Page 38 of Escape to the Sun

Panama was home.

Heather clicked off the email and scanned the others. They were more of the same.

There was no help for it; she’d keep writing her until she responded. They hadn’t always seen eye to eye when she was growing up, but she knew her mother cared about her. She’d always wanted the best for her, and even though she didn’t have a great way of showing it, her mom loved her. It had only been the two of them after her father died when Heather was only five and her mother, who’d seemed fairly normal up until then, became both very detached and completely overbearing all at the same time.

Joe and Panama had been Heather’s escape. Looking back, it hadn’t been the most mature response to dealing with her mom, but it got her out from under her influence and ultimately, it had probably been the best thing for their relationship. After all, Heather didn’t totally cringe now when she spoke to her. That was progress.

Heather opened a new email and wrote quickly.

Mom,

Thank you for your concern. I’m doing fine and I have a great new job managing a beautiful bed-and-breakfast on the other side of Panama. I won’t be coming home, so please don’t send a ticket.

I hope you’re well and keeping yourself busy.

It really is paradise here in every sense of the word. You have to see it to believe it.

Love, Heather.

She sentthe email before reading it over, clicked through a few other messages, including one telling her that the divorce was final and everything had been settled easily. No doubt, Joe and his baby mama would be tying the knot soon, if they hadn’t already, now that he was free. She almost felt like emailing Joe to congratulate him but it didn’t seem appropriate. She didn’t really know what was appropriate when it came to Joe. It was a very odd thing to be hurt and relieved about a divorce all at the same time. But the overwhelming feeling was one of relief and freedom.

She looked around at the beautiful waters, the palm trees, the hibiscus and orchids blooming, the birds singing in the trees behind her. She took it all in and let out a long breath.

Yes.

Definitely freedom.

* * *

“Good night.”

Ash kept a smile on his face until the last guests left out the garden door to their own bungalows for the night. The second they were gone, he turned to Heather, and his smile became very different. He’d been waiting all night. No. He’d been waiting all day to get her alone again.

He’d never thought of himself as an impatient man, but Heather was changing a lot of the things he’d once thought about himself. Including the fact that he might not be a one-night stand type of guy after all.

At least not the way he thought.

The fact that after his night with Heather in the ocean, he not only wanted to see her the next morning, but for the rest of the day, was telling. Never mind the fact that he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her.

He never let a woman get to him like that. Not since—

“What’s that smile for?”

Heather interrupted his train of thought. From the way she walked across the room, a sultry swing in her hips and a sexy smile of her own on her face, he was pretty sure he was going to like the interruption.

“I’m just happy to have a little alone time is all,” Ash said.

“With me?”

He hooked a finger in the hem of her shirt and tugged her close before pressing his lips to her neck.

“You’ll do.” He nipped the skin under her ear. “Oh, you’ll do all right.” He kissed her again, sucking her earlobe between his lips. “You’ll definitely do.”

“Oh, I’ll more than do.” Her voice was little more than a breath on the air.

“Damn right.” He walked her back to the bench of cushions that served as a couch in the corner of the room until her legs pressed against it and she sat down. Gently, Ash pushed her back until she was on her back, looking up at him straddled over her body. The look on her face was full of want, and he was more than ready to answer her need.

* * *

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