Chapter 7

Morning came way too soon as far as Taylor was concerned. She had spent the night in Mike’s arms and it was a glorious feeling. They had made love more times than she could have imagined. And now that it was Monday, she felt a sense of disappointment she hadn’t felt in a long time. She wasn’t ready for the weekend to be over—or for reality to set in. For almost twenty-four hours she and Mike had existed in a world of their own, and no matter how much she wanted to do this interview with his boss, she was slowly coming to realize that she wanted the time with Mike more.

Turning her head slightly, she looked at him as he slept. Who would have thought that the boy she once knew would turn into this incredibly sexy man who seemed to find great joy in entertaining and pleasing her? He seemed to know more about her than he had ever let on. Was she that transparent? Taylor hadn’t spent a whole lot of time alone with him all those years ago, and even Eddie wasn’t aware of who she was back then.

No, back then she was a girl of eighteen. Her head was full of dreams that she didn’t share with anyone because she didn’t have the confidence to do so. Eddie only knew the side of her that had wanted to be a wife and mother. He never knew her dreams of being a journalist, or of leaving New York altogether. All of their plans back then had been focused on his future. Looking back, she realized how sad it would have made her. Maybe now she could finally let go of the feeling of betrayal and focus on the man lying beside her who seemed genuinely interested in knowing who she was and giving her what she wanted.

She jumped when the alarm went off at eight o’clock. Mike stirred beside her and reached out to shut it off. Without missing a beat, he rolled over and tucked Taylor beneath him, kissing her until they both were breathless. “Good morning.”

Unable to help herself, she smiled against his lips. “Good morning. I didn’t realize you had set the alarm.”

“I wanted us to have time to get up and have some breakfast before heading over to pick up the bikes. We can do the tour at our own pace, but I reserved the bikes for eleven o’clock. Will that be enough time, do you think?” Taylor thought about it for a moment and then her expression changed, fell. “What?” he asked as he sat up, alarmed by the look on her face. “What’s the matter?”

“I had no idea you had planned something like this, and I didn’t pack for a bike ride.” She was sure her disappointment was palpable, and she hated that she was going to miss out on something as wonderful as this over a change of clothes.

“Is that all?” he asked.

“I don’t think you understand. I can’t go for a bike ride in boots with heels, trust me.”

Mike rolled his eyes. “Seems to me if your love of biking is all you say it is, something like boots wouldn’t stop you.” He was challenging her and he loved the immediate spark his words put in her eyes.

“It’s not that,” she said and swatted playfully at him. “I prefer to be comfortable when I’m biking.”

“So, we’ll go shopping. There. Problem solved.”

How could she possibly even begin to tell him that her life wasn’t as simple as that? How she couldn’t go into a store and buy herself new pants, shirt, and sneakers on her small salary? She budgeted every penny and while there were some things she could do, an entire outfit wasn’t one of them right now. “Mike,” she began and was surprised when he placed a finger over her lips.

“Shh… We’ll eat some breakfast and then drive into town to shop.” When she began to protest again, he pressed his finger a little more firmly against her lips. “Consider it a gift. I should have told you what I had planned so you could be better prepared.”

“I can’t—”

“A gift. You’re supposed to say thank you,” he teased and placed a gentle kiss on the tip of her nose.

It was pointless to keep arguing with him, she realized, and instead raked her fingers into his hair and pulled his lips down to hers for a more thorough kiss. When they finally resurfaced, they were both breathing hard. “Thank you,” she whispered and gave him a sexy smile, hoping to entice him into staying in bed a little longer. For a minute, she thought she had as his body seemed to relax against hers, but at the last moment, he pulled back.

“As much as I want to spend the day in here with you like this, I think it would be wiser to get up and go on that bike tour.” His tone lacked any real enthusiasm. “I do have some things that need to be handled back at the farm early tomorrow morning, so we’ll have to head back tonight.”

Taylor wanted to be disappointed, but Mike had already given her so much that she couldn’t. The reality of it all was that she was here to do a job, an interview. This new development should be a perk, but the more time she and Mike spent together, the less interested she became in the interview with Jonathan Wade. Knowing her boss would kill her if she didn’t follow through and finish what she came her for, Taylor would do the interview—it was just that her enthusiasm was no longer directed at Wade and was instead fully directed at the sexy man getting up from the bed.

She sighed with appreciation at the sight of him. He was a man who did physical labor and it showed. Every inch of him was muscle, and it took every ounce of self-control she had to keep her hands to herself while he went in search of clean clothes to wear.

With clothes in hand, Mike turned and walked into the en suite. He couldn’t miss the way Taylor was watching him. Even though they were on a schedule, he couldn’t help himself. Without a word, he walked back to the bed and pulled the blankets back. A small scream escaped Taylor’s mouth at the surprise attack.

“Mike! What are you doing?”

Still silent, he scooped her up in his arms and headed toward the bathroom. Placing her on her feet, enjoying the delicious slide of her naked body against his, he smiled wickedly. “Trust me. We’ll save time showering together.”

Taylor’s smile lit up the room, and as he reached behind her to turn on the water, he realized he didn’t care if it saved time or not.

* * *

They stepped off the boat a little later with their coffees in travel mugs. Mike was determined to get Taylor outfitted early so they could pick up their bikes and begin the tour. By ten o’clock, Taylor had new sneakers, thick socks, sweatpants, and a sweatshirt that said Kennebunkport on it. She had rolled her eyes when he picked it up, claiming she had a sweatshirt she could wear, but Mike had insisted she needed it so she would remember her time there.

As if she could forget it.

They made a quick stop back at the yacht for Taylor to change and grab her camera equipment. In the back of her mind, Taylor had decided that even if she didn’t use the pictures for her piece, she’d love to have them for her personal album. Once she had everything loaded up and ready to go, Mike led them back to the car and drove across town to where they would pick up their bikes.

The tour he had chosen would take them to Cape Porpoise on a route parallel to the Kennebunk River, a view of where it emptied into the Atlantic in sight. Taylor stopped many times to take pictures, but rather than get annoyed, Mike stood back and watched her work, marveling at the way she found joy and wonder in the smallest of things. It didn’t matter if it was a flower, a tree, or people, Taylor found a way to photograph them to tell a story. Along the way, they had seen an old fire station, and she had stopped the bike to photograph it as well. As they rode away, she spoke of what she imagined its history to be. Between the pictures, the conversation, and the ride itself, Mike thoroughly enjoyed himself.

The route ended at Cape Porpoise, which was a working fishing village with great vistas and tons of traditional Maine fare. Feeling invigorated from the ride, they locked up the bikes and walked through the town to window-shop. They had been walking for several minutes when Taylor realized they were holding hands. It was such a natural thing for them to do, and she wondered when it had happened. When had they gone from two people who hadn’t seen each other in years to comfortable lovers?

Noticing the direction of her gaze, Mike gently squeezed her hand and led her to a shack out on the pier. “Have you ever had a lobster club?” he asked, walking up to the window of the shack.

“I don’t think I’ve ever even heard of a lobster club,” she said with a chuckle.

Not waiting for further input, Mike ordered them two sandwiches and drinks. After paying and taking the tray, he led her to a spot further out on the pier. Sitting down and hanging his legs from the side, he patted the spot next to him.

Taylor obliged and readily sat down, accepting the sandwich. Biking always gave her an appetite and the sight of the sandwich was enough to make her almost forget her manners. “Thank you,” she said as she accepted the plate he handed to her. She purred with contentment after the first bite.

“There’s nothing quite like it,” Mike commented as he watched her eat. “I know New York is famous for its food, but they can’t do something like this. This is fresh out of the ocean.”

Delicately wiping her mouth, Taylor nodded. “Like I said last night, I could definitely get used to this.” She finished eating in silence and then leaned back and closed her eyes, letting the sun touch her face.

Silent beside her, Mike watched. He’d seen her relax more and more over the last several days, but this was, by far, the most serene he had ever seen her. She looked even younger than her years—almost as young as when he’d first met her, if that were even possible.

Actually, something about her today reminded him of the girl he had known back then. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, her cheeks were flushed from the bike ride, and she had a smile that seemed to say that she didn’t have a care in the world. It was a good look.

Finishing his sandwich, he looked out at the water. The air was cool, typical for a fall day. He watched many boats off in the distance and wished they could spend more time here without the crew and go off sailing on their own. No interruptions. No watchful eyes.

No schedule to keep.

The thought made him look at his watch. It was already after two in the afternoon, and he knew the ride back would be shorter since Taylor wouldn’t need to stop for as many pictures, but it was still going to take them at least two hours to get back. Turning, he looked at Taylor, hating to disturb her, to break the peace she was clearly experiencing.

It was an unfortunate necessity.

“I think we need to start heading back,” he said quietly and nearly groaned with desire as Taylor turned to him with slumberous eyes and a serene smile on her face. She looked like an angel to him—unfortunately, the thoughts going through his mind were far from angelic.

“So soon?”

He nodded. “It’s still a couple of hours of riding, and then we have to return the bikes and get back to the boat to pack and then drive home.” Her expression didn’t change as he spoke, and he wondered if she was even listening. “Taylor?”

“Hmm?”

“I hate to cut our day short…”

“It’s so peaceful out here. We’re surrounded by people and the water, and there are boats and birds and conversations going on all around us, yet it’s so peaceful.” She took a deep lungful of fresh air and let it out slowly. “I know we can’t stay here, but I’m enjoying our last minutes.”

He felt guilty. There were probably a dozen different ways for him to get out of his responsibilities for at least another day, but that wasn’t who he was. He took his job seriously, which was why people respected him. It had taken a long time before anyone showed him any kind of respect, and it had taken moving hundreds of miles away from everything he had ever known to make it happen. He wasn’t about to shirk it all now.

Standing, Mike collected their trash and gave Taylor another minute to enjoy the view. By the time he had turned around, she was walking toward him with a lazy gait. “Any chance of someone picking us up and taking the bikes back?”

He laughed. “Come on, now. That doesn’t sound like the bike enthusiast you bragged about being.”

“Yeah, well…that bike enthusiast never rode for hours followed by a lazy and filling lunch on the water. I could very easily take a nap right now.”

He made a tsking sound and took her by the hand. “I’m not saying it’s going to be easy, but we can do it, right?”

Protest was on the tip of her tongue, but she let it go. They walked along quietly to where they had locked up the bikes and soon were on their way. The sights were no less spectacular, but this time Taylor was satisfied watching them go by rather than stopping to photograph them. She sighed with contentment, happy to be riding behind Mike and watching his adorable rear snugly covered in denim. Now, that was something she could watch all day long.

At the midway point, Mike surprised her by pulling his bike over to a shady spot beside the river. “What are you doing?” Taylor asked as she pulled up beside him.

“I’m not as in shape as I thought I was.” He laughed through a ragged breath. “I need a break!” Parking his bike against a tree, he walked slowly toward the water, holding his side for dramatic effect.

Taylor had to admit she felt a little winded herself, and the thought of taking a short break by the river sounded very appealing. After parking her bike next to Mike’s, she followed his path through the trees and found him lying on his back on a patch of thick grass, eyes closed, hands behind his head. She sat down beside him and looked out at the water. His hand on her shoulder made her jump, but soon she found herself lying down beside him.

“Relax,” he whispered, his eyes still closed.

Obeying, Taylor lay there on her back, hands above her head in surrender. It felt wonderful to lie there with the sun shining down on her face. She closed her eyes and let her body go boneless. “I may never get back on that bike after this,” she murmured and heard his soft chuckle next to her.

Moments later, she noticed a shadow over her face. Opening her eyes, she found Mike leaning up on one elbow, looking down at her. No words were exchanged; it was all in their eyes. His asked. Hers answered. Slowly, Mike lowered his head as Taylor reached up to wrap an arm around his shoulder to bring him closer. When his lips met hers, Taylor melted. It was so good, so sweet. His lips were so soft, so gentle, coaxing hers to open under his. It didn’t take long for her to give in, and for as much emotion as they each poured into the kiss, it didn’t feel hurried or frantic.

It felt…right.

Mike sighed deeply into her mouth and Taylor felt all of his longing in this one exquisite kiss. She rolled onto her side so she could press herself against him. He ran a hand down her back and let it rest at the base of her spine and held her to him. Their tongues teased shyly at first—aware of kissing in the middle of a fairly public area—but when Taylor wriggled against him to fit more snugly against his growing arousal, Mike’s control broke.

All thoughts of being out in public were forgotten. Turning Taylor onto her back, Mike stretched out on top of her and his kiss became more urgent, demanding. Taylor clung to him, wanting all of his strength and heat. Tongues mated, hands roamed as she raked her fingers up through his hair. His mouth left hers briefly to kiss her throat, focusing all of his attention there as she let out a moan of approval. She arched her head back to give him better access and he sucked where her pulse was racing. Unable to help himself, Mike ground his hips against hers and Taylor had an overwhelming need to wrap her legs around him to keep him secured against her.

Sounds of approaching voices broke them apart. Mike jerked his head up and looked around, seeing a group of people off in the distance. He quickly rolled off of her before looking back at her face. When he did, it took all of the self-control he had ever had to not take her right then and there. Her eyes were dark with desire, her cheeks flushed and her lips full and red from their kissing. When her tongue darted out to moisten them, he groaned and buried his face in the crook of her neck and shoulder, inhaling her sweet scent. He hugged her close one last time before rising and extending a hand to help her up.

It was odd, but for all that had happened, not a word had been spoken. It was as if they were of one mind. Walking slowly back to their bikes, Taylor smiled shyly at him as she got ready to climb back on. As before, he led the way back to town. The rest of the scenery was lost on her, anyway. All Taylor could think about was how she didn’t want to drive back to the farm; hell, she didn’t want to drive anywhere. She wanted to get back, return the bikes, and go back to the yacht where they could spend another night in each other’s arms.

They hadn’t discussed it, but the reality was that Taylor would not be comfortable spending the night with Mike back at Wade’s farmhouse. She’d have to address that with him. Although, was there a difference between sleeping with him on the yacht and doing the same back at the farm? For some reason, it seemed like there was. Even without Jonathan there, the farm seemed like it was a personal residence.

She sighed. It sucked not being more in control of their surroundings and where they were staying. She’d love to find a little bed and breakfast or hotel and hole up there for a few days with him. The thought of taking any more advantage of Wade’s hospitality didn’t sit well with her—all she wanted was to find a place that was only for them.

When they returned to the bike rental shop, Mike took care of everything but then excused himself to make a call. Taylor made small talk with the sales clerk regarding their tour, and she told him about all the pictures she had taken. It was so nice to be able to sit and talk to the shop owner. Mike reappeared moments later and she followed him to the car and climbed in. Her body was still humming with anticipation and she could sense Mike’s urgency to get back to the marina. She only hoped his urgency had to do with them and what they had shared in the park rather than getting back to the farm.

He parked the car a little haphazardly in the marina parking lot and quickly climbed out. Taylor joined him and Mike took one of her hands, kissed her palm, and led the way back to the boat. She thought she knew what was going to happen—they were going to pack and get their things and head back to the car.

“I’ll just be a minute,” she said and started toward her stateroom, but Mike didn’t release her hand. She turned to him questioningly. “I need to pack up my stuff so we can get on the road.”

He pulled her toward him and then into the main living area, shutting the door. “We’re not getting on the road.”

She arched a brow at him. “We’re not? But you said—”

“I’ve made other arrangements.” His voice was deep and a little gruff. “Do you want to leave?” Taylor shook her head. “Good.”

Without another word, he led her back to their stateroom and finished what they had started in the park.

Repeatedly.