by Hart, Alana
Alexa admitted to herself that part of what had always drawn her to Will was his sense of adventure and the free spirit that matched her own. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to crowd out the vision of his face floating in her mind.
She'd had another realization this week as well. As much as she'd tried to convince herself that what had transpired between them was just a fling, she knew it was more. Hell, she’d known it going in. They shared a connection like something Alexa had never experienced before. If she bought into the idea of soul mates, she'd say that Will was hers. He awakened things in her that she had forgotten existed, and he brought her to life. And now I'm in love with a man who has no intentions of settling down.
Alexa groaned, and pushed herself out of her chair. This was only making things worse. He was gone, and she was here, and that was the end of it. She tried to distract herself by doing some housework, and was taken off guard when she caught sight of herself in the bathroom mirror. She had tears streaming down her face.
Slowly lifting her hands to brush them away, she turned from the mirror, sighing, "Oh, Will."
The sound of her buzzer brought her to her senses and she strode to her intercom. "Yes?"
"Lex, it's me. Can I come up?" Cara's voice crackled through the system.
"Yes, of course," she answered, buzzing her up.
What was she doing here? She should be on her way home from her honeymoon in Greece. Why was she in New York?
She met her at the door and wrapped her in a hug. "What's going on?" she asked.
"We had a layover and I wanted to come check on you."
"Check on me? I'm fine." She shut the door and smiled widely to prove her point, but she knew her eyes were red from crying.
"Obviously not. Is this about Will? Damn him, I knew he'd break your heart." She moved past her and paced the room. “But I guess it’s just as much my fault. I practically pushed you together.”
"Yes. No. I don't know." Alexa drew in a breath for fortification, then pushed through before she lost her nerve. "It's more than that, Cara. It's my job."
She turned and stared at her with concern. "Are there repercussions for your story not being what they wanted? I didn't think that was how it worked."
"No. No, it's not. Everything is fine there. I mean, it's all just like it was before. But that's the problem. I don't know how to say this other than to just lay it out there. I hate it. I'm miserable. I've made a huge mistake and I'm terrified that I'm going to spend the rest of my life dealing with it." She realized she sounded melodramatic.
"I'm sure it's not that bad. Why don't we sit down and maybe you can explain it to me."
So she did. She told her all about how she had lost herself over the past few years and how she couldn't bear the thought of living out the rest of her life in a career that she wasn't suited to. She confided her dreams that she had kept secret for so long, all the while wondering if Cara, who had it all together, thought she was out of her mind.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
Alexa bit her lip. "You've got everything in your life together and I wanted to prove that I could too. I mean, I left home to come here. I couldn’t just come crawling back with my pride still intact. I needed a respectable dependable job. What would you have said if I told you I wanted to be a blogger?" She had to laugh because it really did sound preposterous when she put it that way.
“I don’t know, maybe to follow your heart? I never have thought this job suited you, to be honest. And Will implied as much, too, now that I think about it."
Alexa gasped. "He told you?"
"No, not in the way you're thinking. After you got word that they weren't going to publish your piece, I asked him his opinion, and he said he thought your passions lay elsewhere. At the time, I thought he meant the content of your article. But thinking back, I think he was speaking about your life. Who you are and what you love."
Alexa didn't know what to say. Will could see her that well for who she was?
"Lex," Cara began, "what exactly happened between the two of you?”
"I know I told you that I knew what I was doing. And I thought I did. I had every intention of just having a fling. I don't think I realized it until I got home, maybe even just today, but it was more than that for me. Of course, I should have known.” She smiled ruefully. “I don't know how he feels. In fact I'm sure it's not the same because he left without any hint of it, but I do know that I connected with him on a deeper level than we ever had before."
They talked for a bit longer, Cara telling her about Greece to take her mind of things, then they said their goodbyes so she could catch her connecting flight. Once she was gone, Alexa contemplated everything they’d talked about. It was a lot to take in. But hearing her say that Will thought she should pursue her passions meant a lot to her. She’d have to deal with her broken heart, and probably have a conversation with him at some point.
But for now, she was ready to take the first step to reclaim her life. Opening her laptop, she pulled up her blog again, and this time she pressed the final button with confidence.
* * *
Will scrolled through his photo albums on his computer for what felt like the hundredth time this week, stopping on the ones from the wedding. They had turned out really well, and he thought Cara would be pleased. Alexa's eye for portraits had meshed well with his photography skills, combining for some really spectacular shots. They made a good team.
He raked a hand across his face, and noticed not for the first time in several days that he needed to shave. He couldn't seem to get his act together. If Alexa had haunted his thoughts in the week after New Orleans, it was nothing compared to the barrage of memories that flooded his mind day in and day out since he'd left her in Florida.
He'd thought it was for the best, leaving that night. He didn't want her to feel any more discomfort at his presence once he realized she thought it was a mistake. He also didn't want to have to discuss how she regretted their week together. But now he wasn't so sure he should have left it the way it was. There were things he should have said to her. Things that had only become more apparent to him in the week that had followed.
He was experiencing an emptiness that he hadn't ever known before, and he was pretty sure that the only thing that could fill that void was Alexa. His grand scheme had backfired in and equally grand way. Not only had he failed in his attempt to win her over, but he’d probably pushed her further away than ever. His life may have seemed so glamorous and free to Alexa, but now it just stretched before him like a sea of loneliness. How could his whole outlook change in an instant?
She was special. He didn't want her to just be a fling. He felt a connection with her that went way beyond that. That connection deserved to be explored, but he didn't know how to do that. He'd never been in a committed relationship with a woman. But he was certain that it's what he wanted now. Not just with any woman though. With Alexa.
He clicked on the picture of her taken during the wedding ceremony, when he'd turned his attention for a brief second from the bride and groom. She'd turned to him as well, and the moment had been captured forever, but he'd yet to look at it.
Pulling it up now, he studied the look on her face, not daring to believe what was in front of him. It must just be a fluke of the particular moment the shot had been snapped. But he knew that wasn't true, because with Alexa, the camera never lied. It revealed her true nature. And the look in her eyes as she stared back at him from the computer screen was one of longing and, if he wasn't deluding himself, love.
He was snapped out of his thoughts by the vibration of his phone on the desk. The screen showed a picture of Cara. What was she doing calling him when she was just back from her honeymoon?
He tapped the screen to answer the call. "Hey, how's married life treating you?"
She cut straight to the chase. "We need to talk about Alexa."
* * *
The nerves in Will's stomach lurch
ed as he made his way through security at the JFK International Airport. Was this a mistake? What would she do when she saw him? He pushed the thoughts aside, and pulled himself together as he walked through the metal detector and collected his backpack on the other side.
After getting off the phone with Cara last week, he'd gone immediately to Alexa's blog, which she had just made live only hours before. He'd devoured it over the course of the day, reading late into the night. Learning all the things about her that she'd kept private all these years only confirmed that he was head over heels for this woman. And regardless of how she felt, he was going to let her know.
According to Cara she cared for him too, but until he saw it for himself, he'd be a bundle of nerves. She may think he was crazy showing up at the airport like this. She'd written a post earlier in the week saying that she was leaving her life in New York and living the dream she'd always wanted to, starting with a tour of Europe. She planned on selling her writing and photography to pay the bills along the way. It was wild and crazy, and totally her, and he loved everything about it.
He'd been planning to head to Europe later this month anyway, so all it took was a few adjustments to his itinerary, and he'd booked a seat on the same flight.
He hung back as he approached the gate, already forming his plan, but he didn't see her anywhere. Either she had chickened out, or was already on the plane. His money was on the latter. Passing through the gate, he ignored the flirtatious smile of the attendant—from now on he had eyes only for Alexa—and moved down the jet bridge to board the plane. He stood in the aisle between first class and economy and looked for her dark hair, not seeing her at first. Then she sat up from where she'd been stowing her bag under the seat and turned to stare out the window. The sight of her took his breath away. He lowered his head and smiled. Perfect.
* * *
Alexa closed her eyes. She had hardly slept the night before, her anticipation was so high. She couldn't believe she was doing this. Will would be so proud. She felt a momentary sadness at the thought of him, but pushed it away. There would be plenty of time to think of him later, but for now she wanted to enjoy embarking on her new life.
She was startled by a man clearing his throat. "Excuse me, but I think you're in my seat."
She knew damn well that she wasn't, and sat up to tell him so, but when she turned, the words died on her lips.
Will stared down at her, eyebrow cocked, giving her that sexy half-smile. "I'd make you move, but maybe there's room for two."
She shook her head, certain she must be dreaming, but no, she was very much awake. "What are you doing here?"
He slid into the seat next to her to keep from blocking the aisle and produced a ticket stub. "This is my seat," he said, as if it should be obvious.
"I don't understand," she whispered. She thought she may never see him again, yet here he was, on a plane to Europe of all places.
His face became serious and he leaned in close, trying to find privacy on a crowed airplane. He took her hand, and her body sparked to life at the contact. He smiled as he felt her pulse kick up. "Alexa, I've spent the past four weeks—scratch that, the last four years--unable to get you off my mind. I should have told you sooner, but I didn’t know how you’d react. One thing I do know for sure, though, is exactly how I feel about you."
Her breathing became labored as she looked into those chocolate eyes and saw a tenderness there that melted her heart. She'd seen it before. If she was honest with herself, it had always been there, but she had tried to ignore it, tried to keep herself safe, never believing she could be the one to tame Will Townsend. Now she hoped against hope that she wasn't imagining it and held her breath for what he'd say next.
"Run away with me, Alexa. My life is empty without you. I want to be with you every day to experience these adventures together, and with you every night to have adventures of our own. I used to think I didn't want to settle down because it would tie me down. But now I know that being tied to you would set me free. What do you say? Can we take on this big wide world together?"
Alexa couldn't speak through the lump in her throat, so instead she nodded vigorously, taking his face in her hands and tilting her head toward his. He brought his lips to hers in a kiss so tender, she thought she'd dissolve into tears. Then he kissed the tip of her nose and pulled back only far enough to look into her eyes. "I love you, Alexa. I don't care how crazy that is, it's true."
Soul mates. She'd thought the notion was crazy, but now she knew that they were truly connected by something bigger than themselves. And she wasn't ever going to let go.
"It may or may not be crazy, but I don't care, because I love you, too."
"Then hang on tight, baby, because you're in for a wild ride."
"Just the way I like it." She smiled up at him and he lowered his lips to hers again, this time in a kiss full of promise.
About the Authors
Alana Hart
Alana Hart is an American romance writer who decided that writing with friends is better than writing alone. Hartfelt Books brings together a huge group of sweet and steamy romance authors, collaborating on a new line of books that will have your heart pounding.
When she’s not skyping and sharing her latest collaboration on googledocs, she’s typing away in her local coffee shop with a hot chocolate, complete with marshmallows and extra whipped cream, on hand. She claims it makes her happy ever afters that much sweeter!
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Mila Rose
Mila Rose is the author of contemporary romance with heart and heat. Fall in love over and over again with each new book!
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Romance collaborations from the Hart
Also in the SECOND CHANCES series.
Alien Seeking Bride: First Love by Calista Skye - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B015AF3V8M/
Saving Her Bear by Michaela Wright - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01513ZIOS
Back Where We Belong by Caia Fox - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B015AKY8S4
Keep reading for an exciting excerpt from another book in the Alana Hart collaborations series.
Back Where We Belong
Keep reading for an exciting excerpt from “Back Where We Belong” by Caia Fox and Alana Hart in the SECOND CHANCES series
A love destroyed. A life in ruins.
How can there ever be a second chance for us?
I wonder what a walk along the beach entails. It's midnight. We're not going to be building sandcastles.
“Are you cold?”
“No.”
“You're shivering a bit. This car has a heater. It might even work.”
He adjusts the controls and warm air blasts out. “Polar to tropical at the touch of a button.”
I laugh. “Every modern convenience.”
“And even air conditioning,” he says, and winks, winding down his window and then winding it back up.
We're almost there. I wish the drive was longer. I feel safe with Luke in a moving car, but we're at the beach in no time at all and getting out. He puts his arm around me and draws me to him. He kisses me gently, just a touch of his lips on mine, twice, butterfly-light kiss
es.
“You look like you're worried I'm about to eat you up,” he says. “I can just take you home if you like.”
I don't want him to take me home. “Let's walk on the beach. It's a nice night.”
A nice night? Is that all I can say? Crap.
He holds my hand and we walk along the sand. I feel the cool grains between my toes where my sandals kick up the sand. The waves are slow, lapping the beach then receding in an endless rhythm.
“Do you like living here?” I ask.
“I like living by the sea. But there are four kids between five and seventeen, plus me and Mom and Dad at home. We're living on top of each other all the time. In summer there’s not even any school. It's like a zoo at times.”
“It does sound like chaos. But it's better than when there's just you.”
“You're an only child then?”
“Yes, I'm not sure if they only wanted one or couldn't have any more children. I think I put them off having any more. I expect I got in the way of Dad's work and Mom's social life.”
“You're looking sad again. We can't have that. I like it better when you laugh.” He squeezes my hand.
“Race you to that rock” He points to a dark jagged mass jutting out from the sea onto the beach about three hundred yards away. “Ready? One...two...three.”
He takes off, and I run after him. We tumble onto the cold sand when we reach the rock, out of breath and laughing.
“That's better.” He looks at me in that intense way he has and he kisses me, his lips soft at first and then more insistent, his hands holding me, pressing me so close to him that I'm sure he'll feel my heart thud against his chest through our clothes. I can't help responding to the feeling of his lips on mine, the gentle probing of his tongue, his hard body, and I open my mouth to him and kiss him right back, the sound of the waves in the soft night air providing the perfect backdrop for that kiss.