“You’re really doing it.” Trish kept her tone light, reminding herself she was Sally’s friend, not her mother.
“Of course.” Sally sounded surprised. “Don’t tell me you honestly thought I’d change my mind?”
Hoped, not thought
. Trish wanted to say. But she bit the words back and tried a different tactic. “Aren’t you the least bit worried about getting your heart broken by that handsome Italian?”
Sally crossed the room and dropped down on her bed, pulling her legs up under her. “I know it’s a possibility, but I’m willing to take the risk.”
“But”
“No buts,” Sally said firmly, her chin setting in a stubborn tilt. “I’m thirty-seven years old and I’ve never been in love. How pathetic is that? I like Bruno and I enjoy his company. If this ends with my heart being broken, so be it. I won’t have any regrets.”
“I’m happy for you, Sal, I really am.” Trish still thought Sally was headed for heartache, but the conviction in her friend’s tone told Trish that no matter what happened, Sally would land on her feet.
“What about you?” Sally asked, focusing on Trish’s hair, which lay in a disheveled mess around her shoulders. “Rod told me his friend saw you and Theo getting all cozy up on the top deck.”
Trish fought back a blush, thankful they’d stopped at kissing. Public displays of affection had never been her thing, but when Theo had pulled her into his arms, she’d forgotten everything except him.
“Well?” Sally asked. “What’s the scoop?”
“I thought you’d blown the dentist off.” Trish bought herself a few more seconds to decide how much she was going to tell.
“I ran into him as I was leaving the computer lab,” Sally said. “But I don’t want to talk about him. I want to hear about you and Theo.”
Trish picked at the lightweight blanket covering her bed, then forced a smile. “He asked me up to his penthouse.” She deliberately kept her tone light. “I told him no. After all, this is your last night on the ship…”
“Patricia Melrose.” Sally straightened and her eyes flashed. “I don’t need a babysitter and you know it. You march right up to that penthouse and tell him you lost your mind for a moment but now you’ve found it.”
“Calm down,” Trish said. “That wasn’t why I said no.”
“What other excusereasoncould there be?”
Sally’s tone might be light, but her gaze was sharp and assessing. Trish chose her words carefully. “You know I promised myself when Steven and I divorced that I wasn’t going to be one of those mothers whose boyfriends came before their child. Cassidy is my priority.”
“But you date,” Sally said. “Remember that guy last summer? Nick something-or-other?”
“Nick was a nice enough guy, but he wanted more time than I had to give,” Trish admitted, remembering the personable programmer. “Lunch and the occasional movie was fine. But he wanted to be with me all the time. It interfered with my time with Cassidy.”
Her mother had told Trish if she’d liked Nick more, she’d have found a way to make the relationship work without shortchanging Cassidy.
“That’s why this situation with Theo has such potential,” Sally said, her voice turning persuasive. “You have the time now and anything that goes on between the two of you would be so…anonymous. Remember the saying ‘what happens in the Mediterranean stays in the Mediterranean’?”
“I think you mean Vegas.”
“Whatever.” Sally waved a dismissive hand. “Theo turns you on, right?”
Though Trish told herself she shouldn’t even consider what Sally was proposing, she found herself mulling over the idea. She’d been in her sexual prime when she’d married Steven, but their love life had left a lot to be desired. At the time she’d thought it was her inexperience. But time and distance had given her the objectivity to realize she’d been shortchanged by a man who hadn’t cared enough to make sex good for her.
What was even sadder was that once she returned to Miami, she’d be in mother-mode for the next ten years or so with no time to make up for what she’d missed.
There’s time now
.
“Trish,” Sally said a bit more insistently. “Admit it, the guy turns you on.”
Trish reluctantly nodded, hoping she wouldn’t regret the admission.
At Sally’s look of satisfaction, Trish had the feeling she’d fallen neatly into a trap. Her friend tilted her head. “And he’s not expecting anything permanent?”
“That would be impossible,” Trish insisted.
“So, there’s really nothing to decide,” Sally said.
While Sally had addressed her main concerns, Trish still hesitated. “I don’t know, Sal”
“Go to him. If you don’t, you’ll regret it.” Sally leaned forward and took Trish’s hands. “Trust me. Regret is worse than a broken heart any day.”
T
HEO TOOK A SIP
of wine and gazed out over the Mediterranean. With the full moon and a million stars overhead, the balcony of his penthouse was definitely
the
place to be on this beautiful summer night.
It was just too bad he was alone. If only Trish were at his side, the evening would be perfect. When Theo had returned to his suite, he’d forced her from his thoughts then tried to relax.
Thankfully, from the living room with its soft leather furniture and plasma TV, to the whirlpool for six in the bathroom, the penthouse had been designed with comfort in mind. He stretched. A man could get used to such luxury.
A knock sounded at the door just as he finished his glass of wine. Though he was perfectly capable of attending to his own personal needs, the butler insisted on coming every night to turn down the bed.
“Come in,” Theo called out, reaching over and refilling his glass from the bottle next to his chair. “Door’s open.”
He took another sip of wine. After a moment he heard the door click open and soft footsteps cross the room. Theo didn’t even turn his head. He knew from experience that the man would soon be gone. Then he would be once again alone…except for thoughts of Trish. Theo leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. For a second he swore he could smell the light scent of her perfume.
Theo’s lips curved up in a smile. The taste of those soft, sweet lips had only whetted his appetite for more. And by the desire in her eyes, he hadn’t been the only one affected. He’d been shocked when she’d turned him away. Still, if he was being honest, he’d have to admit that mixed with his shock was relief.
While he knew becoming involved with her wasn’t wise, he’d been willing to take the risk. When she stood close to him, it was as if nothing else mattered but her.
“Theo?”
His eyes flew open and he jerked upright. The remaining wine in his glass headed seaward. “Trish?”
He jumped to his feet and turned. She stood in the doorway to the balcony, wearing the same green dress she’d had on earlier, her hair still hanging loose. Only the determined glint in her eyes was new.
“I thought you were the butler,” he said stupidly.
She glanced down at the cleavage revealed by the V-neck of her dress. “It’s been a few years since anyone mistook me for a guy.”
Theo smiled and placed his now-empty wineglass onto a side table.
She followed his movement, those intense hazel eyes lingering on his bare chest. When her gaze traveled lower to his black silk boxers, Theo’s body started to hum. It appeared the boring night alone that he’d anticipated had taken a sudden turn for the better. Or was that only wishful thinking? “What are you doing here?”
The minute the words left his mouth, Theo cursed his gaucheness.
“I still think us sleeping together is a bad idea.”
He fought to hide his disappointment. “You came all the way up here to tell me that?”
“No.” Trish smiled for the first time since she’d walked into the room. Without missing a beat, she dropped her bag on an overstuffed chair and kicked off her shoes. “I came to tell you I don’t care if it is a bad idea.”
For a second, Theo thought he was hallucinating. But when her hand moved to her zipper and her dress fell to the floor, Theo knew this was no dream. This was fantasy come to life.
D
ISROBING IN FRONT
of Theo had been a bold move, but Trish wanted to make it clear she wasn’t playing games. She’d decided what she wanted, and when she’d seen Theo standing there clad only in those boxers, she knew she’d made the right decision.
Dear God, he was magnificent. Broad shoulders, taut abs, narrow waist and long muscular legs. A dusting of dark hair covered his chest then tapered down to the waistband of his boxers.
“You are so beautiful.” Theo moved close, his gaze focused on the cleavage spilling over the lace of her demicup.
Trish stepped forward and wound her arms around his neck, surprising herself. During the years she was with Steven, she’d learned to let him initiate any lovemaking. But Trish had the feeling Theo wouldn’t be threatened by a woman going after what she wanted.
“We should take this slow. Savor each step.” Theo had barely finished speaking when his lips closed over hers, the gentle kiss stoking the fire burning inside her.
He pulled her close and her nipples rubbed against his bare chest, adding an ache to the fire. His strong fingers caressed her back before moving upward, sliding under her hair, then brushing the thick curls aside. The feel of his mouth against the nape of her neck made her shiver.
“Are you sure this is what you want?” he asked softly, his fingers moving down to toy with the clasp of her bra.
Her body ached for his touch and she had no doubt he’d be a wonderful lover. But was this really what she wanted? Even before she’d married she hadn’t been into brief, meaningless affairs. Just because no one would know didn’t make it right.
She talked to her daughter all the time about making good choices. Was she making a good choice tonight?
“Theo.” Trish swallowed hard, her body thrumming with nerves. “I”
The knock at the door might as well have been a gunshot. Trish jerked back, her gaze darting downward to where her dress lay pooled at her feet. But before she could grab her clothes and flee, Theo grabbed her arm and shook his head, bringing a finger to his lips.
“Who is it?” he called out.
“Mario, sir. I’ve come to turn down your bed.”
“Not tonight, Mario.”
“But, sir”
“Not tonight,” Theo repeated, his tone brooking no argument.
“Very well, Mr. Catomeris,” the butler said through the closed door. “Have a good night, sir.”
“Thanks, Mario.”
Theo’s arms encircled Trish once again and he planted kisses interspersed with little nips up the side of her neck. “I am definitely planning on having a good night.”
But as much as Trish wanted to give in to the sensations sweeping her body, she placed her hands against his chest and pushed him back. “I can’t, Theo.”
His brows pulled together in puzzlement. “Can’t what?”
“I don’t know what I was thinking.” Trish leaned over and picked up her dress. “I can’t make love with you. You’re a client.”
It wasn’t the whole story but she doubted he was interested in debating the morality of one-night stands at this late hour.
“You forget.” He brushed back a lock of hair from her face and tucked it behind an ear, his eyes dark with desire. “I’m not working for Liberty anymore so technically I’m not your client.”
“But you might change”
“Don’t worry about that,” he said without any hesitation, “I won’t be changing my mind.”
The certainty behind those words threatened the hope that Trish had held tight these past days. Images of Twyla and her son, James and his family brought a lump to her throat, followed swiftly by hot anger at the unfairness of it all. “You don’t care, do you?”
By the look in his eyes, he was now totally confused. “Don’t care about what?”
About anyone but yourself
. Trish swallowed the angry words that lay poised on the tip of her tongue and took several deep breaths. That wasn’t really fair to Theo. Besides, if she said any more she might ruin any chance she had of changing his mind.
“I’m sorry I charged in here and screwed up your evening,” Trish said instead.
“You didn’t screw up anything,” Theo assured her. “Though I don’t understand why you changed your mind. If you’re worried about Mario coming back, don’t be. He”
“It’s not Mario,” Trish said, pulling on her dress. “It’s me. I…this…was a mistake.”
Theo stared at her for a long moment but didn’t argue or try to change her mind. “What about tomorrow?”
Trish couldn’t hide her surprise. “You still want me to come?”
“I’ll stop by your cabin and pick you up.” A gleam of mischief filled Theo’s eyes. “Unless you’d like to sleep over? It’ll save you a few minutes in the morning.”
“I don’t think so.” Trish tightened the belt of the dress then slid her feet in her heels. “It’s a matter of trust.”