AT LONG LAST (The Playas Series - Book 4)

by Brenda Jackson

  “I was in my third month. The doctors asked me if twins ran in my family and I told him no, but that they ran in yours. I remember you telling me that your grandmother was a twin and her grandmother before her. I’m glad you’d shared that with me. Otherwise, I would not have known.”

  He only wished he could have been there for her. But he had no one to blame but himself. “The private investigator I hired obtained a copy of the girls’ birth certificates. Thank you for listing me as their father.”

  She sat down at the table with him, a cup of coffee in hand. “There was no way I would have done anything else, Sean, regardless of how things were between us. As doctors, you and I both know how difficult things are when trying to obtain a patient’s family history and they don’t know enough to tell us. I didn’t want that. If anything happened to me, you deserved to know about your daughters.”

  “Yet you didn’t try to contact me.” There, he’d said it and unfortunately, he hadn’t been able to keep the bitterness out of his voice.

  “No, I didn’t,” she said softly, and he saw genuine regret in her eyes. “I was hurt, Sean. We had always been there for each other, but that one night changed everything. And it shouldn’t have.”

  She was right. But she did not know how it felt to suddenly realize you were in love with your best friend. He’d tried to explain it to her last night, but she hadn’t believed him. When he’d gotten back to the B&B, he’d had time to think; something he’d done a lot of lately.

  If she wouldn’t believe him, then he had no choice. He was a firm believer that actions spoke louder than words. So, he would spend the next two weeks in Belfort and would use that time to get to know his daughters…and hopefully to wiggle his way into Liz’s heart. Just being her friend wasn’t enough anymore.

  “I’m sorry I hurt you, Liz. It’s something I will regret for the rest of my life.”

  “Thank you,” she said, “For the girls’ sake, it’s important that we get along.”

  He took a swallow of water. “How did they know who I was yesterday?”

  She hesitated a moment and then admitted, “I have a picture of you in their room, on the wall in plain view. They know it’s a picture of their daddy. You haven’t changed in looks, so when they saw you, they knew exactly who you were.”

  “Thank you. It definitely made things easier for me. And you were right, they are friendly.”

  She chuckled. “Yes, they definitely have my personality.”

  He couldn’t help but laugh at that because she used to tease him about being moody at times. “If you say so.”

  It felt good to share laughter with her, like old times. Last night, their conversation hadn’t gotten off to a good start, but today they both seemed to be in a better frame of mind. It was as if they’d decided it wasn’t about them—it was about the girls. That might be the way she was thinking, but as far as he was concerned, it was about them as well.

  “When are you returning to Boston?”

  Under the circumstances her question was a reasonable one to ask. “I took two weeks off. Once I found out about my daughters, it was important for me to spend some time with them. I hope you don’t mind.”

  “No, not at all.”

  He was glad she wasn’t putting any roadblocks in his path. “Good,” he said, smiling. “I’m even willing to keep them all day while you’re at work, if you like.”

  Liz chuckled. “I’m not sure you really want to do that; especially all day. I think part of the day would work, though. We can work out the details later.” She paused a moment, then said, “I was going to call you Monday. To tell you about my plans.”

  He recalled that she had mentioned something about her plans last night. “Which are?”

  She sat up straight in her chair and he could tell from the look of excitement on her face that whatever she was about to share was something pretty major to her. “I was asked to return to Boston Harbor MC, as Chief of Surgery in the Cardiac division.”

  Sean’s face split into a huge smile. “Liz, that’s wonderful. I’d heard they were looking for someone to replace Dr. Oretal when he decided to retire. You’d be perfect for the position. I hope you accepted.”

  “I did. I start work in two weeks. The reason I was going to call you Monday was because I thought you should know. I wasn’t sure if David had told you about the girls or if you’d gotten married. But I didn’t want you to think I was returning to Boston to cause problems for you.”

  Sean didn’t say anything. Just the thought that she could have considered such a thing bothered him. And it made him realize just how unsure she was of him and the deep friendship they’d once shared. He would have like to believe she knew him better than that. But the sad thing was that she had known him once…and it was time she got to know him again.

  Liz moving back to Boston was a stroke of good luck for him. Even if he didn’t win her over in the next two weeks, she would soon be in the same town and working at the same hospital. And he had no intention of giving up on her.

  “Although I’m moving back to Boston in two weeks, I don’t start work at the hospital for another month. They are giving me time to find a place to live and get the girls situated in a good daycare center.”

  He beamed inside, knowing his family would be within reach in Boston. And yes, he considered them his family, though he bit back an offer to have them move in with him. He knew she would turn him down flat. But maybe later… “This calls for a celebration.”

  “What does?”

  “Your moving back to Boston and your promotion. I’d like to take you and the girls out to dinner tonight. What do you say?”

  Liz wasn’t sure what to say. First of all, she hadn’t known how he would feel about her moving back to Boston. At first, she’d been concerned because she’d thought he was married. Now she discovered that was not the case. Still, she had to know for certain.

  “And you don’t have a problem with me and the girls moving back to Boston, knowing there will possibly be talk at the hospital that you are the twins’ father?”

  He stared at her, and she was aware he knew why she was asking. Like any place, the hospital was a breeding ground for gossip. When he’d begun dating Asia, his brother’s ex-girlfriend, talk around the water cooler had been that he didn’t mind settling for his brother’s leftovers. There was no doubt in Liz’s mind that it wouldn’t take long for others to find out about the twins…and put two and two together.

  “Of course, I don’t have a problem with it. You of all people should know gossip doesn’t bother me. I guess my question is…will it bother you, Liz? Most people know we were friends, but will likely find it surprising to learn we had babies together. How will you feel about that?”

  Liz knew there were those who’d suspected her feelings for Sean went beyond mere friendship, although Sean had never figured it out. “I’m not ashamed that you’re my girls’ father, Sean.”

  “So then, let’s celebrate. Let me take you and the girls to dinner.”

  She met his gaze. “Dad and Ruth are leaving tomorrow, so I had planned to prepare a special dinner for them tonight. But you are welcome to join us, if you like.”

  He smiled. “I’d love to join you. Thanks for the invite.”

  Sean was still there an hour later when her father and Ruth returned from the park with the girls. Like the day before, Haylee and Kaylee remembered Sean immediately and had raced across the room to give him huge hugs. Then they began chattering away, telling him everything they’d done at the park and about the ducks they’d seen in the lake. Liz watched his interaction with them and could tell he was just as fascinated with them as they were with him.

  “He’s good with them,” her father said when he wandered into the kitchen just as she was taking the roasted chicken out of the oven.

  She had to agree. “He plans to stay in town for a couple of weeks to get to know them. He even volunteered to keep the girls while I’m working.”

  “I h
ope you didn’t discourage him.”

  “No, but I did suggest he start off with shorter days. You know the girls can be a handful, Dad.”

  “Good idea. Did you get the chance to tell him about your upcoming move back to Boston?”

  “Yes, and he seemed fine with the idea. I think he figures he’ll be closer to the girls that way. I just don’t want him to keep foolishly believing that he’s in love with me.”

  “And what if he isn’t being foolish, Liz? I told you how it was for me and Ruth. A man can be in love with a woman without realizing it.”

  She nodded. “I know that’s what you said, Dad. But I’ve loved Sean forever, and I’ve always known I’ve loved him, even while dating others. That’s why I never got serious about anyone. So, I’m sure you can understand why it’s hard for me to understand how he could love me and not know it.”

  Sean backed away from the doorway. He’d been about to enter the kitchen to tell Liz that Kaylee was hungry when he’d overheard the conversation she’d been having with her father.

  Had Liz just admitted to loving him for a long time? How had he not detected such a thing? Not only had he not been fully aware of his feelings for her, but he hadn’t had a clue about her feelings for him. If what he’d just heard was true--and there was no reason to believe it wasn’t--that meant he’d made a royal mess of things.

  But he was going to make things right. Now, not only did he have to win over his daughters, but he had to win the heart of their mother, as well. And he intended to put his entire heart and soul into making that happen.

  22

  LOGAN

  Claire glanced up to see the colorful hot-air balloons glide across the early morning sky in different shapes, sizes and designs. There appeared to be thousands of them, and she thought it had to be the most incredible thing she’d ever seen. Umm, maybe not, she thought, glancing at the man standing beside her. There was nothing more incredible than what she and Logan had shared. They’d been in Albuquerque for five days and she couldn’t believe how much their relationship had changed.

  She was amazed at how two people could shift from being good friends to becoming the best of lovers. And they were definitely that. Anyone seeing them would assume that they were madly in love. During the day, she and Logan were practically joined at the hip, and at night, they were joined at the center. And she had to admit, those were her favorite times.

  Claire also enjoyed those times when they would sit out on the back patio before a roaring pit fire, sipping wine and staring out over the Rio Grande Valley. Because of the festival, there were several balloons in the sky every evening. Most were well-lit and could be seen for miles.

  Claire considered her moments with Logan, sitting on the patio, to be their private time. The nights were usually cool and they would lie beside each other on the double lounger, his arms around her and wrapped under a blanket. It was during those hours that she got to know more about Logan. She hadn’t known that he coached a softball team every spring. Nor had she known he’d been appointed by the mayor of Tampa to be on the school board. He also sat on the board of directors at a number of banks and non-profit organizations. In addition to boating, he also enjoyed skiing and playing golf.

  She knew the Montgomerys were a close family, and she loved hearing him speak fondly of his father and siblings. He thought Asia and Monique were the best things that could have happened to his brothers, and Connor for his sister. Claire had always known Logan was a nice all-around guy, and spending time with him only proved it. In or out of the bedroom, he had to be the most thoughtful man she’d ever met.

  More than once, she had to push the thought out of her mind that she could get used to being around Logan all the time. Because frankly, she knew she couldn’t. In a few weeks, she was due to return to Algiers. And even though she’d made the decision to take a leave of absence from the State Department, that didn’t mean the two of them could get anything going.

  In fact, it would be just the opposite. She’d need her space more than ever to embark on a new career. An affair should be the last thing on her mind. What she and Logan had started on this trip would have to end once they went their separate ways. He undoubtedly felt the same way, since he hadn’t mentioned anything about them extending their affair beyond the next few weeks. She was certainly glad of that.

  Logan placed his arms around her shoulders and she felt warm and secure. He had a knack for making a person feel special. Just like she loved her nights with him, she loved the mornings as well. It had been years since she’d woke up in a man’s arms, then proceeded to make love before eating breakfast.

  And the sights they were seeing on this trip had been worth putting on her bucket list. In Albuquerque, balloons were everywhere, and over the past few days, they’d spent hours watching them take off in the skies. And she enjoyed meeting the number of people who’d arrived for the nine-day event, almost as much as seeing the balloons.

  Last evening, fireworks lit up the sky, followed by the Afterglow, where a number of balloons appeared in a brilliant colorful glow across the night sky. Like others, she and Logan had arrived at the park with their blanket to watch the dazzling event, while various loud speakers belted out the Fifth Dimensions’ popular song, Up, Up and Away. Claire was convinced she’d never seen anything so incredible. And sharing the experience with Logan just made it that much more special.

  Sharing a bed with Logan was special, too. She recalled her conversation with Asia a couple of weeks ago, and the warning her sister had given her about the Montgomery men.

  You haven’t tried a Montgomery man. If Logan is anything like his baby-brother, then you won’t know what hit you until it’s too late…

  Claire had dismissed Asia’s words as insignificant at the time, but now she wasn’t too sure. The one thing she did know was that every time Logan took her to bed, the experience was mind-blowing. He knew just what to do to make a woman scream, over and over. She’d never known having an orgasm could be so powerful. Nor had she believed there were so many positions when it came to making love, if two people were inclined to try them. And they had been inclined.

  From her conversations with Asia, she’d learned that when it came to sex, Lance was like the Energizer Bunny. You said “let’s” and he would end the sentence with “roll between the sheets.” Lance was a walking sex-machine. Not that Asia had ever complained, mind you. Claire had no doubt that her sister could keep up with her husband in the bedroom.

  Claire discovered Logan had just as much enthusiasm for making love as his youngest brother allegedly had. It was hard to believe, but since arriving in Albuquerque five days ago, she’d made love with Logan more times than she ever had with Walter, the entire time they were together. She tried convincing herself the reason was because she and Walter had spent a lot of time apart, since he was in the military and she’d been away at college. But still, she had to admit that even when they’d been together, sex hadn’t been the first thing on their minds. She never thought of him as being overly sexual, and neither was she. That was normal, wasn’t it? But if that was the case, was Logan abnormal? Making love was always on his agenda. They had sex whenever they wanted it, and desire was always there between them, simmering just below the surface. All they had to do was stare at each other for too long and need would overtake them. Logan had the ability to make her scream out her satisfaction like a crazy woman. Walter had never made her scream. With Logan, she was experiencing double, sometimes triple orgasms, in a single night or morning. And like Asia, Claire wasn’t complaining.

  As if he detected her attention, he glanced down at her and a smile touched the corners of his lips. “You ready for our balloon ride, Claire?”

  She nodded excitedly. She could hardly wait. Logan didn’t know it yet but she had something special planned, just for him. “What about you?” she asked, looking away quickly to stare back up in the sky so he wouldn’t see the mischief written all over her face.

  He chuck
led. “I’ve been ready. I admit I was afraid you’d chicken out on me, since it’s totally different than being in a plane. In a balloon, you’re out in the open.”

  Not too out in the open, she hoped.

  They had immediately liked Craig Peterson and his wife Daffney when they’d first met the couple. The Petersons had owned a hot air balloon business for almost five years and only gave private flights. Claire hadn’t known just how private it would be until Daffney had told her. One of their balloons had been designed to look like a blue jay and had double connecting baskets. Daffney’s crew had arrived earlier and the balloon was up, attached to the baskets and ready to fly.

  The part of the basket designated for the pilot had a wicker wall where the pilot could not see what was going on in the passengers’ basket. Also, booking a flight on the Petersons’ private balloon included a picnic lunch and wine. Claire’s mind had immediately filled up with a number of naughty ideas. Today, she wanted to be daring and intended to take Logan on an adventure he’d never forget.

  “Did I tell you how much I like your outfit?” he asked.

  Claire glanced back over at him. Today, she’d decided to wear a very short denim skirt and a white midriff blouse. She saw the way he’d looked at her when she’d finished dressing that morning. “Yes, you’ve told me twice already.”

  He chuckled. “So, what does that tell you?”

  She grinned. “That you must really like it.”

  “I do.”

  “I’m glad. I wasn’t sure about it. I thought I might be showing too much legs and skin.” Little did he guess that her outfit had a purpose.

  He leaned in close and she took a deep breath. His masculine scent was such a turn-on. “I happen to like your legs and skin.”