Chapter 5

On Sunday morning, Alex was finishing his coffee and contemplating the day. The weather was perfect—blue skies, temperature in the sixties…it was a great day to be outside doing something. Anything.

His usual routine had him working in the yard a bit—mowing the lawn, weeding, the basics—and then when he was done he’d make himself something to eat and soak in the hot tub to relax his tired muscles.

An image of Megan sitting in the hot tub with him flashed in his mind, and he was about to go with it when he heard a car door slam.

Speak of the devil…

They had driven around the city yesterday with Megan sort of dictating where they went based on what she specifically wanted to see. It wasn’t the most exciting tour of Portland, but it was the most practical.

At first he wasn’t sure what he was expecting. He simply figured he’d point out the banks, the grocery stores, and some of his favorite restaurants. And he did. But as they drove around, Alex noticed Megan commenting distractedly on places like the hospital and women’s shelters. Then it was human services and day care centers. He had been about to comment on the things she probably wasn’t even aware she was talking about when her attention turned to craft stores. At that point he figured she was thinking about decorating ideas, but he never got the chance to ask her about it because they drove by a Best Buy and she started talking about getting a new computer.

After they had gotten back to her place, he had decided to be bold and ask her to meet him at his home today for their trip to the park. He figured she would appreciate the chance to drive around and find the place on her own—even though she had been here once before—but the main reason was because he wanted her to see his house. To come inside and see it like he’d wanted her to on the night she came to pick up the car.

He heard her soft knock on the door and immediately went to answer it. She was about fifteen minutes early, and he was a little surprised.

“Hey,” he said warmly as he opened the door.

“Hey,” she replied with a shy smile. “I know I’m a little early, but I wanted to give myself some extra time in case I got lost.”

Stepping aside, he motioned for her to come in. “I was finishing my coffee, and I’m not quite ready,” he said. “I need to put on some sneakers, and we’ll pack up a couple bottles of water and maybe a snack to bring with us. Sound good?”

Megan nodded and followed him inside.

“Help yourself to some coffee,” he said, leading her into the kitchen and motioning toward the coffeemaker. “I’ll be right back.”

Funny how much he was looking forward to a day strolling in the park, he thought as he walked up the stairs to his room. It had been a long time since he’d done anything but jog or cycle around the park paths, and now he was anxiously grabbing sneakers and getting ready to spend the day simply strolling and playing park guide.

Well, knowing that Megan was going to be with him had a little something to do with it…or everything, whatever. Alex loved to be outside and to be active, but once in a while a quiet day at home was appealing. He always found it curious that people—like Megan—didn’t go out more, and he was hoping to help her change that part of herself.

Granted, she might hate it. She might be the type of person who wasn’t outdoorsy. And he could accept that. Sort of. But if she enjoyed their trip today, he’d suggest maybe going to the Japanese garden next weekend.

His mind was instantly swirling with places they could go together: not only the touristy sites the city was known for, but some spots the locals enjoyed—bars, restaurants, music festivals. He knew if she gave him a chance, he could have their weekends booked for the next six months easily.

“Don’t get too ahead of yourself,” he murmured. “She’s clearly still testing the waters here where we’re concerned. One thing at a time.”

And that still didn’t make much sense to him, but for now he was willing to accept it and do his best to prove to her he wasn’t going to push or rush her to go on a date with him.

Even though technically that’s what they could call what they were doing today.

And he was smart enough to know not to mention that to her.

Especially if he wanted to spend the day with her again.

With some sense of direction, Alex walked to the kitchen, and…Megan wasn’t there. He called her name, and she answered from his living room. It was one of his favorite rooms in the house. There was a massive stone fireplace with built-in bookcases on either side, and the room boasted a twenty-foot ceiling with exposed beams. It was a little rustic, but it was the kind of space he absolutely loved.

He found her looking at his collection of books. Walking over to her, he waited to hear what she thought.

“This is the most eclectic library I’ve ever seen,” she said, placing a book on drum making back on the shelf.

“Aren’t all libraries eclectic?” he asked. “I mean, they have to have a book on pretty much everything.”

Megan looked at him with amusement. “Okay, Mr. Technicality, let me rephrase that. This is the most eclectic personal library I’ve ever seen.”

“Ah…much better,” he teased. “And thank you.”

“Seriously, how many of these have you read?”

“I’m not big on watching TV, but I love to read.”

“Clearly.” She laughed, motioning to the filled shelves. “You seem to have pretty much covered all the bases—you’ve got biographies, mysteries, how-to books…” She scanned the shelves again. “So many classics here. I remember reading most of these when I was in school—primarily as part of the curriculum—but there are some I reread later on for my own enjoyment.”

“Like I said, I enjoy reading. But if I had to choose my favorite genre, I’d have to say science fiction. I have to read a lot for work—I like to stay up-to-date on new therapies being used and review case studies. I find that kind of thing fascinating.”

“I get that,” she agreed. “I read a lot of tech magazines and follow along with any new systems coming out. It’s dry reading, but it keeps me thinking of ways I can enhance the systems I’m working with or help the company I’m working for.”

“What about fun? What’s your go-to genre when you want to relax?”

“Hmm…” While she looked like she was considering the question, Alex noticed the slight flush to her cheeks.

“And not what you think you should say, but what you really read,” he clarified.

She glared at him before looking at the shelves. “Fine, but…no judging.”

Alex made a motion across his chest. “Cross my heart. Now come on. What’s your go-to?”

Megan huffed loudly. “Romance.” She paused. “Go ahead. Make fun.”

He frowned at her. “Why would I make fun?”

Now she fully turned to face him. “Why? Because everyone does,” she reasoned. “Especially people who own the classics. I’ve heard everything from ‘it’s nonsense’ to ‘they’re not real books’ to—”

“Okay, okay, okay,” he interrupted before she got herself too worked up. “And for the record, I don’t think those things, but I’ve heard people say them, so…I get it. Personally, I don’t see anything wrong with romance novels. I’ve read a few myself, and I’ll admit I enjoy a lot of the fiction stuff I read when there’s a romantic element.”

“Really?”

He nodded. “Really.”

She smiled at him and then moved over to another set of shelves displaying some framed photos. Part of him liked how she was taking an interest in him, but he was also feeling anxious about getting her to the park before she found an excuse to not go.

Picking up one of the pictures, she turned toward him. “You were so young here!”

The immediate pang of guilt he always felt when he looked at that particular picture hit, and then he pushed it aside. Walking over to her, Alex gently took the picture from her hands. “It was from the summer after I graduated high school. A bunch of us went camping for the first time without any parents or chaperones. We thought we were pretty cool.” He forced himself to smile and think of the fun he was having when that picture was taken.

“And who’s that with you?”

“That’s Danny,” he replied. “We grew up together, lived next door to one another pretty much our whole lives.”

She was still smiling. “That’s nice. Do you still keep in touch?”

“I see him once a week. Every Friday. Without fail.”

“Every week? Wow! That’s a committed friendship!”

“Actually, he is…he’s one of my clients. We have a standing appointment every Friday,” he said a little stiltedly.

Megan looked at him oddly, and he knew she would ask more questions—questions he wasn’t willing to deal with right now. This was going to be a good day. He wanted to make it a good day for her, and talking about the darkest point in his life wasn’t going to make that happen.

“I’ve never been camping,” she said, surprising him. “It’s totally not my thing.”

“How do you know if you’ve never gone?” he teased.

“Let’s just say I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t enjoy it.”

“But what about—?”

“How about we tackle walking in the park before we continue this?” she said, laughing. “For all you know, you’ll figure out by the end of the day that I’m not the outdoorsy type.”

And before they lost this bonding they were clearly doing, he nodded toward the kitchen. “Come on. Let’s grab some drinks and snacks and head to the park. There are more than fifteen miles of trails and—”

“Alex, I have no intention of walking fifteen miles today,” she argued lightly.

He laughed as they worked together in the kitchen getting supplies. “I know, and I wouldn’t ask it of you. There are more than four hundred acres to the park, so it is not a see-it-all-in-one-day type of place. Today I thought we’d walk around a little and see where the mood took us. There’s a Japanese garden I’d like to take you to maybe next weekend. What do you think?”

“That sounds like it would be lovely,” she said with a smile.

He bit his tongue before he blurted out, It’s a date.

* * *

“You’re in an awfully good mood today,” Summer said on Monday while she and Megan were heading to lunch. “You never told me what you ended up doing this weekend. I hope Maylene didn’t give you any trouble.”

“Well…she did give me a scare on Saturday,” Megan began hesitantly. At her cousin’s wide-eyed look, she relayed the story of how the little pug had gotten out and where she eventually found her. Much to Megan’s relief, Summer laughed. “Sure, it’s funny now, but at the time, I was freaking out.”

“I guess I should have warned you about that. She does get out of the yard from time to time, but she never goes far, and she always comes back. For some reason she is obsessed with sitting in Ethan’s hammock.”

“Um, yeah. It would have been helpful information to have at the time,” Megan deadpanned. “Thanks.”

They walked into the café and were seated almost immediately. “So Alex came over and helped you look for her, huh?”

Megan nodded.

“That was nice of him,” Summer said casually as she glanced at the menu. “And did you happen to…oh, I don’t know…invite him to stay over?”

“What?” Megan cried. “Why would you even ask?”

Gently placing her menu down and taking a sip of her water, Summer gave her a look that could only be described as an evil smile.

“I have waited two years for you to come clean, Megs. I saw you and Alex at Zach’s wedding. I saw you dancing and flirting, and then I saw you leave together. Twice,” she added with an ever-growing grin. “And you were noticeably absent for the remainder of the weekend. And so was Alex. Now, is there something you’d like to tell me?”

With an exaggerated eye roll, Megan grabbed her glass of water and took a sip—figuring she could let Summer stew for a moment.

“You know, you could have asked before now,” Megan began.

“And you would have told me?”

“You? Of course. Anyone else in the family? Probably not.”

Summer laughed. “That I can totally understand. They all mean well, but sometimes they manage to make everything worse.”

“Well, I’ve never had to deal with that—not like you have. My brothers never seemed to take much notice of who I was dating.”

Summer gave her a bland look. “That’s because you didn’t date much.”

“I was studious. That’s not a crime.”

Reaching across the table, Summer grabbed Megan’s hand. “You’re right. There’s nothing wrong with it, but I have to ask…why?”

“Why what?”

“Why was it so important to you? The grades, the studying? I mean, we all knew you were smart, Megan. I don’t think you needed to spend so much time proving it.”

“Easy for you to say. You were good at everything you did, and you weren’t interested in being part of the Montgomery corporate machine.”

“And yet here I am,” Summer said with a small smile. “And you felt like you had to…what…prove you were capable of being a part of it?”

Megan nodded.

“Oh, sweetie. Why? I mean, I can’t imagine anyone ever saying you couldn’t work for the company. That’s crazy!”

“My father wanted me to be groomed to be a corporate wife. That wasn’t what I wanted. It was important for him to see me for who I was—am!—and respect that.”

Summer studied her for a long moment.

And then kept studying her.

“What?” Megan finally asked. “What’s so wrong with that?”

“Do you realize how many…let’s say…problems working for this company has caused?”

“What are you talking about? You’re here, and you obviously love it, so—”

Summer shook her head. “We are a family that is notorious for being workaholics to the point of not having lives! My brother James moved out when he was sixteen because he didn’t want to be a part of the business. And you have a brother who fought long and hard to make a name for himself outside of Montgomerys, and you know how much stress that put on everyone.”

“Okay, I get that,” Megan countered, “which is why I’m trying to fit in. I want to be a part of it! James and Carter had fights because they wanted out. I want in!”

“But at what cost?”

Megan looked at her quizzically.

“If you truly love what you do, then I’ll never bring this up again, and we’ll go back to what I wanted to talk about—which is you and Alex. However, did you choose to go into IT because it’s what you’re passionate about, or was it to prove yourself?”

“I…I…”

Summer held up a hand to stop her. “Just…think about it, okay?”

Honestly, Megan couldn’t have answered at that moment even if she had to. It wasn’t the first time this topic had come up, and she had a feeling it wouldn’t be the last. But it was something she was going to have to think about because now that she was starting to incorporate some changes in her life, would they still work now that she had finally gained the position she had fought so hard for?

Their waitress came to take their orders, and it wasn’t until she walked away that Summer finally leaned back in her seat with another huge grin. “So…you and Alex at the wedding! I’m going to need some details!”

Rolling her eyes, Megan couldn’t help but laugh. “Really?”

“Hell yes! I may be a happily married woman, but Alex is a very sexy man, and I have waited way too long to hear about this!”

Megan could feel herself blushing from head to toe, but she was excited to finally talk to someone about this.

“Ooh…I can tell it was hot by the way you’re blushing!” Summer said excitedly. “Come on, you have to tell me! Did you sneak off and fool around in one of the supply closets?”

“What? Oh my gosh, no!” Megan’s hands flew to her face to cover her embarrassment. When she lowered them, she told Summer about their walk in the garden, their first kiss, and how they made their quick exit from the reception and up to her room.

And that’s where she stopped.

Sort of.

Well, her cousin didn’t need to know everything, did she?

Summer fanned herself with her napkin. “I’m telling you, I was watching the two of you, but I didn’t say a word to anyone because I didn’t want to draw attention to you and have someone ruin whatever was happening.”

“And I appreciate it.”

“So? What happened next? Have you two been in touch all this time?”

Unfortunately, Megan had to tell her about the romantic weekend that never was and watch the disappointment on her face.

“How could you just not show up? I don’t get it!”

Megan shrugged. “I don’t either. I flaked. I was so engrossed in a problem at work that I was working fifteen-hour days and lost track of everything. Next thing I know I’m on the phone with Alex and trying to apologize, and…it was awful, Summer. I felt so incredibly stupid, and Alex was so mad, and—”

“Can you blame him?”

She shook her head. “No.”

“How was he when you saw him again? Did you guys reschedule the trip?”

Megan shook her head again. “The next time I saw him was the night at Zach and Gabriella’s when the guys were getting ready to paint.”

“No!”

Now she nodded. “Yup.”

“Wow.”

“Tell me about it.”

“So…wow…um…was it really awkward?”

Megan let out a weary sigh. “More than you can even imagine. I mean, I knew I was going to see him. I think he was actually a large part of the reason I was so willing to take the job here and move.”

“But?”

Megan shrugged again. “But I hadn’t planned on it being so soon or so—”

“In front of everyone?” Summer supplied.

“Exactly! Then it felt even more awkward because we never told anyone about us, and now I don’t know how to do it, and—”

“It isn’t anyone’s business,” Summer said firmly. “I’m sure Zach will get all defensive because…well…he’ll be offended that no one told him, like he was when it was me and Ethan.”

“But you’re his sister. It’s different.”

“I’m telling you, on principle, he’s going to be offended. Just…prepare yourself. And Alex.”

“Well, I don’t think it’s going to be an issue because we’ve talked about it, and we sort of hashed things out, and we’re friends.”

Summer smirked and delicately took another sip of her water. “Really?”

Megan smiled. “Really.”

“So there are no lingering sparks? No chance of the two of you picking up where you left off?”

“Right now, I’m not interested in dating anyone. Not even Alex.”

“Because you’re dead inside?” Summer teased and then started to laugh. “Megan, come on! That man is like the perfect male specimen! How could you not want to get involved with him? And on top of that, he’s one of the nicest people on the planet! Seriously, he helps everyone with everything! Look at what he does for a living—he heals people!”

“Okay, dramatic much?” Megan teased.

Crossing her arms over her chest, Summer grinned. “You can pretend all you want, but you’re not fooling anyone. You can say all you want how the two of you are friends, but the only one you’re lying to is yourself. And you know what? The only one missing out on something great is you.”

“You really should have stayed with the theater work,” Megan said dryly. “Or maybe it was the psychology—”

“Make fun all you want, but I’m telling you, Alex would be perfect for you. What are you afraid of?”

That was a good question, and luckily Megan was saved from answering by the arrival of their food. Quickly taking a bite, she hoped to buy herself a little more time. But as usual, Summer wasn’t fooled.

“I’m going to let this go for now,” she said simply. “But you really should work on some of these issues of yours.”

Rather than say anything, Megan simply nodded.

“Okay, new topic,” Summer said cheerily. “Gabriella’s baby shower! Any chance you can buy another baby blanket like you bought for Amber? Gabs has been admiring it and the sweater set.”

For a moment Megan could only stare.

“I know it’s short notice and all, and you probably need to special-order those things in advance, but I know she’d love it!”

“Um—”

“Anyway, I know I’m a little late on getting the shower planned, but I think between the two of us, we can come up with something great!”

* * *

On Wednesday, Alex was going over his schedule for the rest of the week. It wasn’t like he needed to; he’d been working with this same list of clients for several months. But for some reason today he found himself looking at his Friday schedule and feeling…defeated.

Danny.

Raking a hand through his hair, Alex sighed.

Eight years. He’d been working with Danny on his own time for eight long years, and lately doing so had been getting harder and harder. Every week Alex walked in with a smile and a positive attitude, and by the time he left, he was mentally and physically exhausted and knew he was losing hope.

They both were.

Growing up, Danny Mathis had been his best friend. They lived next door to one another, and not a day had gone by when they were in school when they hadn’t hung out together. They’d even picked the same college—University of Oregon. Alex always knew he would go into physical therapy, but Danny had been unsure of where he saw himself.

It hadn’t taken long for Alex to realize that Danny was struggling at school—missing classes and partying too much—and he stepped in when he could to help him out by tutoring him and even doing some of his assignments. At the time, he thought he was helping him, but Alex realized too late that all he was doing was enabling Danny.

Spring break of their junior year, Danny and Alex—along with several guys from their fraternity—opted to go camping and hiking. It was something they’d all enjoyed doing, and looking back now, Alex still couldn’t believe he hadn’t realized how dangerous the situation had actually been. There had been drinking, and although Alex rarely drank more than a beer or two, most of the guys spent a large part of the trip wasted.

On their second-to-last day in the woods, they decided to try something epic—diving off one of the higher cliffs. They’d been doing it all week from the lower ones but wanted to end the week in a big way. Alex had agreed but wasn’t so sure he’d actually jump. Once they were all at the top, Danny had come up with an even bigger challenge.

“Human pyramid!” he shouted excitedly. “And the guy at the top jumps first! It will be awesome! And then everyone dives in after him! What do you say?”

Not everyone was on board—including Alex—but no one stopped it from happening either. As everyone talked about their position in the pyramid, Danny called the top spot, and again, no one said anything. Alex could still remember seeing Danny stumbling a little as they were setting up, and that’s when he approached him.

“Dude, it’s ten in the morning. Please tell me you haven’t been drinking already.”

Danny looked at him with a cocky grin. “You need to lighten up, Alex. I was a bit hungover and thought the best way to ease the pain was with another beer. Or three.” Then he laughed.

“Danny…maybe you shouldn’t—”

He never got to finish because everyone was already getting into position and Danny made fun of Alex for trying to be the mother hen of the group. It was an ongoing joke, and rather than fight it, Alex held his tongue.

If there was one moment in his life he wished he could go back and change, that would be it.

Danny dove to the left rather than the right and ended up going headfirst into shallow water. He’d broken his neck instantly. There had been nothing but chaos as the next few guys dove down, oblivious to what had happened. Alex could still hear the screaming—the panic—when someone finally realized something was wrong.

It seemed to take forever for the paramedics to arrive and even longer to get Danny to the hospital. Critical time had been lost, and it took several days for the doctors to determine that Danny had shattered his first and second vertebrae—which meant his skull and spine were not connected. He was paralyzed from the neck down.

Guilt ate at Alex, and he had cried more in those first days after the accident than he had in his entire life. He would sit next to Danny—who was in a medically induced coma—and beg for forgiveness. He had even gone to Danny’s parents and begged their forgiveness. They never blamed Alex; they told him how they were aware that Danny was prone to taking risks and how his behavior had gotten out of control. If anything, they blamed themselves for not stepping in and trying to help him sooner. Together they would all sit, consumed by their guilt.

Alex had finished college the following year and was then accepted into a PT program. With every new technique he learned, he would visit Danny and try to work with him. But there was never going to be a cure for his friend. No amount of therapy was ever going to make him walk again. Over the years he’d had to overcome so many health crises, and all Alex could do was keep him moving to help alleviate issues like atrophy.

But Danny had lost the will to live. He’d all but begged Alex to stop coming and let his body break down so he could be free from this prison, but Alex couldn’t bring himself to do that.

Swallowing hard, Alex closed his calendar and leaned back in his chair. A shaky sigh came out just as it did every time he allowed himself to think about that day. He had to come up with a way to inspire Danny—to give him some hope. Maybe he’d see about taking him out rather than doing exercises. Once in a while they did that. It wasn’t an easy task, but the healthcare team that took care of Danny always helped him make it happen.

With a renewed sense of spirit, Alex told himself to look forward to Friday—to have a positive attitude. He’d been doing it for years, and he knew he could do it again.

And again and again.

He had to.

* * *

The following Sunday Megan knocked on Alex’s door, practically bouncing on her toes. They were going to go to the Japanese garden today, and she had packed up a lunch for them to bring. She had casually mentioned to Summer how Alex was taking her sightseeing—as a friend—but the grin on Summer’s face told Megan she wasn’t fooling anyone. This wasn’t a casual outing with a buddy; this was turning into something more.

Maybe Megan would talk to Summer more later on after she got home, but for now she was feeling too good to think about making excuses or explanations to anyone. For today, she was going to live in the moment and enjoy herself.

Their trip to the park the previous Sunday had been much more enjoyable than she could have imagined. Not only was the park itself beautiful, but Alex was an amazing tour guide. He seemed to know so much about the park and answered all of her questions—and there were many—and he did it all while walking at a pace she enjoyed. Megan had a feeling if it were up to Alex, they would have been doing the tour at a faster rate—mainly because he was so athletic—but he was considerate of her, and she found she liked that about him.

Actually, she was finding more and more just how much she liked about him.

If she took out their history, Megan realized she would have been drawn to Alex no matter what. He had a great personality, he was funny and caring, and there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for his friends. They had long conversations and found they had much more in common than she’d thought they would.

And the fact that he was incredibly good-looking didn’t hurt either.

During the week their schedules hadn’t meshed—he started work early in the morning, and he didn’t keep regular hours. Gabriella had mentioned to her how Alex had customized the therapy schedule he’d done with Zach when he was recovering from his accident, and Megan figured that was something he did with all of his clients. While she hadn’t seen him all week, they had texted almost every day and had talked on the phone last night to confirm their plans for today.

“We’re still on for the Japanese garden tomorrow, right?” he had asked, his voice hopeful.

“Absolutely! And I’m handling the food, so don’t worry about that,” she’d responded. She couldn’t wait to go to the deli and pick out the meal this time.

And once that was covered, they’d stayed on the phone for more than an hour talking about their weeks while Megan worked on a new baby blanket for Zach and Gabriella. It felt good to multitask, and the more she crocheted, the more relaxed she became. She was appreciating her free time more and more with each passing day, and she was loving listening to Alex talk. By the time they hung up, she found herself staring at the clock and willing the time to go faster so she could see him.

And here they were.

Two friends hanging out, doing some sightseeing. It was actually pretty nice. Not only was she having a good time, but Alex had been great about pointing out different points of interests while they drove. Now she knew where to get the best pizza, Chinese food, and sandwiches close to home, as well as a good dry cleaner and coffee shop. She had found out more about her new neighborhood thanks to one car ride with Alex than she would have on her own. And to make sure his advice was accurate, Megan had tried all of those places this week and had been thoroughly pleased.

If she were a more fanciful woman, she’d consider today a date. But Megan was many things, and fanciful wasn’t one of them. She was practical. Levelheaded. There was a definite difference between going for a walk in the park with a friend and a romantic day at the park with a lover. And she and Alex were definitely not—

Wait a minute…

Her heart rate kicked up, and she felt her cheeks flush.

“No,” she murmured. Sure, they had kissed that weekend at Zach and Gabriella’s, but nothing even remotely inappropriate had happened since.

Inappropriate? she thought and rolled her eyes. She was a grown woman, and Alex was definitely a grown man. Nothing they’d done could be considered wrong or…inappropriate. It was a fling, right? People had flings all the time. A sexy weekend between two consenting adults—there was nothing wrong with that. And they had tried to extend it beyond that, and…

Okay, no more thinking about that, she chided herself. They had moved on, and even though there was still a definite attraction between the two of them, Alex was respecting her boundaries and allowing her to decide if and when she was ready to see if they could possibly explore their attraction again and…date.

She jumped when Alex opened the door and smiled at her.

Then her heart kicked hard for a completely different reason.

Oh yeah, she thought. We are definitely going to explore this attraction. Soon.

“Hey,” he said. “We ready to go?”

Megan didn’t trust herself to speak. Taking a step back, she waited as Alex locked up and then followed him to his truck.

“So what’s on the menu?” he asked.

Okay, safe topic.

“I went to the deli where you got our lunch last weekend and had them make us a couple of sandwiches. I remember you saying how much you liked their turkey clubs, so I had them make one of those for you, and I got myself a chicken salad sandwich on whole wheat.”

“Good choice,” he said with a grin as he started the truck. “What else is in there?”

“I brought a couple bottles of water, chips, and two giant chocolate-chip cookies.” She paused and laughed softly. “They had just come out of the oven and smelled too good to resist.”

“No Oreos, huh?” he teased.

She blushed at the memory. “I didn’t see any Double Stuf ones. Otherwise I would have grabbed those too.”

Alex pulled out of the driveway and immediately began talking about the history of the Japanese garden. Megan sat back and listened to him talk. Occasionally he’d point out places they were passing that he thought she’d want to know about—the mechanic he used, a hair salon, and a day spa.

“I have to tell you, I never thought of myself as the kind of girl to go to one of those spas, but after going for mani-pedis with Gabriella and Summer, I have a feeling I’ll be going again.”

Alex looked over at her for a moment. “If you think that’s good, you should do the all-day thing. Besides the mani-pedi, you can get a facial and a massage. It’s supposedly very decadent, and I’m told every woman enjoys that.”

Megan thought about it for a moment. “I’m sure it would be nice,” she said thoughtfully. “I’ve never had a facial. Or a massage.”

“Wait…what?” he asked with disbelief. “How is that possible?”

“I don’t know. I never thought of going for one. Or…either. I never needed a massage, and a facial seemed like a waste of time. I’ve got good skin and…” Another shrug.

For a minute, she thought he was going to say something else, but he didn’t. They drove in silence for a bit, and then Alex went back to talking about the garden. By the time they arrived, she was even more excited about what they would see.

After they parked and started walking, Alex took the cooler bag from Megan and reached for her hand. It seemed like the natural thing to do, so she didn’t question him. For today, she promised herself to be content and go with the flow.

Baby steps.

“Okay,” she said as the sign came into view, “what are we going to see first?”

“That depends,” he said casually as they strolled along at a leisurely pace. “Was there anything you wanted to see first?”

“Hmm…there are…what…eight different types of gardens?”

Alex nodded.

“I guess we’ll start with whichever one comes first,” she said, and as they walked through the entrance, she chuckled. “Or we can choose to go left, right, or straight.”

Beside her, Alex laughed too. “Why don’t we go counterclockwise and make our way around?”

“Sounds like a plan.”

The paths were lushly lined, and Megan realized that no matter what she had thought they were going to see, it didn’t even compare to the reality. Never before had she seen anything so beautiful, so peaceful. This sort of place was never on her radar as something she’d want to see, and now she realized just how wrong she had been.

As they walked, Alex pointed out the different flowers and different statues they passed, and as they approached the first garden, she found herself thoroughly enchanted by it all.

“This is the tea garden,” Alex said softly as they turned to the right.

Megan gasped with delight. “Oh my goodness! This is amazing! How is it possible a place like this exists in the middle of a city?”

“It is something, isn’t it?”

“I swear, if I had a yard of my own, I would love to do something like this. It’s like an oasis.”

For hours they walked around, and with each new garden they encountered, she became more and more enamored with them. She had grown up in a big city and then gone to school and worked in one; things like gardens had never captured her attention. But after today’s explorations, Megan knew she was going to be doing some serious thinking about where she wanted to put down roots and what she wanted that space to look like.

They walked the paths, enjoyed tea in the authentic tea house, and then picnicked with an amazing view of Mount Hood. Megan sighed as she took in the scenery.

“Was that a good sigh or a bad one?” Alex asked.

She turned her head and looked at him. “A good one. A really good one.” Pausing, Megan took a minute to appreciate the sights and the smells and the sounds all around her. It was peaceful. Tranquil. Even though there were a ton of people all around them, it didn’t feel crowded.

“This is so different from anything I’ve ever experienced,” she explained. “And I can’t believe I’m twenty-six and just now learning to appreciate nature.”

Beside her, Alex was still for a moment. “I think we all get used to the way we live and sometimes don’t realize how much else is out there to see. This is where I grew up, which made it easy to want to be outside and explore. If I grew up in a big city, chances are I’d be drawn more to going to museums and restaurants and clubs and that sort of thing.”

Now she studied him. “Do you enjoy those things? The museums and such?”

“Yes, there are some great museums to see around here too.” Then he shrugged. “I figured I’d introduce you to some outdoor stuff first.”

“And I’m glad you did.” Moving a little closer, Megan rested her head on Alex’s shoulder, and for a few minutes, they were both content to stay that way. “What are you thinking for next weekend?” When Alex didn’t answer right away, she wanted to kick herself. Maybe he had other plans or didn’t plan on being her permanent tour guide. She was about to correct herself when he spoke.

“How about the Portland Audubon Society? There are some great walking trails, and we can go bird-watching. How does that sound?”

“Bird-watching?” she asked with amusement as she lifted her head. “Seriously? That’s a thing people do?”

Looking at her, he smiled, and everything in Megan simply melted. To her, there could never be a more perfect moment than this one—their day had been amazing, their lunch was delicious. And the smile on this man and the sheer happiness she saw there…it was everything. Before she could second-guess herself, she leaned in and gently pressed her lips to his.

If Alex had been surprised, he didn’t let on—but he also didn’t immediately respond or take control. He let her kiss him—gently. Softly. Once. Twice. And then? Then they both sort of eased into it, sighing with pleasure as if this was what they’d been waiting for all day. It was slow and sweet, and Megan felt herself melt against him as his arms slowly banded around her. She remembered their first kiss had been in a garden, but at the time she hadn’t paid any attention to that detail because her focus had solely been on Alex. And their first kiss had been all heat and need. It was the total opposite of this, and yet it felt the same. She already knew she was falling for him. Again. And with even the slightest encouragement, she’d be willing to get in the car right now and drive home and have another wild weekend of sex with him. Only…

It was Sunday.

She had work in the morning.

Dammit.

Alex lifted his head and placed a small kiss on the tip of her nose before resting his forehead against hers. “Where’d you go?” he whispered.

“What do you mean?”

“One minute you were right there with me—kissing me like…well…exactly like I remembered. And then the next I could tell you were distracted.”

Megan didn’t move. “Do you remember the first time we kissed?”

“The garden at Zach and Gabriella’s wedding. We were in the corner, and there were those little white twinkly lights woven in the greenery. The music was barely a whisper, and it felt like we were cocooned somewhere in a world of our own.”

So…yes. He remembered.

“It came to me that when we kissed there, I didn’t even pay attention to where we were. It was all about finding a place to be alone, and that kiss was wild and untamed, and—”

“It was so damn sexy, Megan,” he said huskily. “God, you have no idea how turned on I was.”

She smiled and felt herself blush. “I think I have a pretty good idea. We left the reception not too long after that.”

“And didn’t come out of the room for almost two days,” he added, tucking a finger under her chin so she’d have to look at him. His expression was serious. “I’m not asking for another sex-fueled weekend,” he began and then let out a small laugh. “I wouldn’t say no to one, but that’s not what this is about. I’m enjoying getting to know you. Nothing about our relationship has been…conventional, and I want you to know I’m willing to wait until you’re comfortable taking this to the next level.”

She swallowed hard. “You mean sleeping together again?”

Alex shook his head. “Eventually. Right now, Megan, I’d like to know that you see me as someone you want to be with—someone you’ll go to dinner with or sit and watch a movie with on a Thursday night.” He shrugged. “I’d like to think you’ll give us a chance.”

And that was what she wanted too. She knew that now. It was a bit terrifying because for so long, her work was what defined her and filled all her free time. To be in this new job and trying to meet all the commitments it required while starting a new personal relationship seemed almost too overwhelming to comprehend. Which was what she said to him.

“We’ll take it slow,” he said. “I know you have a demanding job. I get it. And my schedule isn’t exactly traditional either.” He stood and took her hand in his, gently pulling her to her feet. “What do you say we walk around for a little bit more and then head home and talk about it? Later on, we’ll maybe grill some burgers and watch some TV. Very casual. Nothing crazy.”

She nibbled her bottom lip as she pretended to consider her options.

Alex leaned in and kissed the spot her teeth had just worried. “But you should know this,” he said, his voice low and thick and full of promise, “I’m going to want to kiss you again, and I’ll want to hold you close while we watch TV. And with even the slightest bit of encouragement from you, I’d even be willing to skip the dinner and television and feast on you.”

She gasped softly at the image but didn’t discourage him either.

He pulled her in close and placed a kiss on the top of her head. “But…the ball is in your court, Megan. We move at your pace. Okay?”

Right now, her pace was to find a secluded spot and have a throw-down in the garden.

She kept that idea to herself.

Clearing her throat, she said, “Let’s finish walking around the gardens and head home and then…take it from there.” Pulling back, she looked at him. “Is that okay?”

His smile was sweet and sexy and had her knees buckling. “I already told you we’re gonna move at your pace. I’ve waited two years for you, Megan, and I don’t mind waiting a bit longer.”

Oh God. Two years.

She hadn’t had sex in two years!

Seriously, what am I waiting for? she wondered.

“C’mon,” he said. “Let’s go and walk off this lunch.”

Personally, she could think of a much better way to work it off, but for now, she opted to behave.

There’d be plenty of time to misbehave later.

* * *

They’d walked.

They’d talked.

They’d laughed.

There was not one damn thing they’d done in the past two hours that should have been considered sexy, and yet…everything about Megan was, and Alex had a feeling she was completely unaware of it. Now as they pulled into his driveway, he had to remind himself to not get too anxious because there was a very real chance they were going to go inside, order a pizza or eat burgers, and simply…watch TV.

And that would be great.

It would be fun.

It would…totally not be his first choice. Or his second. Okay, fine, it would maybe be his fourth or fifth choice, but he’d promised they’d take things at her pace, and he’d meant it.

At the time he had.

Now? Not so much.

The entire drive to his house they had talked about different options to tour next weekend—places that weren’t in the same vicinity of the park. Hell, if it were up to Alex, they’d do some serious hiking, but he knew she wasn’t ready for that yet. They’d tossed out the idea of doing some museums or more touristy locations, but those were things they could do anytime, and maybe they’d save them for a rainy day—literally.

“How do you feel about waterfalls?” he asked as they stepped into his house.

Megan put the cooler bag down next to the door and kicked off her shoes. “I don’t think I’ve ever given them much thought. Why?”

“There’s a great park about an hour south of here in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains called Silver Falls. It’s a state park, but it’s known for—”

“Its waterfalls?” she finished for him with an arched brow.

“Exactly. I haven’t been there in years, but it’s a spectacular sight. Lots of walking like we did today, but it’s worth it. If we leave early enough, we can get in before the crowds show up and have some of the spots all to ourselves.”

She smiled, and he saw she was seriously thinking about it.

“We’ll pack a lunch like we did today, and on the way home we’ll stop someplace for dinner and make it a full day. What do you think?”

He’d thought talking about parks and walking around would distract him. But as Megan began to walk toward him, he saw how the look in her eyes had nothing to do with waterfalls and everything to do with him. Them.

Yes.

When they were toe to toe, she looped her arms around his shoulders and pressed herself close. “I think I like the sound of that,” she said softly.

“Yeah?”

She nodded. “Yes.”

“And I like the sound of that,” he said gruffly, gently banding his arms around her waist.

“The sound of what?” she whispered, her voice a little breathless and dazed.

“You saying yes.” He dipped his head toward hers and captured her lips with his. For a split second, Alex cursed himself for acting so quickly—especially when he’d sworn they were going to take things at Megan’s pace—but judging by how quickly she seemed to be on board, he felt confident that this pace was her pace.

His hands moved to her bottom and squeezed right before he lifted her. Megan’s legs wrapped around his waist, and he had to make the decision to move them either to the sofa—which was close—or to his bed—which was all the way upstairs. She moaned his name as she moved her lips from his and nipped at his ear and his jaw, and the decision was made.

The sofa.

Walking them over, he laid her down and stretched out on top of her.

Yes.

This was what he’d been dreaming about—fantasizing about—for too damn long. The feel of her underneath him, her lush curves, the sound of her moaning as they fit their bodies together? Yeah, it was sexy as hell and had him harder than granite.

Don’t rush, savor, he mentally told himself, but Megan’s movements were making that hard to do. With her legs wrapped around him, her hands raking up his back and then into his hair, and then her lips claiming his again…um, yeah. Hard.

Her hands moved from his hair to the hem of his T-shirt, and he smiled against her lips when she began pulling it up. Rather than fight the movement, he pushed himself up and finished the job for her. Before he dove in for another taste, he watched the look on her face—the heat and desire as she looked at his chest and then reached out to touch it.

Skin on skin.

Megan’s hands on his abs, his chest, were like hitting the launch button.

He was about to move, to close the distance between them, when Megan crossed her arms in front of her and pulled her own shirt off, tossing it to the floor beside his.

And then Alex simply forgot how to breathe. She was perfect. The pale-pink lace against her skin looked almost too delicate to touch, and yet that’s exactly what he did—slowly, reverently. At the first touch of his hands, Megan’s eyes drifted closed. His fingers skimmed, caressed, and trembled as they did so. Then he grew bold, he cupped, he kneaded, and her back arched as she pressed herself more firmly against his hands. She was so responsive to his touch—just like he remembered.

“Megan,” he whispered and then groaned when she licked her lips, her slumberous eyes looking at him. And then he forgot what he was going to say—words escaped him. There wasn’t anything he could say that would even begin to describe the way he was feeling or how much he wanted her.

She gave him a knowing smile as she skimmed her hand around his neck and slowly guided him down to her.

He inhaled her perfume, felt the heat of her skin, and as his chest pressed gently to hers, they both sighed in unison. It felt so good. So right.

“Alex?”

“Hmm?”

“Kiss me.”

And he did. And he kept kissing her, stroking her, caressing her, until he thought he’d go mad. He cursed his decision on the couch because there simply wasn’t enough room. He wanted to see her sprawled out on his bed—her hair fanned out on his pillow as she panted his name. They were adults, and they could have the patience and restraint to wait until they made it up a flight of stairs, couldn’t they?

He moved before he could question himself but not before Megan could. “Where are you going?” she asked, almost frantic as she tried to pull him back.

Alex took her hand in his and quickly pulled her to her feet.

“I want you in my bed,” he said gruffly. “I’ve fantasized about it for two damn years, and now that you’re here, that’s where I want you.”

“Oh…” she said breathlessly, her dark-brown eyes slowly raising to meet his gaze. “I want that too.”

Satisfied, he began to lead her toward the stairs when her phone rang. They both stopped in their tracks, and his heart beat wildly in his chest because the moment had been so perfect that he was afraid of any distractions.

“Ignore it,” she finally said, and Alex felt himself relax. They had gone all of two feet when his phone began to ring. Megan looked at him. “It’s a coincidence, right?”

It could be, but a strange one. His head dropped forward, and both phones stopped. He waited a minute, and sure enough, they both started again. Looking over at her, he said, “I think we need to answer those.”

Megan readily agreed, and as she reached for hers, Alex saw Ethan’s number on his screen. He immediately answered. “Hey, Ethan, what’s up?”

Beside him, Megan answered her phone, and he heard her gasp.

“Dude, did you hear me?” Ethan said.

Dammit, he hadn’t. “Sorry…um, what?”

“They’re taking Gabriella to the hospital now,” Ethan was saying. “Zach’s a mess, and Summer and I are two hours away. Can you get over there and stay with him until we get there? Summer’s on the phone with Megan, so hopefully she’ll go over too.”

“Not a problem. I’m on my way,” Alex said.