Never Date Your Ex

by Genevieve Goodwin

  "The pup belongs to someone already, son."

  "Who?"

  "The lady down the street," Aidan said. "The one who helped you with your kite last night."

  "Oh." Ross frowned with disappointment.

  "Why don't you bring him in for some water, and we'll find something for him to eat. You can play with him until I take you to school. Alright?"

  "Cool!" Ross exclaimed as he opened the backdoor. "What's his name?"

  It took a moment for Aidan to recall. "Thorn."

  "Come in, Thorn!" Ross yelled and the puppy dashed in and pounced on Ross, knocking him over. Ross shrieked with joy, hugging the puppy with unbound affection.

  Aidan watched Ross and Thorn play together and instantly regretted not getting him a dog sooner. If Jamie wouldn't let him keep Thorn, next week he would visit Forley, who owned the local shelter. Ross would have his dog.

  Aidan dropped Ross at school and sat in his truck watching Thorn while a corrupt thought entered his mind. Thorn sat beside him, his nose stuck out the window, panting heavily, excited by the children who ran in the playground outside the window. Thorn was focused on Ross, who was running toward the schoolyard. The mutt began to whine and squirm, and finally stuck a paw out the cracked window in a feeble attempt to get out of the truck.

  "Come here, critter." Aidan pulled the puppy down from his truck's window. "I have plans for you."

  As he pulled out of the school driveway, Aidan wondered how Jamie would react to him finding a home for the pup. He wasn't foolish enough to think she would be bowled over with gratitude. She may even refuse his offer. She was an unpredictable woman. She surprised him constantly; first with her shy seductions, then with her hungry kiss, and lastly with her unleashed temper.

  He couldn't wait to see how the mighty princess was going to react now.

  ~

  It was Friday morning and Jamie was a disaster. First, she had received word from the bank she'd lost the bid for Villa Milagros. Then, an important client was complaining her living room had been painted the wrong color. Conrad had called and left one of his disturbing, cryptic messages. And last, but most definitely not least, Thorn was missing.

  She'd let him out early in the morning and shortly after, Aidan's workmen arrived. One of them had carelessly left the entry open. Somewhere between Jamie's morning coffee and shower, Thorn had disappeared out the open gate. She gave the workmen a glare she hoped would chill their blood.

  She called for Thorn over and over again, down the street and across another but to no avail. She was terrified of what could happen to him all alone. A car traveling too fast might not see the puppy and the result could be- well, she couldn't think about it.

  She slipped into her bedroom, away from the workmen and sat down on her bed feeling utterly dejected. For the first time in a long time she felt defeated. She had a wrecked cottage she didn't want. She had a crazy socialite who wanted to marry her whom she didn't love. The man she'd longed for far too long was double-crossing her. And now, her dog had run away. It was the last straw.

  She fell back on the bed lifelessly and stared at the worn, plaster. She felt like screaming at someone, at the heavens, at the stupid workmen who sent her puppy to probable death.

  The phone rang and she stared at it numb. She pulled a pillow across her face as the phone continued ringing incessantly.

  "Oh, alright" She grabbed the receiver from her bed. "Yes?"

  "Good morning!" Aidan's voice was sickeningly joyful.

  How dare he call her and be so cheerful after all she had been through this morning.

  "What on earth do you want? Your men are here, why are they here? I told you, I'm finding another contractor so you better call your dim-witted workers off."

  "Dim-witted? What did they do?"

  "They left the gate open and Thorn-" her voice broke despite her best efforts.

  "Oh. Look, meet me at the cabanas…"

  What an insensitive ogre. Thorn was gone, probably lying helpless and wounded somewhere, and he wanted to go to the beach? "The cabanas?"

  "I have something to say to you," he said.

  "I'm listening."

  "I want to speak to you in person."

  "I really don't have time for your games today. I have to go to Palm Beach to resolve a problem with a client and I…" I have to deal with a stalking deranged socialite. "I have a lot of work to catch up on. I'm not on vacation despite what you may think. But first, I have to find Thorn." She sat up on the bed and prepared to hang up the phone.

  "I have something you want," Aidan said smoothly.

  "You have nothing I could possibly want," she lied, hating the yearning ache his voice triggered.

  "I most certainly do, Jamie." His voice was cool and low. "And I'm certain you'll want what I have without delay. I guarantee it."

  "What do you have?"

  She heard the faint sound of clapping.

  "Thorn, come here boy."

  "You have Thorn?" There was no mistaking the momentary joy in her voice. But it was short lived. "Why you dirty rat! You stole my dog? What a low down, despicable thing to do!"

  "Lord vixen, calm down. I didn't steal him. I found him in my backyard this morning. I only live a block from you, and puppies will wander if you don't watch them carefully. They're a lot like children."

  She snickered gracelessly. "Children? What would you know about children?"

  Aidan chuckled. "You'd be surprised."

  "I'm sure I would. As for Thorn, it was your silly workmen who left the gate open. I want you to bring him here, immediately."

  "I don't take too kindly to orders. I thought you wanted to find him a home anyway. I happen to know someone who would love to-"

  "You want to keep him? Over my dead body."

  Aidan sighed. "Very well, I'll return him to you under one condition."

  "No conditions."

  "You're in no position to bargain seeing as I am the one who has your dog. Meet me at the beach cabanas in one hour. I'll bring Thorn. Then perhaps we can settle this disagreement we seem to be having."

  Jamie had no doubt Aidan would bring the puppy. She knew he'd take good care of the Thorn and in all honesty her wayward puppy seemed to love Aidan, much to her chagrin. Aidan was gentle, despite his rough, arrogant demeanor. But she didn't want to be alone with him. She didn't want to face his charming charisma and make her forget he was the enemy.

  "What do you say? I'm waving the white flag here," Aidan said.

  "If you promise to keep your lips to yourself, I'll meet you."

  She could hear the smile in Aidan's answer. "Scouts honor," Aidan replied.

  "Half an hour." She hung up.

  She couldn't help the queasy feeling in her stomach, the sudden case of nerves that overtook her normally stony calmness. It was her fault for wanting to date the man in the first place. She'd got herself into this colossal mess. She was going to get herself out.

  She was going to the beach to get Thorn, tell the swaggering Aidan Brice to stuff it and then, walk away from him.

  It would be simple. Right?

  ~

  The day was windy and overcast as Aidan walked Thorn to the beach cabanas. He'd made a makeshift leash from some rope left in his truck, and Thorn romped alongside him contentedly, sniffing the grass and barking at the occasional cat that crossed their path. It was a shame he couldn't keep him. He was a cute little critter despite the fact he had chewed up Aidan's newspaper, piddled on the new living room carpet and turned over the kitchen garbage can all within one morning. Princess Jamie certainly had her hands full with Thorn.

  They crossed Seabrook's main highway to the beach. The dark blue surf was rough and wild. The wind had picked up, causing a froth of whitecaps to form on the tips of the waves. For an instant, the evening news Aidan had dozed through last night came to mind as he glanced at the palm trees twisting in the high breeze.

  A hurricane was brewing in the Caribbean. He couldn't remember where it was
estimated to make landfall. He was too distracted with Jamie. He was forgetting to take care of the practical things in life. Those same practical things had sustained his sanity these last five years. He'd be sure to watch the weather report after he dealt with the raven-haired hellion.

  Speaking of the devil, he looked up to see her sitting with deceptive calm on a lounge chair in front of the cabanas. Her hair was loose and fluttering wildly in the breeze while her face had the serenity of a Madonna, composed and calm.

  Another illusion. She looked too docile sitting in her flowery sundress and dark sunglasses, a friendly hand reaching out with a warm smile on her face. Belatedly he realized the outstretched hand, and the smile was for Thorn not for him.

  The pup tugged vigorously on the rope as soon as he saw Jamie. Aidan released him. The mutt bounded toward Jamie who gathered the happy animal in her arms as he leapt into her lap.

  "My poor baby" she cooed, hugging the puppy in her arms.

  Aidan felt a twinge of envy.

  He took his time walking toward her. "You see? I'm a man of my word."

  "So you are. Congratulations. These days it seems we have to reward what should be common courtesy."

  "I'm not asking for a reward," Aidan said, relaxing in a chair next to her. "Unless you're offering." Like maybe one small kiss?

  "What would you like for a reward?" She was relaxed now that she had Thorn back safely.

  Aidan pet Thorn's head affectionately and the puppy squirmed enthusiastically. Jamie let him down and stood up, absently brushing his fur from her dress. The wind whipped around them, an ominous sign if there ever was one.

  He could think of many ways she could reward him. A romantic dinner, and just maybe another accidental kiss came to mind.

  "You said you wanted to talk?" she asked.

  A soft roll of thunder echoed in the distance. How ominous, Aidan thought. "How about dinner?"

  "Dinner?" She seemed surprised. "You mean like a date?"

  "No, just two people having dinner, discussing business, coming to a compromise on certain subjects. We can keep it strictly business," he said, hoping to appease her concerns.

  "Oh" she said softly.

  Did he detect disappointment in her voice?

  "We're here now. Let's discuss it now," she said.

  The breeze was picking up and a chill filled the air. Aidan could smell a downpour coming. "I think it might-"

  Rain, sudden and piercing sluiced down on them.

  "Inside the cabana," Aidan called through the rush of wind and water. He lifted Thorn in one arm and sheltered Jamie's body with the other as they ran toward an open cabana.

  They laughed, huddling inside the small room which was about eight square feet, and each of them did their best at shaking off the rainwater. Thorn seemed to be the only one who had any success at it, however.

  The water came down in sheets, as though a dam in the heavens had broken. Jamie was drenched from head to toe, her sandals were full of sand and she'd lost her sunglasses somewhere on the dunes. Aidan noticed her eyes were the color of the ocean on a sunny day, a warm, vital blue. Her flowery sundress, now soaked, clung to her slim figure and clung around her long legs. She shivered as she tried to wring the water from her dress.

  "Allow me" Aidan said, taking hold of her dress. He wrung out a good portion of the water from several angles.

  She watched him in silence, her face wet from the rain, her expression unmoving except for the slight quivering of her lips. Her hair was a soggy mess, soaked and tangled with rain. She twisted it to wring out the water and let it cascade down her back, knotted and damp.

  "Are you cold?"

  "We could have met at my house where it's warm and dry," she said flatly.

  His smile was faint. He didn't want to rouse her temper too much. "Yes, that would have been much nicer."

  Aidan Brice maddened her to unbelievable heights. How she despised his arrogance, his gall, his stupid grin that made no sense in a man as jaded and solitary as Aidan Brice. The man was an enigma. But the more she detested him, the more things she found about him to dislike, the more she was attracted to him. That certainly didn't make any sense. Nothing did regarding Aidan.

  Maybe if they dated, he wouldn't be so appealing anymore. Maybe it was the mystery of him, and the fact she hadn't had feelings for anyone in years. But she didn't want to date just anyone. She didn't want to date the lethally powerful Conrad Malcolm who was so anxious to marry her. She didn't want to date the handsome doctor whose house she'd designed two months ago and who'd been begging her for dates ever since. Or any of the stunning celebrities she knew who had asked her out countless times. She didn't want to date any man but Aidan Brice.

  And he was the man who was robbing her of the one thing she really wanted and worked to reclaim her entire adult life. Her childhood home.

  Puddles were beginning to form in the indentations in the sand and there was no indication the downpour would stop any time soon. Jamie sighed, resigned. She was stuck with the beautiful enemy. Stuck in a box of a room with a wet dog, a hunk of a man and a heck of a dilemma.

  Aidan stood next to her at the edge of the cabana's doorway and gazed out onto the storm, watching the wrath of nature. Despite the early hour, the day had grown dim and dreary with gloom. A streak of lightening sliced through the air followed by a piercing crack. She jumped, startled by its ferocity.

  "I wonder how long it will last" she said finally.

  "It's a bad storm," he said. "Seems I remember there's a hurricane in the Caribbean at the moment. I missed the weather update this morning though. I was too busy cleaning up after Thorn."

  "Really?" She laughed at the idea of Aidan doing anything remotely domestic.

  "Why is that funny?"

  "I never know what to expect from you. Sometimes, you make me laugh. Other times-" she gave him an angry frown.

  "I like you much better laughing" Aidan said. "It's much better than when you are raging at me."

  "Then, don't give me a reason to rage at you."

  "I never have, at least not intentionally."

  His face was beautifully handsome. Like her, he was drenched to the bone. While she felt like a drown cat, he was captivating in wet clothes that clung to his muscles like a glove. There were times he made it difficult for her to hate him.

  She tilted her face up at Aidan. "Why do you want Villa Milagros?"

  "Personal reasons."

  His answer surprised Jamie. "You don't seem like the sentimental type."

  He shrugged. "There is a lot you don't know about me, Jamie." He turned to watch the horizon as bleakness dominated his face. His golden hair tossed in the wind, softly framing his austere expression.

  Kerrie had told her about the tragedy in Aidan's life. The lost loved ones. Was there a connection to Villa Milagros? She had to know.

  "Does this have something to do with your former wife?"

  His dark glare made her instantly regret the question.

  "What do you know about my ex-wife?" His tone was accusing.

  "Not much. I know you were married and you lost your wife. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry. I wanted to understand why you want my house."

  She shouldn't have asked. Her conscience gnawed at her, and she rested her hand on Aidan's shoulder wanting to console him. She felt an inexplicable connection to him, a connection she had never felt with anyone before. She felt his pain because she'd felt that pain herself. She knew the burden of grief that never went away.

  "I know what it's like to lose someone. My mother died when I was a teenager, and she was the only family I knew. I know how hard it is to be left alone."

  He stared at her in the misty light, not uttering a single word. Her hand was still touching his shoulder, softly caressing him though the thin cotton. The air was hazy and damp, heavy with rain. Jamie shivered in her wet dress. An overwhelming sense of tiredness overcame her, and she wished she could go home and collapse in her bed, numb from all the
chaos of her life.

  As long as the storm raged, she wasn't going anywhere. She peered into Aidan's face as he watched her through his grey, solemn eyes. His stare unnerved her. Tension flickered between them.

  "Please, say something," she whispered.

  He turned directly to her. His fingers skimmed her hand. She didn't move.

  "You can't have Villa Milagros," he said.

  And cursing under his breath he bent down and hushed her response with his sweet, soft lips.

  Chapter Six

  There was something different in this kiss.

  This was not the slow, surprise kiss in her foyer. His lips claimed hers, warm and sweet with soul shaking emotion. She should pull away, but she couldn't fight her feelings, couldn't fight the longing for love and comfort he ignited in her.

  He kissed her again until-

  The shrill bark of a dog broke the still air.

  Startled, Jamie looked up to see a figure sheathed under an umbrella sprinting toward the cabanas. Aidan stood in front of her protectively while Thorn barked at the stranger, his tail wagging excitedly.

  She quickly pulled away from Aidan, while the person with the umbrella had ensconced himself directly in the cabana next to them. She braved a glance into Aidan's grey eyes, expecting a cool, arrogant expression. Instead, he kissed away the frown that had crept across her face.

  "I owe you an apology," he said.

  He kissed her cheeks with tenderness. "I promised to not kiss you, but you have the most destructible effect on my common sense."

  She offered him a small smile. Her breath had literally been sucked away leaving a dull, aching pain at her core. She drew away from Aidan and looked out onto the darkened horizon. The storm had nearly passed, and the sun peaked shyly from beneath a spongy cloud. Thorn, who had relaxed in the corner, rose and stretched lazily.

  The rain had stopped. There wasn't time for talking, thank goodness. Both of them had to get back to work. She didn't want to think about that kiss, how she'd let down her guard again back here at Sabina Beach. What was it about this place and Aidan Brice?

  After an awkward departure in front of Aidan's workmen, Jamie and Thorn took off to Palm Beach to settle the paint problem with her client and to run a few errands. She was walking to her car in the parking garage of her Palm Beach hair salon when she ran into Reny, who looked perfectly dazzling in a white suit. Her flawless red nails flashed like flames on the tips of her fingers as she gave Jamie an enthusiastic wave.