Passion Never Dies (20 page)

She could almost hear the hesitation in his voice and she frowned while she waited for his reply.

“Things have become a bit...complicated here, Diana.”

She felt her heart clench wondering what he meant by “complicated.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, telling herself to calm down.

“I mean that I may have to stay a few more days.”

Diana slumped back on her pillows and closed her eyes briefly. She knew what the underlying meaning of that statement meant. “A few more days” translated to “indefinitely,” which could lead to “never.” She could practically hear her heart breaking.

“I see...” she said slowly, at a loss for words. She was afraid she was going to beg him to come back, so she bit her tongue and waited to hear his next words.

“How are you doing?”

“All right,” Diana answered, “I...miss you.” She couldn’t stop herself from saying the words.

“I miss you too, sweetheart. I’m sorry that this is taking longer than I thought it would.”

His words were like a balm to her sore heart. She heard him take a deep breath.

“You’re never far from my thoughts. You know that, don’t you?”

Diana smiled, feeling much better than she had in days.

“Please come back soon,” Diana said and then bit her lip. She had not meant to speak in such a pleading voice.

A few seconds of silence followed where she held her breath. Had he been put off by her request?

“I’m trying, sweetheart. I’ll call you tomorrow night,” he said softly. “Goodnight, Diana,” he said before ending the call.

She stared at her cell phone for a moment before setting it down on her bedside table. As far as conversations went, this one had actually been not too bad. He had called her “sweetheart” several times and he said that he was trying to come back. So, why did she still feel so uncertain? Hugging a pillow close to her chest, Diana closed her eyes and dreamed of Jake the rest of the night.

~

“Are you sure this is what you’ve decided to do, Jake?”

Jake stared at Robert, his chief operating officer and nodded. He had made his decision and he knew he wouldn’t regret it.

Robert looked resigned as he shuffled papers into his briefcase.

“When are you going to tell her?” Robert asked.

“I have a few things I have to take care of, but as soon as I’m done I’ll let her know,” Jake answered. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed.

He hadn’t slept much over the past two weeks, but he knew that he had made the right choice. It had been a difficult decision but the right one - one that he hoped was the best for himself as well as for Diana.

“By the way, your father has requested several more financial reports on the new project,” Robert said as he shut his briefcase and walked toward the door.

“I’m just glad he has this new project to focus on,” Jake said as he sat at his desk and stared at a picture of Diana.

“You and me both. He hasn’t slowed down even though he’s retired back in San Diego.”

Jake let out a laugh. “And now he’s going to be revving up again.”

“Thanks again for this opportunity, Jake. I promise not to let you down,” Robert said sincerely.

“I know you won’t,” Jake said before Robert opened the door and let himself out.

Jake swiveled his office chair toward the floor-to-ceiling window. He stared out over Manhattan’s glittering night sky and thought about Diana. It had taken this separation to realize that he loved her with all his heart. Not an hour went by when he didn’t think about her. It came as a mild shock to realize that he had probably fallen in love with her the moment he had set eyes on her at the beach nine years ago. He had just been too blind and stupid to acknowledge his feelings. Everything would change the minute he saw her again because he intended to let her know how vital she was in his life if it was the last thing he did.

~

“I suppose you’re going to tell me that this is what happens when you fall in love with somebody too fast and too hard,” said Diana wryly, as she and her mother walked through a mall looking for a birthday gift for Murray.

“On the contrary, dear. I fell for Murray quite fast and hard,” replied Trina as she stopped and looked at a window display of men’s dress shirts.

“Really?” asked Diana curiously.

Trina nodded and walked into the store and selected a blue polo shirt for Murray.

“Yes,” said Trina and turned to look at her daughter seriously, “and it took me by surprise, but we were meant to be together. My heart must have known it from the first time I saw him.”

“You were lucky, Mom.”

“Jake is a good man, Diana. Don’t lose hope.”

“But, Mom, I’m not sure if he loves me.”

Trina paused to smile at her daughter.

“I’m pretty sure he does, Diana.”

Trina placed her hand on her daughter’s cheek gently.

“Fly to New York,” her mother said firmly, “and find the truth yourself.”

Diana nodded and let out a breath. It was time to confront her man.

~

Chewing her bottom lip with indecision, Diana threw in two more pairs of shoes into her suitcase, hoping that everything would fit in her luggage. Deciding to let her pride go, she had booked a flight to New York and was planning on giving Jake the surprise of his life.

“Ready or not, here I come,” she mumbled to herself as she checked her purse one last time.

She had told Joan at work that she needed a few days off to take care of some personal business. Fortunately, the teacher in the classroom next to hers had been experiencing a shrinking class size and was able to take Diana’s children in temporarily. Joan had allowed Diana some time off, much to Diana’s relief.

She took her purse, grabbed the luggage handle, and wheeled it out of her bedroom when she heard the doorbell ring. She frowned, hoping it wasn’t her neighbor who always wanted to chat. She had spent too much time trying to decide what clothes to bring and was now cutting it close on the time. Glancing at her watch, she opened the door ready to tell her neighbor goodbye when she looked up and gasped.

It was Jake.

~

“Going somewhere?”

In one encompassing look, he had taken in her luggage and the surprise in his voice snapped her out of her shock at seeing him at her front door after nearly three weeks of separation.

“Jake,” she said breathlessly. Her heart felt like it was exploding from her chest as her eyes lovingly roved over his handsome, chiseled face. She had to resist flinging herself into his arms.

“Diana,” he said, his voice rough and the warmth in his green eyes making her lose all restraint.

She fell against him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She heard him chuckle as he tipped her chin up and kissed her soundly. After a long, searching kiss, he finally released her lips and embraced her tightly.

“I’ve missed you so much, sweetheart,” he said and Diana looked up at him curiously, hearing the break in his voice.

“What took you so long?” she accused him.

She couldn’t help it. He had practically had her on a torture rack these past few weeks and she wanted explanations.

“Where were you going?” he asked, ignoring her question.

“To you,” she said impatiently and wiggled in his arms as he let out a bark of laughter.

“It’s not funny,” she said as he swooped down to give her a short kiss.

“Were you going to drag me back from New York?” he asked in amusement.

“Maybe,” she hedged, embarrassed.

“Missed me that much, huh?” he asked teasingly.

“Like crazy,” she answered reluctantly.

Jake caressed her silky, brown hair.

“Sweetheart, I have been stupid and delusional this whole time. I not only missed you, but I love you. How could I not?”

Diana’s eyes widened. He loved her? She couldn’t believe it.

“With my father’s blessing, I’ve given Robert, my chief operating officer, the responsibilities of the Manhattan office.”

“What?” Diana was shocked.

“That’s right, sweetheart, I’ve moved to Las Vegas permanently, so I can be with you. It took me a few weeks to wrap things up in Manhattan, but I was determined to come back to you.”

“But your company needs you,” Diana said, happy but unwilling to have him give up his career just for her.

“I can still make decisions from here as president of the company. I just won’t be involved in the day-to-day operations unless there’s a big project that needs to be dealt with, in which case I can always fly to New York to handle it.”

“Jake, your father must be disappointed,” Diana added hesitantly.

“Sweetheart, I told him that I don’t care where I live and work as long as I’m with you. He understood and he can’t wait to meet you. Besides, he’s decided to take on some duties for the new project. My mom has said he’s been itching to work a little and his boredom was driving them both crazy.”

Diana gasped as Jake abruptly bent down on one knee before her and took out a small, velvet, black box.

“Will you marry me, Diana Mulroney?”

Jake opened the lid and Diana gasped again as she beheld a large diamond ring nestled inside. She didn’t even pause.

“Yes!”

Jake let out a joyous whoop as he placed the ring on her finger. He grabbed her around the waist and twirled her around her living room.

“I told you I wouldn’t take no for an answer,” Jake said, grinning widely and kissing her firmly on the mouth.

“You were right, my love,” Diana said and silenced him with a triumphant kiss of her own.

Epilogue

Three Years Later

“Nathan, stop bothering your aunt Diana and come over here and help me and your little sister,” called Lana from the kitchen entry.

Seven-year-old Nathan looked up and frowned along with three-year-old Sara, Natalie’s little girl.

“Aww, Mom, I just wanted to feel the baby kick again,” whined Nathan.

Diana tousled her nephew’s blond hair and smiled as the little boy patted her pregnant stomach gently. Natalie walked by and smiled as she picked up her daughter before heading into the kitchen.

“Go help your mother, Nathan,” Diana ordered gently. “I’m sure the baby will move when you come back.”

Nathan grinned at her before running into the kitchen.

Diana smiled as she settled more comfortably on the sofa. At eight months pregnant, she felt as though she was going to burst. She looked at Jake comfortably ensconced on a lounge chair in the corner with their two-year-old daughter. The child nestled against her father with her thumb in her mouth as he read her a children’s book. Jake looked up and smiled lovingly at Diana across the room.

“Are you all right, darling?” Jake asked.

“I’m fine, honey. Keep on reading to Charlotte.”

Jake smiled once more before turning his attention to his daughter.

Diana rubbed her stomach gently and closed her eyes as she listened contentedly to her husband’s deep voice reading to their child. She could also hear her mother, Natalie, and her sister-in-law talking in the kitchen along with children’s voices. Since they couldn’t travel because of her condition, Jake had asked his family to join them for New Year’s Eve in Las Vegas. Diana’s mother had agreed to host a New Year’s Eve party and now everyone had gathered today to ring in the New Year.

Diana opened her eyes and, through the large living room window, she saw Murray and Jake’s father on the front lawn playing with the new St. Bernard puppy that Jake had bought Jacob for Christmas. She felt the sofa sink under the weight of her husband and daughter and smiled as Jake sat close to her.

“Charlotte fell asleep,” whispered Jake as he cradled the toddler in his arms.

“She looks just like you,” Diana said as she gazed lovingly at her daughter.

“No, she’s a carbon copy of you, sweetheart. A little replica of her beautiful mother,” Jake said as he reached over and kissed her softly on the lips.

“I love you, Jake.”

Diana’s love for him had only grown these past few years and she couldn’t imagine her life without him.

Jake’s green eyes twinkled and the deep love he felt for her shone through.

“I love you more, Diana,” he said simply before bending down to kiss her again.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

When Joy Tremay isn’t reading romance novels, she’s busy using her over-active imagination writing them. A graduate of Loyola Marymount University, Joy enjoys dancing, especially Hawaiian hula dancing, kayaking and swimming. She lives with her husband in northern California and would love to hear from her readers. She can be contacted on her Facebook page and on Twitter.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/joy.tremay

Twitter: @JoyTremay

Coming Soon By Joy Tremay

His Unquenchable Desire