When Wishes Collide

by Barbara Freethy

  "You want me, too," he added, a knowing gleam in his eyes. "You don't want to, but you do."

  "You think you know what's in my head?" she challenged.

  He nodded, his eyes very serious. "Yes."

  "Kind of cocky, aren't you?"

  "I just know you, Adrianna. I've felt like that since the first minute we met, since our coins clashed, and you yelled at me for ruining your wish."

  "I didn't yell, but your coin did knock mine out of the fountain."

  "Your wish still came true. You got over your fear. You're going back to work, so I didn't ruin anything."

  His hand threaded through her hair. "I like these curls. They're like you, messy, a little unpredictable, but gorgeous."

  "You're quite the smooth talker after some drinks."

  "I'm not drunk, Adrianna."

  "Says you."

  "I'm actually sober enough to tell you that you should go home."

  "You just asked me to stay."

  "I've thought better of that. I don't want to hurt you. You deserve someone…"

  His words annoyed her. "Stop it, Wyatt. Stop trying to call all the shots and control everything."

  "You mean like you try to do?"

  "Okay, you're right. I like to have control and so do you. We've both had to fight for our lives and we've both been hurt in the past. But that doesn't mean we stop living, stop trying, stop putting our heart on the line." She took a breath and decided to act on what she'd just said. "I don't want to play it safe anymore. I don't want to hide in my apartment, or look the other way, or pretend that everything will be all right if I follow all the rules. Life is risky and short. I care about you, Wyatt. I don't know how it happened so fast, but it did."

  "I don't want you to care about me," he said, his tone harsh and unyielding.

  She touched his tensed jaw with her fingers. "It's not your choice. It's mine."

  "Don't care about me, Adrianna," he said. A long pause followed, and then he added. "Just want me. Want me for tonight – the way I want you."

  Her heart beat faster at his words, her nerves tingling from the look in his eyes, the need, the desire. All that intensity that she associated with Wyatt was fixed on her, and it was more than a little exciting.

  It would have been easier if he'd reached for her, if he'd taken control, but she'd just told him she was making her own decisions, and he was giving her every opportunity to determine what happened next.

  "You're killing me here," he muttered.

  She smiled. "Impatient?"

  "Hell, yes!"

  She put her hands on his chest and pressed him back against the pillows, and then she lowered her head. His mouth was as hot as she remembered, and the way he slid his tongue along her lips, made her a little crazy. She opened her mouth, taking his tongue inside, wanting to be as close to him as possible.

  Her breasts grazed his chest, her nipples suddenly on fire for the same attention from his mouth. She broke the kiss and sat back, then pulled her shirt up and over her head, shaking out her hair. She felt a little self-conscious as Wyatt gazed at her breasts, barely covered in a sheer black bra. She reached for the clasp but Wyatt stopped her.

  "Wait."

  "What? You don't like what you see?" she asked, not certain how to read the look in his eyes.

  "Oh, God, no. You're gorgeous."

  "Then what's the problem?"

  "You should have wine, candles and flowers, lots and lots of flowers. You should have romance and soft music."

  She put her fingers against his lips. "Stop it, that's not me, none of it. I've never had that kind of perfection."

  "That's why you deserve it. You should have the fairytale."

  She shook her head. "I don't believe in fairytales. But I believe in us. And I want this. I want tonight. I want you."

  "You'll feel differently in the morning. You'll want promises that I can't give you."

  "Let's let the morning take care of itself."

  "Adrianna—"

  "You said you wanted me – prove it," she said with a smile.

  "You're going to be sorry you challenged me," he said with a wicked grin.

  "I don't think so." She unbuttoned his shirt and slid her hands along his chest.

  He groaned. "I want those hands all over me."

  "Then you're going to have to take off some clothes," she said.

  He stripped off his shirt before she finished talking. "Your turn."

  She opened her bra and pulled it off. One long hungry look, and then his hands immediately covered her breasts, his heat burning her skin.

  "So pretty," he murmured. And then he pulled her closer so she was straddling his legs and her breasts were at the same level of his mouth. He kissed one and then the other, light, teasing kisses that only built the anticipation. Finally, his lips closed around one nipple, his tongue licking it into a fine point of need that shot through her body. She ran her hands through his hair, holding him close, feeling his body hardening beneath hers.

  Wyatt lifted his head and kissed her on the lips, then pushed her to the side as he shimmied out of his jeans.

  She stared at him in delight. His body was honed from swim workouts and physical activity, and she couldn't wait to do what he asked, put her hands all over him.

  He smiled and then reached for the button on her jeans. She fell on her back as he helped her off with her pants and tossed them on the floor. Then his body covered hers. Every point of contact was hot, from their mouths, to their breasts, to their hips and their groins. She loved the weight of him, the male scent, the power in his body.

  He suddenly moved off of her and she was stunned to feel a sense of loss. But then his mouth found her breast again, then moved lower to her stomach and between her legs, tasting, touching, letting no part of her go unseen or unloved. She'd never had someone take such time, and the tension built to an incredible degree, finally bursting free. Still trembling when he made his way back up her body, she found new delight in touching him, running her hands up and down his back and buttocks. She urged him closer, wanting to feel him inside of her, the ultimate connection. It was the bond she'd been seeking since they first met, and when he finally slid into her, she felt as if their connection was finally complete. And everything in her world was exactly right.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Holding Adrianna in his arms, listening to the soft sounds of her breath as she slept against his chest, sliding his hand down the curve of her back, feeling her move against him as she slept – it was so damn good. She'd responded to him with so much passion and heat it had taken his breath away. She was a mix of sexy and sweet, hard and soft, sharp and tender and he liked every little thing about her. It was a little shocking to realize just how much he cared. He'd had sex in the last two years, but this had been different, this had been mind-blowing. They'd made love slow, then fast, and then slow again, and he'd felt like they were completely in sync, as if they'd been made to be together, and that shook him up, too.

  How had this woman gotten so far into his life, into his head, into his heart? He'd thought he'd closed himself off, locked up his emotions, but Adrianna had found her way in. She'd pushed past his defenses, and he had no idea what the hell they were going to do next.

  Adrianna had told him she wasn't looking for promises, but that had been last night, and today was a new day. And she deserved promises. She deserved a man who was whole, whose heart was intact, and that wasn't him. He couldn't devote his life to her. Every last bit of focus had to go into finding Stephanie. He'd already disappointed friends and family with his lack of concern for their lives. Adrianna would be next. It was only a matter of time. He didn't want to hurt her. That was the last thing he wanted to do.

  She stirred alongside him. "I can feel you tensing up, Wyatt," she murmured as she lifted her head from his chest.

  She looked so goddamned beautiful, her lips soft, her eyes sleepy, her hair a soft cloud. She was like his personal angel and a very sexy angel a
t that.

  "Are you feeling guilty?" she asked, meeting his gaze.

  "For taking advantage of you – a little."

  "You didn't take advantage. I gave you what I wanted to give. I thought we cleared that up last night."

  "You gave me more than I deserved."

  "I think we gave each other a lot. I don't want you to have regrets, Wyatt, because I don't. You said you couldn't make me any promises, and I'm not asking for any. It's not the right time. I know that."

  "It might never be the right time," he said, the words coming out a little more harshly than he'd intended.

  She caught her lip between her teeth. "Okay."

  "Okay?" he echoed. "That’s it?"

  "Yes." She let out a breath. "I've spent so much time planning for the future that I haven't been enjoying the moment, and I want to enjoy this one. I like waking up in your arms."

  "Yeah, it's not bad," he said, feeling a rush of warm tenderness toward her. "You're making things too easy for me."

  "Well, if anyone took advantage last night, it was me. You were the one who'd been drinking. I was completely sober."

  "I was sober enough. And I'm sorry about the vodka. That's the first time in two years I've touched alcohol. I always wanted to have my wits about me, be ready to act at any moment, but yesterday was a setback. Knowing that Jen had left town – it hit me hard."

  "I know." She sat up, pulling the sheet up to her chest as she faced him.

  "I've already seen everything," he told her.

  "Yes, but that was different. Now we're talking," she replied with an endearing blush.

  "I liked it better when we weren't talking."

  She gave him a playful slap on the arm. "We have to get back to work. What's the plan? And don't tell me you don't have one."

  "I don't have one." He felt guilty to admit that. "We'll have to start over, figure out where she might have gone, who she was with, how she paid for airline tickets." He felt overwhelmed by the thought of starting over again. They'd been so close, just a few steps behind. But wasn't that the story of his life the last two years?

  Adrianna frowned, tucking her hair behind her ear as she thought for a moment. Then her expression suddenly changed. Her eyes filled with excitement.

  "Oh, my God, Wyatt."

  "What?" he asked warily.

  "You're wrong. She's not gone. She hasn't left town."

  "She went to the airport with a man. She got on a plane with my kid."

  "She came back," Adrianna said confidently.

  "You don't know that."

  "I do know that. That flight was two weeks ago. I saw Stephanie three days ago by the fountain."

  Her words took him by surprise. He'd forgotten that she'd seen Stephanie so recently. He'd been fixated on the times she'd seen Stephanie behind the restaurant that he'd forgotten about the fountain.

  "They came back," Adrianna repeated. "Jennifer and Stephanie are in the city."

  "Maybe you're right," he said, hope running through his body, giving him energy again. "I didn't put the timeline together. I was so caught up in the fact Jen had gone to the airport, I couldn't think straight. I couldn't remember the dates." He jumped out of bed. "I'm taking a shower."

  "So now we have a plan?" she asked.

  "I'll think of one in the shower." He leaned over and kissed her. "Thank you."

  "You're welcome," she said with a happy smile. "We're going to find her, Wyatt. I'm more convinced of that than ever."

  * * *

  As Wyatt took his beautifully rugged body into the bathroom, Adrianna threw on her clothes and walked into the living room. She put on some coffee and then pulled out her cell phone. She'd been running through the clues they had, and she had an idea.

  "Hi Lindsay, it's me," she said when her friend answered.

  "It's eight o'clock on a Sunday morning," Lindsay grumbled.

  "Really? That late, then you should be up."

  "What are you so happy about?" Lindsay asked suspiciously.

  "I need a favor. You have a friend in a band, right?"

  "You mean Danny, the drummer?"

  "Yes. I need to find a San Francisco music promoter whose first name is Brad. He books acts into local clubs. Do you think Danny might know him?"

  "I take it this has to do with your hot cop."

  "Yes. Brad is linked to Wyatt's ex-wife."

  "I'll call Danny. He may not be up yet," Lindsay warned.

  "Get back to me as soon as you can. And call me on my cell phone."

  "Because you're not at home?" Lindsay ventured.

  She smiled to herself. "No, I'm at Wyatt's condo."

  "Really?" Her friend's voice was filled with curiosity. "Did you spend the night there?"

  "As a matter of fact, I did," she confessed.

  "Oh, my God, Adrianna. You slept with him? Are you okay? Was it great? I hope it wasn't horrible. It couldn't have been horrible, or you wouldn't still be there."

  She laughed as Lindsay rambled on. "It was amazing. That's all I have to say."

  "There's no way that's all you have to say. I want details."

  "Well, you're not getting any right now. Wyatt will be out of the shower any second."

  "You left him in there alone?" Lindsay asked with disappointment. "You can have a lot of fun in a shower, Adrianna."

  "I had a lot of fun last night – maybe a little too much," she said, feeling slightly guilty. She had pushed Will out of her mind the night before, but now he was back.

  "No, don't do that," Lindsay said quickly. "Don't think about Will."

  "It hasn't been very long since –"

  "Since you were happy," Lindsay finished, cutting her off. "Will would want you to be happy. He was your best friend, Adrianna. Don't wreck this new relationship out of some misplaced sense of loyalty. You're not betraying Will."

  "I'm trying to not think that way," she admitted. "It's just not fair that he's gone. He was so young. He had so much to live for. How can I be happy when he's dead?"

  "Nothing about this situation is fair. But you're still alive, and you have to go on living. And that means you get to be happy, too."

  "Well, this may turn out to be nothing more than a one-night stand. Wyatt's life is complicated right now. He has other priorities, and I'm okay with that."

  "You say that now, but what about tomorrow or the next day? Do you really want to be in second place all the time?"

  As she thought about Lindsay's question, her gaze caught on a hand-drawn picture hanging on the fridge, and the crayon markings took away any doubts. "Wyatt needs to find his daughter. That's all that matters now."

  "And when he gets her back – where does that leave you? I'm just worried that he's using you."

  "I don't know what will happen when he gets Stephanie back," she said, an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach at the idea of never seeing or being with Wyatt again. But she couldn't go there. She'd gone into the night with her eyes wide open, and she'd live with the consequences. "I'll be okay," she said. "Whatever happens."

  "I hope so. But I know you, and you don't sleep with people you don't care about. Your heart is in this, whether you want to say so or not."

  She couldn't argue with that. "Call me when you reach Danny."

  "I will."

  As she set down her phone, Adrianna got up and walked over to the refrigerator. Stephanie had drawn a picture of a house with trees and flowers nearby. There were also two stick figures of a man and a child. The word Daddy was printed along the bottom of the paper.

  Adrianna felt a twinge of physical pain at the sight of that one word.

  She had to help Wyatt get back together with Stephanie. She wouldn't be able to let go of him until that happened.

  A little voice inside her wondered how she'd be able to let go after that happened, but she pushed that thought aside.

  Wyatt walked into the kitchen, barefoot, wearing low slung jeans, his chest bare, his hair still damp enough to leave drips of wate
r along his shoulders.

  Her breath caught in her throat. His gaze met hers. And the desire she'd thought they'd worked out the night before was back.

  "Coffee," she sputtered, dragging her gaze away from his. "I made coffee."

  "Thanks," he said.

  She moved over to the coffee maker and poured him a cup. "I would make breakfast, but you don't have any food."

  "I haven't been shopping in a while. I'll take you out to eat."

  "You don't have to do that," she said.

  They stared at each other for a long moment.

  "Adrianna," he began, cut off by the ring of her phone.

  "That's Lindsay," she said, grabbing the phone. "That was fast. Did you find out anything?"

  "Yes. It turns out Danny knows Brad pretty well. His last name is Pennington by the way. Danny said Brad works out of his house and recently moved into a condo in Russian Hill – 1426 Hyde Street."

  Her heart leapt into her throat. She had an actual address. "I owe you big time."

  "I plan on collecting. Good luck!"

  She ended the call and turned to Wyatt with excitement. "I found the music promoter --Brad."

  "How?" he asked in shock.

  "I remembered that Lindsay used to date a guy in a band. I took a chance that he might know Brad, and he did. Brad just moved into a condo in Russian Hill, not very far from North Beach or the fountain where I saw the girls."

  Hope flashed in his eyes. "Let's go."

  She ran into the bedroom, searching for her shoes, while Wyatt quickly threw on a shirt. Then they were in his car and headed across town. She prayed that this time their lead wouldn't turn into a dead end.

  * * *

  Brad Pennington lived on the first floor of a six unit building on a portion of Hyde Street where the cable cars ran. One was just clanging its way past his front door when Adrianna and Wyatt arrived.

  "Security building," Wyatt said grimly, looking at the directory. "There's his name. He's not hiding."

  "Why would he be?" she asked. "He may not have any idea what Jen is up to."