Barefoot Bay: Paradise by Design (Kindle Worlds Novella) Read online

  They were able to film the interiors of her villa, the teams’ and two others during the day. By the time they finished around seven thirty, she felt like a seasoned apprentice.

  As Bo and Tony packed up their equipment, Ainsley turned to Drew. “We’ll be shooting one more interview and the rest of the exteriors tomorrow provided the rains are gone. You’re welcome to come along. The female companionship was a welcome change.”

  “I’m hoping my dad will be back by then. Let me find out what’s happening with him first, but if I can slip away, maybe. I enjoyed this.” She wasn’t just being polite. It had been fun. And if she were honest with herself, this was one way she could be around Keegan without having to deal with the awkwardness of getting reacquainted.

  But Keegan soon put an end to her sense of calm when he took her forearm and steered her away from the group. “Have dinner with me tonight.”

  Waves of awareness streamed through her body like pheromones on the attack. She’d done so well being around him all day without throwing herself into his arms. But his mere touch now recalled days gone by, when a certain look or the feel of his hand on her body could have her shedding her clothes and falling into bed with him in an instant. Did she dare? Could she trust herself to be alone with him tonight? “I should probably get back to my dad’s files.”

  “Please. It may be our only chance to catch up on old times, just the two of us. We leave late tomorrow afternoon.”

  How could she reply when the rhythm of her heart had increased so much she was afraid it would claw its way right out of her chest? “All right.”

  “Good! I’ll have something sent to us. How about we eat at your place and give the others some free time?”

  Though this transaction happened in a fraction of a second, by the time he’d made his last comment, the other three were long gone. It was just she and Keegan. Just like it would be over dinner. Would she regret saying yes?

  Chapter Eight

  Keegan finished pouring a glass of white wine for Drew. “Could this get any better? A balmy evening, a beautiful sunset, great food and”—his eyes bored into her—“a gorgeous woman.”

  She hadn’t expected the last part. Were they approaching a new crossroads in their relationship, or simply mending fences? Best to play it safe. Assume nothing. “It is nice, isn’t it? I haven’t enjoyed a meal like this in a long while.”

  He stood much too close for her comfort at the patio table where she was seated. She breathed in the familiar scent of his sandalwood after shave and savored the memory.

  Their meal of salmon, green beans amandine and pear salad had just arrived. The hotel staff, obviously trained to lay out a sumptuous feast in a timely and elegant manner, was there and gone within minutes.

  In the intervening hour since concluding the day’s shoot, Keegan had changed from his “uniform” to a dove gray pullover and navy slacks. Drew had showered and changed into a crisp, blue cotton sundress. The one dress-up item she’d thought to bring.

  “I tend to return to my hotel room, order dinner in and go to bed early when we’re shooting. But I feel energized tonight. I thank you for that.”

  “Me? It’s not like I was feeding you pep pills all day. I’m the one who pulled you into that storm in the middle of the night, if you recall.”

  “I can’t explain it, except I feel like a huge rock has been rolled off my chest. Guess that’s because we’ve cleared the air between us.”

  She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, studied him. “Cleared the air? Nothing’s changed, Keegan, except we’re talking to each other again.”

  He gazed at her from lowered lids. “That how you see it?”

  What did he want her to say, that she’d barely been able to breathe around him since he’d reentered her life the day before? That she’d always remember every minute they’d spent together this day? That, most of all, she regretted ending their engagement? Because she did. All of those things, but if she revealed the least suggestion of any of them, could she risk his rejection if he didn’t feel the same way?

  “How I see it, Keegan, is that I don’t see it at all. I don’t know how to process the last twenty-four hours, except feel relief Dad is okay.” She took a sip of wine, then another. Liquid confidence. “I don’t want to get home in a few days and regret not taking advantage of our time together, but right now, I have no idea what that means. Help me clarify.”

  He stared off in the distance as he drank from his glass of wine. “I’m still single, Drew. Had a couple close calls with marriage since you, but for one reason or another, I didn’t follow through with them. That should tell you something.” He paused, his gaze now directly on her again, firing up parts of her body long dormant. “If not, let me be blunt. I never got over you.”

  Had she heard right? His words were more than a hint about his feelings; they were an outright admission. Now it was her turn to respond. Time to lay it on the line. “Nor I you. That’s why I told you earlier I tried not to think of you at all.”

  The air between them was palpable despite the soft Gulf breeze that caressed her skin. They’d each revealed their feelings. Now what?

  “You’ve told me why you didn’t contact me after your dad was judged innocent, but after your mother passed and you no longer needed to be her caregiver, why not then?”

  She should have known he’d zero in on that point. “I thought I’d hurt you so bad, you’d not want a thing to do with me.”

  “True, I was hurt when you called off our engagement. Confused as well when you wouldn’t even speak to me the next day, although that apparently was your mother’s doing.” He raised a hand to deflect her protest. “I’ve tried to move on, but my crazy schedule doesn’t allow much social time.” He took her hand sending her nerve endings scrambling.

  Should she tell him the rest? She owed him that much. “After Mom passed, I tried to get my life back on track. I finally found the nerve to speak to you when I spotted you across the room in a restaurant in Milwaukee. But you were there with a woman and you looked really involved. You were toasting and laughing. I didn’t want to complicate things for you, and truth be told, I was afraid you’d refuse to talk to me.”

  He flinched on that last part. “I never knew.”

  His words drifted off in the night air, like the reunion years before that might have been.

  “Missed opportunities. The story of my life,” she said. “But I made my choices and had to live with them.”

  Keegan finished his wine. He offered to pour more for her, but she put her hand over the glass. Then reconsidered. Hell, they’d catch up as old friends, even though they had some rough road to cover. More wine might smooth the way. The cold, slightly acidic taste going down helped her relax, gave her the courage to open up more.

  After he filled her glass, he topped off his as well. “What about the last few years? You could’ve tried again when you read how things had cooled with my latest fling.”

  She sighed as only one who has tried and failed more than once can. “I truly wanted you to be happy, Keegan. When I saw you with someone else, I made myself root for you to have finally found love. I couldn’t allow myself to keep hoping for something that wasn’t going to happen, so I found something else to occupy my time.”

  He raised a brow. “Some thing, not some one?”

  This wasn’t the time to reveal the details of Kerry’s duplicity. “It’s still too painful to discuss. Just know it didn’t work out and caused me to second-guess my talent and my trust in others. I suspect that’s the real reason Dad dragged me here to the resort. To help me heal.”

  “Okay, I can respect that.” He stroked her hand and the pleasure neurons beneath her skin sparked alive. “But if you change your mind about telling me while we’re still here, or even later, let me know.”

  “Thanks. I will.” Relief competed with growing arousal, which prompted a question for him. “How does Ainsley feel about our having dinner together?”

 
He jerked, removed his hand from hers. “Ainsley? Why would she care?”

  “Aren’t the two of you a thing? I saw you together yesterday looking very cozy.”

  “Cozy? Like how? We weren’t kissing. I’d remember that. And we definitely weren’t having sex. We did at one time long ago, but it got in the way of working together. Whatever attraction there was between us, probably more curiosity than anything else, is long over.”

  Had she imagined what she thought she observed? “But I saw her touch you, lean in close.”

  He blew out air, shook his head. “We do that all that time. Part of the wind-up as we start a new job.” His mouth curled up at the corners. “You thought we were lovers?” He seemed to consider the idea. “Or maybe you were looking for an excuse to keep your distance…again.”

  “I…no…maybe. Why would you even ask that?”

  He didn’t answer but instead narrowed his eyes and continued to gaze at her.

  “What? What aren’t you saying?”

  He scrunched up his nose. “You really don’t see a pattern here?”

  “Pattern? No, other than I want the best for you. I always have.”

  “I believe you truly believe that. But why do you keep putting me first?”

  This lovely reunion dinner, which a minute ago had appeared headed toward another kind of reunion, had now grown serious. Where was he going with this? “I told you, I still have feelings for you.”

  “Then why are we just now having this discussion? If you really wanted me to be happy, why did you stay away from me all this time? We wouldn’t be talking about it now, except for your dad’s accident. Even then, you didn’t know you were coming to my villa for help.”

  “What do you want me to say, that I was afraid to see you again?”

  “Well?”

  She needed more wine. But when she reached for the bottle, it was empty. Damn. When she agreed to have dinner with him, she hadn’t realized their conversation would take this turn. “Okay, I was afraid you’d want nothing to do with me, if we ever ran into each other. Getting past our break-up was so difficult, I wanted to spare myself further pain.”

  “You were hurt? What about me, Drew? I’m the wounded party here.”

  “I told you how guilty I’ve felt about that.”

  He flopped back in his chair. “You know what I think? Somewhere along our path to the altar, you decided I wasn’t worthy of you. That’s why you’ve haven’t contacted me since.”

  “That is so not true, Keegan. I’m the one who’s not worthy of you.”

  Her words hung on the night air, like the organ music in a mystery when all becomes clear to the detective.

  “Why would you say that?” Keegan asked, his voice a raspy burr.

  Keegan had heard? She’d actually voiced the thought? “I have no idea.”

  “That’s clear from your stunned expression.”

  A calm, like the stillness after a storm, descended upon her. Something profound had occurred. She felt suspended, as if she was gazing down upon herself from above. “We’re treading new ground, Keegan. I’m not sure how I feel. About myself. Or you.”

  He touched her face, her cheeks, then her lips. “I feel closer to you at this moment than I ever did before. How about we literally reconnect?”

  He wanted her to go to bed with him. How did he know that was exactly what she needed after her revelation? Her heart pumped on overdrive and the palms of her hands perspired enough for her champagne flute to slip right through them if she wasn’t careful. Her entire body throbbed, in particular, parts south.

  “Look, we’ve at least got tonight. Your dad’s not here. My gang’s back at our villa. I want to spend this time with you.”

  “What if…”

  “Don’t think about what if. We’ll deal with what comes next tomorrow. Tonight is ours. Don’t you think you owe me?”

  There it was. She’d been waiting for him to remind her of her debt. But she did owe him. And herself as well. She’d cheated them out of a lifetime together. Perhaps tonight they could reclaim a tiny bit of that dream.

  Chapter Nine

  Keegan pulled Drew to her feet and into his arms before she changed her mind. He’d ached to hold her since seeing her yesterday. She was still the most entrancing creature on the planet, with that cotton candy hair the color of ripe corn silk. Did she want this as much as he did? Her cat’s eyes had grown hazy with what he hoped was anticipation. Desire.

  He gently placed his lips on hers, as if too much pressure would kill the moment. Drew surprised him by returning the kiss with the ferocity of a warrior princess claiming her bounty. Had she been dreaming of this as long as he? She pushed into his body, her interest in doing more than kissing quite evident. His own interest in doing more had already shown up. He didn’t attempt to hide it from her. She had to know where this was leading.

  He retreated a step. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes. Now, before better sense returns.”

  He led her to the master suite. One low light lit the room. Just enough illumination to find their way to the bed.

  As soon as the door closed, his hand shot for the zipper on her dress. “Last chance. Stop me now, or there’s no turning back.”

  “For God’s sake, Keegan. Pull it down, or I’ll do it myself.” All the old impatience to get on with this—the impatience he loved was still there.

  No further invitation needed. The dress pooled around her feet leaving her in only a strapless bra and lace panties. His breath caught. “God, you look even better than I remembered.”

  She took a short bow. “Thanks. But how about you?” She tackled his shirt. Mission accomplished, she backed up a step to ogle his bare chest. “Oh. Yes.” She went for his fly. “Let’s see the rest.”

  He placed his hand over hers. “Not so fast. Let’s get back to you first.”

  The shock he’d witnessed in her eyes when she’d come to the door yesterday, and the fright he’d seen there in the wee hours of the morning as she sought help for her dad had been replaced with an expression that dared him to look away.

  She undid her bra and tossed it across the room. “You always preferred I do this part, so you could watch. Does that still work? Even if it doesn’t, too late.” She bent and shimmied out of her panties, her more than ample breasts dangling like twin pendulums as she did. His mouth went dry. “Your turn.”

  He swallowed, at least attempted to. “Give me a chance to enjoy the view.”

  “Shed those briefs first.”

  He chuckled. “You’re one tough negotiator.” But he complied, more than enjoying the lascivious gleam that lit her eyes. His penis, fully aroused for the last several minutes, stood at alert, urging him to get this show on the road. It had gone much too long without the sweet warmth and excitement of her body. “C’mere.”

  “Gladly.” She closed the gap between them, placed her hands behind his neck and brought his lips to hers.

  He let her do the work for a few seconds as her hips writhed against him, the feel of skin on skin as thrilling as ever. Her enthusiasm was as much a turn-on as her naked body. For now, he’d be a team player and let her proceed, although he preferred to be the quarterback and call the plays. He’d take over soon enough. For now, it was like she’d broken loose from some kind of emotional prison and was relishing her freedom. Her wantonness was a drug. One that could cause him lifetime addiction.

  The kiss deepened as her tongue sought his, and once finding it, tantalized and teased. He held off mixing it up as long as he could and then fought back, returning parry for parry.

  His hands roamed her back, moved down to mold her buttocks. Meanwhile, she continued to press against him, rubbed against his erection. Whatever thought remained in his brain escaped. Everything became feeling, raw, demanding emotion.

  He picked her up and placed her on the bed. She opened her arms and yanked him to her.

  “You have me so turned on, Drew.”

  “The feeling is mut
ual.” Her voice was a croak. He remembered how once turned on, she could barely speak. She’d either moan or respond in guttural one- or few-word phrases. Like he could utter much more.

  He nuzzled her neck, kissing and licking that spot just below her hairline where his tongue made her wild. His hands probed the rest of her body, exploring what was still the same pleasure park as before. His fingers stroked smooth, baby-soft skin like the richest velvet.

  Voluptuous folds and sinful curves begged for attention, although once his lips and mouth reached her breasts, he suckled relentlessly, realizing this might be the last time he could enjoy the bounty that was her body. If it weren’t for the pressure building in his lower region, he could stay here forever. But he couldn’t deny himself the thrill of truly reconnecting with her.

  Drew massaged his shoulders, skimmed her hands down his arms, blew his neck hairs. She seemed driven to the inevitable finale, moaning and repeating his name as she wriggled beneath him.

  Finally, unable to hold off any longer, he sheathed himself with a condom and allowed himself to enter his own version of Paradise—forget about the show.

  Overwhelming pleasure overtook him like a world-shaking homecoming. At the same time, this was different, as if the kaleidoscope of their relationship had shifted, as their older, hopefully wiser, selves celebrated their physical reunion.

  He checked her eyes. Closed. But her sensuous mouth had curled up in a satisfied smile.

  They moved in concert with each other, each straining to extend their coupling to the limit, to maximize the sensations.

  He fought to maintain a slender thread of control while she climaxed. Then he let his mind relax while his body soared. He’d missed this more than he realized. Not just the sex. Making love to Drew. No other woman made him feel like this, whole. Spent, he rolled to her side, cradled her in his arms. He planted kisses in her hair, almost depleting his remaining energy, but he wanted her to know not only how great being with her again had been, but also that it meant more to him than just a tumble in the sheets.