by Milly Taiden
“I’m glad you didn’t.” I wound my arms around his waist, loving how his body molded to mine so perfectly. Feeling so lost yet cozy in his giant embrace was soothing.
“And I so want to kiss you right now, but the way I want to do that is not appropriate for the public.”
“I’m sweaty and I smell,” I replied.
“You smell like a temptress,” a rumble escaped his chest as he pulled his lips against the shell of my ear.
“Then let’s find a more private setting,” I suggested, feeling the anticipation of his kiss tingling my lips.
“I wanted to surprise you yesterday and the day before, but your schedule is so tight I don’t know when you find the time to eat.”
“I thought you were busy,” I replied.
“I was.”
“How did you know about my class?”
“Your website. I may need to book a private session with you. You ladies look pretty hot when you stretch.”
“Were you gawking?”
“Yes, but only at one of you.” He kissed the tip of my nose. “You hungry? I know you have an hour before your next class.”
“Starving, and thank you for stalking me.”
“Anytime. After twenty years that’s the least I can do.” He took my mat and duffel bag stuffed with a towel, stretch bands, and custom weights, hung it over his shoulder and then pulled out a picnic basket from the trunk of his Jeep at the side of the road. No wonder he was built so well. As he clicked the lock button on his keys, I narrowed my brows pointing to his car.
“Did you get a new car?” I asked. His previous Jeep was a dark blue; this one was forest green.
“Sort of. It’s a different car without the new-car smell.”
Seriously? He’d changed a car for me? I opened my mouth to speak, but couldn’t get the words out. The gesture meant so much, my heart stilled.
“You didn’t have to—” I whispered.
“Yes, I did. I don’t want you stressed when you’re driving around with me. Come on, I’m starving.”
Adrian took my hand led us down the sidewalk. Still stunned, I looked back once more at the car.
At the park around the corner, we found a willow tree and spread out a blanket beneath it. The branches dangled in the air, dancing to the wind, from time to time leaning low enough to look as if they were tiptoeing on the grass. The silvery-green bottoms of its leaves almost glittered when they moved.
I sat with my back against Adrian’s chest. His legs rested at my sides, supporting my arms. If I could have lunch this way every day, I’d reconsider skipping it. Everything seemed perfect until Adrian spoke the next few words. On instinct, I had a feeling this was going to haunt me for a while.
“I need to tell you something that may make you upset.”
My back straightened and I turned around. “Sounds serious.”
“It doesn’t have to be, but I want you to hear it from me rather than from anyone else. I just found out this morning.”
“You’re scaring me.”
“Really, T. It’s not a big deal if we don’t make it one.”
I wanted to shake him by the collar. Instead my next swallow passed through my throat like a watermelon through a straw.
“I may be meeting your ex-husband soon,” he finally said.
“What?”
“And that’s all I can tell you. I wanted to surprise you with something but didn’t expect him to be involved. At least I think it’s him. I’m just going by the last name here.”
I thought about the possible reasons Adrian would be meeting Dan, and the only one that came to my mind was a real estate deal.
“You’re buying a house.” I covered my mouth. The thought couldn’t have made me happier and more nervous at the same time. Adrian was staying, here, close to me. He wouldn’t leave me, just like he’d promised.
“I hope so. If all goes well.” He took my hands into his.
I threw my arms around his neck, kissing him all over his face.
“When? Where?” I asked.
“I don’t know when, and I don’t want to jinx the where. It may take a couple of weeks. The seller’s dealing with estate issues so it may take a bit longer.”
“And you’re sure my husband’s the agent?”
“Dan Claring from Your Home Brokerage?”
The one and only, I thought on a long exhale through tight lips. It almost came out as a whistle.
“Okay, so is a formal introduction in order?” I asked.
“It’s up to you when, but we do have some time for now.”
“I think it’s better we wait until the deal is done. Dan’s professional and all, but when it comes to me, he may be a little jealous.”
“You think he’d jeopardize the purchase if he knew it was me you’re seeing?”
“I don’t know what to think anymore.” I slouched.
Adrian leaned forward further and further, rolling to the side, forcing me to lie down on the grass, easing my worries with his nearing body. Once he was hovering above me he lowered his head until I could feel the warmth of his sweet breath. The coconut cheesecake we’d shared for lunch lingered. “I understand. I’ll try to keep my hands off you when he’s around. But when he’s not… well, let’s just say all bets are off because I do feel like you’re all mine and only mine, T.”
The public park became private within seconds because with Adrian so close, it felt as if we were the only ones in the world. His lips brushed mine, slowly grazing along the top bow of my mouth. Shivers ran down my arms as I held onto the blanket underneath me. Adrian’s hand slid underneath my head, tilting it slightly to the side, and I opened wider. His tongue drew down my bottom lip before his full mouth encased mine. His lips tasted of deep need. They were fleshy and soft today, like silk. The desire wound down my chest and belly, centering deep in my core. My hands found his arms, pulling him lower. His muscles flexed underneath my touch, and his mouth hardened. Adrian had this possessive yet delicate way of kissing me, making me forget where I was or how much time had passed.
He finally pulled away, heaving. Adrian pressed his forehead against mine, whispering, “I can’t get enough of you.”
“Me neither.”
Adrian shifted to the side, lying down beside me. Sunlight filtered through between the branches above us, twinkling through the leaves, brightening their green shade.
“It feels so unreal to finally have you in my arms. I’m afraid if I let go, I’ll lose you again,” he said.
“You don’t have to be afraid. You’re part of my life now. You always have been and always will be. I want to do this right, you know, with Dan, because in different ways you’re both important to me.” I prayed he’d understand.
“I won’t say a word until you’re ready. And I promise not to make it more difficult for Dan.” He turned again and kissed the tip of my nose. It was beginning to feel as if my nose was a sanctuary for his lips.
“Thank you.”
“So, this dating thing, I’m pretty sure we’re past that.” His finger drew along my arm, from the inside of my wrist, up to my elbow and back down. The sensation revived my need for him all over again.
“Me too. It feels like it’s not enough.”
Which was true. Our relationship was complicated and way beyond casual. I wanted to trust that the man beside me was the same as the boy I had once loved. I needed to know that his values hadn’t changed, and my trust would never be broken. I couldn’t take another letdown, especially from him. So far, though, Adrian had given me no reason to doubt him, and my fear of opening up my world completely to him was just that: my fear.
“I know it’s been only a few days, but each time I look at you, you’re still that same girl I fell in love with.” He paused for a moment. “So obsessively in love with.”
My mouth just remained open because I didn’t know what to say. He was so in tune with my thoughts, it scared me a little. It was as if we’d totally skipped over the time boundar
y I had thought was between us.
“I have another class in fifteen minutes.” I let out a heavy sigh.
“When am I going to see you again? Please don’t tell me two weeks, because I’ll be forced to sleep in my car in your driveway just to see you in the morning.” He smoothed my loosened hair to the side.
As creepy as that would have sounded if anyone else said it, the notion of Adrian wanting to be so close to me raced my pulse. Was there any way I could see him over my weekend with the kids? And would I ever stop feeling guilty for spending time with Adrian and not my children?
“What are you doing Friday night?” I asked.
His eyes widened, and then his mouth curved into the most adorable smile I had seen. “You tell me.”
“Come over for dinner. Around five.” The instinctive decision to invite Adrian made me so happy I wanted to stand up, squeal, and jump around on my tiptoes, but that would probably look childish. Instead, I squealed inside.
“Are you sure?”
“You’ll meet the kids eventually. And it will take some pressure off if it’s sooner.”
Without a warning he smacked his lips to mine. The hard longing of his mouth sealed the deal, and once again I was floating on cloud nine in his arms. How did he do that? How in the world did he lose me in his lips, and how could every time he kissed me feel like the first time again? I opened wider, letting his tongue in deeper. His warm breath whisked into me and pulling away from him felt gut-wrenching.
“I should get going. Need to warm up before the class.” Although in truth I didn’t think I’d ever felt hotter than now. “I can’t wait until Friday,” I said against his lips.
“Me too.”
Before I could gather the blanket, Adrian’s phone rang.
“Yes, Blair.”
He listened for a few seconds, resting his free hand on his hip. The strain in his neck tightened until he said, “Put him through… Reed speaking.”
As much as I liked listening to the change in his voice when he was dealing with business, I didn’t like the obvious stress. His firm tone and strong demeanor took me aback.
“Karl, if this guy fucks up one more time we’re done with that company… I don’t care how much it costs us. That’s not the way I work… Then call our lawyer and fix it, and if I hear he’s not willing to commit to the deal we made, I swear he’ll be out on his ass in minutes.”
Whomever he was speaking with must have been shitting his pants. I would have been. Yet there was something exciting about his dominance and control. It was a side of Adrian I’d never seen before.
“I want an update in an hour.”
And he hung up.
“What?” he asked as I stared at him.
“You’re bossy.”
“That’s what happens when you’re the boss.”
“Wow. I’ve just never heard you doing business.”
“Then you’re more than welcome to drop by my office anytime.” He swiftly removed his business card from a pocket and handed it to me like a professional. “My door’s always open, T.”
“Maybe I will, then,” I laughed, examining the slick and rich design of a Platinum Inc. logo. Familiar nerves stirred deep inside me, ones connected to a cruel memory of the last time I’d visited a man whom I cared about at his office, only to find him with another woman. I wasn’t sure whether visiting Adrian at work was such a good idea—at least, the coward in me wasn’t.
On my way back to the studio, I saw Amanda sitting on a park bench sipping on her coffee. Adrian tightened his hold around me, as if he sensed my discomfort.
“You all right?” he asked.
“Yeah, just someone whose sole purpose on Earth is to make my life miserable.”
“She was in your class.”
“She fucked my ex-husband.” My hand flew up to my mouth. “I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to apologize for. Things like that can steal your hope and faith.”
Adrian spoke as if he himself had gone through the kind of betrayal I’d experienced. Had he?
“Thank you.” I lifted to my toes to kiss him gently. “You’ve given me more hope in the past few days than anyone in a long time.”
“You’re being too generous, T.”
“Has anyone cheated on you?” I asked.
“I never married.”
“It doesn’t make a difference.”
“Then I guess someone has. Maybe that’s one of the reasons I never married.”
One of the reasons? Are there more? As many hearts as I believed Adrian had broken in his lifetime, something told me he’d been scarred just as much. I lowered my gaze away from his deep greens and he continued.
“Or maybe I just haven’t been able to ask the right person yet.”
“Adrian—”
“Relax, T. Baby steps, remember?”
“Yeah.”
“I don’t want to screw this up between us, but I do trust you with everything. My whole life. Is that weird? I still feel like you’re my best friend—the way we were back home.”
“It’s not weird at all.”
I understood exactly what he’d meant. I trusted Adrian wholeheartedly, which scared me. It had been a long time since I’d given someone the key to my heart. If he ever betrayed me, I’d crawl into the darkest hole and disbelieve truth even from a priest. But I knew Adrian would never do that. I could trust him with my heart, my life, even my children’s lives. And that said a lot.
CHAPTER 10
Friday night couldn’t come soon enough for me. The house was cleaned from top to bottom, and I’d been preparing for Adrian since the moment the invitation left my mouth. I’d kept a low profile when Dan dropped the kids off after school and felt my heart stop the moment he asked who was coming over.
“The guy I’m seeing,” I answered.
Dan’s expression was nothing less than tortured. “Meaning the guy you don’t want me to meet? What is he, a dork?” Dan groused.
“He’s far from a dork. Please don’t make this hard on me. I haven’t dated anyone since we split, and it took a lot to make this decision.”
“Yup, he’s a dork,” he chuckled, his face shadowed by a hint of satisfaction.
If you only knew, I thought, promising myself to tell Dan how serious this was soon. Hopefully he’d have had enough time by then to process my new relationship and ease up. Maybe it was better he didn’t know how important Adrian was to me just yet. Even though Dan had changed the past year and admitted he wanted me happy, this was a big step as much for him as it was for me.
“Just promise me no sex on the first date.”
“Stop it!” I punched him in the arm. “You know I wouldn’t.”
Though nothing was off limits with Adrian, because this wasn’t exactly our first date, and I hadn’t just met him.
“Good.” Dan squared his shoulders.
“What is that supposed to mean?” I asked.
“You know, guys have a way of twisting things so that you’ll sleep with them. Don’t fall for the ‘It’s been so long it will fall off if I don’t get any’ line.”
“You’re stupid!” I laughed. “Listen, I’m out of Tylenol and Advil for the kids. Can you get some?”
“Sure, I know how much you hate being out of their medicine. Good night, Mia.”
“Good night.”
By the time he’d left I was feeling a little better about Adrian coming over—not that it stopped me from running around like a chicken with its head cut off. Sweat dripped down my chest, and I wished I hadn’t turned the air conditioning off. Our summer heat wave was living up to its earlier predictions. The news had said we’d be getting a few more solar flares, which could mess with the cell phone and television reception, too.
“OK, monkeys, we have a guest for dinner today, so I need you guys on your best behavior,” I said to Christa and Jonathan as I finished wiping the kitchen counter. The chicken was already skewered, vegetables sliced, and potatoes ready in t
in foil.
“Mom, we’re always good.” Christa pulled out her hula hoop and began twirling. My children’s definition of good was ‘If we don’t get caught, we’re good.’
I raised my brows. “Please promise me you won’t embarrass me.”
“You look beautiful, Mom. Who’s coming?” Jonathan asked suspiciously.
“It’s an old friend of mine. I’m expecting you both to behave.”
Jonathan stuck his iPad earphones in his ears just as the doorbell rang. Yeah, my son would definitely not make it easy on me today. I was beginning to wonder whether this was a good idea after all.
Christa’s eyes flew open. “I’ll get it.” And she ran to the door.
“Hi.” Adrian’s deep voice echoed through the hall.
I wiped my wet hands on my apron and rushed to the front as my daughter welcomed our guest. “Hi, I’m Christa.”
“Well, then this is for you.” He pulled out a box of chocolates from behind him with a beautiful daisy fastened to the front.
“Wow. Thank you. Mom, look what I got.” She turned around just as I reached them both.
“Put that flower in some water, please.”
“Okay.” She rushed back toward the kitchen.
“And for you…” Adrian magically removed a huge bouquet of daisies from behind him along with a plate of macaroons.
“Thank you.” Aware that either of my two kids could walk back into the hallway, I leaned in to kiss him on his cheek. The smell of his lemon and sandalwood aftershave coursed through me, and for a moment I wished we could be alone. Adrian was wearing faded jeans and a beige v-neck shirt. His natural bronze tan stood out against it, making the shirt seem lighter than it was. I couldn’t get enough of staring at the hint of his tattoo peaking from underneath his shirt sleeve. It was absolutely mesmerizing.
“Jonathan may not be as hospitable as Christa,” I whispered.
“Don’t worry, T. Baby steps, remember?”
Yeah, that was easier said than done. My son had always been close to his father, and I had a feeling Adrian would find it difficult to break through Jonathan’s tough exterior.
