16

Over the course of the next ten days, Cohen and Dee spent the majority of their days and nights together. Waking up in each other’s arms had become the norm and their walks on the beach were something they looked forward to doing every morning and afternoon. Although they spent a lot of time in bed, they spent just as much time out of it. They had perfected their snorkeling skills, had gone parasailing a few more times, had hiked in a nearby forest and had even signed up for cooking classes.

Dee loved this place and was glad she’d decided to come to Virginia Beach. She was even happier that Cohen had decided to follow her here. He was fulfilling all her needs, and then some. Still, he had yet to talk about what would happen when they left, going their separate ways. More than once, she’d been tempted to broach the subject of her visiting him in Florida, but she’d always thought better of it. She didn’t want to risk losing what she had right now.

With only a few more of days left before their vacation ended, she had hoped to see more progress by now. Sure, they enjoyed each other’s company, and had gotten to know more about each other lives and careers. But still, the main thing holding them together was sex. Great sex, but still… Cohen was truly a spectacular lover, unselfish, innovative and thoughtful when it came to pleasing her. She was falling deeper and deeper in love with him each day.

She had wanted to believe that she could get through to him, to show him that not all women were the same. That he could trust her with his heart. But she could tell that there was still a part of him locked away, a part he refused to open up to anyone, even her.

But she refused to give up on him. Refused to believe he didn’t care more for her now than he had before. How could he not see how in tune they were with each other, how totally in sync they were, both in and out of bed.

The thought that she might have overplayed her hand bothered her. What if Cohen could never love her? What if he’d just been acting like a typical guy these past two weeks, taking what she’d so freely and unconditionally given, with no other intention than to enjoy it while it lasted?

She pushed back those thoughts. She intended to use these last three days to her advantage. One way or the other, she’d make sure that when he left here, he would know he was deeply loved, whether he wanted to be or not.

She pulled herself up in bed and looked at the clock sitting on the night stand. She figured Cohen had gone downstairs to grab breakfast. They would eat out on his balcony before starting their day with a walk on the beach.

Although they spent most of their time in his suite, he hadn’t asked her to move in, so she’d kept her room. She had, however, managed to hide a few items of clothing in his closet.

It had felt so right to see her things hanging next to his. He hadn’t said anything about it and neither had she. Easing out of bed, she decided to shower and get dressed. She only had a few more days with Cohen. And she needed to make them count.

**

Cohen stepped off the elevator and smiled. He’d left Dee upstairs sleeping soundly in his bed after a night of continuous lovemaking. He doubted she was aware he’d left her side to come downstairs and he couldn’t wait to get back to her. He liked having her in his bed, maybe too much. But then, he liked having her out of his bed as well.

It was hard to believe they only had three days left to enjoy the beach. She’d been right. He’d needed this. He hadn’t realized just how hard he’d worked over the past two years, somedays non-stop. He’d almost forgotten how it felt to relax. But Dee had helped him to unwind and had introduced him to new adventures.

She was good for him. More than once, he’d wondered if he was becoming a little obsessed with her. The only thing that helped was knowing they were in an agreed upon, uncommitted, uncomplicated arrangement.

Or did it?

He paused a moment and drew in a deep breath. No, it really didn’t. Even now, he was sorting through feelings he’d rather not deal with. More than anything, he wished he could just concentrate on the here and now. But this would end in three days. Then what?

The thought of her returning to Memphis and her life there pushed him to do a reality check. Over the past two weeks, he’d discovered Dee was a very passionate woman. Sexual in every sense of the word. And she made him feel as if he was the only man she’d ever wanted. The only one she needed and desired. But what would happen when they parted ways? Would it be a case of out of sight, out of mind?

He couldn’t forget the reasons he’d followed her here. She’d been reckless, driven by the need to get buck wild with any man willing to accommodate her. Would she return to that mindset once she got home, seeking out other men for satisfaction and fulfillment?

He pushed those dark thoughts to the back of his mind as he placed his order. He was antsy and couldn’t wait to get back to her. When had any woman made him this anxious? A part of him worried that he’d allowed her to become so important to him. He only had eyes for her. It was as if no other woman existed.

A short while later, he opened the door to his suite and his nostrils were assailed by her luscious scent. Placing the bags on the table, he strolled to the bedroom and there she was, tidying up the bed.

She wore some of the cutest outfits and today’s short set was no exception. Then again, whatever she put on her body drew attention. She just looked so damn good in her clothes. The woman was gorgeous personified.

Her back was to him. Obviously, she hadn’t heard him enter. He stood there, leaning in the doorway, watching her. His heartbeats were like a steady punch in his chest. His reaction to her took him by surprise. He wasn’t happy with the fact that he was allowing her to get under his skin. If he wasn’t careful, she would be trampling that wall he’d erected around his heart. And though he felt something for Dee, he couldn’t allow any woman to have that much power over him again. The embarrassment he’d felt at being so vulnerable was something he doubted he would ever get over.

Convinced he had regained control of his senses where Dee was concerned, he straightened and ever so slowly moved toward her. She didn’t detect his presence until he was just inches away from her. She jerked around and must have seen the look of heated desire in his eyes. “I’ve just made the bed, Cohen.”

He reached out and caressed her cheek. “I’ll help you make it back up again.” And then he leaned toward her and captured her mouth with his.

**

Cohen came wide awake when his cell phone rang. He knew this particular ringtone. It was from the hospital and always meant there was a medical emergency. He glanced at the clock as he quickly pulled himself out of bed. It was close to three in the morning. He reached for his phone on the nightstand. “Dr. Carlson.”

“Dr. Carlson, this is Rebecca Cane from Jacksonville Memorial. I wanted to let you know that Dr. Frazier had to take an immediate leave of absence, due to a family emergency. His wife and son were involved in a car accident while visiting her parents in Arkansas. A head-on collision. There were no survivors.”

“Oh no.” Cohen rubbed his hands down his face. His heart immediately went out to his colleague. What a tragic loss. Bob Frazier had been one of the first people to reach out to him when he moved to Jacksonville. He and his wife Kathi had invited him to their home for dinner then, and he’d visited them often since. Five-year old Kenneth had been their only child. “I am so very sorry to hear that.”

“Yes, we all are. It was such a tragedy. I know you’re on vacation, but Dr. Frazier had surgeries lined up for the rest of the week. Some we can reschedule, but others are critical. We were hoping that you would consider--”

“I’ll be on the next flight out,” he said, knowing what she was about to ask him.

“Thank you, Dr. Carlson.”

He clicked off the phone and looked over at Dee, who was awake and watching him. “I have to head back to Jacksonville immediately,” he said, then filled Dee in on the situation.

“How absolutely horrible! The poor man,” Dee said, getting out of bed as well.

Cohen glanced around for his clothes. Then he remembered that he’d taken his time undressing Dee in the sitting area last night. He’d left his clothes there too, right beside hers. He swiftly walked out of the bedroom and picked his clothes up off the floor. Then he grabbed his phone. “I need to find a flight out. Once I’m booked, I’ll shower and pack.”

“I’ll go to my room and start packing as well.”

Dee was sliding into the dress he’d so enjoyed taking off her last night. “No need for you to leave, too. You still have a couple of days left here before you have to return to Memphis.”

She stopped. “I hadn’t planned to go back to Memphis yet.”

He lifted a brow as he slid into his jeans. “You going to Phoenix?”

“No. I assumed I’d be heading out to Jacksonville with you.”

His hands went still on the belt he’d pulled through the hoops on his jeans. Warning bells were going off in his mind. “Going to Jacksonville with me? Why?”

She dropped down on the sofa. “If you have to ask, Cohen, then there’s no reason why. Sorry, I misunderstood.”

“And what did you misunderstand?”

She shrugged. “I thought we were having a good time together here.”

“We were. But you do understand why I have to leave, right?”

“Yes, of course. But I was hoping things wouldn’t have to end here, that maybe, they could continue in Jacksonville.”

He shook his head. “I’ll be too busy. Not only will I be taking over Dr. Frazier’s workload for a while, but I’ve got my own to get back to. And right now, I don’t know what his workload actually is, how many surgeries he has scheduled or his patients’ conditions. I won’t have time for--”

“Me. I knew that and hadn’t planned to get in the way. I just thought you’d like having me there when you got off work…”

“I’m used to coming home to an empty house, Dee,” he said as he finished dressing.

“I see.”

He hoped she did. He didn’t want to hurt her, but she needed to understand that he didn’t want a woman in his life. Maybe, though things were horrible for Dr. Frazier, the call from the hospital had been a good thing for him. Because as much as he hadn’t wanted it to happen, Dee had gotten under his skin. He woke up every morning anxious to see her, be with her, have her in his arms. He realized that not only did they match up perfectly in bed, but they matched up perfectly everywhere else, as well. His time with her had made him question his decision to avoid emotional ties. But he couldn’t—wouldn’t--let that happen. “We had a good time, Dee. But we both knew there was a time limit. I only agreed to help you take care of your needs for two weeks.”

She lifted her chin. “I know that. But I was hoping that…”

“What? That I’d change my mind about relationships because things have been so good between us?”

“Yes. And because I gave you the chance to see that I’m nothing like Amanda.”

Hearing that name was like a hard kick in his gut. He threw down the shoes he was about to put on his feet and walked across the room to Dee. “What do you know about Amanda?” he asked in a harsh tone.

“Only what I heard.”

He frowned. Stacey knew nothing about his first love. He was sure of it. And he’d never mentioned her to anyone else but Tyson, whom he trusted absolutely. “Heard from whom?”

“You.”

His frown deepened. There was no way that was possible, unless he talked in his sleep, which he was pretty sure he didn’t do. “I would not have said anything about her to you, Dee.”

“No, you would not have. You would have continued on your current path, comparing me and every other woman to her, making us pay for what she did to you.”

He reached out and grabbed Dee’s arm. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“I know about all about Amanda, Cohen. I was there, in the basement, when you told Tyson the whole story. I heard you.”

“You eavesdropped on our conversation?” he accused furiously.

“I was there first. I’d gone down there to use the bathroom. You guys came down after I did.”

“You could have let us know you were there.”

“Yes,” she said. “I could have. But by the time I realized what you were saying, I couldn’t. Besides, it was obvious you needed to get it off your chest.”

He released her arm and stepped back. “You had no right to listen in, Dee.”

“Well, I did. What Amanda did was wrong. But it’s also wrong for you to deny us the chance to--”

“Us? What us?” He rubbed his hand down his face. “I thought we agreed these two weeks would be purely physical, with no emotional fallout.”

“You might be able to do that, but I can’t. I love you.”

“Love me? You don’t love me. You said so.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “I lied. I’ve always loved you.”

“I took you at your word. I would never have gotten involved with you if I’d known otherwise. I don’t want your love, or anybody else’s.”

She dropped her arms to her side and took a step forward. “That’s another mistake you’ve made, thanks to Amanda. You think love can be turned off and on, whenever a person pleases. That’s not the way love works.”

“I don’t care how it works. It’s not for me and I don’t want any part of it.”

“Too bad. You can’t control my feelings. And another thing--” she said, leaning against a table. “Depression is nothing to be ashamed of.”

“I don’t want to discuss it.”

“But I do. When I think of everything you went through, losing your father and then the woman you loved, an emotional meltdown is understandable.”

“It’s none of your business, Dee,” he said in a voice filled with rage.

She just looked at him for a minute. Then in a calm voice, she said, “I’ve given you three chances to accept my love, Cohen. You’ve just used up the last one. I’ve said this before--though I really didn’t mean it at the time, but I do now. I truly do… I hope you have a miserable life.”

She then quickly walked out the suite and slammed the door behind her.

**

Dee entered her room, refusing to give in to tears. Damn his inability to let go and move on. She had given Cohen her love and he still refused to accept it. Instead he chose to wallow in self-pity, drowning in the pain of his past. It wasn’t that she didn’t have any sympathy about what he’d gone through, but she felt it was time for him to start over, to see what a great life they could share together and not hold Amanda’s transgressions against her.

She had given him his last chance. She’d believed that finally, this time she’d be able to at least put a crack or two in the wall around his heart. But she’d failed…miserably.

Cohen might have a problem moving on, but Dee didn’t. She knew when to throw in the towel. She loved him but was determined to find a way to eradicate him from her heart. She couldn’t take the pain any longer.

The past two weeks had changed her. For the first time in years, she’d been happy and she’d thought he’d been happy, too. Not happy enough, she guessed.

Tossing her purse on the table, she walked straight to her bed and dropped down on it. Then, finally, she let go and gave in to her tears.