Need You for Keeps (25 page)

Then she’d seen Dax at the bar looking bigger than life in his dress blues—and as out of place in all of that happiness as she was, and before she knew what was happening they were . . . bonding. Over Jack and Johnny Walker. In a momentary lapse in judgment, she found herself in his room, her bridesmaid dress around her waist like a Hula-Hoop, staring down her one secret fantasy, who offered her something she desperately needed.

Escape.

One night to forget about everything, be selfish, and lose herself without the fear of
losing
herself, because she wasn’t looking for forever. Good thing, because Dax was not a forever kind of guy.

“If I give you a lei, will you go away?” she asked.

“Is that your way of saying you don’t want to talk about the wedding?”

“First rule about one-night stands,” she said as though she was a foremost expert on the subject, “what happens between the wedding party, stays between the wedding party. No post expectations, no post conversations, and no ties.”

“Actually, first rule of one-night stands, Emi, is that they last all night. You cut out before dawn.” He lowered his voice. “And to be clear, you liked my tie.”

She had. A whole lot. Almost as much as she’d liked him. Which was why she’d cut out. Somehow, if she was the one to walk, it felt like she was still in control of her emotions—in control of her life.

“I had things to do.”

“At three in the morning?”

“What did you expect?” She laughed. “To cuddle and hold hands while swapping embarrassing childhood secrets and life goals? And it isn’t like you called me the next day anyway.”

He grinned. Big and wide and he slipped something out of his pocket. A phone.

He gave a few confident swipes of the finger and a second later, hers rang. She leveled him with her most lethal glare. When it kept ringing she crossed her arms, so not going to play this game.

Dax stood there, patient and unfazed, as though he was confident she’d answer as it rang and rang until it went to voice mail. Emerson could hear the muffled message she’d recorded and threw her hands in the air. “Oh, for God’s sake, hang up the—”

He held up a silencing finger.
Beep.

Emerson had a finger of her own to hold up, but since she was working, she refrained.

“Hey, Emi,” he said into the phone, charm and swagger dialed to full. “Wanted to let you know that I had an amazing time the other night—”

“Five months and nine days ago.”

He flashed her a
do you mind, I’m busy here
look. “I’m in town for a bit and I’d love to see you. Say grab a drink, maybe after you get off work? I know the perfect place, coconut shells welcomed.”

Then he ended the call, slid it in his back pocket, and smiled. “You were saying?”

“You’re infuriating.”

He shrugged as though he’d been called worse, then slipped a twenty into the cash box and took a lei, a pink one, and held it out for her. She rolled her eyes.

“Now, slip this flower necklace around my neck so I can go get us a drink.”

“There is no us.”

“If you say so.”

“I say so.” But she didn’t sound all that convinced. Maybe it was because as she said it she swayed closer. “And I’m not going on a date with you.”

Dax slid the lei over his head and winked. “Who said anything about a date?”

about the author

PHOTO © TOSH TANAKA

Marina Adair is a #1 national bestselling author of romance novels and holds a master of fine arts in creative writing. Along with the St. Helena Vineyard series, she is also the author of
Sugar’s Twice as Sweet
, part of the Sugar, Georgia series. She lives with her husband, daughter, and two neurotic cats in Northern California. She loves to hear from readers and likes to keep in touch, so be sure to sign up for her newsletter at
www.marinaadair.com/newsletter
.