Maui Rekindled

Maui Rekindled Ari Thatcher

“I’ll call you.” That’s the last thing Gabe said fifteen years ago as Maggie prepared to fly home from a summer in paradise. When he didn’t call, she packed away the memories of their sexual romp and relegated him to vacation-fling status. Now, as the ink on her divorce papers dries, Maggie returns to that Maui resort hoping to find the carefree woman she once was. When Gabe walks out of the waves on her first afternoon at the beach, she isn’t sure whether to laugh or run away. Hot, crazy vacation sex with no strings attached would be the perfect remedy for her bloody divorce. Gabe thinks of Maggie as the one who got away, and he’s not about to let it happen again. The passion between them is as fiery as ever, but is it hot enough to rekindle the romance he knows they could share? He’s got one week to prove to her it is.

An Ellora’s Cave Romantica Publication

www.ellorascave.com

Maui Rekindled ISBN 9781419928444 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Maui Rekindled Copyright © 2010 Ari Thatcher Edited by Raelene Gorlinsky Cover art by Syneca Electronic book publication April 2010 The terms Romantica® and Quickies® are registered trademarks of Ellora’s Cave Publishing. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502. Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the publisher’s permission. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/). Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted material. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated. This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.

MAUI REKINDLED

Ari Thatcher

Trademarks Acknowledgement The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction: Jet Ski: Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd.

Ari Thatcher

Chapter One Maggie Pearson sipped from her pink mai tai and toyed with the paper umbrella as she scanned the beach. The sun felt incredibly warm for late April but was probably normal for Maui. She wondered how many inches of snow they got back home in Missouri from the storm that blew in just as she flew out. But home was not what she’d come here to think about. In fact, thinking was also not on the agenda. Sun, silence, relaxation—that’s why she was here. The sound of waves lapping against the sand worked as well as a massage at loosening the knots from of her body. Settling back against the sand chair, she released a slow, steady sigh. She should have done this years ago. A few young men rode their boards in the surf, maneuvering the small waves for the longest ride possible. A pair of girls, teenage or a few years older, splashed closer to shore. At some point Maggie would go in the water, but not today. She slid lower in the chair, only her shoulders propped up above the sand. A nap would be so heavenly. Her eyelids were heavy. Letting them drop, she stuck the base of her glass in the sand so it wouldn’t spill. The waves continued their lullaby, only an occasional voice in the distance breaking the peace. She lifted her face to the sun, the heat purifying her soul. Just before she dozed off, she suddenly opened her eyes. A dark-skinned god rose from the water, a board tucked under his arm. She sat spellbound, watching his approach. Water rolled off him, sprayed off his short black hair when he shook. Maggie licked her lips as her gaze traveled up his long body. His wet shorts clung like a second skin, riding low on his narrow hips. A bare, flat abdomen made her fingers itch to stroke it. He had swimmer’s shoulders—broad, strong, well defined. Damn, picture that arched above me in bed… 6

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That was another thing she hadn’t come for. Sex. Men in general. She’d had enough of one man in particular to last this lifetime and the next few. Still, just once it would be so tempting to have a man like the surfer between her legs again. The water god smiled, his teeth bright against his dark-chocolate complexion. Her heart stopped. It couldn’t be. He couldn’t still be here after, what, fifteen years. No, he’d gone back to college when summer ended. Just as she had. And he never called like he’d promised. Closing her eyes, she forced the image of Gabe Brashiers out of her head. Maybe she should have picked a different resort. One without so many memories. Focusing again on the beach, she saw the man in question walking toward her. As he drew closer his features became clear. Dear God, it was. Her heart jumped. “Gabe?” That familiar smile of his grew. “Maggie? I thought it was you. I couldn’t believe it when I saw you sitting here. It’s good to see you.” “Yeah, you too.” He looked good enough to eat. What she wouldn’t give to nibble on those pecs one more time. Stop it. He planted the end of his board in the sand a few feet away and sat down beside her. Just as she remembered, his essence filled the space around him. “Are you here with friends?” “No. I, uh, came alone.” “Ah well. Maybe we’ll have a chance to catch up while you’re here. How long are you staying?” “A week.” Maybe she’d be lucky and he’d be leaving soon. Take that tempting body with him.

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“Great.” He rolled to his feet showing, if anything, he was even more athletic now than he’d been in college. Not really beefy, not in the steroid sense. But enough bulk and definition to tell her he worked at it. She glanced down at the wedge of pale, soft thigh peering from the opening of her sarong. She looked pasty after a Missouri winter. Heck, she looked pasty year round, well padded and matronly. A lot closer to forty than fabulous. Gabe’s smile made her feel a few years younger and at least ten pounds lighter. “I have to run, but I’ll call your room later and maybe we can hook up.” “Sounds like fun.” Hopefully her smile looked real. Biting back a small groan, she watched his tight ass as he walked away. Hook up? Was he kidding? Like she would consider hooking up after what he’d done. What he hadn’t done, more like it. Or did I’ll call mean something different in California-speak than it did in Missouri? Had she come here hoping to run into him? No, she always figured he had stayed in San Francisco or gone to New York. Followed the money. He’d been studying finance in college. She would never have figured him for the beach-bum type. He was too young for a second childhood. Her curiosity grew the more she pondered. He had a lot of story to tell.

***** Canned Hawaiian music filtered through the speakers above the dining patio as Gabe walked toward where Maggie sat at a small table. In her hand she held an e-book reader. With amazing coordination, or much practice, she managed to eat her salad without looking away from the gadget. With her thick black hair loose past her shoulders, she looked like she hadn’t aged since he saw her last. Memories stirred and he glanced past the tables at the edge of the clearing. His groin tightened as he thought of her lying beneath him, the two of them 8

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hidden in the trees. Just a pair of horny college students intent of sharing a moment of bliss. And what a moment it had been. The memory of the sensations she’d brought out in him had fed his fantasies for years afterward. Her firm, ripe breasts. Those slender legs wrapped around him, pulling him deeper inside. Her cries as she came. Damn, he could still hear it in his head. Shaking off the erotic vision, he stopped at her table. “Is this seat taken?” Maggie jumped, flipping her e-reader into her salad. Glancing up, she smiled. “Um, no, it’s not,” she said as she wiped dressing off the device. Gabe signaled the server and ordered a light meal of fish and vegetables. His gaze swept over her as he sipped from his glass of water before speaking. “I still can’t get over seeing you.” Pushing aside her salad plate, she took a deep breath. “It is a bit surprising. How long are you here?” Tipping his head slightly, he said, “I live here now.” “Still doing the water-sports thing?” “Yeah. I discovered I couldn’t stay out of the ocean.” She studied him silently, her lips turned up just at the corners. He saw nothing in her expression to tell him her true feelings about seeing him after so long. If she was free to renew their passion or if she had a man waiting for her back on the mainland. Leaning back so the server could set down his meal, he asked, “Are you still in Missouri?” “Yes, still living in the county I was born in. Isn’t that sad?” “No.” He waited until she picked her fork up again, then lifted his own. “You always had a strong sense of family. I’m guessing you’ve got a houseful of kids, a dog and a position in the Parent Teacher Association.”

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“No. Not yet. Maybe not ever.” Her eyes welled and she looked up at the thatched roof over the patio. Blinking, drawing in a breath, she continued. “I’m newly divorced.” She sipped her drink and turned her head toward the beach. Her pain was obvious in the tension on her forehead. “I’m sorry. That’s hard to go through no matter what the situation is.” He dug into his meal, grateful for the distraction, hoping he hadn’t shut her down completely. “The resort hasn’t changed much in fifteen years.” Her tone was light, polite, not giving her emotions away. “No, it hasn’t. Same owners, although the staff has either been promoted or they moved on to other jobs.” They continued the conversation of strangers, like classmates at a reunion. In his mind she was the lover he’d kissed goodbye just hours ago. But reality had taken them down separate paths. How do I bring those paths back together? When their server asked, Maggie turned down dessert, and the young man brought their checks, which Gabe quickly picked up. “My treat.” Nothing in her smile said this was anything more than a business meal. To him it was so much more. It was a beginning. Whether she knew it or not, she came here for a reason. “Would you like to walk down on the beach when we finish here?” Her eyelids fluttered and she reached for her purse, tucking the e-reader safely inside. “I hate to be rude, but I think the flight and the sun have worn me down. I wish I could stay and catch up on life, but I’m going to go lie down. Maybe we’ll run into each other tomorrow.” I’ll make sure of it. He watched the gentle sway of Maggie’s skirt as she walked away. The lightweight fabric draped off her heart-shaped ass. Her tank top hugged a waist that didn’t appear to have gained an inch since college.

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Grinning like an idiot, he waved for the server and handed him the folder with his credit card. She was single. Single and even more beautiful than the memories he’d clung to even after he knew he’d lost his chance at her. How often did a man get a second chance at his first love? A week. He had a week to remind her of what they shared. A week to convince her they belonged together. There was no way on this earth he was letting her leave without a promise of coming back. And unlike that summer they shared, he wasn’t waiting until the last night to make his move.

***** Shortly after she woke, Maggie answered a knock at the door. The hotel porter handed her a delicate glass vase with an orchid in it, a small card dangling from a pink ribbon tied just below the lip of the vase. She set the flower on the small table near the door, dug out her wallet and tipped the man. Turning back to the orchid, she didn’t need to read the card to know whom it was from. Who else knew she was there? Who else even knew she existed? With a loud snort she berated herself for sounding so pitiful. She’d been on her own for just over six months. If no one knew she existed, it might be due to her being holed up in her house all that time. Good morning, beautiful! Call me when you get this. He’d signed it simply with his name and phone number. Hardly the romantic overture she’d been hoping for. But what did she think he’d say? I’m an ass for never calling you. I realize my mistake and never want to let you out of my sight. Yeah, right. Only in her romance novels. Still, he’d sent a flower when he could have just called her room. Pulling the phone closer to the bed, she sat and dialed. His voice held a smile as he answered. “Did you sleep well?”

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Maggie’s voice suddenly went thick, as if she’d just wakened next to him. “Yes, surprisingly well. I needed it.” “That’s good. I’m not sure what your plans are for the day, but I thought you might like to hike the trail to the waterfall. The short hike if you prefer.” She sighed. That’s what she got for scheduling activities over the internet when she booked the hotel. “I’m going on a helicopter tour. I booked a few tourist-type activities that I never got around to doing while I worked here.” “Oh, I see. Maybe we’ll run into each other during the day, then.” “Yes, I’m sure I’ll see you at some point.” The old Maggie might have skipped the tour just to be with him, but she wasn’t that girl anymore. Not that she wouldn’t prefer spending time with him. Her life was planned out now. And it centered on her goals. Not a man. No matter how fantastically, heart-stoppingly hot he was. He seemed in a hurry to get off the phone after that, rushing through trite chatter before hanging up. She set the phone down with a shrug and headed for the shower. A few hours later, Maggie got out of the shuttle van and checked in with the helicopter tour desk. She was directed toward a copter where a couple of men stood talking. A friendly, pimple-faced young man helped her into the rear seating area and demonstrated how to buckle herself in. As she adjusted her seat belt, she was aware of someone slipping into the seat beside her. A familiar, whiskey-smooth voice spoke. “Beautiful morning for a flight over the island, isn’t it?” She snapped her gaze up to meet Gabe’s. “What are you doing here?” Ducking his head, he looked past her out the window toward the center of the island. “It’s been a few years since I’ve seen the mountains from above.” “I’ve only seen them from the airplane.”

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The pilot and young male passenger climbed in front while someone handed headsets to Gabe through the door. He showed her how to wear hers and adjust the volume. Maggie clutched her purse as the rotors began spinning. Gabe placed his hand on her forearm. “Ready for liftoff. Did you bring your camera?” “Oh, I forgot.” She opened her bag and dug out the flat digital camera she’d bought just for the trip and pushed buttons to get it ready. Grateful for the distraction, she pointed it out the window and took some test photos. Lowering the camera, she leaned toward the glass, her lips parting. The ground dropped away beneath them, her stomach briefly following. She felt Gabe’s warmth before she saw his arm reach past her to brace against the base of the window. He brushed her shoulder and she fought the urge to rest her arm on his biceps. She continued to watch the scenery below while every inch of her body tingled with the awareness of him. Only in her mind had the years gone past since their summer together. Her body recognized and remembered him and craved his touch. Below them, the green valley came to a sharp point where a narrow waterfall spilled into a pool at the base. Maggie gasped at the beauty. As the helicopter leveled, Gabe didn’t shift away after the turn pushed him against her. “It’s an amazing view, isn’t it?” “It’s…breathtaking.” She glanced over her shoulder. “I was going to say it’s cool. Funny, I come back to Maui and lose my grown-up vocabulary.” “Hey, that’s a good thing, going back to a more innocent time.” Immediately a pain shot through her stomach. Damn, how long would it take before the ache faded? Before she quit picturing her husband’s arm around his pregnant girlfriend. She closed her eyes and prayed for peace of mind. Gabe’s hand came to rest on her knee and gently squeezed. “Look, it’s the Iao Needle. Remember when a bunch of us took a road trip tour?”

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“I do.” She met his gaze. “That was the first time I was in the mountains, can you believe it? Not just these mountains—any mountains. We didn’t travel much when I was a kid.” “We can come back to this spot by car and hike. The trail is pretty easy and it’s not to be missed.” Those were fighting words. “Pretty easy? Do I look like I’m ready for a walker or something?” Sure, she wasn’t anywhere as fit as he was, and she weighed twenty pounds more than in college. But that was a long way from being out of shape. “I wasn’t sure if you came to relax or get a workout.” He put his hand over the microphone on his headset and spoke directly in her ear, his voice a seductive invitation. “I’d be happy to help with either.” Maggie smiled before turning back to the scenery. The pilot, Dave, continued to point out items of interest. Swinging out over the ocean, he said, “Shall we see if there are whales or dolphins around?” She nudged Gabe’s arm. “You know, that summer I spent here, I never saw a whale.” “I don’t think whales were high on our priority list back then.” Remembering where her head was much of that summer, she grew warm. The other girls seemed to be sampling each of the guys, bouncing from bed to bed. Or cock to cock, since they usually had sex out in the trees or in the back of a car. Her eyes had been on one man—the one beside her. He’d been her best friend, with the emphasis on friend for so long she’d decided he wasn’t interested in her as anything more. At the party on their last night on the island, she’d sought him out, practically demanding he make love to her. What had he thought of her after that night? She’d believed him the next day when he said he wanted to get together over the holidays. Hinted that they had a future, or a chance at one. He’d kissed her goodbye as she left for the airport. 14

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And then not a word. Fifteen years of no visits or phone calls. It took a long time for her to write him off as a vacation romance. But she’d never been able to erase the spot he’d etched in her heart. After the helicopter landed and they disembarked, Maggie looked around for the man from the shuttle van, her ride back to the hotel. Gabe’s arm rested on her back just before he spoke. “Would you like to join me at the luau tonight?” Visions of him dancing in tropical-print shorts with the other young men they had worked with flashed through her mind. But this time he’d be with her, in the audience. What was Hawaii without a luau? “That sounds like fun.” He grinned. “Let’s get you back to your room, then, and find out what time the party starts.”

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Chapter Two The beach was already crowded when they arrived. The resort held luaus weekly and all the tourists wanted to attend. The smell of roast pork filled the air as they hoisted the pig from the underground oven. People chattered at the tables set back from the performance stage. Maggie battled indecision at the buffet. There were so many choices that she had put small amounts of way too many delicacies on her plate. But when would she be back in Maui again? She could diet when she got back home. Gabe sat opposite her at their small table. With so many other diners around them, it was hardly intimate, but they could speak softly and not feel like they had an audience. She took a mouthful of mahimahi and let the coconut and garlic blend sit on her tongue. She moaned in pleasure. “This fish is heavenly. I haven’t had mahimahi since the last time I was in Maui.” “Try some of the pahole salad,” he suggested. She poked at the unfamiliar curly greens nestled with onion and tomatoes. She cut a mouthful and tried it, surprised at the pleasant taste. “What is it?” “Fern shoots.” “Interesting.” The rest of her food was identifiable and incredibly delicious. When Gabe returned to the buffet for their deserts, she looked around at the other diners, wondering what their stories were. So many people laughing and enjoying their meals. Musicians set up to one side of a grass mat in the sand and tuned their ukuleles, the drummers sitting down with their legs around their drums. They played a rousing number and dancers rushed in from one side.

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Both male and female dancers wore long grass skirts and wild, colorful headdresses that rose at least a foot above their heads. Maggie wondered how they kept from losing the hats as they danced. The women had on bathing-suit tops and leis, and all the dancers wore woven bracelets and anklets. They shimmied in a traditional fast-paced dance. Maggie couldn’t help but watch the muscular torsos of the young men. Gabe had learned the dances years ago, and although he never performed for tourists, he often joined the guys when they danced at after-hours parties. His hard, chocolate brown pecs and six-pack abs rolled with the best of the performers. Everything he did seemed to show off his body to its best advantage. Working as he had in the waves, showing tourists how to surf or ride a Jet Ski, he seemed to always be shirtless, clad only in low-riding shorts or swim trunks. And she never complained, enjoying every minute of drooling over that body. “You seem deep in thought,” he commented. Maggie jumped, a giggle escaping. “I, uh, was remembering how you guys used to dance for the rest of us. How did you learn to hula, anyway?” He shrugged. “I danced to any music that played. I started imitating the guys and they liked it enough to ask me to join them when there was no audience. I could teach you.” She shook her head and took a sip of her Blue Hawaii drink. “I tried sometimes when the girls wanted to show me. I haven’t got enough roll in my hips. I didn’t then, and I have even less now, I’m sure.” His gaze heated. “I’m sure I could get them rolling.” Rocking, anyway. Bucking, riding— She cleared her throat but didn’t even try to speak. Instead, she spooned a bite of coconut pudding, savoring the sweet distraction. “The dancers look so young, don’t they?” he asked.

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She agreed. “Did we look like that? Was it so long ago we danced in the sand together?” In her mind she slipped back. The farewell party was a casual but wild gathering on the beach on the last night before most of the college students who worked over the summer flew home. She and Gabe had been among them. After a summer of being the good girl, she had put caution behind her and was determined to seduce him. It hadn’t taken much work. Using a few of the sexier moves she’d seen the other girls do to music, she pretended grace and showed off her body. Grinding her pelvis against his hip, she let her eyes and her body speak for her. He’d led her away from the fire, away from the crowd, and they’d kissed for the first time in the shadows of the surf shed. Her arms had wrapped tightly around his neck. She’d captured his lips, thrusting her tongue deep into his mouth. Their tongues tangled as his moan deepened. Gabe had broken away only long enough to suggest they find somewhere less open to continue. That kiss was forever burned in her mind as the best first kiss. “Where is the music taking you?” His voice brought her back to the luau. “Good places. Happy memories.” Heat rose up her neck and she wished for a darker complexion, one that didn’t show her blushes so easily. “Do you still hula?” Shaking his head, he set down his glass after taking a drink. “I leave it to the kids.” They talked about fun times with the other college kids as they watched the rest of the show, then walked slowly back to her room. As she pulled the key card out of her clutch purse, she asked, “Would you like to come in?” Stepping inside, she held the door open for him and he followed. Before she could continue into the room, he held her arm as he shut the door. “Come here,” he said, his voice soft and low. He pulled her into his arms, one hand spreading between her shoulder blades, the other cupping her ass. She lifted her arms to wrap around his neck.

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His smile warmed her, filled his eyes with passion. She tugged at his shoulders and he leaned down to press his lips against hers. She tried to let him lead the way, but it had been too long, far too long since they’d made love. With a need bordering on frenzy, she opened to him, let his tongue find hers. He tasted of coconut and smelled of soap and his own special scent. Her hands stroked his broad shoulders, sweeping down to the waistband of his shorts. In a move she’d been anticipating since he’d first risen from the waves, she cupped the fullest part of his ass, grinding her hips against him. With a moan, Gabe stepped back, leaving her confused and on the edge of combustion. He ran a hand over his hair and cleared his throat. “If I don’t leave now, I won’t be able to go at all.” Frowning, Maggie stepped closer. “Who says you have to go?” “I do. I want to do this right. I don’t want you to feel used.” One hand reached up and pressed flat against his chest. “God, right now I’d love to be used. I want you.” Taking her hands in his, he squeezed. “I want you too. But we’re going to do this right.” “But—” He gave her a quick peck on the lips and opened the door. “I’ll—” He paused and suddenly smiled. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” She knew he’d been about to say he’d call. He’d better call. Locking the door behind him, she headed for the bathroom. A long, cool shower was in order.

***** The next morning, Maggie lifted her face to the sun, letting the breeze toss her hair. She bent over the rail and watched the water breaking on the side of the boat. Turning, 19

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she spoke to the handsome, tanned blond young man beside her. “Do you think we’ll see any dolphins?” “From what they said at the hotel, they almost always do. There are certain areas where the dolphins gather on a regular basis.” Under the pretense of looking out over the ocean, she stole covert glances at the man. He and his partner were staying in the same hotel as she. His partner had been sick from too much sun and decided to stay in their room. Both men were a damn sight better looking than anyone had a right to be, model perfect, like a photo that had been heavily edited. Speaking of too good-looking, she wished Gabe had called. She sighed and braced her forearms along the rail. Six months ago when she’d planned this trip, Gabe had been the farthest thing from her mind. Now, just two days after she arrived, he was in her every thought. Perhaps not having sex with him was creating an obsession. Once they had a romp in the sheets, she’d remember that he was just like all her other past lovers—or the three she could name—and she could focus on the world around her. The problem was getting him into bed. He gave mixed signals. Passionate looks, sensual touches, and his eyes… The promise she saw in their dark-chocolate depths made her insides quiver. Yet when she had invited him in her room, he’d turned and run. She realized the man beside her spoke, and she focused her attention his way. “I’m sorry, I missed that.” “I said, I’m Ben and my partner is Adam.” “Maggie, nice to meet you. I hope Adam doesn’t spend the rest of your trip in bed.” Hearing her words, she groaned inwardly as heat rose up her neck. “He should be better later tonight or tomorrow. He fell asleep in the sun yesterday.” If he caught the double meaning, he didn’t show it. Ben turned at the sound

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of laughter from the bow before he continued. “We’re taking a walking tour of Lahaina tomorrow. You’re welcome to join us.” Smiling, she realized she could enjoy their company without feeling like a third wheel. “That might be fun. Thanks.” Accepting the invitation was freeing. Maybe she would now be able to put aside thoughts of Gabe and when she’d see him. “I’m going to get a drink. What can I bring you?” Ben asked. “Water would be great, thanks.” As soon as he left, she returned once again to her summer with Gabe. She had been desperate to have him that night. Needs had built over the summer, and there was no way she was returning to college without having sex with him. He had led them to a secluded spot in the grove of trees between the hotel and the beach. The shadows of the lush plants around them sheltered them from passersby but also kept her from seeing the hard, muscled body her hands explored. That hadn’t slowed her down, though. Nor did it slow Gabe. He’d peeled off her sundress and panties while she stood before him. Even now she could feel his hands roaming over her curves. Her nipples tightened as they had then, and her panties grew damp. Gabe spoke in her ear, sending chills down her spine. “I love the way the wind lifts your hair.” She smiled, wrapping her arms around her to keep the memory close. Then it hit her. There’d been no breeze in the grove that night. “I’m glad you still wear it long.” Maggie jumped away from the voice, turning to find Gabe standing just behind her shoulder. “God, you startled me.” Leaning back, she looked up at the mirrored sunglasses blocking her from seeing his eyes. If she wasn’t so happy to see him, she might be concerned about what he was

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hiding. Still, she smiled. “I’m surprised to see you here. I might almost think you’re stalking me.” He planted a small kiss on the tip of her nose. “When I came to take you to breakfast and found you gone, I was afraid I’d miss spending another day with you. I ran into Kimo, the doorman, who told me you’d just left with the group.” Before she could comment, Ben returned with her bottle of water. He stood a bit awkwardly a few feet from them before she noticed him. “Ben, thank you. Let me introduce you to my old friend.” She made the introductions and explained to Ben about having worked at the resort in the past. As they talked, she noticed Gabe’s arms wrapping around her from behind, as if claiming her. Curls of excitement spun throughout her at the thought. Maybe she was wrong about him not wanting her. Maybe there was some other reason he’d refused to sleep with her. When Ben discovered that Gabe lived on the island, he asked for recommendations about the best places to go snorkeling. The men discovered common interests and Maggie soon felt the outsider. It had often been that way around Gabe. Not that he didn’t include her, but he just had that sort of personality that allowed him to become instant friends with everyone. Relaxing into his arms, his warmth surrounding her, she let herself dream. What if things had been different and he’d called after they went back to their respective colleges? Would she have followed him to New York after graduation? Her mindless mental wandering kept her from noticing when Ben left the railing, leaving her alone with Gabe, if you didn’t count the thirty or so people elsewhere on the boat. She twisted in his arms to speak. “I was really surprised to see you.” He frowned. Did she not want him there? “Should I not have come?” “No, that’s not what I’m saying. I’m not used to having someone want that badly to spend time with me.”

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He tightened his arms around her waist. “I wish we’d run into each other years ago. Hell, if I only had carried my duffel bag with me…” “I don’t follow. What duffel bag?” “I put your number in my duffel bag to carry on the plane with me. Martin and I got to the airport early, so we set down our bags near the gate and went looking for a snack.” As if it were yesterday, he saw his suitcases sitting by the chairs. “Someone took my duffel bag and one of Martin’s suitcases. We almost missed the flight with all the paperwork we had to fill out. Most of my souvenirs were gone, along with some clothes. And your phone number.” A long spell passed before she spoke, and her expression remained passive. “I waited for your call for months after I got home. I kept making excuses. You didn’t seem the type to not call.” “I tried. I called information, but they didn’t find you. I guessed your parents had an unlisted number. A few years later when I had internet, I searched again. But no luck there either. Finally I decided I should just move on. I didn’t know if you’d even talk to me after so long.” She shook her head. “My mom divorced my dad and went back to her maiden name. I never had a phone in my own name until this past year.” “I told myself everything happens for a reason, but I couldn’t figure out what reason there could be to keep us apart.” He didn’t tell her that every time he met a fellow student from Missouri, he asked if they knew Maggie Pearson. His roommate had teased him about being obsessed. When he’d graduated without having found her, he’d poured himself into his new career. He’d lived the New York life to the fullest and lied to himself that he wasn’t trying to burn her out of his system. All he’d been able to do was put her on a back burner.

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Maggie offered him a wry smile. “And life went on, didn’t it?” His voice came out a bit gravelly. “It did, and brought us back together.” “I was just thinking something similar.” She sighed. “Do you think anything would have happened between us?” “Would have? It was already there. We had friendship on top of the chemistry.” Turning her to face him, he continued. “Or was it all in my mind?” “You can ask that? After I threw myself at you that night? Hell, I did it again last night and you blew me off.” He raised a finger and curled it around the lock of hair blowing across her face, slowly pulling it through his hand as he moved it behind her shoulder. “Is that what you thought? Shit, I should have taken what you were offering.” Clasping her shoulders, he leaned down and kissed her. Gently, almost as if asking permission, he brushed his lips against hers. Quick nips on her lower lip urged her, teased her into opening to him. His tongue thrust in as his hips pushed her back against the railing. Maggie’s arms caught the back of his head and held tightly as she felt the world spin around her. Gabe was here. He was real. And he really wanted her. A groan rumbled deep in his chest, making her nipples spring to life. As he straightened, he drew in a deep breath and looked down at her. “This isn’t the place.” Her shoulders dropped in disappointment. “No, it’s not.” She glanced toward the bow to see if anyone had paid attention, but they all seemed to be watching the ocean. “Tonight.” “Tonight?” “Yes. First we can hike to those waterfalls we saw from the helicopter. Take a picnic lunch. Tonight I’ll cook for you at my place. We can stop by your hotel first so you can get anything you’ll need for the rest of the day.”

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Did he want her to spend the night? She laughed to herself. They weren’t college kids anymore, needing to hide their sex lives from parents and friends. Of course, he’d want her to spend the night. It’s what grown-ups do. Having met her husband while she was in college, she didn’t really know how adults—real adults with jobs and their own homes—acted on dates. But that didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered was what she wanted to do with this one man. “I need to return with my group. You could pick me up at the hotel, say, forty-five minutes after we dock?” “That sounds perfect.” He kissed her again with a hunger she also felt, then pulled back, letting her turn around and watch the waves.

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Chapter Three Gabe pulled out onto the highway with Maggie beside him, his picnic backpack in the backseat. Traffic was light and they made good time to the turnoff. His favorite trail wound through a valley along a creek. At one end the mountain rose sharply, with several small waterfalls spilling down to a small pool at the base. Only two cars sat in the parking lot when they arrived. Gabe shouldered his picnic pack after getting out, and walked around to where Maggie stood. “Ready?” She smiled up at him, large black sunglasses hiding her light blue eyes. “Let’s go.” “You said you’d never seen mountains. I didn’t think Missouri was flat.” “It’s not, for the most part. It has rolling hills, though. They all seem to be the same height, so when you clear the rise everything looks level, then the road drops away again.” She paused and looked at the small mountain ahead of them. “It’s a totally different feeling to stand at the base of a ridge and look up.” “I can’t imagine living somewhere that doesn’t have a mountain range in sight.” As they walked, they compared hometowns, his heavily populated, hers smalltown. That led to childhood memories and a lot of laughter. Near the midpoint of the trail was a turnout of sorts along the creek bed. Gabe paused. “Shall we take a break?” “Sure.” Maggie’s cheeks were flushed from the exercise or the sun and wind on the boat trip. Her skin glowed, as did her smile. Setting down the backpack, Gabe sat on a rock. “Are you thirsty?” He unzipped the pack and pulled out a canteen, offering it to her. She took a drink. “Why is it water tastes fresher outdoors?” After handing it back, she walked to the creek.

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Watching her move did strange things to his insides, and not the things he was used to. It wasn’t erotic, this was deeper. He wasn’t desperate to jump her. His feelings were more possessive, as if she had always belonged to him. His woman stood next to the rolling water with the sun god smiling down on her. The broad area of bare skin on her shoulders caught his attention. “You used sunscreen, right?” “Yes. I still remember that first burn when you and Sarah kept pouring liquids into me. How did you know about sun poisoning?” He laughed and held out his dark-skinned arm. “It obviously wasn’t from getting sunburned. Maybe I learned it in first aid in scouts.” She turned toward him but remained near the creek, out of reach. “I should have known you were in scouts. You were the one we all turned to, like a big brother.” “Is that how you saw me? A big brother?” Ducking her head, she looked off in the distance. “Not even close.” Their goodbye kiss that summer had been anything but familial. It was a prelude, a promise. A hope. And it went unrequited. But he couldn’t change that now. Her ice blue eyes flickered briefly before she looked down at her feet. “Well, shall we get back on the trail?” Tucking the canteen back into its spot, he zipped closed the pack and hurried to catch up with her. Almost as if she was outrunning something, she’d started without waiting. The path was just wide enough for them to walk side by side. “We’re about halfway to the falls. Is your camera handy?” “Oh, I forgot. If it weren’t for you, I’d have no pictures of this trip.” She wore a purse with a long strap draped across her chest. Without breaking stride, she opened her bag and dug out her camera. Toying with the settings, she spun to face him. “Say cheese.” He grinned, and after she lowered the camera, he reached for it. “My turn.”

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How could he have not brought his camera? He’d taken pictures along this trail before, but he had no pictures of Maggie. There was no way she was going back to the States before he had an album full of her. Rather than smile, she stuck her tongue out at him and he snapped the shot. That made her laugh with outrage and grab for the camera. He swung it out of reach, holding it high. “I need photos of you too,” he argued. “So bring your own camera.” With another quick laugh, she lunged. He jerked back just as she connected with his hand. The movement threw her off balance and she twisted and fell at his feet with a cry. “Careful,” he called, grabbing at her flailing arm. He wasn’t quick enough and she landed on her hip. “Ow,” she cried, lifting one leg. “That hurt.” Gabe knelt down, reaching for her leg, cradling the calf. “Where does it hurt?” “My ankle. I hurt it playing tennis a few years ago and it hasn’t been the same since.” Handing her the camera, he sat back on his heels and gently prodded his way down her leg. Her smooth skin was tempting to stroke, but he stayed focused. As he reached the ankle, he lowered her short sock and looked for swelling. Already some puffiness showed above the top of her shoe. “Looks like you sprained it.” “Terrific. Leave it to me to ruin my vacation.” She flopped back on the ground, leaving her leg in his hands. “I can put some ice on it from the canteen. And I have an elastic bandage.” She lifted her sunglasses. “Why am I not surprised? You were always so…together, and I am still so scattered.” He rose to one knee and tugged at her arm. “Sit up.” She moved to stand. 28

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“No, I said sit.” With one arm behind her back and the other under her knees, Gabe lifted her and carried her along the path, back toward the turnout. Maggie squealed. “What are you doing?” “What does it look like?” Her arms locked around his neck, helping distribute her weight, but she wasn’t heavy enough to be a problem. He dragged wet, coughing, limp people from the waves on an almost daily basis. The only problem he had with her was his awareness of her body. The straggling swimmers on the beach never had that effect on him. The breeze carried her scent to him, feminine and sweet. He lowered his face, pressed his lips against the side of her head, savoring her warmth. How could he convince her this was where she belonged? As he stifled a groan of frustration, he focused on the trail. Losing his footing and dropping his woman wouldn’t gain him any points. And he had that huge fuck-up to amend. He set her down on a low rock at the edge of the creek, where she could rest her foot in the cool water. Kneeling beside her, he removed her shoe and sock. “Stick your feet in the water.” After quickly baring her other foot, she scooted forward on the rock and lowered her feet. She squealed. “It’s cold!” “It’s still spring. What did you expect?” He opened the backpack and lifted out the containers of food, setting them in the dirt between them. Maggie leaned over to watch. “Wow, what all did you bring?” Lifting each container, he answered. “Gouda, some fruit. Crackers.” He pulled the last item out of the pack. “And sparkling water with lime.” Taking the plastic cups out of the side pockets, he opened the bottle and poured. As he set out the meal, he reminisced. “A bit different from what we packed back in the day, isn’t it?”

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She laughed, bright and loud. “Cold pizza, beef jerky. I brought carrot sticks once but I was the only one who ate them.” “I had a few. I was on that bodybuilding kick for the most part.” “That’s right. You ate fish, grilled chicken and veggies.” Putting her sunglasses down on the rock, she grinned at him. “And on your nights off you washed it down with cheap beer.” He joined her laughter. “Yeah, but I was working it off. Lifting the Jet Skis in and out of the water, carrying surfboards. Riding along on a board while teaching someone to balance. That was hard work.” “It looked like so much fun. Sometimes I regretted working the Kid’s Club. Weaving banana leaves and wading in the kiddy pool wasn’t the wild adventure I expected when I signed on.” Popping another grape in his mouth, he nodded. “But I thought you loved it. That’s what you said.” “I did, really. I enjoy watching children explore their world.” “Is that what line of work you went into?” She carefully placed a piece of cheese and a cracker and chewed so long he thought she wasn’t going to answer. “I taught elementary school for a few years. Then my husband decided I needed to be a proper wife.” Gabe grunted. What the hell was a proper wife? He waited for her to elaborate. When she didn’t, he reached for the canteen, opened and tipped it to pull out some ice. He wrapped it in a paper towel and handed it to her. “Hold this on your ankle to keep the swelling down. I’ll check it in a while and wrap it with the bandage.” Leaning back, he propped himself on his elbows. “I had a career change also. I went off to New York as planned and poured my soul into making money. I did well at it. “Then I realized I hated my life.” It came as a shock to learn the life he had carefully planned left him empty. “I sold off my furniture and came back here.”

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They sat in companionable silence, nibbling at their food. The creek trickled past. Birds called out in the trees. Voices grew louder on the trail and then passed by. He wondered how they’d gotten to such a depressing place again. He needed warning signs so he could keep them on safe ground. The way she sat, her bare neck taunted him, begging to be kissed. Unable to keep the distance between them, he shifted to sit next to her. That brought her fragrance to him again. He was hopeless around this woman. No way could he last through the day without making love to her. He kissed her shoulder, her skin warm against his lips. Moving closer to her neck, he kissed again and continued planting little pecks until he found the pulse at the base of her throat. She tipped her head away, offering more access. His tongue followed the vein up to her jaw and nipped. Kissed the skin just below her ear and nibbled the lobe. Her breathing increased, now sounding like it came through parted lips. “You are a seductress,” he whispered before the tip of his tongue teased her ear. She gasped, the sound fading into a whimper. He cupped her chin and turned her mouth to his, capturing the escaping sigh. His tongue plunged in, thrusting deep as her moan vibrated against his lips. Tasting, exploring, he brought back the memory of her kisses, the few they had shared. The years dropped away and they were young again and in lust. Running a hand down her arm, he shifted to cup her breast, then realized where they were. “I’m sorry,” he said, glancing back toward the trail. “I shouldn’t have started something here.” She looked disappointed, which encouraged him to dangerous levels. They were too old for a quick fuck in the bushes. And when he took her again, it would be anything but quick. He reached for his backpack and dug out the elastic bandage. “Swing ‘round here and let me wrap that ankle.” 31

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Her heel cupped in his hand, he brushed the other hand over her foot to be sure it was clean and dry. She wriggled and tugged as he stroked her sole. He lifted an eyebrow. “Ticklish?” Maggie squirmed but he kept a grip on her foot. “I was as a kid. No one has tried in years. I’ve probably outgrown it.” He chuckled, having seen the proof already. As tempting as it was, he didn’t try again. When he finished wrapping the bandage, he pulled her sock over it and helped put her shoe on. She slipped on the other shoe, then stood, favoring the bad ankle. “Does it hurt?” “Not too badly. I’ll be okay.” Lifting the backpack onto his right shoulder, he slipped his left arm around her. “Lean on me. If it gets too bad I can carry you.” Her chin snapped up. “It’s what, a mile back to the car? I’ll kill you.” He squeezed her closer. “Not a chance. I probably bench press twice your weight.”

Once they reached his home, Gabe helped Maggie to a chair in the dining nook in his kitchen and pulled out another chair to prop her foot on. “How’s the ankle?” “It doesn’t hurt if I stay off it. I think it’s just a minor pull. It’ll probably be fine in the morning.” “Do you want an aspirin or something?” He hovered, the need to inspect her injury battling with an instinct that told him she needed space. “No. I’m good, really.” “Okay. I’m going to trust you to ask if you need anything.” He walked around the prep island and pulled two wineglasses from the rack beneath a cupboard. “Do you like wine? Red or white?” “White wine, please.” 32

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He opened the bottle he’d put in the fridge that morning and poured two glasses. Once he’d seen to her, he pulled out the ingredients for stir-fry. Working at the island, he could keep Maggie in his line of sight. “Can I help?” she asked. “Sure.” He took out another cutting board and knife and picked up the bok choy, all of which he set before her at the table. He lifted her chin and kissed her, letting some of his building need show. When he pulled away, she smiled shyly. Stifling a groan, he moved back to the work area. Maggie hobbled to the island sink and washed her hands. As she chopped, she repeatedly glanced at him. “What?” He was dying to know what she was thinking. She shrugged. “I’m just having trouble adjusting the Gabe in my head with the man in front of me. Not only are you all grown up, but you’re domesticated.” His deep, rich laughter bounced off the walls. “You don’t have to sound so surprised. I wasn’t a wild child.” “No, you weren’t. I think my mind is trying to fill in the gaps.” Turning to the fridge, he took out the scallops and shrimp, setting them near the wok. “I thought I had done that already. I graduated, went off to New York, made some money and realized my soul was MIA.” “Yeah, that’s what you said. But that’s only the headlines, not even the condensed version of the story. What did you do for a living?” “I was a day trader. A pretty good one. There was a time or two that I had to adjust how I did business, but I survived all the downturns.” As she chopped the last of the vegetable, she set the knife down and held the board up to him. He circled the island to take it, grabbing her glass at the same time for a refill. “Did you marry? Have a family?”

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Carrying her full glass back to her, he said, “No. Had a long-term relationship but it kind of faded away. When we realized we had nothing left to offer each other, we split up.” Another brief kiss held off the urge to take her to his bed. If he weren’t careful, they’d spend the night making love and not eat until midnight. When the oil in the wok began to spatter, Gabe tossed in the scallops. “You said you’re divorced.” “Mmm-hmm,” she said, turning to look out the window. She was shutting down again. He wanted to let it slide, but part of him said it wasn’t healthy to keep avoiding the subject. If it was still a tender wound, maybe talking about it would begin the healing process. “How long were you married?” “Thirteen years.” She made a noise between a sniff and a snort. “Lucky thirteen.” “You must have married right after college.” Maggie swallowed more of her wine, continuing to stare at her glass after setting it down. She took a deep breath. “That’s right. We married the summer after I graduated. That fall I went to work as a teacher. He went on to law school.” Holding her glass by the stem, she spun it on its base, back and forth, the wine sloshing up a bit but not spilling. “Once he made partner at the firm he joined, I quit work. I thought it was to have a family, but he kept putting it off. I volunteered some, and kept house, although he worked such long hours there wasn’t much cleaning to be done. Mostly I played hostess or looked proper on his arm at social affairs.” “Why didn’t you go back to teaching?” She glanced up, barely smiling. “He didn’t want his wife to work. He was oldfashioned enough to think that a working wife meant he wasn’t a good provider. The real question is why I went along with it.”

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He wasn’t sure how to continue the subject. She’d been married to a caveman, apparently. That didn’t fit the image he had of her. “Well, volunteering can be fulfilling.” Rising, she hobbled to stand next to him as he cooked. “Really, Gabe, you don’t need to try to sugarcoat my life after the fact. It wasn’t awful. It wasn’t abusive. It was very bland and politically correct and it’s done now.” Watching the emotions play across her face, he decided her adjustment to the divorce was mostly over, but something still caused her pain or at least discomfort. He stepped behind her, planting his feet on either side of hers, wrapping his arms around her to reach the stove. “As sorry as I am for you that the dream didn’t end the way you planned it, I’m happy for my sake that its end brought you here.” He felt her tense momentarily, then grow relaxed against the length of him. She quickly looked down at the stove. “Me too.” Gabe added the vegetables and cooked shrimp, stirring carefully to keep it all in the pan. It was difficult to concentrate when what he’d rather be doing was stirring the pot with Maggie. All in good time. The week was young. He kept the conversation on safe ground while they ate, then he helped her into the living room. Setting the stereo at a low volume, he let the CD changer determine what they listened to. Sitting close to her on the couch, he set his glass on the coffee table. With his arm across the back of the couch, he toyed with her braid. “I really am glad you came back to Maui.” Lifting her chin, she looked his way. Her lips tightened, although he thought they quivered first. “I had to go back to the last time I was truly happy. It’s part of my healing process.” His hand lowered to rest on her shoulder, absorbing her warmth. Part of him celebrated that she still thought happily about their time together, but he ached that she’d been hurt enough by something to need healing. “Do you want to talk about it?” 35

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“Not really,” she admitted. “Let’s not spoil the night. Tell me what you are up to these days.” Stretching out his legs, he leaned back into the cushions. “I do pretty much the same thing I did fifteen years ago. Help people be safe in the ocean. Teach them to properly use the equipment.” She frowned. “Don’t you ever wish you’d moved up, gotten promoted or something along the way?” Gabe held back a laugh as realization hit. “I seem to have skipped that part. I own the rental business now. I guess that makes me the big kahuna. I’ve got a slew of kids helping out in the peak season and a couple of good people in the off times. I don’t enjoy standing around being the boss. I’m doing the part I love, out in the water and sun.” Her eyes rounded. “Oh! I thought…” “I know. I never said anything to make you think otherwise. But we never really got into it. Just like we haven’t discussed what you’re doing these days.” Now she brightened, turning her upper body to face him. “I went back to school online in the last years of my marriage and got a degree in gerontology. When I get home, I start a new job as assistant manager of a retirement community.” With her face lit up like that, Gabe felt like he’d been kicked in the gut. Her beauty sucker-punched him. The years had added something, maybe character, but whatever the change, it had fine-tuned what had already been striking beauty. Maggie’s hand came up from her lap and cupped the back of his neck, tugging him toward her. He didn’t fight the pull. Leaning down, he tentatively pressed his lips to hers. The warmth that met him spread through him. With a groan, he nibbled at her mouth. His tongue traced the full bow of her lower lip. The scent of her body wash, a faint, delectable vanilla, wafted from her skin, increasing his hunger.

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His hand found the curls that had freed themselves from her braid, and stroked at them as he captured her mouth. She arched, rose to meet him, her tongue pressing between his lips. He let her explore, then tangled the tip of his tongue with hers. He wanted so much more. This time he wanted to see her. Really see her. What they shared in the past had been in the dark of night, sheltered by trees and the large fern. Stroking her back, he pressed her against his chest, flattening her soft breasts between them. “I have wanted this for so long.” “Me too.” With a growl, he kissed her again, letting the sounds of her breaths lead him. A surge of need coursed through him. In the back of his mind he heard slow down but he paid no heed. Suckling her earlobe made her squirm, and his cock swelled. She leaned back and he followed, lying over her, adjusting her hips to make room for him beside her so she wouldn’t have to bear his weight. Her breasts rose and fell, her nipples already hard. He couldn’t keep from cupping the nearest, rubbing his thumb over the fullness. Soft. So incredibly soft. Her top scooped low enough to offer a tempting hint of the curves beneath. Drawn to the pale skin there, he traced a finger along her neckline. On the return trip he dipped just below the fabric. Her back arched, bringing her closer to his touch. “Your skin is like porcelain. You’re like a fragile china doll.” “If you don’t hurry and touch me, you’ll find out how unfragile I am.” “As you wish.” He tugged at the tank top, pulling the strap off her shoulder and the neckline down to bare one cup of her strapless bra. Teasing fingers flicked at her nipple beneath the white lace and watched it grow. Maggie whimpered, clasping his shoulder. “Please, Gabe.”

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“Please what?” He leaned down and hovered over her breast, not quite making contact. First he flicked his tongue, then he rubbed his lower teeth against the hardened nub. The little noises she made were the fucking hottest thing he’d heard in years. He bit the edge of the bra cup and tugged, baring her to his gaze. Her pale pink areola puckered as he watched. As much as he loved the sight of her, he needed to taste. He took as much of her flesh in his mouth as he could, kneading with his tongue and pulling back slowly. “Damn, you’re so sweet.” She stroked his shoulders and down his arms, her fingers working under his sleeves. Sitting up, he tugged off the t-shirt and tossed it aside. Her gasp was a stroke to his ego, which was swelling as fast as his cock. Her thumbs brushed the contours of his chest, finding areas of sensitivity he’d forgotten. She continued to stare as she explored. “I thought you were so hot when we were younger. I had no idea what hot was.” As he bared her other breast, he said, “I think we have a better appreciation as we get older. We’re not looking for instant satisfaction.” “Instant, no,” she agreed. She lifted herself to him. On a sudden urge, he pulled away, standing and shifting her to lie completely on the couch. Sitting beside her hips, he said, “Sit up a bit.” She struggled to rise on one elbow and he took off her tank top and reached behind her to unhook her bra. Then he adjusted the throw pillow behind her head and let her relax. “Perfect.” He nudged at her elbow. “Put your arms up over your head.” She did, her eyes never leaving his. “I want to learn every inch of you. Then memorize it. All those years I had just shadowed memories of you. As hard as I tried to picture you, I could only remember how you felt in the darkness.”

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Maggie reached for his arm but he caught her. “Nah, put it back.” She waited, searching his eyes, then lifted her arm again. “That’s my girl.” Her flesh swelled beneath his touch as he stroked with light fingers, tracing the pink edge of her areola. He tasted her again, tugged on the nipple and watched her head tilt back in pleasure. With his tongue he traced a trail between her breasts, down over her ribs, stopping at her navel. There he circled before dipping inside. Her hips bucked, and he wrapped a hand around her hip. The denim fabric held her warmth, kept him from exploring further. He watched her eyes for permission as he unbuttoned and unzipped the shorts. Grabbing the waistband in both hands, he tugged them down, leaving only her lacy bikini panties between them. Her eyelids flared when his hand smoothed across the curve of her belly. Gabe continued to stroke, wondering for a moment if he moved too fast. Should he wait, take this slowly? How could he tell if she was really ready for this? Their time together would end soon, creating urgency, but they weren’t young and careless anymore. As he concentrated on the softness of her skin and the heat of her body, her hips bucked beneath his hand, silently encouraging him to move on. “Are you sure?” he asked. “Good God, you can’t be thinking of stopping now.” She reached for her panties. He stopped her. “Mine. Put your hands back where I told you.” Groaning, she put her arms back above her head. “Only if you hurry up. I want to touch you too. I can’t take this torture.” She lifted her hips to allow him to take off her panties, her legs parting as she lay back on the cushion. “Such sweet torture,” he murmured, his hand moving down one thigh. “Sweet, sweet…”

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They created a rhythm, his exploring fingers, her rocking hips. He continued to tease, down one leg, up again and across her belly, just above her black curls. He kept his gaze on her legs, watching as they drifted farther apart each time his thumb brushed her inner thigh. “Please, Gabe, touch me. I need you.” Lifting the nearest leg, he shifted to sit between them, letting her leg drape over his lap. With a glance at her face, he let his hand move closer. “Like this?” Her legs parted still more when he reached the apex of her thighs. He stroked through the curls, toying with her slit, finding the moisture escaping. Pushing in, he spread the wetness over her labia, opening her to his gaze. Her gasp cut through him, heat shooting through his groin. He loved to give her pleasure, loved to see her react. “You’re so wet for me.” “I’m getting desperate for you. I need you inside me.” “In good time, sweetheart.” Her slick juices allowed his finger to slide right in, knuckles deep. Her heat wrapped around him. He pulled out, thrust again, then curved his finger in search of that sensitive spot. When she bucked and cried out, he knew he’d found it. But he pulled out, not ready to end the fun. With his thumbs he spread her lips, opening her to his gaze. He leaned close and inhaled the enticing musky fragrance of her desire. He lapped at the moisture, running his tongue over her labia, avoiding her center. Her clit hardened as he passed by, but he coursed down the other side before flicking the tip of his tongue over her nub. Crying out, she jumped beneath him. He chuckled. “Easy, girl, we’ve got a long way to go. Stay with me.” “Oh God,” she moaned.

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The noises she made told him how close she was, allowing him to build tension and back off. When she reached just the right pitch, he went to work, thrusting his tongue deep inside while pinching her clit. Her juices flowed and he lapped them up, listening to her cries as she peaked. “Fuck, Gabe…” “Let it go, baby, let it all out.” He suckled her clit and pushed two fingers inside, going straight for the spot he’d found. Her voice went still higher, her legs spread wider. He let her ride it out, continued to suck and thrust as her movements slowed. When she stilled, he lapped up the last of her juices. Maggie reached down and pulled him to lie above her. She captured his mouth, her tongue dancing wildly against his. He groaned and she wrapped her legs around his hips. She tore her lips away, gasping, and said, “You’re overdressed.” Her shaking hands fumbled between them. Gabe rose to his knees and proceeded to undress. Amazingly he didn’t knot his shoelaces or rip the button off his shorts in his hurry. His cock sprang free when she shoved his briefs down. Before he could lie down on her, she wrapped her hand around his cock and slowly tugged. “Dear God, it’s even bigger than I remember.” He let her stroke him, making him swell so hard he thought he’d burst right there. Seeing her spread before him, her arm reaching between her legs to touch him, he realized they were still on the couch. “Shit, why are we here when we have a bed available?” He carried her to his room, tugged back the sheets and lowered her to the mattress. She scooted over, making room for him.

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Turning on the lamp on the nightstand, he dug a condom from the drawer. “This is much better. Now we have room to play.” Heat flickered in her eyes and she licked her lips. His cock jumped and spilled a few drops of precum. “Where were we?” he asked. She took hold of his cock. “Right about here. You were going to let me taste you.” His breath escaped in a moan as she moved closer, her head dropping to meet her hand. The warm, wet sensation of her mouth around him almost ended things right there. Steeling himself, he let the sensations wash over him, savored the roughness of her tongue, the tightening of her lips. “Damn, baby, that’s good.” As he came closer again to losing control, he nudged at her shoulder. “Hey, I want to finish inside you.” She rose and he pulled her to him, kissing her, nuzzling her neck, licking a trail down to her breasts. He helped her to lie in the center of the bed and knelt between her thighs. Stroking her wetness, he thrust his fingers inside, flicking his thumb across her clit. He worked her, encouraged her, brought her toward her peak. After breaking away to roll on the condom, he spread her thighs and slid inside. His words came out thick with passion. “Oh yeah.” He would never have enough of his woman. As perfect as he fit in her, as much as she tugged at his heart, he needed to have her beside him for longer than a week. Shutting all thought aside he bucked, tipping her hips and lifting her heels to his shoulders. Pumping deep, he felt his balls tighten, his need increase. He pinched Maggie’s clit, making sure she was with him, and listened for that note she hit that told him she was close to orgasm. Her cries built, answered by his grunts. She grew wetter around him, the slickness of her excitement putting him on the edge. “Come with me, baby. Let it go.”

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He thrust deep, angling her hips, watching his cock slide inside. Her rosy, swollen lips wrapped around him, her clit swelled between his fingers. The smell of their arousal made him throb. She called out his name, sending him over the edge, and he pumped until her pussy quit squeezing him. “Fuck, yeah,” he groaned as he let her ass sink back to the mattress. He didn’t want to pull out of her, but he wanted to make her comfortable. After a moment’s hesitation, he withdrew and headed to the bathroom for a warm cloth. With tender strokes he wiped away the last of her juices, the sight of them escaping her tightening his groin. She was so fucking beautiful, so fucking perfect. He tossed the washcloth toward the bathroom and stretched out beside her. Propped on one elbow, he let his hand roam over her curves. She probably thought she needed to lose weight, like most women her age, but he loved the look of meat on her bones. Not fat, but lush, ripe curves that begged to be nibbled. Something about her hesitancy since they’d met up again made him expect her to grab for the sheet, especially now as the blindness of passion wore off. But she didn’t. She lay still, watching, one knee bent, her arms to her side. He loved her for that. My woman. Those words first formed in his mind that hot August night when they’d finally shared their bodies. At some point they’d been shoved in a back corner and forgotten. But they were back with a vengeance and he was determined that she would agree. Maggie was meant to be his.

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Chapter Four Maggie woke to the dim light before dawn. The sheet wrapped low around her hips and a thick, muscular arm held her tightly against Gabe’s body. She closed her eyes again and inhaled deeply the scent of him and the lingering hint of last night’s sex. This was so much better than an alarm clock commanding she rise and shower. Something had been lifted from her shoulders since she came to Maui. She couldn’t even name what it was that had changed, but she felt a lot more like the girl she had once been. How had growing up changed her so? She’d been married for thirteen years and had aged thirty years in her mind. She became proper, organized, respectable. Well, maybe she’d always been that way. Gabe used to tease her about being the good girl. But she’d carried it so much further while married to Ted. She’d become a Stepford wife, a robotic version of the real thing. Even once she’d left Ted and pursued the career she’d put aside for him, she hadn’t broken the shell of the woman she’d created. It had become so much a part of her, she hadn’t realized she was keeping anything trapped inside. Seeing Gabe had awakened the wonderfully spirited woman-child who had returned to college fifteen years ago. The carefree woman who enjoyed sex for the sake of sex, who didn’t need the demands of commitment and strings. Not that she’d been a whore. Or careless. She’d chosen her lovers wisely and used protection. And she hadn’t played the field all that broadly. But for a year or two she had been confident enough in who she was, she hadn’t needed to cling to false promises or hope. Then Ted had come along and swept her off her, well, off her carousel of lovemaking. Charmed her. Seduced her heart before her hormones. He had goals and 44

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aspirations and could see her beside him throughout the journey he planned. It didn’t take long for her to fall in love with the image of herself that he created. How had she not been able to see it was nothing more than an image? She lost her substance, her inner being. Quite cheerfully set them aside to be Mrs. Theodore Grimes. And played the role until there was nothing left that resembled Maggie Pearson. All of that was behind her now. She’d left Maggie Grimes in the courtroom, Petitioner on the divorce papers, ghost of marriage past. She’s taken back her name, her pride, her self-worth. Now was the time to renew her spirit. Find her inner child. No, not child. The sensual, sentient being she once was. Laugh. Flirt. With Gabe, with life. Taste a nibble of everything in front of her. Starting with the man behind her. Smiling, she drew in a deep breath and rolled under his arm, coming face to chest with her man. The rich chocolate-colored skin lay relaxed as he slept, the muscle beneath still sculpted but not chiseled. Leaning in even closer she inhaled the fragrance that once brought her to a dripping point of need, the scent of Gabe. She lapped his skin, tasting the dried sweat she had worked out of him, and suckled the warmth she found there. Gabe stirred, his arm tightening around her. “Morning.” She purred against him. “Morning. Did I wake you? I’m sorry if I did. I’m still on Missouri time.” “Any time you want to lick me awake, be my guest.” Leaning back to watch his face, she warned, “I might have to take you up on that.” His cock stirred against her pelvis and she rocked into it. “Interesting. I lick you here…” she tongued the depression between his pecs, “and you harden here.” Her hand slipped between them to wrap around his swelling rod. “Honey, you lick me like that anywhere on my body and you’ll get me hard.”

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“You don’t say.” Maggie pushed on his shoulder and rolled onto one arm to look down at him. With her free hand, she traced down his abdomen, taking the sheet with her. His cock jumped when uncovered. She continued to tease and explore, stroking his hip, his thigh, as far down as she could reach. His muscles tensed beneath her fingers, much the way she sucked in her gut when Gabe looked at her. Her favorite muscle continued to grow without her touching it. But it was too tempting not to play. Her index finger followed the swollen vein, circled the crown. Finding evidence of his interest, she spread the precum over the tip. He groaned. She glanced at him, saw the half-lowered lids and slightly parted lips and felt she had all the power in the world. She was his world in that moment. Wrapping her hand around his cock, she stroked slowly, firmly. Continued down to cup his balls, squeezing gently. She stole glances at his expression to gauge his reaction. As his breathing increased, she couldn’t hold back. Leaning over him, she took the tip of his cock in her mouth, tightening her lips over the crown. She tasted the salty juices escaping his slit. His reaction had her body on edge, as much as if he touched her. Feeling him pulse in her mouth, she opened and took his full length inside. Following the rhythm of his grunts and exhales, she pumped faster, let her tongue surround him and tightened her lips. Her own need grew, and she reached between her legs to flick her clit when she knew he was close. He must have seen her hand at work, his groan erupting as he spewed hot bursts in her mouth. Maggie’s body froze in ecstasy, the knot breaking free as she came with him. She collapsed in exhaustion from the short, wild ride. Gabe reached down and curled his hand on her butt cheek. “Damn.”

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She sighed. “Yeah.” Unfolding her legs from beneath her, she stretched out to rest at his side.

***** Maggie and Gabe waited outside the hotel entrance for Ben and Adam to join them for a trip into Lahaina. Maggie lifted her face to the sun, closing her eyes and letting the rays worship her. “I can see why people become addicted to tanning,” she commented. “There is something elevating in the sunlight and fresh air,” Gabe agreed. “But I wouldn’t recommend long doses with your complexion.” She turned and kissed his cheek. “No, being close to you is all I need to add a bit of color to my cheeks.” Wrapping her arms around his neck, she kissed his lips, letting the moment go almost too far for a parking lot. His hands rubbed up her arms and captured her shoulders. “Mmm, maybe we should call off the day trip.” “No. Being together in a place where we can’t touch each other, can’t follow through on our urges should make tonight that much better.” “Could it get any better than last night?” He bent and nipped the sensitive spot where her neck joined her shoulder. “Or this morning?” “Okay, maybe not better, but definitely equal to. And you can’t deny the pleasure of seeing how much you can get away with in public.” Lowering his sunglasses, he peered over them. “In public? You’ve changed over the years, Miss Maggie mine.” She bit the corner of her lip and looked off in the distance. “Yes, I did, but not the way you’re thinking. You’re bringing back the old me.” “And that’s a good thing?” With a bright giggle she ran her fingertips along his jaw. “It’s exactly what I needed.”

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Maggie heard Ben’s voice behind her and pulled away, however disappointed her body might have been, to face her new friends. “Ben, Adam.” Ben introduced his partner to Gabe and they climbed into Gabe’s small car. On the drive into Lahaina they discussed the different spots they wanted to see. Maggie tried to focus on the conversation and not the muscled thigh bared by Gabe’s shorts as he drove. When had men’s shorts become sexy? Letting her gaze travel up his tropical print shirt, wishing he’d worn a tight t-shirt instead, she realized shorts had always been sexy on that man. She turned her gaze back toward the highway in front of them and tugged at her own shorts. She couldn’t call herself fat, but she hadn’t worked at maintaining her shape, any shape, after she’d married. Way to put a damper on the flirting, she chided. I am perfect as I am. Sexy is as sexy does. Okay, that was too corny, but it was true, Gabe was attracted to what was inside, not her curves. She realized he had spoken to her. “I’m sorry, what?” “Where’d you go? Not enough sleep last night?” Her cheeks warmed in spite of her intention to play the vixen. Baby steps, girl, baby steps. “I can honestly say my mind was on today.” The corner of his mouth twitched and if he weren’t driving, she would lean across the divide and kiss it. Instead she turned toward the back seat. “So, what’s our first stop?” Adam answered. “I thought we should start at the beginning, the harbor. Keawaiki. Then follow the mapped walk.” Gabe glanced in the rearview mirror. “Sounds good. I can take you to a few off the path sites while we’re in that area.” They’d started early enough in the day the crowds hadn’t gathered yet. A guided tour had just begun, the docent reciting the standard script about the harbor and the

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ships that commonly docked outside the reef. Maggie and her friends hung back, letting the group move on a ways before starting off. “We’ll probably want to walk slowly to not catch up with the group,” Gabe suggested. He paused outside an art gallery and examined the window display. “A lot of the historical walk describes buildings that are no longer standing, but a few have been restored, and there are a few museums you might enjoy.” Adam pointed at another shop and walked down the street. Ben caught up with him while Maggie and Gabe moved more slowly. “Do you want to get in some shopping while we’re here?” Gabe asked her. “I do need to get some souvenirs. The hotel has some nice postcards, but I’d love to find some dresses and shirts for my sister’s family. And maybe a muumuu for Mom.” “You have a sister?” She glanced up at him, her hair swinging over her shoulder. It startled her, still, how much she had to look up to meet his eye. “Yeah, didn’t I ever talk about her?” “I don’t think either of us talked about family. About where we came from, who we were. We were too busy focused on the moment.” Laughing, she added, “Who had hooked up with whom. Which actors were having an affair. And what musician had a new release.” “That’s all that mattered when we were twenty-two. And yet I felt like I knew you inside out.” A delicate teacup and saucer in the store window caught her attention and she paused. “You did. You knew the important stuff. That I liked to dip my French fries in chocolate shakes, not ketchup I preferred sweet tea to soda pop.” “That you even called it soda pop. I always thought you were something out of a sitcom, too pure to be real.” He pulled at a lock of her hair, drawing her attention back to him. Standing on the sidewalk in the shade of a tree, he held her in place with his gaze. “You definitely weren’t like the girls I was used to.”

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Shrugging, she wrinkled her nose. “I guess I was pretty innocent. I never realized the reason everyone went to Ricky’s room was to buy cocaine. And when I found out that Kimmy, the waitress, was sleeping with three different guys, sometimes at the same time, I was speechless.” “They don’t have foursomes in Missouri?” “The only time I heard the term was when Daddy was golfing on Saturday morning. And I don’t think they dropped their drawers to do it!” Gabe pushed his shades up on his head and studied her. “Do you think, if I hadn’t lost your phone number, we’d have been able to have a relationship?” The need to remove any barriers hit her as it must have him. She took off her sunglasses, holding them by one earpiece. “I had planned on it. I was sure that’s what you wanted, and I held on to hope until the end of winter break.” “I never felt so frustrated over anything. I searched the phone listings online, searched for your name.” “Yeah, you said. Look, it’s in the past. We can’t change how life ended up. Let’s just enjoy what we have now.” Stroking his hand over her cheek, he looked deep into her eyes before leaning down and claiming her mouth. The kiss started so tender, so familiar, and built into a passionate, private moment. Ben’s voice reached them from down the street. “Hey, you guys, are we taking a tour or what?” Gabe pulled back, grinning at Maggie. “Yeah,” he called out, “we’re coming.” She fitted herself to his side, tucked under his protective, possessive arm. It was a good place to be. When they caught up with the other men, their group moved on, following the map Adam had. Their comfortable friendship was another thing she had missed over the years. Her ex had control over whom they associated with. She had girlfriends, but they were the

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wives of his partners. Women who filled a role just as she had. While the women themselves weren’t shallow, the only thing they had in common were their husbands. Past. Over. Done. She desperately needed to learn to enjoy the present without comparing it to her old life. Feeling a nudge at her shoulder, she smiled up at Gabe. “Hey,” he said. “Where do you keep going? Is there something else you’d rather be doing?” She shook her head. “I can’t think of anything better we could be doing.” At the flaring of his eyelids, she amended, “Well, there is that. But walking in Lahaina with you and our new friends is exactly what I want to be doing now.” The old courthouse building was open and they stepped inside to view the museum. Locals had artwork on display, in addition to the original furnishings. Maggie stopped in front of a landscape and Gabe stood behind her, crossing his arms in front of her and planting a kiss on the top of her head. Adam whispered, “Are you sure you two aren’t a couple? I mean, you don’t act like people who’ve only been together a few days.” Gabe’s voice rumbled against her back. “How many days does it take to be a couple?” Ben smiled. “Exactly. Some things are timeless. And fate seems to have known what she was doing bringing the two of you back together.” Adam moved down to another group of paintings. Ben followed shortly. When Maggie tried to step away, Gabe held her in place. He spoke into her ear. “I guess it’s obvious to everyone else. I really screwed up not finding you sooner.” She turned to face him. “You tried. What more could you have done?” He glanced at the other visitors around the room and ran his hand over his short hair. “I don’t know. There must have been something.” “Water under the bridge. I believe our lives went the way they were supposed to. Let’s enjoy what we have now, remember?”

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A wicked gleam lit his eyes. “That reminds me. We’re going to take a little walk after dinner tonight.” How could a flicker in his gaze send tingles through all the right places in her body? She shivered. “Are we? Anywhere in particular?” “You’ll have to see.”

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Chapter Five That evening Gabe held Maggie’s hand as he led her down to the beach near the resort. “I know you’ll remember this place.” She kicked off her flip-flops and wiggled her toes in the sand. “It is a rather infamous spot. So many wild nights, so much alcohol consumed.” The sun hung low over the water, turning the sky and the waves a vibrant scarlet. They were alone on the beach, the rhythm of the waves the only sound. Gabe laid his arm across her shoulders and stood beside her watching the light fade. “This is where I first noticed you.” “Really?” “Yeah. The first Saturday night I was here.” He pointed at the edge of the small clearing. “You were sitting on a log here, just watching everyone dance.” With a laugh, she explained, “I hated to dance in front of people. It took three weeks before I got brave enough, and then only because Sarah dragged me out in the middle of the crowd where no one could see me move.” “I thought you danced great.” Stepping back, he took her hands and tugged her so she rode his thigh, her skirt riding up. “Especially that one move you had.” He cupped her hips and ground her pelvis against him, swayed to a tune in his head and took her along. As his hands stroked up and down her back, he led her in the dirtiest dance, so much like the way she’d seduced him in this same spot on their last night that August. “I was imitating what the other girls did. I know they danced like that with you too. As I recall, the waitress with the big boobs was gyrating on your other leg while I humped you like an obnoxious dog.”

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Gabe burst out laughing and pulled Maggie into a tight hug. “That’s what I love about you, woman. Your conceit is so overwhelming.” She slapped at his shoulder. “And you’ll say anything to get me in bed.” Toying with her hair, he watched the curl spring back when he tugged it straight. “Yeah, I was such a horndog. Got you drunk and hauled you out behind the barn the first night I saw you.” “Ha! I had to throw myself at your feet to get you to see me as anything more than a friend.” She bit her lower lip in an obvious attempt to keep from smiling. “See you? No way. The way you looked next to all the other girls—” “If you say anything about my glow-in-the-dark complexion, I’m heading back to my room now.” She planted a finger on his lips. “Alone.” Puckering, he kissed her finger, then ran his tongue along it and sucked the tip into his mouth. Her hiss of arousal made his groin tighten. The look of her, the taste of her, and the sounds she made, any one little thing could set him off. It amazed him he was capable of going through a day without making love to Maggie every hour. In the fading light, he stroked his thumb across her cheek, the twilight emphasizing the contrasts in their complexion. “My porcelain doll.” “You called me that just before we made love the first time.” “So smooth and perfect.” She turned away, ducking her head, but he reached up and kept her hair from providing her shield. He spoke gently, stroking her hair behind her ear. “Look at me, honey.” When she met his gaze, he continued. “You are perfect to me. I don’t care what ideas you’ve taken in your head. I know you’re not twenty anymore, but neither am I. I’m thirty-seven. I’m not looking for a twenty-year-old. Any character that is on your face now tells me you’ve lived, you’ve experienced.” “Some days I look a lot more experienced than others.”

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“Every day you are that much more beautiful to me.” She studied him for a moment, nibbling her lower lip, then rose on her toes and kissed him. Her skin was cool against his, her breath hot on his face. Even as she initiated the contact, he felt she was holding back. Uncertain. When she tried to pull away, he hugged her, then smoothed his palm down the back of her dress. He drew in a deep breath. “What did he do to you?” With a jerk, she stepped back. “Who? What are you talking about?” “I don’t know, but I’m guessing your husband. You were never the conceited type, but you had confidence.” He smiled in an effort to get her to relax. “Or did you forget to pack it for your trip?” Her wry grin answered him. “Maybe it got lost in the airport.” Turning away, she took a few steps toward the trees. “It dried up and blew away over the years. As he took over the decision making, scheduled all our activities, I guess I didn’t even notice I was losing my ability to decide.” Believing there was more to the story, he waited. “It really wasn’t awful. He wasn’t abusive. He provided for me. All that was required of me was to be present when he said to. You follow instructions long enough and you lose the ability to think for yourself.” She spun on her heels and returned to Gabe. “But it’s coming back. I went back to school without asking permission, before I left him. I chose a job based on my needs, no one else’s. I bought a house. In another year or so I figure I’ll be fully back to the old me.” “A year. It’s a crime to think anyone can destroy another person like that. Anything I can do to help you, let me know. I tend to take the reins, it’s just who I am. Maybe I should ask what you want to do, instead of dragging you around.”

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Her eyes reflected the sunset as she gazed up at him, making it hard to tell what she was thinking. He had to wait, something he was not really good at. Somehow he needed to lead her toward admitting what she desired. Maggie stepped closer. “What do I want to do? What’s the point of asking, when it’s the same thing you want?” Still, he waited. “You do want it, don’t you?” Uncertainty tainted her voice. “Want what, honey? Tell me.” “Make love to me, Gabe. Please.” Heat shot through him at her words and flared again when her lip trembled. He closed the last few inches between them but restrained himself from doing more than smile down at her. Her fingertips stroked the bare skin of his lower arms and continued up over his sleeves, across his shoulder and down his chest. With one hand she toyed with the top button on his shirt, working it free and slipping her fingers inside. “You’re so warm.” Rising on her toes, she planted a kiss on the spot she had bared. Gabe grasped her arms, helping her balance, then dropped his hands to her waist. Pushing her away, he said, “Not here. Come with me.” He realized as he stepped off the main path that he’d meant this to be her plan, but since her plan seemed to be making love in the open, he was reverting to his own. Leading the way, ducking under branches and holding others aside for Maggie, he led her to the clearing he hoped was still there. Shadows lengthened around them as the forest shut out the rest of the world. If they were quiet, no one would notice them. Soon darkness would have deepened enough to completely hide them. “Is this…” She glanced at the small space between the ferns and trees. “You recognize it?”

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“How could I forget the place we first made love? I’m more surprised you remember.” He tugged on her hand, pulling her hard against him. “Did I really come across as that shallow?” Her palms softened from bracing against his chest, and she rubbed her thumbs across his nipples through his shirt. “Not at all. I just thought it was a girl thing to remember that kind of stuff. I didn’t know guys cared.” Stroking her hair, he inhaled her sweet floral scent. “You’ve been with the wrong guys.” Even before she stiffened, he knew he’d said the wrong thing. “Damn. Baby, I’m sorry. I’m not going to bring him up again. As of this moment, our pasts are locked away. We have today, tomorrow…” “Let’s focus on right now.” Holding her face between his hands, he kissed the corner of her mouth, then ran his tongue along the edge of her upper lip before planting a kiss on the other side. He felt her smile, heard her purr. She shifted against him, opening her legs to straddle one of his. With a whimper, she sought his mouth, kissing him back, fucking his mouth with her tongue. He grasped her ass, lifting her slightly, and she rocked against his thigh. Tugging at his shirt, she bared his chest and licked her way across it. He groaned, loving her taking control. It took all his willpower not to rip off her clothes and lay her down in the grass. Maggie licked and nipped her way down his abs to the waistband of his shorts, then quickly got them out of her way, dropping his briefs right after. Gabe sucked in a gasp, not from cool night air, but from the urgency with which she moved. Her hands wrapped around his thighs, holding him in place as she blew gently on his erection. “Fuck, baby, don’t tease me like that.”

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A light giggle answered him, and then a swipe of her tongue. His cock jerked at the touch that passed too quickly. Her hand wrapped around the base and he swelled even more. “That’s good.” His voice sounded strained. She took him deep into her hot, wet mouth, her moans vibrating deep inside him and spreading outward. As hard as he tried not to, he had to pump deeper. Her tongue toyed with him before she pulled back, her hand following. With the flat of her tongue, she lapped at the tip. He cupped the back of her head, more for balance than control. He was lovin’ what she was doing and wasn’t about to make her change direction. Stroking, licking, sucking, and then her breath alone teasing his wet flesh. He groaned and reached for her shoulder. “Come here, hon.” She rose, licking a path as she stood. Grabbing the hem of her dress, she pulled it over her head and dropped it beside them. She reached behind and popped open her strapless bra, adding it to the pile of their clothes. As she pushed her thumbs in the waist of her bikini panties, he stopped her. “Let me.” Kneeling, he slowly drew the silky fabric down, kissing her heated bare skin as he went. When he brushed his nose along the inside of her knee, she flinched. “Ticklish? I’ll have to remember that.” He tugged her hand. “Shall we get comfy?” Glancing around her, she said, “I don’t call lying in the grass comfy. But I’ll take your word for it.” “Unless I’ve lost my touch completely, you won’t notice the grass.” He drew a finger down her side as she lay down, and he shifted to lie beside her. “Are you warm enough?” “Mm-hmm.”

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“Well, you’re about to get even warmer.” He took control this time, nuzzling her breasts and inhaling the warm scent that was pure Maggie. His thumb and finger pinched one nipple while he sucked and nipped at the other. Arching, she lifted her breasts to his touch. How was it simple, reflexive moves like that could drive him so crazy? He would never have his fill of her body. His hand left her breast, traced over her ribs. Stroked the softness of her belly. Teased along her hip, avoiding the spot she wanted him to touch. She rocked into his hand with a whimper. “I’ll get there, hon.” “Whatever happened to a fast fuck? Someone could come along at any time.” “You want it fast? You got it.” He slid one finger along her labia before pressing deeper into her wetness. As she gasped, her legs opened to him. He pressed inside, stroking slowly at first, flicking his thumb across her clit. Her moans increased, although he could tell she was trying to keep quiet. Shifting to kneel between her legs, he entered her warm, wet pussy. Fuck, she fit so tightly around him. He bit back a groan. He pushed in deep, slid out slowly, then back inside again when her hips rocked forward. Their pace quickened as he felt the tightness of release building. Maggie grabbed the backs of her knees, lifting her hips, and he lowered himself. Her breaths were hot in his ear, urging him forward, as were the wet sounds of their fucking. Her quiet whimpers increased in pitch. Suddenly her muscles spasmed around him. Her juices increased and he let go, biting back a moan. He froze, clenching his jaw to keep quiet. She was twitching slightly around him as she came down from her own peak. Gabe wanted nothing more than to lie down on top of her and remain there until the night air grew too cool, but he knew he couldn’t do that.

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Rolling to one side, he stretched next to her in the grass and let his hand caress her damp skin. “We should have done it sooner,” she said, her eyes closed. “I thought we did. We’ve made love almost every day you’ve been here.” “No, I meant the first time. Fifteen years ago. I wish we’d made love that first night and every night that summer.” “Would it have been the same?” Her eyes opened and she met his gaze, the light around them barely enough to see her face. “Why wouldn’t it?” “It would have been great sex, don’t get me wrong. I don’t think we could have bad sex together.” He pressed his palm against her jaw. “But we didn’t know each other. It would have been just sex.” Rolling to face him, she wrapped a leg around his hip. “And that would have been a bad thing? Just sex?” He squeezed her butt cheek. “There are times for sex, and there are times for making love. I prefer making love with you.” Her hips rocked against him. “With you, I’ll take whatever I can get.” Slapping her ass, he rolled to his knees. “Then we’d better get inside or someone will find us. I don’t think I can stay quiet this next time. Last one in the shower has to do dishes tomorrow.”

***** Maggie sat on the pillow, the hotel bed’s headboard digging into her back. Gabe had gone to work an hour earlier and she needed to find something to fill her day. Why was that so hard to do? When she had planned this trip, seemingly a lifetime ago, she’d filled her days with excursions. Her list was somewhere around the room, but she didn’t get up and look for it.

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Instead she stared blankly at the empty television screen. Gabe hadn’t said anything specific, but she could tell he wanted her to stay in Hawaii. Little turns of phrase sounded like long-range plans, not passing comments. And she wanted to stay. If they’d gotten together after college, would she have chosen a career that fulfilled her? They could have married and had a house full of kids. There was no point in trying to imagine it. They were different people now, with so many more life experiences behind them. Who they used to be had no reflection on their chances for a successful relationship now. Is that what she wanted? A full relationship with Gabe? They could try long distance. She could fly out on vacation a couple times a year. He could do the same. Maybe even a few weekends here and there if she found some discount flights. It was better than nothing. They would have a chance to find out if what they felt was real or just the memory of first love long-ago lost. She sighed and drew up her knees, resting her arms across them. If they did have something real between them, at some point they would need to pick a place to live together. Gabe had his business there on Maui. He couldn’t just walk away from that and find a new job in Podunk, Missouri. So she would be the one who had to move. She’d have to leave the job she hadn’t even begun yet, sell her house in a weak market, give up everything she had finally obtained on her own. Again. She would give up her life for a man again. But Gabe wasn’t like Ted. He wasn’t controlling. He’d never ask her to completely turn her life over to him.

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Maybe she could find a job at a nursing home on the island. There had to be a few, or a senior center where she could coordinate activities. Old people could be found wherever she went, it wasn’t as if the Midwest held the only supply of seniors. She shifted again, crossing her ankles to sit tailor-style. For that matter, she hadn’t started her job yet. There wouldn’t be any real repercussions from bowing out now, before she started. She could rent out her home until the market improved. Real estate was a sound investment, wasn’t it? But where would she be if they didn’t work out? She’d be in the same spot as when she divorced. She’d have to find a job all over again. This was so stupid! She had a job. She had the dream job she always wanted, one with potential to advance. One with retirement and benefits and paid vacation and…and… And no Gabe. Tears welled before spilling free. Her breaths came in gasps but she was damned if she would cry. Why did it always come to this? The choice between a man and her dreams? God, she would have been better off living in a time when a man was the only dream she needed. She couldn’t do this. Not again. She knew herself well enough to know if there were any chance of a life with Gabe, she would walk away from anything and everything to make it work. She wasn’t ready to do that. And she wasn’t strong enough to put her foot down. Hell, she’d only come to realize a short time ago that she had choices again. She couldn’t give it up. Curling on her side, burying her face in her pillow, she let the tears come. The ache. The gut-tearing pain that came with walking away.

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When she could see again and speak without her voice catching, she picked up her phone and called the airline to change her flight.

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Chapter Six Gabe tumbled in the crashing wave, letting the ocean have the control it demanded. Holding his breath, he stayed relaxed and drifted until the wave settled, then kicked his way to the surface. He sucked in air, glanced back to see the progress of the next wave and paddled to catch it as the water swelled around him. This wave he rode in to shore, letting his body be his surfboard. When he got close to the beach, he stood and shook the water from his hair. His muscles were drained. He’d stayed out there bodysurfing probably longer than he should have, but the ocean was the best release he’d found since Maggie left. A month had passed since the man at the front desk stopped him on his way to pick her up for dinner after work. The clerk had handed him a note, which he read as he rode the elevator to Maggie’s floor. She was gone. The note wasn’t so much a Dear John letter as it was an update to a casual friend. Plans had changed, she was flying home sooner than expected. She thanked him for showing her around the island. And that was all. No “Let’s do it again soon”, no “I’ll call when I get home”. What the fuck was up with that? He knew she had feelings for him, probably the same thing he felt for her. He was pretty damned certain it was love. Not the promising crush of their youth that hinted at what might lie ahead. An easy, grown-up emotion that infiltrated his entire being with a need for having Maggie close. Her laughter. Her sighs when they watched late-night TV while curled up together in the afterglow of the totally insane, fucking-hot sex they shared. The gasp that escaped her when she saw something beautiful in nature.

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They had shared more than their bodies. So why had she packed up and taken the first flight back to Missouri? As he dried himself in the parking lot next to his car, he knew he would call her again when he got back to the house. She had yet to answer. He was having an affair with her voice mail. Not once did he question her actions. There was nothing accusatory in his tone, no weak begging either. “Hey, honey, I just got back from body surfing. The water is a bit cool still, and the air hasn’t warmed up enough to make the first brisk shock feel refreshing.” He wandered through his living room as he spoke into the wireless phone headset. Pausing at the window, he gazed at the mountains in the distance behind the house. “You should see the sky today. So blue, with a few puffy clouds over the mountains. It’s a perfect day for hiking. I might take that trail, the one we didn’t take, later this afternoon. Maybe watch the sunset from the crest.” Gabe drew in a deep breath and turned back to his empty room. “I hope the weather is warming for you. Have you been able to break ground on the garden you planned? I’d love to see pictures when the flowers start blooming. I won’t keep you any longer. Talk to you tomorrow.” He disconnected the call. Talk to was apt. He certainly wasn’t talking with her. Frustration gnawed at him once again. His battle with the waves had held it at bay only a short while. If he could talk to Maggie, he could find out what went wrong, why she ran scared. If it was too soon after her divorce, he could work with that. He could be a patient man, within reason. They had all the time in the world, the rest of their lives, to find out where their relationship was going, what lifestyle best suited their needs. But that would only happen if she talked to him.

*****

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Maggie pushed open the door to Mrs. Miller’s apartment after unlocking it for her. “Here you go. Now, let’s find your keys so you don’t get locked out again.” She followed the tiny woman into the main room of the small suite. Mrs. Miller was at that sad stage of life where her forgetfulness was increasing. Her children had hired a nurse to come by daily with her medications, to be sure they were taken correctly. Her close friend, Mrs. DeBerry, stopped by on her way to the common dining room for meals, to be sure Mrs. Miller would remember. Soon, though, the family would need to hire a full-time aide, or think about a more structured facility. The saddest part of Maggie’s job, in just the six weeks she had worked at the retirement community, was seeing the residents fade to the point of needing to move to a nursing home. Mrs. Miller found her purse on the counter in her kitchenette and pulled out her keys. “Here they are.” “Oh, good. Now, slip that little stretchy band on your wrist so you have them with you the next time you step out.” Maggie said goodbye and slipped out into the hallway, nodding to a passing couple. Seeing them walk arm-in-arm made her sigh. She’d heard they’d been married for more than fifty years. Even as their bodies wore down and their steps became shuffles, they moved in practiced synchronization. Without warning, tears welled and the lump returned in her throat. She took the stairs down to the main level and followed the hallways to the back entrance of her office. The last thing she needed was for someone to see her crying over something as stupid as seeing an old couple walk together. Divorce made her moods swing like crazy. Giddy one minute, tearful the next. Knowing she wouldn’t have fifty years beside her husband still made her ache. It was Ted she pictured herself walking the hallway with, wasn’t it? It had to be. She had given up dreams of happily-ever-after with Gabe years ago. Maybe in twentyfive years when she was ready to retire, she could look him up, see if he was still single. 66

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Then she’d be ready to sell her house, move to wherever he was, and spend their dotage together walking the beach, watching sunsets in the tropical warmth of an evening. In the meantime, she had to get the accounts payable processed. She shut out the image of Gabe’s face that slipped into her mental photo album on a regular basis each day. She turned up the radio to drown out the memory of his voice on the answering machine, her mind replaying his one-sided conversations when she least expected it. One day soon she’d have recovered from the pain of leaving him, and she could call and give him the apology she owed him. Tears threatened again, as she thought of how she’d treated him. You don’t deserve a man that perfect. You deserve to spend your dotage alone, and all the years between now and then. How could you sneak out when his back was turned, without even saying goodbye? She gulped down the last of her watered-down lukewarm iced tea, the ice having melted long ago. Blowing her nose, she sat up straight and opened the folder with the bills she needed to enter into the computer. She’d only processed the first three bills when the interoffice line on her phone lit up. She picked up the handset. “Hi, Kelly.” “Maggie, you have a visitor at the front desk.” “A visitor?” That was odd. The weekend before, she had filled in for the sales person on her Saturday off, and on occasion, a client would insist on seeing her once a decision had been made to move in. But she couldn’t recall anyone seeming close to making that step. “Yes, a man is here to see you.” Kelly’s voice dropped to just above a whisper. “He’s tall and hot. And he has flowers.”

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Dear God, was her ex here to beg for a renegotiation of their divorce settlement? “Look, if it’s Ted tell him I’m at lunch. Tell him to call my lawyer if he needs to talk to me.” “Maggie, you need to come out here. His complexion is a bit too…dark to be your ex, and if you were married to a man who looked like this, you were a fool to divorce him. Now, get out here!” Too dark? It had to be Gabe. But what was he doing here? How had he found out where she worked? Well, she had told him the name of the place and it didn’t take half a brain to get the address. Gabe was here. With flowers. To see her. When her mind stopped screaming like a teenage girl, she dug her purse out of the desk drawer and ran a brush through her hair. Gabe was here. She wished she had worn a suit with a jacket so she had pockets to shove her hands into, to keep him from seeing how badly she shook. What should she say? How could she ever apologize for leaving the way she did? Turning the corner to the entry, she steeled herself and put on a practiced smile. She could do this. He was just an ex-boyfriend. No, really, a vacation fling. That was all. Who was she kidding? Gabe glanced up as she approached, his face relaxing before breaking into that smile that melted her…everything, whenever she saw it. “What a surprise. It’s good to see you again.” She stopped a few feet from him, not trusting herself to get close enough to smell him. That would be the final assault needed to make her throw herself at him and beg him to take her back. “You’re as beautiful as ever. I see the sunburn has faded on your nose.” He wore a Hawaiian shirt and khakis, but he might as well be naked. His beautifully toned body filled out the fabric, practically bragging about his physique. His eyes had a humorous glint, not laughing at her but sharing a joke.

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Beside Maggie, Kelly subtly cleared her throat, bringing Maggie back to her surroundings. What should she say? Where could they go to talk? She couldn’t just take the afternoon off on the spur of the moment. Why was he here? “Ah, well, do you want to come back to my office?” “Actually, I was hoping we could go to lunch. I had a craving for a Kansas City steak and Maui was fresh out.” He held out the bouquet. “These are for you, by the way.” Accepting the bundle, Maggie buried her nose in the assortment of tropical blooms. “They’re beautiful. I guess I need to put them in water. Come. My office is back here.” She led the way, not giving him a chance to catch up with her. If he got too close she was likely to throw herself at him, wrap her legs around his waist and kiss him breathless. That probably wasn’t a wise move while still in her probationary period at her job. The staff offices were in a converted apartment that had a kitchen, where they kept snacks, leftover vases, dishes and glasses for whatever might arise. She opened cupboards until she found a pretty glass vase, and prepared the flowers for arrangement. The actions kept her hands busy, so he couldn’t see them shake, but she knew she needed to talk. “How was your flight?” So lame. “Uneventful. I was surprised by how warm it was here.” “Yes, we’re having an early start to summer. You’re lucky the humidity hasn’t hit yet.” She snipped the end off another bloom and placed it in the vase. “Did you fly into St. Louis or Kansas City?” “St. Louis.” “That’s such a beautiful drive, isn’t it? St. Louis to Joplin?” God, she might as well be talking with a resident’s family. Why did she become brain-dead just because Gabe was in her community?

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He cared enough to fly out here to talk. Shit, why didn’t she realize he cared that much? How did she get so fucked up where men were concerned? “Maggie, I’m not going to make a scene. You don’t need to put up a front. We don’t have to talk about anything important until tonight. I won’t embarrass you.” Damn, he was too perfect. Why hadn’t some woman snapped him up? She thought only losers like her were still single, or single again, at their age. Why couldn’t he be an ass, so she could walk away and not look back? Placing the last bit of greenery in the arrangement, she took a deep breath. She glanced over her shoulder to see him leaning back against the counter. As always, his essence filled the small space. “Thank you. I’m still fighting inner doubts that I have what it takes to do this job. I mean, I know I can do it but those insecurities are hard to kill off.” His expression softened. Something in his eyes tugged at her. “Just be yourself. They will love you. They can’t not love you.” She was going to cry. Fool. Every emotion she’d buried since boarding the plane for her flight home gurgled up in her gut like sour milk. She couldn’t do this. Why did he have to show up at her work? Why couldn’t he appear on her doorstep Saturday morning, when she had an entire weekend to resolve her feelings? “Are you free to go to lunch now? If not, I’ll wander around, maybe see if the salesperson has time to give me a tour. This place is a lot bigger than I expected.” Maggie glanced at her watch. “Let me just tell my boss I’m heading out. I only have an hour, so steak is probably out, but there are some decent places nearby.” Kelly must have leaned on the inside phone lines and spread the gossip about Maggie’s visitor, because Teresa, the general manager of the facility, smiled knowingly when Maggie entered her office. She even suggested Maggie could take a bit longer for lunch, given her out-of-town visitor.

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Gabe kept the conversation casual as they ate, mostly asking questions about the places he needed to see while he was there. He’d gotten a hotel room, completely removing any pressure on her. When he dropped her off again with a brief kiss and a promise of dinner, she wanted to scream. Why couldn’t he be obnoxious so she could blow him off and get on with her life? She stopped at the front desk to pick up her messages, thumbing through slips while Kelly finished her phone call. The younger woman turned to her with an eager gleam in her eyes. “So, how was lunch?” “Fine,” she answered, not looking up. Kelly sniffed, apparently disappointed at the response. When Maggie glanced up again, she saw the receptionist’s smile had disappeared. “What’s wrong?” Maggie asked. “It’s Opal. She’s fading.” The words hit Maggie hard. In the short time she’d known the woman, Opal had become like a grandmother to her. At ninety-three, her body had reached its expiration date and the family had come to sit with her and wait. “I should say my goodbyes, I guess.” “We all are. I don’t even know if she’s ‘there’ enough to hear us, but I promise it’ll make you feel better.” Maggie flapped the message slips against the base of one thumb while she stared into the bright sunshine pouring through the glass entry doors. This was the part of the job she had dreaded. But she knew she had to expect to be in this situation many times in the future. “I’ll go up later this afternoon.”

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Focusing on the bills was difficult with everything going on in her head. Logic and emotion battled over the situation with Gabe. Those emotions left her reserves strained, and she wanted to cry over the impending loss of her friend, Opal. None of the mental preparation she had done when she took the position was helping now that it was time to put her strength to the test. Death from old age was a natural stage of life. Maggie wasn’t in a position to try to lengthen the lives of the residents. She wasn’t a doctor or nurse, and certainly wasn’t God. What she could do, and the reason she had taken the job, was make those final years, months, days as comfortable as possible. Allow the residents to feel as much control over their later years as possible. And now she had to put that to the test. Say goodbye and wish Opal well on the next stage of her journey. Maggie put it off until the final hour of her workday, then rode the elevator up to Opal’s room. Walking the long hallway, she was struck once again by the silence. No TVs blaring, no one hollering to friends down the hall. Just a dignified quiet. She knocked on Opal’s door and waited, her master key in hand just in case. The woman’s daughter opened the door and invited her in. “You have great timing. I wanted to step out and take a walk but didn’t want to leave her.” “Oh, please do,” Maggie said. “I’ll stay until you get back.” When the woman left, Maggie walked softly into the bedroom where Opal lay propped on pillows under a pink and white quilt. The furniture in the room spoke of quality and gentle use. She slipped into the small upholstered chair beside the head of the bed and reached for Opal’s hand. The older woman’s fingers were cool. Maggie sandwiched them between her palms and listened to the raspy breaths of the woman as she slept.

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Opal’s eyes blinked open but no other part of her body moved until she smiled. “Maggie, my dear.” “Hello, Opal.” “I’m glad you are here.” She drew in a deep breath as she studied Maggie before speaking again slowly. “You’re in love… You never told me.” Wherever did she get that idea? Was it just the love for Opal that she could see? “I’m not sure who you mean. I love many people.” “But you are only in love with one.” She drew another ragged breath. “Don’t keep it hidden. Love is all that matters. Live with your heart. Life is too precious for anything else.”

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Chapter Seven Maggie kept the tears at bay until she left Opal’s apartment. She took the stairwell down. If her emotions continued to play havoc, she was going to be in excellent shape. Her figure would be, anyway. Her heart was a mess and no amount of hiding from everyone was going to solve it. Was she in love with Gabe? She knew the answer to that. It wasn’t even worth the effort to deny it to herself. But love alone wasn’t enough. And he would be waiting to take her to dinner shortly, if he wasn’t already downstairs. Somehow she had to find the words to tell him why she couldn’t be involved with him. If only he lived closer. She ducked into the small bathroom in the office suite to repair her face before gathering her belongings and looking for Gabe. Her mascara lay smudged below her lashes like heavy goth eyeliner. Concealer brightened the lower lid but had faded from the dark circles. The effect was more zebra than professional worker. Her cheeks screamed for blusher and her lips were equally pale. Yes, Gabe had seen her with less makeup on, but now she needed to mask the lack of sleep and heavy heart that he could use in his favor. Strong. She needed to remain strong. She could do this. Gabe had Kelly laughing at the front desk, and a few of the restaurant workers who’d clocked out stood smiling on the edge of the conversation. Everywhere the man went, he charmed people. He glanced back when the others looked at Maggie coming up behind him. His eyes lit mere seconds before he smiled. Butterflies stirred in her stomach as she forced a big smile. Her fellow employees didn’t need to know anything was amiss.

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There’d be no hiding it from Gabe, though. He saw straight through to her soul. When the automatic doors closed behind them as they stepped outside, Maggie said, “Do you mind if we eat in? It’s been a roller-coaster day for me. I can’t offer steak, but I’m sure I’ll have something palatable we can cook.” We. Now she was doing it, acting as if they were a long-distance couple, not an incredibly sexy man and the loser he’d fallen for. A frown brushed over his brow, vanishing quickly. “That sounds fine.” “You can follow me. It’s a bit of a drive, but I take the back roads so it goes quickly.” Quickly was a relative term when she was trapped in her car with her doubts and feelings of guilt. Please let me do the right thing, whatever it is, she prayed. When she parked in front of her garage and Gabe pulled his rental car beside hers, she gripped the steering wheel and repeated her prayer. Gabe came around and opened her car door. “This is a nice little place. It has character. It suits you.” Her smile was completely real. “I thought so. Picket fence, roses below the front windows. When it’s warm out, I can open the window in the living room and fill the room with their fragrance.” Tension slipped away slowly as she led him up the walk and unlocked her door. Something in his words validated her choice in buying the house. He wasn’t a threat to her self-confidence, other than the fact she had chosen to walk away. She turned on some lamps in the living room and powered up the CD changer, filling the room with relaxing music. After dropping her purse on a chair, she asked, “Would you like to see the place?” “Yes, I would.”

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The Craftsman-style bungalow had only four rooms on the main level and two upstairs, so the tour took almost no time at all. As they came back downstairs, she continued into the kitchen. “Pull up a stool and I’ll see what I can whip up.” Gabe sat at the counter. “Don’t make it hard on yourself. We can easily still get a table somewhere if you prefer.” Smiling, she shook her head as she set down some frozen chicken breasts. “I don’t think I could keep smiling through an entire meal in a room full of people.” He got right to the point. “Are you uncomfortable with me being here?” “No! No, that’s not it. I mean, I know I owe you an explanation, and that has my brain going places I don’t like to travel, but it’s not the problem tonight.” She scrubbed a pair of large potatoes a bit harder than necessary, but stopped before scrubbing off their skins. “A favorite resident is dying.” There. She’d said it, and her voice hadn’t cracked. “I’m sorry. That must make your job difficult.” “Actually, no. Those people are independent for the most part, not like at a nursing home. Some of them might live another ten years. It doesn’t make me sad, really, that they die. It’s saying goodbye that’s hard. Knowing I won’t see them in the dining room anymore or exchange a few words as they go out on day trips or shopping.” She set the chicken breasts in the microwave to defrost. “I guess I’m feeling sorry for myself that my life will go on without them. Luckily I haven’t been there long enough to make many friends among the residents.” “What a great way to work, though. Visiting your friends every day.” “I know. It’s the best.” Maggie slid a plate of carrot and celery sticks across the counter to him. “I can see in your face how happy you are now. Even more than in Maui.” Another chunk of weight lifted off her shoulders. His acknowledgement that the job was good for her meant one less battle she had to fight.

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Or did she have to fight at all? She hadn’t asked him why he came. Maybe he did not intend to continue their relationship. God, was her ego making assumptions that were far removed from reality? They kept the conversation casual as she cooked, and on into the meal. Two friends catching up on life. Doubt crept into the outskirts of her thoughts. Disappointment followed. The idea that he might be over her crossed her mind and she wanted to crawl under her chair. She set down her fork, suddenly losing her appetite. She waited until he finished speaking, then gathered her nerve. “Gabe, why are you here?” He tipped his head and took a drink from his wineglass, his eyes never leaving her. “I had some business in the area—” “Business?” Dabbing his mouth with his napkin, he sat back in his chair. “Yes. I was going to tell you about it after we ate. Maybe this weekend we can take a road trip and I’ll show you what I’ve been up to.” Her shoulders slumped. He was over her. What an idiot she was, to imagine he wanted more than a vacation fling while she’d been in Maui. Heat rose up her chest and neck, a combination of anger and embarrassment. Was he planning on another fling now? He appeared to study her and she wondered if her thoughts were written on her face. She closed her eyes as she brought her wineglass to her lips. She couldn’t let him see the realization of how much she wanted him to want her. “And there is the matter between us…” His chair scraped the wood floor. Setting down her glass, she watched him rise. “Can we go sit in the other room?” “Of course, let me put the dishes—” “I’ll help you with them later. Come.” He offered her his hand.

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Leaving her plate where it sat, Maggie took his hand and followed him to the couch. The music still played softly in the background. It had grown dark outside, and she wanted to close the blinds but knew it was just another excuse not to talk. Gabe let go of her hand as they sat, turning slightly to lean into the corner of the couch. He waited until she stopped fidgeting before he spoke. “What happened in Maui?” She swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. Did she even have the words to explain what went through her mind in her hotel room that morning? She knew he would let her ramble until she found her way. “I panicked, I guess.” When she didn’t continue, he repeated the word. “Panicked.” “Yeah. That’s the only way I can explain it.” Knowing how inadequate the word was, she took a deep breath and plowed forward. “I began thinking about us. About how things were growing between us. Feelings. How perfectly we fit together.” She wished she had brought her wineglass or some water. She licked her lips and searched her mind for a road sign to guide her. Finding none, she rambled on. “It was almost too good to be true.” “So you left because it couldn’t really be that perfect?” “No, I didn’t doubt what was between us.” A smile spread her lips and she became almost shy as she looked at him. “I know myself enough to recognize that. My thoughts started running away with me and I looked at the reality around us. The four thousand miles between us.” He nodded, his expression bland. Maggie shifted on the couch, slipping her shoes off and curling her legs beside her. “I know long-distance relationships can work for some people, but I know myself. I know I’d want more.” “Okay. So why didn’t you wait until I got home and talk to me about it? We hadn’t discussed the future at all. What made you panic?”

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Against her will, her eyes welled and she blinked to clear them. “I told you about my divorce. My marriage. What my life was like.” “And you thought I’d begin to treat you the way that bastard did?” Tears broke free and she wiped at her cheeks with the back of her hands. “I don’t know. I wasn’t thinking right. It hasn’t been long enough. I was afraid I’d become the old me out of habit. I’d give up my job, my house, whether you asked me to or not. Then if we didn’t work out, I’d be the one who’d have to move away. And I couldn’t do it. I had to come back where I was safe. Before I lost myself again.” Gabe closed the space between them and took her into his arms. He petted her head as she cried and cried against his shoulder, drenching his shirt. He’d wondered if her marriage had anything to do with her sudden departure. She hadn’t been divorced very long when they ran into each other. Of course she needed time. That was one reason he hadn’t pushed the conversation toward the future. He kept them in the present, one day at a time. He’d hoped to wait until her last day in Kaanapali before broaching the subject of after her vacation. As much as he understood why she overreacted, the pain she’d caused him still stung. She hadn’t given him the chance to tell her he cared. She’d lumped him in with her ex and assumed what Gabe expected from her. Her tears tugged at him almost as badly. They brought out the old guilt. If he hadn’t lost her number, their lives might have been so different. They might have married after college. Had kids. She wouldn’t have met the bastard who recently traded her in on a newer model. But his what-ifs were as futile as her assumptions. Her gasps quieted and her breathing evened out. He pushed her hair behind one ear. “Where can I find tissues?” “On that table,” she said, pointing.

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Easing her away from him, he collected the box and set it down on the coffee table, then went to the kitchen for their wineglasses. After topping off their drinks, he set the bottle down beside the tissue box. Maggie drank some after blowing her nose, then sat back, still not looking at him. He waited, and when he decided she’d said her piece, he spoke. “I’m not going to jump on you for not waiting around to talk to me about your fears. That wouldn’t do either of us any good. You’d get defensive and I’d get cocky and we’d quit listening to each other.” He plucked at a lock of her hair, stretching the curl. “If you aren’t working on Saturday, I’d like for us to go to Table Rock Lake and look at a building there.” She frowned. “A building?” “Yes. It’s on the water’s edge. There used to be a boat rental business there, before the economy sank. The price is good. I’m thinking it’s time to add to the number of my shops.” Her eyes widened but appeared unfocused, like the words weren’t sinking in. “I never talked about business while you were in Kaanapali, did I? The shop at the resort there is my second. I started in Waialua with surfboards and branched out in snorkeling, adding even bigger equipment as the business grew. “I can open shops anywhere people take to the water. There are a few lakes here in Missouri that are popular with the Jet Ski crowd. I can rent fishing boats. Lake of the Ozarks has water skiing and wakeboarding. Maybe I’ll even organize some tubing trips.” He let her digest what he said, watching the light return to her eyes. Her lips twitched, her tongue tracing over them, and then she smiled. “It’s called floating.” “What is?” “Tubing. If you’re going to attract the locals, you need to learn to speak like them.”

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The urge to kiss her distracted him for a moment, but he pushed it back, fighting to remain serious. He took her hand and stroked her fingers. “Look, I can’t promise where we’ll end up, Maggie. But I know where I’d like us to be. And I want to give us that chance.” She met his eyes but didn’t speak. “Opening a business in Missouri could be a great investment, whether you and I work out or not.” She drew in a shuddering breath and he feared she would spring a leak again. He reached for the box of tissues and she pushed them away with a laugh. “I’m okay now. I think. I don’t believe I could cry if I wanted to. I’m dried up.” As if reminded by her words, she took a drink before continuing. “I am more sorry than I can say that I didn’t talk to you in Maui. Part of me wants to say I don’t deserve a second, or third, chance.” He opened his mouth, but this time she stopped him. “But I won’t say it. I make you this promise, Gabriel Brashiers. I will try with all my heart to keep my insecurities from coming between us ever again. They are still a part of me, and I don’t know how long it will take me to get back to where I was before I married. But I’ll beat down any thoughts that doubt you.” Leaning down, he planted a gentle kiss on her jaw, her cheek. She turned toward him, making the next one land on her lips. He moaned, sucking her lower lip between his, pressing his tongue deep into her mouth. He tasted the sweetness of the wine, and it mixed with the faint, floral scent of her perfume, increasing his hunger for her. But he was afraid to rush her. He drew back, kissing a trail across her other cheek. He spoke between kisses. “One favor. Don’t…call…me…Gabriel.” He grinned down at her. “Grandmom usually had a wooden spoon in her hand when she called me that, and I knew I was going to get a whoopin’.” She laughed. “You’re kidding.”

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“Yeah, about the wooden spoon. But not about the tone of voice when she called me that.” Maggie nipped the tip of his nose, all traces of her tears gone. “Well, I know what to call you when I’m upset with you.” “I’ll just have to make sure never to upset you.” “I don’t see how you could.” The pad of her thumb brushed against the shadowy whiskers on his jawline. “I want to make this work.” “So do I.” “I think I never stopped loving you, deep down.” He smiled and teased her with a brief kiss. “Whatever I felt for you, it never faded. We’ve got plenty of time to put a name to it. I want you to come to me whole. Unafraid.” When he caught her lips this time, all teasing vanished, replaced by pure heat. Six weeks’ worth of need unfulfilled. Six weeks’ worth of fear she was lost to him. As their tongues danced in each other’s mouths, her hands grasped at the back of his shirt. He ran his palm up her arm, caressing her shoulder through the silkiness of her blouse. Gently, he pressed her back against a throw pillow on the end of the couch, never breaking contact with her lips. He tugged her blouse free from her skirt, only to discover a slip between him and her skin. Undaunted, he stroked her back, then down her hip to cup her ass. Maggie’s hips rocked toward him. Finding the hem of her skirt, he slid beneath it, gliding over her pantyhose. She wore way too many clothes. “Can we go someplace more comfortable?” he asked, sitting up. She pushed her curls back over her shoulder and rolled to her feet, offering him her hand. “I know just the place.” Watching her hips sway as she climbed the stairs in front of him proved too much temptation. He unbuttoned her skirt and slid down the zipper, holding the garment to

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let her step out without falling. “I have to admit, I prefer the way you dressed in Hawaii. So few undergarments.” “Wait ‘til the weekend.” She gave him a teasing glance over her shoulder. The change in her was miraculous. Even more than she’d been in Maui, she seemed her old self. Confident. Flirty. This was the woman he’d loved so long ago. He vowed to do whatever he could to keep her feeling that way. Maggie flipped on the lamp, reached for her slip and tossed it into a chair. She turned to face Gabe, keeping her gaze on him as she took off her bra and slid her pantyhose and panties down her legs. She stepped out of them, pushed her hair back from her face with a saucy toss and moved toward him. “Now who’s overdressed?” “That’s easy enough to fix.” He stripped quickly, easing his briefs over his hardened cock. It throbbed as if he hadn’t had sex in years. “Any other requests?” As much as he wanted to let her lead, he couldn’t hold back. The relief of knowing she was giving them a chance at a future overwhelmed his control. With one arm behind her back and the other under her legs, he lifted her, dropping her onto the fluffy comforter. “I need you too badly to go slow,” he warned. The smile she gave him, slow, sultry, her eyelids dropping halfway, went straight to his balls. This was his woman. She opened her legs to him and reached out an arm. He knelt down, carrying his weight on one arm as he plucked at her pink nipple. Normally he could spend half the night playing with her breasts, feeling her nubs swell, listening to the catch of her breath. But tonight he needed to be inside her. Part of her. He reached lower, running fingertips over the pooch of her belly, heading straight for those curls. He spread her, tested her wetness. Pushed a finger inside. Crying out her need, Maggie flexed beneath him, rising to allow him deeper. He stroked in and out. “You need this as badly as I do.”

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“God, Gabe. Fuck me, please. Now.” Shifting his weight, he let his cock dive into the hot sheath it craved. His groan vibrated through him. It took all his willpower to move slowly enough to let her catch up with him. He suckled one breast, then the other as he let the tension build. Maggie’s head tipped back, baring the pale skin of her throat. He licked the sensitive spot on the base of her neck. At her moan, he nipped her earlobe. Her mouth opened with a cry that made his cock swell even more. He found her clit with his thumb, toying with it as he drove deep within her. His speed increased as he could no longer hold back. “Oh baby, you feel so damn good.” “I’m so close.” Rocking to meet him, her hips kept up the pace, as did her cries. Then her muscles contracted around him and she arched and froze. He let go and filled her, deep grunts escaping him as he pumped harder. The ecstasy of release rippled through him and at last, he stopped. Resting on his elbows, he hovered above her trying to catch his breath. He feared he was dripping sweat on her but he couldn’t move. She lay still, also panting. A good sign. When his muscles finally relaxed, he pulled out and lay beside her. And it hit him. “Oh fuck. I’m sorry, honey.” “What? It was beautiful.” She ran a finger down his chest. “I forgot about condoms.” “Oh.” He couldn’t read anything into the short syllable. “It was thoughtless of me.” “I should have realized it too. But I didn’t. I was too wrapped up in you.”

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He wiped sweat off his brow with the back of his hand. “I promise to be more careful.” She bit her lower lip, then looked up at him. “We could just get tested. Then we wouldn’t have to worry about it. I’m on the Pill.” Grabbing her around the waist, he pulled her closer. “Let’s worry about it later. You’re about to get wrapped up again.” Putting the entire depth of his emotion for her into his kiss, he proceeded to give her the first of what he hoped would be countless demonstrations of his love.

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About the Author Ari Thatcher is a native Los Angelean who is avidly approaching her cougar years. When she’s not hunting her next prey, she can be found writing down her fantasies. She hopes her readers gain as much…satisfaction…from them as she does.

The author welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

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Also by Ari Thatcher Death by Sex Ellora’s Cavemen: Flavors of Ecstasy II anthology Honey Kyle’s Redemption

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