islands nearby? I can’t let my parents down. They’re counting on me.”
Oh Lord. Everything had happened so quickly she hadn’t even given thought to their living arrangements. Did he have any idea of the time and effort she had dedicated to building her business? Her life in Denver?
“Paige?”
She glanced up at him, unaware she had even looked away. The vein in his forehead bulged, revealing his unease as he awaited an answer she didn’t have. “I don’t know.”
“What does that mean?” he asked.
The weight on her chest returned with a vengeance. Nothing came without a price. Was her independence, her life in Denver, the practice she had nurtured from infancy, the price she would pay to be with Nathan? What guarantees were there that he wouldn’t walk out on her again if the road got rocky? What would happen if Cami and she didn’t hit it off? Would Nathan cast her aside for his daughter?
“Maybe.” Self-doubt made her hesitate. “We’ve moved too fast.” Paige couldn’t believe her own words.
He shot up from his chair and came around to pull her off her chair and into his arms. “Don’t say that.” He pressed their bodies together. “We’ll find a compromise. Just promise me you won’t pull away from me.”
“I can’t make that promise,” spilled from her mouth, shocking even her.
“Dammit, Paige.” He gave her a little shake. “I can’t live without you. Please don’t ask me to.” Anxiety rose in his voice.
The choice to move and join Nathan should have been easy. He was all she had ever wanted, but she had lost in this game of love before. She had to be wise, guard her heart and take it slow. Didn’t she?
All thoughts of taking it slow vanished when his lips met hers. She tasted his despair that quickly changed into sexual hunger when he unfastened her robe. As the soft material slid off her body she prayed she wasn’t falling into the flames.
“Let me take you to bed and make love to you,” he whispered against her lips.
“Sex won’t solve our problems. We should talk before we go any further.” She spoke the right words, though her body began to simmer with the warmth of his hands on her waist.
“Not tonight, Paige. I don’t want to deal with this now. I can’t. I need you. Now.”
It was stupid. She knew it was stupid, but when he said it that way there was no way she could refuse him. Nor did she want to face the possibility of losing him once again. Besides, he was right. There would be another time to address their issues, but not now. She pressed her mouth to his. Tonight was for loving.
Chapter Five
Dressed in a tank top and a pair of board shorts, Nathan stepped onto the balcony and inhaled. “There’s a break in the weather.”
From where she lay on the bed she could see the gray sky, but patches of blue and the sun shone through. The scent of rain was gone, allowing the exotic aroma of the island to sweep in and caress her. She pushed into a sitting position, and the sheet slid down to expose her breasts.
Between lovemaking they had talked some more, but never came to an agreement. She truly understood where he was coming from with the promise he had made to his parents and Cami, but he had also made a promise to her. Try as she might she couldn’t shake free of the insecurity or the need to hold on to the only thing that made her feel safe—her career and her home.
Swinging her feet over the edge of the bed, she stood and strolled toward him. She weaved her arms around his waist and pressed her body to his to rest her cheek on his back. The gentle hum of his breathing lulled her into a false sense of security almost as much as the waves rolling against the shore.
He glanced over a shoulder. His crooked smile made her heart skip a beat. “You’re beautiful in the morning.”
“And you’re full of crap.”
He turned in her arms and his head lowered. She placed a palm between their lips to evade his kiss. “Morning breath.” In fact,
Oh Lord. Everything had happened so quickly she hadn’t even given thought to their living arrangements. Did he have any idea of the time and effort she had dedicated to building her business? Her life in Denver?
“Paige?”
She glanced up at him, unaware she had even looked away. The vein in his forehead bulged, revealing his unease as he awaited an answer she didn’t have. “I don’t know.”
“What does that mean?” he asked.
The weight on her chest returned with a vengeance. Nothing came without a price. Was her independence, her life in Denver, the practice she had nurtured from infancy, the price she would pay to be with Nathan? What guarantees were there that he wouldn’t walk out on her again if the road got rocky? What would happen if Cami and she didn’t hit it off? Would Nathan cast her aside for his daughter?
“Maybe.” Self-doubt made her hesitate. “We’ve moved too fast.” Paige couldn’t believe her own words.
He shot up from his chair and came around to pull her off her chair and into his arms. “Don’t say that.” He pressed their bodies together. “We’ll find a compromise. Just promise me you won’t pull away from me.”
“I can’t make that promise,” spilled from her mouth, shocking even her.
“Dammit, Paige.” He gave her a little shake. “I can’t live without you. Please don’t ask me to.” Anxiety rose in his voice.
The choice to move and join Nathan should have been easy. He was all she had ever wanted, but she had lost in this game of love before. She had to be wise, guard her heart and take it slow. Didn’t she?
All thoughts of taking it slow vanished when his lips met hers. She tasted his despair that quickly changed into sexual hunger when he unfastened her robe. As the soft material slid off her body she prayed she wasn’t falling into the flames.
“Let me take you to bed and make love to you,” he whispered against her lips.
“Sex won’t solve our problems. We should talk before we go any further.” She spoke the right words, though her body began to simmer with the warmth of his hands on her waist.
“Not tonight, Paige. I don’t want to deal with this now. I can’t. I need you. Now.”
It was stupid. She knew it was stupid, but when he said it that way there was no way she could refuse him. Nor did she want to face the possibility of losing him once again. Besides, he was right. There would be another time to address their issues, but not now. She pressed her mouth to his. Tonight was for loving.
Chapter Five
Dressed in a tank top and a pair of board shorts, Nathan stepped onto the balcony and inhaled. “There’s a break in the weather.”
From where she lay on the bed she could see the gray sky, but patches of blue and the sun shone through. The scent of rain was gone, allowing the exotic aroma of the island to sweep in and caress her. She pushed into a sitting position, and the sheet slid down to expose her breasts.
Between lovemaking they had talked some more, but never came to an agreement. She truly understood where he was coming from with the promise he had made to his parents and Cami, but he had also made a promise to her. Try as she might she couldn’t shake free of the insecurity or the need to hold on to the only thing that made her feel safe—her career and her home.
Swinging her feet over the edge of the bed, she stood and strolled toward him. She weaved her arms around his waist and pressed her body to his to rest her cheek on his back. The gentle hum of his breathing lulled her into a false sense of security almost as much as the waves rolling against the shore.
He glanced over a shoulder. His crooked smile made her heart skip a beat. “You’re beautiful in the morning.”
“And you’re full of crap.”
He turned in her arms and his head lowered. She placed a palm between their lips to evade his kiss. “Morning breath.” In fact,
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