Only For Now: Second Chances (10 page)

The rest of the evening flew by in wave of wine and laughter as they dined at the marina's elegant restaurant. The staff knew it was a special night treated them all with deference. It was an unusual experience for Alexa to be treated like such an important figure, but she soaked it all in, knowing this type of luxurious evening wouldn't happen again for her for quite a while on her budget.

Before she knew it, the valet was calling for cabs and the men and women were going their separate ways. It was almost a repeat of the previous weekend, but in a much more subdued climate than Bourbon Street had presented. They club-hopped for a couple hours, but try as she might, Alexa couldn't keep her mind off Will and what he was up to.

Cara took a break from the dance floor, leaving the other bridesmaids and joining her at a table. "Not having fun?"

"It just feels a little too familiar after last weekend," Alexa admitted.

Cara studied her for a moment, pursing her lips, then reached into her clutch and retrieved what looked like a business card. She held it between them, as if deciding what to do. "If I do this, you have to promise to not think too hard about it. Just go with it."

"What are you even talking about?" Alexa was at a loss.

Cara placed the card on the table face down between the two of them. "I've had an eye on you all week, and now I've let Will talk me into this." She still wasn't making sense to Alexa.

"Into what?"

"It's not my place to tell you what you can and can't do. You're a big girl. Just remember, this is all in fun, and I don't want you to get hurt. Watch that you don't." She stood and disappeared into the crowd, leaving Alexa to stare after her in confusion.

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 emotion
s 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.