A Second Chance With Emily (2 page)

“Okay,” she said, softening. “You can join me for dinner.” As he sat down, she added, “Did you figure out a room?”

“Oh…” He picked up the menu and intently read the special.

“Adam?”

He set the menu down. “There aren’t any other rooms. Christmas is their busiest holiday, and Sylvester double booked that room on accident.”
 

Her hand went to her neck as she looked away. “There’s other hotels.”

“All booked. I could sleep on the sofa.”

She slumped back in her chair. “Why are you here alone?”

He waved at a waitress, a quiet young woman with a shy smile, and ordered “his usual.” She almost laughed because he’d been so intent on the menu before. “I needed to get away,” he finally answered, which didn’t really answer anything.

Away and alone for the holidays? Emily left it at that since she didn’t want to talk about her personal life either. Her main course arrived and she started to pick at it.

“Don’t worry about me,” he said with an easy smile. “Eat up.”

She rolled her eyes at him and almost missed him reaching across with his fork to steal a giant shrimp right off her plate. Almost missed – she caught him in time to slap the back of his hand.
 

They were laughing and suddenly it felt like ten years ago. She caught her breath as memories swamped her mind. He would always kissed her check when he picked her up for a date. Later, he always wanted to nibble on her neck. All through dinner, her mind played games, playing back old memories and trying to line them up with the fully grown, dazzling man before her. She’d always loved his blond hair and brown eyes; she thought the unusual mix added to his good looks and charm.

“Emily?”

“Hm?”

“How about a walk on the beach? The sun is setting.”

She knew better, she did, but she actually wanted to go. “I guess I can’t come to Costa Rica and not walk on the beach.”
 

The air was a perfect seventy five or so degrees with a light breeze off the ocean. The red sun was sinking westward over the purplish waters. Clouds in ten shades of pink skimmed the sky and water’s edge. It took her breath away. She turned to Adam, smiling, enjoying the feeling of sharing this, and found him watching her, years of regret and questions in his eyes.

“I’m sorry about before.”

She looked down and shrugged. “That was a long time ago.”

“Just yesterday, don’t you think? At least it feels like it.” He took her hand and pulled it to his mouth to press a warm kiss into her palm. She hadn’t expected his gentleness. They’d stopped walking and he turned into her, taking her face with his other hand.
 

I’m engaged. But she wasn’t. She was single. That hadn’t even occurred to her until just then. She could see the sunset reflected into his warm brown eyes because they stood so close. She could object or run, but why?
 

He leaned over and touched his lips to hers, then leaned back just enough to look into her eyes. They closed their eyes at the same time and she felt his lips meet hers again, softly moulding to her mouth. It was the same as before but even better. The kiss started slow and built, growing deeper, more passionate and then needy - like they were picking up right where they left off so long ago. A slow burn started inside her and grew. She found herself wrapping her arms around him, feeling the back of his neck, pulling him closer.
 

She leaned into him and somehow that contact shook her up. True, she was a free woman again but this man had left her once too. When Adam left the first time, she was devastated; she wasn’t walking that road again. Emily pushed away from him. “I’m sorry. I think that was some kind of revenge kiss.”

The pleasure on his face changed to dismay. “Revenge? Because I left before?”

“No, revenge on my fiancé that skipped out on me.” She turned and headed back without checking if he followed or not.
 

There was no way he would let Emily walk out of his life. Adam had been an idiot before to leave her, but he’d grown since then. The truth was, he had needed to make his own path in the world and he was a better man for it.
 

Adam just needed to prove himself to her. His plan was simple but brilliant; he would keep Emily as close to him as possible. Of course tonight would be tricky…

He headed back and found her in the room, and it only slightly surprised her this time when he came through the door. Emily sat on the bed with a novel in her lap and a cup of something close by, trying to look busy, he thought.

“Seriously?” she asked, sounding halfway annoyed. The way she lit up, however, gave her away.
 

“I really would like to sleep on the sofa… we’re two free adults, right? And we can behave ourselves?”

“After that kiss?” she returned. Now that shocked him. He hadn’t expected her to be direct about it or the electricity between them. They eyed each other for a minute. Then she gave a little sigh. “The sofa. And you will behave yourself.”

He sank into the sofa, leaned back and laced his fingers behind his head. “I wanted to take my sailboat out for tomorrow.”

“And?

“And did you have anything planned? It seems maybe you might have free time…since things changed for you. You’re in Costa Rica, in the dry season. You can’t sit in here for your vacation.”

“Vacation, huh?” She closed the novel. “Hmm, I’ve always wanted to sail. You know how to sail?”

He turned toward her with a huge grin. “Sounds like a plan. So how about a drink down in the bar?”

She glanced at the clock and her thoughts were all over her face. They would have all evening together if they sat in the room. At least in the bar, they’d be around other people.

She stood up. “Sure, why not?” Emily walked out ahead of him so he hopped up and followed, watching her long legs in her shorts.
 

Two mixed drinks later, he had her laughing and completely relaxed. Her hazel-green eyes sparkled.
 

“You deserve to enjoy yourself,” he said, leaning in and running a finger down the side of her face. She tilted her face slightly like she wanted him to kiss her, but then she leaned back, glancing around. Adam didn’t want to push her and kept the rest of the evening light. They went upstairs an hour later, and on the way, she wobbled and leaned into him.
 

Parts of him reacted, wanting her, but he restrained himself, helping her inside and to the bathroom. A few minutes later she was crawling into the bed. Rushing over, he pulled the covers back for her. Once she was lying down, he tucked her in.

“Goodnight, Emily,” he whispered. She looked like a real Sleeping Beauty lying with her hair across the pillow. Unable to stop, he bent over and kissed first her forehead and then her mouth.
 
“Adam…” she murmured.

He straightened, smiling. It was him she was dreaming about.

A hand shook her shoulder and someone said her name. “It’s time to rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty. The boat awaits.”

The boat. Sailing! She pushed herself up in the soft, California king bed. Adam sat on the edge with a clean shaven face and damp hair, and he smelled…intriguing and mysterious. She stared for a minute and then slid out of the covers. “I’ll just be a few minutes!” She raced through her shower and dressed quickly, but she chose something a bit more flirty than shorts and a t-shirt.

Seeing the small white sailboat made her feel like an excited little girl. She couldn’t believe she was finally going sailing! She didn’t know anything about how it all worked but she wanted to find out. They took out and she watched in fascination and tried to learn everything Adam told her.
 

“I had no idea you knew how to do this!” she called to him at one point, watching the breeze play with his hair.

“I have a lot of surprises in store!”
 

He kept his word about taking pictures - he made sure there were lots that showed her with her hair in the wind and a huge smile on her face. He came close the held the camera out in front of them. It was cheesy but she grinned for the picture of them both, his arm around her like they were in love. “You’ll look like you’re having the time of your life,” Adam said. “Without that loser.”

They had lunch on board, sitting on the deck. She loved every minute of it from watching the ocean to watching Adam. He reached over to wipe a smudge by her mouth and then ran his thumb along her lip. In this exotic setting, she could forget about her life the last few years, and feel like no time had passed since their passionate kisses in high school.
 

Apparently he felt the same. Adam leaned in and kissed her with care and familiarity. It turned into red hot lust within seconds. She pulled him closer while he pulled her up onto his lap. “I want you!” he growled.

They had shared many passionate, frustrated kisses in high school and now Emily wanted the rest. “Show me,” she said.

With a light touch, he ran his hands over every inch of her, awaking her body in a new, overwhelming way that made her cry out and beg for more. He kissed her neck as he slowly and carefully laid her on the deck. His eyes scanned her, questioning for a second, before he found her mouth again to kiss her, his fingers pulling her skirt up. She was suddenly very glad she’d worn it instead of shorts.
 

She gasped when his fingers touched her. “I can’t wait any longer!”

Suddenly he was on top of her, moving inside her, looking down at her with the wild blue sky above framing his handsome face. His eyes were alive with color and desire as he watched her. He paused once to say, “If only you knew how many times I’ve fantasized about this.”

That made her close her eyes as she tumbled over the edge.
 

Later, as they drove back to the hotel discussing naughty ideas for that night, Emily figured she deserved to have a fling after her disaster of an almost-wedding. And who better for the job? Wouldn’t that just make Lloyd burn when he heard about it?
 

Of course, she had to protect her heart from Adam and not fall in love with him all over again. When the time came, Adam would leave like he did before.
 

Her cell buzzed as they were walking upstairs, wrapped up in each other. She glanced at the screen. “It should answer this. It’s my sister, checking on me.”
 

Once they were inside the room, and Adam went into the bathroom, she rapidly related the recent developments… and Lily ate it up.

“Are you serious? Adam? Adam from high school? In your room?”

The rumor mill was started! Emily giggled—but quietly so Adam wouldn’t hear.
 

“Maybe it’s fate, Emily. Maybe Adam is your Christmas present to make up for that idiot Lloyd. Things happen for a reason, you know.”

Emily snorted. “I hate to burst your bubble, but not this time.”

Well, maybe the reason this happened was so she could have an affair to remember and get back on her feet.
 

Adam had no idea of the time. They’d made love late into the night and woke up in each other’s arms, where they still laid an hour later, cocooned in their own private world. He told her about his business acquisitions and she told him about her wedding planning business, although she didn’t want to stay on that topic long. So they reminisced about high school and their dating years, murmuring in the covers together all day, ordering breakfast and lunch in. The day was perfect.
 

Finally, at dinner, they decided to get up. He wanted to eat a nice meal and walk on the beach again. Tomorrow was supposed to be Emily’s last day here but he planned on asking her to stay longer with him.
 

He kissed her neck on the way into the bar, making her giggle, when he glanced up and the perfectness was shattered. Penelope Carter waited, watching them with cold eyes.
 

“Hello, Adam,” she said, more to Emily than him, out of spite.

Emily’s head whipped up and the smile fell from her lips. He felt like someone kicked him in the gut.
 

“Penelope,’ he greeted coolly. “On vacation?”
 

She flicked an arrogant look at Emily. “It appears you are.”

He felt Emily break free and leave. Penelope grabbed his arm as he turned to follow.

“Adam!”
 

He shook his arm out of her hold. “What is wrong with you? We’ve over. You know that. What on earth makes you chase me around like this and embarrass yourself? There’s plenty of wealthy men out there just dying to wine and dine you.”
 

“No one dumps me,” she said, her voice low and shaking.

“Penelope, we’re over.” How many times did he have to do this? She clamped her mouth shut, fighting back tears. He felt bad for her, but she wouldn’t leave him alone. Shaking his head, he added, “Please pull it together. We’re not meant for each other, but I know you’ll find someone else.”

He turned and left, hurrying upstairs and to the room. It was empty. Emily was gone. Her things were gone. How had she even packed up that quickly? She couldn’t have gotten another room when the hotel was booked.

He slapped his forehead, frustrated, and ran back out the door. Please be at the airport.
 

Emily’s new flight out wasn’t for another three hours, but she would preferred staying here than running the risk of seeing Adam. How could she be that stupid, AGAIN? How many times would she let a man use her for fun before taking off with the woman he really loved?

And when had love pushed its way into this?
 

Could she be in love with Adam?
 

She fell back into a chair, almost crying. A part of her had never stopped loving him. He was her first love and would always be in her heart. Being jilted at the altar was nothing compared to this. What did it mean that her heart was more broken now, that it hurt more now? She couldn’t hold back the tears anymore.

Suddenly someone pulled her up from the airport chair and into his arms. She smelled Adam’s scent and felt his all too familiar touch. His mouth covered hers in a primal kiss of ownership.