Page 60 of XOXO, Valentina

I winked at her. “He said you were too good for me.”

She took a sip of her drink. “He doesn’t know you very well then.”

I laughed softly, pleased that she would pretend it wasn’t true. “Maybe not so much as he used to,” I said.

We stopped at the pool, but Gabriella wasn’t interested in the fantastic view. She put her drink down on a table. “Does everyone call you Fernando here?”

I nodded. “Joey is my American name.”

Her eyes searched mine. “Why?”

“Joey is easier. And everyone knowsFriends.”

“Don’t you want people to call you your real name?”

I finished my drink and placed my glass next to hers. “It doesn’t matter,” I said with an easy shrug. “I’m the same person either way.”

She reached for my hand. “You’re the only one who calls me Gabriella. Did you know that?”

I shook my head. Everyone at work called her Mrs. Salinger to her face and the Iron Lady behind her back.

“Even my parents call me Gabi. But when you call me Gabriella, it…” She trailed off and stared out at the view without finishing.

“It what?” I pulled her closer.

She dragged her gaze away from the ocean and met my eyes. “It makes me feel like a woman.”

A spark of desire surged between us. I cupped her cheek and pulled her close for a kiss.

Knowing I was the only one who used her given name made me feel like I had a key to her that no one else knew existed. I felt suddenly possessive of her. It wasn’t enough to make her feel like a woman. I needed to make her feel like she was mine.

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Chapter 24

Gabi

Joey slid his arm around my waist and pulled me snug against his chest. His hard body braced mine, and the heat… the unbearable heat. I leaned into him, letting my head fall back against his chest. It felt so good to touch him out in the open in broad daylight. I didn’t have to worry about being seen with him. Everyone I knew was a thousand miles away.

“Do you want to swim?” His voice rippled over my skin like moonlight. In his delicious accent, every word he said sounded like a naughty promise.

“Yes.” I wanted to swim in this refreshing pool while looking out over the canopy of trees and dazzling blue ocean. I kissed his jaw, running my lips along the soft scruff of his beard. “Later,” I said, unable to contain a tiny grin.

Joey grinned back, and his arm tightened around my waist. His lips grazed mine, soft and teasing. “A lot later,” he said against my lips. “You ready to see our place?”

I didn’t think I’d ever wanted a man more than I wanted Joey. A stab of guilt pierced my heart, and I silently apologized to Montel, the man who’d been on a pedestal in my mind longer than he’d been my partner in marriage. Had I wanted Montel like this? It suddenly seemed like a million years ago when I’d given my heart to my husband. Joey was present, and he was right where I wanted him. Well, not quite. I wanted him in the privacy of our room, where his magic tongue would make me come again and again.

We left the pool, and Joey led me to the bungalow we’d be sharing for the next few days. We followed a path of stones through a secluded garden away from the rest of the hotel until we reached a private bungalow tucked into a canopy of trees.

Joey stopped in front of its tall wooden door. “Santiago always gives me the best room.” He pushed open the door, revealing a rustic room with red clay tile and wooden-beamed ceilings. Four sets of double doors opened to a private terrace overlooking the tropical plants and a white sand beach. The jungle outside vibrated into the room, filling the space with the chatter of birds, the rustle of palm fronds, and the smells of rich earth and salty sea.

A brightly colored quilt covered the enormous bed, and paintings in jewel-toned hues adorned the walls. A leaf-blade fan pushed a sea breeze through the room that stirred the hem of my skirt.

I crossed the room and stepped onto the terrace. A beam of golden sun cast shadows over a swaying hammock big enough for two. Hidden behind a stone wall was an outdoor shower with wrought iron fixtures.

I swept my gaze across the view of waves lapping the shoreline, taking in the peaceful view. I’d heard Costa Rica was one of the happiest countries in the world, and it seemed true. The laid-back atmosphere, beautiful scenery, and perfect weather fostered a serenity that could not be replicated.

The bungalow was gorgeous, but the man was the reason I was smiling. He’d been worth every minute of the hard, long day of travel.

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