A Year to Remember (37 page)

I didn’t care if someone walked in the room and caught us. I put my hands on his chest and yanked his shirt over his head. His breathing accelerated, and I felt the warmth radiating off of his skin. I needed it against my naked skin. I pulled off my dress, leaving me in my bra, panties and boots. He groaned and we fell to the floor our bodies entwined.

His hands went around my back to unhook my bra and I giggled.

“What’s so funny?”

“The hook to the bra is in the front,” I said, causing another groan out of him.

Less than a minute later, our clothes removed, we stopped and held each other close, reveling in the joy of our togetherness. He reached over, searching for something and swearing softly under his breath. I rolled over to kiss and caress his back as he tore open the condom package.

The floor may have not been my first choice for making love, but right now all I could think about was how it right it felt to be back in Adam’s arms. He rolled on top of me and entered me in one thrust.

Thank God we skipped the foreplay. Three months was long enough, and I couldn’t have waited a second more.

I didn’t say anything. Instead, I let go of everything in my head and concentrated on how wonderful it felt to be connected to Adam. As I came, Adam muffled my yell with his mouth. He finished a minute later, sending me into another orgasm.

He withdrew, and we stayed on our backs catching our breath, neither one knowing how to start the conversation. Although I had shared my body, I wasn’t ready to give him my heart quite yet.

“Did my brother know you were waiting in here for me?”

Adam’s hand moved to my hair and he played with it while he answered. “It was his idea.”

“I thought we weren’t going to tell my brother about what happened in Israel?”

“I didn’t. Not until two days ago.”

“What happened two days ago?”

“That’s when I made my decision.” He yanked me toward him, so the sides of our bodies touched from shoulder to foot. Although it was warm in the house, I shivered as his hand left my hair and began to caress my neck and shoulders.

“Decision?” I asked, my voice barely audible due to the rush of returning arousal his touches caused. I coughed to clear my throat and he laughed, obviously aware of what his touches did to me.

“That I’d do anything to be with you. Including marry you,” he whispered in my ear, nipping at the lobe.

“Are you sure you’re over your fear of marriage? Because if you could promise me a lifetime commitment including children, I wouldn’t need a silly marriage license to tell me we belong together,” I explained, wondering if I should have kept it to myself. After all, he had just told me he’d consider marrying me one day.

“I’m sure, Sara. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking these last few months, but one thing was always clear to me. I love you, and I don’t want to live without you. You’re mine and I want the whole world to know it,” he said kissing my neck, my face, and my lips.

“I love you, too. I’ve made a lot of changes in my life these last few months. You may not love the new Sara.”

“Unless you became an ax murderer, I know I’ll still love you. Hell, even then I’d love you. Besides, I know all about these changes. I read your blog.”

“You read my blog?”

“Of course. Just because we agreed not to communicate didn’t mean I wouldn’t read your blog. Or watch your interviews. Or stare at your picture a thousand times a day.”

We began to kiss, but before we could go any further, I stopped him. “What did you tell my brother?”

He paused, and I could sense even in the dark he was thinking of the right way to phrase it. “I told Seth I’ve been in love with you since we were kids and I had screwed up in my typical fashion. I couldn’t live without you.”

“He bought it?” I teased.

“Hook, line, and sinker. He called Emily into the room, filled her in on our story, and she gave me the idea to lock us into the den.”

“We’re locked in?” I yelled a little too loudly.

“More like they’re locked out.”

“This idea of plunging me into the darkness. I’m assuming you told them about our kiss at their wedding?”

“Yes. Emily asked me when things really got started between us. Somehow she sensed Israel wasn’t the first time.” His fingers massaged my neck and started their descent down my body. It felt so good, I wanted to stop talking, but I couldn’t allow myself to become distracted until we settled absolutely everything.

“Adam, who answered your cell phone the night we got back?”

Silence.

I waited patiently for his answer, not sure if I could handle the truth.

Finally, in what seemed like minutes, although it was more like seconds, he answered, “Jenny.”

I sat up. “Jenny, your ex-girlfriend, Jenny?”

“Yes, but it’s not like you think.” Adam stood and turned on the lights. My eyes hurt from the abrupt change and I squinted as I tried to adjust to the brightness.

Then I remembered I was completely naked in front of him for the first time in three months. I attempted to cover myself with the clothes, but Adam grabbed my wrists.

“Don’t cover yourself. I think you’re beautiful and I’ve missed looking at you,” he said, his eyes turning dark as they studied my body from head to toe. I felt myself turning red under his penetrating gaze.

He got on his knees and kneeled before me, taking my hands in his and looking me in the eyes. “Nothing happened. I swear. I had been talking to her before our trip to Israel and she offered to pick me up from the airport.”

“Were you dating her again?” I asked, keeping my eyes trained on his face. If I saw his naked body, I’d never be able to walk away from him.

“We hadn’t gotten that far yet. We were just friends, but I think if you hadn’t been on the Israel trip, I would have gotten back together with her eventually,” he told me honestly.

I was beginning to hate honesty. The idea of him loving anyone else hurt me. But I’d had Caleb waiting for me. Then I remembered something Alison had once said to me. You can’t blame yourself for your feelings.

“Did anything happen between you when we got back?”

“No, absolutely not. She could tell how upset I was as soon as she picked me up. I didn’t want to tell her about you, but she’d been such a big part of my life, she knew me too well. I couldn’t hide anything from her. She wasn’t thrilled, but she understood, and she came to my apartment to console me. Plus, she had been cat sitting for me and had to get her things. We turned on the television while she packed and that’s when I saw you. You and Caleb.”

His voice broke as he said Caleb’s name. I hadn’t realized just how badly I had hurt him. I had been too angry at him to care.

“I owe you an apology. I had no idea Caleb and the news crew would be at baggage waiting for me. I didn’t want to say yes, but I didn’t want to hurt his feelings while we were on camera, but as soon as they finished, I told him I couldn’t marry him. He walked out right then and there. When I found out it aired live, I called you. I heard Jenny’s voice and I lost it. That’s why I lied to you and said Caleb and I were engaged. I should have never lied to you. I wanted to hurt you and I’m sorry. I will never do anything like that again, I promise you.”

I saw the pain etched on his face. “What happened after we got off the phone?”

He turned away for a moment and took a deep breath. I had a feeling I wasn’t going to be happy with his response. Then his gaze returned to mine.

“I tried to kiss Jenny, but she stopped it. She knew I was kissing her in response to you, not because I wanted her. She told me she didn’t believe you would stay engaged to Caleb. She thought you had been forced by the media. She was right of course, but I didn’t know it until the following week when I spoke to your brother. He informed me you had a slight nervous breakdown when you got back from Israel, but you were already doing better. I think he knew something had happened between us then because he kept insisting I go over to your condo to check on you.”