No Regrets Page 17

  Heat flushed her cheeks. "I was thinking how much I have enjoyed this week. Spending time with Ross, having dinner at home with a family rather than alone with takeout and a pile of paperwork. It's been great. You are so lucky to have a family. I don't have any family at all."

  He frowned. "None at all?"

  She nodded. "My mother died when I was a teenager and I never knew my father. He left when I was a baby. My mother had no family or none that she kept touch with as far as I know. I believe she might have had a falling out with them over my father. She never talked about it."

  Aidan's expression grew still. "It must be difficult sometimes, being alone in the world with no family," he said.

  Jamie didn't want to admit how lonely she felt or how much she still missed her mother. "My work keeps me busy and I have lots of friends," she said with false cheerfulness. Even as she spoke, she realized most of her Palm Beach friends were clients or society people that were more acquaintances than anything else. She still had her best friend though, thank God.

  "Kerrie is like a sister to me. We've been best friends since grade school. I couldn't live without her. I really do have much to be thankful for." She ignored the nagging feeling of wanting more.

  Aidan nodded. "Ross is a great kid. I don't know what I'd do without him," he said. "Being a father changed my life in the best of ways."

  "You’re a good father," Jamie said. "Ross is a wonderful boy."

  Aidan smiled widely. "He is," Aidan agreed. "He really likes you, too."

  Jamie couldn't help but beam. There was something so special, so pure about a child's affection.

  Aidan reached out and grasped Jamie's hand. "My son has good taste," he said with a grin.

  The waiter appeared with wine and appetizers, and Jamie was thankful for the break in their conversation. It was too easy to fall into that fantasy world of love and families with Aidan.

  Aidan raised his wine glass to Jamie. "Here's to new beginnings," he said.

  She toasted and took a sip of the wine. The restaurant was wonderful, the food superb and the setting unabashedly romantic. After a couple of glasses of wine, Jamie felt much more relaxed. They had an animated conversation and she found they had a lot in common. Considering their careers it shouldn't have been surprising. They both had a love of classic design, Mediterranean architecture and any building of historical significance.

  "With your love of historic buildings, why on earth would you want to tear Villa Milagros down?" Jamie finally asked the question that had been heavy on her mind for weeks now.

  "It's personal," Aidan said quietly.

  "Would you like to elaborate?"

  Aidan took a deep breath. "I guess you'll eventually find out. Ross's mother, my ex wife was murdered, shortly after she left. Her body was found at the bottom of the stairs inside Villa Milagros."

  Jamie's hand rose to her mouth as she gasped.

  "The house is a constant reminder of her death and the pain it caused. I don't want Ross growing up in the shadow of town gossip. I want to tear it down so everyone can forget, including me, what happened there."

  Jamie felt the color drain from her face. "It was my childhood home. I lived there with my mother my entire life, until she died. I had to sell it to pay her hospital bills."

  He nodded sadly. "Fate can be cruel. What can I say?"

  "I've spent my life breaking my back to make enough money to buy it back. It's all I have left of my mother."

  Aidan leaned back in his chair and frowned. "And I want to destroy it."

  Jamie closed her eyes a moment. This couldn't be the happening. She'd imagined Aidan wanting to tear Villa Milagros down to build some high-rise condos or other commercial venture. The thought of a brutal murder, committed in her beloved home was bad enough. The fact that it was Aidan's late wife made her doubly ill. She couldn't blame him for wanting to erase such a horrible memory. Yet, she couldn't bear the thought her cherished home could be torn down either.

  "I wish it had never happened," Aidan said. "But it did and I'll have no peace, as long as Villa Milagros still stands."

  Jamie turned and stared at the ocean. Moonlight glistened on the surface as the sea moved toward the shore, crashing against the sand with fury.

  "At the moment, Conrad has the house, so there isn't much point in discussing what we'll do with Villa Milagros. She doesn't belong to either one of us," she said quietly.

  "Strange he should bid on the house at all," Aidan muttered. "Does he know why you want to buy it?"

  "I've never discussed it with him. He and I never really talked. We attended parties and fundraisers together a few times but I'm afraid the society pages grossly exaggerate our involvement," she said with a grimace. "With his money and connections, he can find out anything he wants."

  She took a sip of wine, feeling it slide smoothly down her throat. She needed to calm her nerves. She was still reeling from the shock of what Aidan just told her.

  “I’m sorry,” Aidan said softly.

  "So how do you know Conrad? I can't imagine a common event that would bring you two together."

  He gestured to the waiter for the check. "I don't want to waste our night talking about that snake," he said. "Let's enjoy the rest of the evening. How about a walk on the beach?"

  "Sounds great." Jamie didn’t want to talk about Conrad or Villa Milagros anymore either. This would most certainly be her last night with Aidan. For one night she could let go and just enjoy herself. She took a deep breath and relaxed, letting the effects of the wine flow through her.

  They walked down to the shore. She kicked off her sandals, concentrating on the feel of the sand between her toes. The night was balmy and breezy. A full moon sat low in the sky, casting a luminous glow on the tips of the waves. Jamie was well fed and buzzing from the wine. She ran ahead of Aidan, dancing in the surf as the waters clenched at her feet, and disappeared back into the sea.

  Aidan watched Jamie, amazed at the transformation a little bit of wine made on her behavior. She was part woman, part girl and, as he remembered, part wild cat in bed. Yes, he hadn't forgotten that part of her, and he intended to sample it again tonight. He wasn't going to bed alone tonight. He wanted her in complete control of her faculties, so he would wait for the giddiness to wear off. They had an early dinner. It was barely nine o'clock now. There was plenty of time for the wine to wear off. Life had taught him to be a patient man. She’d only had two glasses. He would wait. The payoff would be more than worth it.

  Aidan walked along the beach with Jamie for hours, talking, joking, sharing their life stories. Fifteen years had passed and he still felt exhilarated walking next to her in the briny air under the moon light.

  It was after eleven o'clock when Aidan pulled his truck into his driveway. Jamie's wine induced exuberance had faded, and she'd grown quiet and reserved. She let Thorn outside the back yard and returned to the living room a few minutes later. Thorn greeted Aidan with an enthusiastic jump while Jamie stood nervously in the background.

  "Thanks for a lovely evening," she said. "I can't remember when I've had so much fun."

  Aidan watched her in the darkened living room, a faint smile curving his lips. He hadn't expected her to react any other way. She was anxious about being alone with him. She was trying to avoid any physical contact with him. She was scared of being hurt, of being used, but the fact was, he didn't care. He wanted her and she wanted him. There were consequences to think of, ones even he wasn't sure he wanted to face.

  Still, he didn't give a damn.

  He wanted her, had wanted her all week. It had been torture to have her so near, to smell her flowery perfume throughout his house, to hear the soft rustle of her silky robe as she walked through the hall at night, and to feel the softness of her skin against his lips as he'd chastely kissed her cheek 'good night' each evening.

  He was going to have her, but he wanted her willingly. He wanted her to come to him knowing that there was no certainty, no promises, nothing b
ut the undeniable force that brought them together almost against their will. He wanted her to come to him, knowing that it may be the destruction of her life as she knew it. He wanted her to come to him against her better judgment but to come anyway, because there was nothing she could do to stay away from him.

  "Thanks again for a lovely dinner. Good night." Jamie said and turned to go upstairs.

  Aidan caught her arm, swirled her around and kissed her. She didn't struggle. He didn’t give her time to refuse. She opened her mouth to him with all the hunger and desire she'd bottled up all week. He took his time, reveling in the soft moistness of her lips, tasting the sweetness of the faint trace of wine and chocolate mousse. He threaded his fingers through her long hair and pulled her closer to him so their bodies melded together in the delicious dance of heat and desire, passion and lust.

  He released her lips, feeling his own self-control melting away as his heart pounded at a maddening pace. He was nearly breathless as he looked down at her in the shadow.

  Aidan ran his fingers along the beautiful curve of her jaw line, down the silhouette of her body to her slender fingertips wrapped around his waist.

  "Come with me," he said softly, enclosing his fingers in hers as he mounted the first step.

  She was as breathless and shaken as he was, but paused at the steps. "I'm not sure that's the best idea."

  "Come anyway," he said.

  She hesitated a second too long. He released her, reluctantly. "My door won't be locked," he said and began up the stairs, unbuttoning his shirt as he climbed.

  He looked down at her as he reached the landing, his naked chest clearly visible. "Good night, Jamie."

  He was certain he'd seen a flicker of regret in her expression as he turned away. He definitely felt his own disappointment.

  As Jamie watched Aidan turn the corner, she grabbed the handrail to steady herself. The wine had long worn off and she really didn't need to be steadied. She held on to the banister to keep herself from running after Aidan and throwing herself into his arms. She wanted him. She couldn't deny it.

  Seeing Aidan every day had done nothing to cool her desire for him but only fed the fires more. Seeing him in the role of a father had done nothing to diminish his appeal, but had only made her affection greater. Still, she could not follow him up into that bedroom no matter how badly she wanted him. If she did she would be lost forever. The day the wrecking ball crashed its way through Villa Milagros, her heart would be broken all over again. She would hate him the rest of her life, even if he had good reason for it. The act would be unforgivable.

  She took a hot shower, brushed her teeth, and slipped on a silky nightgown. In the guest room, which had become her haven for the last week, she turned out the light and lay in the darkness. She could hear the sounds of the house that had become familiar to her. The humming of the air conditioner, the soft music of the wind chimes outside, the muffled barks from Thorn as he dreamed whatever puppies dreamed about.

  She couldn't sleep.

  It was past midnight when she made up her mind. He had effectively lied to her by withholding the truth he was bidding on Villa Milagros, which he planned to destroy. He hadn’t told her about his son, or that he knew and despised Conrad Malcolm. He had warned her away from him and she hadn't listened, hadn't heeded the one truth he had told her. She was a smart woman. She knew the tides were against them. They were on opposite sides and would certainly end up in a battle for the one thing that would destroy the other's chance for peace and happiness.

  She didn't care. He'd made no promises, no declarations of love, or even affection. By this time on Saturday she would be at the Gala, surrounded by all those who populated her secure little world. And, she would hate it, every minute of it.

  Life was too short. It was time to live in the moment.

  She opened the door of the guest room and took two steps toward Aidan's bedroom. The door was open, as he'd promised. She stood inches away, her heart pounding and tried to breath.

  "Come in." His voice was low, seductive.

  She took a tentative step inside. The moonlight reflected against the mirror that hung over a chest of drawers. She could see the silhouette of Aidan’s lean body lying on the bed.

  "Jamie, I-“ he began, but she hushed his words at once.

  "No words," she said. "No lies. No promises we can't keep."

  He rose then, meeting her as she stepped toward him and enclosed her in his arms, kissing her with a harsh passion that could have been frightening. But fear was the farthest thing from Jamie's mind.

  Enveloped in a cloud of desire, she kissed him softly, biting his lips, capturing his mouth as his lips ran down her neck and up again, over and over. She slipped her hands beneath the tee shirt he wore and lifted it up over his head, running her hands along his warm, bare skin. She kissed a trail of wet kisses across his chest, letting her tongue taste the saltiness of his skin.

  Aidan caught her chin in his hands and lifted her face, kissing her softly while he reached down and deftly slipped her nightgown straps off her shoulders, letting the silky fabric pool at their feet.

  He swooped Jamie up in his arms, carried her across the room, and laid her on the bed. He slipped out of his boxers and lay next to her. Slipping his fingers between the lace and her moist skin, Aidan slipped her panties off, slowly sliding them down her thighs.

  He was clearly and fully aroused. She grabbed him, letting the length of him slide through her fingers. She rose and climbed over him, leaving a wet trail of kisses across his stomach, over his chest, up his neck. She kissed his beautifully stunned face with a simmering hunger. Aidan groaned against her mouth. She teased him, kissing his lips, his chin, his throat while her hand caressed the length of him that was straining against her stomach.

  "Do you have any idea how much I want you?" he whispered against her ear as she nibbled his neck.

  "Yes, I do," she said breathlessly as his fingers slowly skimmed the wetness between her legs.

  He didn't need any coaxing. He flipped her over beneath him, and sheathed himself inside of her in one delicious second that took her breath away. He withdrew slowly, methodically and plunged into her again, driving her wild in the process. He withdrew once again and this time held back.

  "Do you want more?" he asked, his voice ragged.

  "I want it all," she said, knowing the words held more meaning than the current moment in time.

  He gave into her then, thrusting into her fully, deeply, sheathing himself in the tight wetness of her. He felt so good, so alive, all raw lust and animal need. She whispered his name in a crash of mindless murmurs. He pounded her against the bed and she felt as though she had died and been reborn again. She felt she had found her way through a dark and lonely maze, and life and love and sex and Aidan were all one and the same. When she could hold back no longer she took him with her, feeling his warmth fill her with delicious pleasure.

  She cuddled up against his chest. The only sound she could hear was the pounding of his heart, his slow and steady breaths, and the soft wind chimes floating through the still darkness. She closed her eyes, giving in to delectable exhaustion and slept.

  ˜

  Aidan hated to wake her, but he didn't want to leave for work while she was asleep. He used the excuse of arranging their schedules for the Gala tonight, but the truth was he wanted to make sure she wouldn't leave, that she didn't let her fears get the best of her. Although he didn't have all the answers, he knew one thing for certain. He was not letting Jamie go. Not today. Not next week. Not ever. The thought startled him as he relaxed his large frame on the bed where Jamie slept so peacefully. He smoothed her hair away from her face, running his fingers over the faint bruise that still remained on her forehead. She moved toward his caress, making a soft mewling sound as she rolled over.

  "Jamie?"

  "Mm-mm?" Her eyes were still closed. She looked incredibly beautiful in the morning. Her dark hair was loosely spread around the pillow, and her body
was partially covered by the comforter.

  Aidan hardened just watching her. He pulled the sheet up over her, trying to avoid temptation despite his body's other plans. He had to do some paper work, and Saturday morning was the only time he could get it done. Tonight was the Gala. He couldn't afford to be seduced back into bed, as much as he thoroughly enjoyed the prospect.

  Jamie reached up and slipped her arms around him, sighing sleepily, and pulled him closer to her.

  "What time do you want to leave for the Gala?" he asked.

  "Is that tonight?" she asked dreamily.

  "Yes."

  "Come here and I'll let you know," she said with a grin. She opened her eyes, blinking lazily. "Why are you dressed?"

  "I have to go by the office this morning," he said.

  She stuck her bottom lip out and pouted. "Oh."

  She slid the sheets off and lay bare her body, lounging on her side like a goddess.

  "I guess you better go then," she said, moving a hand devilishly up his thigh to the bulge, which was prominently displayed against his snug jeans.

  Aidan felt a sweat break out. "Work can wait," he said.

  Jamie smiled. "I thought so."

  For the first time in five years, Aidan was late for work.

  Chapter Fourteen

  After a blissful morning, Jamie spent the earlier part of the afternoon in Palm Beach, touching base in her office in the late morning and then shopping until early afternoon. She had returned to her condo in Palm Beach to pick up a dress for the Gala but found that her current wardrobe had suddenly become sorely lacking. She had countless evening dresses. Most of them tasteful and terribly expensive, but none of them seemed to fit her current state of mind.

  The boutiques of Palm Beach were world-renowned and she knew most of the owners, many of whom were her clients. She would have preferred to shop in Miami but Palm Beach was a remarkably small town despite its actual size, full of petty and powerful people. If she bought her dress from an outsider, she was bound to make enemies.