Love Me Forever (3 page)

Locking the door behind him, she sighed and headed for the bathroom. A long, cool shower was in order.

~*~

The next morning, Jen listened to the purr of the tour boat’s motor as she inhaled the fresh scent of the ocean, letting the breeze toss her hair. She bent over the rail and watched the water breaking on the side of the boat. A handsome, tanned
,
blond young man leaned on the rail beside her, and Jen spoke to him. “Do you think we’ll see any dolphins?”

“From what they said at the hotel, they almost always do see them. 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. 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. She wondered why his partner wasn’t there at the rail with him.

Speaking of too good-looking, she wished Matt had called that morning. She sighed and braced her forearms on the rail. Six months ago when she’d planned this trip, Matt had been the farthest thing from her mind. Now, just two days after she arrived, he was in her every thought.

She sounded like a desperate, lonely woman, so afraid of moving on, of being alone, that she clung to a one-night stand as her only chance of finding love again. Having sex again.

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 so she could clear her head, once and for all. He gave mixed signals. Passionate looks, sensual touches, and his eyes… The promise she saw in their chocolaty depths made her insides quiver. Yet when she’d invited him in her room last night, he’d turned and run.

If he was interested in her at all, even for a vacation fling, he’d have taken her offer, wouldn’t he?
 

She realized the man beside her had spoken, and she focused her attention his way. “I’m sorry, I missed that.”

“I said, I’m Ben, and my partner is Adam.”

“I’m Jen, nice to meet you. Adam decided not to join you today?”

“He got too much sun yesterday and was feeling sick. He didn’t want to add the rolling ocean to his distress.”

“Well, I hope Adam doesn’t spend the rest of your trip in bed.” Hearing her words, and the possible implication they spent a lot of time in bed, she groaned inwardly and bit her lip
.

“He should be better later tonight or tomorrow. He fell asleep in the sun yesterday
.
” If he caught her double meaning, he didn’t show it. Ben turned at the sound of laughter from the bow before he continued. “We’re taking a walking tour of Lahaina tomorrow. You’re welcome to join us.”

She instinctively knew she could enjoy their company without feeling like a third wheel. “That might be fun. Thanks.” Accepting the invitation was freeing
.
She was back to her original plans and expectations for her vacation. She hoped she’d be able to put aside thoughts of Matt and when she’d see him next
.

“I’m going to get a drink. What can I bring you?” Ben asked.

“Water would be great, thanks.”

As soon as he left, her thoughts once again returned to her summer with Matt. 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.

Her eyes closed as she drifted back to that night when they’d finally connected. He’d led her 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 Matt seem to notice. 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.

Matt’s voice spoke in her ear, sending chills down her spine. “I love the way the wind lifts your hair.”

She smiled, wrapping her arms around herself to keep the memory close. Then realization her, jarring her back to the present. There’d been no breeze in the grove that night.

“I’m glad you still wear it long.”

Jen jumped away from the voice, turning to find Matt standing just behind her shoulder. “God, you startled me.”

Leaning back, she studied the mirrored sunglasses covering his eyes. If she wasn’t so happy to see him, she might be concerned about what he was hiding behind those dark lenses. She couldn’t stop the excited grin that echoed the happiness inside her. “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 ask Matt how he knew the doorman’s name, 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 felt Matt’s arms wrap around her from behind, 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.

Maybe it was as simple as he said, wanting the time to be right
.

When Ben discovered that Matt lived on the island, he asked for recommendations about the best places to go snorkeling. The men discovered common interests and Jen was soon on the outside of the conversation
.

She’d often felt that way around Matt. 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 comfortable aura surrounding her, she let herself daydream. 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 Matt, if you didn’t count the thirty or so people elsewhere on the boat. When the realization struck, she twisted in Matt’s arms to look up at him. “I was really surprised to see you.”

His eyebrows drew together. “Should I not have come?”

“No, that’s not what I’m saying. I’m not used to having someone want to spend time with me that badly
.
”

~*~

Matt tightened his arms around her waist, loving the feel of her body against his. “I wish we’d run into each other years ago. Hell, if I only had carried my duffle bag with me…”

“I don’t follow. What duffle bag?”

“I put your number in my duffle 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.”

He could see the bags sitting against the wall like it’d happened yesterday. “Someone took my 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 most importantly, 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 looked you up on the Internet, even called a few of the numbers I found listed. Did you know there are dozens of Jennifer Pearsons in the United States, and at least half a dozen of them live in Missouri? 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. My cell was in her name, then my husband’s. 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 Jen 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.

It hadn’t worked. All he’d been able to do was put her on a back burner.

Jen offered him a wry smile. “And life went on, right?”

His voice came out a bit gravelly. “Yeah, and brought us back together.”

“I was just thinking something similar.” She sighed. “Do you think anything would have happened between us if we’d kept in contact?”

“Would have? The connection 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? After I threw myself at you that night? Hell, I did the same thing last night and you blew me off. I must look like a slut. Or horribly pathetic.”

He curled a finger around the lock of hair blowing across her face, slowly drawing it through his hand. Soft, just like her skin. “Is that what you thought? Shit, I should have taken what you were offering.”

Clasping her shoulders, he bent his head down and kissed her. Gently, almost 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. Jen’s arms caught the back of his head and held tightly as he tasted her sweetness.
 

A voice behind them made him remember where they were. As he straightened, he drew in a deep breath and looked down at her. “This isn’t the place.”

Her shoulders dropped as she frowned. “No, it’s not.” She glanced toward the bow as if to see if anyone had paid attention, but the other tourists 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 before we go hiking, so you can get anything you’ll need for the rest of the day.”

She was quiet for way too long, studying him and glancing about. “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 more hunger than he intended, then pulled back, letting her turn around and watch the waves.

Tonight. He could wait that long.

Chapter Three

Matt pulled out onto the highway with Jen beside him, his picnic backpack in the back seat. 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. Matt shouldered his picnic pack after getting out, and walked around to where Jen stood. “Ready?”

She smiled up at him, large black sunglasses hiding her light blue eyes. “Let’s go.”

He took her hand, which felt as tiny in his as he remembered, and walked toward the trail. “You said you’d never seen mountains. I didn’t think Missouri was flat.”

“It’s not, for the most part. There are 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 studied the small mountain ahead of them. “Standing at the base of a ridge and looking up is a totally different feeling
.
”

“I can’t imagine living somewhere that doesn’t have a mountain range in sight. At least in New York City the buildings kept me from noticing the horizon.”

As they walked, they compared hometowns, his heavily populated, hers small town. 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. Matt paused. “Shall we take a break?”

“Sure.” Jen’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, Matt sat on a rock. “Are you thirsty?” He took out a canteen and offered it to her.

She took a drink, then sighed. “Even tap water tastes fresher outdoors.” After handing the canteen back, she walked to the creek.

Watching her move did strange things to his insides, and not the things he was used to. Her movements weren’t erotic. This was deeper. He wasn’t desperate to jump her. His feelings were more possessive, like she’d always belonged to him. His reactions were primal. His woman stood next to the rolling water with the sun god smiling down on her.