After a time, they’d get dressed again and go dancing or just stroll through the gardens and talk . By Sunday evening they’d made love so many times, Beth wondered how Sam could still look at her with such ardent desire in his eyes . But then she had only to reflect on her own emotions to know the answer .
No matter how many times she watched him undress, it still made her breath come up short . And when he lowered himself over her, there was always a deep sigh of contentment waiting to erupt from her mouth . For a man who’d been described by the flight attendant as difficult and scary, Beth found him to be warm and loving with a wonderful sense of humor.
N ow her perfect, magical weekend was over . A s she waited for Sam to check out, a dark depression enveloped her . For the first time since buying the beach house, Beth didn’t want to go home . She wanted to stay with Sam and wake up tomorrow morning in his arms . But of course she couldn’t , so she forced back the stormy emotions and pretended she wasn’t falling to pieces .
In one of their many talks over the past few days, Sam told her why he never dated a woman more than once or twice : they became too clingy , which made him want to bolt and run . Beth was determined not to make him feel that way with her, so she pulled herself together and did her level best to put on a detached air . When Sam returned, she was smiling.
“You really don’t have to walk me to my car,” she chirped . “ I know you use the valet service, so it’s much more convenient for us to part here.”
He gave her a strange look . “I’m walking you to your car, Anne.”
Beth shrugged with what she hoped was indifference . “If that’s what you want.”
Sam frowned as they stepped into the elevator . Why was she acting as if they were casual acquaintances and that leaving him was having no effect on her at all ? She hadn’t even slipped her hand into his as she’d done all weekend whenever they were walking together . He’d grown accustomed to it and rather enjoyed the feel of her warm hand, so small and delicate in contrast to his .
Now as he glanced down at her, she was clutching her purse with both hands . She’d also positioned herself away from him so there was a good two feet between them . Sam didn’t like it at all . It felt too much like good-bye.
When the elevator doors opened, Beth hastened out and didn’t waste any time getting to her car . So far, she’d pulled off being detached and hadn’t shed a tear, but if she didn’t leave soon she was afraid she’d turn into a blubbering idiot and throw herself at his feet . She unlocked her door and turned around with a big smile pasted on her face.
“I had a really nice time, Sam.”
The brooding lines in Sam’s forehead deepened . “A nice time ? We spent three - quarters of the weekend with no clothes on and you had a nice time?”
A rush of anger swept over him . He thought he meant something to her, yet here she was behaving as if they’d merely taken in dinner and a movie instead of making love countless times.
“It was great .” Beth tried to keep her voice steady . “It was the best weekend I’ve ever had.”
She fought hard to keep from breaking, but was quickly losing the battle . Two minutes tops, she told herself, and then he’d walk away in disgust when she acted just like all those other women who’d ruined their chances with him by being clingy.
“Thank you for walking me to the car . I … I’ll see you, Sam.”
Beth opened the car door, swallowing hard . Pain twisted her stomach . He hadn’t even asked for her number so it was painfully obvious he had no intention of calling her . In numbed resignation, she started to get into the car when Sam’s arm snapped out and gripped her around the waist . He yanked her away from the door , slammed it shut and then whipped her around to face him.
“ That’s it ?” he said angrily . “Didn’t this weekend mean
No matter how many times she watched him undress, it still made her breath come up short . And when he lowered himself over her, there was always a deep sigh of contentment waiting to erupt from her mouth . For a man who’d been described by the flight attendant as difficult and scary, Beth found him to be warm and loving with a wonderful sense of humor.
N ow her perfect, magical weekend was over . A s she waited for Sam to check out, a dark depression enveloped her . For the first time since buying the beach house, Beth didn’t want to go home . She wanted to stay with Sam and wake up tomorrow morning in his arms . But of course she couldn’t , so she forced back the stormy emotions and pretended she wasn’t falling to pieces .
In one of their many talks over the past few days, Sam told her why he never dated a woman more than once or twice : they became too clingy , which made him want to bolt and run . Beth was determined not to make him feel that way with her, so she pulled herself together and did her level best to put on a detached air . When Sam returned, she was smiling.
“You really don’t have to walk me to my car,” she chirped . “ I know you use the valet service, so it’s much more convenient for us to part here.”
He gave her a strange look . “I’m walking you to your car, Anne.”
Beth shrugged with what she hoped was indifference . “If that’s what you want.”
Sam frowned as they stepped into the elevator . Why was she acting as if they were casual acquaintances and that leaving him was having no effect on her at all ? She hadn’t even slipped her hand into his as she’d done all weekend whenever they were walking together . He’d grown accustomed to it and rather enjoyed the feel of her warm hand, so small and delicate in contrast to his .
Now as he glanced down at her, she was clutching her purse with both hands . She’d also positioned herself away from him so there was a good two feet between them . Sam didn’t like it at all . It felt too much like good-bye.
When the elevator doors opened, Beth hastened out and didn’t waste any time getting to her car . So far, she’d pulled off being detached and hadn’t shed a tear, but if she didn’t leave soon she was afraid she’d turn into a blubbering idiot and throw herself at his feet . She unlocked her door and turned around with a big smile pasted on her face.
“I had a really nice time, Sam.”
The brooding lines in Sam’s forehead deepened . “A nice time ? We spent three - quarters of the weekend with no clothes on and you had a nice time?”
A rush of anger swept over him . He thought he meant something to her, yet here she was behaving as if they’d merely taken in dinner and a movie instead of making love countless times.
“It was great .” Beth tried to keep her voice steady . “It was the best weekend I’ve ever had.”
She fought hard to keep from breaking, but was quickly losing the battle . Two minutes tops, she told herself, and then he’d walk away in disgust when she acted just like all those other women who’d ruined their chances with him by being clingy.
“Thank you for walking me to the car . I … I’ll see you, Sam.”
Beth opened the car door, swallowing hard . Pain twisted her stomach . He hadn’t even asked for her number so it was painfully obvious he had no intention of calling her . In numbed resignation, she started to get into the car when Sam’s arm snapped out and gripped her around the waist . He yanked her away from the door , slammed it shut and then whipped her around to face him.
“ That’s it ?” he said angrily . “Didn’t this weekend mean
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