Falling into Surrender by A. Zavarelli Page B

know what’s going on,” I say. “Was he acting weird while I was gone?”
    “If by acting weird you mean him brooding the whole time and throwing a temper tantrum every time you refused to see him, then yes.” Alanna laughs. “I think he went mad without you around.”
    “Well, it sure doesn’t seem like it now.” I frown. “He seems like he can’t get far enough away from me. He spent all night in his office, and I don’t know if he even came to bed.”
    Alanna furrows her brows in disbelief. “Really?”
    “Yes, really,” I groan. “He’s treating me like I might break. The sex has been… I don’t know different. And besides that, he’s hardly touching me.”
    “Hmm…” Alanna taps her fingers across the table. “Is he stressed at work or something?”
    “Could be, I don’t know. We don’t really talk much about his job. He’s trying to start up his business, so I guess he could be stressed about that.”
    “Well, maybe that’s it then.” She smiles reassuringly.
    “I don’t know. It could be, but I don’t think it is. Something just doesn’t feel right. And I don’t like it.”
    “Well you are still having sex though right?” she asks as she scrunches up her face.
    “Yes, well we have. But not like before. And I practically had to throw myself at him today.”
    “Well,” Alanna says, “I don’t know what’s going through his mind babe, but if there’s one thing I know for certain, it’s that he loves you. You should have seen him when you went away, he was devastated. You were all he talked about. And if I had to guess, I would just say he is stressed from work or something. You just need to take his mind off of it.”
    “And how do I do that?” I ask.
    “Just don’t take no for an answer. Do some of that kinky stuff you guys like.” She winks. “I don’t know, be creative. You know him better than I do.”
    I mull over her advice, wondering if it could work.
    “Thanks, Alanna. I don’t know how you do it, but you always make me feel better.”
    “Oh trust me…” She takes another sip of her drink. “When I’m through with you tonight, you will be feeling much better. I hear some margaritas calling our name.”

 
    Chapter Ten
    Victoria
     
     
    The next morning, I glance at the alarm clock and groan. It’s already past nine, which means I missed Gabriel this morning. I make a mental note then and there that I really need to find a real job now. But first, I have something more important to do today.
    It’s ten minutes to noon when I arrive at Gabriel’s office. I chat with his secretary Margie for a moment, and she informs me he’s out but will be back shortly. She gives me a conspiratorial wink as I sneak into his office to wait for him.
    As I sit in his chair, attempting to be patient, I feel like there’s a giant knot lodged in my throat. Because I can’t stop wondering what will happen if he rejects me today. I really don’t think I can handle that possibility.
    But then I remember the last time I came here to do this, and how passionately he took me then. My breathing calms and when I look down into my hands, I realize that I’m instinctively tapping the riding crop against my palm.
    The door swings open, and Gabriel walks in, pausing when he sees me in his chair.
    “Victoria, what are you doing here?”
    I swallow my nerves and try to muster up a smile. This isn’t exactly the warm welcome I was going for . Even though my confidence is wavering at this point, I decide to follow through with my plan. Because deep down inside of me, I know we can’t keep going on like this. Whatever Gabriel has going on at the moment, I need to know that he still wants me too.
    “Just thought I’d pay you a little visit, handsome.” My voice isn’t nearly as seductive as I’m going for. “I brought you a gift,” I say, holding up the crop in my hand.
    When he doesn’t move, I saunter over to him, letting him drink me in with his gaze. Despite the frown on