Chapter Fourteen
Serena finished packing her things into the suitcase, figuring she’d stalled long enough. No sense putting off the inevitable. Despite longing to stay here in this idyllic fantasy land for the rest of her life, the reality of the end of her adventures intruded harshly into her dreams.
They were due to depart within the hour. She hadn’t seen Michael in hours. Soon, she wouldn’t see him at all.
Last night had been incredible, the culmination of all her fantasies. Michael had been a tender lover, taking care not to hurt her. Just what she had come to expect from him. He seemed to instinctively know how much she could take—where to draw the line between pleasure and pain.
Afterward, they’d gone back to their room, cleaned up, and spent the remainder of the evening curled up in each other’s arms. A bittersweet end to an interlude that Serena would remember the rest of her life.
She had told Michael she loved him. He hadn’t responded. Not that she’d expected him to. And yet, she’d wanted him to know. And despite what he’d told her the other day, she knew he felt something for her beyond just sex. But something prevented him from wanting to take it any further.
And who was she to tell him how to feel? If he’d wanted her badly enough, wanted to continue their relationship beyond the boundaries of this fantasy island, he would have said so.
He hadn’t. So they’d go their separate ways today, and Serena would tuck the memories of Michael Donovan deep in her heart forever.
With a sigh of resignation she closed her suitcase and stepped into the living room, tugging the wheeled monstrosity behind her. She stepped out onto the balcony for one last look at the turquoise ocean, feel the breeze on her face and smell the salty sweet fragrance of the tropics.
She’d miss this place.
She’d miss Michael more.
* * * * *
Michael jammed the last of his things in his suitcase and snapped it shut, the sound echoing with a finality he didn’t want to face.
She loved him. He felt stupid, but he smiled every time he recalled her words. Not that it changed anything. He wasn’t someone who had the capacity to love any more. Memories of pain and heartbreak sailed across his memories at the thought of loving someone.
He and his first wife had been a disaster from the start. Oh sure, in his own, typical male ego way, he’d blamed Mari for all the problems in their marriage. But the collapse of their relationship hadn’t been entirely her fault. A lot of the blame fell to him. And he realized that he wasn’t fit company for a woman to live with, and definitely not to marry.
Because he cared about Serena, he was going to leave her.
Somewhere in that small town in Kansas where she lived was some guy who’d make her happy. Not a used up, cynical, down on love writer like him. He could never give her what she needed.
But until the day he died he’d remember the words she’d uttered after they’d made love. And he’d hold them tight, knowing they were the last words of love anyone would say to him.
She was on the balcony, the vision of her so similar to the one he’d seen that first day. The clothes were different, though. Gone was the dowdy, plain, blousy outfit she’d worn that day they’d met. Instead she wore little black capris, sandals, and a white tube top. Her long hair fell in a single braid down the middle of her back.
When she turned to him and smiled, his heart stopped. He shook his head and smiled back, knowing a day wouldn’t go by that he wouldn’t think of her and remember her smile, her sweet smell, those green eyes that could light up his heart, and a body he could never tire of.
“You all packed?” she asked.
He nodded. “How about you?”
“Yes.”
“When does the new semester begin?” Maybe idle chit chat would pass the time until their departure, force him to think about other things than how much he was going to miss her.
“In three weeks.”
He nodded.
“When will you start on your book?”
He shrugged and smiled. “I don’t have deadlines. When the impetus strikes I’ll crank it out in a month or so.”
“Good.”
The silence stretched between them, awkward and uncomfortable.
She turned to view the ocean. “I’ll miss this place.”
“Me too.” He’d miss her more. But he wasn’t going to say it. Couldn’t say it. He wouldn’t give her, or him for that matter, unrealistic hope.
“I had a great time, Michael. Thank you for making this an unforgettable experience for me.”
He pulled a stray hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear. “Believe me, Serena, it was my pleasure.”
Without hesitation she stepped towards him. He folded his arms around her and rested his chin on her head, trying like hell to keep from begging her to come to California with him.
Which would be a colossal mistake, and would ruin her life.
They separated at the knock on the door. The bellman retrieved their suitcases and told them the shuttle to the airport on the other side of the island was waiting downstairs.
It was better this way, he thought as they followed the bellman downstairs. Better now than three or four months from now when they’d both realize the error they’d made.
This was the best time to say goodbye.
* * * * *
Serena tapped her pencil on the stack on her desk, slipped on her glasses and dug into the pile. Her office looked like a train wreck.
First week of the new semester and she was deluged with paperwork already. Not that she cared. She’d been listless and completely uninterested in anything around her since she’d gotten back from Paradise Resort.
She and Michael had said awkward goodbyes at the airport. A hug, a quick kiss, good luck in the future and that was it. He had walked out of her life forever.
And probably hadn’t given her a second thought. Which irritated the hell out of her, much to her surprise.
She was unforgettable. She was worthy of a man who would traverse the ends of the earth for her. And if Michael Donovan couldn’t see that, he could kiss her well-tanned ass.
A little righteous indignation and anger went a long way to soothe a broken heart. It was almost working.
Almost.
In the past month, she’d progressed from thinking about him twenty-four hours a day to merely twenty-two now. She was definitely making headway in that department.
She’d made headway in a lot of areas. Mainly, she refused to hide who she was any longer. Even the men around campus had started to notice her. Most likely due to the fact that she’d tossed out her frumpy clothes and bought some that fit. Stylish, trendy, a tad bit sexy.
She inhaled, enjoying the feel of the satin chemise that slid against her nipples. One of her many new purchases. Along with the black suit she wore today, with its short skirt and fitted jacket. And the to die for pumps that were just a little bit naughty.
Why not? She’d learned a lot about herself at Paradise, and one of the most important things she’d discovered was her sensuality. She was a healthy sexual being. With normal needs and urges that weren’t bizarre or unnatural. And some day she’d find a man whose sexual tastes matched her own.
In the meantime, she’d just let them all see how she’d come to life on vacation. And if one of them were ballsy enough to ask her out, then she’d just see what happened.
Right. When hell froze over. The problem was, they might be interested in her, but she wasn’t interested in them.
Most likely she never would be. For every time another man would want to touch her, kiss her or make love to her, a tall, tanned hunk with sapphire eyes and a body to die for would cloud her vision.
Face it, Serena. You’re fucked. And not in a good way. The man she wanted, the one she loved, was two thousand miles away, living his California life with a bevy of fashion models, and probably hadn’t thought about her for one second since they parted ways over a month ago.
“You’re all I’ve thought about for the past month.”
Yeah right, she thought, mentally tamping down his voice which permeated her every thought.
“You look gorgeous.”
The pencil stilled in her hand and her heart slammed against her chest. No. It couldn’t be.
She slipped off her glasses and looked up.
There, leaning in her doorway, looking tanned and handsome in jeans and a white polo shirt, was Michael.
Unable to catch her breath, she couldn’t speak. Her legs shook so bad she couldn’t stand.
He arched a brow. “Cat got your tongue, Professor?”
“Uh, uh, uh.” Brilliant conversation there, Serena. “What…what are you doing here?”
With a grin he pushed off from the doorway and walked in the room, then sat on the edge of her desk.
She inhaled his clean, crisp scent which almost brought her to tears. God, she’d missed his smell.
“I had to meet with my editor in New York, so I took a little detour.”
“Kansas is quite a detour.”
He looked around. “It’s a nice detour. Quaint little town.”
She snorted. “Yeah, right.” He was probably laughing at her quaint little town.
“I’m serious. This is a great place. Talk about a slice of Americana. Reminds me of where I grew up in central California.”
That revelation shocked her. “You grew up in a small town?”
He grinned. “Hell yeah. In the middle of raisin country. A place smaller than this. Definitely not as scenic either. “
“I still don’t understand why you’re here.”
“Don’t you?” He stood and pulled her out of the chair, yanking her into his arms. Her body fired up like a raging storm at his touch.
She refused to hope, refused to give flight to her rampant thoughts of why he might be here. “No. I don’t.”
“Gonna make me spell it out for you?”
She swept her hand over the unruly lock of hair which had fallen across his forehead. Frankly, she didn’t care why he was here, she was just so damn glad to see him she could have cried. But still, she wanted to know. “Yup.”
“Fine then. I missed you. I haven’t slept for a month, I can’t write, and despite the fact I swore I’d forget you, there’s no fucking way it’s going to happen.”
“Why?” Her heart soared, but she still needed to hear the words.
Instead of telling her, he showed her. His hands slid to her neck and pulled her lips to his. The kiss was achingly sweet and tender, then increased as his tongue found hers and turned her legs to jelly.
Then he told her. “I love you, Professor Serena Graham.”
Tears filled her eyes. This time, she knew he meant it. “I love you too, Michael Donovan.”
“I can’t live without you. So now what do we do?”
She didn’t know, and didn’t care. Right now she was trying to recover from the fact that he was here and he loved her. “I have no idea.”
“I can write anywhere, you know. And I kind of like this small town atmosphere. Think it would scandalize the community if a jaded erotic crime writer moved in with the literature professor?”
Was this all a dream? Not only had she found the man of her dreams, but he was willing to move to be with her. “I could care less what anyone thinks any longer. This is my life, and I’ll live it any way I choose. Besides, I can teach anywhere too. We could live in California.”
His eyes widened. “Land of sex, sin and debauchery?”
She laughed. “Sounds right up our alley.”
He swept her mouth into a passionate kiss and ran his hands over her body. Hands that knew her so well—every inch of her. Heat and moisture pooled between her legs.
“We’ll figure out the logistics later. Right now, I need to fuck you so bad I can’t breathe.”
With a shaky breath she said, “Great minds think alike. I need you Michael. I haven’t been able to sleep or function since I left Paradise. Make love to me. Right here, right now.”
His eyes widened. “You’re joking. Here? Now?”
She graced him with a seductive smile and licked her lips. “Right here. I want you to fuck me on my desk. Hard.”
One of the things she loved the most about him was his lack of shock. As if she’d just asked him to hand her a pencil, he nodded. He stepped away and quickly closed the door to her office and locked it, then shut the blinds. His eyes darkened to a stormy blue as he approached her, already unzipping his jeans. “My pleasure, Professor.”
Sweeping the pile of papers off her desk, he lifted her easily and laid her on the desk, unbuttoning her blouse with deft, quick fingers.
“Hurry,” she cried, needing him so bad she knew she would come in an instant. The ache to feel his cock pulsated within her.
He swept his hands up her skirt and pulled her skimpy panties down her legs, then hiked the skirt up over her hips and penetrated her in a quick thrust.
He was hard and hot and fucking perfect.
“Miss me?” he groaned as he swept her lips in a heated kiss.
“Yes, desperately,” she cried as he stroked her hard.
“Touch yourself and think about me?”
She whimpered and moaned and said, “Daily.”
When his lips found hers again she threaded her fingers through his hair and pulled roughly. He pounded her relentlessly and she had to bite back the cries that threatened to spill from her throat.
Instantly the contractions squeezed her. The orgasm burst through her and she lifted her hips and wrapped her legs around his waist, holding him tight as he groaned and came hard and fast inside her.
When it was over and they could both breathe again, Michael swept her hair away from her face and kissed her gently, his eyes full of the love she knew was genuine.
“Let’s go home,” he said.
“Yes. Let’s do that.”
Serena smiled at him and held him close, knowing the real adventure of her life was about to begin.