What to Read After FSOG: The Gemstone Collection (WTRAFSOG Book 3)

by Lauren Hawkeye

  She lifted her Hinanos to his and said, “Here’s to the best vacation.”

  Tom drew back his face, and furrowed his brows. Nodding hesitantly, he clinked his beer to hers. “To the best vacation.”

  Later that night, they enjoyed a private dinner on the beach. A Tahitian man and woman performed a traditional Polynesian dance in grass skirts, asking Tess and Tom to join them. Tess loved to dance and knew this dance well, slowly moving her hips in a circle by barely moving her feet. The ocean blue pareo she’d bought that morning was tied in a knot low on her hip, exposing her bare leg to the top of her thigh as she danced.

  Tom picked a pink hibiscus and slipped it behind her ear. They danced barefoot in the sand as tiki torches flickered beneath the palm trees. She relaxed into his arms and rested her cheek on his chest, hiding the tears that pricked her eyes. How am I going to say goodbye?

  When she rolled over, Tess found a note saying, “Be right back.” She threw on bikini bottoms to lie in the sun. Torn between the polar opposite emotions of guilt and pleasure, she forced herself to acknowledge the fact that this was undoubtedly one of the best trips she’d taken to Bora Bora and all because of Tom. However, the pleasure, passion, and happiness were overriding the guilt, which made the guilt even worse. She dove in the lagoon to cool off.

  Tess turned over to float on her back and noticed Tom staring at her from the handrail. “How long have you been standing there?”

  “I have breakfast and coffee, if you’re hungry.” He smiled, ignoring her question.

  She slipped a sheer white swimsuit cover over her bikini bottoms. Tom’s eyes strayed slowly over the damp material clinging to droplets of water on her breasts as she sipped her coffee.

  “When do Tracy and JC come back from Europe?”

  “They get home a week after me.”

  “Tess,” he said in a voice so delicious, the mere sound made her go weak at the knees.

  Even though playfulness lingered in his tone, she glanced into his dark brown eyes and realized Tom had something on his mind.

  “Do you need to go home in three days or can you stay on vacation with me longer? I’ll understand if you need to get back, but I’m not ready to let go of you yet.” His brows creased slightly, revealing the indication of seriousness to his offer, as if it were uncharted territory for him.

  Her mind raced. She didn’t really need to go home yet, but the idea of Tom wanting her to stay longer filled her full of happiness. If I stay, what will that mean to him? What does it mean to me? Nothing? Something? Everything? Are we dating now? Am I simply going to be able to just walk away from this amazing man when the vacation is over?

  She wanted answers to all of her questions, but one thing she knew for certain, if she pushed Tom, even the smallest amount, he’d be gone.

  Lowering her gaze to the table, she dragged her hands through her hair and chewed nervously on her lip. “You really want me to stay longer? I thought-”

  “I don’t have any commitments for a few weeks.” His lips caressed her neck. “I’m enjoying my time with you and I’m under the impression you’re enjoying yourself, too.”

  Acting on a whim was completely out of character for her. This trip was the most unpredictable thing she’d ever done in her life.

  “Come with me, Tess. I’ll show you a great time. What else do you have to do right now back at home that can’t wait for awhile?”

  After every sentence he paused, giving her the impression he was waiting patiently for her response. She lifted her eyes, searching for reassurance that she wouldn’t regret her decision. He gave her a sexy imploring smile.

  “Why, Mr. Clemmins, are you trying to seduce me into staying here with you?” She teased with a quiet chuckle.

  “Is it working?” he whispered in her ear.

  “Yes, I believe it is. I can stay.” She imitated his slow sexy tone, “I’m not through with you yet, Tom Clemmins.”

  Reality sunk in a few hours later.

  “I should call my girls,” she said apprehensively.

  “Are you going to tell them the truth? Will they be upset you’re here with me?” he asked honestly.

  “Can I tell them I’m here with you, Tom?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Everything we’ve done has been so discreet. I know you’re worried about your privacy. And to tell you the truth, I don’t have a clue what they’ll say.”

  “Of course you can tell them you’re with me. I trust you. I do enjoy my privacy, but that’s not why we’ve been doing everything so discreetly. I wanted to be alone with you. I want you to myself.”

  Tom grinned mischievously. “By the way, if it’s all right with you, I’d prefer to stay somewhere else for the rest of our vacation.”

  “A different resort?”

  “No. I’d like to take you somewhere else.”

  “Where are we going?”

  He didn’t answer.

  “You’re not going to tell me are you? I can tell by your devious grin you’re up to something.”

  “It’s a surprise.”

  Tess called John first. He didn’t answer, so she left a message, explaining she was fine and having a good time, but wasn’t ready to come home yet. She’d be switching resorts and would call him in a few days with the information. That was easy.

  She dialed Tracy’s number next. “Hello?” she answered in a sleepy voice.

  Tess completely forgot it would be four in the morning in Europe. “Hi honey, crap, I’m sorry. I forgot about the time difference.”

  “Mom? What’s going on?” She sounded concerned.

  “I’m fine. Do you want me to call you back?” Tess asked.

  “No, it’s fine, I’m up now. Did you do your thing with Dad today? Are you upset?”

  “No, I did that when I first got here and it went perfect.” Tess paced nervously, realizing her girls might get upset with her news. “I need to talk to you for a few minutes.”

  “I’m up, JC’s right here, too.”

  “Hi, Mom. It’s amazing here, and European guys are gorgeous.” JC sounded half-asleep in the background.

  Tess chuckled, shaking her head at her youngest daughter. “JC you’re not there for boys. My trip has been wonderful. I wanted to let you know I’m not going home yet. I’m staying another week, but I won’t be in Bora Bora. I left a message with your brother, so if you talk to him will you fill him in?”

  “What do you mean? Are you changing islands?” Tracy asked.

  Tess’ face turned beet red as she struggled to find the right words. “Well, actually I’m not sure where we’re going.”

  Tom sat on the chaise, smiling, watching her pace around in a circle.

  “We? Who’s we? Who are you with?” Alarm sizzled through the phone line and JC uttered something in the background about a Polynesian fire dancer.

  “It’s kind of a long story, but I met someone. He’s taking me somewhere else, but I’m not sure where exactly.”

  “What! You met somebody? Who is he? How do you know he’s not some psycho?” Tracy shrieked, sounding more like a hysterical parent than a daughter. “Are you joking? Where’s-”

  Tess cut her off. “I’m not joking and he’s not some psycho. In fact, he’s quite wonderful.” She turned redder by the second. “He’s just surprising me, that’s all.”

  “Are you out of your freakin’ mind? Do you even know anything about this guy? What does he do? I can’t believe you’re telling me this. I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to be running off in a foreign country with some stranger! What the hell, Mom!”

  “Come on, Tracy, I’d never do anything stupid.”

  “No offense, but it doesn’t sound like the smartest decision. You don’t even know this man.” Tracy frantically repeated the conversation to JC at the same time she lectured her mom.

  Tess took a deep breath. “I’m here with Tom Clemmins. We’ve been together for the last week. He’s taking me somewhere else, but won’t d
ivulge that information because he wants to surprise me.”

  “Tom Clemmins? The Tom Clemmins?” Tracy exclaimed. JC shrieked with excitement in the background.

  “Yes.”

  “The Tom Clemmins?” she asked again. “Hollywood hottie, actor Tom Clemmins?”

  JC grabbed the phone from her sister. “Right on, you go, Momma. How’d you hook up with him?” She squealed before Tracy yanked the phone back.

  “I just wanted to call and tell you what was going on.”

  “Wow! How’d you hook up with Tom Clemmins? I bet you are having a good time.” Tracy said with a touch of cynicism.

  “We met on a shark excursion. Actually, he tried to steal my private tour, but it all worked out for the best. I’ll tell you all about it later.”

  Tom raised his eyebrows. “I hope you’re not going to tell them everything, and that’s not fair, I didn’t steal your tour.”

  “I’m just so…surprised. Isn’t he supposed to be a total….you know….jeeze, Mom…doesn’t he date a lot?”

  “He’s very nice,” she chimed sweetly, winking at Tom.

  Tom motioned for Tess to give him the phone. “Can I talk to her for a minute?”

  Tess eyed him suspiciously, wondering what he’d say, but decided what the hell. “Hold on Tracy, he wants to tell you something.”

  After handing him the phone, she began pacing back and forth again wondering if it was a wise idea to let him talk to her girls. She’d never intended on needing a Dating 101manual.

  “Hi, Tracy. I don’t want you to worry about your Mom,” Tom said in a sweet slow voice.

  Tess couldn’t hear Tracy’s end of the conversation, however she could hear JC from across the room as Tom held the phone away from his ear, yelling in the background, “Hi, Tom! Tell him I said hi!”

  He chuckled. “If it’ll make you feel better, I’ll get your number from your mom and text you in a couple of days when we leave, so you can have the address of where we’ll be staying. I just want it to be a surprise for her.”

  Tom’s grin turned sober. “I promise. I’ll take good care of her. I understand. Okay. I won’t. Yep. Thanks. It was nice talking to you. I can hear your sister in the background, tell her I said hi. Have fun in Greece, it’s beautiful there.” He handed the phone back to Tess.

  “I hope you’re having fun, I miss you and please don’t worry about me, I’m fine. Actually, I’m great. I’m sorry for waking you up, go back to sleep.”

  “Mom, we love you. Please be careful, he’s supposed to be a total lady’s man.”

  “I can see why they say that.” Tess smirked at Tom. “Call your brother for me. I won’t be able to call him again. Love you, be safe.” Closing the phone, she huffed out a big anxiety-filled breath of air.

  “I’m sure they think I’ve lost my mind.” Tess laughed nervously. “What did she say to you?”

  “She seems a lot like you,” he chuckled sarcastically. “Practically deja vu of our first meeting on the dock.”

  She groaned. “Oh great! What did she say?”

  “She said her mom had been through a rough year and was just starting to heal and I better not hurt you. Apparently, they’re under the impression I’m a real ‘womanizer’. I’m quite sure that’s the term she used, but she said it in a nice voice.” He stared into her eyes, running his finger under her chin. “Am I hurting you, Tess?”

  “Yes, you’re torturing me slowly,” she teased, but realized he really was concerned.

  “I’m serious. I don’t want to cause you any pain. I care about you.”

  “Look Tom, I knew this was a vacation for both of us. I won’t pretend that the last week hasn’t been much more than I ever imagined it could be, but I knew where I stood when I agreed to stay with you. I’m not going to say goodbye now. It’s still going to hurt just as much in another week.”

  His brows wrinkled apprehensively.

  She rested her hands on his firm shoulders and confessed, “I’ve learned the hard way that every day is a gift. I refuse to waste one more moment of my life. I won’t do it.”

  He frowned. “Tess, I don’t-”

  “Tom, you agreed with me when I asked if you believe everything happens for a reason.”

  “I do believe that, but this is different.”

  “No, it’s not different. We were supposed to meet. For what reason I don’t know. It wasn’t by chance you came here with someone who was unimportant to you, or that you taking my tour led me to a perfect place to say goodbye to Richard and brought me to you. What about the manta rays? They miraculously found me after all these years of trying. I believe those things are meant to be. I’m not naïve. I realize that you don’t have long-term relationships. I’m okay with it. Life is too damn short. I don’t care where we go or what we do. I only want to enjoy my time with you, even if it’s only one more week.”

  “I’m having a great time with you.” He folded her into his arms and caressed her back, almost as if he was trying to tell her something that he couldn’t put into words.

  She attempted to control her emotions, but she’d been tucking these thoughts deep inside since their first night together. She paused, gathering courage to lower the wall that protected her heart. “If I’m being totally honest, and I can’t believe I’m going to admit this to myself out loud, you’re the best time I’ve ever had here. I’ve had some incredible times in Bora Bora, but the last week has been truly fantastic.”

  Tom’s eyes smiled. His lips found hers as his fingers tenderly cupped her face. “I don’t know what to say. I’m so flattered, but I don’t want our time together to take the place of your trips here with your husband. I only want to make you happy while we’re together.”

  “That’s not exactly what I meant. Nothing can replace my memories here with Richard. I know you’d never intentionally do that, but this is supposed to happen to me. Right now. At this exact moment in my life.” One tear trickled down her cheek.

  “Please don’t be sad, Tess. I don’t think I could take it.” He gently wiped away her tear.

  “I’m not sad. You make me happy. I haven’t allowed myself to feel anything in such a long time. I just want to live in the moment, Tom.”

  As the night lingered, he seemed unusually quiet. She couldn’t even begin to guess what he was thinking and hoped she hadn’t said anything to scare him off.

  Chapter Seven

  Tess tossed and turned in the early morning darkness, too anxious to sleep. For a moment last night, she worried she’d wake up and he’d be gone. She was afraid he’d literally run to the airport and catch the first flight to anywhere so he wouldn’t have to use the word relationship.

  Tom slept soundly on his stomach with the sheet covering him from the waist down. She nibbled on his back, moving her way to his ear. “I’m going for a run, do you want to come?”

  He turned over, sitting up on his elbows.

  Her heart raced just looking at him.

  “No, go ahead without me, I’ve got a few things I still need to take care of for our trip. I’ll order breakfast when you get back.”

  Running had turned into such a great outlet, and she needed to clear her head. Obviously, they were continuing their trip together, but one day soon she’d wake up and it would be over. Tom only got involved with a woman up to a certain point, and she assumed he had already gone way beyond his relationship limits.

  I’m okay with it. She thought, rehashing the words that slipped so easily from her lips the night before. Am I really okay with a casual fling? Who am I kidding? It doesn’t matter if I’m okay with it or not. I can either accept Tom the way his is, commitment phobia and relationship hang-ups included, or I can go home. She pushed herself into a full on sprint. God, I like him so much. I’m so attracted to him it’s ridiculous. All I really want to do is climb back in bed and kiss every inch of his smoking hot body. She stopped to catch her breath before turning back to the resort.

  Tess didn’t want to torment herself fo
r enjoying her time with Tom, nor did she want to become too attached to him. She decided to perceive their relationship as a rendezvous. Nothing more, nothing less. An amazing, once in a lifetime rendezvous. A time in her life that she could look back on with no regrets, having lived in the moment, sharing time with a remarkable man.

  When she returned to the bungalow, Tom was gone. She showered outside, letting the sun warm her face as the cool water washed away her uncertainties. No more wasted time. Don’t worry about tomorrow. Enjoy him while you have him. Life isn’t about tomorrow. Life is about today.

  “Tess.” He peeked over the shower wall with the crooked grin she loved so much. “I have breakfast. How was your run?”

  “Great.”

  “I wondered if you’d like to visit a pearl farm today. They grow vanilla there, too. We have today and tomorrow, and check-out the following day at noon to make our flight,” he said.

  “Sounds perfect.” She stepped from the shower and pressed her lips to his neck, trying to decipher his mood. He seemed slightly pensive and a bit quiet, but still obligingly stripped her of her towel and assisted drying her off. Leading her to believe everything was fine between them.

  Tom rented a jeep and they drove to a lovely pearl farm that lay nestled in a beautiful bay on the other side of the island. It was a small shack perched on stilts over the lagoon with a pier. They toured the farm, learning the extensive process of cultivating pearls.

  Making their way next door, they meandered through the vanilla fields, taking in the exotic aroma that permeated the air. Tess picked vanilla beans to take home with her. The thin black beans made the best homemade ice cream. Tom took pictures of the pearl shack, the bay, even an old woman working in the fields.

  “That relaxes you, doesn’t it?” She nodded toward his camera.

  “It does.” He smiled with surprise. “I love taking snapshots. It’s kind of a hobby.”