While she was staring up at the cloudless blue sky, her foot caught on an uneven spot of sand. With a gasp, she pitched forward toward the ground.
And an arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her back when she would have fallen face first.
“Careful,” Hayden said, steadying her.
She gripped his arms and stared up into his eyes.
I wished for this, she realized. A man who would hold me while we watched something beautiful. One who would tuck the tag back into my shirt and catch me when I fell.
I wished for him.
And here he was, right in front of her, if she had the courage to reach for him.
“I care about you.”
The words were out before she could call them back. They were so much less than the ones she wanted to say, but for now, they’d do.
The smile slipped from his face, and he stared down at her with serious eyes.
She cupped his face, rising to her tiptoes. “I really, really do. Just thought you should know.”
“Avery…” He swallowed. “I care about you, too.”
She heard the hesitation in his tone, and a bittersweet pain blossomed in her chest, knowing he didn’t mean the words the way she had.
Should have just told him those three little words. But they were too much too fast. Mentioning the L-word to Hayden was the surest way to lose him.
She brushed back his wayward curl. “When we get home, nothing has to change. We can figure this out, you and I.”
He caught her hand. “You’d want to do that?”
“Without a doubt,” she replied. “I’m here, Hayden. As long as you want me to be.”
“What if I want forever?” he asked, his voice harsh.
A soft smile touched her lips. “I’m not going anywhere.”
He drew in a deep breath. “Okay.”
Her eyes flicked to his. “What?”
“Stay with me.”
Though she’d hoped for this answer, she hadn’t dared think that he’d agree. “You want a relationship?” she asked.
He swallowed again but nodded.
“This is a big step for you.”
His hand tightened on hers. “Not just for me.”
“No,” she breathed. “Not just for you.”
“Fair warning. I don’t remember how to be a boyfriend.”
She grinned. “I can give you pointers.”
“Though you may be perfect, I tend to make the odd mistake here and there.”
She twined her arms around his neck. “I’ll forgive you.”
“I might even make the same mistake twice,” he said, his head lowering toward hers.
“That happened to me once.”
“How’d it turn out?”
“I don’t have any complaints yet.”
His smile was bright. “It’s hard to complain in paradise. Wait till we’re back in the land of hectic schedules, insane traffic, indifferent strangers—”
“Won’t matter,” she said, rising to her tiptoes. “Not if we don’t let it.”
His hands rose to steady her hips. “You’re sure?”
“Stake my reputation on it.”
“Then I’d better believe you.”
“In me,” she whispered, running her hands into his hair. “You’d better believe in me.”
His grip on her tightened. “Love, you might be the only thing I’ve ever believed in.”
Her gaze rose to his as a smile curved her lips. “There will be logistics to figure out,” she said. “I travel a lot.”
“I’ve built a company that can function without me always being at the helm,” he replied. “I’ll go with you.”
“You wouldn’t ask me to quit?”
He snorted. “Like your moron ex? No, thanks. You’d go mad without something to do. That brain of yours is too precious to waste.”
Something in her shoulders released, clearing away a tension she hadn’t even been conscious of.
“Though, I do hope you’ll make room for your beloved Wexton clientele,” he added.
“Whenever you need me,” she promised. “You’re not worried about the differences between us?”
He snorted. “As if I need to date a wealthy socialite. You’re more than enough for me.”
He stopped, blinking as if the thought was new to him. Smiling, she stepped toward the surf, pulling him with her. She’d had looks like that. Thunderstruck expressions as she’d realized Hayden wasn’t temporary to her.
About time he had a few of the same.
“Let’s go for a swim,” she said, sashaying backward toward the water.
“You read my mind.”
She tossed him an impish grin, swinging her beach bag higher up the sand so it wouldn’t get wet. Grabbing her beach wrap, she tugged it over her head in one smooth movement.
“Coming?” she asked, leaving her belongings on the sand as she raced for the water.
With a laugh, Hayden pulled his T-shirt over his head before racing after her. He tackled her into the surf, both of them submerging for a moment.
His laughter filled her ears when she surfaced. She splashed water at him, swimming deeper into the waves.
“I had a request to consult at a hotel in Greece,” she said when he reached her. “We could play in the Aegean Sea.”
“Sounds perfect,” he replied. “It’s not a terrible plan, shacking up with a hotel consultant. Think of all the competitors I’ll be able to scope out.”
“Looks like I’ll be dealing with some conflicts of interest in the future.”
He caught her hands, pulling her against him. “We’ll figure them all out,” he promised. “Nothing will jeopardize what you’ve built.”
She smiled, touching her salty fingertip to his lips. “Thank you,” she said, her voice soft. “For understanding how much I need what I do.”
He kissed her finger. “I understand you, love. It comes with the territory.”
She cupped his face, both of them kicking to keep above the waves. “We’ve got a chance,” she said. “A real one, you and me. As much as I love it here, I’m looking forward to going home.”
“You’re mine,” he whispered in her ear.
“The feeling is mutual,” she replied.
And bobbing in the surf with him, the future didn’t seem as scary as it once had. Not with Hayden finally by her side.
Chapter Seventeen
Avery held up the dress to her body and examined herself in the mirror. She had a date later tonight with Hayden and she wanted to look her best.
Stepping closer to the mirror, she cocked her head to the side. The dress was different somehow. Or maybe she was. She peered at her own face. Her eyes weren’t as dull as they’d once been, and her skin had more color. Even her hair cascaded around her shoulders with bouncing volume instead of being confined to its usual severe clip. She looked…
Happy.
A slow grin spread across her face. That’s what love did. She twirled, feeling lighter than she had in years. Hayden didn’t try to suffocate her the way Jon had. He lifted her up instead of holding her down. And he was willing to try, really try, to make this work. It was beyond anything she’d dared to hope for.
Stripping out of her clothes, she tugged the red dress over her head and smoothed it down her body. She wondered how long it would be until it found its way to a crumpled heap on Hayden’s floor. Not long, she’d bet.
The ring of her phone pulled her away from the mirror. Striding to the purse on her bed, she fished it out and checked the screen.
Number unknown.
A frown crossed her face. Could it be the same person as the last two calls? Maybe it hadn’t been a telemarketer, after all.
Hitting accept, she raised the phone to her ear. “Hello, Avery Clarke speaking.”
“Avery.”
Ice water doused her at the sound of the voice. It was one she knew as well as she knew her own.
“Jon,” she whispered, dropping to the edge of
the bed.
“Hi, baby,” he said. “I’ve been trying to reach you.”
“Have you been drinking?” she asked, forcing her voice to remain calm. It’d been nearly six months since he’d last drunk-dialed her. She’d hoped he’d finally moved on.
A pained sound escaped him. “No,” he replied, his voice low. “I’m sober. Nearly five months now.”
“What?”
“I got help.”
Her eyes widened. Never in a million years had she expected her arrogant ex to admit to anything remotely wrong with him.
“For the drinking,” he clarified. “I haven’t touched a drink since leaving rehab. Or a woman, for that matter.”
Part of her wanted to congratulate him for his work, but another part of her wanted to hang up the phone. Addressing his problems was too little, too late as far as she was concerned. It wasn’t like he could get help for being a colossal cheating bastard.
She swallowed hard. “Good for you,” she said, opting for the high road. “I hope this will lead to some positive changes in your life.”
“One of the steps I’m working through is to make amends,” he said. “And, baby, if there is anyone I need to make things right with, it’s you.”
“I appreciate the sentiment, but I’m fine,” she said and realized it was true. Thinking about him would always sting, but she wasn’t bleeding the way she had been before Hayden.
“I know that’s not true,” Jon said, a touch of his old self shining through. “How could you be after what’s happened to us?”
“Maybe it was for the best,” she said. “We wanted different things. Had different goals.”
“Like your little job. Baby, if it makes you happy, then keep doing it. I’m sure we can compromise on hours. I owe you a little joy.”
“Compromise? What are you talking about?”
“I’m better now, Avery. It’s time to come home.”
Electricity sizzled down her spine. For months after her divorce she’d prayed for exactly this phone call. She’d wanted him to beg her to return. To vow he’d never make the same mistakes again.
Now that dream had become a reality. This was her chance to go back to the world that she’d left. A life that had made sense, with a future that was certain.
“I don’t work without you,” he said. “Even now I can’t sleep on your side of the bed. The house is empty when you’re not in it. I love you. I need you back in my life.”
Her eyes closed, her heart pounding in her chest. Taking a deep breath, she reminded herself why she’d filed for the divorce in the first place. He’d cheated on her. With everyone. He’d made her feel like she was lesser in some way. Like it was her fault she wasn’t desirable enough for him.
Hayden never made her feel that way. When he looked at her, there was no doubting the need in his eyes.
But he’d never said he loved her.
“Avery?”
She swallowed through her constricted throat. What did she want? To return to a life she’d once loved, or to take a chance on a wild, crazy adventure that might crash and burn at any moment?
“No,” she whispered into the phone.
Jon inhaled sharply.
Her fingers tightened on the cell. “I’m happy you are getting your life back on track,” she said sincerely. “But I’m not the same person you hurt. I’ve grown. My business has grown. And I’m with someone now who doesn’t ask me to choose between the different sides of myself. He accepts me for who I am without conditions.”
“You’re seeing someone?” The hurt in his voice stabbed through her heart.
“Yes,” she said. “I love him, and I won’t leave him. It’s time we cut these ties, Jon. We aren’t going to get back together. I think this is the last time you should contact me.”
“Think about this,” he said. “I know I made a mistake, but you’re throwing away years of our lives.”
“No, you did that,” she corrected. “The moment you touched someone else, you put us on this path. I found a way to heal what you broke, Jon, and I’m not going back. Thank you for the call. I really do wish you well. But I’ll never be with you again.”
“You’ll regret this,” he predicted, an ugly edge to his voice. “When this man leaves you and you’re alone again, you’ll remember how good we were.”
“Maybe he won’t leave,” she said.
“Our problems weren’t all me,” he replied. “Do you really think you’ve met someone willing to take all of you on? I knew you for years before we married. How well could he possibly understand you?”
Instead of being hurt, the accusation brought a smile to her lips. “He understands me better than you did,” she said. “And he’s worth risking everything for. Good-bye, Jon. Have a good life.”
She disconnected the call before he could say anything else.
Avery looked down at the phone in her hand. A tightness around her chest loosened. Hearing Jon’s voice made her more confident in her decision. She loved Hayden with a full, healed heart, and no matter how long she had to wait, she’d make sure he fell for her, too.
Smiling, she pushed from the bed. She needed to see him. Now. Yes, she’d be early, but it didn’t matter. She needed to tell him about her decision. Needed to hug him. Kiss him.
Love him.
He was the future she wanted to run toward.
…
A knock sounded on his door while shaving cream was still smeared one side of his face and all he wore was a bathrobe. Still, a smile touched his lips as he pictured an impatient Avery on the other side of the door. Looks like he hadn’t been the only one counting down the hours till they could be together again. Rubbing the cream off with a towel, he went to answer the door.
And found Lea on his doorstep.
She smiled in greeting. “Can we talk?”
“Now’s not really a good time,” he said, gesturing to his current state of undress.
“I don’t mind. You always look great.” She ducked into the room, wandering toward the balcony.
With a sigh, he closed the door.
“What can I do for you, Lea?”
“It’s what I can do for you,” she replied, sitting back on his bed. “I think I’ve been very patient.”
“Patient for what?”
“You.” She pulled off her cardigan, revealing a nearly see-through tank underneath. “I’ve waited for weeks.”
“Lea,” he said, stretching out his hands. “I know we might have flirted in the past, but this trip is different.”
“Because of Ms. Clarke.”
“Yes.”
She scoffed. “You can’t truly prefer her to me. That woman wouldn’t know excitement if it hit her.” She rose from the bed, leaving her shirt behind, and twined her arms around his neck. “Are you really turning me down?”
Hayden stood in her embrace, well aware that a few months ago he would have tumbled her back on the bed. He’d never been one to pass up an opportunity like Lea presented, and he understood why she thought he’d take her up on this offer.
But standing so close to her, seeing her nipples peak against her barely-there lace bra, he felt nothing.
Shock swept through him. Lea was gorgeous, and his cock couldn’t care less. He thought back to his previous lovers, recalled their lovely faces and still, nothing. And then he thought of Avery.
Heat surged through his veins. Desire making him go hard.
Lea looked down at his erection and smiled, as if it were for her.
“See?” she said, pressing closer. “Your body wants me.”
Except it didn’t. All he wanted was Avery. No one else would do.
Hell, he wanted to be faithful. To be monogamous. Committed. Words he’d long associated with doom and pain.
But she changed everything. She swept away the past until all he saw was their bright future.
How would it feel to be the man Avery Clarke treasured? Pride swelled in his chest. He wanted to be worthy of that trust.
Worthy of her.
She’d put him back together, and he’d never stop loving her for that.
Love.
Had he really just thought that word? He’d vowed never to love again. Not after what had happened last time. But picturing Avery’s smiling face made something expand inside him. He needed her in his life, his bed. No one else would do.
I’m in love with Avery Clarke, he thought for the first time. A touch of panic rose in his chest, but it was overpowered by the sheer joy the words brought.
A smile lit his face and an answering one rose on Lea’s.
“I’m sorry,” he said, stepping from her arms. “But this is never going to happen.”
Confusion filled her expression. Her gaze dropped between his legs before rising again to his face. “But—”
“I’m in love with another woman,” he said. “And I’d never hurt her by cheating.”
There’d be no forgiving such a transgression. He knew it would hurt her more deeply than anything else he could do.
So for the rest of his life, he’d be a one-woman man. Avery was all he wanted. All he needed.
Forever.
“I don’t understand,” Lea said.
“Neither do I,” he replied with a grin. “But there you have it. I’m sorry, Lea.”
She crossed her arms. “Just like that? I wait for you to come back to the island, and all I get is a casual brush off?”
Ah. This was territory he understood. “You’re right,” he agreed. “You should have a proper good-bye gift. Will a diamond bracelet do?”
Her eyes leaped with an expression he was far too familiar with. Money and jewels. It was the way all his previous relationships had worked. Even with Sophia.
Avery was the only woman he’d ever met who was immune to his wealth.
“I’d rather have you,” she said. “Are you sure you don’t want what I’m offering?”
“Afraid not,” he replied. “Wait here while I grab my check book.”
He headed back into the bathroom where his bag waited, feeling light and hopeful. It was such an easy fix. He’d send Lea on her way, and there would be nothing to mar his last few days with Avery.
When they returned to the mainland, he’d move her into his penthouse, and then even when they worked apart, he’d get to come home to her at night.
It was a wonderful plan.
The Billionaire's Paradise (Sexy Billionaires) Page 15
