Heartbreak Warfare (Let Me In Book 1) Read online

  “We’re here already? How did we get here so fast?” I nervously giggle, trying to hide my mounting anxiety. I have never been in a helicopter before, and the thought of anything with a propeller scares me more than getting on any jet plane. Our driver opens my car door and I reluctantly get out of the car. I look towards the helicopter, its sleek design shining in the sunshine, and quietly say a little prayer to keep us safe. The pilot is outside of the helicopter, waiting to greet us. Cal grabs my hand and practically drags me with him, his excitement overpowering my weariness.

  “Good morning, Mr. Harrington, Ms. Pruitt. My name is Captain Michael Bowen, and it’s my pleasure to be taking you to the Grand Canyon today. Let’s quickly go over some safety features before we get into the helicopter.” I listen intently to our captain, making mental notes of everything he shows us inside the helicopter. With his safety speech ending much to quickly for my liking, he opens the helicopter door. With both men being chivalrous, I climb in first with Cal trailing in behind me. We put our seat belts on, then add our headphones so we can hear the pilot. I take a deep breath as I watch the pilot get into his seat to get ready. I start my silent prayers to keep us safe and close my eyes when I hear the engine turn on and the rotor start to spin. I feel a warm, strong hand squeeze mine and I open my eyes to look at Cal.

  “Whatever is meant to be, will be, Jenna. Live in the moment. This is going to be incredible.” He kisses my forehead and tries to pull me as close to him as the seat belts will allow. I mouth “thank you” to him and squeeze his hand, hoping he can sense my appreciation. He is absolutely right - I do need to live in the moment and enjoy it. Keep your eyes open the whole time, Jenna. You can do it!

  The pilot lifts the helicopter off the ground, and I immediately plant my head into Cal’s arm from the unsteadiness of take-off. You are such a chicken shit, Jenna! I feel us slowly spinning 180 degrees and push forward to our destination. I peek my eyes out when Cal tells me we are flying over the Las Vegas Strip. He points out our hotel, and it is amazing to see how massive all the hotels are from above. Residential houses start to appear, but soon the desert changes to ridges and Lake Mead is in our sights. The glittering teal of the water is so stunning that I grab my phone to take pictures. We veer right, and head over to the structural masterpiece of the Hoover Dam, the pilot giving us some background information on the architectural aspect of it as we fly over. We make our way over parts of the Mojave Desert, one side of the helicopter giving us glimpses of Lake Mead, the other side showing us the vastness of the desert. I snap more pictures, trying to stop my mind from telling my eyes to look below at the glass windows underneath my feet, not wanting to put more mental images of crashing inside my head. Every little tiny dip makes me want to bury my head back into Cal’s strong arms, but the anticipation of being in the Canyon soon makes me keep my big girl panties on. The pilot announces that we are approaching the edge of the rim, and I gasp at the sheer beauty as we enter into the Grand Canyon. The colors of the landscaping and the magnitude of the size seem never-ending. We are silent as we continue snapping photos of the mesmerizing views. We follow the twists and turns of the Colorado River as we enter into the canyon and descend below the rim. As we make our way lower into the canyon, the pilot informs us that we will be landing on the river’s edge at the bottom of the canyon. I look at Cal with questioning eyes as to why we would be landing, but all he does is raise his eyebrows and smiles. A ramp with a boat docked at it comes to view as we arrive for landing. We touch down, and the pilot informs us to wait until the rotor stops for us to exit.

  “Are we about to get on that boat?” I point towards it.

  “I figured a tour from the sky just wasn’t enough,” he shrugs with a sexy smile as an attendant opens our door. Cal grabs my purse for me and we head to the boat. We are greeted by our tour guide who helps us on. We sit back and relax as we cruise up and down the Colorado River, taking photos of the rock layers that were created from the consistent erosion of the river, revealing millions of years of the Earth’s history. Forty-five minutes later, we arrive back to the dock and depart the boat. As we make our way back up to the helicopter, I notice a table dressed with a tablecloth and chairs for two people.

  “I hope you enjoyed the boat ride, Mr. Harrington and Ms. Pruitt. Lunch is ready for you. We will have thirty minutes of private time until the public tours start to arrive,” our pilot gestures for us to sit down. He pours us some champagne and leaves us to eat our lunch.

  “A toast to the Grand Canyon!” Cal clinks his glass to mine and we take a sip of the bubbly.

  “I can’t believe we’re here doing this,” I say, still in disbelief over the experience of it so far.

  “I remember looking at photos of the Grand Canyon as a young lad in school, but photos don’t even do it justice.”

  “What were you like as a boy in school?” I ask, before taking a bite of my sandwich, trying to envision what he may have looked like.

  “I was awkward and fat,” he laughs, shaking his head at his memories. “I was popular because when people would make fun of me, I would start making fun of myself with them. Self-deprecation. One day, my sister dragged me to her boyfriend’s rugby game and I fell in love with the sport. It was the first time I felt a part of something. The weight quickly came off and I have to work very hard to keep it off.”

  “I have a hard time believing that,” I say, glancing at his body that seems to have zero body fat.

  “Life is too short to deprive yourself of pizza and Guinness,” he laughs. “I am very regimented before and during a movie, but I always give myself cheat days. Sometimes one day a week, sometimes weeks on end. What were you like in school?”

  “I was a nerd, but not part of any one clique. I tried to befriend everybody, but of course, that is never possible in high school. I played softball for one year, but did not like my coach. Yearbook and student government were my true passion during those four years.”

  “And here I was picturing you as a hot cheerleader,” he bestows his devilish smile upon me.

  “Sorry to disillusion your fantasy,” the idea of me being a cheerleader laughable.

  “No need to be sorry as reality is proving to be far better than fantasy.” He holds my gaze and I cannot look away. An overwhelming urge to kiss him suddenly takes over me. Our pilot interrupts my thoughts to remind us it is time to go. We take a couple more photos and load up into the helicopter for take-off. Cal holds my hand again as we slowly lift off, and head up the Colorado River, moving into the South Rim of the Canyon. The views of the Grand Canyon are completely indescribable. The pilot takes the helicopter north, and then west as we head back to Las Vegas, passing the Valley of Fire and Lake Mead on our way. The ridges of the Canyon start to slowly fade away as the outskirts of Las Vegas come into view and finally the Strip, where we do one more fly by before we land. The landing pad for our helicopter comes into view, and our pilot steadily makes a safe landing.

  We take off our headphones and unbuckle our seat belts as we wait for the rotor to stop spinning to exit. I turn to Cal, not knowing how I can ever pay him back for the unbelievable experience that I wouldn’t have treated myself to.

  “Today was one of the most memorable days I have had in a really long time. Thank you for such a special day.” I lean in to hug him and kiss his cheek, but he turns his head, and my lips land on his mouth. He holds me in place so that I cannot pull away, his sensual lips demanding that I stay. His mouth is more than what I imagined - warm, firm lips that taste so good that I want more. I put my hands in his hair and bring him closer. He caresses his tongue against my lips, and I open them with a low moan escaping. He deepens the kiss and our whole environment fades away, so lost am I in the moment, in him. A knock on the window startles us apart as we look at the pilot, who sheepishly gives us a smile. “Sorry,” I mutter to the pilot as he helps me out of the helicopter. We thank him and head to the waiting car to take us back to our hotel. As soon as the driver closes t
he door after us, Cal grabs me and continues to devour my lips, each thrust of his tongue increasing my appetite for him. We stay this way for the whole car ride until the driver’s honk of the horn makes us break away. I try to catch my breath, my chest moving up and down in rapid movements.

  “Have dinner with me tonight,” he commands, as he kisses up the side of my neck.

  “Okay,” I agree, shivering from the heat of his kisses.

  “I promise you I will make it worth your while - no French food.” He touches his forehead to mine as I smile at his joke.

  The car pulls into the main entrance of our hotel and stops for the valet to open my door.

  “I’ll see you at 7:30 p.m.” Cal kisses my hand and I depart the car. As I walk into the hotel, I immediately go shopping for clothes, especially some upgraded underwear.

  7

  I finish my shopping excursion with an hour to spare. I race back up to my room, take a quick shower, and decide on what new undergarments and dress I am going to wear tonight. Cal gave no indication of where we are going, so I am clueless as to what the dress code is. I decide to play it safe with a black dress that has a V neckline that teases a hint of cleavage - sexy, but still classy. I pair it with strappy heels, gold jewelry, and a magenta cardigan to keep me warm. I apply dramatic eye make-up, but keep my lips more natural. Satisfied with my hair, I look at my watch to see it is time to go. I grab my purse and head toward the elevator.

  While in the elevator, I realize Cal didn’t clarify where he or anyone else would be picking me up. I exit the elevator, not knowing which way I should even be going. I decide to head to the main lobby toward the front entrance. Relief spreads over me as I see Steven waiting for me at the concierge desk.

  “Good evening, Ms. Pruitt. Mr. Harrington had to answer an unexpected call. He asks me to escort you to the restaurant where he will be joining you shortly.” He gestures to me to follow him and we head toward our destination. I can’t help but chuckle to myself, recalling Cal’s comment of no French food, as we approach a high-end Japanese restaurant. Steven nods to the hostess, who escorts us to a table already picked out. Steven asks if I need anything else and departs when I decline. I look through the menu while I wait, my stomach ready to be filled with food.

  “I am so sorry to keep you waiting.” Cal comes up from behind me, and brushes his lips against my cheek, sending shivers up my spine. I can’t help but admire my new view as he walks past me to his seat, noting how his dress pants mold perfectly to his backside. Tonight he is wearing a crisp white dress shirt tucked into navy pinstriped slacks while carrying a matching blazer. He hangs the blazer on the back of his chair, sits down and rolls up his sleeves, showcasing his strong forearms.

  “You look ravishing,” he says, so engrossed was I in checking him out that I failed to notice he was doing the same to me.

  “As do you,”I say, my compliment back earning me a raised brow with a sexy smirk.

  “I trust that you have found something suitable to your liking on this menu?” he teases, as he peruses his own menu.

  “Yes,” I laugh. “I don’t think I’ll be wasting any food tonight.”

  “Good, because I want you to be fully satisfied,” the underlying sexual innuendo making me blush and smile, breaking our heated eye contact. The waiter arrives to take our drink and food order, and I can’t prevent my mind from wondering what is in store for me tonight.

  “Was everything okay with the phone call you received?” My curiosity peaking as to what kept him, even though it is none of my business.

  “Yes, it was my assistant, Valerie, wanting to go over my schedule for the next couple of days before she arrives. I try to be as organized as possible, but she keeps me in check. I honestly don’t know what I would do without her.”

  “How long has she been your assistant?” I casually ask before taking a sip of my wine. I wonder what she looks like and if he is attracted to her. Why do you even care, Jenna?

  “About four years now. We were both in acting class together and I was getting opportunities, while her career kind of stalled. I was having a hard time keeping up with the administration aspect, so she offered to help me and has been with me ever since.”

  “That is great that you have someone you can trust, especially in your industry.”

  He nods. “You would be horrified by the behavior of some people, and what they get away with in Hollywood.”

  “I feel that way about people who are NOT in Hollywood,” we laugh before inspecting the food the waiter just delivered. With Cal watching me, I take a bite of my food and give him a thumbs up of approval. He laughs and dives right into his. We taste test each other’s food, order more wine, and recap the incredible day we had at the Grand Canyon. It takes such little effort to make conversation with each other that before we know it, the restaurant is clearing out.

  “Are you ready for dessert?” The overhead light catching the gleam in his eyes.

  “No, thank you,” I say to the waiter who hands Cal the check.

  He watches the waiter walk away and leans in close “I wasn’t talking about the edible kind of dessert.” Before I can even react, he quickly signs the check, stands up, grabs his coat and holds out his hand to me. I gaze up at him, match the heat of his look with my own and place my hand in his. His kisses earlier reignited a fire that I thought was burned out and like an addict, I crave more.

  We walk in silence back to his room, the anticipation of what’s to come moving us briskly through the hotel. After what seems like forever, we finally make it to his villa. He opens the door, walks us in, spins me around, and pushes me against the door to devour my lips. He was wrong about not having edible dessert, as his lips are the most decadent of desserts I’ve ever had. I run my hands up his chest and into his hair, directing his lips to the side of my neck, his kisses clouding my thinking. I hear a noise and realize that Steven is in the vicinity.

  “Cal, your butler,” I whisper, nudging him to step back and make Steven go away.

  “Go to my bedroom.” He kisses my lips and walks away to go talk with Steven. I stumble the whole way, my knees weak from his touch. I get in his room and am unsure what to do with myself. Should I take my clothes off and get into bed? Should I just sit down on the bed and patiently wait for him? What am I even doing here? I have never been with a man that I barely know, and as I think about what I am about to do, uneasiness creeps in. I decide to stand at the window and gaze at the pool. With the water mesmerizing my senses, I never hear Cal come in. I only feel him against me as he snakes his arm around my waist to bring me closer. As he starts to kiss my neck, I realize I have no willpower to stop him, and instead, I turn my head to the side to give him easier access. My body starts to move against his erection as I push my backside into him, hearing him moan at the pressure. I turn around, and he immediately claims my lips, demanding that I open them to welcome his tongue.

  “I want more of you,” he whispers, as he peels off my cardigan to kiss my shoulders, making his way back to my neck, and then down my chest. He pushes aside my dress straps, making the dress cascade down my legs. I am left standing in my bra, thong, and heels as he continues his descent down my body, leaving trails of scalding kisses on my skin. He gets on his knees, his mouth perfectly aligned with my entrance. He starts kissing my panties, the feel of his breath against the fabric making me whimper. He nips at the fabric and brings my panties down my legs with his teeth. I gasp, as he kisses his way up my calves, my knees, and thighs. Using his head, he nudges my legs wider apart, kissing so close, yet so far away, from my core. My breathing is rapid, harsh exhales come out every time his tongue comes in contact with a part of my thigh. Suddenly, he stops and I look down to see why.

  “Watch me, Jenna.” He places his hands on my ass, his eyes never wavering from mine. I moan while watching him and feeling the touch of his lips on me. He makes a path of hot destruction, touching everywhere but where I need him to touch. With my body vibrating with desire, I
wind my hands in his hair and pull.

  “Please Cal.” He smiles at my begging and with a low growl, he starts slowly licking me. He alternates between licking and sucking, sending shockwaves through me like a defibrillator does to the heart. Watching his long, firm tongue touch me only heightens the sensations, and I can barely keep my eyes open. Sensing that my knees are about to buckle, he pushes me back against the bed and continues his assault on me. I release my grip on his hair and fist the sheets in my hands, my head rocking back and forth from the buildup. My hips start to gyrate against his mouth as he licks harder and faster. I wrap my legs around his head, and squeeze him deeper until I scream out my orgasm.

  As my body goes limp from the explosion of my release, I struggle to regain my breath. Never have I experienced such an intense orgasm from oral sex. I wonder if it’s because it has been a while or just his talented skills. I open my eyes to find him standing over me with a satisfied smile on his face.

  “That was unbelievable.” I watch as he undresses, his muscle definition a work of art. He leaves his boxers on, but it does nothing to hide his enormous erection. He gets beside me in bed and pulls me to his side.

  “Get some sleep, Jenna, because that was just a preview,” he whispers, before he kisses me deeply and holds me close. I usually prefer to have my own space when sleeping, but with the warmth of his body, and his strong arms around me, I drift into a deep sleep.

  8

  It takes me a while to get out of bed, my body tired, but relaxed. A smile drifts to my face at the memory of Cal waking me up with his mouth. At first I thought it was a dream, but then as it became more sensual, the tingling sensations made me realize I wasn’t dreaming. After making me come again, I was wide awake and ready to reciprocate, but he refused and told me to sleep. I have never been with a man who so generously gives oral sex twice in one night with no expectations of a return. Is something wrong with his penis? I couldn’t tell since he kept his boxers on. Hopefully, I will get another opportunity to find out. Just then the object of my thoughts walks in, dressed in a short sleeve button down shirt with khaki chino pants, clean shaven, and his hair curling from air drying with no product in it. For someone who has barely slept, he looks refreshed, energized, and hot.