by Lisa Wells
He fell back on the bed, rolling her over on top of him. They lay there, recovering, locked in each other’s arms like true lovers. When she attempted to get up, he tried to hold her in place. “Not yet. Stay.”
She kissed his shoulder blade, glancing into his eyes. “As someone I think a lot of once said to me, that wouldn’t be prudent.”
He laughed. “Who used the word prudent in a sentence with you?”
“Your sister, right before we landed in jail after that bar fight you bailed her out of.”
“Would it be prudent of me to tell you—”
Her phone buzzed, cutting off his words of love.
She grabbed it and read the text. “Fuck. Mrs. C is in a limo downstairs. They’re waiting on me.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Jack stopped by the kitchen on his way to his room. His heart hammering in his chest. He hadn’t spoken to Adie since she left for the islands.
It killed him not calling her. But when he’d casually said, “I’ll give you a call,” she’d just as casually told him, “I prefer you don’t. We’ll talk when you get to the islands.”
He didn’t argue. Three days. He could wait that long to gush about them. About his new found feelings. And it would give him time to sort said feelings.
Plus, he was afraid pushing would cause her to rebuild those nasty walls that kept everyone out. Not that he had them torn down all that far. But it was enough to do away with almost all of the rules they’d set forth before starting their charade.
All he could think, while he’d watched her getting in the car, was he’d fallen for a woman who didn’t want to ever give her heart away. And who wanted to have a career. And who he promised a no-complication arrangement.
They’d had sex. But sex wasn’t a relationship. This wasn’t a relationship. And he wanted a relationship. But should he come clean about his change of heart? Would that be fair?
Tonight, she would cook dinner for all of his cohorts and his boss. Was she nervous? He didn’t want her to be nervous. And, if he brought up a relationship talk, that would likely make her nervous.
He’d wait until after she’d finished tonight’s stint as the retreat’s chef. And maybe until they got back to the states in case everything went south when he hit her with his heart. And maybe not until they were through. That way he would have kept his promise to her. She could say thanks but no thanks, they’d hug good-bye, and everything would be fine. On the surface.
In the end, he didn’t choose an option. Didn’t make a plan. The plan-man decided he would wing it.
She was standing at the stove wearing a chef’s hat and a white apron. She had her earphones on and was stirring something in a huge pot. The room smelled like pumpkin.
“Mes félicitations au chef,” she said, in an improving French accent. “Vous êtes à la nature.”
“My compliments to the chef. You’re too kind,” he translated her phrases loudly so she’d hear, while admiring her ass in a pair of faded denim shorts.
She twirled around. “Hey, you. Mrs. C said you’d be in on the early flight.”
Her cheeks were a rosy red. He wasn’t sure if the color came from the heat or the embarrassment of getting caught practicing receiving compliments for her cooking.
Was it possible Adie had grown even more beautiful in their few days apart? Had the sunshine caused those two new freckles on the tip of her nose? “So, it’s true. The two of you are as thick as a bound copy of the complete collection of Harry Potter?” What had they talked about?
She quirked an eyebrow. “Don’t worry. I’ve not shared any of our secrets.”
“That’s a huge relief,” he said, smiling. “I brought your mail.” He unzipped his carryon and handed her several envelopes. “One’s from Paris.” Before he could ask her about the envelope, a small box fell out.
“What’s that?” Adeline asked, nibbling on her bottom lip.
Jack cursed his lack of finesse. He’d planned to give it to her over champagne later in the evening. “A ring.” He picked it up and opened the hinged box. “For you.”
Adeline gasped. Her gaze flew to his. She opened her mouth but only a strangled noise came out.
“Adeline Rigby, would you officially do me the honor of being mine?” The words came out a lot easier than he thought they would. After the end to his first engagement, he didn’t think he’d ever utter the words again.
Adie giggled and threw herself into his arms. “Yes, I’ll pretend to marry you,” she whispered in his ear. “I’ve been missing you.”
He picked her up and twirled her around. When he stopped, he didn’t let loose. He wasn’t ready. Instead, he inhaled her scent of sunshine and Coppertone and dropped a kiss on her forehead. Emotions pushed to be put into words. “Having you in my arms erases the ache I’ve carried in my—”
“Jack, son,” said a bellowing voice. His boss’s bellowing voice. “Mrs. C said you were here. Could we talk?”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Adeline slowed the treadmill to two and a half miles per hour and opened her Dove dark chocolate candy bar, the treat she bribed herself with if she would go to the gym and pretend to be a runner. She took a bite and admired her ring as she savored the chocolate on her tongue. What possessed Jack to buy such a rock for something that wasn’t real?
Had he told the jeweler he’d be bringing it back? Was it just borrowed, or had he purchased it? If he purchased it, would he give it to his real fiancée someday? No. That would make him a jerk. And he wasn’t a jerk.
He was an upstanding guy that made her laugh. Made her happy. And he’d been about to say something to her. Something that felt like a declaration. Something he’d been about to say three times now and each time, was interrupted.
And each time he was interrupted, she’d felt a huge sense of relief.
She was pretty sure she knew what he was going to say, and she didn’t want to hear it. Or more accurately, she knew it was in her best interest not to hear it. The words would weaken her resolve. She couldn’t afford for her willpower to be weakened. That’s why she told him not to call her. Told him they could talk when he got to the island. She’d spent the past three days rebuilding her walls and reminding herself of why those walls were there.
She had plans. Her plans were bigger than the two of them. Her plans were for the good of a woman who gave up everything to raise her. Adeline didn’t have time for love. Didn’t have time for declarations of love. Didn’t have time to take her heart out of its protective gear and examine it for signs of being nicked by cupid’s arrow.
She had a plan, and she wasn’t deterring off her plan’s path for anything or anyone. Not even for herself.
She shouldn’t have gone so giddy over hearing him propose. But it dawned on her—as he was saying the words—she may never hear a guy say that to her again. So she pretended the proposal was real. For a few minutes, anyway.
Taking another bite of the chocolate, she closed her eyes and enjoyed the concoction that made everything better. But only for a nanosecond, because she was on a moving machine. And she was her. And well… Accidents were never far away.
She glanced out the window at the resort’s adults-only swimming pool. Debbie was walking around in a string bikini. She’d arrived yesterday. Her attire was completely inappropriate for a company retreat, even if the retreat didn’t officially start until tomorrow. She was tall, lanky, busty, and tanned. In contrast, Adeline was short, fleshy, hippy, and whitie-white-white-white.
“Ugh,” Adeline groaned. Tomorrow, she’d splurge and get a spray tan at the resort’s spa. Too bad the spa didn’t offer a spray new body. Then again, she liked her body. Even if there were a few you-eat-too-many-carbs tells.
The only reason she was on the treadmill was because Mrs. C mentioned her husband planned on working out around ten. And that tonight there was to be a meeting of all of the partners.
Adeline hoped it was a meeting about offering Jack partnership. That would make
her latest predicament so much easier. The mail Jack had brought her contained an announcement that her recipe had won the school’s annual competition. The prize, an all-expenses paid, one-month pastry baking session. A session that started in one week.
The whisper of the door opening caught her attention. Still hanging on to her candy bar in one hand, she ramped-up her speed with her other. Huffing and puffing, she tried to glance sideways to see who got on the treadmill next to hers. Hopefully, Mr. Carpenter would show up. See her. Then she could stop and spend an hour in the ocean before she had to go to work to finish getting things ready for tonight.
Mr. Carpenter didn’t enter so she slowed the treadmill down. She glanced out the window. There was Jack. She hadn’t seen him since the proposal. Had he gotten settled into his room? Where was his room? Not anywhere near hers. Of that she was sure. Debbie had booked everyone’s room. Apparently, she wasn’t an accountant; she was an event planner for the corporation.
Jack stood outside the gym, and Adeline had a great view of him. The man’s body made her drool more than the dark chocolate candy bar still in her hand. After only a few hours on the island, he already appeared relaxed.
How would he feel when she told him she wanted to jump on the opportunity to go to Paris this summer and be a part of the Le Cordon Bleu’s program? Since speaking French wasn’t budging Dottie’s memories into happier times, maybe if Adeline took her and Alice to Paris for a month the new situation would budge her memories into better times. Dottie had a treatment this week. Which meant her next treatment was six weeks away. She could spend four weeks in Paris with Adeline.
Of course, she wouldn’t bring it up to Jack until after the retreat. After she had time to see if he was offered partnership. If he were offered partnership, it would be a moot discussion. Then she’d be free to go without his blessing.
Jack peeled off his T-shirt and turned sideways.
“Mother of God.” Even though she had carnal knowledge of his naked body, seeing him shirtless still took her breath away. She settled into a fast, uphill walk, preparing to get through the minutes by drooling over her sexy accountant.
My accountant?
She took another bite of her candy bar. When had she started thinking of him as her accountant? Was it before or after the proposal? She planned to ditch him soon, so she really shouldn’t be thinking of him in terms of “mine.”
She glanced back at him. He was walking toward the resort’s outdoor bar, every step oozing self-confidence. Sexy as sin self-confidence. A self-confidence that drew her in like a lush to an open bar. A woman who was just a teensy little okay with not leaving right now to go to Paris if he wasn’t offered partnership at the retreat.
He glanced around. Was he looking for her?
Debbie waved frantically at him.
Ignore her, ignore her, ignore her.
Jack walked over to Debbie and said something to which they both laughed. What did he say?
I gave Adeline a ring today. Or, that swimsuit will haunt my dreams.
“That suit should be illegal in all fifty states,” Mrs. C said, stepping onto the treadmill next to Adeline’s.
Adeline threw Mrs. C a quick glance. She was wearing Nike everything, and her toned body shouted real athlete. Adeline’s body probably shouted for the love of God, somebody come and rescue me from my owner.
Even though everything about Mrs. C shouted money, she made Adeline feel like an equal. And Adeline appreciated that trait in Mrs. C. “Or at least illegal at company retreats.”
Mrs. Carpenter pushed the quick start button on her machine and slowly started walking, pacing her way up to a run. “Wait until he gets a look at you in your new one.”
Adeline nodded. They’d been spending their time together at the spa, lunches, shopping, and drinks. Adeline pushed her button to speed up. It was time to run. Surely, Mr. C would walk in any moment. She glanced at the unfinished candy bar in her hand. Debated on finishing it off versus tossing it in the trash all while keeping an eye on Jack and Debbie.
Debbie laid a hand on Jack’s arm and stood on her tiptoes and whispered something in his ear, brushing her breast against Jack in the process.
A surge of jealousy stabbed Adeline in the heart. Her brain screeched to a stop, and she forgot to move her feet. “What a—” Before she could finish the statement, she went flying off the back of the treadmill into the weight bench and medicine ball set up behind her.
There was a loud clunk, a whole lot of female screeching—her own— a thump, thump-thump, and then silence.
Adeline landed flat on her back in the swanky gym. She stared up at the mundane white ceiling. At least I didn’t hit my head. She reached up to peel off the half-eaten chocolate bar from her forehead when her view became blocked by sets of gaping eyeballs.
Those who’d gathered around her were biting their lips, trying not to laugh. Some were talking and waving their arms in a windmill fashion mimicking her as she flew off the treadmill.
There was a bit more commotion, then Jack’s face appeared above hers, Mrs. C next to him, horror on their faces.
“Mrs. Carpenter said the treadmill threw you.” Jack offered her a hand. “Are you okay?”
Adeline dropped the chocolate bar and placed her hand in his. With his help, she sat up. She pushed her hair behind her ears. “Super-duper,” she muttered. Son-of-a-bitch, why couldn’t she be graceful like a gazelle instead of clumsy like a clown?
“You gave us quite the fright,” said Debbie, stepping out from behind Jack. She’d probably never done an ungraceful thing in her life. At least, she’d slipped on a cover-up.
“You don’t look concerned. You look a bit put-out that I interrupted your conversation with Jack.” The words flew out of Adeline’s mouth faster than she’d just flown off the treadmill. Jealousy evident in her voice.
Debbie laughed. A perfect, civilized laugh. “Oh my. Please tell me that’s not why you fell off the treadmill! I would never forgive myself if I thought all of this happened because you saw Jack and I talking.” She placed one palm over her plump lips and one on Jack’s shoulders. “I am so sorry,” she said to Jack, not to Adeline. Probably so she could draw his eyes from Adeline, back to her body.
No way was Adeline going to let Debbie think she was jealous of her. “It wasn’t your fault. Ever since I had that stripper-pole accident, I’ve been a bit off-balance.”
“A stripper pole accident?” Mr. C asked, his face taking on a red blotchy appearance.
“Isn’t that perfectly fascinating,” declared Debbie. “I personally wasn’t raised to have those kind of dancing abilities, but I do envy girls like you who were.”
Adeline went still. She would not make—
“Adie’s teasing,” Jack said. “She has quite the sense of humor. Don’t you, Adie?” Jack gave her an intense look.
Adeline forced a ditzy laugh. Of course he wouldn’t want his boss to know she knew how to pole dance. “I forget! You guys don’t know me. I did fall and bump my head not too long ago, but it had nothing to do with the pole I was hanging upside down from.”
Jack groaned. “Adeline, it’s a good thing I love you, because your sense of humor keeps me on my toes. Not that I would change that about you. In fact, it’s one of the things I love most about you.”
Adeline’s heart squeezed. What a sneaky bastard. He just made his declaration of love right here in front of everyone. In a place she couldn’t have her protective walls up. And he knew that. He declared his love in a place she was vulnerable. And because her heart wasn’t protected, of course the damn thing swooned.
Her accountant was smart and handsome and romantic.
Adeline realized the crowd was watching them, waiting for her response to his romantic declaration.
Adeline beamed her approval. Jack blinked like a man blinded by the light. “Is it any wonder I fell so madly in love with you?” She reached out for him to help her up. As soon as they were alone, she’d rebuild her walls.
Mrs. C gasped and grabbed Adeline’s left hand. “Oh my. Look at that ring.”
Adeline glanced at her engagement ring. A square-cut blue diamond. Just like the one she’d described to Debbie in the restaurant the night of her and Jack’s first date. What kind of ring would he have picked out if she hadn’t described this one?
“Precious,” Mrs. C said, glancing at her husband, “Adie’s ring may be bigger than mine.” She winked at Mr. C who actually blushed in response. “It’s quite impressive. Don’t you agree, Debbie?”
“It’s lovely,” Debbie said stiffly. “I think I’ll go back to my lounge chair now that the drama in the workout room is over.”
“Adie, you really are going to have to be more careful,” Jack said, draping an arm around her shoulder.
She could feel her own cheeks burning. “I know, I know.”
Jack kissed her on the nose and led her out of the small crowd.
Even when they got outside, he continued to hold her hand. She tugged a little to see if he’d let go. He didn’t. Was he doing it for Mr. C’s benefit? For the partnership? Or because he’d just given her his heart in a public setting, and she’d given him hers as well and he didn’t want to give her the distance she needed to throw those walls back up?
They walked in silence toward the beach. When they were out of earshot, Jack said, “That’s the second time, since I’ve met you, that you’ve taken a tumble,” concern coated his words.
“You’re keeping better count of that than the number of kisses you’ve been stealing beyond our rule,” she teased.
He nudged her in the ribs. “Some rules just beg to be broken.”
“And some rules are meant to be kept.” Adeline stopped walking, tugged loose of his grasp, kicked out of her shoes and socks, and ran the rest of the way to the ocean’s edge intent on washing off the sweat and smell of running and drowning the declarations of love.
When she hit the water’s edge, she stopped. Forgot her plan and just enjoyed the breathtaking view.
