Second Time Lucky

by Debbi Rawlins

  11

  DAVID STARED AT HER in total astonishment. She’d quit practicing law? He had to have misunderstood. She was the smartest, most promising attorney Pearson and Stern had hired in nearly a decade. “I thought you got a position at a smaller, less demanding firm.”

  “I know you did.” She nibbled at her lower lip. “I’m thirsty,” she said, nudging his leg aside and rising from the chaise. “There still should be a couple of colas in the fridge. Want one?”

  “Mia, wait.” He saw that she had no intention of humoring him, so he followed her into the bedroom, through the parlor to the wet bar. “Why did you want me to think you were working for another firm?”

  “I didn’t.” She took a long time poking around the small refrigerator before producing two cans. “You assumed, and I didn’t correct you. It seemed like a good idea at the time.”

  Shit. His gut clenched. This was bad. For him. For Mia. But he couldn’t overreact. For someone who was supposed to be quick on his feet, he couldn’t think of a damn thing to say.

  “I know you’re disappointed.” She handed him an ice cold can. Funny, he thought he was too numb to feel it. “I’m sure I’ve disappointed a lot of people, not the least of whom will be my parents. They won’t understand how I could go through three tough years of law school and pay all that tuition, and then walk away.” She pressed the can to her flushed face. “Can we not talk about this right now?”

  So she hadn’t told her parents yet. Interesting. He took the can from her and set it beside his on the bar. Then he sat on one of the tall stools with his legs spread and pulled her close. “You have better instincts than almost anyone I know. That quality is part of what’s made you such a damn good lawyer.” He lifted her chin when she tried to stare at her toes, and saw her eyes fill with glassy confusion. “Only you know what’s right for you. I support your decision.” Even as he uttered the words, panic rose in his throat. He forced a smile. “Not that you asked.”

  “Oh, David.” She threw her arms around him and hugged him tight. “That means a lot,” she said, her voice a broken whisper as she buried her face against his neck. “Thank you.”

  He closed his eyes, stroked her back, kissed her hair. Her shoulders trembled slightly, and he knew she was fighting back tears. She was a strong woman. It couldn’t be easy for her to become so emotional, and all he wanted to do was ease the hurt and suffering she’d experienced in reaching her life-altering decision. As incomprehensible as it was that she could throw away such a promising career, he meant what he’d told her. He did support her.

  He had no choice. Damn it, he loved her, he realized with a sinking sensation at total odds with the discovery. Probably had loved her for longer than he cared to admit.

  Now what the fuck was he going to tell his father?

  MIA LET HIM SLOWLY UNDRESS HER. She closed her eyes and deeply breathed in his warm, masculine scent as he stopped to kiss the shoulder he’d exposed and then the top of each breast as he drew the cotton sundress down her body. She felt drained from finally confessing the truth, and doubted she had the energy to do much more than slip between the sheets. Until it had become clear the discussion was inevitable, she hadn’t fully appreciated how frightened she was that the truth would disappoint him, make him think less of her.

  She’d never dreamed he would be this accepting. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t seen the shock on his face. Or the pleading denial in his eyes, the moment of hope that he’d misunderstood. For someone like David, who lived and breathed every intricacy of the law, she’d been convinced it would be impossible for him to understand her decision. Smiling to herself, she realized that was absolutely true. He could make no logical sense of it, probably thought she was certifiable, but that made his acceptance all the sweeter.

  With a start, she saw that he’d stripped off his clothes—she was already naked—and he was trying to pick her up. “What are you doing?” she asked, although she figured it out a second later.

  She grinned, but ended up gasping when he swept her off the floor and into his arms. The trip to the bed was only a few feet, and she smiled when he laid her atop the sheets. She threaded her fingers through his hair and pulled him down for a quick kiss. “Why did you do that?”

  He sat at the edge of the bed and massaged her scalp. “You look wiped out.” He shrugged, a teasing smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “I wanted to be your big, strong hero.”

  Mia laughed.

  He feigned a pout. “Ouch.”

  “Ah, let me kiss it and make it better.” She curled up and put her lips to the crown of his penis.

  He jerked. “Hey.”

  “You’re complaining?”

  He looked serious. “Yeah, I am. I’m supposed to be taking care of you,” he said, despite the fact his cock was already hardening. He glanced down, his mouth twisting wryly. “I can’t do anything about that.”

  Mia tried to keep a straight face, remembering some thing her brothers used to tease each other about. “Maybe if you think about going blind and getting hairy palms?”

  David smiled, touched her hair and the tip of her chin, then lightly dragged the pads of his fingers down between her breasts. But it was the tenderness in his eyes that sobered her. Warmth flushed her body, and if she had to speak she didn’t think she could do it. Her mouth was too dry, her tongue felt like a lead weight. It took her a few seconds to figure out the frightening pressure in her chest was from holding her breath.

  Without warning he rose. She was about to plead for him to stay when he gently nudged her to move over, and stretched out beside her. He lay on his back and slid a comforting arm around her as he urged her to lay her cheek on his chest. She snuggled close, and rested a palm on one of his flat, brown nipples, which firmed beneath her touch. She smiled when she saw that his arousal had not yet subsided. Not for a second did she doubt that she could tempt him into making love to her, but for now it was nice just to be held.

  Annabelle was never going to believe this. David. Here in Hawaii. When Mia filled her in it would be the “G” version, of course.

  Mia had no idea where the thought had come from, and she didn’t even know when the older woman would return from her trip. No, in a way it made sense she’d think about Annabelle now, weird as it seemed. Their talks in the park had always been soothing, a balm to Mia’s confused senses, and right now, she couldn’t begin to explain the serenity she felt.

  Listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat against her ear, she closed her eyes, drowsy from the heat, the comfort of his closeness, the awe of his unconditional acceptance. When he skimmed a hand down her back, over the curve of her hip, then lightly cupped her bottom, she felt a stir of excitement in her belly.

  She lifted her head and moved her hand away from his chest.

  His gaze narrowed. “Where are you going?”

  “Nowhere.” Pointing the tip of her tongue, she touched it to his already hard nipple.

  He tensed. “I thought you were tired.”

  “I was.” She kissed the warm skin right below. “Evidently big, strong heroes get me hot.” She moved her mouth to his lean, taut belly, pressed a kiss there. Used her tongue to circle his navel, smiled when he sucked in his stomach.

  When her exploration took her too near to his swelling penis, he curled up, took her by both arms and dragged her mouth to his. “I want to be inside you,” he whispered, his voice raw with emotion.

  The intensity of it made her tremble as she automatically reached for the box of condoms on the opposite nightstand. She kept her face averted because it terrified her to witness his expression. This man, who was an expert at hiding any hint of feeling, had never sounded more vulnerable.

  She tore the packet open and assumed the task of sheathing him, keeping her focus on what she was doing, knowing that he watched her, that his eyes could tell her more than she might want to acknowledge. Already on sensory overload, she refused to look up, even as she felt the weight of his gaze willi
ng her to do so.

  He put both hands on either side of her waist and lifted her up until she straddled him. She still managed to avoid his eyes—instead her gaze rested on the curve of his mouth. The smile was different than any he’d given her before, gentle yet unnervingly determined.

  He touched her, found that she was wet, lingered there, teasing her, then entered her with two long, lean fingers. She quivered, let her eyes briefly close and pressed against him.

  “No, inside,” he murmured, low in his throat, and withdrew. He urged her into position, his cock poised to accept her as she slid onto him, slowly, taking him in gradually.

  The hands that cupped her hips shook, and his face tensed. She clenched her muscles around him, and he threw back his head, the veins on his neck pronounced.

  “One day,” he said, his voice thin and raspy, “we won’t need condoms.” And then he thrust into her, his reference to the future knocking her emotionally off balance.

  A DAY LATER, Mia sat beside David, five rows from the stage, watching the hula dancers use their hands and hips to tell the story of ill-fated lovers. Great. Mia’s favorite topic lately. She slumped in her seat, and ordered herself to enjoy the performance.

  When David had suggested they visit the Polynesian Cultural Center on the other side of the island, she hadn’t balked. Not just because they’d had quite a bit of lazy beach time, but she knew it was going to be a tough day. It was their last full day in Hawaii, and she didn’t want to have too much time to think and get all mopey.

  Her overactive mind had become her enemy. She still found it difficult to comprehend how graciously he’d accepted her decision to give up her law career.

  Maybe he figured her disillusionment was temporary, and she’d eventually come around. There was no way to know, and she’d only make herself crazy second-guessing his reaction. One thing she did know for sure was that something was off. He was a bit quieter yesterday and today, more introspective. But so was she as the time to leave got closer.

  And then there was the remark about not needing a condom one day. Yet something else to keep the wheels spinning out of control. So far she’d settled on two interpretations. One was strictly clinical, the other meant that he was thinking in terms of the long haul. Either possibility suggested that he planned to continue their affair in New York. But then again, he hadn’t said a word to that end.

  It shouldn’t bother her since she’d already decided there would be no room in her life for a man. Except this wasn’t any man. This was David. It all seemed so unfair—

  Oh, God, she really had to get over herself. No, it wasn’t fair. The timing was awful and who knew what she’d have done if she’d even guessed. But this was her reality, and the sooner she stopped the nonsense about fairness, the better. She had right now, and she’d be a damn fool not to enjoy it to the fullest.

  She inhaled deeply, delighted with the perfumed air, and let her breath out slowly. By the time she repeated the relaxation technique she’d learned during her first court appearance, the song ended and a new set of dancers took the stage, accompanied by the heart-pounding primal beating of native drums. Three very fit, half-naked, brown-skinned Polynesian men using their open palms on the drums had pulled her back to the present.

  But it was the swift movement of the Tahitian dancers’ hips that had her leaning forward and staring in awe. “Good grief, they look as if they’ve been plugged in.”

  “I thought you’d fallen asleep.”

  “I might have been nodding off a bit during the hula dancing,” she lied. Then she cast David an accusing glance. “Guess who’s to blame for keeping me up most of the night.”

  A smile of pure male satisfaction curved his mouth. “I didn’t hear you complaining.”

  She bit back a grin and glanced around to make sure no one had overheard them. There were about two hundred people in the audience, but the drums were loud and everyone’s attention seemed to be glued to the dancers.

  “I wish we could’ve talked Shelby into coming with us,” she said, knowing that was a half truth.

  As soon as the sun had gone down and the torches were lit, everything about the place seemed to change. By day, the cultural center, with its simulated tropical villages and authentic arts and craft demonstrations, was both educational and entertaining. But now that she’d started to relax, sitting in the dimness of the half-open pavilion, the warm air scented by a panoply of flowering trees that grew profusely around the grounds, she had to admit that the setting was very romantic.

  He slid an arm around her shoulders, and she gladly leaned against him. “We can bring her tomorrow if you like. We only got to see half the attractions.”

  She pulled away to look at him. “Did you forget we leave tomorrow?”

  “How could I?” He seemed to stare sightlessly at the dancers for a few moments, and then captured her gaze. “What if we stay an extra day?”

  The unexpected suggestion was like a splash of cold water in her face. “How? I mean, we both have to get back. There are deadlines—”

  “Understood.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t see how it’s possible.”

  “It is if we—”

  Someone from behind shushed them. Rightfully so. Mia sent the woman a smile of apology, and turned back to stare at the dancers, her thoughts tumbling even more wildly than they had earlier.

  When it finally occurred to her that she was oblivious to what was happening on stage, she whispered, “We should go.”

  He nodded, and as unobtrusively as possible they slipped out of their seats and hurried to the sidewalk. When they got to a fork, she started to go right, but he took her hand and led her to the left. Within seconds she saw the parking lot.

  “I hope you don’t mind that I wanted to leave,” she said, spotting his rental near the entrance. “I didn’t even ask you.”

  “No, good call. We have about an hour and a half drive back to Waikiki.”

  “Really? It took that long to get here?”

  “Yep,” he said. “I guess I should’ve considered that when I booked the dinner show.”

  “No, I’m glad we came. It would’ve been a shame to have missed seeing what we did today.”

  “Next time we’ll have to plan better and come early.” The keys were already in his hand, and he used the remote to unlock the doors.

  Mia watched him open her door, her pulse leaping, even though she was annoyed. How could he say something like that and still act so casually? Damn him. He couldn’t keep alluding to the future and then let the tension hang over them like a threatening rain cloud. Finally she couldn’t stand it. “There is no next time. We leave tomorrow.”

  He flinched, or at least she thought he had. Maybe he was baiting her, trying to force her to make a declaration. Her breath caught at the thought. When the silence got too thick, she slipped by him to get into the car.

  David caught her around the waist. His arm snug around her, he bent to kiss her gently but all too briefly. Then he gave her a tender smile that made her heart catch, and she instantly forgave him. “I’m being an ass,” he said. “But I don’t want this week to end.”

  Mia’s chest tightened. “I don’t, either.”

  “The difference is, you’re not being a baby about it.”

  “Trust me, inside I am.”

  “Good.” He nuzzled the side of her neck. “So maybe I can talk you into staying one more day.”

  She sighed. “First off, it would be too expensive to change our tickets.”

  “I’ll take care of that.”

  “No,” she said firmly. “Anyway, it’s not only about the money.” She snorted ruefully. “Although in my current position, I can’t be cavalier about finances, either. Bottom line, we both have full schedules waiting for us back in New York, and that’s not going to change.”

  But this would, she thought, when he hugged her tighter and kissed her hair. She closed her eyes, felt his quickened heartbeat against her breastbone,
heard his muffled sigh. He knew she was right. Delaying the inevitable was foolish, but perhaps now was the time to discuss what would happen after they returned. At the thought, her insides coiled into one big knot.

  He released her, waited until she was seated and then closed her door. His silence unsettled her.

  After he was behind the wheel and started the ignition, in a light, joking tone, she said, “I can’t figure out if taking this week off was a good idea or not. I’d almost forgotten that there’s more to life than work.”

  She stared at his unyielding profile, waiting for him to respond. Whether or not he’d figured out she was fishing for a reaction, he said nothing.

  AN HOUR AFTER they’d returned to Waikiki, David ordered a bottle of Mia’s favorite chardonnay and chocolate-dipped strawberries from room service, while he waited for her to return with clean clothes from her room. This was their last night in Hawaii together. It should have been perfect, full of romance and promises whispered in the dark, velvety night. Instead, he had never felt more conflicted in his entire life.

  Pearson and Stern needed her like a baby needed its mother’s milk, and Mia wanted nothing more to do with the law. She was totally convinced she’d been on the wrong career path. He couldn’t disagree more. How could she have been such a brilliant attorney? Her instincts were spot-on, every time. He’d learned quickly that he didn’t have to second-guess her decisions. In that regard, his judgment had nothing to do with his cock.

  Naturally, because all of that wasn’t complicated enough, he’d fallen in love with her. He wanted her to follow her dream and be happy, but he owed his father and the firm his loyalty. It wasn’t just a matter of the practice losing money. Jobs were at stake in a time when every job was critical. So where did that leave him and Mia?

  His right hand started to ache. He stared down at it, and found that he’d clenched it into a fist. He opened his hand, flexed his fingers. He wasn’t a man who sought answers in violence, but a large part of him wanted to smash every piece of art in the suite. Nice.