Kelly didn’t sleep that night. Not that it should have come as any surprise to her. She lay awake in her bed, reliving the past. The first time she met Ryan. How he’d swept her off her feet and into a passionate and all-consuming relation ship.
From the day he first asked her out, they hadn’t spent a single day apart for several weeks. By the end of the first month, she’d moved into his apartment, and by the end of the second month of their whirlwind courtship, his ring was on her finger.
She had never been quite sure why he’d chosen her. It wasn’t as if she thought she was inferior, but Ryan Beardsley was an extremely wealthy man. He could have his pick of women. Why Kelly?
She didn’t have family connections. She didn’t have money or prestige. She was a simple college student eking out a living on a waitress’s salary.
Until Ryan.
Everything had changed for her, and maybe she’d been too caught up in the fairy tale that was her relationship with Ryan to ever question the important things. Like whether he loved and trusted her.
How would he react now if once again she tried to tell him what had really happened the day he’d tossed her out of his life? He hadn’t believed her then. Why would now be any different?
Tears blurred her vision as her thoughts drifted back to that day.
Kelly stared at the pregnancy test, a mixture of joy and worry bubbling through her chest. She quickly hid the stick and then smiled as she imagined telling Ryan the news. She didn’t think he’d be upset. They were planning to marry soon and they’d often talked of their desire to start a family.
She couldn’t wait to tell him. She searched her memory for what he had going on at the office today. He didn’t have any important meetings and he was supposed to be in his office for the entirety of the afternoon. That meant she could pop in and surprise him.
She hugged herself in excitement, nearly dancing across the floor of their bedroom as she imagined his reaction.
A noise from the living room halted her. Then she smiled. Oh, this would be perfect. Ryan was home. He sometimes surprised her by dropping in for lunch. Today his timing was impeccable.
She started to call out to him when Jarrod, appeared in the doorway to the bedroom.
She was momentarily speechless. While Jarrod popped in frequently, he always did so when Ryan was at home. He had to know Ryan was working today.
“Jarrod, what are you doing here? Ryan’s at work. I don’t expect him home until later.”
“I came to talk to you,” Jarrod said.
She cocked her head to the side. “Okay. What’s up? Let’s go into the living room.”
He ignored her and took another step into the bedroom. Unease prickled down her spine. Something was definitely off with him.
“How much would it take for you to walk away from Ryan?”
Her eyes widened in shock. She couldn’t have heard him correctly. “Excuse me?”
“Don’t play dumb. You’re a smart girl. How much would it take for you to dump Ryan and take off?”
“You’re offering me money? Did your mother put you up to this? You’re both out of your minds. I love Ryan. He loves me. We’re getting married.”
Something that looked like genuine regret flickered across Jarrod’s face. He fidgeted nervously and then pinned her with his stare. “I’d hoped you’d make this easy. It’s not a small amount of money we’re offering.”
The “we” in that statement confirmed Kelly’s suspicions that Ryan’s mother was indeed the mastermind of this operation. She was about to tell Jarrod exactly where he and his mother could get off when he took another step toward her. The look in his eyes had her hastily backing away.
“I think you should go now,” she said even as she reached for the phone.
Jarrod lunged across the bed, knocking the phone from her hand. She was so stunned by the sudden attack that for a moment she didn’t—couldn’t—defend herself.
He shoved her down on the bed, his hands moving roughly over her body, pushing at her shirt, pulling at her pants. She drew her knee up, trying to catch him in the groin, but he dodged and then rolled her underneath him.
She cried out in pain at the rough mauling. She was furious and terrified. He fully intended to rape her in Ryan’s bed. Had he lost his mind? Ryan would kill him for this.
His hands moved over her skin with bruising force. Knowing if she wasn’t able to fight him off that he’d assault her in her own home, she began struggling with renewed force.
She finally managed to land a blow between his legs, which had him doubling over, clutching at himself. She rolled, falling to the floor, her hands desperately grabbing at her clothing.
She got to her feet, her hand clutching her bruised throat. “He’ll kill you for this,” she gasped. “How did you think you’d get away with it? My God, you’re his brother! You bastard.”
She started for the door, her only thought to get to Ryan, but Jarrod’s words gave her pause.
“He’ll never believe you.”
“You’re insane,” she choked out even as she ran for the door.
But Jarrod had been right. Ryan hadn’t believed her. Jarrod had called his brother from Ryan’s own apartment before she could arrive at Ryan’s office. He’d given Ryan his own accounting of what happened, and the genius of his story was that he told Ryan exactly what Kelly would tell him. Only Jarrod told Ryan that Kelly had been the instigator and that when Jarrod told her he was going to tell Ryan that Kelly had cheated on him, Kelly concocted a smug story that Jarrod had assaulted her.
Jarrod played his part to the hilt. That he was the victim of Kelly’s lies and manipulations. So when Kelly ran to Ryan’s office and related the exact story that Jarrod warned Ryan she would tell, Ryan had been coldly furious.
He’d written her that damn check and he’d thrown her out of his life.
Kelly lay in her bed, numbed by the painful memories. And now, here on this island, she was supposed to forget the past. Put it behind her. Move forward and pick up where she and Ryan had left off.
Forgetting that she’d been horribly betrayed by people she trusted.
When Ryan knocked softly at her door, she roused herself from the weight of her thoughts, cursing that it was already morning and she’d done little better than catnap.
She struggled out of bed and hauled her robe around her body then staggered to the door to open it.
Ryan stood outside, dressed in slacks and a dress shirt. He had impending business written all over him.
“I’ve left breakfast on the bar for you. I have to run out to the construction site for a few hours. Will you be all right alone?”
She nodded, relieved that she wouldn’t immediately have to face him. She needed time to regain her composure. Time to mentally reconstruct her defenses.
“Yes, of course. When will you be back?”
He checked his watch. “It’s eight now. I shouldn’t be later than noon. We can have lunch in the hotel restaurant and then go for a walk on the beach if you like. Take it easy while I’m gone. I’ll worry if I know you’re on the beach by yourself.”
She rolled her eyes. “I think I’m capable of leaving the hotel room alone.”
“I know you are,” he said quietly. “I just worry and I’d prefer to be with you.”
There wasn’t much she could say to that, so she nodded. “I’ll see you at lunch.”
He lifted his hand in a wave and then walked away. For a moment she stared after him and then she closed the door, leaning against it.
Day one of attempting to forget the past and forge ahead.
“How’s that working out for you?” she muttered as she traipsed into the bathroom.
Though she had every intention of at least taking in the portion of the beach right outside the patio of her suite, she still wanted a long, hot bath. Even if it meant she’d still have to shower when she came in with sand in all her nooks and crannies.
After drawing a tub full of steaming water, she sank up to her ears and sighed in complete bliss. She hadn’t made the water too hot, and she wouldn’t stay long. Then she’d go bake in the sun for a bit.
After twenty minutes, regretfully, she toed the lever for the drain and then hauled herself out of the tub. Her stomach growled and she hurriedly went through the motions of dressing and putting on enough makeup to look presentable in public.
She devoured the bagel, the cinnamon roll and the fruit Ryan had left for her. She ate every crumb and licked her fingers, feeling like a pig, but a very satisfied pig. It had been a while since she’d had a hearty appetite and it had been weeks since anything had actually tasted good to her.
After downing an entire glass of juice, she smacked her lips in pleasure and went in search of a beach towel she could spread out on the sand.
She’d seen umbrellas dotting the private section of the beach reserved for the hotel guests and she planned to make good use of one while she waited for Ryan to return.
After months of being on her feet for hours on end, working a thankless job for paltry wages, a day lounging on the beach sounded about as decadent as it got. She was going to enjoy every minute.
She didn’t bother with sandals since she wasn’t going far. The sand felt luxurious beneath her feet. So warm and soft. She sighed in contentment as she headed for one of the nearby umbrellas.
The sound of the ocean filled her ears, beautiful and so peaceful. Here was a place where she could forget the pain of her past. It was a place made for being soothed. A vacation for the soul.
It sounded ridiculous and a little corny but she liked it and quickly adopted it as her motto for this trip.
She spread the towel out over the sand, positioned the umbrella just so and then sank down, drawing her knees up as she stared over the rolling waves.
Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply and enjoyed the breeze dancing across her face. Her sleepless night quickly caught up to her as tight muscles relaxed and the tension she’d held for so long gradually fell away.
Soon it was hard to keep her eyes open, so she stretched out on the towel and turned on her side to face the ocean. The umbrella provided plenty of shade. A nap was too tempting to pass up. She’d simply wait for Ryan here.
Shortly after noon, Ryan let himself into the room and looked around for Kelly. He called out to her but got no answer. He checked the bedroom in case she was napping, but found that the maid service had already come through to make the beds.
He sighed, knowing she hadn’t paid the least bit of attention to his concern over her going onto the beach without him. It wasn’t as if he thought anything would happen to her or that she was incapable of being alone, but her medical condition concerned him. And yeah, he was probably being a little overprotective, but he found with Kelly—just as he always had—he tended to overreact.
He stepped out onto the patio and scanned the beach, looking for any sign of her. When he didn’t immediately spot her, he began walking toward the umbrellas that dotted the sand.
When he got to the third, he saw her lying on her side, eyes closed and looking so damn beautiful—and vulnerable—that it made his chest ache.
He watched the soft rise and fall of her chest. The mound of her belly moved in a ripple across the floral sarong she wore. Her feet were bare and he could still detect signs of swelling around her ankles.
It wasn’t as bad as it had been, but it still concerned him a great deal.
He eased down onto the towel beside her and stroked his hand through her silky blond hair. He slid his fingers down her arm, over the curve of her hip and then down to the tight ball of her belly.
She sighed in her sleep and shifted closer to his hand. The urge to pull her into his arms was so strong that he jerked his hand away so he wouldn’t do just that.
If only he could erase the past six months and have things back the way they were. But now he had to deal with not only Kelly’s betrayal, but the fact that she carried his child. Whether she admitted it or not he felt strongly that she carried his baby. He wouldn’t allow himself to think otherwise.
Reaching out, he shook her, not wanting her to be exposed to the midday rays of sun, umbrella or not. She came awake slowly and blinked sleepily at him. Her soft smile of pleasure warmed him to his toes.
“When did you get back?” she asked in a groggy, sleep filled voice.
“A few minutes ago,” he said, smiling at her. “Are you ready to go eat?”
She nodded and pushed herself up. He reached down to help her up, and she slid her fingers into his, allowing him to pull her to her feet. Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, he guided her back to the suite, enjoying the few moments of intimacy afforded him.
While she showered and changed, he called Devon to give him an update on the construction schedule. The two men talked for a few minutes and Dev didn’t mention Kelly once. Something Ryan was glad for.
No matter that his friends and his family thought he was crazy, this was something he simply had to do. He hadn’t been able to stop thinking about Kelly in the months since their relationship had ended. He might be the biggest fool in the world, but he was determined to figure this out between them. Even if it meant eventually going their separate ways.
When Kelly reemerged from her room, there was a lightness to her eyes that had been absent ever since he’d found her in the café in Houston. She looked a lot like the old Kelly. The Kelly he’d been crazy about. The one who always had a ready smile, was quick to laugh and who offered her affection freely.
The reserved, angry Kelly was someone he didn’t know.
She seemed a little nervous and unsure as she came to stand by the bar, and he hated that there was a tangible barrier between them. Before she wouldn’t have hesitated to launch herself into his arms and give him one of her big, squeezing hugs.
Now? He ached to get close enough to her that she didn’t withdraw.
“You ready?” he asked, forcing a casual note into his voice.
She nodded. He put his hand to her back, noting the expanse of flesh bared by the sundress. Jansen had done well. The dress fit her like a dream, molding in all the right places. The bodice was held up by ends tied at the nape of her neck; but her flesh was bare all the way down to the small of her back.
Where his palm rested, he itched to caress and stroke until she responded to him, until he proved that the attraction between them hadn’t died.
They walked down to the restaurant that overlooked the ocean and were seated in a private alcove that had a huge glass window, giving them an unobstructed view of the beach.
As they looked over their menus, Ryan stole a glance at Kelly. Seeming to sense his perusal, she looked up and offered a tentative smile. He smiled back, captivated by the sparkle in her blue eyes.
She was…beautiful. And this time when she looked at him, he didn’t see the dark anger that had sparked so often since their reunion.
The moment came to a shrieking halt a second later.
“Ryan! What are you doing here?”
The feminine voice rang out over the secluded area, making him wince and Kelly jump in surprise. He glanced up to see Roberta Maxwell bearing down on their table and he muttered an appropriate expletive under his breath.
As she approached the table, he rose to return her greeting. He brushed a polite kiss over her cheek when she presented it to him and tried to extricate his hand from hers when she grabbed on to it.
“I’m here on business. The question is, what are you doing here?”
Her laughter tinkled out like fine china. “Oh, this is one of my favorite places to visit. The food is just divine, and the accommodations can’t be beat.” She turned to Kelly who was eyeing Roberta warily. “Who is this, Ryan?”
Like hell she didn’t know who Kelly was and like hell she just happened to be here. He’d lay odds that Roberta Maxwell had never been to St. Angelo in her life. She was shockingly transparent and didn’t seem to give a damn. That could only mean she was here to cause trouble. His mother’s name was written all over this and he was so furious he wanted to strangle Roberta’s skinny neck. And then move on to his mother. He never should have informed his mother that he’d be out of town and he damn sure shouldn’t have told her where he was going. He’d hoped… Well, it didn’t really matter what he’d hoped. Roberta was here and it was apparent it wasn’t some damn coincidence.
“Roberta, meet Kelly Christian. Kelly, this is an acquaintance of mine, Roberta Maxwell.”
Roberta’s smile was dazzling and she playfully fluttered her fingers at Ryan. “Oh la, darling. Surely I rate higher than an acquaintance.”
Kelly’s eyes narrowed and Ryan decided that politeness was overrated.
“We’re having a private dinner, Roberta. If you’ll excuse us, please?”
Undaunted, Roberta entwined her arm in his and her voice dropped to a low purr. “We must get together while you are here. Perhaps have dinner ourselves. I was so sorry to have missed you the last time I had dinner with your mother. I do love her so.”
He extricated himself from her grasp and stepped back a few paces from her. “I’m afraid my time here is spoken for,” he said. “Perhaps when we return to New York, Kelly and I can have you over for dinner.” He said the last pointedly, not that he really expected it to deter Roberta. It wasn’t his fault she was as thick as a brick.
Roberta’s eyes flashed with annoyance and her finely painted lips formed a full pout. “Really, darling, when did you decide to take back the little cheater?”
Kelly’s face blanched and she threw down her napkin. Ryan’s hand shot up to silence Roberta. “You know, I’ve had about enough. It’s time you left. Give my regards to my mother, and while you’re at it, tell her to stay the hell out of my affairs. Advice you’d be well advised to take as well.”
She twisted her pouty lips and ran a well-manicured set of nails down the lapel of his suit. “No need to get huffy, darling. I know you have to be polite to her since you don’t know whose baby she carries.”
With a careless wave, she walked gracefully away, leaving Ryan so furious that he wanted to hurl his chair across the room. But his anger had nothing on the fury flashing in Kelly’s eyes when he turned to see her standing in front of her seat, her fists clenched and pressed to the top of the table.