Reese

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I was stunned by Adrian’s sudden melancholy mood after what he’d just accomplished toward his dream. He should be celebrating, but he seemed to be brooding instead. It didn’t make sense. I thought we would spend the night together having hot sex like we’d been doing all week. Especially tonight, celebrating.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“I’m fine. I just need to take some time to make sure the next phase goes well. To do that I’ll need complete concentration and I’m afraid I won’t be very good company tonight.”

Had I done something to upset him? I didn’t recall anything in specific. I didn’t act frightened going down the elevator. I knew that wouldn’t be a good plan. I was polite and cordial to all the reporters, answered all the questions addressed to me. I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why he was so quiet and sad. He’d been so loving at the dock before we’d gone down, promising me he’d take care of me, that I’d be safe. Then he went to talk to Victor. Had Victor’s presence put him in that bad mood? Had Victor threatened to ruin things for Waterscape? It didn’t take a rocket scientist to ascertain the fact that Adrian and Victor had been rivals since they were business partners.

It seemed to me that Victor might be more the problem in that relationship, now that I was getting to know Adrian. Not once had Adrian sought out Victor or discussed him. However, Victor showed up at all the wrong times, butting in when it was clear Adrian didn’t want him around; like at that first night at dinner. He even showed up here at my home unannounced with a bottle of wine right before Adrian was to pick me up. Coincidence? 

Adrian pulled the Ferrari up to my cottage door. Since Saturday evening, I’d been spending most of my time at his place. He insisted since he didn’t care for me living in a building that was old and run down. Apparently, that didn’t bother him anymore.

“I know something is wrong, Adrian. Please tell me what’s bothering you.”

“I told you, nothing. And quite frankly, I don’t have time to discuss anything right now.”

“You’re going out of town on a last minute emergency and you don’t have five minutes to explain? Don’t treat me like I don’t understand things, Adrian.”

He glanced at me. “This has nothing to do with you. Stop asking me.”

“Is there someone else? Are you seeing another woman?”

He blinked at me. “Why would you think that?”

“Because, Adrian, this isn’t like you. Granted I’ve only known you for a couple of weeks, but this isn’t you.”

“This is me. There are a few things you don’t know about me, Reese. Sometimes I need to keep things to myself.”

That stung. I didn’t expect him to tell me every little detail about where he was going and why, but a small hint would have satisfied me and let me know he still cared about me. We never said we were exclusive to each other, but damn, it sure felt that way.

“Okay then. I guess I’ll let you go.” I tried hard to keep my voice steady without a hint of the sob that was building in the back of my throat. 

When I leaned toward him to kiss him goodbye, he pulled me against him, deepening the kiss. His arms went around my waist and he squeezed me tighter. His kiss was intense and hot, so different from the brooding mood he’d displayed a few seconds ago. My hands slipped up his back and I felt a deep groan rise up from within him.

“Reese. My God, Reese.”

His voice was deep and breathy. His hands were in my hair, fisting the long strands around his fingers, holding my head in place so that his lips and tongue could take what they wanted.

What I wanted was to stay in his arms forever. I loved the way he kissed me. This time though, he was saying goodbye because he had to go out of town tomorrow. I hugged him tighter. I was going to miss him so terribly much while he was away. 

When he broke the kiss, he stared into my eyes. “You better go now.” His words were cold. It was as if he were a different man now from the one who was just kissing me.

I felt helpless. I had no idea where he was going or why he was leaving and it was obvious he didn’t care enough to let me know. And that made it obvious to me that it wasn’t business.

I got out of the car and stood in the driveway as he pulled away. I used the back of my hand to swipe at the tears that were flowing down my cheeks and headed inside that gloomy old cottage. I shut the door and locked it, then sank to the floor, placing my face in my hands. “Come back to me, Adrian. Because I think I’m falling in love with you.”

I managed to pick myself up off the floor and took off to my bedroom. I shrugged off the gray pencil skirt, black silk blouse, and black lace bra I’d worn to work and wrapped myself into a blue flowered pareo, arranging it into a comfortable short dress that crisscrossed above my breasts and tied behind my neck.

I was glad Adrian drove me home instead of back to the office just to hang out for another hour. I didn’t think I’d be able to concentrate on work after what just transpired between us anyway. He needed space. I got that. He had important things to figure out. Technical things that I’m sure I would have only distracted him from.

But everything between us had been so strained and uncertain the entire ride home. That wasn’t normal. Normally we ... told jokes and teased one another. We talked about our day and flirted with breathy promises about what was about to happen back home.

Would we continue seeing each other when, or if he came back? I didn’t want to think that. Couldn’t possibly fathom it. I lay down on the bed and hugged one of my large throw pillows to my chest and closed my eyes. I’d rather sleep away the rest of the weekend than to think about Adrian.

I was swimming with Adrian. He was in his dolphin form. I held on to his fin while he pulled me along under the water. He twisted and wiggled his tale, making me laugh, causing me to run out of air too soon. I let go of his fin and tried to kick my way to the surface, but he’d taken me too deep, too far underwater. I tried to swim fast. I had to make it to the top, but I had no more air and lost control of my limbs. I was drifting weightlessly through the water. It was peaceful, like floating on a cloud. Then strong arms grabbed me around my waist, tugging me against a hard body. Lips covered my mouth and air flowed into my lungs. I opened my eyes to Adrian’s. His lips pressed against mine, showering me with wet kisses. Then he breathed into me again and pushed away, shifting back into the dolphin as I grabbed onto his fin and he propelled us up to the surface.

I sputtered and coughed, gasping for air. “Adrian!” I managed to call out, but he didn’t answer. I twisted this way and that, searching for him. He was nowhere to be found. I was alone.

I sat up in bed, crying. It was true, I was alone. I looked at my phone to see if there were any messages from Adrian. Nothing. I gasped when I saw the time. 4:00 p.m. Saturday. Saturday? Wait. It was 4:00 p.m. when Adrian dropped me off, Friday. Had I slept the entire night and the next day too? 

Knocking at the door surprised me. “Adrian?”

I jumped up, so glad he changed his mind and didn’t go out of town. I ran to the door and tugged it open, eager to wrap my arms around him.