Chapter 14
Olivia looked at the clock by the hotel bed. Eleven o’clock.
She should message Connor to tell him not to bother. In fact, she had no idea why she’d suggested he come to her room after
his shift.
Sex. You’re addicted to sex with him. And this is your last night together.
Okay, there was that. It had to be the only explanation for why she was sitting on her bed waiting for the late-night knock
on the door, like a mistress waiting on her lover. Yet if she was being really honest, she’d also say she missed him today.
Missed those gorgeous eyes on her, watching her every reaction like it was important to him. Nobody had ever studied her like
that before, learned to read her so well. It made her wonder what he’d be like if they were dating for real.
Distracting.
Yes, as fun as it was to be distracted on holiday—her family had been right—it would soon be time to focus on what was important.
She picked up her phone and messaged Meera:
Give me the gossip. What do I need to know before I go in on Monday? X
England was five hours ahead, but Meera must have been awake because her reply came straight back.
Stuart’s been posturing. He had two meetings with Simon this week.
She pushed aside the niggle of worry and messaged back:
Simon doesn’t get the final say.
Meera: But he gets a say. And the way Stuart’s been licking Simon’s arse, I reckon he thinks Simon has a big say.
Unease rolled through her. Her relationship with Simon wasn’t an easy one—professional, at best. She didn’t play golf, didn’t
go to whatever gentleman’s club Stuart and Simon went to after work. Basically, she didn’t have a penis. But she had to believe
the company was fair and they’d choose the CIO based on talent and how well their funds had performed.
Olivia: Good job I’m back next week.
Meera: Good for your career, maybe. How’s Nantucket? Met any sexy locals?
Olivia smiled as she replied.
Olivia: Locals? No.
Meera: OMG, you met someone?!?!?
Olivia felt like she was talking about someone else.
Olivia: Apparently I’m having a holiday fling . . .
Meera’s reply started with a row of celebration emojis.
I want all the goss when you get back. Where’s he from?
Ealing. It was tantalizingly close. But Meera didn’t need to know that.
Olivia: England
Meera: How hot is he, scale 1 to 10?
She didn’t need to think.
Olivia: 11
Meera: This is serious. You never break rules, even on rating scales. Are you bringing him back in your suitcase?
She hesitated for just a moment. Long enough to realize she wouldn’t be coming out of this totally unscathed.
Olivia: No.
Meera: Why not!?
Too young. No, that was glib. She no longer noticed their age difference.
Olivia: Too different to me. Plus too distracting. I’m going to be CIO, remember.
Meera: You’re a modern woman. You can have it all.
Olivia was tempted to reply You don’t but stopped herself. It had been Meera’s choice to step back. But fact was that since she had, since she’d put family before
her job, Meera had seen men less able than her overtake her on the career ladder.
Olivia: I don’t want it all. Just want CIO.
Meera messaged back with a thumbs-up, and moments later, Ashley texted.
Not had an update for two days. Sexual exhaustion or have you run off with him?
Olivia smiled. These past few days had disappeared in a blur of sex, laughter, and stuff she’d never in a million years have
thought she’d be doing.
Olivia: Sorry, too busy skinny-dipping, Jet Skiing, parasailing, and driving round Nantucket on back of quad bike.
She got an immediate reply.
Ashley: Whoever you are, plz give phone back to my sister.
Olivia: Funny.
Suddenly Ashley’s face appeared on her phone. Rolling her eyes, Olivia accepted the video call.
“You need to keep seeing him, Liv. You know that, right? Where does he live? Has to be near Chiswick because that’s where
he said he worked.”
She could lie by omission to Meera but not to her sister. “Hello to you too. And he lives in Ealing, but that’s irrelevant
because it’s a holiday fling only. We agreed.”
Easy to say, yet when she’d told Connor she didn’t want to see him back in England, he’d looked hurt. She’d not wanted that,
not wanted to disappoint yet another guy. But Connor was a young, ridiculously sexy man who charmed women as easily as he
breathed. He wouldn’t pine for long.
She felt a burn in her gut—jealousy? If it was, she had no right to feel it. They had no future together. If they continued
their fling back home, it would inevitably devolve into ever diminishing trysts of snatched sex, tarnishing what they’d had.
She liked him too much to want that for either of them.
“Shame. He was good for you,” Ashley said, breaking through her thoughts. “You became a different person when he was around.”
Ouch. “You don’t like the usual me?”
Ashley laughed. “Duh, I love you. But the chilled you, the woman we left last Sunday, the one Jess talked to a few days ago—she’s
way more fun than work-obsessed you.”
Olivia startled at the light tap on her door. “I’m going to have to argue about that another time. Connor’s here.”
“Ooh, sexy young man knocking on your door late at night. Lucky you. Enjoy!”
“I’m too old for a booty call,” Olivia grumbled after she ended the call.
With a huff, she jumped off the bed, walked to the door, and peered through the peephole to check if it was him. Head down,
one hand propped against the wall as if it were the only thing holding him up, he looked shattered.
Concerned, she quickly threw open the door. “Hey. Are you okay?” She thought of the risks he’d taken all week to be with her.
“Did someone see you coming up here?”
“I’m fine. And no.” His gaze skimmed her face and then went lower, making her glad she’d worn the shortie black pajamas. “You’re
a sight for sore eyes.” Twin blue orbs locked onto hers. “Sorry it’s so late. I understand if you want me to piss off.”
“I don’t.” Booty call be damned. Connor was the only one who had ever looked at her like this, eyes hooded and filled with
hunger, with yearning. She stood back to let him through. “Long day for you.”
“I pulled a double shift.” He tugged her gently toward him, and sank them into a long, sweet kiss. “I missed kissing you today.”
I missed being kissed. She couldn’t say it, too fearful he’d read more into it than she intended. “Why the double shift?”
“Wanted to spend tomorrow with you.” He kissed her again, lots of fleeting kisses across her face, her neck, then down toward
the tops of her breasts. “Our last day.”
Dear God, he wasn’t just sexy, he was sweet. And she was—what had her exes called her? Cold, hard, driven. Further assurance that saying goodbye to him tomorrow was the right call.
Yet as his mouth continued the devastating trail of tender kisses, her heart ached. “Got any ideas how we should spend tomorrow?”
she asked.
“Lots.” His voice was muffled against her chest, his hands now slipping under her top and running up and down her skin, their
callused palms creating a delicious friction. “But most of them involve us staying in bed.”
She’d never been a woman who craved sex. Yet as he dropped to his knees, slid off her pajama bottoms, and began to flutter
kisses across her stomach, she couldn’t think of a better way to spend her last day on Nantucket. “Sold,” she whispered just
as his tongue dived between her thighs.
Connor’s heart felt heavy as he climbed into a taxi with Olivia the following evening. He’d meant to take her to the beach
for one last picnic. One last swim. Meant to leave her with a romantic memory of their time together. Instead, he’d not let
her out of bed.
“I should at least have fed you,” he murmured now, clutching her hand and kissing her knuckles.
“We had room service.” She smiled. “And if I recall, you did actually feed me.”
The memory of them sitting cross-legged in bed, both naked, him feeding her oysters, caused his exhausted dick to twitch.
Unbelievable.
Sighing deeply, he placed their entwined hands on his thigh. “I don’t want to say goodbye to you.”
“I know.”
He’d not expected her to return the sentiment; she’d made her views crystal clear from the beginning, so the pain he felt
in his chest was all his fault. He’d allowed his heart to become involved. Turned out feisty, smart, strong, independent women were his kryptonite. “Any regrets?”
The question was out before he realized he might not be ready for the answer. “Today? This week? Any of it?”
She leaned against his shoulder. “No regrets. Not for any of it.”
Relief bumped up against sadness, and he kissed her temple, trying to memorize the feel of her skin, her elegant scent. “Not
even that you let someone else be in charge for a change?”
She smiled. “There were definitely times I found that frustrating and unnerving.”
“But then you’d never have gone on a Jet Ski,” he countered, smiling as he remembered the squeal she’d let out when he’d finally
gotten her on one. “You’d never have tried windsurfing or parasailing.” She’d complained vehemently the last one, but all
he’d had to do was repeat the magic words Okay, if you’re too chickenshit, and she’d squared her shoulders and got on with it. Then laughed with delight as they’d soared through the air.
“True. I can’t believe you talked me into them.”
He let out a low laugh. “That implies I used charm when all I had to do was challenge you.” His fingers tightened around hers,
his chest swelling with the memories. God, she’d been incredible, so fierce in her determination once she’d set her mind to
do it.
“I never could resist a challenge.” She peered up at him. “The woman people know back home would never have gone skinny-dipping.
Never have laughed her head off while being propelled through the air on a giant parachute fixed to the back of a speedboat,”
she added with a wry smile. “Thank you for giving me a week to remember.”
“I don’t need thanking for being allowed to spend time with you.” He could barely talk past the lump in his throat. “If it’s
not totally obvious by now, I think you’re the most incredible woman I’ve ever met. I’m halfway in love with you.”
Her hand stilled inside his. “Don’t.”
“Don’t embarrass you?”
She swallowed and looked out the window. “Don’t say things that are better left unsaid.” She inhaled, let the breath out slowly,
and faced him again. “What about you? Any regrets?”
“Only that we didn’t have longer.”
“What about your job? If Felix suspects something, if he’s heard rumors—”
“I’ll deal with it.” Right now, he didn’t give a fuck. And now was all he could focus on.
His heart faltered as the taxi pulled up outside the small airport. Dread weighed on his shoulders as he climbed out.
“No need to come in with me,” she protested when he opened the door for her.
“If you think I’m not going to stay with you as long as I possibly can, you’ve not learned anything about me this past week.”
He hauled her case out of the boot while she paid the driver. He’d given up trying to pay for things after that first night.
She was loaded; he wasn’t. Fact. His ego had taken a hammering, but he’d already felt guilty about risking his job both here
and at home. He hadn’t needed to add to the guilt by spending Ellie’s riding fund to appease his male pride.
They found the Cape Air check-in and dropped off her case. Then they walked slowly through the terminal, every step taking
him closer to saying goodbye. To never seeing her again. By the time they reached security, his heart was so heavy, he was
afraid he’d trip over it.
“Can I have your number?” And, yeah, he knew what her answer would be, but he couldn’t not try.
“That’s not a good idea.” Pain arrowed through him. He was falling apart; she was cool and together. Yet when her eyes met
his, they looked as off balance as he felt. “If I had your number, I’d be tempted to call you,” she whispered. “And that would
be wrong. This time together has been special, but we both knew it was finite. When I go back, I’ll be straight into a promotion
fight that I want to win, I deserve to win. I can’t afford distractions, no matter how pleasant they might be.”
Pleasant?
He must have flinched, because she placed a hand on his arm and squeezed. “Sorry, that sounded awful. In all honesty, I’m
desperately trying to put what we had into a box that I’ll get to open again only when I’m feeling strong enough.”
Her voice caught, and he wrapped her in his arms. Her head automatically nestled into his chest, and her body shifted against
his in a long shudder. Don’t shove us in a box. What we have is too special. Before he’d geared up to say it, she was talking again.
“I’m trying to do the sensible thing here,” she mumbled against his chest. “For both of us. Better to leave it now as a beautiful
memory than try to resurrect something back home that, best case, will fizzle out. Worst case, will lead to bitterness or
resentment.” She inched back and gave him a sad smile. “I told you, I’m an awful girlfriend. I end up hurting my partner because
work will always come first for me.”
Could he handle being second best to her career? He’d been second best to his brother with his parents, way less than second
best to Amy, so it wasn’t new to him. It was irrelevant, though, because when he got home, he’d have his little girl to focus
on, the little girl Olivia knew nothing about. A girl he’d always put first.
Maybe it was better this way.
He dug into his jeans pocket, took out the box, and handed it to her.
She eyed him curiously. “What’s this?”
“Nothing fancy. Call it a thank-you present. Thank you for taking a chance on me, for giving me the best week of my life.”
His throat tightened, his voice sounded choked, but he plowed on. “It has been an honor to spend the time with you.”
Her hands shook as she pried off the lid and took out the bracelet, a delicate band of crystals in a rainbow of colors that
had cost him more than he should have spent.
“Wow.”
“It’s so you don’t forget to add some color to your life.”
She blinked, her eyes glistening. “Thank you.”
He took it from her, secured it on her wrist, and gave her palm a gentle kiss.
Suddenly she threw her arms around his neck, almost knocking him off his feet. “Crap, I don’t cry.” She squeezed tight for
a few seconds, then stepped back and wiped at her face, removing the evidence that proved what she’d just said to be a lie.
“I’ve got to go before I embarrass us both. Thank you, Connor. Take care of yourself. And make sure you open that restaurant
one day.”
And then she was gone, a slender figure in black, her neat ponytail bouncing behind her. He willed her to turn around so he
could have one more look at her face but she didn’t, and he watched, tears burning his eyes, heart slowly breaking, as she
disappeared round the corner.