by Lynn LaFleur
“You don’t have to go back to Florida. You could stay here and accept Patrick’s job offer.”
“Amanda—”
“I see the way Patrick looks at you. If he isn’t in love with you, he’s damn close to it. And you feel the same way about him.”
“I can’t feel that way about him, Amanda. I’ve told you that.”
Frowning, Amanda waved a hand in the air as if to erase Tera’s statement. “That can’t-get-involved-with-another-man-so-soon-after-Roger reasoning is bullshit. There’s no clock on the heart, Tera.”
“I know that. But I’m scared to make another mistake.”
Amanda ran her hand down Tera’s hair. “Patrick wouldn’t be a mistake. He’s such a great guy.”
Tera couldn’t argue with that. Patrick was an incredible guy—smart, witty, sexy, handsome, considerate. There might be a better lover somewhere in the world, but she couldn’t imagine how.
She’d have to change her entire life if she became involved with Patrick. She wasn’t ready for such a drastic step. “Amanda, this was a wonderful weekend. I wasn’t sure I’d even be able to be with another man, much less part of a foursome. Making love with Patrick was beyond anything I could have imagined. But it was a fantasy, an escape for me. I need to get back to my real life and figure out what I want to do with the rest of it. I expected to be a wife by now and a mother soon. Now I’m lost and unsure which way to turn.”
Amanda continued to caress Tera’s hair. “I guess you have to do what’s right for you.”
“Yes, I do.”
A knock on the door interrupted their conversation. It must be Patrick. She’d left his bed two hours ago to come back to her room to shower and pack. He’d offered to help her, but she knew he had things to do in the resort. Besides, she’d never have finished packing if Patrick had come to her room with her. They’d probably still be making love.
She opened the door to find both Patrick and Jake. As always when she saw Patrick, her heart lurched. She thought she saw sadness and longing in his eyes before he smiled.
“Ready?”
Tera nodded, opened the door wider so the guys could enter. “Amanda’s in the bedroom.”
“Suitcases in there too?” Jake asked.
“Yes.”
Jake headed that direction. Tera took a step to follow him, but Patrick’s hand on her arm stopped her. He held out his cell phone to her.
“Will you enter your information in my contacts list?” A small smile touched his lips. “I don’t send a lot of texts, but I do answer them. I’d rather call or email on my computer with the bigger keys.”
She smiled at him. “I understand that.” Taking his phone, she began to enter all her personal information. “My cell’s in my purse in the bedroom.”
“I’ll email my info to you later.”
“Okay.” She handed his phone back to him. Not knowing what else to say, she remained silent while she looked into his eyes. She definitely saw longing this time, and perhaps a wish for more.
Amanda and Jake came out of the bedroom, Tera’s suitcases in Jake’s hands. Patrick relieved Jake of the carry-on, slung it over his shoulder. Amanda handed Tera her purse and coat.
Afraid if she spoke again she’d burst into tears, Tera opened the door and stepped out into the hallway. Once in the elevator, memories of her weekend swamped her. She thought of shopping with Amanda, the four of them walking through the resort, Patrick’s birthday party and the sexy foursome afterward. She thought of waking up with him yesterday morning and showering with him. He’d demonstrated several interesting things to do with a showerhead.
After canceling the ski lessons he’d planned for them yesterday, he’d taken all of them for a drive, showing them more of the area. They had a picnic next to a lake where Patrick liked to fish. Temperatures had only reached the high forties, but lots of sunshine made it a perfect day.
He topped it off by cooking dinner for them instead of eating in the restaurant again. His baked chicken had been nothing short of a masterpiece.
He’d made love with her last night in his bed…long, slow, breath-stealing lovemaking. Patrick had kissed and caressed her until it only took a single whisk of his thumb across her clit for her to explode in a toe-curling orgasm.
When he entered her, he hadn’t rushed toward his own climax. He’d entwined their fingers, looked into her eyes and moved so slowly, so tenderly. Tera had come again with Patrick falling over the edge right behind her.
The elevator doors opening put a stop to her musings. She exited the car first, followed by the other three.
“I’ve already called for your car to be brought to the front,” Patrick said. “It should be ready for you.”
“Thank you.”
She looked out the large glass doors to see her rental car, trunk already open and ready for her luggage. A lump formed in her throat, one she couldn’t get rid of until she’d swallowed twice. The churning in her gut made her wonder if she was making the biggest mistake of her life in leaving Patrick.
She turned to face Amanda and Jake. “Don’t come outside with me. It’s too cold.”
Amanda nodded. Tears shimmered in her eyes. “Call me as soon as you get home.”
“You’ll be on a plane.”
“Then leave me a voice mail.”
“I will.”
She met Amanda halfway for a fierce hug. She had to blink away her tears before she could see Jake’s smiling face. He drew her into his arms for a hug too.
“Take care of yourself, Tera.”
“You too. I’m so glad I finally got to meet you.”
Jake kissed her cheek. “Safe flight.”
Patrick took Tera’s coat from the crook of her arm, held it open so she could slip it on. “I’ll walk you to your car.”
She peered at his long-sleeved sweater. “You need a jacket.”
“Nah,” he said with a cocky grin. “I’m tough.”
She shared one more hug with Amanda, then walked beside Patrick out to her car. He placed her luggage in the trunk, shut the lid. Tera gripped her purse strap as he took her elbow and led her to the driver’s side. She didn’t want to say goodbye.
“Let me know when you get home, okay?” he asked softly.
“I will.”
His gaze passed over every bit of her face. “I enjoyed our time together.”
“I did too. It was…magical.”
He cradled her cheek in his hand, brushed her lips with his thumb. “I wish you would stay longer.”
“I can’t,” she whispered. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. I know you’re trying to get over your broken engagement. It takes time to heal.” He brushed her lips again. “You have to do what’s right for you.” That hint of a cocky grin returned to his lips. “I’ll hold the manager’s position for a while, just in case you change your mind.”
He made her smile when she wanted to cry. “You can’t do that.”
“I’m the owner. I can do whatever I want.” His cocky grin faded and the look of longing returned to his eyes. “Right now, I want to kiss you.”
It was a sweet kiss, not a passionate one…a kiss that promised more if only Tera would take what Patrick offered.
He lifted his head, gave her a sad smile. “Have a good flight.”
The tightness in her throat kept her from speaking. He opened the door for her and she slid onto the seat. She didn’t look at him again until she’d turned the key in the ignition. He stood a few feet from her car, his thumbs hooked over the front pockets of his jeans. She waved and pulled away from the resort.
Patrick watched Tera’s car until he could no longer see it. The emptiness in his chest had to mean she’d taken his heart with her.
Jake and Amanda still stood inside the entrance when he entered the hotel. Amanda immediately hugged him. “Are you all right?”
“Yeah.” He blew out a deep breath. “No. Hell, I don’t know.”
“Do you love her?�
�
More than my life. “It doesn’t matter how I feel. Tera has a life in Florida. I have to respect that.” He looked through the entrance doors toward the direction where he’d last seen Tera’s car. “But I promise you this. I’m not giving up on her.”
* * * * *
Four months later
Due to overbooking when Tera had flown home from Colorado in February, she’d been given a voucher for a round-trip ticket in first class. Now she sat in the waiting area at DFW International Airport after flying in from Florida early this morning, waiting to board the plane to Seattle, the next leg of her trip. She’d used the ticket to book a flight to Alaska so she could do something she’d wanted to do for years—take a cruise. Eight days and seven nights touring some of the most beautiful country in the world.
She normally would have used the ticket and her vacation time to meet Amanda for their yearly visit. They’d postponed that trip this year because they’d seen each other in February, and because Amanda wanted to spend every moment possible with Jake so she could get pregnant.
She took out her cell phone and read the text she’d received from Amanda yesterday.
Home preg test +!!! On way to dr to confirm. Will call later.
Tera smiled. Amanda had called last night to tell her the doctor confirmed the pregnancy. A new Dennison would be born next February. Or maybe two, since twins ran in the family. Amanda said Jake’s face turned completely white when the doctor said twins were a strong possibility.
She closed out Amanda’s message and opened the latest one she’d received from Patrick. For a man who said he didn’t text much, he’d sent her messages almost every day via either text or email. They’d spoken on the phone at least once a week. She treasured her conversations with Patrick. She’d discovered so many things they had in common. He liked the same type of music she did, the same television shows. He was more into action movies than chick flicks, but that didn’t surprise her. They both loved baseball, although they cheered for different teams.
Then suddenly, the messages stopped three days ago. She hadn’t heard from him since he’d sent her the last text.
Manager not working out. Thinking about taking a trip to clear my head.
Nothing since then. He hadn’t answered her texts or responded to her voice mails. If he’d taken a trip, it must have been somewhere that didn’t have cell phone reception.
She touched the screen, as if running her fingertip over the words could make her closer to him. She missed him. She’d never missed anyone as intensely as she missed Patrick. She looked forward to their infrequent phone calls, just to hear his voice.
So much had happened to her in the four months since she left Colorado. Her dream job had turned into a nightmare, with a new CEO of the company making everyone miserable. A new owner of her apartment complex had upped the rent two hundred dollars per month, resulting in her moving. She’d developed a horrible case of recurring bronchitis, keeping her in bed for days at a time whenever it would hit.
Everything seemed to be conspiring against her ever since she left Colorado. It was as if a higher power was trying to tell her she’d made a mistake in leaving Patrick.
She decided she should listen to that higher power. Fear of getting involved with a man so quickly after her breakup with Roger shouldn’t have dictated her actions. Patrick was nothing like her former fiancé. He would never hurt her the way Roger had. She wished she’d realized that before she left Patrick’s resort in February.
Instead of flying to Alaska for a cruise, she should be heading to Colorado to see Patrick.
The announcement for her flight to begin boarding came over the speaker. Tera sent a quick text to Amanda to tell her she was about to get on the plane for Seattle and would call her later. Amanda had wanted to drive to DFW during Tera’s layover, but Tera had told her not to. It would be silly for her to drive two hours one way to visit with Tera for twenty minutes. They would see each other over the holidays, as they’d planned while in Colorado.
Gathering her purse and carry-on, she stepped up to the line and was quickly ushered through to the passageway. She couldn’t change her trip on such short notice, but as she made her way down the long tunnel, she decided she would call Patrick as soon as she got back from her trip and ask him if he still needed a manager. Even if he didn’t need a manager, she’d move to Colorado in a minute if he still wanted her.
She checked her boarding pass one more time for her seat number before she stepped onto the plane. Two of the flight attendants smiled and greeted her. She returned their smiles, stepped around the corner into first class. She located her seat number and glanced at the man sitting next to the window in her row. Tera blinked, certain her eyes had to be playing tricks on her. Patrick sat next to the window, a paper coffee cup raised to his lips.
He winked at her before he took a sip of his coffee. “Hi.”
“Patrick?”
“You should sit down. You’re blocking the aisle.”
Tera shook her head, thinking that would clear her mind and Patrick would no longer be sitting there. Didn’t work. He still sat in the seat, calmly drinking his coffee while her heart thundered in her chest at the sight of him.
Shoving her carry-on in the overhead bin, Tera sank down into the wide seat next to Patrick. “What are you doing here?”
“Same thing you are—going to Alaska for a cruise.”
“You… How did… What?”
“I flew in yesterday to talk some business with Jake about the stables at the resort. They’ll be completed in another month or so and ready for horses.” He chuckled. “Jake is floating on air about Amanda’s pregnancy. And she’s absolutely glowing.”
“You were there when they found out?”
“Right there in the waiting room at the doctor’s office.”
“Amanda called me last night to give me the news. She didn’t tell me you were there.”
“This wouldn’t have been a surprise if she’d told you.”
He had her there. “You haven’t answered any of my texts or phone calls in three days.”
Patrick winced. “Yeah, I’m sorry about that. I had lots of things to get settled before I flew here.”
“Like plan a cruise trip?”
“My travel agent at the resort took care of everything for me.” He took another sip of his coffee. “By the way, we have connecting rooms on the ship.”
“And how did you manage that?”
His eyes twinkled with mischief. “I have a really good travel agent.”
Speaking on the phone with Patrick wasn’t the same as having him here next to her so she could breath in the subtle scent of his soap and shampoo. She’d missed his laughter, his touch, his kiss.
She’d missed everything about him.
“I gave you time,” he said, his tone sober, “just like you wanted. Have you made any decisions about what you want to do with your life?”
She knew exactly what she wanted to do with her life—spend every day of it with him. It would be an adventure, of that she had no doubt. “I’ve been thinking about a job change.”
“Yeah?” Patrick leaned closer to her. “I’m looking for a manager again. Think that might interest you?”
Oh yes, it definitely interested her. She slipped the cup from his fingers, took a sip of his coffee. “Maybe. What kind of benefits do you offer?”
He flashed her that cocky grin, the one she loved so much. “I think you’ll be very pleased with my benefits package. I can promise you things none of my other employees get.”
“Such as?”
His grin widened. “We’ll have eight days and seven nights on a cruise ship for me to explain that package to you.”
“Think that will be enough time?”
“It’s a start, but I’m sure it will take the rest of our lives for you to get the full benefits.”
She touched his cheek, kissed him softly. “I accept.”
The End
About
the Author
Lynn LaFleur was born and raised in a small town in Texas close to the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Writing has been in her blood since she was eight years old and wrote her first “story” for an English assignment.
As well as writing at every possible moment, Lynn enjoys reading, scrapbooking, photography and learning new things on the computer. She’s a software junky and loves to try out new programs, especially anything to do with graphics.
After living on the West Coast for 21 years, Lynn now lives 17 miles from her hometown in Texas. She’s a romantic at heart and can’t imagine ever writing anything but romances. A full-time writer, she spends her days creating stories of people who find their happily ever after, sometimes with the help of an alien or psychic or vampire.
Lynn welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.
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Also by Lynn LaFleur
A Cupid’s Work is Never Done
A Wish Granted
And Best Friend Makes Three
Capsized
Coopers’ Companions 1: Rent-A-Stud
Coopers’ Companions 2: Michelle’s Men
Coopers’ Companions 3: Almost Perfection
Door Prize
Ellora’s Cavemen: Legendary Tails I anthology
Ellora’s Cavemen: Seasons of Seduction IV anthology
It’s in the Cards
Lavender Lace 1: Business and Pleasure
Lavender Lace 2: A Date with Mr. Wonderful
Lavender Lace 3: Two Lovers for Molly
Men With Tools 1: Scandal and Sin
Men With Tools 2: Irresistible Sin
Men With Tools 3: Walking Sin
Mirage
One Night of Pleasure
