Forever (Time for Love Book 1)

by Charles, Miranda P.

  He withdrew from her and took off the condom. By the time he'd discarded it, the call had gone to voicemail. It was Jeff. With a frown he called him back straight away.

  "Hey, Zach!" Jeff said in a light tone that told him this was merely a social call.

  "What's up?" he asked, hiding his annoyance at his brother's intrusion.

  "Where are you?"

  "In my room."

  "Oh. I thought you'd still be out having drinks with Gran or something. It's not midnight yet."

  "I have something to do here," he answered, his eyes on Rebecca as she got dressed. God, just watching her made him hot again. Well, considering he was still naked...

  "Is there something important you want to discuss, Jeff?" he asked, itching to get off the phone.

  "Yes," Jeff replied, his tone suddenly serious. "Did you have your talk with Rebecca?"

  "Uh, yeah. Sort of."

  "What does that mean?"

  "We can talk about this tomorrow," he said authoritatively.

  "Why not now?" Jeff persisted.

  "Why not tomorrow?"

  "Honestly? Because I don't trust how you react around her. Seeing she's on that ship with you, I want to talk about it now."

  He scowled, not liking Jeff's declaration.

  Rebecca caught his attention, and motioned to him she was going.

  "I need to call you back, Jeff," he said, gesturing for Rebecca to wait.

  "Why are you so cagey?"

  "I'm not!"

  "Yes, you are. What happened, Zach?" Jeff asked ominously.

  Zach sighed. "Look, I need to go to the bathroom. Give me two minutes and I'll call you back."

  "Two minutes," Jeff said, then hung up.

  "Sorry," Rebecca said. "I didn't mean for you to get off the phone. I'll leave now so you can talk to Jeff."

  "We'll talk again. Soon," he said softly as he walked toward her.

  She nodded.

  "Will you be okay to walk back to your room?"

  "Of course. I'll see you again soon," she said with a beautiful smile that—he realised with resignation—still made his heart flutter like it had always done.

  He gave her a brief kiss, careful not to touch her so as not to court temptation. It was obvious his body still had little self-control when it came to Rebecca.

  He stared at the door for long seconds after Rebecca closed it behind her, conflicting emotions running through him.

  *****

  "She said she hadn't two-timed me, which is what I wanted to know."

  "And?" Jeff asked.

  "And what? I believe her."

  "What about the apartment? The married guy who bought it for her?"

  Zach rubbed his eyes as reality came crashing back. "I don't know. We haven't gotten that far."

  "God, Zach. This is exactly what I'm talking about. You're such a damned fool around her."

  "Hey!" he said indignantly even as his face flushed from the truth of it.

  "Didn't you at least ask leading questions, like how come she moved there? What made her choose the building? Or something to that effect?"

  "It seemed rude," he said lamely. There was no way he'd let Jeff know that he'd completely forgotten everything else when he'd started kissing Rebecca.

  "I don't like this whole thing, Zach. First, she breaks up with you because she didn't get the commitment she'd wanted. That alone sounded like bullshit to me. Next, she now owns an apartment only a multi-millionaire can afford. As nursing is her full-time job, I can't see how she could have afforded it. Then she turns up there as Gran's nurse. With you."

  Zach bit his tongue and glared at the space in front of him, the afterglow of his incredible lovemaking with Rebecca fading fast from his brother's words. He hated to admit it, but Jeff was right. It all looked too suspicious. He mustn't forget that those unresolved issues had already ripped his heart out from his chest before.

  "Zach? You still there?"

  "Yeah."

  "Did you hear what I said? If I were you, I'd be really, really careful. Especially when you find her flirting with you again. She might be there with the intention of seducing you. In case you've forgotten, girls have their way of making themselves pregnant without your consent."

  Zach took a sharp intake of breath as he realised something. Rebecca had been quick to sleep with him again. In fact, she'd been the one who'd instigated the sex. And she wasn't on birth control. If he hadn't asked and had assumed the opposite...

  "Could you do me a favour, Jeff?"

  "Sure."

  "Could you dig out whatever you can about that married guy Phillip was talking about? I want to know who he is. If you could personally look after it to make sure everything gets done discreetly, I'd appreciate it."

  Jeff was quiet for a few seconds. "Why are you wasting time and resources on this? Why don't you just confront Rebecca about it?"

  "I will do that, but I want proof in my hands that whatever she has to say about the guy is the truth."

  "Why? How would knowing who the guy is help you with anything?"

  "I want to know the extent of their relationship and if there's a good reason why Bec's with him. I want to know the story behind the whole thing." Zach was kicking himself now for not finding those out months ago.

  "You still want her, don't you?" Jeff asked after a long pause.

  "Yes. That's why I want to know. I'm pretty sure Bec has a good reason for all of this, Jeff."

  Jeff sighed. "I think you're being foolish, but fine, I'll arrange it. It won't happen overnight, though. I'm finishing up some urgent matters. I'll have an answer for you in a couple of weeks, when I board the ship, but not before."

  "Okay."

  "And Zach, for heaven's sake, please wait until I get back to you on this. If Rebecca has dishonest motives, this could end up costing not only you, but also our family and the company. This is not simply about your heart. If the guy Rebecca's seeing now can afford to give her an apartment, he would also have a profile that would interest the press. This could very well be a juicy scandal about deep pockets and infidelity and gold-diggers that could lead to your personal life splattered all over the media again."

  Zach took a deep breath. "You're right. Thanks for reminding me."

  Zach hung up, more confused and disturbed than he'd been before he'd questioned Rebecca. He raked his hand through his hair, knowing he didn't have a choice but to wait until he had more answers. Until then, he'd have to stay away from her. Because Jeff was right. Zach just couldn't trust himself around Rebecca—even with all the question marks hanging over her head.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Rebecca floated back to her room, still flushed and grinning from ear to ear.

  She'd been a very naughty girl. She couldn't believe she'd seduced Zach, but hey, he didn't exactly try to stop her. God, it was just as good as it had always been—and their long period apart made it even more intense.

  She still couldn't believe he'd thought she'd broken up with him because there was someone else! That must have been why he'd never returned her calls.

  Did sleeping with him tonight mean they would be giving their relationship another chance? Maybe that was too much to hope for, but at least it was a step forward in the right direction. And wasn't her New Year's resolution to make the first move?

  She'd just have to prove to him all over again that she still loved him. She'd prematurely tossed out a chance with him before. This time, she was determined to fully embrace her opportunity.

  She reached her door and stopped for a moment to compose herself. While she had no intention of hiding the truth from Sarah, she wanted to keep it to herself for a while longer. Sarah would no doubt express her concern, ruining the wonderful moment she'd just had with Zach.

  The soft light from her bedside table greeted her as she opened the door, and she found Sarah fast asleep. Breathing a sigh of relief, she went to the bathroom and prepared for bed, already daydreaming of what was to come the next day.
<
br />   *****

  "Hey, sleepyhead. Time to wake up!"

  Rebecca peeled open an eyelid and was surprised to see Sarah already in a pretty sundress. Unusual, as whenever she could, Sarah would stay in bed for as long as possible. "What time is it?"

  "Almost seven," Sarah answered, opening the door to the balcony. "I've already called room service for breakfast."

  "Oh, we're having breakfast here?"

  "It was your idea, remember? So we can sit out on the balcony and enjoy this incredible vista. Look at it. Just look at it!" Sarah gushed as she stared at the water outside.

  Languidly, Rebecca got out of bed. After last night, she would prefer to go to the dining room for breakfast. She might see Zach there, although knowing him he probably would be breakfasting in his suite while he checked the latest news and stock market movements.

  "How did last night go?" Sarah asked casually.

  "Good. We talked," she said, unable to stop the smile that spread on her face.

  "So what did you discuss?"

  "Why I broke up with him."

  "Really? What about it? Didn't he already know why?"

  "He thought there might have been a third party."

  "What? That doesn't make sense. When you broke up with him, you've said that the reason was because you'd rather move on if the feeling wasn't mutual, right?"

  "Right."

  "So where did he get the idea that you have someone else?"

  Rebecca shrugged. "I don't know, to be honest. That's a good question."

  Sarah frowned. "What else did you talk about, then?"

  "Um..." For the life of her, Rebecca couldn't remember if there was another topic that she and Zach had discussed. The only memory that was clear and sharp was the searing kiss they'd shared, which led to some hot sex. "I think that's all we got to talk about."

  Sarah narrowed her eyes. "All of that would have only been a one-minute conversation. Why were you gone for so long?"

  A knock on the door interrupted them.

  "That must be breakfast. I'll get ready," Rebecca said, grabbing a dress and running for the bathroom.

  "Hurry up. I can't wait to hear the rest of your news!"

  Rebecca laughed happily.

  *

  "Come on, tell me!" Sarah said. "I know you at least kissed."

  "How do you know?" Rebecca asked, putting a forkful of pancake drizzled with maple syrup in her mouth.

  "Duh! Didn't you see your face in the mirror? You look like you used to do when you were still going out with Zach," Sarah said with a frown, hands on hips.

  Ooh. Sarah wasn't happy.

  "Yeah, we kissed," she answered.

  Sarah sighed deeply. "Shouldn't you go slow with this? I hate the fact that you're making yourself too available for him."

  "Remember our New Year's resolution?" Rebecca challenged. "We said we'll make time for love and we won't let any excuse get in the way of making the first move on hot men."

  "Hot men who are not afraid of commitment," Sarah contended. "I seriously doubt Zach fits the bill, considering the reason why you split up in the first place."

  "As long as he's still interested in me I want to follow it through," she said in a tone that indicated she meant business.

  "Okay," Sarah said, her voice softer. "I'd just hate for you to get hurt by the same guy, Bec. At least take this one step at a time. Don't go around kissing him again until you're clearer about his intentions. And for heaven's sake, don't even think about sleeping with him."

  Rebecca shifted in her seat, avoiding her friend's intent gaze.

  "Rebecca?" Sarah said in a suspicious tone.

  "Erm, I... uh... already slept with him."

  "You're kidding me!" Sarah said, clapping her hands on her thighs in frustration.

  "I want another chance with him, Sarah."

  Sarah shook her head as she slumped back in her seat. "Well, it's your heart, not mine."

  "I'll kick myself more if I don't give it another try," Rebecca said quietly.

  Sarah stared at her for a long moment. "Okay, honey. I get it. So what are you gonna do next?"

  "Anything I can to win him back for good."

  *****

  Rebecca stared at the book she was reading, stuck on the same page for long minutes. She glanced around the busy pool area, hoping against hope that Zach had decided to go for a swim in this particular pool.

  But of course he wasn't around. He must be working in his suite, so she better accept the fact that she was unlikely to see him until tonight. That was, if he decided to have dinner at the same place she and Sarah had planned to go to.

  She'd been restless all day, wondering when she'd see Zach again, or if he'd call her for a chat, or dinner, or... sex. Well, if she didn't hear from him today, she'd promised herself she'd take the initiative tomorrow. No more shy, scared Rebecca. She was on a mission.

  She shifted on the deck chair she'd been lounging in for the last hour, trying to take her mind away from the needy sensation between her legs. Damn Zachary Carmichael. He always did this to her. Just thinking about him always made her want him, especially when her brain seemed to enjoy playing back their hot sex last night.

  "Hello, Becky. Would you like a drink?"

  Rebecca glanced up at the man who hovered above her. It was Alix, the cute and funny Greek guy who'd introduced himself at the restaurant earlier during lunch. He'd taken to calling her Becky, a nickname she didn't like, but when Alix said it with that lovely accent of his, she didn't mind.

  "No, thank you, Alix. I'm fine," she said with a polite smile.

  "Well, I'm afraid it's too late," Alix said, holding out a glass to her. "I've already ordered you another glass of cranberry juice. I think it's your favourite, yes?"

  "I've had three glasses so far today," she said with a laugh. "Maybe I shouldn't drink any more."

  "Just this last one?" Alix asked, extending the drink further toward her.

  "Okay, thank you." She took the glass and Alix settled himself on the deck chair next to her.

  "Where is your friend?"

  "In the water," she answered, tilting her chin toward the pool. She looked for Sarah and found her chatting with a man—a good-looking one. Hmm.

  "I didn't ask you earlier, but is it just you and your friend having your holiday?"

  "Actually, we're here as someone's private nurses. But our client doesn't need us with her at all times, so we're lucky enough to have lots of free time to ourselves."

  "Is that right?" Alix asked in surprise. "My mother and my two sisters are nurses. I grew up in a family of nurses."

  "Really?"

  As Alix chatted about his family, his work, and his experiences travelling solo every year, Rebecca found herself enjoying their conversation. Alix was an entertaining storyteller with a great sense of humour. And if he were to be believed, he'd done some pretty awesome, crazy and hair-raising stuff during his travels.

  She was chuckling at something Alix was relaying when Sarah approached, followed by the guy she had been talking to in the pool, whom Sarah introduced as Ron, another Aussie.

  "What's so funny, guys?" Sarah asked.

  "Alix was just talking about his adventures in Peru," Rebecca answered.

  Before long, the four of them were engaged in animated conversation, exchanging funny stories and having a good time.

  "Why don't we all have dinner tonight?" Alix suggested as Rebecca and Sarah readied to go back to their room.

  "Great idea," Ron said.

  "That'll be good," Sarah said readily, looking at Rebecca with questioning eyebrows.

  "I'm not sure if I could join you," Rebecca said hesitantly. "I, uh, might have to join our client tonight." What she really wanted was to have dinner with Zach, but she didn't even know what his plans were.

  "Oh, it would be less fun without you," Alix said with a cute, exaggerated pout.

  "You might still be able to join us," Rebecca said with a knowing look. "You just ha
ve to check with Magda."

  "I'll do that."

  *****

  "Has Zach told you what he's doing tonight?" Sarah asked as they made their way back to their room.

  "No," Rebecca answered, trying to sound nonchalant. Didn't Zach say they'd talk again soon? When was soon?

  "You're not just going to sit around and wait for him, are you?" Sarah asked with a hint of disapproval.

  "You're right," she agreed. "I'll give him a call."

  "That's not what I mean! What I meant was if he couldn't be bothered asking you to spend more time with him after he had his way with you last night, you shouldn't sit around and wait for him. Join us for dinner."

  "I think he's busy. You know how busy he gets," she said, defending Zach.

  "Sure, sure," Sarah said dismissively. "Join us for dinner, Bec."

  Rebecca sighed, still set on spending the night with Zach. She knew she was being impatient. Zach could have hundreds of valid reasons why he hadn't called her yet. Just because she was practically on holiday mode didn't mean Zach was. He was a very busy man.

  She believed that last night meant something to Zach, too. His questions, his expressions and his lovemaking suggested he still cared. She wasn't going to waste another opportunity with him. But she must stop being such a needy, impatient girlfr— err, woman. And heck, she must remember that one night of sex didn't mean they were back together, no matter how good the sex was.

  "Okay. I'll join you," she said to Sarah as they entered their room. "But would it be super rude if I pull out if Zach wants to have dinner with me?"

  Sarah sighed impatiently. "Yes, it would be super rude. But since I'm your best friend who understands how super crazy you are with the guy, I won't mind. We could always tell the other guys Magda called you at the last minute."

  "Great! Thank you, Sarah." She gave her friend a big bear hug before retrieving her phone.

  *

  Rebecca stared at Zach's text message with disappointment.

  *Sorry. Too busy. Maybe another time.*

  "I can join you for dinner, Sarah," Rebecca called out, trying to sound enthusiastic.

  "Oh? What's Zach doing?"

  "He said he's too busy."

  "Good. It'll be more fun with you there."

  "So do you like Ron?" she asked as she watched Sarah fuss with her makeup.