Page 53 of Blue Hawaiian
When she found the courage to look him in the eye, he wasn’t angry. “I’m sorry, too,” he said. “Last night was a disaster. But we still have three days left, and I’d rather spend them with you than anyone else.”
“Are you sure?”
His eyes took on a teasing glint. “I spent a lot of time in the shower thinking about you, and I’ll be really frustrated if I can’t carry out any of my fantasies.”
Now he was playing dirty. Her traitorous lower regions tingled in anticipation. “You fantasized about me?”
“You’d better believe it.” He gave her a naughty grin. “Do you want details?”
“Later. I’m not letting this food go to waste.” She motioned for him to come in. “You have to help me eat it. There’s enough for two.”
After she wheeled the tray up to the edge of the bed, Connor pulled the desk chair over and sat across from her. Though she was glad he’d come back, and excited at the promise of more sex, right now, nothing was more appealing than fish tacos and pork sliders. She loved that Connor knew what to order—and that he’d ordered a lot of food.
She licked a speck of barbecue sauce off her fingers. She didn’t want to push him about his meeting with his father, but she was too curious to keep quiet. “Can I ask what happened last night? If you don’t want to talk about it, I’ll understand. But I’m happy to listen.”
“Sure. There isn’t much to tell.”
After Connor filled her in, she couldn’t help but sympathize. He had so much potential, and he was squandering it, working for Blackwood Cellars. He was the kind of guy who liked to think outside the box—something his family had never appreciated. She couldn’t understand why his father wouldn’t give him the benefit of the doubt.
“What if Victoria doesn’t come through?” she asked. “Are you still going to invest?”
“What do you think?”
“You’re asking me? I’m not exactly a poster child for making smart decisions.”
“Unlike my family, you don’t have a hidden agenda. You’ve always been open about your feelings.”
Until now.
More than ever, she wished she could be honest with him. But if she told him the truth now, she might lose him. She didn’t want to take that risk.
“It sounds like you’ve been miserable at Blackwood Cellars,” she said. “If you hate it now, think how you’ll feel in another five years after putting up with more of Darren’s garbage. Do you really want to live that way?”
When he didn’t reply right away, she feared she’d overstepped. How could she presume to know what was best for him? Especially when it involved such a huge risk?
But he nodded, as though her advice resonated. “You’re right. I’ve already wasted five years there. An opportunity like this might not come up again for a long time.”
“Exactly.” She held up her bottle and clinked it against his. “Here’s to your success.”
“I’m going for it. Look at how well things turned out for you, all because you took chances. A new job, a new city, a new life. You’re an inspiration.”
“Right.” She looked away, for fear her face would betray her.
The longer she let Connor believe her lies, the harder it would be to confess the truth. But she was still afraid to tell him she was moving close enough for them to consider arealrelationship. Better to have him believe they’d gone their separate ways.
In the fall, she could let him know she’d decided to return to California. By then, he’d have his new winery to keep him busy.
Though lunch was delicious, she was so full afterward she couldn’t imagine getting naked—not even with Connor. But he didn’t have sex on the brain either.
“How about a drive up the coast?” he said. “I was thinking we could find a private beach, do some snorkeling, and then get ice cream.”
“I’d love some beach time, but I should talk to Gabi first. She wasn’t thrilled I missed yesterday’s golf outing.” She tensed up as she waited for his reaction.
He chuckled. “Same with my family. Being responsible is the worst.”
“You said it. I’ll call Gabi, and you can check in with your family.” She stood and walked out to the balcony. Gabi answered after the third ring.
“Jess? Everything okay?” She sounded slightly breathless.
