Don't Tempt Me (30 page)

"Diving with Carl's team."

"Oh, really?" He raised his brows. "I'd like to hear about that."

"First, tell me your news. I understand congratulations are in order."

"Mmm, they certainly are." He smiled, thinking about the night before.

"Come on, you two," Rory called from the bar area as she took a wiggling Lauren from Chance. "You can play kissy-face later. We want to hear what the TV people said."

Adrian gave Jackie a long-suffering look. "Little sisters are such a pain at times."

"Well, I want to hear the news, too," she said.

"Okay." He stood and set Jackie on her feet but kept an arm about her waist as they joined the others. "What do y'all think of
Breakfast with Adrian
?"

Rory scrunched her nose, considering it. "Not exciting, but not bad."

"I like it," Alli said. "It's kind of sexy. You know, the whole implication of breakfast after a night in bed."

Laughing, Scott pulled her to him. "You have such a naughty mind."

"Just don't tell anyone." Alli gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "You'll ruin my reputation as a good girl."

"Chance?" Adrian asked. "What do you think?"

"The breakfast part is a good plug for the inn," Chance said.

They all turned to Scott for his reaction.

"Don't look at me." Scott held up a hand. "I stink at titles. Give me a four-hundred-page novel to write any day."

"What about you?" Adrian turned to Jackie.

She glanced around, clearly startled to even be asked. "I, um, I agree with Allison. It has a certain implication women viewers are bound to like. Although" ---she frowned at him ---"what's this about moving to L.A.?"

He exhaled in a rush, as excitement and doubt battled it out in his stomach. "Eva says it wouldn't have to be year-round, but they want to shoot the show on a sound stage before a live audience."

"Nooo," Rory protested. "They should film it here."

"I agree." He looked at the faces around him and tried to imagine not seeing his family every day. And what about Jackie? That was the big question. How would he continue seeing her if he moved to California? "I'm pushing for here, but she sounds pretty set on L.A."

"But what about the inn?" Rory asked. "The whole reason we started it was so we could stay together."

"Rory ..." Allison frowned at her. "We can manage without Adrian if we have to. We'd miss him, yes, but we'd manage."

"I know, but L.A.? That's so far." Rory turned to him with that sad, blue-eyed look that always went straight to his heart. "Unless you want to go."

"I don't know what I want. I've never thought about moving away."
Well, not consciously since high school.
He had been feeling restless for months, though, so maybe subconsciously he'd been searching for something just like this. He tried to catch Jackie's eye for some reassurance that this wouldn't end things between them before they'd even begun, but she'd found a new obsession with picking crumbs off the bar. "One way or the other, I need to go out there for a while. They want me to appear as a guest chef on a few other cooking shows to build name recognition."

"When will that be?" Alli asked, carrying food to the table.

"As soon as they can arrange it." He caught another distressed look from Rory and hid his excitement. "I'll try to keep the trip as short as possible."

As everyone headed for their seats around the table, Jackie started toward her usual chair opposite Adrian, but he grabbed her hand and steered her to the chair next to his. With a start, she realized Rory had already moved the high chair down, which shifted Chance to the foot of the table. Had they discussed this while she was diving, or had Rory just done it automatically?

Feeling conspicuous, she took her new seat. The conversation continued around her but she could barely concentrate.
Was Adrian really thinking about moving?

Yes
, she realized, listening to the subtle tension in his voice, the slight strain to his laugh. He wanted to go, but he felt guilty about it.

She wanted to encourage him, even as she wondered:
Why now?
Why did this have to happen right when she thought she had a chance at a real relationship with the most wonderful man she'd ever met? That alone had frightened her, but now this?

When the meal ended, Rory fetched the bottle of champagne from the refrigerator and Alli set a chocolate cake adorned with fresh strawberries in the middle of the table.

"Here, Chance." Rory handed him the bottle. "You always do this so well."

Seconds later, the cork popped toward the ceiling. Lauren clapped as her daddy started filling champagne flutes. "Sorry, peanut," he said. "None for you. Who wants to make the toast?"

"Actually, I'd like to," Scott said. "If y'all don't mind."

"Of course we don't," Rory assured him.

"Okay." Scott rose and frowned at the bubbles rising in his glass as he collected his thoughts. "I want to say I'm happy for Adrian's news and for how well things are going for the inn. With success comes change, though, and new challenges. Whatever the future brings, I hope the three of you will remember the things in life that matter most, and that's what you have in this room: each other." He reached down and took Allison's hand. "So I'd like to propose a toast to prosperity, happiness, but most of all to family. And to say thank you for letting me be part of this one."

"Hear, hear!" Chance touched his glass to Scott's. "I couldn't have said it better."

"Oh, Scott." Alli stood to hug him. "You've gone and made me all teary."

"Well, there's a mean feat," he teased her.

Jackie turned to Adrian in time to see guilt flash in his eyes before his gaze dropped to the table. Scott couldn't have hit the target better if Adrian had drawn a bull's-eye over his heart.

"To family," Rory said, raising her glass.

"To family," Adrian echoed.

Jackie drank with the others out of politeness, then glanced at her watch. If she didn't get out of there quickly, she'd say something she'd regret, like telling all of them to give the man a break. Did he have to live his entire life for them? "I hate to dash off like this, but I have a ship to sail."

"Hold up, I'll walk you." His expression told her he needed to get out of there as badly as she did. "The rest of you carry on," he said over his shoulder. "I'll be back in a minute."

"Take your time," Rory called.

Jackie debated what to say as they ascended the stairs. Neither of them spoke until they reached the veranda. For once, the area was free of guests.

"Finally, a moment alone." Adrian pulled her to a stop. "I wish you weren't leaving. I hate the thought of not seeing you for another month."

"Sounds like you'll be too busy to notice I'm gone."

"I'll notice." He tugged her closer to him and wrapped his arms around her.

She rested her head against his chest and soaked in the simple pleasure of being held.

"I'll miss you," he said with his chin on top of her head.

Her heart sped up at his words, and a desperate urge filled her to send Ti sailing off without her and ask Adrian not to go to L.A. But such rash behavior held no regard for what was best long term. Closing her eyes, she tried to think of his future, if not her own.

"Adrian, look ..." She leaned back enough to see his face. "About Scott's toast, don't let that get to you. Yes, family is important, and I envy you your relationship with your sisters more than I can say, but this is one time when I don't think you should put them first. You did that before when you had a chance to follow your dream. You chose to stay home for them. Now life is handing you a second chance. This time, do what's right for you. You deserve this."

His arms loosened. "Are you saying you want me to move to L.A.?"

"The question is, do you want to move?"

"I don't know." He stepped to the railing and leaned back against it. "This is happening so fast, I haven't had time to think."

"Well, you don't have to look so gloomy about it." She thought of how he always teased her into a lighter mood, and decided to try and do the same for him. She summoned a playful smile. "What happened to the guy who thinks life should be fun?"

He lifted a brow. "I like fun."

"I know you do." Her cheeks heated with memories of their night in his bed.

He hooked a finger in the waistband of her jeans. "What did you have in mind?"

"Only that you should go out to California, do the guest shots, have a good time, and see how you like it."

"On one condition." His eyes danced with sexy mischief. "I get to give you another cooking lesson when I get back. At my house this time. With the doors locked."

"Maybe." A thrill went through her at the thought.

"Or better yet ..." He gave her jeans another tug and she fell against him. "Go with me."

"I can't do that." She laughed in surprise, her hands against his chest. "I have ---"

"I know. The ship." He looped his arms about her hips. "Go with me anyway. It's only for three weeks. We'll explore whole new ways of how to have fun."

Meeting his lively blue gaze, she wanted more than anything to say yes, to lean forward and kiss him and agree to follow him anywhere. But how could she jeopardize eight years of hard work that were just beginning to pay off for three weeks of fun? She couldn't afford that much time off!"Adrian," she sighed, cupping his face in one palm. "This is your chance, not mine. Only you can decide what's right for you."

"I know, it's just ..."

"What?"

"Why did it have to happen now?"

"What's wrong with now?"

"You! Us! Last night!" He rubbed his hands up and down her back. "You finally tell me you're willing to give us a chance, then this comes along."

She moved her thumb over his lips to stop his words. "Do not let me stand in your way. Please."

"Well, I like that," he grumbled.

"Would you rather I beg you to stay?"

"I don't know." Confusion knitted his brow. "I don't know what I want. I just feel ... trapped all the sudden."

"Well, then." Trying to keep her own confusion out of it, she draped her arms over his shoulders. "I say you have some thinking to do."

He widened his stance and settled her between his thighs. "If I move, what are the chances you'll come with me?"

Her heart lurched. "Don't you think it's a bit too early in this relationship for us to talk about major moves like this?"

"I'm just asking. They have ports in California, you know."

She leaned away from him, incredulous. "Do you have any idea what a huge deal it would be to move my business to California?"

"I hate this."

"I'm sorry."
I do, too.
She hugged him. "Just think it through, and do what's best for you. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Right now, though, I really have to go."

"Wait." His mouth came down on hers with a swiftness that caught her off guard. All the longing she'd held in check welled up inside her and she tightened her arms around his neck. The kiss turned ravenous as his hands cupped her bottom, squeezing and pulling her hard against him. Feeling his arousal against her belly made her ache with needs that went beyond physical desire. Moaning, she gave herself over, letting him sample and play with her lips and tongue. Heavens, the man could kiss her into oblivion. Her control slipped further, and she wanted to cling to him with all her strength and beg him to stay.

Frightened by the thought, she broke away. "I have to go"

"I'll call you," he said.

Nodding, she hurried down the stairs and headed for the ship without looking back.

Ti met her on the bridge and a few minutes later they were pulling away from the pier. When she looked back up at the inn, she saw Adrian still standing on the veranda, watching her. The ache inside her increased as she wondered what would become of them.

Chapter 22

Adrian talked to Jackie over the phone every day for the next month, but the day before he would actually see her again in person, his world went from exciting to insane. The scheduled guest of a live cooking show had come down with strep throat. Eva Phillips called Adrian and asked how fast he could get on a plane. As soon as he hung up, he tried to call Jackie, but her ship was already en route and he couldn't reach her on her mobile phone.

When Allison dropped him off at the airport in Houston, he told her that when Jackie arrived, she should tell her he'd call the first chance he got.

The minute his plane touched down, though, a driver picked him up at the airport and took him straight to the studio. Before he could blink, he found himself on the set for
Cooking with Susan
, with a live audience and a brigade of TV cameras pointed at him. The host was petite, blond, personable, and a seasoned vet of live TV. Standing beneath the glaring lights talking to her about hollandaise sauce had a slightly surreal aspect at first, but he quickly warmed to being on stage.