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“But what about us?”
“Isn’t that what we’re working on now?”
“Then what do we do?” he asked, touching her cheek, sending waves of desire spiraling through her.
She fought off the urge to succumb, to kiss him, to hold him… “I wish I knew. For me, it feels as if my life has been broken in ways I can’t fix. I feel as if you’ve turned your back on me.”
He held her shoulders in his powerful grip, his face a mask of shock. “No! I haven’t, Grace. Yes, I made a mistake, more than one. But I am not intentionally turning my back on you.”
“But I can’t get past the idea that when you were faced with the opportunity to claim your daughter, you put your needs ahead of mine. You shut me out.”
“Grace, I’m not shutting you out now,” he said, easing her head against his chest. The sound of his heart reverberated through her, tampering with her will.
Aidan stroked her cheek. “Grace, you mean everything to me,” he whispered, touching her cheek, eliciting a sigh of need.
As his dark eyes searched hers, he kissed each finger slowly and deliberately. “I want to make love to you all night. I want your skin on mine, our bodies together.” He nibbled on her lip, his mouth hot against her.
She sank into his embrace, her head spinning, her body angling closer to his. He smoothed her face, his breath warm, his eyes on her lips. “Grace, please,” he breathed as he pressed his body into hers. “Please.”
She fought for air, her heart tumbling in her chest. She wanted him, his skin, his body, his words, everything. As his gaze, simmering with passion, met hers, she faltered. There had never been a time when they didn’t enjoy each other’s bodies.
But she couldn’t help wondering if he’d held Deidre the way he was holding her now. Had he spoken similar words of endearment to Deidre before he made love to her?
“Aidan, we can’t do this,” Grace said, seeking to put a little space between them. She wanted him, needed him, but she couldn’t do this…not here…not now.
His face was lit by the setting sun, spotlighting his desire. “Grace, we need to find our way back to each other. We could always shut out the world and love each other. We need that now more than any other time,” he said, his deep baritone voice playing over her, toying with her resolve.
“Aidan, what we need is to work things out. To talk, to act differently. I can’t make love to you, not yet. When you’re close to me, I can’t stop myself from imagining you holding another woman.”
“That was five years ago, Grace,” he said, disappointment seeping through his words.
“Not for me,” she said. “I found out only a few weeks ago, so for me it feels as if it happened yesterday.”
Sighing, he pressed his lips into her forehead. “You’re right. This is not a good idea at all. I don’t want you to feel pressured,” he said. “I meant for us to simply spend the evening with each other. No expectations.”
Glancing down the beach, he said, “Let’s go into the hotel and have a drink. Maybe reminisce a little.” He took her hand and tucked it against his body.
She matched his stride as they walked. “I can’t remember the last time I was inside that hotel,” she said, allowing the evening to chase away her disturbing thoughts.
“The last time I was in this hotel was when we came here for dinner to celebrate our new office space. Do you remember that?” he asked, sounding completely in control, as if the past few minutes hadn’t happened.
“I do,” she said, matching his carefree tone, even though she wasn’t feeling very carefree. She felt as if she’d let him down, somehow. But maybe that was her guilt talking. She’d always done whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted it.
