by SJ McCoy
She nodded. She already had a fair idea, and the Diego she was getting to know was a great guy.
~ ~ ~
Diego looked around the store. He was loving this. They’d come into town to walk around and browse the stores. He’d suggested that they should swim in the pool when they went home, but Izzy had refused since she hadn’t brought a swimsuit.
He got the impression that he’d be able to persuade her to swim naked with him after dark, but for the afternoon, she needed a suit. And so, here he was, sitting outside the changing room while she tried some on.
He’d heard friends talk about the nightmare of shopping with their wives, about the tedium of sitting waiting while they tried on clothes. He hadn’t experienced it before, though. When Zack’s mother had still been in the picture, they hadn’t had money or time to spare to go clothes shopping like this. And he’d never wanted to do it with anyone else.
The sales assistant smiled at him as he came back with another suit in a bigger size for Izzy.
“How are you doing in there?” Diego called.
“I’m fine. I think this one will do.”
“May I see?”
She didn’t answer.
He chuckled and exchanged a smile with the sales guy. “Is that a no?”
He heard her mutter something, and then the dressing room door opened. He sucked in a sharp breath. She looked amazing. The suit was a deep blue with white piping. It was gathered around the waist and tied between her breasts. He couldn’t wait to untie that bow.
He heard her laugh. “I was going to ask what you think, but your face says it all.”
“I—”
She laughed again. “Talk to me, not to them!”
He dragged his eyes away from her breasts and gave her a guilty smile. “You look amazing.”
“Thank you.” Her smile was different. Softer somehow. He felt like he was finally getting somewhere. He got to his feet and went to her. Putting his hands on her shoulders, he dropped a kiss on her lips. He couldn’t help it.
She looked surprised but pleased.
The sales assistant smiled at them, and Izzy looked embarrassed. Diego didn’t feel embarrassed. He didn’t care who saw him kiss her.
“Well.” She was flustered, and that surprised him. “I’d better get dressed, and we can get going.”
She disappeared back into the changing room.
The sales assistant was still hovering, and Diego started to wonder if he should care about perhaps making the guy uncomfortable with his public display of affection. He gave him a rueful smile.
“Sorry about that.”
The guy smiled back at him. “Don’t be. It’s nice to see older folks still in love. Believe me, I’m not going to judge anyone for kissing in public. I know too well how it feels to be on the receiving end of that kind of criticism.”
Diego raised an eyebrow. He thought he understood, but he didn’t want to assume.
The guy smiled and nodded. “My husband and I.”
“I’m sorry.” Diego shook his head sadly. “People can be assholes.”
The guy smiled. “They can, but all we can do is try to focus on the ones who aren’t.”
Izzy came out and gave them a curious look. “Are we good to go?”
Diego nodded. He wanted to say something more to the guy, but he didn’t know what.
The guy smiled back. “You two enjoy the rest of your day.”
“Thanks,” said Izzy. “You, too.”
Diego did the only thing he could think of to show his appreciation. He held his hand out to shake and leaned in for a hug. “Thanks for all your help.”
The guy hugged him back with a laugh. “My pleasure.”
As they left the store, Izzy looked at Diego. He knew she was wondering what that had been about.
“What?” he raised an eyebrow.
“I guess I misjudged you again.”
“I thought as much. You had me down as not just a macho guy with a big ego, but a homophobic, macho guy with a big ego?”
She nodded. “Sorry.”
“You know that I’m hoping we’re going to spend more time together, that we’ll get to know each other better. If you do get to know me, you’ll realize that I love diversity that allows diversity. The only people I have trouble tolerating are those who push for hate and intolerance. I try to understand other’s ways of going about life. It can actually be a beautiful thing because it opens one up to more understanding and also knowledge about the world.”
To his surprise, she reached up and planted a peck on his lips. “When you talk like that, you make me want to get to know you much better.”
They walked hand in hand back to the car. Diego couldn’t help smiling to himself. He was enjoying this. Izzy was good company. She was sharp and funny. He had brought dates to town in the past, but it’d felt as though he was doing it for them—to entertain them. He didn’t feel that way with Izzy. They were just having fun, enjoying each other’s company.
He squeezed her hand and smiled down at her. “Do you like it here?”
“You mean Laguna Beach?”
“Yes.”
“I do. I hadn’t been here for years, but it’s a fun little town.”
“Good. How would you feel about spending our weekends this way?”
Her smile disappeared. Damn. It seemed that perhaps he wasn’t making as much progress as he’d thought. “You don’t want to?”
She shook her head rapidly. “No. That’s not what I meant. I told you, yes, I would like us to keep seeing each other. But you’re not even going to be here most weekends, are you? You didn’t buy a house in Summer Lake to let it sit idle while you hang out here with me. You need to be up there with your family.”
“But I won’t be there every weekend.”
“Then, yes, I’d love to come and visit you on the weekends that you’re here.”
He had to wonder if she was being deliberately obtuse or whether he hadn’t made himself clear enough yet. He frowned. “And what about the other weekends?”
“If you’re questioning whether I’d still see other people on those weekends—”
He held his hand up to stop her. He knew her well enough to understand that she didn’t want him—or anyone else—to dictate how or with whom she spent her time. “I wasn’t questioning that. I was asking if you don’t want to spend the other weekends with me, too.”
“Oh.” She looked so shocked that he had to drop a kiss on her lips. “Why are you so defensive, Miss Isobel?”
She shrugged.
“Is it me?”
“No. It’s not. You’ve done nothing to make me doubt you.” She gave him a rueful smile. “And so much to reassure me and get me to trust you. I’m sorry. I don’t know why I’m so defensive.”
He wasn’t sure if he should risk it, but he had to know. “Are you reacting to your past? To your ex-husband?”
She shook her head rapidly. “No. It’s not that. Tim’s a nice guy. A good guy.”
Diego nodded. He’d wondered if the ex was perhaps a big, macho guy who had mistreated her and left her determined not to go down the same road again.
“Someone else, then?”
She held his gaze for a moment and then looked away when they reached the car. “Kind of, but not in the way you think.”
He unlocked the car and raised an eyebrow. He was giving her the choice. She could elaborate, or she could get in.
She opened the door. “If we’re going to start seeing each other, then it’ll all come out over time, won’t it?”
He came around and got into the driver’s seat. “I’ll be patient. I can wait for you to tell me about your past.” He leaned over and planted a kiss on her lips. “But I can’t wait to explain what I was really asking. I want to know if you want to spend the other weekends with me, too.” He waggled his eyebrows at her, hoping to see her smile again. “Why you think I would worry about you seeing other men is beyond me. No one could compete. You’ve f
ound the best; the rest would only be pale imitations, now.”
For a second, he thought she was about to tell him what an arrogant pig he was. Her eyes flashed, but then she burst out laughing. “I want to tell you that you’re full of it. But you’re not, are you? You’re right. No one else could compete.”
His heart felt as though it was buzzing in his chest. He grinned. “I’m glad we’re finally on the same page. And just so you know, no one could compete with you either, Miss Isobel. You are the best … for me.”
He held her gaze, wondering if she’d have anything to say about that. She had no comebacks, though. She just looked deep into his eyes. What he saw in hers gave him hope.
Chapter Eleven
Diego came and sat behind her on the sun lounger, and Izzy closed her eyes as he rubbed her shoulders. That felt so good. Everything felt so good. This whole weekend had been wonderful. He’d taken her out to dinner last night, and afterward, they’d gone dancing and then walked on the beach in the darkness.
When they’d come home, he’d made love to her again. A shiver ran down her back at the memory. He was amazing in bed. He slid his arms around her waist and pulled her back against his chest. “Are you all right?”
She nodded happily. “I’m wonderful.”
“I agree.” He nuzzled his lips into her neck. At first, she’d thought that was a calculated move—calculated because he knew the effect it would have on her. Now, she saw it differently. It wasn’t Diego trying to turn her on because he wanted to sleep with her. It was Diego expressing affection because, as he’d told her, that was just who he was. She smiled. And having sex with her was only one of the many ways he liked to express his affection.
“What time do you need to be home?”
Her smile faded. He was right. She needed to think about it, but she didn’t want to. She had to go home and get started on this new chapter of her life—the chapter where she didn’t have an office to go to anymore, and she didn’t have her best friend.
She looked up at him over her shoulder. She wouldn’t have Diego once she got home either. She believed him when he said that he wanted to start seeing her, but she didn’t know how often it would happen. He was thrilled at the prospect of being closer to his son—he might say he wanted her to go with him, but that was about family. She wasn’t part of it. The only family she’d been part of was Audrey’s.
He dropped a kiss on her nose. “You’re not going to tell me? Am I supposed to guess?”
“Sorry.” He’d asked what time she needed to be home. “It doesn’t matter. Whatever’s easy for you and Karl.”
He held her tighter and rested his chin on her shoulder. “In that case, you can stay here. That would be easier for Karl; he won’t have to fly. And it will be so much easier for me than having to say goodbye to you. I don’t want to do that.”
A warm feeling swept through her, and she turned to kiss his cheek. If she took him at his word, he might possibly be the sweetest man she’d ever known. All the things he said that she’d believed were lines were just him expressing his feelings—and being honest about them. “I’ll be sad to say goodbye to you, too.” She wanted him to know that.
“So, don’t go.”
She sighed. “I have to. I have work to do, and I’m sure you do as well.”
He nibbled her neck, and his hand came up and closed around her breast. “Can I try to persuade you to stay?”
“No.” She had to stay no because she knew that he wouldn’t have to try too hard.
He sighed, but his fingers slid inside her swimsuit to tease her nipple. “Okay, then. I’ll take you home. But can I try to persuade you to come back next weekend?”
“Mmm.”
He rolled her nipple between his finger and thumb. “Is that a yes?”
“Mmm.”
“I need you to say yes, Miss Isobel.”
She smiled. “Then you’re going to have to make me.” She’d screamed yes, very enthusiastically a few times this weekend. If he wanted another one, he knew how to get it.
~ ~ ~
Diego watched her gather her things. He didn’t want her to go home, but he knew that she felt she had to. He was hoping that this might work the same way as the first night they’d met. He’d wanted more then, but he’d known he wouldn’t get it by pushing for it. Instead, he’d left her wanting him. It’d taken a while, but she’d eventually admitted that she wanted more, too.
He had gotten her to agree—very loudly—that she wanted to spend next weekend with him. He wanted to take her to the lake. He had the impression that she wasn’t too keen to go up there. But it didn’t matter. What mattered was that they spent time together—not where.
She set her bag down next to the island and picked up her purse. “Ready when you are.”
He didn’t get the chance to reply before her phone rang. She frowned and took it out of her purse to check it.
“Hmm. I need to take this. I won’t be long, but it’s Audrey.”
He nodded.
“Hey, girlfriend. How are you settling in? … Yeah? … That’s great … No … No. I’m fine … Nothing’s wrong.”
Diego wondered if she was avoiding telling her friend that she was here with him.
She smiled at him through pursed lips and shook her head. “If you must know, I’m at Diego’s house. I’ve been here all weekend.” She laughed and met his gaze. “Yes. I think it’s awesome, too. He’s really not the asshole I thought he was.”
Diego laughed and held his hand out for the phone.
She arched an eyebrow at him and then handed it over.
“Hello, lovely Audrey.”
“Hi, Diego! I’m so happy! I didn’t know if you were making a big mistake going back to the restaurant like that on Friday afternoon.”
He grinned at Izzy. “I knew it was not a mistake. I knew that Miss Isobel would not be able to resist me if she just gave me a chance.” He let his eyes travel over. “She opened up to me.”
Izzy rolled her eyes at that.
“And now we are …”
Izzy snatched the phone back out of his hand. “His ego is as big as I thought it was, though. Perhaps bigger.”
He couldn’t resist, he closed his arms around her and pressed himself against her ass.
She laughed and added. “To be fair, though. I understand a bit better now why he’s so full of himself.”
He laughed with her and whispered next to her ear. “And you don’t mind being full of me.”
Her eyes widened, but she smiled and nodded happily before she spoke into the phone again. “Okay. I’ll talk to you in the morning. I’m heading home now, anyway … No … No … I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
~ ~ ~
When they landed at the Santa Paula airport, Diego carried her bag through the airport building and out to her car for her. He kept his arm around her shoulders as they crossed the parking lot.
She took the bag from him and threw it onto the back seat, then looked up into his eyes and smiled. “Thank you.”
He cupped his hands around the sides of her neck and looked down at her lips. She knew what was coming. She loved the way he kissed her. He trapped her body against the car and claimed her mouth. It was a gentler kiss than she’d grown used to from him. It left her clinging to him, wishing that this wasn’t goodbye.
When he lifted his head, his eyes were full of tenderness. “I could come with you—cook dinner for you.”
She chuckled. “I’d love that. But we both know you need to go home. You have to go to work tomorrow, and so do I.”
He nodded sadly. “Okay. If you insist that I must go, then I must go. But you won’t forget your promise?”
She’d promised him that she’d see him next weekend. “I won’t forget, but I won’t hold you to it if your plans change.”
He frowned.
“Come on, Diego. I know you’ll want to go to the lake. You need to see Zack, and I’m sure you’ll need to do stuff with your new house an
d everything.” She slid her arms around his waist, wanting him to understand that she wasn’t giving him the brush off, just giving him an easy out if he figured out that he wanted one.
He held her to him and rested his chin on top of her head. “I want to see you. I’ll come and get you just as soon as you say I can, okay?”
She nodded.
“Would you mind if we went to the lake?”
“I wouldn’t, but I understand that going up there is about going to see your son. It’s about family, and I don’t want to encroach on that time. That’s special.”
He leaned back and looked down into her eyes. “It is. I won’t deny that. And I love that you respect it.”
There, she was relieved that he’d admitted it, even if it did leave her out in the cold. It was worth it. She might not be part of one, but she knew that family came first.
“I need you to understand that you’re special, too, Miss Isobel.” He searched her face.
She didn’t know what to say to that. She wanted to make a joke, but the look in his eyes stopped her.
He tucked his fingers under her chin and planted a kiss on her lips. “You don’t believe me yet, but you will. You are a very special lady.”
She hugged him tighter and rested her cheek against his chest again. She wasn’t so much avoiding his gaze as trying to avoid admitting just how special she thought he was, too.
He let go of her and stepped back. “I believe it’s time to say goodbye.”
She nodded. She didn’t want to. She wished they could at least stand here a little longer. She already missed the way his arms felt around her.
He ducked his head and planted one last kiss on her lips.
“Goodbye, Izzy.”
She nodded, hoping that this wasn’t going to turn out to be a real goodbye.
He turned and started to walk away, then stopped and looked back. “May I call you to say goodnight?”
She smiled and nodded.
“I’ll talk to you later, then.”
~ ~ ~
When the plane touched down, Diego’s phone buzzed with a message. He smiled when he saw a voicemail from Ted. He’d wondered how long that would take after Audrey spoke to Izzy.