More Than He Expected (2 page)

One

Eight Months Later

“I’
m almost there,” Alex said. “Fashionably
late, as always.”

The voice of his best friend, Will Taylor, sounded through the
Bluetooth-enabled sound system of his Corvette. “I’m not really worried. Just
wanted to make sure you remembered how to get here.”

“I’m making the last turn now,” Alex lied. He was at least
another fifteen minutes from the house in Sag Harbor, but it would soothe his
friend’s concerns. This was supposed to be a vacation. The Fourth of July was
one of those laid-back holidays with no obligations. There were no schedules, so
he couldn’t possibly be late. “Is everyone else already there?” he asked.

“Yes.”

Alex hesitated before asking one last question. “Did Gwen end
up bringing someone with her?” It was a dangerous question to ask, but he had to
know. He’d rearranged his entire schedule to come out here because she would be
there.

“No, she came alone. She rode up with us this morning.”

Excellent,
Alex thought, although
he didn’t speak the word aloud. As far as he could tell, no one, including Will
and Adrienne, knew about what had happened between him and Gwen last fall. So of
course they wouldn’t understand his interest in seeing her again. Or his burning
desire to have her in his bed every night for the next five days of this
trip.

“So what does that make? Ten of us?” Alex tried not to sound
like he was fishing. “That’s a nice, round number. I’m glad she was able to take
the time off. I haven’t seen her since the wedding, but I figured Adrienne would
have her up for the holiday.”

Will made a thoughtful sound but didn’t elaborate. “We’ll see
you shortly then.”

“Bye,” Alex said, pressing the button on his steering wheel to
terminate the call. Easing back into the soft leather seat, he gripped the wheel
tightly and pressed his foot down on the pedal to accelerate.

Gwen would be with them in the Hamptons this week. Alone.

He’d been hopeful, but he hadn’t let himself ask until now. The
two weeks they’d spent together after Adrienne and Will’s wedding had been
incredible. She was the smartest, funniest, sexiest woman he’d ever been with.
It had been quite the pleasant surprise to find such an intriguing woman in such
a small package. But to underestimate the spark inside that petite frame was a
serious mistake. She was a firecracker in bed and out.

Their two weeks together had flown by, and before he knew it,
he’d had to leave for New Orleans. Like all his relationships, it was short and
without strings. Just a fun, sexy fling. But unlike most of the women he dated,
Gwen hadn’t wanted any more than that. She didn’t eye his bank account or bare
ring finger with burning ambition. She was just in it for a good time. He got
the feeling she was busy, just as he was, and didn’t want the complication of
something serious. It was perfect.

So perfect he was hoping she’d be up for another round.

Apparently their short time together had not been enough for
Alex to get his fill of Gwen. He typically grew bored with a woman after a few
dates. If they pushed for more, he pushed the end button on his cell phone. He
was always open about it, but most women seemed to think they might be the one
to tame him. None had come close.

At best, Gwen had managed to stay on his mind amid the
distractions. For the last seven months, Alex had been working on a new real
estate development project in New Orleans that had sucked up a lot of his free
time. Despite everything, thoughts of her would occasionally sneak into his
brain while he was sitting in a boring meeting or lying in his bed at night.
She’d even slipped into his thoughts as he’d trolled Bourbon Street. After their
time together, it seemed that none of the women he met, especially in a setting
like that, were up to par. Night after night he’d slink back to his hotel,
alone.

Alex just couldn’t shake the memory of Gwen. The soft caress of
her hands across his stomach, the scent of her lavender shampoo, the sharp sass
of her wit wrapped in the soft contrast of the Tennessee accent that came out
when she was flustered…

Another week together ought to get her out of his system. Then
he could get back on the prowl and reaffirm his reputation as a notorious
bachelor.

Now that his project had gotten rolling, he could take a step
back and let Tabitha and his management team run the show. When he and his
friend Wade had started their first real estate development business, they’d
been hands-on, start to finish. Now that he’d spun off and had the money to hire
talented staff, he could do what he wanted and keep from getting bogged down in
the details. He was looking forward to more time to play than he’d had in a long
time. A few days in the Hamptons for the Fourth of July holiday was a great way
to kick it off.

Alex turned onto the road that would lead to Will and
Adrienne’s waterfront vacation estate. Adrienne had concluded the family’s
ten-thousand-square-foot summerhouse was far too large for just the two of them
and decided to make an event out of it. About eight other people would be
joining them this week for some relaxation and fun.

At first, he hadn’t planned to come, but when he realized Gwen
would be there, too, he’d changed his mind. Although they’d agreed not to
contact each other, there was a part of him that wished she had texted him every
now and then. He missed the sound of her laughter and her bright smile. A few
days with her could scratch that itch.

What he hadn’t known until now was whether Gwen was bringing
someone with her. He was hoping she would be up for Fling 2.0, but he couldn’t
be sure. If she’d shown up with another man, this would have been a long, boring
week of clambakes, pool parties and cold beds.

A small, worn wooden sign marked the circular driveway to the
house. Alex slowed his Corvette and turned in, pulling behind a Range Rover and
a silver Mercedes convertible.

He popped his fist against the horn to announce his arrival and
climbed out of the car. His khakis and polo shirt had been a touch too warm in
the city, but near the water there was a nice breeze making it cooler and much
less humid. Perfect for being outside.

“Alex!” Adrienne called out from the front porch. “Will, Alex
is here.”

She started down the steps to greet him, and Alex noticed that
his best friend’s bride was looking as lovely as ever. She wore a pair of denim
shorts with a light green sleeveless blouse tucked in, and her dark hair was
pulled into a ponytail, her complexion a bit pink from the sun. To see her now,
you’d never know she’d once survived a plane crash and undergone multiple
reconstructive surgeries.

As Adrienne held out her arms to hug him, only the thin, white
line of a scar up her left forearm remained. Alex pulled her into his embrace
and gave her a tight squeeze. He’d been so busy lately he really hadn’t seen
much of them, either. In his business, it was feast or famine. Either he was
working almost nonstop for months at a time, or he was home, freewheeling while
his manager, Tabitha, handled the rest. The project in New Orleans was a big one
and sucked up more of his time than he had expected.

“Do you need help with your bags?” she asked. “Will is out back
fighting with the new grill.”

The thought of Will grilling brought a smile to Alex’s face.
They’d likely starve or call in a caterer before the trip was over. “Nope,” he
said, pulling a duffel bag from the passenger’s seat. “This is all I have.”

“I’ll show you to your room, then.”

Alex followed Adrienne and her flip-flops into the house and up
the grand, circular staircase that wrapped around the living room. They traveled
down a long, white hallway with alternating doorways and artwork on each
side.

“Here it is,” she said, opening the door and waving him
inside.

Alex went in and tossed his bag down on the queen-size sleigh
bed that dominated the room. The bed was covered in an intricately designed
quilt and large, fluffy pillows. The light oak wood of the bed matched the tall
dresser and bedside stand. There was a flat-screen television, an overstuffed
chair and ottoman, and a ceiling fan turning gently to keep air circulating.
Honestly, it was far nicer than the hotel room he’d been living in the last few
months in New Orleans, and he’d paid quite a bit for the privilege.

“You have your own bathroom,” Adrienne said, gesturing toward a
door on the far wall.

“Great. Where is everyone else staying?” Alex wanted to know
exactly how far he might have to go in his underwear to get back from Gwen’s
room before everyone woke up. If he was lucky, it was her door he could see
across the way.

“Emma, Peter and Helena are staying down the hall. Sabine, Jack
and Wade are in those rooms across from you. Will and I have the suite
downstairs, and Gwen’s room is just off the kitchen.”

Damn. She was about as far from his room as logistically
possible. Just great. That would make sneaking around quite a bit more
difficult. Alex tried not to frown. He didn’t need Adrienne asking
questions.

“Looks like I have everything I need, then.”

“Great. I’ll let you get settled, and we’ll see you
downstairs.”

Adrienne slipped out of the room, leaving him alone. He heard
the dull slap of her footsteps down the wooden staircase, then pulled back the
curtains and watched for her to step out onto the patio. He could see Will out
there, hovering over the stainless steel grill that was built into the L-shaped
outdoor kitchen they’d added since his last visit. Adrienne kissed him on the
cheek and assisted him in investigating the mysteries of the new cooktop.

With the coast clear, he unzipped his bag and pulled out a
bottle of wine and a bundle of crimson roses he’d picked up for Gwen on his way
out of town. His father had always taught him that a gift was never a bad way to
start off on the right foot, especially with women. Alex would’ve gotten her
some jewelry, but the last time he’d tried, she’d pretty much laughed in his
face. To avoid a repeat, he’d opted for something a little more low-key. With
Gwen, he’d learned he had to strike a balance between thoughtful, nice and too
expensive.

Hiding them behind his back, he headed downstairs in search of
Gwen’s room. He’d stayed in that bedroom a few years back at another summertime
Taylor gathering, so now he easily found it near the laundry room and kitchen,
tucked away in a remote corner. At one time, it had been the maid’s
quarters.

The door was halfway open. From his vantage point, he could see
an open suitcase lying on the bed. Alex approached the entry and poked his head
around the corner. Gwen was putting clothes away in her dresser.

Her back was to him, so he took a moment to admire her. A
strapless cotton sundress flowed in bright colors to her ankles and bare feet.
Her curly, ash-blond hair was pulled up in a clip that left soft tendrils at her
bare neck. He was suddenly filled with the undeniable urge to kiss her
there.

Alex slipped silently into the room, creeping across the plush
rug to come up behind her.

“Hello again, gorgeous,” he said, wrapping his arms around her
to display the wine and roses and planting a warm kiss at the apex of her neck
and shoulder. “These are for you.” He felt her tremble slightly at his touch,
then stiffen beneath his hands.

She didn’t turn to him or take the gifts. Instead, a soft,
hesitant voice politely replied, “Hello, Alex.”

A feeling of unease nagged at Alex’s brain and threatened to
override the longing building in his gut. This wasn’t the welcome he’d expected
from her at all. He’d anticipated a smile, a hug, maybe an enthusiastic “Hello,
sugar”…or at the very least, a thank-you for the flowers. Perhaps he had
miscalculated. Her less than enthusiastic greeting made him wonder if she was
upset with him. Had she expected him to call even though they’d agreed not to?
At the time, she’d seemed to understand what they had together, but she wouldn’t
be the first woman to be disappointed or upset when the relationship ended as
planned.

She finally took the roses and the wine, setting them on top of
the dresser without really looking at them, her back still facing him. Note to
self—Gwen wasn’t a fan of expensive jewelry, roses or red wine. What
did
she like?

“How have you been?” she asked. Her voice sounded more normal
now, less timid. Perhaps he’d just startled her.

“Busy,” he said, his free hands now planting at her waist. She
didn’t pull away, but she didn’t lean back against him, either. The flowers
hadn’t done their magic, but he knew just how to thaw out a woman’s cold
reception. The feel of his arousal pressed against her back would certainly
soothe her pride and let her know how badly she’d been missed. “You?” he asked,
letting his palms glide around to her stomach to pull her reluctant body into
him.

At least, that was the idea. As his hands ran over a soft,
rounded belly instead of the flat, firm one he remembered, Alex paused.

The realization washed over him like a tidal wave. The breath
was knocked from his lungs and his muscles seized, allowing him to neither pull
away nor spin her around to see the truth with his own two eyes.

“Busy,” she whispered, repeating his words. “And as you may
have noticed, pregnant.”

* * *

The hands on Gwen’s rounded stomach had turned from a
gentle caress to a grip of immovable stone in an instant. The pressing of his
fingertips into her belly were almost painful in their intensity. She put her
hands over his and pried them away so she could turn around and finally face
him.

Gwen hadn’t been sure how she would feel seeing Alex again. The
boyishly handsome face was just as she remembered it, sending her heart racing
unexpectedly in her chest. Her fingers itched to run through his messy, blond
hair. Her lips ached to leave a trail of kisses along the faint stubble of his
jaw. In an instant, it was as if the last few months apart had never
happened.