Maybe she wouldn’t have to let him go. Maybe her today would last an eternity.
Chapter Twenty-Four
“What are you so afraid of, Haley?”
Grabbing her shirt and covering herself, she turned away as she searched for her panties. Where were the stupid things? There was no way she would leave this office without them and risk the embarrassment of having a resort maid suck them up into her vacuum.
It had been bad enough when they’d been caught making out in the sauna like a couple of teenagers. She’d been utterly mortified. Crew, darn him, had just sat back with a big grin on his face while his poor employee had run from the room with excuses and a flushed face. But really, why was she thinking of that incident now?
Probably because she was afraid to face the conversation he was attempting to have. If she opened up to him only to be let down, she would be hurt, just as she always was. He had a family he could lean on — she had nobody. Why couldn’t he understand that?
Even knowing all along it wasn’t smart to do anything with him other than take him on as a teacher, she’d still managed to let her heart get involved. So now she was scrambling to build up some sort of defense against the inevitable pain.
He was selling the resort, probably in a matter of days, and after the sale closed, he’d move on to his next big adventure and she’d be by herself again. She used to deal with that just fine, but that was before meeting Crew.
“I’m not afraid of anything, Crew. I like the way things are with us, and I don’t see why you keep pushing me,” she finally said when he blocked the door.
“What is wrong with admitting that we’re good together?” His face was earnest, but she’d shared so much already. What would he think if he knew the depth of her feelings? He was the man out for a good time — not a happily-ever-after.
“We are good together. I don’t deny that,” she said, giving him something so he’d hopefully let the subject drop. She tried to make her tone light, but her soaring stress levels weren’t making it easy.
“I love being with you, Haley,” he told her as he grabbed her from behind and slid his hand around her waist, his fingers spanning across the flat of her stomach as he pulled her back against his chest. The way his thumb rested just below her breast had her body heating up again.
This was unbelievable torture. She needed some time to think — to pull herself together, and to try to figure out what all of this meant.
“And I love being with you, too, Crew. I do, honestly. I just don’t think we should try and put a label on what we have. We’re both in an unstable point in our lives and this is supposed to be fun and carefree. You’re my teacher, remember?” she said with an attempt at humor.
It fell flat.
“Do you want poems and chocolates?” he asked, sincerely perplexed. “I’m not being sarcastic, Haley. I need to know.”
The genuine confusion in his voice almost melted her. He was so good to her, anticipating her needs, caring about how she felt, and making her body sing for him. If only she could hold on to him forever.
“Doesn’t every woman?” she laughed as she turned in his arms and slid her lips across his in slow motion.
“Done. I’ll clear out the candy shop and have a poet flown in tonight.”
She wished she knew whether he was kidding or not.
“How about you just surprise me with a large Dove Bar and we don’t stalk writers,” she replied while his hands slid down her back. Then he took hold of her head and turned her gentle caress of the lips into a full-scaled attack on her mouth. It looked as if she’d done a good job of distracting him; she didn’t know, however, whether to be happy at her success.
When his phone rang just then, Haley felt a mixture of relief and frustration. Her body had just begun to warm up again, but she was glad that she could escape this awkward conversation.
“You take your call, and I’ll go for a swim,” Haley told him. Fire was just starting to flare in his eyes, so she retreated several feet, to keep temptation from winning her over.
She’d made it to the door before his voice stopped her. “Haley.” He paused while she turned. “This conversation is far from over.”
As she left the office, she felt fear battle with hope. The hope was more terrifying. If she let herself think of a real future with him, she’d be swimming without a life jacket in the middle of a stormy ocean, and it would probably be easier to just give in and let the water drag her under.
With a shake of her head, she suppressed her confused tears and made her way to their suite to change. A good swim and workout would put her mind back on track. That was all she needed, she convinced herself.
*****
Crew got off the phone, and then rested his head in his hands. He knew and understood her fears of the future, but he’d hoped she’d have a bit more trust in him by now. He would give her a week or two to work through her emotions, and then he’d pounce.
Haley had changed his life for the better; he couldn’t possibly let her go now. Did everyone have a one perfect mate out there somewhere? He only knew that without her, his life would be emptier.
The two of them could have a good life together. Her insecurity still held her back, but over the last couple of months, he’d watched as she’d come alive, opened up and faced so many of the demons that littered her past.
One by one, she was slaying her dragons, and he vowed to be there fighting by her side.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Crew ended up giving Haley a break for only a day. He’d planned to give her more time, but he had news, and he couldn’t wait to tell her.
His lawyers and those hired by the buyers had pushed through the paperwork, and he needed to let Haley know that at the end of the month it was time to move on. He hoped she wouldn’t mind going off with him to a new location. Though she had her schooling to finish, she was taking this semester off, and he’d find her the best school possible. What was important to her was important to him, too.
Crew had decided that his next business venture was going to be in Oregon. There was a great resort on the beaches of Tillamook, and he wanted to restore it. He’d be closer to his newfound family and get to know the cousins he’d never met.
Haley should love it there. The weather was almost identical to that in Seattle, plus she’d still be on the beach, he reasoned.
This kind of news required a candlelit dinner with at least a few dozen roses, and a lot of chocolate. Women, he’d theorized, were a lot more likely to listen if they had good chocolate in their hands. Haley had certainly proved that often.