began to cry from pain or emotion.

"Mine," he said softly in her ear. "This pussy is mine. No sharin'. No Carlos or Jerry or anyone else." He punctuated his ownership with a few more well-placed spanks.

"Yes, sir." She moaned, sniffling and sobbing.

"You remember that, l'il girl. I won't cheat; you don't either."

"Never."

He stopped spanking and her hips relaxed on the bed. She was panting. He suckled her nipples for another minute, but he was hard and throbbing. He needed her hot core around him. Leaving her, even for a moment, was unpleasant but he wasn't a stupid or reckless man. A small box of condoms was in his suitcase, and he gloved himself and returned to her.

"You ready to be loved, li'l girl?"

She held her arms out, wet tracks from her tears gleaming at the outside of her eyes. "Come to me, Ace."

When he slid into her, she sighed and curled her legs over his hips. He rocked in and out of her, the heat of her driving him crazy. He wouldn't be able to hold back much longer, but her thrashing body stiffened and she arched against him. She milked him as she came, and he took that as his signal. His orgasm was bright, sharp, his balls tightening as he released his hold on sanity for a moment.