over, Will. We can’t go back there.”
“Shh. You don’t know that. It was paradise, something special. Don’t deny that. I know you felt it.”
“Yes, I did, but there are factors and responsibilities. I can’t get deeply involved while you don’t want to.”
“Don’t rush to conclusions,” he said, smiling at her. “We didn’t plan this, yet it happened and the night has been wonderful. You’re marvelous. Don’t close doors on joy.”
She moved away from him, gathering her things. “I’ll shower first.” She faced him and could see the desire that his brown eyes revealed unmistakably. She half expected him to stop her, but when she shut herself in the shower she was alone.
When she came out, he was nowhere in sight. She finished dressing, combing her long hair and letting it fall free rather than putting it up again.
She wanted him more than ever. Tonight she had crossed a line that would complicate her life for the rest of the summer. Now when she left him at the end of August, it would be a bigger tug on her heart, yet she was beginning to be willing to take chances. Maybe being with Will was changing her.
Leaving Caroline would be another tug on her heart strings.
After a knock, Will entered. Her heart thudded as if she hadn’t spent the past hours in his arms with his naked body pressed against hers.
He walked up to her. “You look gorgeous,” he said. He ran his fingers through her hair while he leaned close to kiss her lightly in the V of her dress, his tongue stroking her bare skin.
Heat flashed in her, an instant fire. She placed her hands on his arms, holding him, inhaling deeply as she raised her mouth to his and he kissed her.
When he began to caress her, she stepped away. “Will, we can’t make love again tonight.”
His eyes declared otherwise, giving her a smoldering denial of her statement, but he took her arm, lacing it in his as they left the cabin.
“I’ll feed you. I’m not taking you back with no dinner. Perhaps now we’ve worked up appetites. Hunger for food. I definitely have a craving for love.”
“We’ll eat dinner, dance and return to Dallas as we planned and told everyone we would.”
Would she ever see Will the same way she had before they had made love? He looked even more handsome as they took the elevator to the top deck.
At their table she held her wrist in the candlelight so she could see the time. He looked amused and took her wrist and pressed a button on her watch. The face was illuminated in a pale green. Startled, she glanced at him. “It’ll be 1:00 a.m. in an hour.”
“We have time to eat, dance a little and fly back. While we eat, tell me about your plans for your school.”
As she spoke about her hopes and dreams for the school, he listened so intently. He was truly interested and that touched her.
“You’re so passionate about this,” he said. “Your green eyes sparkle. I would like to put this look in your eyes.”
“Maybe you did tonight and you’re misconstruing the cause,” she answered lightly, flirting with him. Something flickered in the depths of his eyes and creases bracketed his mouth.
“I’ll see if I can’t keep the sparkle in your beautiful green eyes.”
“No, Will. This night is unique. When we return to Dallas, it’s over. I have a job with Caroline and that will be my total focus. Passion has been an interlude that shouldn’t happen again.”
“You can’t mean that,” he said lightly.
“You don’t know me well,” she replied, intending to hold to what she was telling him. “My focus will be totally on Caroline.”
She could feel a clash of wills while they gazed into each other’s eyes until Will nodded. “I can’t argue with that one,” he said.
She looked away, drinking water and enjoying the pecan-crusted trout, rice, green beans and hot, flaky dinner rolls they were served.
“The next time we’re here, hopefully we’ll have enough time for me to show you some sights farther south along the coast.”
She didn’t point out to him she didn’t think she would ever be back. “It’s beautiful right here with the lights on shore sparkling on the water.”
“I haven’t looked. You’re all I can see tonight. You take my breath.”
She could say the same, but she didn’t want to tell him. Will needed no encouragement, and she suspected she had only temporarily caught his attention and in time he would lose interest. His cold, cynical attitude about commitment lingered, and she guessed all his romantic relationships were superficial.
“You look deep in thought, Ava,” he said.
“Thinking about you, the night, this summer.”
“Forget this summer. Tonight what we’ve discovered about each other is what’s important. C’mon. We’ll go to the rail’s edge,” he said. With an arm around her waist, they strolled to the rail where twinkling lights reflected in shifting streaks across black water. He turned to face her. “Here’s the best view of all.”
She smiled. “Ridiculous,” she said, yet warm pleasure filled her with his compliments and flirting. Torchlight flickered on his features and he looked handsome, more appealing than before they loved. She could step back into his arms and make love all over again.
“We should start home, Will.”
“A couple of last dances,” he said. He took her hand and they returned to dance slow numbers. Will wrapped her in his arms and moved slowly with her. In spite of her declarations to him, she would remember this night for a long time. It had been special for her. She didn’t want it to be, because it wasn’t for Will. She loved him senselessly and with no future when she hadn’t expected to ever fall in love again.
Dancing with him, relishing the moment, she caressed his neck. When the music ended, she placed her hand on his arm. “We should get back, Will. If we wait longer, the sun will be up and so will others.”
He nodded and pulled out his cell to give brief instructions to get the chopper ready for the return to shore. She picked up her purse and they left, stepping into the glass elevator. He pulled her into his arms to kiss her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him in return, her heart pounding with love, excitement, longing for more.
When the elevator stopped, she finally broke off the kisses. “This is hardly private, Will,” she said.
His brown gaze intensified, taking her breath. “I want to take you back to my cabin and make love, fast, now.”
She shook her head. “Let’s stick to the plan to leave.”
“You can’t tell me you don’t really want the same thing,” he said, picking up her wrist with his thumb on a vein.
“You feel my racing pulse. I don’t
