Unstoppable: A Sweet Romance (Jersey Girls Book 2)

by Lisa-Marie Cabrelli

  Maureen took a deep breath of the sea air and shook her head disbelieving this was really happening to her. She smiled. “Yes, we can. We can call it a date.”

  42

  This

  Stephen felt like he was walking on air as he opened the front gate to Water’s Edge and knocked on the door. He had been itching to get back here all day, but had forced himself to give her some space and time. He couldn't imagine she had enjoyed last night, and considering the circumstances, he felt guilty that he had enjoyed it immensely. His feelings for Maureen had exploded as he took care of her and got to know how normal she truly was. She wasn’t here for Brad, but to figure out who she was, and she had taken a leap of faith into an adventure. He admired that and felt a real affinity with her struggle.

  He was a natural caretaker and had forgotten how good it felt to give himself over to his feelings when they weren't anger and despair. Maureen made him feel hope again. He believed again that there were women in the world he could trust—women who wouldn't stomp all over him when he offered his heart.

  Stephen was about as tough as could be. He could bench press two hundred pounds and run twenty-six miles. If he ever got in a bar fight, he was confident he could come out a winner. He had to admit to the occasional fantasy of taking Paul out for an after-work drink and insulting some muscle head at the bar, just for the purpose of creating an excuse to “accidentally” punch Paul in his smug face. Truthfully, though, he wasn’t a violent guy, and in some ways, that had been a problem. Lulu had seen it as a weakness, the classic tough guy with a tender heart.

  He had tried so hard to be a good husband to Lulu—to be faithful, nurturing, and kind. It was the kindness in him that she couldn't respect, though. She’d wanted a hard-core shark of a businessman who would step on the little people to keep her in Manalos and Gucci. He just didn’t have it in him, and he had been honestly surprised to find out Paul did. Maybe they were meant for each other.

  Maureen opened the door to Water's Edge and Stephen's greeting caught in his throat. She had let her hair down, literally, and her mass of curls bounced around her makeup-free, tanned face. She had obviously been enjoying the patio. She was wearing a gauzy, flowered sun-dress that swished around her calves and brought attention to her cute, bare feet with red-painted toes. She was beautiful.

  “Welcome to my home,” she smiled, sweeping her hand across her chest and into the foyer in a grand, dramatic gesture. “I hope you realize Lauren Belle is never getting this place back. I have decided I am living here from now on. I’m madly in love.”

  Stephen laughed as he edged past her into the kitchen to dump his bags. “I’m glad you're enjoying it—it makes me happy. What have you been up to today?”

  “I fell asleep to the sound of the waves and took a nice, long recovery nap.” She eyed the bottle of red wine Stephen had just unpacked and pointed, her face screwing up in an adorable wince that showed her dimples. “Although, I don’t think I could handle any of that tonight.”

  “No worries,” said Stephen, pulling boxes and trays from the carrier bags and placing them in the fridge. “I just think it’s rude to show up anywhere without wine. You can save it for another day. What else did you do today?”

  Maureen jumped to sit on the kitchen counter, and he saw a flash of the two of them in a kitchen together every evening, just like this. He would be cooking, and she would be sitting on a counter next to him, chatting away. The little daydream made his heart swell.

  “I went for a swim in the pool and then sat on the deck steps and watched the ocean. I saw a stingray swim by! Can you believe it? I didn’t know they existed in real life.”

  Stephen cocked an eyebrow at her. “What, do you think the ones in the aquariums are robots or something?”

  “Maybe,” she laughed. “It just doesn’t seem possible that he could be swimming along close enough for me to touch him, if I wanted—and I wanted to touch him.” She wiggled her fingers in the air and he imagined her leaning over the sea wall, stretching out her fingers to the passing fish.

  He finished putting the last of the food in the fridge and offered his hand to Maureen so she could jump down. “Yeah, well, I don’t think you’ll be saying the same thing the first time you see a shark. The ones out here are pretty harmless, though.”

  “Oh, I think I’ll want to touch those, too.” Maureen didn’t let go of his hand as he led her to the back patio and they settled in the Adirondack chairs with a glorious, unobstructed view of the ocean.

  “So, you took a nap, a swim, and you watched the ocean. What else?”

  “What else could I possibly want to do? I took a nap, a swim, and I waited for you. It was a heavenly day.”

  They sat quietly for a few minutes, and Stephen realized he had been smiling since he walked through the front door. He would be smiling in his sleep tonight, too. He couldn't imagine when he would stop smiling. This was good. He had been resisting these feelings and giving in to his fear of putting his trust in another person, but he was ready now. He trusted Maureen.

  “I’ve brought some pretty amazing dinner,” he said, his eyes closed and his face turned toward the last warm rays of the sun. "I have a good friend who is a chef at Luciano’s and he packed up a sweet buffet for us. Just let me know when you’re ready and I will pop it in the oven to heat up.”

  Maureen turned in her chair and put her elbows on the side arm, leaning toward Stephen with a grin. “I don’t know what I did for you to be so nice to me, but whatever it was, can you tell me, so I can do it again?”

  She looked so happy, her brown eyes flashing and her smile inviting, that he couldn’t help what he did next. He leaned forward and placed his lips on hers. At first, he pressed them gently, testing her response, but she leaned in and the kiss deepened. The next thing Stephen knew, he was out of his chair and on his knees at her side.

  He plunged his hands into her curls and cupped her tiny face, and she threw her arms around his neck and pulled him even closer. He felt his breath quicken and told himself to slow down, but the kiss didn’t end, and neither of them seemed likely to pull away. He heard the sound of the nearby waves crashing in his ears, and he had to convince himself it wasn’t the blood crashing through his pounding heart. Had he ever kissed anyone this way? No, never.

  Maureen finally broke the kiss. Her pink flush was visible even through her suntan, and he reached his thumbs up to smooth it away.

  “You know, Mousy Maureen would never do a thing like that, don’t you?” Her breath was coming so quickly that the question came out in a whisper.

  “I have never once thought of you as mousy. I think you know exactly what you want, but for some reason I can't comprehend, you're too insecure to trust your instincts. You are a smart and beautiful woman with an adventurous soul. You made this trip, didn't you? You need to have more confidence in yourself.”

  Maureen rested her forehead against his and whispered, “Yeah, I've heard that one before.” She sat quietly, her hair tickling his cheeks, their breath mingling. He pulled her closer and brushed her lips lightly with his own. He felt them move against his as she whispered, “I know what I want, now, and it’s not dinner.”

  Stephen pulled her into another hungry kiss. This time, her hands moved to his waistline and slipped under his polo shirt. He gasped at the feel of her warm hands on his already-hot skin. It took a great deal of willpower, but he pulled away from her. There was something he needed her to know.

  Taking her chin in his hand, he gave her his word. “I will give you anything you want, Maureen. Anything you ask of me is yours.”

  He saw tears spring into her eyes as she reached out and pulled them both to a standing position. She pressed her body against his.

  “Come on, then.” She pulled him toward the bedroom. “I’m asking.”

  43

  Joy

  For the third morning in a row, Maureen woke to the sound of the sea and an incredibly sexy man sleeping beside her. She stretched her a
rms into the air and smiled as she thought about the last three days. This vacation had taken a turn for the better. She found it hard to believe that, only a week and a half ago, she had landed in Nassau and got into a van with a miserable, grumpy man who had turned out to be the love of her life. Maybe it hadn’t been love at first sight, but it was love at fourth or fifth.

  Her feelings for Stephen were overwhelming, and under normal circumstances, they would scare the crap out of her. If she were back in Hoboken, she would have already managed to convince herself that a terrible disappointment was on the way. This time, however, in this place, she wasn't scared. She was filled with hope.

  Over the past three days, she had unmasked the real Maureen and shared her most vulnerable self with Stephen. He had loved it all. He loved that she was a feminist and he vowed to stand beside her as she grew stronger, braver, and moved to take her rightful place in the world. He loved that she was shy and told her that learning about her was like opening one of those Russian nesting dolls, finding new treasures in every layer. He wanted her to embrace her inner mouse and be exactly who she was. Unlike other guys, who had been threatened by her brains, he loved that she was smart. They had talked endlessly about her work and ideas, and he’d asked interesting and insightful questions. Not once did he talk down to her or mansplain.

  Stephen had shared with her, too. He had spoken of his fear of being responsible for his failed marriage, worrying that he hadn't done enough, tried enough, or been enough. He explained how these feelings of inadequacy had led to him losing faith in all women and even life. He told her about growing up in Michigan and his parents pushing both him and his sister with the steadfast belief that making money was the primary goal of living life. His sister had been dead-set on finding a mate who would make her parents proud not because of who he was, but because of how much money he had.

  They had avoided only two subjects, the first being Brad. Maureen had no desire to analyze her terrible mistakes and relive the embarrassment of trying to become someone who she wasn’t, for someone who didn't care. Stephen hadn't brought it up again after they’d laughed together about the article, and she gratefully avoided the topic. The other more serious subject they had avoided was what they were doing. What was happening here in this gorgeous house on the edge of the ocean? Was it only a dream?

  What did it mean that this vacation would soon be over? For Maureen, it meant going back to her life at Telco and persuading Satish that she was ready for the job he was holding for her. For Stephen, it meant going back to California and once again confronting his daily life with the new husband of his ex-wife who also happened to be his business partner.

  Maureen snuggled underneath the covers. They had left the air-conditioning on last night, and she felt the need for some of Stephen’s warmth. Spooning carefully against his back, she wrapped her arms around his chest, nuzzling her lips against his neck. He was awake; she could feel him smiling.

  “I think you should quit,” she whispered.

  Stephen rolled onto his back and she threw her leg across his stomach while resting her head on his chest. “Quit what?” His hand moved to gently smooth her wild, bedhead curls.

  “Your job—I think you should quit. You obviously hate it. You said yourself that working with Paul was killing you, so why don’t you just quit?”

  “It’s not that easy, Maureen. We’re partners in a company.”

  “So?”

  “So, we’re joined financially. There would be a lot of issues we would have to work out before I could leave.”

  The frown that had settled on his face made her uneasy. Maureen started to feel a sense of panic creeping into her joy. It was only three more days—could she really expect anything beyond this?

  “Have Paul buy you out. It wouldn't be too difficult, right? You could get an IT job anywhere.” She trailed her hands across the muscles on his chest, enjoying watching the small shivers that came in response. “You could work in New York.”

  He laughed, “New York is a long way from California.”

  She lifted herself onto her elbow and made purposeful eye contact, wanting him to know she was serious. “Stephen, I know we just met, but I think you feel it, too, right? I would never have had the nerve to say this to anyone before I met you, because I didn't have the confidence, but you’ve given me that." She traced her hand down his cheek, feeling his morning stubble. "I’m falling in love you and I want us to be together.”

  Stephen smiled and pulled her down on top of him. He squeezed her tightly, and she felt his chest heave with emotion. “Oh God, Maureen, I love you, too.” She melted with relief. “I honestly never thought I would say those words again. I want you to know you have changed my life in three days, and I want more than anything to be with you. It’s not that easy, though.”

  “Why not?” His tight embrace muffled her words, but she knew he had heard her. He could probably feel the wetness from her tears, as well, but he was kind enough not to mention it. He was right: she was living a dream right now, but that’s all it was. This was not real life. They were staying in some millionaire’s unused house on a tropical island with no responsibilities. She knew it couldn’t continue, but she had hoped for a different response. The tears surprised her—she didn’t realize how much she had been avoiding this conversation until right this moment.

  “Hey,” Stephen put his hands on her shoulders and lifted her so he could look into her eyes. “I am going to make it work, okay? I promise. Do you trust me?”

  “I trust you.” She nodded as he wiped his thumbs across her cheeks, removing her tears.

  He gently moved out from under her and swung his feet off the side of the bed. She lay very still, waiting for him to say something. Maureen had a feeling something bad was about to happen.

  “I’ve been away from the boat too long.” He turned and reached for her face, tucking a curl behind her ear and cupping her cheek. “I agreed to do a job, and I’m afraid I’m not keeping my word. Let me go take care of some business today—straighten everything out with Don—and then I’ll come back. I promise. Can you wait for me?”

  She threw herself back against the pillows and pulled the sheet over her head. “Yes, I can wait,” she mumbled, “but I won’t like it.”

  Stephen leaned over the bed and pressed his lips against hers through the sheet. “You trust me and I will trust you. Just enjoy a quiet day on the patio. I'll be back tonight.”

  “Okay.” She pulled the sheet down and pouted, her bottom lip sticking out. “Just don’t be too long, or I will get lonely.”

  “I won’t.” He got up and headed for the shower.

  44

  Storm is Brewing

  “Where the hell have you been?” Stephen had just arrived back at the Lauren Belle, and Don was standing at the gangplank, looking frantic. “To the cockpit, please, now.”

  Oh shit, Stephen thought. I have pissed him off. Maybe I should have told him my plans first.

  He hustled after Don and found Joe already waiting in the cockpit. He cast a glance in his direction, but Joe just looked at him grimly and shook his head. This was bad.

  Don walked in behind him before he closed and locked the door. He kept his voice low. “This yacht is falling apart around us.”

  Stephen waited for Don to continue, but he just crossed to his laptop, looking concerned.

  “I’m sorry I took her to the house without telling you, Don. I didn’t think you would care about the house.”

  Don looked up in surprise. “Oh, Joe already told me about that. I'm happy for you. In fact, that makes my life easier.”

  Stephen looked at Joe again. He shrugged. “So, what’s going on?”

  Don slammed the lid of his laptop closed and huffed in frustration. “We are close, you know? We are really close. All we need is another two hours on Brad's laptop and we should have plenty to bring Mr. Henderson in on some pretty serious charges.” Don was shuffling through his papers, stacking them in one order an
d then spreading them out and stacking them again in another order. Stephen crossed over and put a hand on his arm to stop his fidgeting.

  “That’s good, isn’t it? Only two more hours and you can call in your boys, and then we can all get on with our lives.”

  “It would be good if we could get Carl anywhere near his laptop. You’ve missed an eventful few days.”

  “What happened?”

  Don stood and started pacing the small cabin. Joe tried to back up to give him more room, but he bumped his head on the low ceiling and stood, rubbing it.

  “So, drunken Myron met up with your friend, Marshall, and complained about his treatment on the yacht that night. He told him he was expecting that, next time he arrives, to be treated as an honored guest. Marshall agreed and told him so, and then Marshall came and informed me of it." Don stopped pacing and turned to Stephen, his face red with anger. "I swear, Stephen, if I could have fired that guy on the spot, I would've. It sucks being a fake captain—especially with assholes like Marshall around." He went back to pacing. "Anyway, we have news from our sources that Myron is gathering troops to come and confront Brad. Apparently, he needs a little bit of persuasion to partner with Myron.”

  Joe stopped rubbing his head and stepped forward. “I’ll talk to Marshall, boss. Myron and his boys won’t be a problem—I can handle them.”

  Don sighed and rubbed a frown line from his forehead. He went back to his desk and sat down. “I appreciate your loyalty, Joe, but it’s a bit too late to talk to Marshall. I've been informed that Marshall has already spoken to Lauren Belle, who was ‘surprised’ to hear about so much tension on the yacht.” He looked over at Stephen. “Apparently, she is on her way to the island to see the mess for herself and straighten things out. I checked with the Ocean Club and she’s booked to arrive tomorrow.”