by Megan Ryder
The last item they needed was a piece of sea glass, so they found themselves on a rapidly darkening beach, with only a few solitary walkers for company, using cell phones for light. Ethan pulled his key chain out and flicked on a small penlight that did little to illuminate the sand. After thirty minutes or so of searching, the sun had gone down, plunging the sand into darkness, the lights from the amusement park not extending far enough to the beach, and the moon not full enough to reflect light.
Delaney planted her hands on her hips and sighed in exasperation. “It’s hopeless. We should have done this first. Stupid.”
He shrugged. “I never thought we’d spend so much money trying to win a stupid prize. Maybe we can return the picture and buy the sea glass.”
She wrapped her arms around herself, warding off the evening chill and gazed out at the water. “It’s hard to believe we’re expecting a big storm in two days.”
He stood next to her and draped an arm across her shoulders, hugging her close. “They say it could be a big one.”
She turned in his arms. “Are you worried about your vineyard?”
He nodded. “A little. I’d rather be there to make sure everything is ready but, honestly, my farm manager knows more about the vines than I ever will.”
The music drifted over the sand from the park, a live band that had just started playing a slow, romantic song. Ethan stepped to the side and held out his hand, a slight bow at the waist. “May I have this dance, madam?”
She smiled, suddenly feeling shy and self-conscious. She put her hand in his and curtsied. “Of course, sir.”
He drew her close, folding her hand against his chest and moving in a slow shuffle of feet, swaying to the music, unicorn and art piece forgotten on the ground. She rested her head under his chin, his heart beating against her cheek. She allowed her muscles to relax, allowed him to lead the dance, and allowed herself to feel safe and protected. The warmth from his body seeped through her light sweater and tank top, heating her, not in a sexual way but a comforting, friendship manner. She closed her eyes, reveling in the strength of his arms, enjoying the solitude of the night.
Several minutes passed and the music wound down and shifted to a faster tune. With a sigh of regret, Ethan released her and they stepped apart. Delaney suddenly felt awkward and exposed, her emotions obvious to Ethan standing as close as they were. Another couple walked by, holding hands, laughing softly and stopping to kiss periodically. Delaney flushed and pressed her hands to her cheeks. Ethan glanced at his watch.
“Crap. We have to get back or we’ll be late.” He held out his hand a second time. “Shall we?”
She placed her hand in his for the second time, this time feeling more intimate and personal. He tucked her hand against his side. He snagged the unicorn and art piece from the sand on the way. They walked back to the bikes and then back to the house, sea glass forgotten.
Ethan and Delaney walked into the house just as the cuckoo clock chimed ten. The rest of the group was already seated around the table, and the tension was thicker than fog over the harbor. Matthew and Caroline looked stressed and completely unlike an about-to-be married couple. Anna looked smug and satisfied, while Wyatt looked uncomfortable. Brigid and Grady kept stealing glances at each other, flushed, with a hint of excitement between them.
Ethan tried to catch Delaney’s gaze but she ducked her head and slid into a seat next to Matthew, across from Anna, who smirked. Delaney squared and lifted her chin and Ethan silently cheered her attitude.
Ethan tossed their items on the table and sat. Caroline arched her eyebrows. “All done, Ethan?”
“We missed one item,” Delaney softly replied.
“Really? The great Delaney Winters lost a game? When was the last time that happened?” Anna snidely remarked, a grin spreading.
“Shut it, Anna. Stop being a bitch,” Wyatt mildly interjected, a snap to his tone.
“I wasn’t speaking to you, Wyatt.” She growled but settled in her seat.
Caroline collected the lists and checked the items. Ethan tapped a finger on the table, feigning boredom, but he silently fumed. He and Delaney had been unbeatable in the past, never losing a game. Now they had lost this one and Anna was going to rub Delaney’s face in it, reminding her of her renewed position. Just as she was getting comfortable and not so skittish, she had to be reminded of the tension between the women. Delaney, for her part, met Anna’s gaze squarely, not allowing Anna to back her down.
He silently applauded her gumption and hoped things worked out for them.
Caroline held out a hand to him. “Receipt for dinner?”
He reached in his pocket and felt a hard object within the paper. He pulled out the receipt and the object. It was the sea glass he had found that morning on the beach. Ice blue. Rare, like Delaney. Instead of leaving it in his room, he had brought it with him that evening, intending to give it to Delaney if the timing was right. But he had forgotten about it until now. Should he throw it in the mix and possibly win? Or hang onto it and give it to her later? Delaney turned, brows furrowed.
“Is everything okay?”
He fingered the glass, knowing he couldn’t prove he found it on the beach that night, wondering if Delaney would go along with his story.
Decision made, he tossed it on the table. “Last piece. Completely forgot about it. Found it on the beach.”
Her head whipped around and she stared. “I don’t...”
He shot her a warning glance then smoothed his face into a blank look. “It was too dark for a picture in the sand. It was next to the unicorn when I grabbed it.”
She frowned but sat back and said nothing more. Anna shot them a suspicious look, narrowing her gaze and pursing her lips.
Caroline walked to the front of the table. “We have a tie. Anna and Wyatt and Ethan and Delaney all found their objects. So, we need a tie breaker. Tomorrow night. I’ll tell you the game then.”
Delaney heaved a sigh of relief and slumped in her chair.
Anna shot to her feet. “How do we know he really found it here?”
Ethan quirked an eyebrow, his voice low but hard. “Are you calling me a liar, Anna? Do you think I walk around with sea glass in my pocket?”
She swallowed but stood her ground. “Maybe you bought it.”
“Enough,” Caroline interjected. “I’m the judge, and we’re calling it a tie. Do you have a problem with that?”
Wyatt yanked Anna back into her chair and whispered in her ear, low, fast words that had her subsiding with occasional angry glances.
She shook her head. “It’s fine.” But the daggers she shot Delaney belied her words.
Caroline nodded. “Then we’ll have to have one more event. Tomorrow night. For now, it’s a beautiful night. Let’s enjoy it on the patio.”
Everyone stood and slowly walked out of the room, Wyatt practically dragging Anna.
Delaney hung back, arms crossed in front of her. When the room was empty, except for her and Ethan, she asked, “Where did you get the glass?”
“I found it on the beach.”
“When?”
“Does it matter? We won.”
“It matters to me.” She took a step closer and laid a hand on his arm. “When did you find it?”
“This morning on the beach during my run. Ironically, right where we were looking tonight.” His jaw tightened. “Do you doubt me? Why am I not surprised? You never had much faith in me.”
“Are we going to do this now? It wasn’t you, it was me. Besides, this has nothing to do with the past.”
“Bullshit. It has everything to do with the past. You didn’t trust me then, didn’t trust my love, and now you don’t believe me.” He made a sound of disgust. “You know what? Maybe you were right. This is a mistake, thinking we might have a second chance.”
He stormed out of the dining room toward the patio, toward the murmur of voices.
Why did she always have to screw things up?
Delaney ran her fin
ger around the rim of the wineglass, the hum from the friction underlying the crackle of the fire in the fire pit. They had started out with idle chitchat after the scavenger hunt announcement, but that had subsided into hushed murmurs, deep thoughts, and sipping Ethan’s truly excellent wine. She had protested the glass of red wine, but he insisted this version had less sulfites than other reds. If he was wrong, their night would be much different than originally planned.
Thinking about their night, their kiss, and subsequent fight had Delaney jumpy and tense. She caught Ethan’s questioning stare and realized she’d been staring at him blindly for quite some time. A low chuckle next to her made her turn her head. Brigid had settled in the chaise lounge next to her, wrapped in a blue blanket.
Brigid’s gaze followed her own and a knowing smile crossed her face. “Are you two back together?”
Delaney automatically shook her head then stopped. “No, I don’t know.” She sighed. “No.”
Brigid raised her eyebrows. “Doesn’t look like it’s over from here. I don’t even need the fire to feel the warmth out here.”
Delaney glanced at the group of men on the other side of the patio. Ethan scowled but not before she saw the heat in his eyes. She flushed, ducking her head. But not before catching another look, one intended not for her but for the woman sitting next to her.
“You and Grady seem to be an item. How long has that been going on?”
Brigid’s eyes were shuttered, closed, but not before Delaney saw a flash of something in them. Hurt, hunger, desire?
After a moment, she snorted. “It’s just the situation. You know Caroline. I just can’t get involved with her machinations.”
Delaney laughed. “You can use all the big words you want, but that’s not the look of a man going along with a plan.”
It was the look of a man who hadn’t eaten in a long time and was looking at a buffet, but not sure he’d be allowed inside.
Delaney swung her legs around and sat up. “Brigid, for what’s it’s worth, can I give you a little advice?”
“Can I stop you?”
“No, not really. For better or worse, he seems to like you. A lot. Who else do you have in your life, besides your work? For once, skip the plan and go with the flow. It’s only for one week. Enjoy yourself. You deserve it.”
“Is that what you’re doing?” Brigid countered, a bite in her tone.
“I have no idea what the hell I’m doing. But we’re both adults and we’re on vacation. It may not last, may not be for forever. I can live with that. But I know I’d regret not having this moment. Will you?”
With the parting words, she stood and dropped the wrap on the chaise lounge. “I’m headed to bed. See you in the morning.” She caught Ethan’s gaze and his eyes darkened. He gave a short quick nod then turned his attention back to the guys, talking about their golf outing that day.
Chapter Eleven
Once inside, Delaney headed upstairs. She got ready for bed, mind whirling with all the events of the day and the revelation that her and Ethan had a lot of unresolved business that couldn’t be solved by a simple apology. She opened her drawer and dug through her night clothes, but her fingers lingered on Ethan’s oversized sweatshirt. Before she lost her nerve, she pulled that over her head and sat on the bed, hands fisted in her lap. Footsteps echoed outside her door and her breath froze, but they continued past her door to the next one. She glanced at the wall. Crap. The walls weren’t exactly sound proof and she didn’t want to air their dirty laundry in front of everyone else, especially Anna, who slept on the other side of the wall. Another set of footsteps came up the stairs and stopped before her door. Ethan’s door opened across from her and closed.
She waited several minutes then opened her door, looking both ways, then darted across. Thankfully his door was unlocked and she slipped in. The light was on in the attached bathroom so Delaney tiptoed across the room and laid across his bed, allowing the neckline to slip down past one shoulder in what she had hoped was a seductive pose. Ethan splashed water in the bathroom and, as the minutes ticked by, Delaney’s anxiety built.
This was a terrible idea. They were a terrible idea. Courage failing, she sat up and swung her legs to the floor but, before she could bolt, the bathroom door opened and Ethan stood framed in the doorway, shirtless, a towel wrapped around his neck, and his pants slung low on his hips. Her mouth dried at the sight and she swallowed past the lump of nerves in her throat. Water glistened on his face, a few drops beading and rolling down to drop on his chest. Her gaze followed the river of water and she swallowed. Hard. Vineyard work certainly agreed with him.
“Delaney. What are you doing here?”
“I think we need to talk.”
“I’ve said all I needed to. This isn’t a good idea.”
“No, we haven’t said anywhere near everything we need to. We’ve said all the politically correct things. I’m sorry. And I forgive you and all the words we should say as mature adults, but we haven’t gotten to the meat of the matter. And we haven’t discussed that kiss.” She stood and reached for him.
His face shuttered and he tossed the towel into the bathroom. He leaned against the door jamb, staying out of reach, crossed his arms, and studied her. “Okay, so talk. Wait, is that my rowing sweatshirt?”
She glanced down, knowing full well what it was but wanted to buy some time. “This? I don’t think so. I think I bought it at the university store years ago.”
He stalked around the bed to stand on the same side as her. “No, I’m pretty sure it’s mine. There’s that paint stain when we painted the boathouse. It’s mine and I think I want it back.”
She cocked her hip. “If you want it, come and get it.”
Then she realized he had cleverly backed her into a corner, bed and him between her and the door. She glanced at both and scurried across the bed. He snagged the tail of the fleece and hauled her back, until she lay on her back on the bed. He settled himself over her, his legs blocking hers and his arms caging her neatly to the mattress. Her sweatshirt rode up, baring her panties and stomach. He lowered his hips until she could feel his desire through the thin lace of her panties, the friction of his pants bringing the need that had been simmering all night exploding to the surface.
Her lips curved in a smile. “Now that you’ve caught me, what are you going to do with me?”
Delaney’s eyes shifted from teasing to uncertain as time dragged on. Ethan struggled to maintain control, but the feel of her body beneath him, inches from heaven, taunted him. Flashes of the alley flickered in his brain. Her sounds, her taste, the feel of her going up in flames in his arms threatened to push him over the edge before they’d even started. She wiggled her hips and the shirt rode up higher, exposing her bare midriff and the pink lace panties barely hiding her from his gaze. She grazed his cock and he gritted his teeth against the sensual heat of desire that almost made him end the night before they had even started. He closed his legs around hers, trapping them in place, reducing the space she had to wiggle. He then lifted one hand and cupped her cheek, rubbing a thumb against her soft lower lip.
Her chest heaved as she stared at him, nerves reflected in her dark blue eyes. Slowly, he lowered his head and brushed her lips with his. Once. Twice. Three times. She softly exhaled and her lips slackened. He settled his lips more firmly over hers, tongue sweeping in for a taste of minty toothpaste. She moaned and wound her arms around his neck, pulling him down fully against her. She ran her hands along his back, tracing the firm ridge of his muscles. He shivered under her touch and kissed his way down her throat, her pulse pounding against the soft skin. He nipped at the sensitive spot then soothed it away with a lick of the tongue, tasting the salt and musk that was uniquely Delaney, a taste that he had never quite fully forgotten, no matter how many women he’d slept with in the intervening years.
Thoughts of other women threw a dash of cold water on the moment. He lifted off her for a moment, frowning. Her face showed the same confusion and lus
t darkening her eyes. She pushed her hands against the bed, sliding out from under him. Her soft, smooth skin rubbing against his legs and bare chest sent frissons of awareness throughout his body, begging him to hold her in place, kiss her again, make her forget the past, keep her right where she was. Instead, he heaved himself away to stand on the other side of the queen-sized bed, watching her as she scrambled to her feet, her face red and chest heaving.
She scrambled to her feet, struggling to catch her breath. “This was a mistake. I’m sorry.” She ripped the sweatshirt over her head and tossed it on the bed. “Here.”
She fled the room before he could stop her.
Sleep was a long time coming for Ethan. He tossed and turned, body begging for some form of release. After a while, he tossed the covers back and stalked to the French doors and onto the balcony. His room didn’t overlook the ocean, but he could hear the rushing of the waves. The night breeze wafted over his heated skin, cooling him on the surface but beneath, the fire in his blood raged. He gripped the iron railing in an effort to resist the urge to go across the hall and slip into bed with Delaney.
No, he had to remember why they weren’t together. It didn’t matter how right it felt in his bed, how good it felt to be with her again. She had bailed on him. Tossed him aside when the going got tough.
He sighed. That wasn’t exactly fair. Back then, all he could focus on was getting through the scandal. Her family wasn’t the only one affected by it. His father had been called to task by several investors that had invested. Their reputation had suffered and they had to answer allegations of collusion, wrongdoing, and criminal actions as a result of their support of Martin Winters. The SEC had finally been satisfied, along with the federal authorities, and no charges had been filed. Their own investors had been slower to forgive. He had worked alongside his father during the long days and nights, repairing their relationships with clients and staff and maybe those long hours away from Delaney had caused her to doubt him.