by Gina Drayer
Her father had been right. It wasn’t the job with Western Financial she loved, it was working with business owners. Her father had put her in touch with an investment firm. She was going in for an interview on Friday for a job she really wanted. The investment firm specialized in helping small companies grow instead of pulling them apart.
“So you’re not moving?” he asked, the hope back in his eyes.
“Nope,” she said with a smile.
“Thank, God. I thought I’d come all this way and missed my chance.”
“Your chance?” she said, teasing. “You never told me what brought you to the Windy City.”
He chuckled. “Well, I seem to have misplaced something.”
“Is that so?” she said, her words coming out breathier than she’d intended. “Are you looking to get it back?”
“No.” He walked a little closer to her. “But I can’t live without it either.”
A small bit of hope lingered inside of her that he would say what she wanted to hear. “What is it you lost?”
“Isn’t it obvious, Holly? You have my heart, and you took it with you. And I’m not going to let you go now that I’ve found it again.”
“Mike—”
“No. Let me say what I came here to say first.”
“I’m listening,” she said.
“Promise me, you’re not going to run from me this time?”
“No, Mike. No more running.” She’d always seen herself as strong, but he scared her. With him in front of her, she knew what she feared most was what her life was missing and what he offered to fill it with. “I’m done turning away from you, so say what you have to say.”
“I’ve fallen in love with you. I know you’re going to say it’s too soon, but the last time I thought I felt this way it wasn’t real. I knew her for a long time.” He was close enough to take her hand, and the feel of him sent comforting warmth through her body.
“What are you saying?” Her voice shook, which she wasn’t used to, but she needed to hear it.
“Whatever this is between us, it’s real. It’s worth seeing where it goes. I came here for you, Holly.” He leaned forward, and she could feel the brush of his minty breath on her skin. “I want you.”
Even in the chill, his kiss scorched her and made her push closer to him. Unlike anyone she’d ever met, she was consumed by him whenever he touched her, and this time was no different. The only change was her apprehension. That disappeared as soon as she saw him there. He’d come all the way to Chicago for her.
Every doubt that made her think they weren’t right for each other seemed irrelevant. The way he held her, the way he kissed her as if he’d been doing it for years, the way nothing else in the world mattered but the two of them; all of it was more than right. It was perfection. Something she always strived for but could never reach. Not by herself. Not without him.
His big grin was hard to miss as they parted from the kiss. “So, if you aren't going to work for Western Financial, what are you going to do?”
Her smile matched his. “I have an interview with an investment firm. I’d be able to help build something, instead of just shuffling ownership.”
He traced a finger down her jaw and asked, “And that would make you happy?”
“I think it would,” she said, honestly. “I want to be part of something that has a positive impact on peoples lives.”
“Then I’m happy for you.” He kissed her again, hard. “Why don’t we discuss it over this amazing deep-dish pizza I keep hearing about?”
“You haven’t eaten genuine Chicago-style pizza? And you’ve been here how long?”
“Hey, I was busy finding you. Now I can take you on a genuine first date.”
“You went to all the trouble of finding me, I guess I could bend my rules about dating a client. Just this—”
He cut her off by pulling her into another kiss. This time his lips were softer and backed by a tenderness that made her dizzy and happy. She kept her eyes closed as he pulled back.
“Are you with me?” he whispered.
His question held so much meaning and promise. Things that would have scared her before felt like a safe embrace only he could provide.
She couldn’t keep the joy from filling her voice. “I’m with you.” Placing a hand on his chest, she smiled. “Right here.”
Epilogue
Six months later.
“I found another corkscrew,” Mike said, tossing the metal object into the box. “What does that make, five or six?”
“What?” Holly said, lifting an eyebrow. “I like to be prepared.”
“You don’t own a whisk, but you have half-a-dozen corkscrews; how’s that prepared?”
“Why do I need a whisk? I don’t cook,” she said and stuck out her tongue. “But I do drink wine.”
“It’s a good thing I can cook or we might starve.” Mike taped the box closed and looked around the empty kitchen. “That just leaves the last of your things in the bathroom, and we’ll have you all packed. And look, we’re two hours ahead of schedule.” He snaked an arm around Holly’s waist and pulled her flush against his body. He’d never get tired of the feel of her soft curves molding against him. “I can think of a few things to occupy our time.”
“You’re incorrigible.” Holly clucked, disapprovingly, but wiggled her ass against his hardening cock. “We don’t have time. You need to put some clothes on, and I have got to get a shower.”
He bit the back of her neck and then soothed his tongue over the abused skin. Tilting her head to give him more access, a moan slipped from her lips.
“You keep saying no,” he whispered against her skin, “but your body is telling me an entirely different story.”
“What do you expect,” she said, breathlessly. “I can’t resist that wicked tongue of yours.”
He reached under her loose shirt and cupped her breast, causing her whole body to shudder. When he flicked the nipple with his thumb, she sucked in a breath.
“Mike—” She let out a shaky breath and pulled away. “Later,” she said. “My brothers are going to be over to help, and neither one of them can tell time. I really don’t want them
walking in on us.”
“I can be quick.” He gave her his most pathetic looking pout, but she still shook her head.
She glanced over her shoulder and back at him. “I need to do the bathroom,” she said, sounding distracted.
Over the last six months, this was the first time he could remember her pulling away. Was the move bothering her? She was the one who’d suggested they move in together. It was the logical step, especially since they barely spent a night apart as is. But if she was nervous about moving in with him, how was she going to feel about what he had planned tonight?
Mike slipped a hand into his pocket, palming the soft velvet box. Maybe it was too soon.
“Are you okay with this?” he asked. “If you think we’re moving too fast, we can—”
“It’s not that,” she said quickly. “I want to move in with you. It’s just…” She looked over her shoulder again to the back of the house. “Let’s finish up here, and we can talk
about it tonight.”
“That sounds good.”
“Yes. Tonight,” she said, backing away. “Besides, you’re going to need all your strength.”
“Why’s that?” he asked, leaning against the counter.
“We have several rooms to christen in the new house.” She winked and strolled into the living room, putting some extra sway into those sexy hips of hers.
Screw it. Mike didn’t care if a proposal didn’t fit into her five-year plan. He was going to get her to marry him. Once the movers were done and the family left the building, he was going to make it happen.
Holly watched the indicator window on the pregnancy test go from white to a blue plus… just like the other four she’d taken that morning. She was tempted to run down to the pharmacy and get five more because this couldn’t be happening. B
ut it was, and she had the test to prove it.
They’d been responsible adults. There was the requisite STD test, and she’d talked to her doctor about the right kind of birth control for a long-term monogamous couple. But despite all their planning, there she was hiding in the bathroom, staring at five positive pregnancy tests.
This was out of order. There was a plan. Mike was working at a prestigious design firm. She’d switched jobs—her new company requiring far less travel and a whole lot less stress. They were moving in together and then maybe marriage in a year. But only after they saved enough money for Mike to open his own architectural firm. Then babies. Three, maybe four years down the line. But nature seemed to have other plans for them.
A baby.
Holly placed a hand on her abdomen and closed her eyes—which was a mistake. Her stomach lurched, and she scrambled to her knees and deposited the contents of her lunch into the
toilet.
“Holly, the movers are here.” The knock on the bathroom door caused her to jump. She grabbed the counter to help her up, and the pregnancy tests clattered to the floor. “Are you okay?”
Mike pushed open the bathroom door and found her on all fours, collecting the plastic tests. “Holly?”
She sat back on her heels and looked up at the man who held her heart. It hit her then—THEY were having a baby. Tears burned the back of her eyes. Screw the plan. Everything she wanted was right here in the bathroom. Including that baby.
“I… This isn’t how I was planning on telling you.” She bit her lip and looked up, trying to gauge his reaction. “Surprise?”
Mike fell to his knees and put both hands over hers. “Is this… Does this mean what I think it means?”
“You're going to be a dad,” she said weakly. “I don’t know how it happened. If you’re not ready—”
“Shut up.” He kissed her hard and crushed her into a big hug. “This is fantastic news. I couldn’t be happier.” Pulling back, he shook his head. “No, that’s not true. There is one thing. Marry me.”
“Mike. We don’t have to get married because I’m pregnant. Actually, it’s a stupid reason to get married.” She pulled away and leaned back against the cold tub. “Ten years from now, I don’t want you to feel trapped—like you didn’t have a choice. We can make it work without getting married.”
Mike scowled at her and shoved his hands in his pocket. “You silly woman. You couldn’t have waited twelve hours. I was going to ask you tonight after we got everything moved.” He pulled out a black velvet box and opened it on a classic solitaire diamond engagement ring. “I’ve had this for three months now. I was just waiting for you to catch up.” Mike took the ring out of the box and slid it on her finger. “Holly, will you marry me?”
She stared at the ring on her finger, trying to process everything that had happened in the last few hours. It wasn’t what she’d planned, but then again, she’d never planned on Mike Brighton.
“Yes,” she said, looking up and seeing the love she felt reflected back in his eyes. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
Modern Girl’s Guide to Vacation Flings
Download a copy at Amazon.com for free today!
Follow up with Holly and Mike and meet the baby(s?) o_0 in Vacation Flings.
A chance encounter leads to an outrageous proposal. Two weeks. One little lie.
Too busy with work, Matt Carver didn’t have time for a girlfriend. But a girlfriend was exactly what he needed—at least for the duration of his family's trip.
A vacation was supposed to help Beth relax and she was looking for a little fun to spice things up. So when the charming stranger asked her to be his pretend girlfriend, it sounded like just the distraction she was looking for.
It was just a harmless vacation fling. No strings, no messy feelings. Right?
Vacation Flings: Chapter 1
Make Your Move Fast
Remember, you're on vacation; your time is limited. Move quickly, make your mark, and be noticed.
The phone rang for the third time since Beth arrived at the airport. She dug the noisy device out of her purse and glanced at the screen—not that she needed to look—and slid her finger to ignore, again.
Her sister, Sophia, was in full-out meltdown. They'd talked several times this week, but this was her fourth call since six this morning. Beth was going to have to explain why she'd missed her fitting.
There was just a month left before Sophia's wedding, and maybe if Beth were a better sister she would be at Sophia's side to help. But the truth of the matter was she could barely stomach the whole idea of being a bridesmaid, let alone be a willing and happy participant. So, for both their sakes, Beth was at the airport, waiting to board a plane to take her far, far away from the whole drama. Spending the next two weeks on board a cruise ship crossing the Atlantic, well away from cell reception, would be the best for everyone involved.
The phone rang again. The clock over the gate blinked nine thirty. It was almost time for the plane to start boarding, so she might as well put Sophia out of her misery.
"Hey, sis," she said through a forced smile.
"Beth! You've been avoiding my calls."
So much for pleasantries. "You know I'm at the airport. My cruise leaves today."
"You promised to get fitted for the bridesmaid dress before you left. I waited at the dress shop for an hour. There won't be time—"
"If you had picked out a dress before June, this wouldn't have been an issue. You've known since December that I had this trip planned. Why did you wait until the last minute?"
Beth bit her tongue. She really didn't want to fight with Sophia. That's why she was leaving until the wedding. She started over, a little softer this time.
"I'm sorry I didn't make that appointment yesterday. I was packing and I didn't realize how late it had gotten. I'm bringing the dress with me. They have tailors in Spain, and I will get it fitted, I promise."
"I hoped we could do our fittings together, just you and me. I even talked the bridal shop into opening early this morning so we could do it before you left."
"What can I say? My flight time was changed." Or she called the airline last night to take the earlier flight. "Six months is more than enough leeway to accommodate my schedule. Call one of your other bridesmaids. You'll have more fun that way. I'll be back in time for the wedding."
"Beth," she sighed over the phone, "this should be the happiest time of my life. But it's just not the same without you. I'm terrified that things will be different between us now."
Beth looked at the clock again. There were just a few more minutes before boarding and this wasn't the time or place to have this conversation.
"I know things are still awkward. It's not like Robert and I planned for this to happen," Sophia said into the silence. "I didn't think the wedding would be so hard for you. We've been dating now for over a year. "
"Really, Sophia? It's a little more than just awkward," Beth said with more bitterness than she intended. "He asked you to marry him less than six months after breaking up with me."
She wouldn't have cared so much if it wasn't for the timing. Robert never jumped into things. They'd dated, or whatever it was they'd been doing, for over three years, and he'd always kept things casual. But a few months of being with Sophia and suddenly he wanted a wife and kids. Well, that was just fine. They were welcome to each other.
"It's not as if we were strangers. Robert and I have been friends for years, and you were the one—"
"I know." Beth pinched her nose, trying to relieve the tension building behind her eyes. "I'm happy for you. We'll work things out. I promise. But like I explained in December, this trip was planned well before you announced your engagement and the tickets are nonrefundable."
Okay, so maybe she planned the trip after Sophia told her the date of the wedding.
Her job usually gave her a few months off during the rainy season, and the transatlantic cruise to Spain was a knee-jerk reaction. She'd never been on a c
ruise before and if that flyer from her travel agent hadn't come in the mail earlier that week, who knew what she would have done. But in her defense, Beth had known what a three-ringed circus the whole wedding would turn into, and she wanted to stay out of the mess.
This vacation before the wedding was purely defensive. If she wasn't around for the pre-wedding planning, she didn't need to get involved. She was completely over Robert and she didn't care who he married. Even if it was her little sister.
She’d agreed to be a bridesmaid. Wasn't that enough? All she really needed to do was show up at the wedding and be there for the photos.
The airline announcement filled the terminal. "We'll be boarding flight 498, Chicago to Orlando, in just a few minutes. Please have your boarding passes ready. We have final seat assignments for our standby passengers. Bobby West, Beth Riley, and Matt Carver, please come to the ticket counter."
Beth tried to keep the relief out of her voice after the announcement ended. "Sorry, I have to go. The plane is boarding. I promise to get the dress fitted in Spain. I'm sure Ana will know the best place to take it. I'll email her from the ship."
She tossed the phone into her purse but not before turning it off. She didn't want to think about the wedding anymore. She had the next four weeks all to herself. She was going to put aside the telenovela her life had become and just relax.
Drinking to excess, poolside naps, overeating, and several trips to the spa were all on her To Do list. And for the two weeks she'd be visiting family in Spain, her cousin Ana had all sorts of things planned. She could have flown back after the cruise, but staying longer and coming back just in time for the wedding would be better for everyone involved. Sophia wouldn't have to sulk around Beth like a guilty child, and Beth wouldn't have to deal with her own unresolved feelings on the matter.