His hand moved up her inner thigh, finding her moist and pulsing. Nate was loath to remove his hand when he reached for the packet. Seconds later, fully sheathed, he wrapped one arm around her waist, lifting Morgan while easing his erection into her hot, tight body. They moaned in unison when flesh joined flesh.
Her arms curved around his head, her legs around his waist, and together they established a slow, deliberate rhythm in which they ceased to exist as separate entities.
Nothing mattered to Morgan except the unbridled passion escaping beyond the boundaries of common sense. She felt pleasure swirling between her thighs like a vortex, and she gasped in sweet agony with each thrust of Nate’s hips. Her nipples swelled against the hardness of his chest, and she wanted to get even closer as their bodies moved in perfect rhythm, in exquisite harmony with each other.
“Nate!” She screamed out his name when he touched her so deeply she felt him in her stomach. She closed her eyes. Then her love and passion eddied through her like hot butter. The explosions continued as she melted all over him. Seconds later, he groaned deeply in erotic pleasure, moaning her name over and over until it became a litany. He eased her down to the floor of the shower, where they lay, limbs entwined, waiting for their breathing to resume a normal rate.
Smiling, Morgan opened her eyes. “Sharing a shower with you is fun.”
Nate buried his face between her neck and shoulder. “It was beyond fun, baby. It was spectacular.”
Somehow they found the strength to stand up. Reaching for the bath sponge, she squeezed a generous dollop of gel on it and handed it to Nate. He became a sculptor once again as he soaped every inch of her body. She repeated the favor, and when they emerged from the bathroom wrapped in thick white towels, Morgan knew the unbridled act of love had changed her forever.
Nate sucked in his breath as he descended the steps of the jet that had touched down at Las Vegas’s McCarran International Airport. The desert heat seemed to swallow him whole. He pulled his shirt from the waistband of his slacks. It was two o’clock in the afternoon local time, and the mercury registered 113 degrees.
He would’ve looked forward to returning to the city where he’d spent so much time if it hadn’t been for Morgan. They’d spent the three nights of the fair on Sullivan’s Island. After the first night she brought Rasputin with her, the cat opting to spend most of his time sleeping in a patch of sun in the guesthouse. They returned to Cavanaugh Island midafternoon on the Fourth.
As promised, Nate had become Morgan’s sous-chef, chopping and dicing ingredients for her gumbo. She’d won second prize in the one-pot contest, losing to Kara’s cousin Virginia Patton-Smith, who entered a red rice and sausage dish. Gussie garnered a first prize ribbon for her sweet potato pie, and the Danes went wild. It was the first time in four decades that not one but two Dane women took home ribbons in the cooking contests.
The fair came to an end Sunday morning at the stroke of midnight with a spectacular display of fireworks, accompanied by synchronized prerecorded patriotic music. Those who hadn’t gathered on the beach watched from their porches or backyards. The nighttime sky was ablaze with color. Morgan had invited Francine and David to an impromptu backyard barbecue, where they’d lounged on recliners to watch the fireworks. Nate told David he was unable to join them for Morgan’s birthday celebration, but urged them not to change their plans.
A dark luxury sedan maneuvered onto the tarmac at the same time Nate stepped off the last stair. One of two flight attendants followed, carrying his bag. A wide smile split Nate’s face when he saw a very different-looking Dwight alight from the rear of the car. Missing was the long hair, beard, tie-dyed shirt, and sandals. They were replaced with a crisp white shirt, dark tailored slacks, and slip-ons. The two men embraced as the chauffeur took Nate’s bag from the flight attendant.
Nate studied his former business partner, marveling at his conservative appearance. “You look great, DW.”
Dwight ran a hand over the stubble on his head. “I’m getting used to the new look. I’ve lost my belly and started working out. I’m still seeing a neurologist because I have cognition issues. Enough about me.” He patted Nate’s shoulder. “Let’s get out of this inferno.”
Ducking his head, Nate slipped into the air-cooled Mercedes-Benz sedan. Dwight got in and sat beside him. “I can’t believe I used to work outside in this heat.”
“That’s when you were young and stupid,” Dwight said, laughing.
“I wasn’t that stupid,” Nate countered. “I made a lot of money in those days.”
Large gray eyes met his. “Do you miss those days, Nate?”
Nate’s gaze shifted to the back of the driver’s head. “Not at all. My life is very different now.”
“Talk to me, buddy.”
He told Dwight everything about his return to Cavanaugh Island.
“What’s up with you and this girl?” Dwight asked. “Are you in love with her?”
“Why would you ask me that?”
“Because I know you better than you know yourself. Your voice changes whenever you mention her name. Now, what’s up?”
Stretching out his legs, Nate glanced out the side window at the passing landscape. “I’ve told her that I like her.”
Dwight cocked his head. “You like her?”
“I like her a lot.”
“Do you love her, Nate?”
“I don’t know,” he said after a noticeable pause. “She’s different, unlike any other woman I’ve ever known.”
“Including Kim?”
Nate exhaled an audible breath. “They’re like night and day.”
Dwight smiled. “I guess you’re saying she’s a winner.”
“What makes it so crazy is that I indirectly proposed to her.” He repeated to Dwight what he’d said to Morgan.
Crossing his arms over his chest, Dwight shook his head. “I’ve never known you to be so indecisive. You can’t mention marriage without telling her you love her. I learned that the hard way when I asked Nicole to marry me. I’d showed her the ring, but she refused to take it because I hadn’t told her that I loved her. I paid more than three hundred thousand dollars for a mother of a rock, and she gave me the stink eye because I didn’t say those three little words. It was only after I called her mother and she told me why Nicole had an attitude that I swallowed my pride and told her what she needed to hear, what I knew to be true in my heart.”
“Do you love her?”
“Hell, yeah, I love Nicole. If I didn’t, I never would’ve asked her to spend the rest of her life with me in the first place. Now, when am I going to return the favor and stand in as your best man for the second and, hopefully, the last time?”
Nate massaged his forehead with his fingertips. “I don’t know. She’s giving me mixed signals. One minute she claims she’s not able to balance marriage, motherhood, and a career at this time in her life. And then the next she says that’s exactly what she wants.”
“How old is she?”
“She’ll turn thirty-three on Saturday.”
“You’re talking about the day after tomorrow? Why the hell didn’t you say something, Nate?”
“Remember I’d asked you whether you could the change the date, and—”
“I know what I said,” Dwight interrupted. “If I’d known Saturday was your girlfriend’s birthday I would’ve changed your flight reservation.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Nate said. “We’re going to celebrate when I get back. I’ve already sent her something, but I suppose I should buy her something else to make up for not being with her on her special day.”
“Come on, man. You’re in Vegas. Buying something for your lady shouldn’t be a problem.”
Morgan stood up when Samara ushered Virginia Patton-Smith into her office. No one was more surprised than Morgan when Virgie called, asking for a consultation.
She extended her hand to the attractive attorney with flawless sable-brown skin. “Please come in and sit down, V
irgie.”
Virgie hesitated, her gaze taking in the furnishings in the office. “Your office is exquisite.” She stared at Morgan. Frosty gray eyes identified her as a direct descendant of Shipley Patton, the original owner of Angels Landing Plantation. There had been a time when the Pattons had regarded themselves as Cavanaugh Island royalty, refusing to mix outside their privileged social circle, but that changed dramatically once Kara inherited the bulk of Taylor Patton’s estate. They’d rejected her claim as Taylor’s secret love child, but Kara stood her ground, refusing to be intimidated. In the end it was the Pattons who’d finally accepted her as their own.
“Thank you, Virgie. Would you like something to drink?”
Virgie shook her softly coiffed head of black hair. “Nothing, please. I hope you don’t think I came by to gloat about taking first place in the one-pot competition.”
Morgan laced her fingers together, staring at her manicured hands. “The thought never crossed my mind.” Her head popped up as she met Virgie’s eyes. “I entered my gumbo recipe on a dare, never believing I would win anything.”
“Well, you did. Congratulations.”
“Same to you, Virgie. Now, how can I help you?”
“I read your interview in the Chronicle, where you mentioned something about starting up open house tours once the restoration is completed. I’m familiar with similar tours in Savannah, and after my cousins and I held a family meeting, we all agreed we’d like to add our homes to the list.”
Morgan pressed her palms together. “I don’t have a list, but I’m willing to begin with you and your relatives.”
“There’s a problem.”
“What kind of problem?”
“Our homes need serious makeovers,” she said. “We want to hire your firm to decorate them.”
Morgan felt her pulse quicken. “How many homes are you talking about?”
“It’ll be about five, maybe six, for both interior and the gardens.”
“So you want an interior decorator and a landscape architect?”
Virgie flashed a smile, showing her even white teeth. “Exactly. Do you think your firm can handle it?”
“May I be honest with you, Virgie?” The other woman nodded. “Right now I am the firm, and I have to assess what you want to know if I can take on your project.”
Morgan would have to hire an assistant. There was no way she would be able to decorate the interiors of half a dozen homes by herself within the given time frame of the restoration.
“Kara told me it would be at least a couple of years before the restoration is completed, but we would like to start now. We’re willing to pay whatever you want.”
The Pattons lived in homes that were exact replicas of the mansion, but built to a smaller scale. It wasn’t about money as much as it was about having the time to devote to redesigning and decorating six houses with an average of four bedrooms each. “I’ll let you know after I see what I have to work with. You may have to go to Ellison and Murphy.”
Virgie rose to her feet. “We’re split on whether to hire Ellison and Murphy. I would appreciate it if you’d let me know before the end of the month, so we know how to proceed.”
Morgan also stood up. She knew it was impossible for her to accept Virgie’s offer without an assistant. The fact that the Pattons came to her instead of her former employer served to boost her confidence; however, this wasn’t about being self-satisfied, and Morgan knew when she needed help. She would call a former classmate to see if he’d be willing to relocate to Cavanaugh Island for the duration of the restoration.
“That shouldn’t be a problem,” she said to Virgie. Morgan escorted her to the reception area, waiting until she walked out.
“This was delivered while you were talking to Virgie.” Samara reached down and handed her a box marked FRAGILE.
“Thank you.” Morgan took the box, staring at the shipping label. Someone had sent her something from Waterford Crystal.
She would open the box after she called Abram Daniels. Returning to her office, she closed the door, set the box on a chair, and then scrolled through her cell phone directory for Abram’s number. The last time she contacted Abram he’d e-mailed her with the news that he was now living and working in Philadelphia. It took less than ten minutes to outline her proposal to the incredibly talented interior designer.
“It sounds exciting, Morgan. Right now I’m freelancing, but if I can get a few days off, I’ll come down to see you.”
“Do you have an idea of when you’ll be able to come?” she asked him.
“I know it can’t be next week. I may be able to take some time off the following week, but I’ll have to talk to my boss first.”
“Thank you, Abram. As long as you can get here before the end of the month.”
“Not a problem.”
Morgan ended the call. She sat staring at the box. Someone had probably sent her something for her birthday. She’d followed through with her plan to celebrate with David and Francine, even though Nate wasn’t scheduled to return home until Sunday afternoon. This week there wouldn’t be a Dane Sunday dinner. Irene and Anthony were taking their sons and Amanda to Orlando for a week of baseball camp.
She glanced at the clock on her desk when it chimed the hour. It was eleven, and that meant it was eight o’clock in Vegas. Nate had called to say his friend’s wedding was scheduled for eleven, followed by a sit-down luncheon for the guests, and then later that night there would be a buffet dinner with dancing and live entertainment.
He said he missed her and wished her happy birthday. Morgan’s heart felt like a stone in her chest when he ended the call. There was no declaration of love, and again she wondered if she wanted more from Nate than he was able to give. He’d talked about marriage and children, but that meant nothing without love. Now she knew how David’s girlfriend felt. Petra had given David five years of her life without even a hint that he wanted her to share his future.
Was that what she had to look forward to from Nate?
Chapter Twenty-One
Morgan found an empty parking space a few doors away from David’s three-story home in historic downtown Charleston. Those with residences along the Battery had magnificent views of the harbor and Cooper River. She would’ve shared a ride to the mainland with Francine, but her friend said David had asked her to help him host the celebration. She rang the doorbell, and when the door opened she thought she was seeing an apparition.
“Aren’t you going to say hello?” asked the familiar deep voice.
“Hel…lo,” she croaked. “What are you doing here? I…I thought you were still in Vegas.” Morgan couldn’t understand why she was stuttering.
She had to admit Nate looked absolutely yummy in an exquisite tailored dark gray single-button suit, a matching silk tie, and a stark white shirt. Seconds later, she found herself crushed against his chest, his mouth covering hers in an explosive kiss. “Happy birthday, baby.”
Morgan couldn’t stop shaking. It was apparent Francine knew he was coming back earlier than planned but had decided not to tell her. “Thank you.”
“You look gorgeous tonight.”
She thanked Nate again. It had taken her a while to decide what to wear. Most of her evening wear was black, but she felt the color appeared too somber for the occasion. Eventually she chose a red sleeveless silk sheath with an asymmetrical neckline and black patent leather stilettos.
Taking her hand, Nate pulled her into the expansive entryway and into the living room. A chorus of happy birthdays greeted her when she stared numbly at those who’d gathered to celebrate the occasion. Her parents had come, along with Rachel and James, who was in uniform. It was obvious he was scheduled to work the night shift. She smiled at Kara and Jeff, and then at David and Francine.
Morgan shook her head. “I don’t believe you guys. I thought it was just going to be me, David, and Francine.”
Francine came over and kissed her. “Fooled you, didn’t we?”
“I’m
going to get you back for this,” she whispered. “Now I know why you didn’t want to cancel it.”
Francine waved to Nate. “Please get your girlfriend something to drink to steady her nerves. Miss Usually Calm and Collected is shaking like a leaf.”
Nate gave Morgan a flute of Champagne, and she took furtive sips until she was able to relax enough to greet everyone individually, thanking them for sharing the momentous occasion with her. David had decided on a catered sit-down dinner, and the caterer’s efficient waitstaff served course after course of delicious Lowcountry and French cuisine. Nate was seated opposite her at the table in the formal dining room, and she stared at him through lowered lashes every chance she could get. She still didn’t want to believe he’d changed his travel schedule so that he could be back in time to celebrate her birthday with her.
The conversation was lively, as Kara kept everyone laughing about how quickly her cravings changed from one month to the next. First it was watermelon, and now it was salmon patties.
Morgan met her father’s eyes, he mouthing that he loved her. Nodding, she blew him a kiss. She knew her parents were concerned that she would never settle down long enough to marry and give them more grandchildren. She wanted to tell them the man sitting across from her was the one she wanted to marry, but she was uncertain whether that would ever become a reality.
After coffee and slices of red velvet cake from the Muffin Corner, Morgan opened her gifts. There were gift cards from her parents, David, Kara and Jeff, and Rachel and James. There was a homemade card from her nephews, along with a gift card from the Snells. Francine had also given her a gift card to her favorite boutique and a gift certificate to the Beauty Box for a full day of spa services. Everyone stared at Nate when he handed Morgan a gaily wrapped flat box.
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