The conversation flowed through the rest of dinner effortlessly. Cat pushed back in her chair, relaxed, sipping her wine as the waiter cleared their plates.
An odd sort of peace and realization came over her. Anytime she’d gone to dinner with Jack, she sat straight and always looked attentive or interested in anything he had to say. Had she been trying too hard and not really being herself?
Nah. That wasn’t possible. It wasn’t like she’d been uncomfortable sitting forward in her chair to listen to him. Still, there may have been a few times she’d wanted to roll her eyes as Jack told his football stories or his near-death skydiving tale yet again. But didn’t all couples go through that? Eventually one knew all their partner’s stories, right?
“Would you like some dessert, Cat?”
“No thanks. I’m stuffed. The sea bass was incredible.”
“Good. I’m glad you liked it.” He motioned the waiter for the check. Although everything was included in their stay at the resort, they were still expected to sign the bill. “Would you like to work off some of the dinner with a walk along the beach?”
That sounded suspiciously like a date, but she was only here for another eleven days, so what harm could it cause? Nothing monumental could happen in such a small about of time.
“Sure. Sounds nice.”
They walked out to the patio, past the pool, to the edge of the sandy beach.
“Want to take off your sandals?” He sat on the lounger and slipped off his shoes.
She did, and hooked the straps of her shoes over her fingers.
They strolled along the beach, mostly empty of tourists. The sun would set in about thirty minutes.
He gently steered her to the right, letting his hand linger on her waist.
An inexplicable shiver raced down her spine.
His hand dropped as they casually walked side by side. “So have you done much since you arrived?”
She dipped her head to hide the blush she felt rush to her cheeks. Celeste might not even hear about her spontaneous and surprising massage. “Um, not really. Just arrived Sunday.”
“Well, there’s a great flea market, if you like that kind of thing. Plus water and rainforest excursions.”
She looked over at him. The dusky light shined in his eyes making the hue a stunning sapphire blue, drawing her in and making it hard to turn away.
“Did I say something wrong?”
Heat rose in her cheeks again. “No. Sorry.” She faced straight ahead. “I actually made an itinerary of sorts. And the concierge recommended some cool buildings I might want to draw.”
“Excellent.”
“Yup. Tomorrow I plan to have a driver take me downtown to an old courthouse.”
Nicholas nodded, and they continued their stroll, passing hotels and resorts, office buildings, and a few people lounging on towels or chairs. He asked a few more questions about her art and when she’d learned to draw.
They stopped as the sun dipped low in the horizon, creating a beautiful kaleidoscope of ambers and orange-reds against a deep-blue sky.
“This is one of the coolest things about my job,” he mused.
She smiled. “No doubt. Mother Nature at its finest.”
Nicholas turned to face her. “Cat, I can’t imagine what you must be going through. I mean, if something like that happened to me just before I was supposed to get married, I would be brimming with anger and hurt.” He inhaled. “I don’t know why you decided to go on your honeymoon anyway, but I’m really glad you did. I don’t want to crowd you, but would you like to have dinner with me the day after tomorrow? Tomorrow night, I’ll be in Antigua.”
Did she want to go down that road? She wasn’t here for romance. She’d come to get away from hurt, anger, embarrassment, and frankly to rethink some key beliefs in her life that just may be holding her back in the future. Holding her back from being her best self.
She nibbled on her lip. Would sharing dinner with Nicholas really prevent her from accomplishing her goals?
She gazed out at the ocean. “Why not?”
He grinned. “Perfect.”
They strolled on, enjoying the melodic sounds of the gentle waves washing in and out. They talked more about his work and hers, a little bit about some movies they’d each seen, and what they were looking forward to. Although he had family all over the country, most of her family was in Texas.
Before she knew it, they’d walked for a mile or so, circled back, and night had settled in. She tipped her head. The stars above sparkled like they’d been waiting all day to shine their brilliance for everyone to see.
He stopped her in front of their resort, the beach bare of people. “Cat, would it be alright if I kissed you goodnight?”
Okay, this is definitely turning into more than just dinner.
Again, what could happen in her short stay on the island? And honestly, she wondered what his kisses would be like. “Yes.”
He stepped closer and glazed the back of his fingers up her neck, over her jaw, to her cheeks. He cupped her face as he lowered his mouth to hers. His firm lips placed small pecks, then he nibbled a bit. Her lips parted slightly, and he tested, his warm tongue reaching for hers.
He closed the gap, leaving no air between them. She clasped her hands around his shoulders, allowing his warmth to penetrate her. This was her first “first kiss” in so long. She hadn’t expected to have this again, but it felt so damn good.
He dipped into her mouth deeper. He tasted of wine and hot male.
Her tongue tangled with his, craving more, learning a new dance with one another.
Finally, he broke the kiss. They panted lightly, and he stared straight into her eyes. His gaze mirrored what she wanted—more.
“Wow,” he breathed. “Thank you.”
She chuckled, her cheeks hot from the intensity. “You’re welcome.”
He walked her to her room, his fingers intertwined with hers. When they arrived, he gave her one last kiss, less passionate than the one on the beach. “Two days will feel like two years.” He waited for her to open her door.
She smiled and waved, and watched him walk down the hall toward the elevators. The door closed behind her; she bolted it and leaned against it for the stability.
That kiss. She might never forget that incredible kiss.
She giggled. What would Celeste say?
Nicholas landed at Antigua International Airport with only one thing on his mind—Cat.
He shuffled through the lines at baggage claim and customs. Some of the airport employees recognized him from his years of visiting the island. Sometimes when he travelled, one day melted into the next. There was no real variety to his job, but it paid very well, so he didn’t want to give it up. What’s more, once he got his promotion to Regional Manager—probably in a year or two—most of this monotonous travel would cease.
Success was what drove Nic. Really the whole family. His sister had an Intellectual Property law practice in Charlotte. His brother was a cardiac surgeon in Atlanta. Nic might not be as successful as his siblings, in terms of prestige or money, but one day he would top them both. Until then, the only relationships for Nic were the casual kind.
This trip—after meeting Cat—things seemed a little brighter. The vast ocean was bluer and the sky clearer. For the first time, he’d stopped and smelled the bouquet of flowers in the resort’s lobby that morning on his way to the airport.