Love Script (5 page)

They did not stay too long at the club; they had to catch the return flight back to Fort Lauderdale. The ride back to the hotel was eventful; they kissed passionately, stroked each other repeatedly and very nearly engaged in sex on the plush leather seats of the limo. By the time they stumbled into their room, they were both frustrated with the obstacles their clothing created. The sex was wild and hurried. The second time was a little slower but not by much.

Kim’s appetite was every bit as ravenous as his own. Gasping for breath, he managed to muster just enough energy to rol off her. Exhausted but sated, he lay there, too weak to move. Just before losing consciousness, he felt Kim rest her head on his shoulder and release the sweetest sigh. She murmured something, but he could not make out the words. He had already drifted into a dreamless world.

Nick was the first to wake the fol owing morning.

He’d never been one to sleep for more than five hours. Today was no exception, especial y with Kim clinging so tightly to him. He’d been particularly satisfied with her company last night, but Nick had never real y enjoyed spending the entire night with one woman. He liked his space, the freedom to monopolize the sheets if he wanted. Kim was a beautiful woman, but it was hard to ful y appreciate her attributes with her arms wrapped so possessively around his neck. He’d been eager to wake up extra early just to escape the smothering hold she’d had on him.

He went through his morning routine, visiting the hotel’s gym for a quick run before returning to the room to shower and meticulously groom himself. He was feeling better about his plan to persuade Zelman to sign with Sinclair Corp. He was sure he could pul this off. Of course, he would have to keep a close eye on Cooper Wright, but even his presence on the cruise would do little to deter Nick’s positive mood.

When Kim final y roused herself, he relinquished the bathroom to al ow her privacy. While she showered, Nick used the opportunity to cal the office to check his messages and return a cal from a lady friend he was interested in getting better acquainted with upon his return to San Francisco. He was just hanging up with his last cal when Kim opened the bathroom door. Her wheat-brown locks lay in wet waves against her back. Her skin was flushed and Nick wanted her.

“I have something to tel you,” she said.

His hard-on immediately gone, he braced himself for the worst. “What is it?”

“I’ve real y loved spending time with you, Nick.” He sighed with relief. “Good. I’ve enjoyed your company too.” His eyes traveled down her damp body, and he began to wonder if they had enough time to have sex again before they needed to check out of the hotel.

“No, Nick,” she said. “I
love
our time together.

This is the most time we’ve spent together in al the years we’ve been dating. It’s been magical.” Somewhat uneased by her confession, he gave her a weak smile. “Great. I want you to be happy. If I manage to get this account, perhaps we can take a real vacation. Maybe Spain or Italy. I have an old col ege buddy in Ibiza that I haven’t seen in years—”

“I love you, Nick.”

Her words struck him like a bolt of lighting.

Damn! Nick dragged his hand across his face. “Kim, honey, that’s very sweet of you.” His voice held an eerie practiced note. Clearing his throat, he attempted to soften his words. “You’re a great girl.

You’re smart, ambitious and very pretty. You deserve the absolute best.” The false sincerity was slipping back into his voice again. “Although I enjoy your company and appreciate you sharing your feelings, I have to be honest with you. I’m not ready for something serious right now.” He finished with a sigh of relief, but at one glance at her crestfal en face, he knew he had failed to spare her feelings.

She nodded. “Then I hope you’l understand why I can’t do this.”

He could feel the color draining from his face.

“What do you mean?”

“I can’t pretend to be your wife, Nick.” He struggled to control his growing rage. “Kim, we had a deal. You can’t do this to me.”

“I can’t do this to myself, Nick. I love you. Didn’t you hear me?
I love you
. I can’t pretend to be married for two weeks when it’s what I’ve been hoping for the last two years.”

Nick hung his head. “Please, Kim, don’t do this.

I have a lot riding on this. I’m begging you.” She looked at him with wide, pleading eyes.

“Ask me.”

“I’ve already asked you to help me—”

“Ask me to marry you,” she said.

He gave her a confused look, and God help him he had to laugh. That seemed to only upset her. He tried to swal ow down his humor at the situation. He smoothed his features and attempted to look contrite. “Kim, I can’t marry you.”

She nodded. “Then I can’t do this.”

He swore and looked away. He was seeing red, and if he didn’t get his growing anger under control he would say something irreversible. That was the last thing he wanted to do, but it was an impulse reaction. He was wil ing to invest a lot to obtain the Zelman account but there were certain lines he refused to cross.

Taking a calming breath, he met her gaze. “Kim, I like you. I like what we have. Let’s not make this complicated.”

She nodded slowly. “So me tel ing you how I feel complicates things?”

It was a trap and he knew it. “That’s not what I meant. This trip is very important to me. I thought I made it very clear to you this was a business venture. I need us to stay focused on that point.” He approached her cautiously. “I respect your feelings, Kim. But let’s put this conversation on hold for now.

Once we get back home, we can discuss it to your heart’s desire, but now is not the time or place.” He cupped her face and kissed the top of her head.

“Feel better?”

She turned her face up to look at him. Her eyes were stil swimming with emotion. “Ask me,” she said.

His hands fel to his sides. “Be reasonable,” he snapped.

She took a step away from him. “I’m not going on the cruise with you, Nick. I wish you the best of luck.”

His eyes went ice cold. “Is this an ultimatum?” She looked at him unblinkingly. “Yes, it is.” CHAPTER

3

Danny was right. The best thing to do was use her time off to get her head straight. Rob had paid for the trip, but the tickets were on her credit card.

Only she knew the itinerary and with that she planned to disappear for the next few days.

Laney checked into a hotel near the airport, clear on the other side of town from her apartment. She stayed there for two dreadful nights until her flight for Fort Lauderdale was ready. Rob cal ed her cel numerous times. She refused to return any of his cal s. The messages had begun sweet enough. He begged for her to talk to him and let him explain.

Then, he cal ed just to ramble on about how much he loved her and that Nina meant nothing to him. In one voice message, he broke down in tears, claiming he had planned to propose to her on the trip, and he and Nina were simply saying goodbye. When she continued to refuse his cal s, he became upset. He cursed her and everything under the sun, demanding she cal him immediately. After a cal from Mary-Knight asking about some bul shit at the office, Laney happily turned off her phone and swore to never look at it until she returned from her trip.

When the day final y arrived to catch her flight, Laney headed for the airport four hours earlier than necessary. She was desperate to get away from the gloomy haze encircling her since discovering Rob’s unfaithfulness. She cal ed Danny from the terminal.

He was relieved to hear from her.

“Thank goodness you’re alive!” he said with a sigh of relief. “Why is your phone turned off?”

“Rob’s been cal ing me nonstop,” she said. “He hasn’t bothered you, right?”

“Not yet but give him time. If he’s as eager as you say, I figure his patience has the shelf life of a carton of milk. After a week, I won’t be surprised to see him knocking on my door. Under extreme circumstances, the mountain has been known to come to Moses.”

“Danny, I don’t want him to know where I am. You can keep it to yourself, right?”

“My lips are sealed.” He paused. “Look, sweetie, al joking aside. I’m concerned about you. I don’t like the idea of you going on vacation al by yourself. It’s almost as bad as Britney considering a comeback world tour. It has too many ominous undertones.” Danny sighed. “Just say the word and I’l be there. I know I can be a little much at times, but I swear I’l tone it down. I won’t crowd you. I just. . .I’d feel much better if I could keep an eye on you.” Laney closed her eyes. She knew he meant wel , and she was sorely tempted to take him up on his offer. Danny was her friend, and she needed a shoulder to cry on, but she also needed to melt into a crowd right now. She wanted to find a quiet corner to sulk, and what better place to find that space than out in the middle of the ocean?

“Thanks, Danny. I real y appreciate the offer, but I think I need the alone time. If it makes you feel better, I promise I won’t get into any trouble while I’m away.”

“I suppose it wil have to do.” His voice perked up, and he was back to being his normal self-absorbed self. “If you happen to meet a tal and gorgeous man while you’re out there, do me a favor and drug him, stuff him into a FedEx box and mail him to me.”

She smiled into the phone. “You want me to commit a crime for your benefit?”

“Isn’t the Caribbean in international waters? I think you can do just about anything out there and not be held liable.”

“I’m hanging up now,” she said.

“Okay, okay. I was only joking. Promise me you’l try to have a good time.”

“I’l try.”

“That’s a good girl. Now give me a kiss and take care of yourself.”

She made a kissing sound into the phone and disconnected the cal . God, what would she do if she didn’t have Danny in her life? She was pretty sure banning Danny from the trip had been a good idea in the long run but at the moment she wavered. She felt alone and little unsure of herself.

When her flight was announced, Laney joined the crowd of travelers lining up at the gate. She looked over her shoulder watching the crowd. She couldn’t help feeling the strangest sensation of being fol owed. She was pretty certain Rob wouldn’t have a clue which flight she’d be boarding, but until the plane was airborne it would be impossible to relax.

She found her assigned seat, stowed her things away and settled into the spot next to the window.

The passenger seat beside her was empty; Rob’s seat. She stared at it with distrust, as if his ghost were haunting her. Turning her back on the empty space, she stared out the window and watched the ground crew busily circle the aircraft. Every now and then, her eyes flew up to watch the line of passengers boarding the plane. No Rob—yet. When the stewardess final y closed the door, Laney stil felt uneasy. Even when the plane began slowly rol ing away from the gate, she couldn’t shake the sense of dread. It was as if she were bracing herself to see Rob running out onto the tarmac, flapping his arms and demanding to be seated. Her nerves began to settle as the plane taxied toward the runway. They waited for nearly fifteen minutes before the pilot announced takeoff. As the plane propel ed itself into the sky, Laney released a resounding sigh of relief.

She could literal y feel a heavy weight being lifted from her shoulders. Al the tension she’d been carrying with her began to melt away. She hadn’t slept wel the last few nights, and it al seemed to be catching up with her. She felt her eyes droop, her head nod forward and her limbs unknot. Within minutes, she slipped into the first sound sleep she’d been able to find in days.

❧ ❧ ❧

From the moment Laney arrived at the Fort Lauderdale airport, there had been no time to reconsider her options. It was an ordeal locating the correct baggage claim carousel, wrestling her large suitcase from the conveyer belt and finding an information attendant to point her in the right direction. According to the cruise pamphlet, a shuttle bus would be available to transport guests to the dock. The brochure gave every indication the process was easy and wel -known to anyone who worked at the airport. It wasn’t. Every person she encountered was clueless and curt. If Laney intended to go anywhere, she would have to take a taxi. Take a taxi to where? The dock location was just as vague as the shuttle instructions. And even if she managed to find the dock, how would she know which boat was hers? She would have to cal the 800 number to get details. When the automated voice announced her wait time was thirty-seven minutes, Laney could have cried. Now, running late, she was depending on an automated voice for assistance. Heaven help her if she was transferred to the wrong department.

This was when having Rob at her side would have been helpful. Laney always assumed things were easier than they sounded, whereas Rob planned for every conceivable situation that could possibly occur. Without a doubt, Rob would have hired a car, in advance, to take them to the dock.

And just in case the driver became confused, Rob would have handed him a printout with step-by-step directions from the airport to the vessel. Possibly the lawyer in him forced him to view everything from many angles. Laney used to tease him about it, but right now she would have welcomed his forethought.