Dealmaker, Heartbreaker

by Rochelle Alers

  She smiled. “You are if you want to be.”

  “I do.”

  “If I am your sweetheart, then you are my darling.”

  He smiled. “What can I expect for the honor?”

  Viviana ran a forefinger down the length of his straight nose. “I don’t know. Maybe I’ll think of something before we go back to the States.”

  Noah tickled her ribs, and she squirmed to escape his fingers. “Don’t! I’m ticklish.”

  Pressing a kiss under her ear, Noah then nibbled the lobe. “You shouldn’t have told me that because I’m a tickle monster.”

  Viviana’s hand went to his hair, pushing a wave off his tanned forehead. “Do you tickle your nieces and nephews?”

  “No. I only have one nephew, and he just turned one.”

  “Your parents have four children and only one has a child?”

  Noah rolled over and stood up and pulled Viviana up with him. “That’s a sore spot with my mother. You cannot mention grandchildren around her because she will go into a tizzy. All of her friends have grandchildren, and I believe they’re a little catty when they remind her of how many they have. She felt a little better when Jordan and his wife had Maxwell, but for her that’s not enough.”

  “What are you waiting for, Noah?” she teased. “You’re the next in line to give your mama a grandbaby.”

  “When I get a woman pregnant, she will be my wife and not my girlfriend.”

  Viviana felt as if she’d been verbally slapped for saying the wrong thing. “I think it’s time we head back. I want to change into my swimsuit and hang out on the beach before it’s time for dinner.”

  They retraced their steps without holding hands, and she felt a chill growing between them despite the intense heat of the sun beating down on them. Viviana wondered if perhaps Noah had gotten a woman pregnant and she either had not wanted to marry him or had terminated it. If talking about babies was verboten, then she promised herself she would never bring it up again.

  Chapter Seven

  It was past midnight, and Noah found himself staring up at the ceiling as he lay in bed, his head resting on his folded arms. Not even the sounds of the ocean washing up on the beach or the rustle of palm fronds coming in through the screened windows could lull him to sleep. Jerome and Tasha’s wedding was scheduled for later that afternoon, and come Sunday he wanted to know if Viviana was going to accompany him to Emerald Cove or go back to the States.

  Jerome, his fiancée, their parents and the wedding party had checked in to one of the larger villas accommodating up to twelve. He didn’t get to see Jerome much now that he’d relocated from New Jersey to California to set up his own department with a small, private bank. Once Jerome had proposed to his physician girlfriend, he’d teased Noah about being the last holdout of the group. What his friends did not know was that he still hadn’t found the woman who would get him to change his marital status from single to married. But that had changed when he walked into the historic house in Wickham Falls, West Virginia. He did not know what it was about Viviana Remington, other than her obvious beauty that had him thinking about her when they were hundreds of miles apart. And he wondered also if he wanted to sleep with her only to satisfy his curiosity about her being nothing more than a fixation he needed to assuage. The more he thought about Viviana the more Noah realized he was deluding himself. Even when he was physically so close to her, kissing and touching her, he felt a chasm between them he wasn’t able to bridge, and that’s when he believed karma was repaying him for dating women and then leaving them once they sought more from him than he was willing to give.

  However, there’d been a time, when he was twenty-three, that he’d believed that he had met the woman he wanted to marry, but it soured when he discovered she was cheating on him. And if he hadn’t known about the first ten years of his parents’ marriage, perhaps he would think differently about asking a woman to be his wife. His father, who, while he was engaged to his mother, had had an affair with another woman that produced a child.

  Noah swallowed the lump in his throat. He felt as if he’d lost Viviana, even though she slept in a bed less than fifty feet from his own. After the walk on the beach, she’d become overly polite and distant. She’d returned and changed into a one-piece swimsuit that did little to cool his desire to make love with her.

  She had bonded with the wives of his friends and spent most of her time with them. The exception was when everyone gathered in the resort’s dining room for meals. They sat next to each other, and whenever her arm brushed his, Noah felt as if he was coming out of his skin. His younger brother had taken up yoga to relax, and Noah wished he had taken Rhett’s advice and joined his classes.

  Knowing he wasn’t going to sleep, Noah sat up and tossed back the sheet. He found a pair of shorts and slipped them on. Walking barefoot, he unlocked the screen door and walked out into the night. He saw something out of the corner of his eye and spied someone sitting on the beach. A full moon lit up the night, and as he made his way down to the water, he couldn’t stop smiling.

  She glanced up at him and smiled. “It looks as if I’m not the only one who couldn’t sleep.”

  Noah sank down next to her on the damp sand. Even in the eerie light, he could discern that the sun had darkened her skin to a deep mahogany. “I’ve never been much of an insomniac before meeting you.”

  Viviana pulled her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her knees. “I’m not going to accept blame for that.”

  “Can you accept that I’m falling in love with you?”

  Her head turned toward him slowly, and she looked as if she was going to jump up and run away. “Please don’t say that, Noah.”

  “And why shouldn’t I say it, Viviana?”

  “Because you don’t know what you’re saying. You don’t know me, and I certainly don’t know you.”

  He reached for her, and then pulled back when she glared at him. She turned away and stared out at the incoming tide. She was so still that she could have been carved from marble.

  “What do you think your rich and powerful family would say if you decided to bring home the daughter of a man who neglected his family because he loved drugs more than he loved them? That he spent five years in prison for armed robbery to get enough money to pay his dealer? He wasn’t even there when my mother lay dying and calling out his name. I’d just turned seven when my father came to my mother’s funeral in handcuffs and leg-irons. The marshals with him wouldn’t let him sit with me and Lee or go up to the casket so he could see her one last time. The scene haunted me for years, and every time I saw a little girl with her father, I wanted to change places with her.”

  “Have you forgiven your father?”

  “I did, once I was older.”

  “Then, why are you agonizing over something that’s in the past, sweetheart? Your father isn’t the only person that’s had to seek redemption.”

  She turned to look at him. “Your father went to prison?”

  Noah smiled. “No. But what he did to my mother was a lot worse.” He knew he had to tell Viviana something he’d never told a woman outside of his family. “My father was engaged to my mother when he slept with another woman and got her pregnant. My grandfather and the girl’s father concocted a scheme that, when she had the child, the baby’s birth certificate would list Christiane Johnston as the mother’s name and Edward Lincoln Wainwright as the father.” He ignored Viviane’s audible gasp. “My mother was forced to raise another woman’s child as her own. My parents stayed married but did not share a bed for almost ten years. That’s why there’s a decade between me and my older brother.”

  “Did she treat him differently than she did her other children?”

  “No. She claims the moment she held Jordan she became his mother. There are times when I believe she loves him more than she loves me, Rhett and Chanel. After all, he was
her only child for a long time. And now that he’s made her a grandmother, she’s over the moon.”

  “When did you find out about your father’s affair?”

  “I was still in college when Jordan told me that he’d overheard our father and grandfather arguing. I think it was the first time my father had challenged his father. Jordan was devastated to know what they’d done to our mother. It took years before he, Dad and Grandpa declared a truce. Jordan did get to meet his biological mother, who’d married and had two daughters. His half sisters were bridal attendants in his wedding. I know what went on in my family cannot begin to compare with you growing up with a drug-addicted father who wasn’t there for you. It had to be traumatizing for you as a child.”

  Viviana brushed grains of sand off her bare legs. “Your family was able to bury its secret, while my mother’s family’s sins are an open book. The Wolfes are mentioned in social-studies books under listings as the most corrupt, worst mine owners in West Virginia’s history.”

  Noah moved closer and rubbed her back in a comforting gesture. He felt her stiffen before relaxing against his palm. “How long do you intend to carry the sins of your ancestors?”

  “It’s not me but the folks in The Falls that refuse to let me forget. People have called me that junkie’s or that jailbird’s daughter to my face. It took a long time for me to ignore them as mean or ignorant. Even to this day I don’t socialize with a lot people in town. And then there’s the time when Leland was falsely accused of breaking into a house, and everyone was quick to judge him because my father was in jail serving time for armed robbery.”

  “I know it’s easy for me to say the hell with them because I haven’t experienced what you’ve had to go through. The only thing you should be concerned with is treating folks fairly so they’ll refer others while coming back again and again.”

  “That’s what I’m hoping, Noah. Running a B and B is different from a boardinghouse because I never lacked for boarders who were single men on a fixed income and needed a roof over their heads.”

  “Don’t forget you live in a town with small businesses that definitely rely on word-of-mouth and referrals to get customers. It will probably be the same with your B and B.”

  Viviana nodded. “You’re right. It’s just that I have to try and convince myself.”

  Noah pulled her closer. “I’ll remind you whenever you forget.”

  She rested her head on his shoulder “Do you know that you’re good for me?”

  “I sort of suspected that, but I was waiting for you to tell me.”

  “Have you no modesty?” Viviana asked. There was a hint of laughter in her voice.

  “Nope. Modesty isn’t a part of my personality.”

  Viviana uncrossed her legs. “It’s time I go back and get ready for bed.”

  Noah stood and extended his hand to help her to her feet. “Do you need help going to sleep?”

  Viviana rested her hands on his bare chest. “I just might. Give me about fifteen minutes to shower and get into bed before you come over. Nothing can happen for a few days because it’s my time of the month.”

  Noah pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Not to worry. Remember, I said you have to come to me and not the other way around.”

  She curved an arm around his waist as they headed back to the villas. “I do remember that.”

  Noah left Viviana at her door, waiting until she locked it behind her before walking into his suite. He took a quick shower to wash the sand off his body. When he did open the door to the adjoining suite, he encountered darkness except for the light Viviana had left on in the bathroom. He slipped into bed next to her, smiling when she turned to face him and draped an arm over his neck.

  “What took you so long?” she crooned against his mouth.

  “I had to take another shower to get rid of the sand.”

  Viviana looped a bare leg over his pajama-covered one. “I can’t believe the places where grains of sand seem to hide.”

  Her mint-scented breath mingling with the fragrance of flowers on her hair and body wafted into his.

  He lay still, listening for the change in her breathing that indicated she had fallen asleep, and this time Morpheus was kinder to him when he fell into a deep, comforting sleep.

  * * *

  Noah did not want to believe Viviana could improve on perfection, yet she had. She had parted her hair in the middle, and it hung straight down her back to her waist. The vermilion color on her lips matched her manicured nails and toes. When she spun around on the toes of her black stilettos, the flowing skirt of the matching lace halter dress showed off her long brown legs. The bodice was low enough to reveal a hint of firm breasts each time she inhaled.

  He stared at the smoky shadow on her lids that made her brown eyes appear even lighter.

  “You look incredible.” He was unable to conceal the awe in his voice.

  She executed a graceful curtsy. “Thank you.”

  Closing the distance between them, he ran his hand over her silken hair. “What did you do with your curls?”

  Viviana smiled up at him. “They’re still there. I just used a flat iron to straighten them.”

  “I like your curly hair.” He took her hands, staring at the bracelets on her wrists. The colorful beads and the intricate workmanship was exquisite, reminding him of pieces he’d seen in museums. “I’ve never seen you wear these.”

  “My father made them for me. The one on my right wrist represents his Native American bloodline, and the one on the left is for his African American ancestry. He gave them to me for my twenty-eighth birthday.”

  “He’s very talented.”

  Viviana nodded. “I agree. But then I’m biased because he’s my dad.”

  Noah continued to stare at her, his eyes caressing her face. When he’d woken up in bed with her earlier that morning, Noah knew it was something he wanted to repeat over and over when he saw her mussed hair flowing over the pillow and heard the husky timbre of her voice when she greeted him with a shy smile. He had to admit that he’d slept more soundly than he had in weeks. He’d suggested they order room service, and when she’d agreed, he returned to his suite to allow her the privacy she needed to complete her morning ablution.

  After eating, they went back to bed and just lay there not talking, but somehow they’d managed to communicate without saying a word. They were content to enjoy the other’s warmth and companionship.

  Noah was more than aware of her fragility and knew he had to be patient with Viviana. She had taken hits from not only her townsfolk but also from men who sensed she was an easy mark and used it to their best advantage. He had to convince her that there wasn’t anything he wanted from her except love. He’d stripped himself bare when he admitted he was falling in love with her, and he knew he would have to wait for her to trust him enough to offer him her love.

  “I think it’s time we leave, or we’re going to miss the ceremony.” Reaching for his jacket, he slipped his arm into the sleeves. In recognition of the weather, ties were not required. Noah waited for Viviana to pick up a small black evening bag with a narrow shoulder strap and then extended his hand to lead her outside and down the beach to where tents had been set up for the wedding ceremony and the reception to follow.

  * * *

  Viviana held Noah’s hand throughout the entire ceremony as Jerome Tucker exchanged vows with Dr. Tasha Clarkson. She gave him a furtive glance, wondering what was going on behind his impassive expression as he sat staring straight ahead.

  The bride appeared ethereal in a Grecian-styled white gown in flowing organza that reminded Viviana of peaks of frothy cream. She had pinned tiny white flowers into the thick coil of hair on her nape in lieu of a veil. Her sisters were her attendants, and they wore one-shouldered gowns in varying shades of pink. Jerome had selected his father to be his best man and younger brothers at his grooms
men.

  The resort’s wedding planner had had her staff set up baskets of flowers along both sides of the white carpet leading to the beach and attach pink ribbons to the chairs set up theater-style under the tent. Viviana liked the idea of a destination wedding because of its simplicity. Yes, she thought, if she did marry, then she would want a destination wedding with the beach as the venue and reception hall.

  Jerome and Tasha sealed their vows with a long, drawn-out kiss amid whistling and rousing applause. Viviana smiled at Noah when he raised their clasped hands and kissed the back of hers. His eyes were darker, mysterious, and she wondered if he was imagining their wedding day.

  Sitting on the beach in the moonlight had been a time for confessions and revelations. He’d admitted he loved her, and she had bared her soul about her childhood. He had disclosed the circumstances behind his father’s infidelity, while she poured out her heart about always feeling like a resident alien in her own hometown.

  Viviana knew she was falling in love with Noah yet was loath to tell him. Each and every time she’d told a man she loved him, it had resulted in a broken heart.

  She and Noah rose to stand with the assembly as Jerome and Tasha processed down the carpet, each stopping to greet their guests. Jerome pumped Noah’s hand like a politician campaigning for office, then whispered in his ear and at the same time winked at her.

  “What did he tell you?” she asked Noah.

  He pressed his mouth to her ear. “He said he’s going to come for me if I let you get away.”

  Viviana met his eyes. “He’ll have to make good on that warning if you break my heart.”

  Noah’s right hand moved down her bare back and rested on her hip. “I promise that’s never going to happen, sweetheart.”

  She was unsuccessful at concealing the shudder racing along her nerve endings as Noah’s fingers caressed her exposed skin. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Noah.”

  “This is one I intend to keep.”