Chapter 34

K.C. had opted to let Chef Dagmar chose the menu after they apologized for missing dessert the previous night. She scolded them with a smile remembering the description of how her crew mates had found them.

“As much as we would like, we cannot live on love. You need to eat to keep up the strength.” She had scolded the beautiful young couple.

Gabrielle and K.C. enjoyed the red pepper lobster broth with ginger and sea bean pesto, before feasting on oriental BBQ glazed lobster tail on a bed of braised greens, roasted baby root vegetables and jasmine rice garnished with micro greens.

They finally sampled the lemon pound cake which Gabrielle loved while K. C. had a milk chocolate mousse that Chef prepared for him. They sat outside talking for a little bit, finished off the bottle of champagne before toasting their last night on the yacht and viewing the stars as well as the lights on the island.  

K.C. admired Gabrielle in another purple dress this one strapless and smiled as he remembered putting the necklace on her  and the sight of the pendent laying just right, between her breasts kept him semi hard throughout dinner.

If he had known what she wore under the sexy dress that made her skin look smoother than his delicately whipped dessert he might have hustled her back to the stateroom and had their food sent down in the dumbwaiter.  

As it was when she did a sexy strip tease revealing a purple teddy it was K.C.’s pleasure to make love to Gabrielle all night long and the early morning sun was literally coming through the window when she slumped onto his sweaty chest.

They spent an hour in the ocean before K.C. joined Gabrielle for yoga and then after a brisk shower it was time for breakfast. Rielle was surprised by how quickly her body was adjusting to lovemaking with K.C. He was still a tight fit but she wasn’t nearly as sore, she just had a feeling of being pleasantly stretched from his size.

She began to prepare to disembark, gathering her things and looking around the room thinking that this was where she had really embraced the more sensual side of her nature.

They sailed back to the marina around noon and Gabrielle and K.C. thanked the crew for a lovely journey before going back to the parking lot where the Range Rover was parked.

K.C. drove to her house and they picked up her clothes before going to K.C. house where they found Georgie’s XC90 parked. The volleyball game was being held at the Excelsior this week and there was still time before they had to leave.

 They got the surprise of their lives when they arrived at the house and found Michael and Georgie in the pool almost getting it on. They went to K.C.’s room laughing uproariously before falling onto the bed.

 Georgie’s screams could still be heard as she called for K.C.’s blood and Michael tried to calm her down. They hadn’t really seen much but her naked back but Georgie didn’t know that.

Gabrielle changed out of her jeans and top, donned her uniform and braided her hair before coming out of the bathroom to find K.C. laying on the bed waiting for her.

“Would you like to spend the night at my place that way we can have more time together and some privacy?” she offered after thinking it over while dressing. K.C. put out his hand to her and she climbed onto the bed and lay her head on his forearm as she looked up into the ceiling.

“Are you sure about that Gabrielle? I know how your brother is and I don’t want Chris or your parents to give you a hard time if they find out we are sleeping together.” He told her running a finger over her lips.

“I’m sure. They need to know that this is what I want. You are what I want. I love you” She answered looking up at him with earnest green eyes.

“And I love you too Gabrielle.” K.C. told her pressing a kiss to her forehead.

They left for the tournament shortly after and Rielle talked to Georgie before they played,letting her know that they hadn’t seen anything and the blonde accepted that grudgingly. That didn’t stop her from having a blazing serve and the foursome won handily as the rest of the team’s game elevated and they got a little closer to the championship.

Their friends and family came over to congratulate them and from the vantage point of K.C. arms Rielle watched her teammates. Camille and Jarrod were being openly affectionate and Rielle smiled to see her friend opening up. It was nice to see her friend happy for a change.

Chris was the first in her family to pick up the vibe between the couple and Magdalena looked resigned as she watched her daughter interact with K.C. Whitfield before and after the game that Sunday.

She wasn’t blind and could understand the appeal of the tall blonde, handsome man and she had heard Gabrielle say that they had spent a few days on a yacht so he was apparently generous. Her biggest issue with the young man was the fact that he wasn’t a permanent resident of the island and she knew that Rielle’s heart had long since been involved.

She couldn’t see someone like K.C. giving up his life to be on St. Sebastian and she didn’t think that Rielle would want to live on the mainland again, even though she had enjoyed her college years. Her daughter had been all too eager to return home after graduation.

Dinner that Sunday was at Jarrod’s place and then the guys settled in to watch the basketball game on the big screen in the entertainment room while the women unwound in the living room.

    “All right girl fess up. How was it?” Andy whispered looking around and the other women leaned in.

“Michael said he felt sorry for you and I nearly called you and told you not to go when I saw his expression. He was really concerned for you.” Georgie admitted as Gabrielle folded her legs under her in cushioned tan wicker chair.

“I don’t know anything about this and I can see you made it back in one piece based on your game today. How was the yacht?” Camille asked and the other two women looked at her like she was crazy.

“All I’m going to say is this, K.C. was worth the wait, and everything about him is golden from his tongue to his fingers to his big …" Gabrielle was interrupted by another voice.

"Feet.” Mrs. Mac finished for her as she walked through the living room behind them.

The four young women all froze before peals of laughter were heard as they all fell out on various pieces of furniture.

Monday dawned a little overcast and Rielle snuggled beneath her sheets as her palm frond ceiling fan spun in the high tongue in groove cedar ceiling and K.C. drew her closer to him.

“Happy birthday Gabrielle.” He whispered against her shoulder before kissing it.

Rielle felt a big smile grow on her face as she realized that it was her birthday and she felt like jumping out of bed and screaming she was so happy but refrained as she looked at her alarm clock and saw her body clock had not failed her, it was five-thirty in the morning.

Gabrielle and K.C. had fallen asleep a few hours earlier. Her fate had been sealed when she modelled a black and white corset with black lace boy shorts. K.C. was seriously considering buying stock in Victoria Secret after seeing his sexy lover in the lingerie.

Gabrielle had looked so hot and he had been unable to resist the picture she made. It was interesting how she could look so tempting and innocent at the same time.

They got up after playing between the sheets and K.C. made her a mango and pineapple smoothie for breakfast before they went to her porch to watch the sun rise.

Chris came over around nine and showed no surprise in seeing K.C. there and luckily they had changed into t-shirts and shorts before going outside. 

“Happy Birthday Rielle.” He said in his gravelly voice, giving her a big hug while looking over her head at K.C.

“So how was the yacht?” he asked the other man.

He watched as his sister went to stand by K.C. and his arms automatically went around her waist. Chris saw K.C.’s possessive hold on Rielle and wanted to punch the other man out knowing he had slept with his sister but he knew it was solve nothing and only serve to push her into his arms.

“It was the best trip of my life.” K.C. said evenly.

He would have to be blind not to see what was in the other man’s hazel eyes. K.C. could only hope that Chris would focus on his own love life and find a woman of his own.

K.C. left shortly after to get ready for the barbeque her parents were throwing for her, but gave Gabrielle a lingering kiss and he told her he’d be back in a little while to pick her up.

“Wow, you aren’t even trying to hide the fact that you two are lovers. Are you planning to rub this in Mom and Dad’s face?” he asked in his gravelly voice, following her into the house once K.C. had driven off. 

“I thought we had already settled this Chris? K.C. is what I want, I thought the two of you were friends now?” Rielle replied offering him the smoothie she had put in the fridge.

“I like the guy and he’s cool and everything, but that doesn’t mean I want him sleeping with my little sister." He groused taking the glass she offered.

“Well, I love him Chris and he loves me. I’m sorry you can’t seem to accept that.” She said looking at him squarely.

Chris left and Rielle went to take a shower and wash her hair before putting on her favorite lotion and dressing in a teal, white and black print dress. She left her hair down, put on some funky green earrings and slipped on a pair of matching heels.  She applied eye shadow, a swipe of gloss and her fragrance and Rielle was ready when K.C. came back at 1:30.

He eyed the length of leg that she exposed when he helped her into the Rover, remembering the feel of them wrapped around his waist and knew he had no right to tell her to cover up but he wanted to badly.

He was a man not a chump and he wanted to put her in a shroud every time he saw her in the skimpy volleyball uniform knowing other men were getting an eyeful of his woman, but Gabrielle would rip him a new one and rightly so.

He drove them to her parents’ spacious two story home in Portsmouth where several tents had been put up outside in the large backyard. K.C. went to say hello to his pal ChaCha, the Chihuahua who was being banished to a downstairs bathroom for the party.

Music was playing and the caterers had arrived and were setting up to feed the crowd that was going to show up. Her father's pride and joy, a large grill was being put through its paces by one of the best grill masters on the island and the aroma comming from the aluminum beast was heavenly.

Gabrielle’s grandparents had come from Puerto Rico for the occasion and they greeted her with enthusiastic hugs and kisses. When she introduced K.C. to Marielena and Carlos Lopez they were a little reserved, having heard about him from Magdalena and Graham.

“Es un placer conocerle.” He said in Spanish to the older couple with perfect inflection and Magdalena looked at him in surprise.

“My mother speaks fluent Spanish and made sure that she taught my siblings and myself. I also speak a little French, German and Italian.” He told them in Spanish before Gabrielle pulled him away.

“I don’t know whether that was a good thing or not. We really should have told my mom that you could speak Spanish.” She told him as they grabbed some lemonade from the food tent.

Rielle had found out that he spoke the language one day when she went up to his house and heard him and Michael talking. Luckily nothing had ever been said in Spanish that could be considered inappropriate by anyone. 

K.C. had a chance to also meet Gabrielle’s other grandparents who had retired to Las Vegas ten years ago after selling Tropical Delights to Graham.

Carmel and Godfrey Hall were a handsome older couple who thought nothing of grilling him up one side and down the other and it shouldn’t have come as a surprise that beneath the jovial exterior of the older man was a shark literally.

Godfrey Hall, while living in Las Vegas, had become a pretty well known poker player and for having come to the game late was an overnight phenom.  If K.C. had made the mistake of thinking Godfrey was just a nice retired gentleman he would have been wrong but he had seen the shrewd look in his eyes when he told them how long he had known Gabrielle.

Carmel Hall was a former teacher and she also saw past the good looks and charm as Godfrey asked his seemingly innocent questions. K.C. Whitfield might come from money but he didn’t have the spoiled, rich kid attitude that she had encountered when she taught private school.

She only hoped that her granddaughter’s heart would not be broken as she observed the look that passed between the younger couple. They admittedly hadn’t been the hands on grandparents like Carlos and Marielena Lopez, so they weren’t as close to Christopher and Gabrielle but the love was there and so were the protective instincts.

The elder Halls were very interested in this newcomer who was such a large part of their granddaughter’s life. They were soon joined by the Carlos and Marielena who realized that Magdalena hadn’t known he was bilingual and that Gabrielle had known.

A large segment of the population spoke Spanish on the island and K.C. had found that it helped when he could communicate his point to a worker who might not understand what he was trying to convey.

K.C. thought he had been interrogated by professionals when he first met Gabrielle’s parents and brother but it was nothing in comparison to what he was subjected to now from her grandparents as she stood by helpless to interfere.

Godfrey had a deep, intimidating voice that his grandson had inherited along with astute light brown eyes and a forceful personality. Carmel was every inch an elegant lady but she was no one's fool.

“You’re like an onion with many layers who would have guessed that behind that California beach bum façade you could be so interesting? I wonder what else we haven’t discovered about you?” Graham said looking down at him speculatively.