“Growing up, there was no such thing as privacy. Because of my father’s job, we were in the public spotlight more often than not.”
“You weren’t free to be yourself,” he surmised.
“Exactly.”
“And now?”
So much for simple.
Blowing out a shaky breath, the words spilled easily from my lips. I told him about my mom, her cancer, and how she’d shielded me from the uglier side of my father for eight, unbelievably short years. There was true compassion in the way his gaze never left mine when my story shifted to Aunt Carolyn. Her death had left me utterly alone until I found my true purpose with the FBI.
“I’m so sorry for the losses you’ve had to endure.”
“Thank you, but I’m the one who should be apologizing for dumping my sob story on you.”
“Don’t.” He picked up my hand, brushing his lips across the back of it. “I’m glad you feel comfortable with me.”
And I was; frighteningly so. Up until two seconds ago, Duncan and Shayne were the only ones who knew my full story. Hell, not even Mac had earned the privilege. Why did it seem like everything was different with Kier? I’d known him for less than twelve hours, yet somehow I knew the pain when we said goodbye would slice deep. Maybe we should end things before they have a chance to begin. There was no room in my life for a long-distance relationship, it was already complicated enough.
“That may not be a good thing,” I countered, twisting my hand out of his grip. “My vacation is over in nine days.”
“You’re scared, Waverly. I am too.” He reached out, picking up his glass and draining the contents. “How about this? Let’s enjoy those days together. No promises, no commitments. If at the end of our time together, we both want to see where the future takes us, then we’ll exchange last names.”
Could I do it?
How could I not?
“Nine days?”
“Nine days for me to prove to you how good we’ll be.” He nodded. “But if you run from your feelings, I’ll chase you.”
Morning came far too quickly, especially when I hadn’t returned to my room until close to eleven. After dinner, we skipped dessert, opting instead to walk along the beach. We found a ledge of rocks to sit on and talked long into the night. Hours later outside of my suite, Kier asked me to meet him for breakfast which—of course—I immediately agreed to. After giving me a chaste kiss on the cheek, he stood back and waited as I entered my room. I’m not certain my heartbeat regulated again until I heard his footsteps echo down the hallway.
The next morning, I’d awoken to four texts from Shayne begging for details about my date and one from Lanie asking how my vacation was going. They’d both have to wait for a reply until I was caffeinated and fully functional.
Trudging through the lobby, I spied Kier in the café, typing away on his phone. Even from a distance, I saw a frown marring his gorgeous face. Deciding to give him a few more minutes, I stopped at the coffee bar to order a caramel macchiato before cautiously making my approach.
“Good morning.”
His head snapped up and for the second day in a row, my panties dampened when he flashed me a lethal smile. Standing quickly, he rounded the table and pulled the wooden chair out from underneath it.
“Morning, beautiful,” he whispered, placing a gentle kiss on my cheek once I sat down. “Can I grab you a coffee?”
“No thanks, I already ordered one.”
“So, what’s on the agenda today?”
That was how every single morning started for the next five days; with Kier asking what I wanted to do before he made it happen. From scuba diving, to swimming with sea turtles, to snorkeling above a sunken tugboat; we explored every inch of the island together. Then each night, we ate dinner in a different restaurant; sometimes it was at the resort, but more often than not, we asked the locals where to find the best food. I put my foot down when it came to trying iguana soup though. Delicacy or not, I couldn’t imagine eating something made from the creatures I’d become fond of watching.
At the end of our evening on night number two, he invited me back to his suite. It was similar to mine, only three times larger. After kissing me breathless on his king-sized bed, Kier asked me to stay the night. When I hesitated, he swore he only wanted to hold me in his arms and wake up with me in the same position. He hadn’t been lying.
For five more days, our intimacy never went further, regardless of the fact my long lost libido had awakened after years of hibernation. Momentary pleasure aside, sex with Kier had the potential to catapult my attraction into a place where the promise of a future lived. I knew it like I knew every single ridge along the grip of my Glock and it scared the shit out of me. He was unlike any man I’d ever encountered. He’d hijacked my pitiful, lonely vacation and turned it into a real-life fantasy. The longer I spent with him, the more I succumbed to his charm. I was grateful for hisreluctance to add a physical component to our relationship. It would only destroy me when we said goodbye.
“I don’t need to wait two more days, Waverly.” His gravelly voice echoed in the dark room while my heart thundered in my chest. “Are you ready to give me your last name?”
“Tomorrow,” I whispered in reply.
Only tomorrow never came.
