Only For Now: Second Chances

by Hart, Alana

  What the hell was she talking about? Her sister had finally gone off the deep end, and the night before her wedding. She eyed the business card, almost afraid to look, but her curiosity got the better of her. The foiled lettering read Sunset Bay Resort, and at the bottom, Will Townsend. In what she assumed must be his handwriting was scrawled, See you there.

  Alexa's heart leapt into her throat. This must have been what they'd been talking about earlier this afternoon. She glanced around again for Cara, but she was nowhere in sight. Before she could think about it any further, she jumped up and made her way for the door, intending to call a cab, but she stopped in her tracks when she saw a limo waiting outside. That surely wasn't for her. But even as she thought it, she knew it was.

  "Miss Roberts?" A man in a black suit held the door open for her, and speechless, she climbed into the back seat.

  This was completely surreal. Flowers and champagne were waiting for her inside the limo, and soft music played. Alexa shook her head in disbelief. Will had planned this. For her. She felt a delicious tingle race up her spine in anticipation. He had found a way for them to be together privately.

  The limo pulled up at the Sunset Bay Resort, and Alexa realized she'd been in too much shock to enjoy the ride. Just as well, though, because she was ready to be in Will's arms. This week of smoldering looks and stolen kisses had her on edge and now that the wait was over, she couldn't stand it any longer.

  As she stood in the ornate lobby, looking around at the unbelievably luxurious decor, she realized she didn't know where to go from here. Just as she was about to pull out her phone, Will materialized at her side, taking her hand in his and pulling her fingers up to his lips. His expression was intense, and wordlessly he turned and guided her toward the bank of elevators.

  Alexa's heart was beating so hard it felt as if it were going to explode from her chest. In her wildest dreams, she had never imagined that this would be how her evening would play out. She was slightly nervous, but anticipation drove her forward.

  They stepped into an elevator and Will slid an access card into a slot marked P and punched in an access code, and the doors closed soundlessly, leaving them alone. "How did you manage this?"

  "I can use my powers of persuasion when I need to. Once I assured Cara you knew what you were getting yourself into, she was more than happy to oblige."

  Why did that not surprise her? Alexa smiled and started to speak, but Will placed a finger over her lips. "No more talk of them. Tonight is just about us. Time to finish what you started back in New Orleans."

  The elevator doors slid open, revealing the most gorgeous hotel room that Alexa had ever seen. It was like a mansion, complete with a kitchen, dining room, and a myriad of other rooms that were each larger than Alexa's studio apartment. She stepped out and looked around in awe. "How did you swing a room like this?"

  "Family business, remember? The elder Townsends hold stake in several resorts as investments. I guess there are a few perks to being part of the family." He winked at her and led her toward a wall of glass doors that were slid open on some kind of track so that the entire room was wide open to the outdoors. She could hear the crashing of waves and realized the penthouse overlooked the beach.

  Alexa walked right up to the railing and took a deep breath of sea air. This couldn't be more perfect.

  * * *

  Will stood back and stared as Alexa looked out at the ocean. He almost couldn't believe his plan had worked so well, but he was so glad it had. This is what she deserved. A special night that would show her just how much she truly meant to him. He was pretty sure she didn't realize it, but he was determined to prove it to her.

  Just then she turned to look at him, and his mind went blank. She was still wearing the same dress from earlier, the one from New Orleans. The knowledge that what he'd been dreaming of for the past four years—hell, longer than that—was about to become a reality had him stepping toward her, and pulling her into his arms.

  She looked up at him wordlessly, trustingly, and he gave in to his desires. He had told himself he wouldn't rush things, but now he wasn't so sure. The heat in her eyes matched his own.

  Tangling his fingers in her hair, he crushed his mouth down on top of hers as her body melded into him. Her hands threaded around his neck and she let out a moan.

  All of the passion that had been building between them came out in a rush as they were finally free to explore it. Will pulled away for a moment, cradling her face in his hands and stared into her eyes. God, she was beautiful. He was pretty sure he knew the answer, but after all they'd been through, he had to ask. "Are you sure?"

  Her smile said it all. "I've never been more sure of anything in my life. And I don't care about tomorrow or next week, or anything else. I just want you and me, right here and now."

  That was all he needed. He scooped her into his arms and carried her the bedroom to give her a night she wouldn't soon forget.

  * * *

  Alexa melted into Will’s arms and he kissed her softly, tenderly and full of emotion. It was everything she needed. The air between them shifted, and the sweetness of his kiss deepened until she felt a burn low in her belly. She was wrong. The kiss wasn't everything that she needed. She needed him, all of him. There were still so many things left up in the air between them, but she felt powerless to resist the desire simmering inside her. She would deal with the fallout later. For now she wanted one unforgettable night with him.

  One with memories that would last her the rest of her life if they had to.

  She bit out a sob at the thought of their time together coming to an end, and he pulled back, looking at her with concern.

  "Baby, it's okay, I'm here. I'm not going anywhere,” he whispered. How could she tell him that somehow over the course of the week what she had known would be only for now had turned into so much more for her?

  She simply nodded, not meeting his eyes. "I'm sorry. You probably think I'm silly. I just need you with me. I need to be close to you." She looked up at him then, letting him see how deep her need ran. "Make love to me, Will."

  He pulled her tighter against him, and then their bodies took over in a mad dash to be closer. The burn she'd felt before rose to a scorching fire, and they couldn't get enough of each other. Their mouths melded together in a kiss that left her aching for more. This was different than she’d expected. She’d thought they would take their time to explore each other, but there was an air of need and desperation with both of them. It had been building up for far too long. Half a lifetime in Alexa’s case.

  Clothing flew off as they made their way to the bed. Will laid her down gently, then had her pressed against it, his body impossibly hard against her soft skin. She raked her fingers down his back as he devoured her. She had never felt such intense passion with a man. It was as if all the pent up emotions were rising to the surface, seeking an outlet in physical form.

  Will unhooked her dress behind her neck then traced his hands down to her hips and slid it off, tossing it on the floor. Then she was back in his arms. He ran his hot tongue along every inch of her skin, skillfully bringing her to peaks and valleys as he awoke every nerve in her body. She responded on instinct alone, and when their bodies finally came together, the pleasure she felt was only surpassed by the love swelling in her heart.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Alexa awoke to the strange sensation of deja vu. She was in a hotel room in an unfamiliar bed. But this time she wasn't alone. She sighed contentedly and rolled over, feeling Will tighten his arms around her. His hard muscled chest had her pulse racing again, and he opened his eyes and grinned wickedly at her. Maybe they had time for another round.

  "Oh my god!" Alexa sat straight up in the bed, looking frantically around for a clock. "It's morning. What time is it? We have to get back to the house.”

  And it was the wedding day. There was no way she could be late to her own sister’s wedding. That was a surefire way to spoil her perfect day
.

  Will sat up next to her and scrubbed his hands down over his face. "I didn't intend to stay here all night. I thought we could go back after, and no one would be the wiser. What I didn't count on was your insatiable appetite."

  Alexa blushed. She didn't know what had come over her. She and Will had made love three times during the night and then crashed in exhaustion. Her blush seemed to egg him on, because he wrapped his arms around her again and kissed the exposed skin at the base of her throat and murmured, "Do we have time for another round?"

  The thought was tempting, but Alexa knew they had to get back.

  An hour later Alexa sent Cara a text, letting her know they were back. She'd hoped to sneak back in the house and none but Cara would be the wiser, but she was tiring of the secrecy. She was a grown woman, after all, and she didn't have to sneak around. But the idea of causing any drama or distractions on her sister’s wedding day was enough incentive for her to push aside those feelings.

  When Cara didn't respond, she started to get nervous. She and Will had to get inside and start getting ready. The plan was for her to be safely inside her room as if she'd been there all night, then Will would arrive as if he'd just come back from a typical night out. No one would question it, as it fell perfectly in line with Will's reputation. Alexa tried not to think too hard about that, and the fact that it made her chest tighten painfully. She knew going into last night what she was doing. She'd known all week. Will was a player, and this was just a fling, despite the fact that her heart cried out for more.

  But she couldn’t help it. Her heart ached knowing they’d be parting ways the next day and that they very well may go years without seeing or speaking to each other again. Her happy for now was coming to an end and it was a million times harder than she’d ever expected. What had she been thinking?

  Alexa and Will made it upstairs uneventfully and she tried to rush into her room and avoid any further contact while she was in such a conflicted state of mind. But Will was having none of it. He grabbed her elbow as she opened her door and pulled her to him, but froze when he saw her red-rimmed, glassy eyes.

  “Whoa, darlin’, what’s up?” He brushed a stray hair from her face and Alexa tried to savor his touch, but it all felt so bittersweet now and she couldn’t handle it anymore.

  “I’m sorry, Will. This was a mistake. Thank you for a wonderful week, but I can’t do this anymore.” And with her heart breaking, she ran into her room and slammed the door behind her, the sound having a sick sound of finality.

  * * *

  A mistake? Is that what she thought their time had been together? Will felt like he'd been punched in the gut. He slowly walked into his room and sank down on his bed with his head in his hands, trying to make sense of what he was feeling.

  He'd only wanted to give her a special night, and if there had been even the slightest hint that she wasn't certain, he wouldn't have done it. That had to say something about the way he felt about her, right? He'd never really concerned himself with a woman's feelings before. It was always no strings attached sex.

  But that wasn’t the case with Alexa. His heart had always belonged to her whether she knew it or not.

  And now she thought it was all a mistake. Well, he wouldn't push her. He knew how that would end. He’d been there before and he couldn’t stomach the idea of her running away from him again.

  Though isn’t that what she’d just done? After taking so much care to make it happen this time for them, she thought it was a mistake. Well, he'd be gone and out of her life again as soon as he could and then she wouldn't have to look at him with regret in her eyes. He didn't think he could handle that. Not on top of the scorching pain in his chest that he doubted would ever truly go away now.

  * * *

  Alexa fiddled with the hem of her bridesmaid dress as she stood around on the beach, waiting for everyone to get ready for the ceremony. It had been such an awkward day and she couldn't wait for it to be over.

  According to Cara, Will had packed up and was leaving after the ceremony. She shouldn’t be surprised. It was his modus operandi. But she hadn’t expected it to hurt so damn bad. Cara had convinced Will to at least stay through the wedding, but Alexa was starting to wonder if that was actually a good idea. She didn’t look forward to facing him again.

  He’d been MIA all day and she couldn’t shake the feeling that he was avoiding her. Of course she knew he was. Why would he want to make things any more awkward than they had to be? But she almost thought he'd looked pained when she’d said it was all a mistake.

  It didn't matter, she kept telling herself. Last night had been amazing, but now it was over, as she'd known all along that it would be. So why did her heart feel so heavy? She just wasn’t cut out for these things. She’d been a fool to think she could be with Will, the man she’d been in love with for countless years, and not get hurt.

  She looked up at the sound of footsteps on the wooden stairs and smiled as her sister approached. Alexa squeezed her tightly and Cara hugged her back. “You okay?” she asked, worry clouding her eyes.

  “I’m fine,” she lied. “Don’t you worry about me. Today is your day and I hope it’s everything you’ve ever dreamed it would be.” She tried to look happy for her sister’s sake, but had a feeling she was failing miserably.

  Cara squeezed her hand. "It is. I'm about to marry the man of my dreams, and you're here with me. I couldn't ask for more." This time, Alexa’s smile was genuine and she felt all her tension from the day drain away at seeing Cara so happy.

  It was short-lived though, because at that moment all the groomsmen filed outside and made their way down to the sand. Will passed her by without meeting her eyes, and it felt like a slap on the face. She knew it was over, but why was he treating her so coldly? Had it been her imagination that they'd rekindled their friendship outside of their physical attraction?

  She took a deep breath and pushed all her feelings down, burying them inside, determined to enjoy the wedding.

  They all took their places, and Will began taking photos, fading into the background. Then, there was Cara, at the top of the stairs, looking like the most stunning bride Alexa had ever seen. Her dress was light and breezy, blowing gently in the sea breeze as she made her way down the steps and across the sand to take Jace's hands.

  The ceremony was short and sweet, and as the bride and groomed exchanged their vows, Alexa felt her eyes well with tears. Happy, joyous tears for her sister, but tinged with sadness. Would she ever find this kind of love? She hoped so, but with the way her life was mapped out ahead of her, she wasn't so sure.

  She risked a glance at Will, and found him with his camera pointed at her, briefly, before turning it back to the happy couple.

  Then the ceremony was over, and Jace leaned down to kiss his bride to the applause of the wedding party and they bystanders that had stopped to watch as they'd made their way down the beach. Will arranged them in various poses to take the standard wedding portraits, and Alexa silently watched him work. There was an edge to him that she hadn't seen before. A hardness that didn't mesh with the man she'd gotten close to this week. She didn't have time to dwell on it, though, because as soon as they were done, they were swept into the house for a lovely but small catered reception. Jace and Cara would have a traditional reception when they returned from their honeymoon, but for now, the bridesmaids had thought they would have a small celebration before the couple headed off.

  After a few drinks and a lot of laughter and conversation, Alexa headed out to the deck and watched the waves crash as the sun disappeared and they sky darkened. She caught her breath and whirled at the sudden sound of a man's low voice.

  "I didn't want to leave without saying goodbye." Will had his bag slung over his shoulder and his camera bag in the opposite hand.

  "You're leaving tonight," she said dully.

  "I need to head back to New Orleans. There are a few more things I want to finish before I start my next proje
ct." She couldn't make out his expression in the fading light.

  "Where to next?" She tried to keep her tone light, but was afraid the hitch in her voice gave her away.

  "I'm thinking Europe. I haven't been in a while, and I'm getting the itch."

  "Oh," she said softly. Of course. What did she expect, that he'd come to New York? He traveled the globe with no roots. He certainly wasn't about to be tied down by a woman. That was wishful thinking on her part, but it still hurt.

  "Alexa." He took a step toward her and lifted his hand.

  Nope. She couldn’t take that, feeling his touch and knowing it would be the last time. She forced herself to speak and it came out artificial and abrupt. "Well, good luck. You know what they say. If you're ever in New York, look me up." She walked past him and rushed to her room, hoping he couldn't see the tears she was blinking furiously to hold back.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Alexa sat in her comfy reading chair, listening to the noise of the city coming from her open window, her index finger hovering over the button on her computer that with one press, could change the path she was on. With a sigh, she withdrew her hand and shut her laptop and let her head drop back. She'd never get the nerve to make her blog go live.

  The thought had been nagging at the back of her brain the entire week she'd been back at work, and now that she'd spent the week updating and freshening the site, she couldn't bring herself to do it. It was almost as if pushing that button was admitting that she was miserable with her job, a fact she'd come to realize since coming home from Florida. Somehow, her time with Will had reawakened the adventurous side of her that she'd been suppressing for so long, and the future that was laid out before her was no longer satisfactory. She knew now that she wouldn't be content working for a publication that bored her to tears, and while she was sure her experience could land her a job with a company that was more her true style, she really didn't want more of the same monotony.