A Second Chance With Emily Page 2
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.
Chapter 6
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.
He pulled back, breathing hard, and said, “Wanna go to Vegas?”
“Vegas?” Warmth flooded from her head down through her.
“Why end our vacation? I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Emily. I was a fool kid before that was too scared to know what to do. But we both grew up. We both know love like this is rare. Let’s grab it. Marry me.”
She stared into the same eyes she’d been dreaming about for a decade. A lifetime with Adam? Still crying, she smiled, not bothering to wipe away the tears. “Yes.”
She wrapped her arms around him, kissing him back this time. It’d started out as the worst Christmas of her life…but maybe things do happen for a reason. “This has been the best Christmas of my life,” she said.
“The best Christmas yet,” he said. “There’s many more to come!”
The Little Romance Book of Christmas Love Stories
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