Enticed by His Forgotten Lover (11 page)

Sixteen

W
hen his BlackBerry rang first thing the next morning, Rafael knew by the ring tone who it was and he ignored it. Devon had called Cam in. Cam was calling to curse and yell at him that he was a moron who was thinking with his dick.

Cam was predictable if nothing else.

When his phone immediately began to ring again, Rafael cursed and leaned down as far as he could without loosening his hold on Bryony. He managed to drag his pants closer and fish the BlackBerry out. He hit the ignore button first and then hit the power button second.

His business could run without him for a couple of days. He paid many people very good money to think on their feet and be able to handle any situation that arose. It was time to give them the freedom to do what he’d hired them to do.

Oddly, in the past such an idea would make the control freak in him break out in hives. Now, he reasoned that he parted with good money so that he could occasionally enjoy a break.

Maybe Bryony was right. He didn’t have to be the person he’d always been. Furthermore, she was right in that he would make sacrifices for his son or daughter.

He didn’t want to be an absentee father. He didn’t want to be like his own father, who thought being a provider was his only obligation to his family.

There was a hell of a lot more to parenthood than providing all the material necessities. Rafael wanted to be there for all the school plays, the soccer games. He wanted to be the one to put money under his kid’s pillow when he lost a tooth and pretend that it was the tooth fairy.

He wanted to be a father. The best father he could be.

He gazed down at Bryony, whose head was pillowed on his shoulder. The morning sun shone on her skin, giving it a translucent, angelic glow. She looked at peace. She looked content. She looked…loved.

Then his mind kicked in with a screaming
whoa.

No way was he falling for this woman after only a few days.

But had it been just a few days? Or was he responding to the weeks they’d spent together before?

It could be she was right. On some level he remembered her, recognized her as the woman he’d chosen. But the woman he’d fallen in love with?

He’d always considered that love was like being struck by lightning. This odd sort of contentment didn’t match with what he considered falling in love might feel like. He damn sure hadn’t thought it could be so…easy.

Easy. Yeah. Love was complicated, wasn’t it? No one managed to pull it off in a few days. It was the good sex talking.

But, no. Bryony had been right about one thing. It wasn’t just sex. Calling it that cheapened it on some level. Reduced it to the level of flirtatious, sex-only relationships he’d had in the past. A quick romp in bed, send the woman on her way. Move on to the next.

Nothing about his past experiences came even close to the way he felt about Bryony or the way he felt about making love to her.

Last night had felt like something he’d been anticipating forever. A sense of homecoming that was so keen, it had nearly flattened him. He’d been ridiculously emotional, like he wanted to go around blurting out how he felt and crap. The mere idea should have humiliated the hell out of him, but it didn’t.

Being forthright with Bryony just felt natural. She’d played it completely straight with him. He’d played it straight with her even when it had meant admitting or saying something that had hurt her.

It was weird being this honest and open with a woman—hell, with anyone. He trusted Ryan, Dev and Cam, but he never talked about intensely personal issues with them. Not that they wouldn’t listen, but that wasn’t the nature of their relationship.

His thoughts flickered back to the woman in his arms. Yeah, she did odd things to him. Made him want to do stuff, different stuff. Stuff that should have him running the other direction.

He sighed. This was a woman a man kept. Maybe he’d known that when he met her. Maybe it was true that a man just knew when he’d met the woman who would change everything for him.

Bryony was the marrying kind. Not the bed-’em-and-leave-’em-with-a-smile kind of woman. She had permanent written all over her sweet face.

She was…his. And hell if he was going to let her go. He didn’t care if he ever remembered. He had enough pieces of the puzzle to know that she belonged with him. They had a lot to work out—what new couple didn’t? They’d jumped ahead a few steps in the relationship with her being pregnant, but it wasn’t anything they couldn’t work out.

The more he settled the matter in his mind, the more convinced he became that this was right. She was right. Bryony. Their baby. Him. A family. He could have it all. The resort.

He grimaced. It hung over him like a dark cloud. It was the one thing standing between him and Bryony. She swore he had promised her he wouldn’t develop the land, which made absolutely no sense. Why buy it at all? He certainly didn’t have need of a private expanse of beach for personal use.

A hell of a lot rode on this deal.

There had to be some way to convince her and the rest of the people on the island that one resort wouldn’t change their way of life.

It was either that or he had to go back to his partners—and friends—and investors and pull the plug on the entire thing. He would lose a hell of a lot of money, but worse than that, he’d lose credibility, future backing and his standing in the business community.

All because of a promise he couldn’t remember making.

Bryony stirred in his arms and his grip tightened possessively around her. Before she could open her eyes, he pulled her close and kissed her lingeringly.

She sighed as her eyelashes fluttered, then her warm brown eyes found his and she smiled. “That’s a nice way to wake up.”

“I was thinking the same thing,” he murmured.

“What time is it?”

“Seven.”

She yawned and snuggled closer to him. “Plenty of time.”

“Plenty of time for what?”

“To do whatever we want or nothing at all.”

He chuckled. “I like your attitude.”

“Any idea what you’d like to do today?”

“Yeah, actually. I thought you could take me around the island. Private tour. Show me what makes it so special to everyone who lives here. I can’t remember the last time I went to a beach just to see and enjoy the sights and sounds.”

She leaned her head back and frowned. “You work entirely too hard. Maybe your accident was a blessing in disguise. If it causes you to slow down and reevaluate then it’s a good thing.”

“I wouldn’t have put it that way exactly. I’m not sure nearly dying is the kind of wake-up call anyone wants,” he said dryly.

She touched his cheek. “But would you be thinking the way you’re thinking now if it hadn’t happened?”

He sighed. “Maybe not. Maybe you’re the reason for my reevaluation. Ever think of that?”

She smiled and leaned up to kiss him. “I’ll take that explanation. I prefer it over thinking about you dying anyway.”

“You and me both,” he muttered.

“Tell you what. You hit the shower. I’ll cook breakfast. Then I’ll take my bath and we’ll head out. The weather is supposed to be gorgeous all week. We can pack a picnic and eat out on the beach.”

“I’ve got a better idea. How about we shower together then I’ll help you cook breakfast. I cook a mean piece of bacon.”

She laughed and he sucked in his breath at the love shining in her eyes as she stared up at him. No one had ever looked at him like that.

Then her expression grew serious as she stroked her palm over his unshaven jaw. “I love you, Rafe. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable. I don’t expect anything in return. But now that I’ve told you I can’t not keep saying it. I look at you and it just bursts out.”

He captured her hand and pulled it to his mouth, his heart thudding against the wall of his chest. “I like you saying it,” he said hoarsely. “It means… It means everything to me right now.”

She pulled away, joy lighting her eyes. Eyes he could drown in. Her eyes were so expressive. They reflected her mood so perfectly. Sad, angry, happy. You only had to look into her eyes to know exactly what she was thinking.

She crawled over him, giving him a good view and feel of her soft curves. It was all he could do not to haul her back and make love to her all over again.

When her feet hit the floor, she turned back and held out her hand. “How about that shower?”

He stared at her profile for a long moment, committing to memory just how she looked bathed in morning sunlight, her gently rounded abdomen, the swell of her breasts and the wild curls that spilled down her back.

This was his. His woman. His child.

“Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?”

She flushed, her face grew pink, but her eyes lit up until they were as bright as the sunlight pouring into her room.

“I do now.”

He grinned at her cheeky response. “Let’s go hit the shower.”

Seventeen

“Y
ou’ve done a good thing, Mr. de Luca,” Silas Taylor said as they stood on the patio of Laura’s house.

Bryony’s grandmother had invited everyone over for tea and lemonade and for some of her famous peanut butter cookies. And by everyone, she meant whomever happened to wander by.

Such a thing baffled Rafael, who was used to strict guest lists and checking invitations at the door. Laura didn’t seem to mind. In fact, the more guests that meandered through, the more delighted she seemed to be.

There was no entertainment. Conversation drifted from one mundane topic to the next or people just stood around, enjoying the day and inquiring as to the health of yet another islander who was either family, friend or both.

“My investors probably wouldn’t agree,” Rafael said dryly as he turned his attention back to the sheriff.

Silas shrugged. “They’ll find something else to invest in. Those kind always do. People are always looking for places to put their money and there are always people willing to take it. Seems to me it wouldn’t be that hard to figure it out.”

Rafael wanted to laugh. Or shake his head. Months of financial analysis, blueprints being drawn up, investors courted, endless planning on his and Ryan, Devon and Cam’s parts all reduced to a few words so casually tossed out.

“That may be so, but I lose credibility and respect in the process,” Rafael said evenly. “Next time I want their backing, they won’t be so willing to give it.”

“And what will you gain?” Silas asked as he looked in Bryony’s direction. Bryony, who stood in a small group of people looking so damn beautiful that it made Rafael’s teeth ache. “Seems to me you gain far more than you lose.” With that, Silas slapped him on the shoulder.

“Something to think about, my boy.”

Then he walked away, leaving Rafael to shake his head again. Boy. He wanted to laugh. Granted the sheriff was at least thirty years older than Rafael, but no one had called him a boy since he’d been a boy.

Time was running out. His BlackBerry was full of voice-mail notifications and missed calls, and his inbox was bursting. His week would soon be up, and Dev would come down with Ryan and Cam to kick Rafael’s ass.

For the past several days, Rafael had willfully ignored everything but Bryony and their time together. They’d spent every waking moment walking the beach, cooking together, laughing together, talking of nothing and everything.

They made love, they ate, they made love some more. There was an urgency he couldn’t explain, almost as if he wanted to cram a lifetime into as few days as possible because he feared it would all slip away from him.

Tomorrow decisions had to be made. He couldn’t hold them off any longer. He still had no idea what he would do, but he couldn’t—wouldn’t—lose Bryony over a resort. Over money.

“Can I get you something, Rafael?”

Rafael turned to see Bryony’s grandmother smiling at him. He smiled back and shook his head. “No, I’m okay. Don’t let me keep you from your guests.”

“Oh, they’re fine. Besides, you’re a guest, too. How are you liking your stay so far?”

Again Rafael’s gaze found Bryony. This time she lifted her head as if sensing that he watched her and her face lit up with a gorgeous smile.

“I’m enjoying it very much. I’m only sorry I can’t remember when I was here before.”

Laura stared thoughtfully at him for a long moment and then put her hand on his shoulder. “Maybe it’s better that you don’t.”

She patted him and after offering those cryptic words, she turned to talk to another group of people.

Rafael shoved his hands in his pockets and turned to stare out over the water. He hadn’t ever been someone who practiced avoidance, but he knew that was precisely what he was doing. Here, it was as if he existed in a bubble. Nothing could intrude or interfere, but the outside world was still there, just waiting. The longer he put off the inevitable, the more he dreaded it.

“Rafael, is something wrong?”

Bryony’s soft voice slid over him at the same time her hand slipped through his arm and she hugged herself up to his side.

He disentangled his arm from her grasp just long enough to wrap it around her waist and then pulled her in close again.

“No, just thinking.”

“About?”

“What has to be done.”

Instead of pressing him for answers as he thought she might, she said, “Why don’t we take off, go for a long walk? Mamaw won’t mind. She’s having fun being the center of attention. She won’t even notice we’ve gone.”

Unable to resist, he leaned down to kiss her brow. She was so in tune with his moods. It shouldn’t have surprised him that she could read him so easily. He’d found that he could pick up on the nuances of her moods just as quickly. He anticipated her reactions much like she did his own.

It was something he imagined a couple doing after years of marriage.

When he drew away, she took his hand and tugged him toward the stone path leading through the garden and down the dune onto the sand.

Sand slid over his toes but he found he didn’t mind as much as he had when he first started wearing these ridiculous flip-flops.

They ventured closer to the water that foamed over the sand. Soon the cool waves washed over their feet, and Bryony smiled her delight as they danced back to avoid a larger one from getting them too wet.

Soon Laura’s and Bryony’s cottages were distant points behind them as they approached the land that he’d purchased from her.

“My father used to bring me here,” she said. “He used to tell me that there was nothing greater than owning a piece of heaven. I feel like I’ve let him down by selling it.”

Rafael grimaced feeling even guiltier over his part in the whole thing. It didn’t matter that if it hadn’t been him it would have been someone else. She could no longer afford the taxes and if someone hadn’t bought it, eventually the land would have been seized for taxes owed. Either way it would no longer belong to her.

But you have the power to give it back to her.

The thought crept through his mind, whispering to him. It was true. He owned the land. Not his company. Not his partners. He’d purchased the land outright. The building of the resort and development of the land was what he’d brought investors in for.

“I love you,” she said as she squeezed his hand.

He looked curiously at her, startled by her sudden affection.

She smiled. “You just looked like you needed that today.”

He stopped and pulled her into his arms, brushing a thick strand of her hair from her eyes as the wind blew off the water. “I did need that. I shouldn’t be surprised that you always know just what to say.” He took in a deep breath. “I love you, too, Bryony.”

Her eyes went wide with shock and then filled with tears. Her body trembled against him. “You remember?” she whispered.

He shook his head. “No, but it doesn’t matter. You said I loved you then. I know I love you now. Isn’t now all that matters?”

Wordlessly she nodded.

“The whole story doesn’t seem so crazy anymore,” he admitted. “I couldn’t accept that I fell in love with you in a matter of weeks and yet here I am in love with you after only a few days.”

“Are you sure?”

He smiled but his heart clenched at the hope and fear in her eyes. She seemed so worried that he’d change his mind or that he wasn’t really sure of himself or his feelings.

He tipped her chin up and leaned down to brush a kiss across her lips. “I’ve handled this whole thing so clumsily. I don’t have any experience with telling a woman I love her. I imagine there were more romantic ways of doing it but I simply couldn’t
not
say it any longer.”

“Oh, Rafe,” she said, her eyes bright with love and joy. “You’ve made me so happy today. I’ve been so afraid and unsure. I hate being uncertain more than anything else. The not knowing just eats at you until you’re a nervous wreck.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t want you to worry. I love you.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him to her. “I love you, too.”

He slowly pulled her arms away until he held her in front of him. She looked a little worried at the sudden seriousness of his expression and he tried to soften his features to reassure her. But he couldn’t really offer her any reassurance. Not yet.

“I need to leave tomorrow,” he said grimly.

Her expression went blank and her mouth opened but nothing came out. “Wh-why?” she finally stammered out.

“I need to go back and work things out with my partners and our investors. I’ve avoided it for as long as I can. I can’t do so any longer. I wanted you to know how I felt before I leave. I don’t want you to have any doubts that I’ll come back this time.”

Uncertainty flickered across her face and her eyes went dim. He could tell she didn’t entirely trust him and he couldn’t blame her. Not after what had happened last time.

“You could come with me,” he said. He was grasping at straws, anything to allay her fears. “We wouldn’t have to be gone long. A few days at most. I know you don’t like to be away from…here.”

She reached for him, her hands clutching at his arms as she looked up at him, her eyes so earnest. “I don’t like to be away from
you,
Rafe. You. Not here. Or there. Or anywhere.”

“Then come with me. I won’t lie to you, Bryony. I don’t know if I can fix this. All I can do is promise to try.”

She let her hands slide down to grip his, so tight that her knuckles went white. “I believe in you.”

He crushed her to him and buried his face in her hair. She made him want to be the man she was so convinced he already was.

“You’ll come with me?”

“Yes, Rafe. I’ll come with you.”

She pulled away and he laced their fingers together, holding their hands between them.

“No matter what happens, Bryony, I love you and I want this to work out between us. I need for you to trust in that.”

“I do trust you. You’ll fix this, Rafe. I know you will.”

He smiled then, feeling some of the anxiety lift away. He could breathe easier. The idea of expressing his feelings had given him a sense of uneasiness, but now that he’d done it, he realized it had been harder not to tell her what was in his heart even if his head still screamed that this was all wrong.

He’d spent a lifetime of listening to his head and being ultra-practical. Maybe it was time he threw a little caution to the wind and let his heart lead for once.